Ericleestories
03-12-2010, 09:28 PM
“That doesn’t look real, not even close,” Henry Burrows said as he watched Freddie Krueger maul one of his victims. Without a gasp or even a small flinch, Henry watched the horror film as he casually munched on some popcorn. Perhaps the movie didn’t faze him because of the 30 years he served as chief inspector where he had witnessed all too many real, gruesome murders.
A bachelor, Henry was alone in the house on this night. His body sunk deep down in his favorite reclining chair with his feet propped up. He reached into a nearby basket of Hershey kisses, unwrapping the chocolate from its foil before throwing it in his mouth. Popcorn and chocolate was the kind of diet that his doctor had warned him to avoid. But, he wasn’t worried. He knew how to take care of himself.
“Don’t go over to the window, cuz you know he’s out there,” Henry said, shaking his head in disgust at the television. Henry knew how to size up any situation and he could smell danger a mile away.
Just outside Henry’s home on the sidewalk, a blood drenched ax murderer stopped in his tracks. On this dark night, the ax murderer looked up and noticed that Henry’s porch light was on. Someone was home. A wicked smile crossed his face.
He had already visited two homes on the block previously that night. Henry’s would be the third. A hideous sight, the ax murderer had several cuts on his face and a deep gash on his right arm that continued to bleed. His hair was a frazzled mess and his shirt was partially ripped near his chest. He slowly began his trek up Henry’s driveway.
Inside the house, Henry unwrapped another Hershey kiss chocolate and threw it in his mouth, as his eyes remained glued to the television set. Henry was in great shape for a sixty-eight year old man. However, his body often reminded him that he’s no longer a spring chicken. It was his body, not his mind or heart, that finally convinced him it was time to retire five years ago. He watched without emotion as the young female character got slashed in the throat by Freddie Krueger after he leaped through the window. “Told you to stay away from the window,” he said out loud to himself.
Henry scratched his gray hair, wondering whether the movie was really worthy of his time. Just as he completed that thought, the doorbell rang. He muted the television with the remote control and slowly made his way to the front door.
Just outside Henry’s home on the doorstep, the ax murderer waited. While he was waiting, he noticed that the door did not have a peephole. He held a big bag in his left hand in which he would stuff any valuables that he would get out of this house. He listened quietly and momentarily wondered whether anyone really was home.
But then, the ax murderer heard the footsteps. They were clear. Someone was coming to the door. A sinister smile curled on his lips. The footsteps became louder as they came closer and closer. And then they stopped. There was silence and the only thing he could hear was the faint sound of the wind blowing through nearby trees. The relative silence was then broken by the sound of the front door’s bolt lock being released. He lifted his bloody ax in anticipation of the door being opened.
After unbolting the top lock, Henry paused for a moment. He did not know why he paused, but he did. He always had a strong nose for danger, but the only thing he could smell now were the remnants of the buttery popcorn on his fingers.
Henry opened the door and his eyes met the eyes of the ax murderer. Time seemed to freeze. Henry stood speechless.
The ax murderer quickly brought down his right hand, which was holding the ax. He opened his bag and shoved it forward. “Trick or treat!”
“Now that looks real,” Henry said, extending the basket of Hershey kisses. “For that costume, take as many as you want, kid.”
A bachelor, Henry was alone in the house on this night. His body sunk deep down in his favorite reclining chair with his feet propped up. He reached into a nearby basket of Hershey kisses, unwrapping the chocolate from its foil before throwing it in his mouth. Popcorn and chocolate was the kind of diet that his doctor had warned him to avoid. But, he wasn’t worried. He knew how to take care of himself.
“Don’t go over to the window, cuz you know he’s out there,” Henry said, shaking his head in disgust at the television. Henry knew how to size up any situation and he could smell danger a mile away.
Just outside Henry’s home on the sidewalk, a blood drenched ax murderer stopped in his tracks. On this dark night, the ax murderer looked up and noticed that Henry’s porch light was on. Someone was home. A wicked smile crossed his face.
He had already visited two homes on the block previously that night. Henry’s would be the third. A hideous sight, the ax murderer had several cuts on his face and a deep gash on his right arm that continued to bleed. His hair was a frazzled mess and his shirt was partially ripped near his chest. He slowly began his trek up Henry’s driveway.
Inside the house, Henry unwrapped another Hershey kiss chocolate and threw it in his mouth, as his eyes remained glued to the television set. Henry was in great shape for a sixty-eight year old man. However, his body often reminded him that he’s no longer a spring chicken. It was his body, not his mind or heart, that finally convinced him it was time to retire five years ago. He watched without emotion as the young female character got slashed in the throat by Freddie Krueger after he leaped through the window. “Told you to stay away from the window,” he said out loud to himself.
Henry scratched his gray hair, wondering whether the movie was really worthy of his time. Just as he completed that thought, the doorbell rang. He muted the television with the remote control and slowly made his way to the front door.
Just outside Henry’s home on the doorstep, the ax murderer waited. While he was waiting, he noticed that the door did not have a peephole. He held a big bag in his left hand in which he would stuff any valuables that he would get out of this house. He listened quietly and momentarily wondered whether anyone really was home.
But then, the ax murderer heard the footsteps. They were clear. Someone was coming to the door. A sinister smile curled on his lips. The footsteps became louder as they came closer and closer. And then they stopped. There was silence and the only thing he could hear was the faint sound of the wind blowing through nearby trees. The relative silence was then broken by the sound of the front door’s bolt lock being released. He lifted his bloody ax in anticipation of the door being opened.
After unbolting the top lock, Henry paused for a moment. He did not know why he paused, but he did. He always had a strong nose for danger, but the only thing he could smell now were the remnants of the buttery popcorn on his fingers.
Henry opened the door and his eyes met the eyes of the ax murderer. Time seemed to freeze. Henry stood speechless.
The ax murderer quickly brought down his right hand, which was holding the ax. He opened his bag and shoved it forward. “Trick or treat!”
“Now that looks real,” Henry said, extending the basket of Hershey kisses. “For that costume, take as many as you want, kid.”