Land Of Shadows

From the “Land of shadows”
They move in terrifying rhythm to the sound of the drums, a mystical dance as intriguing as it is scary. In some mysterious way I am chained by lust and pride and still don’t know how I came to be here. The sulphuric stench is sickening and it seems we are near the sea because I hear the crashing of the waves. I am among other prisoners who are in chains too. The chants rise as hideous creatures come out of the shadows, grabbing the prisoners and dragging them to the cliffs edge. It is a full moon and I see a giant figure tearing at the prisoners flesh in pleasure and with glee. I hear clearly what the chants are now, Diablo’s, Diablos, Diablos. To my horror he points a crooked finger at me and two hooded creatures head towards me, pulling me out of the crowd. One of them removes her hood and to my utter amazement it’s my girlfriend Michelle. Her eyes are as black as coal and her voice as cold as ice. She drags me to the cliff as the chants get louder. Michelle it’s me I scream, don’t do this. At the cliff edge I see what lies below. A sea of lava. I beg, I plead, don’t throw me off, I turn to the second hooded creature, please, my girlfriend has gone mad I cry, somebody save me. The Diablos chants are at a fever pitch, the creatures tear at my flesh, lift me up and throw me off the cliff.

My pillow is drenched in sweat. Its 2.30a.m. What a nightmare. There is movement in my bed beside me so I put on the light then jump out of the bed in fright. Michelle sits up in bed, staring at me. The same cold dark stare. She speaks but it’s not her voice “you know” she says. She turns to an unseen being and speaks. You had no right to save him, he is full of sin, and he doesn’t deserve a second chance. I sit on the floor petrified. She turns to me and in a blood curdling voice says “we are everywhere”. She gets up, dresses up, looks at me one last time and walks out.

I sit on the floor for hours, until the sunlight streams through my window. I light a cigarette with shaky hands. My beautiful Michelle some kind of witch, I can’t believe it. I go to the drawer and check if my shotgun is still there. I already have blood on my hands so killing Michelle will just be one more. There is no way I am going out through some strange sick bitch. I take another glass of scotch to cool my nerves. What I really need is sexual healing I say to myself. So I call up one of my girls, Catherine. I know I treat her like dirt but I pay her good. After a night of sadistic hedonism I push Catherine away and drift off to sleep.

I open my eyes and to my utter horror I am back at the cliff edge. The Diablos chants, the sulphuric stench, the hideous creatures, all so real. No, this is just a nightmare I scream. Michelle is by my side; I turn to the other creature as she removes her hood and find out to my horror that it’s Catherine. She looks at me with coal eyes and says “I told you we are everywhere”. They tear at my flesh as the hideous creatures throw me of the cliff. A voice rings in my head as I fall into the darkness “we are everywhere”

Epilogue
Mr. Rod k, a man known mainly for the murder of the AAA family jumped out of his hotel room this morning. Written on the wall in his own blood were the words “they are everywhere”