BIB Part 17 (1217 hits)
Category: NoneLabels: The_Beast_In_the_Basement
Rating: 1.96 on 37 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Anansie (View user info) at 2004-08-06 11:11:37 EDT
She lay on the table, shackled and chained. The sweat beaded on her brow, growing into pools and running in rivers down her temples. The tiny hairs on her face directed the sweat to her jaw line, from which it dripped onto the stone tablet beneath her. It coupled with the blood to form a salty metallic offspring. A finger, unnaturally elongated and with a nail sharpened to a point, swam in the pool. It touched upon a pair of dark lips, which smacked at the mixture, and grinned, revealing rows of pointed teeth. It struck her that the grin looked very much like that of a shark. It was the grin of a predator.
The girl didn't remember how she got here. She wanted her mother. Mother had always told her that there were no such things as monsters. But one had brought her here, and now another one stood before her. It loomed over her, the way a skyscraper loomed over an ant, larger than life, and infinitely more threatening. She had never really known what people meant when they talked about the boogieman, but now, seeing this man-thing hovering over her, grinning at her like a child opening his first birthday present, she knew. This was the apotheosis of all childhood fears, rolled up into one.
She broke away from his gaze to survey her situation. Her clothes were gone. The chains gave her arms little room for movement. They ran through metal circlets attached to the sides of the table with large bolts. The chains ran from the circlets to somewhere beneath the table, where she could not see. She lifted her head as much as her prone position allowed, and saw that her legs were shackled in similar fashion.
A sharp pain ran down the side of her cheek and she felt a warm gush of what could only be blood dripping down the side of her face. She turned to look. It held its finger up for her to view, and she saw a chunk of her own flesh attached to the fingernail. She screamed, and found no sound would escape her lips.
The thing laughed. It was a horrid, inhuman laugh. A laugh that somehow managed to encompass anything and everything she had ever been afraid of and shove it down her throat. She almost felt as though she were choking upon it. She gagged. She was choking on it, her own fear. Somehow the thing was making it happen. It flicked its hand and the sensation stopped. She gasped, taking huge gulps of the air and coughing in
between. She tasted the coppery flavor of blood in the back of her throat, and swallowed it. The thing continued laughing for a moment. The laugh sounded like a series of guttural screams, high pitched and grating. It was then that she noticed that its mouth hadn't moved. It was still frozen in a grin. The laughter was coming from inside her
head.
He stepped to the side, revealing a small table with a black cloth draped over it. The girl could feel the pleasure emanating from him. It burrowed into her brain like an insect, and skittered to and fro. He was enjoying himself, and he wanted her to know it. She looked around, trying to find a way to escape. The torches along the wall illuminated the walls, revealing a number of chain and shackle contraptions similar to the ones that held her to the table. She couldn't see much in the dim light, but it seemed to her that on the floor beneath each chain, there were dark stains imbedded in the stone.
Another sharp pain, another warm gush, this time from her side. He didn't like her attention on anything but him. Panic coursed through her. He pulled the black cloth from the table and revealed a number of archaic looking knives, some long handled and similar to scalpels. She shook in her chains. The man thing's hand hovered over the instruments before picking one of the rusted blades. She began to moan softly, tears
welling up in her eyes and streaming down her face to join the blood and sweat. Its hand hovered over her navel for a moment before sinking the blade deep into the skin. Pain seared her. Agony. Burning, bleeding, agony. She screamed again. This time she made a sound. High pitched and guttural, and remarkably similar to the man-thing's laugh. The creature paused, and brought its face close to her own. It's grin spread wider even as her screams grew louder. And then it screamed with her, smiling even as it screamed, mocking her, harmonizing, its voice rising and falling with her own, bringing its own brutal cadences to their song.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Annie woke, a searing pain tearing into her belly. The pain of some methodical violence, no less savage for its calm. A hand seemed to dig inside of her abdomen (gently ever so gently) ripping out her vitals in search of something. She felt fingers, and claws. She writhed in her bed, unaware of her surroundings, unaware of the two men rushing through the door. Annie fell onto the floor, shaking and screaming. She clutched at her stomach, felt warm liquid oozing through her fingers. The pain intensified. (scream for me little one) Her body straightened, her arms and hands slamming to her sides as if tied down, her legs spreading slightly apart and halting. To the two men watching her, it seemed as if she struggled against invisible bonds, to no avail. Her midsection jumped and twitched, and seemed to try to sink into the floor even as her screams became louder. (no use struggling, child, though I do so love it when you try) It felt as if her insides were being ripped out of her. (ah, here it is) The pain peaked ( goodnight, little one), and then began to wane. No, that wasn't it. She was waning.
This is what it's like to die.
The thought flashed briefly through her mind. Annie welcomed it. It was an end to this agony. Her thoughts began to come slower, and she suddenly felt very tired. Exhausted. Ready to be done with this, ready to sleep. Her eyes closed, and all became darkness.
"Annie!" A voice. Her father. Distant. "Annalee!"
"Wake up, Annie." Micah.
The two voices continued, growing in volume. She felt hands on her
shoulders, shaking her. A hand on her forehead.
"Jesus, she's burning up."
Her eyes fluttered open. She pushed the hands away from her and rolled over on her side, retching. Hands reached under her armpits and yanked her up in a sitting position and pulling her hair back from her face. In the dim moonlight pouring in from the window, a wastebasket appeared beneath her face. The churning mixture of Crown Royal, coke, and bile came rushing forth. Panicky, she grabbed her belly again, expecting her hand to come away warm and wet and red. Nothing. No blood. The room span, and she began to fall backward, but hands steadied her. She heaved, and continued to do so long after the last of it came up.
"Annie, are you alright?" Her father. Standing in front of her.
She didn't like him seeing her like this. She tried to speak and instead leaned into the wastebasket, heaving. She waved him off instead.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeahhhhhhuuuuccckkkgghhaagh.... uunngghhaaa... ulp."
"I think she means yes." Micah said.
"Well, then. Um." She looked up momentarily and saw her father standing
there, awkward and unsure. "I don't know."
"Go on," Micah said. "I've got her."
Uncomfortable with watching his drunk daughter vomit and guilty about wanting to leave, Eric Denning lingered for a moment before darting from the room. Annie continued to heave for a few moments. Tentatively, Micah removed the hand that had supported her back and crouched forward a little.
"I'm going to get you some water."
Moments later he returned with a small cup. It was green plastic and had "#1 Dad" emblazoned on the side. She drank from it gratefully. Her throat burned, and a lump lingered in it, unmoved by the water coursing down her throat. She felt dangerously close to vomiting again, but attempted to stand anyway. Micah supported her and walked her over to the bed. They sat down. She grabbed a pillow and clutched it in front of her.
"He's killed another." she said.
"How can you possibly know that?"
"I just ... do. Look we have to do-" she stopped, fighting another dry heave.
"What the hell just happened Annie? You... I... for a second there I thought you were dying."
Annie was silent for a moment. She thought about the searing pain and how it had felt, laying on the floor moments before. It had felt as though her very life force was being sucked out of her. "I was."
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing, nevermind. We can discuss it later. There are more pressing issues here. People are dying. Children. We have to do something. We can't just let this keep going on, Micah."
"I agree. But what the hell are we supposed to do? I'm not a cop. Chauncey is the one you should be talking to about this."
"Chauncey hasn't done shit. Twenty years of suicides, animal maulings, and vagrant killers. Twenty years of excuses. I don't think he or anyone else in this town wants to believe the truth."
"And what's the truth, Annie?" Micah asked.
Annie hesitated, afraid of sounding crazy.
"Don't forget about what I saw in the clearing. Whatever you think is going on, I'm more likely to believe you than you think."
"I think that there is something evil in this town." Annie said. "Something ancient. Something unnatural. I think this beast is only half the problem. What we're dealing with goes beyond some oversized dog."
"It was a bit more than that."
"Regardless, there is something else out there. Some driving force. Something pulling the strings. That's what I think." Annie sighed and rubbed her temples. "What time is it?"
"About quarter to five."
"I need to pass out. Tomorrow, I think we should start our own investigation."
"Don't you mean, reopen it? We did start... this a long time ago." Micah said.
"Yes, but we never finished it. And now Maggie's paid the price in blood, hasn't she?" Tears welled up in Annie's eyes, but she blinked them back. No weakness. Not now. She couldn't afford it. "Goodnight, Micah. We both need some sleep. Big day tomorrow."
Micah remained seated, digesting Annie's words.
"Strange thing about Maggie. She was a lot older than the others. I mean, I think the oldest was about seventeen."
"Tonia Donnell."
"Yeah. Why Maggie?" Micah asked.
"Well whatever's doing this (oh but you already know what's doing this, don't you, my sweet) to have a fixation on the Donnell kids. I mean, all of them, dead under what I'd call mysterious circumstances."
"An old grudge. Old business. That night in the woods all four of us almost died. Maybe should have died."
"So do you think whatever's killing kids might come after you and me?"
Annie thought about the dreams. "Yes. I don't know why (don't you?), but I know it will. In my bones."
Micah stood up and rubbed his eyes. "How do you expect me to sleep?"
"As well as you can. I mean it. We have things to do tomorrow. Time waits for no man." Except him, she thought, and shivered. The dreams. The connection. It all swam inside her head, a thick, revolting soup boiling closer and closer to the rim of the pot. She knew that they were not just dreams, now. The visions were not the product of an overactive imagination. They were as real as the skin on her bones.
User Reviews
Submitted by orph (user info) at 2007-02-09 14:32:42 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Is this going to be finished ever?????
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2006-10-11 10:13:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Method, you dork. I'm not talking about this story. I'd like this one to lay in a quiet grave.
Submitted by Method (user info) at 2006-10-11 10:07:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 YOU HAVE A BAJINER
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2006-08-28 07:49:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
you know what'd be sweet? if you finished this series.
yup.
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2006-06-20 13:52:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
finish yet?
Submitted by retrospect (user info) at 2006-06-06 15:48:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
you deserve better than me!
Submitted by retrospect (user info) at 2006-06-06 15:48:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
oops
Submitted by retrospect (user info) at 2006-06-06 15:48:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
i'm printing these to read on the train. i have portuguese class tonight baby!
Submitted by Doodles (user info) at 2006-06-06 15:32:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I say we settle this with some mud wrestling, alright?
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2006-06-06 15:27:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
YOU STFU YOU HAVEN'T WRITTEN IN 2 WEEKS HOBAG!
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-06-06 15:19:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
STFU AND KEEP WRITIN BITCH!!!
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2006-06-02 15:33:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I'M SORRY! Gee, you guys coming out of the woodwork and reading this was pretty unexpected.
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-06-02 15:26:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
fuck fuck fuck i went looking for more AND THERE WASN'T ANY!!!!
*&^%)(*#^$)(@&*#^$)*(@&#^%$)!!!!!!!
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-06-02 15:25:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2006-06-02 13:00:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2005-12-12 19:18:46 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I'm nobody. Just another one of the faceless masses that populate this site.
Submitted by rcchristi (user info) at 2005-12-12 18:02:20 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I find you suddenly fascinating, Anansie. Who are you?
Submitted by DonovanMD (user info) at 2005-09-04 20:22:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Wow this was awesome, how did I not see it until now?
Submitted by Rads_wife (user info) at 2005-06-13 23:05:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
http://www.ubersite.com/m/68315
WINNER!!! WINNER!!!!
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2005-02-05 13:20:22 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
french is pretty? proof in case: http://www.ubersite.com/m/58518
I have a small ego.
Submitted by munkeypants (user info) at 2005-01-03 19:40:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
when are you going to finish this? Where are you???
Submitted by youarsoghey (user info) at 2004-11-17 17:58:57 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Doctor, I think what we have here is a clear case of DropoffthefaceofEarthitis.
Submitted by houseman (user info) at 2004-11-17 17:50:28 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Anansie I will worship your writing forever, you are a very talented lady.
Submitted by Alice_in_Wonderland (user info) at 2004-09-15 16:55:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
more please... i'm completely hooked
Submitted by Avals (user info) at 2004-08-10 15:58:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Finally, some action!
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2004-08-06 18:07:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I think I'll add that to my "old movies I need to rent" list. Unfortunately I never remember anything from that list when I'm at Blockbuster.
Submitted by The_taste_of_Monkeys (user info) at 2004-08-06 18:01:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2004-08-06 17:59:59 (#)
Ranking: 0
Jacob's Ladder. Damn, I haven't seen that since I was a kid. I wish I could remember more about it. I only remember scattered images and the fact that it scared the crap out of me.
you ned to see it again, its still fuckimg scary.
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2004-08-06 17:59:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Jacob's Ladder. Damn, I haven't seen that since I was a kid. I wish I could remember more about it. I only remember scattered images and the fact that it scared the crap out of me.
Submitted by The_taste_of_Monkeys (user info) at 2004-08-06 17:48:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Reminded me a lot of Jacob's Ladder and thats no bad thing.
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2004-08-06 17:36:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
However, if it did become a novel, and (very long shot), got published, my loyal uber readers would recieve the first copies as well as thanks on the dedication page.
Damn it would be cool if it were possible.
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2004-08-06 17:26:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Q, I'm not really trying to make it into a novel, but everything I have planned to happen may take a while to finish. Right now it's thirty six pages in word, I'm guessing maybe twenty five to thirty more pages at the most. Hopefully less.
Submitted by AshK (user info) at 2004-08-06 16:52:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Shiver, wiggle.
Damn that was great.
Submitted by Luckystar (user info) at 2004-08-06 12:41:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
HURRY
Submitted by William_Q_Percy (user info) at 2004-08-06 12:08:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Are you trying to make this into a full length novel?
Submitted by engine13 (user info) at 2004-08-06 12:03:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by comicbookguy (user info) at 2004-08-06 11:57:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by shark25 (user info) at 2004-08-06 11:31:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment