The Beast In the Basement Part 13 (965 hits)
Category: Quotes & StoriesLabels: the_beast_in_the_basement
Rating: 2 on 21 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Anansie (View user info) at 2004-06-24 10:38:37 EDT
Note: For those who have been reading this story and actually want it to continue, sorry it has took so long to write the next part. As life changes, so do my writing habits. I am not even the same person I was when I started writing this, so it was hard to pick it up again. If anyone is still interested in reading it to the bitter end, I will continue posting it. I finally have the ending figured out, so writing will be a bit easier. For those who have lost interest, or never had any to begin with, feel free to ignore it. But I have to finish what I started.
As always, here are the previous parts:
Part 1: http://www.ubersite.com/m/23801
Part 2: http://www.ubersite.com/m/23902
Part 3: http://www.ubersite.com/m/23978
Part 4: http://www.ubersite.com/m/24070
Part 5: http://www.ubersite.com/m/24256
Part 6: http://www.ubersite.com/m/24411
Part 7: http://www.ubersite.com/m/24512
Part 8: http://www.ubersite.com/m/24931
Part 9: http://www.ubersite.com/m/25150
Part 10: http://www.ubersite.com/m/25444
Part 11: http://www.ubersite.com/m/26319
Part 12: http://www.ubersite.com/m/26450
However, after this post you may click on my user info because listing all the old parts is a pain in the ass.
(Recap: In the last part, Annie and Micah were sitting in Micah's pool hall reminiscing about the night in the woods when the beast-thing killed Jason and almost killed Annie. It appears to be controlled by some sort of "master.")
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Annie and Micah sat silent in the dim lights of the pool hall, contemplating their own demons. A fifth of Crown Royal stood next to two shot glasses on the bar. It was three quarters empty. Annie knew her father was expecting her. He was probably worried. She also had a man at home awaiting her call. He was most likely sitting by the phone. Would he be worried by now? Probability was high. She had promised to call as soon as she arrived in Gilford. By now, however, he might be used to her cold shoulder. She glared at Micah.
"You know, ever since you, I've had problems with men."
He gazed at her, bleary eyed. "Wha?"
"Everyone says I'm cold. That I don't open up enough. That I don't let people know when I care about them. Other such crap. I don't recall being that way before you."
"Don't try to pawn your problems off on me, Annie. I got enough of my own."
Annie glowered on her bar stool and poured another shot. She had a healthy buzz going, and was well on her way to being drunk.
"You have more of this right?"
"Of course."
"Good." She downed her shot and stared at Micah.
"You know, you were a pretty good lay, as I recall."
"I suppose. You want to refresh your memory?"
"Oh no, no, no, no, no...you misunderstand, sonny. I am attached. Happily, I might add."
"Hmmph. I thought you had problems with men."
"He looks past that. What about you?"
"Ah, I've got a little something going on. Nothing serious. Might turn out to be good, might not."
"Yeah, well. Wish her luck for me. She'll need it."
"Fuck you."
"Yeah, yeah. Look, I gotta go. My dad's waiting on me to call. So's Cauley."
"Cauley? That his name? What kind of name is Cauley?"
"Caulfield. His mother's maiden name. He gets enough shit for it without you jumping in, too. Later, Micah. I don't have time for this shit."
Annie stood up and began stumbling toward the door. The last two shots she had taken were beginning to hit her.
"You're not driving like that."
"Yeah, well. You cant' drive, either. And if you think I'm staying here, you're deluding yourself." She looked at him, her eyes glinting with malicious glee. "Trying to get a little of that old magic back, sweetie? You've missed it haven't you?"
She walked to him and rubbed her body against his. He stared at her, his hands shaking a little at his sides.
"Missed this?" She grabbed his hands and placed them on her hips as she grinded against him. "Well, it's too late. Ship's sailed. Gone." She giggled as she turned and walked toward the door.
"You have changed."
"I am what you helped create, sweetheart."
"Bullshit."
"Think whatever helps you sleep, baby."
"Get your drunk ass back here and let me call a cab."
"Whatever. Call the cab. I'll wait outside."
Summer. The sweaty stink of summer. How could anyone enjoy it if they didn't live on the coast? She hated it. It reeked of commerce and death. Her thoughts wandered to and fro, unable to focus. The alcohol and the heat were making her dizzy.
This side of town was completely deserted now.
She thought about Cauley. About how kind he was to her. She didn't deserve it. She abandoned the people who cared about her. Look at Maggie. Dead. Brutally killed, no less. She rarely spoke to her father these days. What did she know about relationships? She loved Cauley. But she didn't let him get too close. Never close enough to hurt. She thought about it. The last person she had allowed to hurt her was Micah. The rotten bastard.
"You rotten bastard!" She called back through the open door, her speech halting and slurred.
He was laughing. She supposed this was rather funny.
"Come back inside Annie. You left your phone on the counter anyway."
"I don't give a damn."
"Looks like you've got some messages, too. You shouldn't cut your phone off in situations like this. Your dad called. Cauley called." Micah said the name in a snooty sarcastic manner that grated on her ears. Annie staggered inside and snatched her phone. She slumped into a bar stool and fought to stay focused.
"Drunk ass." Micah surveyed her, amused. He was wavering a little himself.
"What do you know about it?" she snapped as she turned her phone on. They sat silently for a minute as Annie stared blankly at the little screen on her phone.
"Annie, do you remember Jason Curry's shed?"
An image of a wooden door with light scratch marks laced across its surface flashed in her mind. The doorknob was gone. A bloody fingernail was imbedded in the splintery wood.
"Yes. I remember."
"I've thought about it a lot over the years. He must have been in there for hours. The whole time that search party was combing the woods for him, he was in there. Why didn't anyone hear him?"
"He must have been gagged."
"And how the hell can some giant dog bind and gag someone without help?"
Annie was too drunk to think coherently on the subject. All she could think of was Tonia Donnell's eyes. They floated in front of her, sans body, staring into her soul. Begging her to solve the mystery of their disappearance.
"Remember that time we did acid and you swore up and down that you saw Tonia Donnell's eyes floating in front of you?"
Micah had an eerie knack for reaching in and yanking the thoughts from her head and laying them bare for her to ponder openly.
"Yeah, that was the last time I ever tried any of that shit." She managed a laugh. "Actually, I did mushrooms in college. A lot smoother, if you ask me."
"You don't still do that crap do you?"
"Nah, I'm getting to old. But I refuse to say any time is the last time."
"You look good Annie. A little haggard, but good."
"You sure know how to compliment a girl."
Micah took her hand, and kissed it.
"Shut up. You know you're hot stuff."
Annie jerked her hand away. "Did you call that cab?"
"No."
"Well, I think I might take a walk. My house isn't that far away."
"Are you crazy?"
"Just too drunk to be afraid. Would you like to join me?"
"With all these rumors of a killer floating around? Imminent danger in the air? I'd be crazy not to. But first..."
Micah hopped up a little over the bar and reached for something beside the cash register. He came back with a sawed off shotgun and a box of shells. He stuffed the shells in his front pocket.
"Aren't those things illegal?"
"I don't know. Are they? Gilford's changed a little. Now, on top of organ stealing boogiemen and giant dogs that rip people's throats out, we have junkie riffraff that enjoy knocking off small businesses and shooting their owners. I guess that's the price of progress. I keep this just in case somebody decides to make the mistake of robbing this place."
"Why didn't you get a handgun? Isn't a shotgun a bit excessive? I thought they were meant for hunting."
"Yeah, I think they're meant to take down big animals or something." His eyes met hers, and glinted in the dim barlights.
"I see."
"Well, mi'lady." He offered her his arm. She roped hers through it.
"Come on, Bandit." The small dog trotted over from the basket he'd been laying in, and wagged his tail, and the three of them strode out into the hot night air, and disappeared in the fog. To anything other than a keen-eyed monster, they were nothing but dim shapes fading into nothingness.
User Reviews
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-06-02 15:08:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2006-06-02 12:10:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
this one wasn't as smooth as the others...maybe i was just reading too fast, but it seemed to hop around too quickly and characters emotions change instantly.
mabye i'll read it again.
Submitted by Rads_wife (user info) at 2005-06-13 23:08:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
http://www.ubersite.com/m/68315
WINNER!!! WINNER!!!!
Submitted by munkeypants (user info) at 2005-01-03 19:28:01 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
that's an odd conversation between her and micah.
still awesome though.
Submitted by JohnGalt (user info) at 2004-08-03 22:18:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
The Fan Club's still here. Just didn't get a chance to read these for a while.
Submitted by AshK (user info) at 2004-07-15 18:12:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I saw that "13" and did a dance of joy. A little one, since I am still at work, but a dance of joy nonetheless.
Don't you dare stop. I will have avid reader blue balls again.
Submitted by Avals (user info) at 2004-06-26 16:06:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Finally, I've been waiting for this for like forever.
Now where's the next part?
Submitted by iamhewhoisnot (user info) at 2004-06-24 16:43:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
this is one of the best series i have ever read here...
Submitted by comicbookguy (user info) at 2004-06-24 13:46:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I like how this series has a small, but devoted following of users
Submitted by Circe (user info) at 2004-06-24 12:44:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You make it seem so effortless - the dialogue and the interaction, everything. It's simple and strong and not intrusively flowery. You are, far and away, one of the best here.
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2004-06-24 12:38:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
What's the point of +2ing my own post? Here, I put it on your post. Nothing you do bothers me, sweetie. I know you don't like serial fiction, but I'm not the first or the last to post it, so your opinion means fuckall in the grand scheme of things. You could -2 every piece of serial fiction on this site, but you've latched on to mine for some reason. I don't get it, but it's more proof to me that ratings mean jack.
Love to your ass-licking self,
Anansie.
Submitted by KoolMang (user info) at 2004-06-24 12:29:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Where IS that +2, you forgot to add it.
Submitted by Malificent (user info) at 2004-06-24 12:06:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You....are an astounding writer.
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2004-06-24 12:05:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
What a suprise. No matter what, I can always count on Koolmang to drop in with a -2. I love it. He makes me feel all warm and gooey inside. I'd love to take a shit on his face, but I know he'd enjoy it too much.
+2 for you Koolmang.
Submitted by KoolMang (user info) at 2004-06-24 11:59:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by shark25 (user info) at 2004-06-24 11:17:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Fucking A!!
Christ Almighty I thought you just gave up!!
This is Great!!
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2004-06-24 11:12:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Micah is a combination of several men. So yeah, elements may definitely seem familiar to some folks out there.
Submitted by TaK (user info) at 2004-06-24 11:09:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
'bout damn time.
Of course, I can see how your writing may be halted.
The relationship between Micah and Annie is...
yea.
Submitted by engine13 (user info) at 2004-06-24 11:03:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
woohoo!
I've been waiting for this series to continue. Thanks.
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2004-06-24 10:48:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Gee, I didn't realize you'd been reading it.
Submitted by JMG114 (user info) at 2004-06-24 10:46:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I missed this.