Feel free to explore the inner workings of a wicked mind twisted into madness. Not all is as it seems. You have been warned...
An excerpt from "BEJEWELED"
The pain in his leg was nauseating and held considerable competition for the fresh gouge across his face. Blood soaked through the makeshift bandage on his leg and
pooled into his boot. Jake slumped against the back of the rock and took a deep breath, his face throbbing.
“I - I can’t get up,” he gasped.
The man rolled his eyes, answering quickly.
“Cuff BOTH hands. I know all about you, tough guy.” Jake reluctantly complied with the agent’s request and produced them to his captor. The mercenary paused for a moment to inspect the restraints. He shouldered his rifle and stepped over to pull Jake off the ground - which was exactly the advantage Jake needed.
Jake counter-gripped the mercenary and pulled him towards the ground. A full-throttled knee to the mercenary’s nose sent him reeling backward in an explosion of bone-crunching desperation. Like a green apple hurled onto hard concrete, the pop of splintering facial bones and shattering cartilage echoed throughout the forest, leaving the mercenary stunned. Jake bent down to snatch the rifle, but slipped in his blood-soaked boot.
He hit the ground sideways and felt a sharp crack in his left shoulder. The mercenary had regained his footing and reached the rifle first. Jake jumped on top of him and pounded him violently with tied double fists. They wrestled on the ground back and forth in a panic-stricken game of survival, both of them struggling for the gun. The mercenary pinned Jake to a dead tree and propped him up. This power struggle swayed
back and forth a few more seconds, and then a single shot rang out.
An excerpt from "The Portrait"
Tommy aimed at the light where the painting had toppled. The way the thunder made the house shake, it was no surprise that the painting fell. Tommy figured he would at least return the painting to its upright position. It was surprisingly heavy for the size, and he struggled slightly under the weight. A loud thud against the wall shifted the painting back into its resting place. Tommy grasped the flashlight and glanced at the painting before leaving the room. A significant piece of the framework had broken off, sending a large wooden shard through the forehead of the young girl. Something else about it was different, too. The color had faded and the young girl no longer held that fragile smile. In fact, she had no mouth at all.
Thanks For Giving
Who doesn’t love Thanksgiving? It’s a time for family, friends and moments of reflection. Adam looked forward to all the holidays, but Thanksgiving was his favorite. The whole family would come from all parts of the world to gather and spend a few short days in each other’s company. They would all stay with Adam and his parents Robert and Silvia, along with his brother Larry and sister Kate. It was great to see everyone and reminisce about the old days. Adams parents would deck the house with an abundance of decorations and gifts would get tossed around like fireflies in a windstorm. But the real coupe de graz was the food. That was what everyone really looked forward to. Tons of sweet desserts on festive platters and enough side dishes to choke a horse. The main course was the one reason most of them came in the first place. Tender, fall off the bone, white and dark meat soaked in a beautiful wine sauce, and roasted to perfection. It was the main attraction and everyone ohhed and ahhed over the fantastic display, cooked by Robert himself. In fact, Robert would begin his hunting a full week early to insure the most prized catch. It was a wonderful time and this day was no exception. The family showed up as usual and the party started right away. Uncle Gus did his typical impressions and made a fool of himself as he always did. His neck waddled when he laughed. After the procession of gifts, it was time for dinner. We all waited a whole year for this moment, and now it was here. The extra-long table was draped in a snow-white cloth that seemed to stretch for miles. Each placement was a work of art, from the delicate gold accented plates, to the crystal water glasses, perfect to the last detail. Robert (dad) wheeled out the huge dinner cart with two large silver cloches, placing it near his seat at the head of the table. Drinks were poured and everybody stood at the table in front of their respective placemats. Robert raised his glass in a toast to good health and the rest followed in kind. After the toast they all sat in their chairs, mouths watering, knife and forks at the ready.
Robert removed the cloches and was met with oooos and ahhs in shallow, deafening whispers. This is what it was all about. Family, friends, and great food. Good times, indeed. Robert raised his glass to toast them all. He then brandished a large butcher knife and sliced off a steaming slab of perfectly roasted human and passed it to the left.
Reflections Of A Corpse
The first time I came into actual contact with a dead body I was just a young kid, but never was I so influenced as I was this day. The air was crisp on a cold January morning and the funeral home had responded to an application I had recently submitted and I showed up early. As I waited in my car, I could see the wide garage door half open, exposing the lower part of the crematory oven. It glowed a brilliant hot orange and a large, dark mass lie smoking in its belly. I swallowed hard. My heart must have tripled in speed and my stomach became angry, twisting and creating an acid bath that splashed across the back of my throat. As I peered curiously into the doorway an older man came out and motioned me to come inside.