In the Dark

In the Dark

Mr. McCandles, bloody, lifeless, and no longer seen as a threat, lay in a heap on the concrete floor. Jerry wiped the tears from his face, took a deep breath and started up the stairs. "Coming, Mother." he whispered.

Lauren McCandles, eighty-six years old, her body weak from the long battle with cancer, switched off the frantic news bulletin and lay quietly shivering in her bed. The creak of the stair tread reverberating loud in the still aftermath of the battle recently waged in the basement.

Jerry Ortega, until his recent escape, Pine City Mental Institute's most infamous inmate, crept through the kitchen door. The darkness, as always, his most comforting cloak. "I'm coming, Mother," His singsong whisper, traveling before him. "Never fear, Jerry's here." A litany often misquoted from his favorite Saturday afternoon cartoon.

Upstairs, Lauren's eyes shifted to the phone. Lying only a few paces away, it might as well have been in the neighbor's house, for all the good it was to her. Lauren hadn't the strength to stand upright, never mind rushing across the room. Squeezing her eyes tightly shut, Lauren waited. "James, my love," she whispered, "I'll be with you soon."

The infamous serial killer glided effortlessly and unerringly through the darkened house. Pausing for a moment at the second floor stairway, he listened carefully for the signs of distress and despair that he knew the old woman would be feeling."Don't worry, Mother." His whisper, trilling softly. "All will be well soon. Never fear, Jerry is here." The creak of the stairs's distress signaling his ascent.

At first calm acceptance filling her soul, Lauren had another thought. I can't let this stand! James didn't battle so fiercly just to die for nothing! Struggling, Lauren threw back the blanket. With another mighty heave, she managed to turn her body and roll off the bed. Landing with a soft thud, she lay quietly on the floor. Listening carefully, she heard another step, then a long pause followed by two more quick steps. Summoning all her resolve, Lauren dug her fingernails into the soft carpet and began to pull herself across the room.

Straining to sit upright and reach for the phone, she saw the bedroom door begin to open. Framed in the dark doorway, the gigantic man paused as his eyes, unaccustomed to the bedroom lamp's brightness, searched the room. Finally lighting on the frail figure sitting against the small dresser. His bloody face, twisting into a caricature of a child's grin. "Jerry's here, Mother!" he whispered.

As the blood drenched monster stepped nearer, Lauren scrabbled for the phone. Her strength fading, she only managed to tip the dresser, spilling the contents and overturning the lamp, plunging the room into total darkness. Feeling around frantically, Lauren's hand grasped something familiar just as the monster grabbed her leg.

Effortlessly, the giant plucked her from the floor and cradled her gently. "It's all right, Mother." he whispered. "Everything will be just fine in a moment."

As he leaned forward to place her back on the bed, Lauren pushed the revolver under his massive chin. "Yes, it IS going to be just fine." Her smile illuminated, as the quiet darkness was replaced by a bright flash and a loud bang.