posted
Marcus paced his living room floor. He walked back and forth many times before finally slumping down on his couch. He tried to relax but his encounter with Robert left him uneasy. He turned on the television and looked at the news. The only thing that caught his interest was a news report on the murders. There had been another attack the night before, Marcus learned. And then he saw a picture of Ryan on the screen! He had been the killer’s latest victim! The attack must have happened when he went to his car to get his phone. Marcus wondered what was so important that Ryan had to talk to Robert about? What had Ryan learned? And if the murder was at the Harbour, why didn't he hear about it last night?
He flicked the TV off and was about to go to bed when the phone rang. Picking it up, he was confronted with only dead air. Must have been a wrong number. He placed the phone on the receiver when suddenly it rang again. Marcus jumped.
“Hello,” he answered, slightly agitated.
“Hello,” the voice was distorted.
“Who is this?”
“Who is this?” The voice mocked.
Marcus slammed the phone down. It rang again. He stared at it as if willing it to stop ringing. It rang a full 8 times, then it stopped. Marcus sighed in relief. But then it started again, ringing twice before ceasing. Marcus hesitantly removed the receiver from the headset as if it were a snake and threw it onto the couch. There, that should be the end of it. He wandered toward his bedroom and turned out the light, falling onto the bed. He wrapped himself in his comforter and tried to force his mind to stop racing. Had he bothered to lock the door after Robert had so abruptly left?
Surely he had. But why was it still bothering him? He tossed and turned and finally, mercifully, drifted off to sleep. THe darkness outside was preparing to give way to daylight...
An indiscernible time later, a noise from the living room brought Marcus back from dreamland. A loud crash echoed in his head. Had he dreamed it? No. He could hear footsteps approaching the bedroom door. Still groggy, he instinctively stuffed the sheets with pillows to make it look as if he were still sleeping soundly. He then maneuvered under the bed just in time for the door to the bedroom to open ever so slowly. The door creaked, one of the loudest sound Marcus could ever remember hearing. Then Marcus saw a pair of feet standing at the side of the bed. He felt the impact as something came down hard against the bed. Marcus stifled a scream and held his hand over his mouth. Tears ran down his eyes as the force came down upon the bed several more times. Quickly, he rolled to the other side of the bed, trying not to make a sound. If he could just reach his nightstand drawer, he thought...
Marcus had always had a gun since he moved out on his own. Growing up in a military family, he had been around the weapons all of his life. He learned to shoot at the age of 16 when his dad bought him his first pistol. Just in case, Dad always said. Marcus never thought he’d be in a situation where he’d need one, but as the impact against the bed grew stronger, he knew this was his “just in case.”
Finally getting his courage up, Marcus reached the nightstand and quickly reached for the drawer handle. In a continuously fluid movement, he opened the drawer, got the gun, stood up and aimed at his intruder. Face to face with a figure in all black, Marcus had no idea who it was he was dealing with. The figure was masked. Could be anyone, he thought. He took a deep breath before he spoke.
“Alright, you motherfucker, put your hands up. Now!” The figure remained motionless. “I said now!” Slowly, the dark figure raised its arms into the air. Marcus saw a large blade in the right hand. “Drop the knife.”
As the knife fell to the floor, the doorbell rang.
“Who is it?” Marcus called out, not taking his eyes off the intruder.
“Marcus, it’s me. Your landlady, Miss Alicia. I heard a crash, are you alright in there?”
“Alicia, call the police.” He kept his gun pointed at the intruder.
“Marcus?”
“Just do it!”
“I already did.” Suddenly, the figure ran toward the bay window leading out to the balcony, crashing through it. Slivers of glass exploded outward. Marcus ran to the balcony but cut his left foot on a shard of broken glass. He shrieked in agony as Miss Alicia came running into the bedroom. Only sparing a second to glance at her, he again stumbled toward the balcony. The figure was long gone. He must have gone down the fire escape.
Marcus returned to his bedroom. Miss Alicia was holding a playing card in her hands. It was the 4 of Spades. Number 4...
-------------------- Touch the magic...
From: Morganfield, KY | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
At 6:30 am, Corinthian Hospital was abuzz with activity. Kaysie and Morgan made their way past the emergency room to the elevators that would lead them to ICU. Kaysie pressed the “up” button as Morgan just looked at her in amazement.
“I can’t believe what you just told me, it’s amazing.”
“Remember, not a word.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Right now, I’m more worried about this bomb threat. Bob should have been here by now.”
“How many lives is this psycho going to ruin?”
Kaysie didn’t have a chance to answer him because the elevator door finally opened indicating it was ready to take them up.
“Are you ready for this?”
“Yeah.” ***
Robert emerged from his bed in the hotel and fetched for his robe. He glanced at the clock. God, it was early. He had only slept a couple of hours but he felt as rested as if he had slept a full eight. Then the events of the night before washed over him. He almost had sex with Marcus last night! And Scotty... He heard his voice, encouraging him... What was that about?
There was a loud knocking on the door.
“Maxwell! I know you’re in here. Open the fuckin’ door!”
“What the hell?” Robert knew that voice but couldn’t place it. He hadn’t heard it in a long time. And then, he knew... “Todd McAllister...”
Robert opened the door to the man he never wanted to see again. This was the man who started the events in motion. The man who took away the Scotty he loved. The hatred swelled in Robert as he stared at his.
Todd said nothing as he walked in past Robert. Robert closed the door behind him as Todd punched him hard in the mouth. Robert winced, falling to the floor. Todd kicked Robert in the gut as he struggled for air.
“This is all your damn fault! You and your goddam homophobia!”
Robert gasped for breath as Todd stared down at him. “Wh - what are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about what you did to keep me and Scotty apart. None of this would have happened if you hadn’t interfered. None of it.”
“McAllister, if I hadn’t... If I hadn’t done what I did, you would be dead now.”
“Get off your fuckin' high horse, dude. Are you God? Do you have all the answers? Can you see into the future?”
“But the loan sharks, they would have killed you. And maybe Scotty too.”
“Well, look where we are now. Scotty’s dead anyway. You didn’t give us a chance to work things out together! You had to play God!”
“You didn’t have to take the money.” Robert reached for the dressing table and slowly, used it as leverage to pull himself up.
“But you knew I would. You knew I loved Scotty enough to give him up. What I don’t get is if you knew that, why couldn’t you see how real our love was?”
“I was wrong. I know that now. Maybe this is my fault. All of it...”
“Too little. Too late. People around us are dropping like flies. And somehow, somehow it’s all connected to Scotty.”
“More than you know.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Todd's eyes blazed.
Robert turned away from Todd for a moment.
“Answer me, dammit! Don't you dare turn your back to me!”
Todd lunged toward Robert, turning him around. Robert struck Todd in the head with a lamp that had been sitting on the dresser that Robert used to pull himself up. Todd fell to the floor, silent...
“Five..,” Robert whispered, an eerie grin on his face…
-------------------- Touch the magic...
From: Morganfield, KY | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
-------------------- "Tempus Fugitive" the final part of the Adventures of Dream Boy series, set in the Three-Boot Universe. Read it only in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
From: here, more often than not | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Morgan entered the room slowly. Kaysie had waited outside, talking to Bob Myler, who had finally shown up at the hospital. In front of him was Ryan. He was so still, attached by wires and tubes to several machines. But he was alive! Morgan lifted Ryan’s hand and held it.
“Ryan, it’s Morgan. I’m so sorry about all of this. It shouldn’t have happened to you. It’s all my fault. I know that you would tell me to shut up right now if you could. You would say that you were the one who got yourself into all this, not me. But deep down, be both know that’s not true. And then, and then I was stupid enough to be with that Todd guy last night right in the middle of all of this. You must have hated me then. And you know what, I wouldn’t blame you. I was an asshole. You were out doing God knows what trying to save our lives. And the sad thing is, you payed the price for my foolishness, not me. I would give anything if I were lying there in that bed, not you Ryan. Never you. Because Ryan, I love you...”
“I love you too, Morgan.” Ryan spoke, his voice weak. Kaysie had told Morgan that Ryan wasn’t dead. She had found him in the parking lot and he was still breathing. The ambulance came quickly and carted him off. They had worked feverishly all night to save his life. He was going to be fine. But he was still weak, coming off all that surgery. The doctors had warned him that Ryan would sleep for hours. So Morgan was understandably shocked when Ryan started speaking. “I didn’t realize it until I saw you with that guy. I love you. I always have. And I always will. Forever.”
Tears streamed down Morgan’s face as Ryan drifted back to sleep.
***
Kaysie stood in the hallway talking to a police officer. Unfortunately, this was the same officer who she had encountered at the cemetery. She was sure he recognized her although he didn’t mention it.
“Miss Dupris, the Bomb Squad went to the Herald and opened that box that Mr. Myler here said came for you.”
“And?”
“It was a clock.”
“Oh. Was there a note?”
“No, but...”
“But what, officer?”
“It was covered in blood.”
“I see. I assume you are checking to see who it belongs to?”
“Yes, ma'am. I would say that someone wants you off of this story.”
“Really? What was your first clue?”
“Sarcasm isn’t necessary Miss Dupris. This guy means business.”
“I know that. I was the one who found that poor boy in there, remember?”
“Yes, ma’am. Ah know that.” Kaysie caught the accent. The offices was trying to be a smart ass. She would ignore him.
“Good.”
At that exact moment, Morgan emerged from the room behind them. Kaysie pulled him to the side. “How is he?”
“He woke up! The doctor’s are in there with him now. They say he will be fine if he rests and takes it easy.”
“Did he say anything about who did this?”
“No. I don’t think he remembers exactly what happened to him yet.”
“That may be for the best right now.”
“Any word on the bomb?”
“False alarm. But I do think our killer was trying to tell me something.”
“Would you like to give me a ride back to my place and see if I’ve gotten any more messages?”
“That sounds like a plan. But are you sure you don’t wanna stay here?”
“There’s nothing I can do for Ryan here. He needs his rest. The best thing I can do for him right now is to help you.”
“Let’s go then, I have a feeling this is all about to come to a head.”
“You think it’s...”
“It doesn’t matter what I think yet. We need proof.”
“Well, after what I found out from Todd, I’m pretty sure that we both know who’s doing this.
“Pretty sure doesn’t cut it. We have to know.” ***
Ryan knew he was dreaming. He knew that he was in a hospital. He knew he was safe. That didn’t make him feel any safer as he saw the images of the previous night playing in his mind like a movie he couldn’t turn off. He saw himself running from a man with a knife. He saw himself as the knife pierced his skin. He saw as he pulled off his attacker’s mask and revealed the face of the man responsible for this. He saw... Robert Maxwell. Ryan closed in on Robert’s eyes. These were the eyes of a madman. Ryan was afraid. Very afraid. The images played over and over again in his mind. The drugs were making him sleep, he knew that too. There would be no release from this nightmare anytime soon.”
-------------------- Touch the magic...
From: Morganfield, KY | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Robert carried Todd's lifeless body out of his room over his shoulder. He had taken great pains to wrap the dead man in a tarp.
"Make sure no one sees you," said the voice of Scott Maxwell. The voice of course, was coming entirely from Robert's head.
"I know, I know. Damn, he's heavy!"
"Just get the job done, you idiot..."
Robert finally stashed Todd in the trunk of his vehicle. Opening the door of his car, he looked at the package that was on the passenger's seat. At first glance, it looked like any other beer box, empty beer bottles placed in their accompanying slots. But underneath, was a deadly surprise.
He had hinted at it to Kaysie. He had sent a clock to the Newspaper office, but this time, it was the deal deal. The patrons of the Harbour tonight won't know what hit them. Robert smiled at himself in the rearview mirror, his younger brother's face smiling back at him...
"Little brother, no one is going to hurt you again. I'll see to that. It's all their fault anyway, if they hadn't turned you into..."
His voice trailed off as Scott's face vanished, replaced with his own."
"Wait Scotty, please don't go." He was practically begging. "Stay With Me. Please?"
Nothing...
***
***
-------------------- Touch the magic...
From: Morganfield, KY | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Marcus had to open the Harbour doors at 7:00pm. He was running late and had much prep work today before the bar could open. He had thought about calling in sick, but he didn;t want to sit alone in his apartment. Besides, what if the killer came back to finish him off? He was much safer at the Harbour, he decided.
There was a box of empty beer bottles sitting outside. The owner of the Harbour, Louis Lattimore, mustv'e taken the beer home and dropped them off to be returned with the other empties. He picked the box up, and carried it inside...
***
After Morgan returned from the hospital, he crashed on his sofa. Kaysie had instructed him to get some rest then check his computer for any new nessages. She was going to do some more digging and would meet him at the Harbour later.
Of course the killer had left another message:
Writestuff: You made a very big mistake, Morgan. I told you not to tell anyone and what did you do? You told your little friend Ryan everything! By now, you know that I have taken care of your little friend. He put up a good fight, but no one will stop me! I want you to write about your friend and what I did to him, how I saved him. I will be waiting.
In the meantime, I have decided to step up my plans. I am no longer content with my previous methods. Something drastic is in order. You will soon see what I mean.
Morgan finished reading the message and pounded his fist hard on the table. When was this all going to end?
***
Kaysie knocked on Robert's door loudly.
"Robert, it's Kaysie! We have to talk." She could hear movement inside and something else, too. Voices?
Finally, Robert answered. He smiled at her as he opened the hotel room's door.
"Kaysie! What a surprise!" Robert deadpanned. "What can I do for you?"
"Ummm, I thought I heard voices in here."
"Voices? Oh, I had the TV on."
"That must've been it," she said, looking around. "Listen, we need to talk."
"Yes, I think we do." Robert smiled at Kaysie, not the kind of warm, invitig smile that made you feel comfortable. No, this was an eerie cheshire grin.
***
-------------------- Touch the magic...
From: Morganfield, KY | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
-------------------- "Tempus Fugitive" the final part of the Adventures of Dream Boy series, set in the Three-Boot Universe. Read it only in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
From: here, more often than not | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Morgan decided that he should go talk with Marcus. The killer had not left him any more instructions and he completed his story on Ryan. He had left out the part about Ryan still being alive, of course. He would not place Ryan in any more danger.
He went into his bedroom and changed clothes. The Harbour would be packed tonight, as there was a concert at the arena. After events like that, the clubs always had more traffic. Morgan wanted to get there early to avoid the rush and get a good parking space.
Hopefully, Marcus wasn't too busy yet.
***
Marcus managed to get the bar ready to open on time. He even had a few minutes to spare. He sat back, made himself a vodka tonic and watch music videos on the main screen.
He hoped that the craziness of the last few days would be over soon. That Scotty kid had really gotten to him. For some reason, Marcus felt as if he had lost his soulmate, although he had only talked to Scotty that one time.
Whoever killed that kid and the others was still out there. The bar owner knew what was going on and had considered closing the Harbour until the killer was caught, but all the employees encouraged him not too, including Marcus. No reason to live in fear, they all said. The owner agreed, but warned them all to be careful.
But Marcus had a made a decision. When all of this died down, he was going back to school to finish his degree in electrical engineering at Hughes Hill.
He had left school, telling his parents and anyone who would listen that he was "finding himself". Marcus knew that was bogus.
He left school because he was lazy and wanted to find an easy way. He was partying and trying to pick up guys and that interfered with his class schedule. Being a bartender allowed Marcus to work as well as continue his philandering ways.
But what had it gotten him? He was still alone.
[ January 11, 2004, 01:33 PM: Message edited by: Danny Blaine ]
-------------------- Touch the magic...
From: Morganfield, KY | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
Hyperpath: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic | Subscribe To Topic
