Lies Of A Broken World – Chapter Four – Act I

June 30, 2016 Matthew Tonks Leave a comment

Milwaukee Park, normally a safe haven for children and their families, but today the park is nothing less than a danger warning to everyone that life is not all fun and games. Gary makes his way through the police barrier, out of the corner of his eye he spots several news cameras and lets out a groan of displeasure.

“Detective Inspector, can you give us any comments on the murders that have taken place over the last six hours?” Mandy Holmes from Channel Thirty-One yells from out of the crowd.

Gary stop and turns around and shields his eyes from the camera lights, “As you can see Miss Holmes, I’ve just arrived on the scene, so right now I know nothing more than you, but, if I need to use you for anything, I’ll call. So why don’t you follow your usual procedure and give Jones a blow job out the back and I’m sure he’ll tell you everything you need to know,” Gary says and continues towards the large tent that covers the crime scene as the camera man receives a stiff punch in the arm from Mandy for laughing.

Gary walks through and is instantly greeted by a sight he cannot take back, before him are the mutilated bodies of four children, his stomach churns for the first time in what seems like forever, he is sickened.

“Fuck me Danny, please tell me you’ve got something?”

“We’ve got multiple samples from all the children but nothing clean has come back on the field gear, whoever did this left plenty of clues but we won’t know what we’ve got until we get it all back to the lab so I can run more extensive tests, regardless we will have the fuckers name and address to you in the next three hours, I can promise you that,” Danny replies as he gets to his feet. “They were just fucking kid’s Gary, what kind of demented psycho does this to kids?”

“There are lots of twisted fucks in this world Danny, we seem to see more and more of them as the days go on,” Gary replies, he stands there and looks over the crime scene, his face begins to show his puzzlement.

“Notice something?”

“Does anything about this hit you as strange?”

“Strange, in what way?”

“The way they’re laid out, I mean the attack doesn’t look frenzied, it looks easy, at a scene like this you’d expect to be able to feel the fear these kids felt before they died, you should be able to see some sort of a struggle, but, it’s all just too neat. Were they killed here or dumped?” Gary asks as he bends down over one of the bodies.

“They haven’t been moved, the blood indicates they died where they fell, there’s no way the bodies have been moved.”

“What’s the white powder around their lips and nose?”

“Not sure yet, I’ve got a sample being run through trace, my first thought was MercuryFour, but that shit’s been off the market for a while now, but I’ll have something for you once we pack up and get back to the lab.”

“MercuryFour? That doesn’t sound good for any of us, I’ll leave you to finish up,” Gary says as he heads out of the tent and towards the second crime scene a few meters away.

“Tell me these two are linked?” Gary asks Sarah Bouon, Forensic Coroner Second Class who is in charge of the scene.

“No,” Sarah replies quickly. “The Zerker’s were enraged by the time they finished with Washington and attacked the officers, from what Danny has told me about the bodies he is dealing with, the Zerker’s could’ve never pull off something so neat and clean in the state they were in.”

“So two different crime scenes meters apart, but no connection, must be my lucky day, I’m so thankful Bill decided to lumber me with both of these.”

“If it makes you feel any better, this one is cut and dry. Tests confirm Big Palco, his DNA is all over the place, fucking pig.”

“I’ll head downtown and find Mister Palco and his Aces,” Gary says as he heads off towards his AC-Stinger.

“Anything to say now, Detective Inspector?” Mandy calls out, Gary climbs on his bike ignoring Mandy’s request. “Jackson, our viewers have a right to know what’s happening in their city?”

‘Fucking pariah!’ Gary slams on his helmet as his commline comes to life.

“Don’t tell me you’ve got another body for me to deal with tonight?”

“No, your case load is full enough right now, but I do need you at my office sometime within the next two hours,” Gleeson says.

“Can it wait? I’ve got a few leads to follow on the Washington case, looks like The Aces are involved.”

“You can’t keep ignoring me son, what happened with Hallowthorpe, we have to talk about it sooner or later.”

“Do we? I made a call, and it was the right one as far as I’m concerned, I could only get to one.”

“Bullshit, you could have told someone what was going on, you could have called dispatch?”

“I made a call, a call that worked out for your friends in high places, with Hallowthorpe gone they have control, so why the fuss over it all?”

“It wasn’t your call to make son, you should’ve at least contacted me, we could’ve made the decision together instead of you taking that burden on yourself, regardless of ‘my friends in high places,’ as you call them.”

“There’s no burden Bill, is that all? Can I get back to work?”

“No, I still need you to come in and see me, it’s unrelated, and son, the sooner this is handled, the better, The Aces can wait.”

“Ok, whatever, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Two hours,” Gleeson replies as he disconnects the commline.

“Fuck,” Gary mutters as he takes off towards downtown.

Gary brings his AC-Stinger to a halt outside the bar ‘One in the Chamber’ a known Zerker’s safe zone and The Aces favorite hang out. He runs a quick inspection on his blaster before he places it back in its holster and grabs a syringe from a compartment on the bike and stuffs it in his jacket and storms into the bar.

“Fuck off Jackson,” The man behind the bar yells out.

“I love you too Vaughn,” Gary replies. “I don’t want any trouble, I’m only here for Big Palco, you give him to me and we can both have an easier afternoon.”

“He isn’t here, now fuck off.”

“Bullshit Vaughn, I said I didn’t want any trouble, remember what happened last time you wasted my time with your lying?”

“I remember, that’s why I’ve upgraded my security since you were here last,” Vaughn replies as two big hands grab Gary by the head and fling him into the wall, Gary crashes to the floor, stunned but not unconscious.

“Seriously, you got yourself a fucking hulk?” Gary says as he tries to free his blaster, the Zerker grabs Gary once again and slams him into the wall again, holding him against it. Vaughn walks proudly over to them, not attempting to hide his smile.

“Like I said Jackson, I haven’t seen Big Palco, and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. You might have the law behind you, but I fear the Zerker’s more than the law,” Vaughn says. “Take him out the back, and make sure he doesn’t bother anyone again, ever.”

The Zerker grunts his understanding and carries Gary towards the exit, a shot rips through the Zerker’s head that sends him crashing backwards, Gary drops to the floor and gives Vaughn a deathly look, and he smiles, smoke rising from the chamber of his blaster, Vaughn meets Gary’s gaze with fear.

“Where do we go from here?”

“To hell,” a voice says from behind him, Gary spins around to face Big Palco as he punches the button on his chest.

“Fuck,” Gary says as he goes flying through the air and into the other side of the bar, crashing to the ground in a bloody heap from a punch from Palco’s massive right hand.

“You wanted me blue, well here I am, come get me!”

“I already have,” Gary replies with a splutter of blood.

“What?” Palco replies, “FUCK!” he yells as he sees a syringe poking out of his stomach.

“You really think I’d come into this fight with the idea of it being fair, knowing you would just go punching that fucking death button of yours?” Gary says as he forces himself to his feet. Nitro is a chemical, and like all chemicals there is always a way to cancel out the effects, R-Four-D-One-One-Two-Four is the chemical enemy of Nitro in every possible way. First and foremost it stops Nitro’s effects in a matter of seconds, for the user it sadly has side effects, the most damning is mass muscle deterioration of all of the bodies enhanced muscles. And that was happening to Big Palco at this very moment, within seconds he was totally disabled and at Gary’s mercy.

“Date night’s over Palco,” Gary says as he smashes Palco across the face with a thunderous right hook and follows it up with a powerful left upper cut, sending the incapacitated Palco to the ground, unconscious.

Gary initialises his commline, “This is Jackson, I have suspect Big Palco in custody, send a meat wagon to my current location, I’ll await your arrival.”

“Affirmative Detective Inspector, a meat wagon is on its way.“

“Right, now where were we?” Gary says as he turns his attention back to Vaughn.

END OF ACT I

Short Story

Day 49 – Get Away – Short Story

June 30, 2016 Matthew Tonks Leave a comment

He stares into her fear filled eyes and feels the pain stab into his chest, he grips tightly around her wrists as she dangles over the edge, the fall would definitely kill her, but holding on to her, is killing him. The rocky edge digs into his chest some more as he tries desperately to pull her up, but the pain, the weight, it’s all too much, he clenches his teeth together and pulls, but it only causes more strain on his should. He tries to force his other hand underneath him and use it to forces himself up of the ground, but a sharp pain rips though his elbow and he screams in pain.

“Don’t let go!” She screams at him, the panic in her voice scratching his very soul.

“I-I-I’m trying, but, I can’t hold on much longer, unhook the backpack for god’s sake and try and pull yourself up, the ground is, it’s digging into me,” he stammers.

“I can’t reach it, I can’t, oh fuck Trevor, don’t let me fall, please, don’t let me fall!” She screams back.

“For fuck sake Sharon, you’ve got to try, I can’t hold on forever.”

She tries to pull herself up, but the wriggling causes her to slip further through his hands, and he just manages to grip her hand in time, and there they sit, gripping each other’s hands tightly as Tervor tries in vain again to pull her up from the cliff face, but he is exhausted, and the rocks and sticks continues to dig into him. He stares into her eyes again, and she can tell from the look on his face, what is going through his mind.

“I love you,” she says as she slips from his fingers and plummets towards the ground, he screams in anger and pain as he watches as she disappears into the darkness of the fog below. For an hour of more he lies there, crying, too exhausted to get it his feet, to broken to stand, but finally, he forces himself up and looks of the edge, into the valley below and begins the long trek down towards where she fell. It takes him almost five hours to finally get into the valley, and another two to fight his way towards where she would’ve landed, but her body is nowhere to be found, he searches for another hour before he’s finally too excused to continue and he sets up a small camp so he can rest.

He sits there staring into the small fire wondering how this journey they had planned for two weeks ago could end in such tragedy, Sharon, she was so excited the day they started their trek into the valley, and worse yet, for him, she had the only satellite phone in her pack and now, Trevor, finds himself not only alone, but hundreds of miles off course. They had checked their itinerary in with the local station, because, that’s what you do if you don’t want to end up lost and with no hope, and now, Trevor was just that. He jerked up suddenly as he could hear movement from out in the dense forest beyond his makeshift camp, something moving though the bushes, and he slowly reaches for his rifle as his heart picks up its pace, he sees one set of red, glowing eyes at first, within the trees and then another and another, until he’s lost count and then they all disappear and slowly, something moves from the darkness, towards him, and a tear runs downs his face as he makes out Sharon’s broken, lifeless corps stumbling towards him, her backpack still hooked over her shoulders, he raises the rife toward her and fires.

“Let’s escape,” she said, “Let’s run away from the world, from them, and forget they exist, forget one day we’ll be food for the zombies.”

END

Daily Grind

Let’s Get Crazy!

June 30, 2016 Matthew Tonks Leave a comment

As we come closer to the end of the second month a few things have dawned on me, one being the most insane of all, is that I’m enjoying these short stories, I mean, not all have worked, some have fallen over and some have just not got to that, oh yeah, stage. SO to increase the fun and excitement there’s going to be a little change, and this change is not going to be shifting things down a gear, changing the way all this was designed to be. No, the change is going to be a next stage sort of move, starting from today, which is Thursday. Every Thursday you would normally get a section of my book, Lies Of A Broken World and nothing else, well that will be no more from this point on, yes, you will still get Lies Of A Broken World, but it won’t be counted in the days anymore, instead you will get another short story, like all the other days, this also is the same for Sunday. Now, that’s two more insane, twisted, strange, stories to add to your collection each week, are we not having fun yet?

But that’s not all, we are gearing up for Halloween as well, I know, what? Halloween, but that’s months away! I know, but I want to do something special, you see I was writing this short story and I kinda fell in love with it, it’s an urban legend type thing, with a big, bad arsed monster type character and revolves around him killing people and other people trying to stop him, you know, the fun sort of movie you always like to scream at when your watching it, ‘What the fuck are you doing? Don’t go in there you idiot!” That sort of stuff. This all starts on the 25th of October, wait, that’s not Halloween you idiot, yes I know. We’re going to start a Halloween week on the 25th, what Halloween week? Easy, 7 days of madness, 7 days of this story, that will unfold at 2 minutes to midnight on each of the 7 nights. Of course when I say midnight I say my midnight, so it might not be your midnight, but anyway, that’s something crazy to look forward to. Plus, you get your normal stories each and every day, and on the 26th and on Halloween, the 31st, you get an extra story as well, the 26th is a special little bugger, that will require a little bit of time to get together, I’ll tell you all about it once I know it works.

Now, lets talk about YouChallenge, I’ve had some fun with them so far, gone way off the direction I think they were originally given to me with, and I want more, I’d really like to give you either 2 days of YouChallenge material, or if I can get enough, and get them written quickly enough (as it’s taking me roughly 15 to 20 minutes over the last few days to pump out a good rough draft) I say we try to see if we can bang it up to 2 YouChallenge stories every Wednesday instead of 1, do I have any takers? If you want to throw me an idea, it can be anything, yesterdays Jeremiah was ‘a woman wakes up trapped in a coffin’, and that’s what I gave you, so hit me up, send my your worst. email earth2165@yahoo.com with your challenge and I’ll meet you on the other side of the trail, with it ready to burn someones eyes out.

Other than that, I have nothing else to say, although that’s a lie, after some fighting with the processor I finally managed to get a working copy of the first months stories in eBook form, it will be announced later, so don’t worry too much bout that right now, just spread the word, let people know about this blog, like the stories that entertain you the most and let me know when something really bugs you. But most of all keep enjoying the stories and keep on riding this twisted little road with me a while longer, because I promise, it’s only going to get worse, or better, or…. Never mind, just keep on keeping on!

Matt

Short Story, Twisted Roads - An Anthology Of Twisted Tales - Volume One, YouChallenge

Day 48 – Jeremiah – YouChallenge Short Story

June 29, 2016 Matthew Tonks Leave a comment

They gather around the nastily dug hole in the ground with bowed heads and closed eyes, as today, this family buries it patriarch, a man who they all thought would live forever, but now they stand in awe of the truth, that nothing lives forever.

Jeremiah Talbot was a man of few words, but many actions and a temper that ran through his veins and out his fists. For as long as he has lived in these parts only strangers had attempted to pass through what Jeremiah saw as his territory, for the rest of the neighbouring area stayed well away from Jeremiah and his kin as almost every soul that traveled within his lands never reached the other side, and those who did, would soon succumb to a violent death before being able to report any wrong doings by Jeremiah and his demented flock of children…

If you want to read the final version of this short story, and thirty others, follow the link below, or join the mailing list and get a copy for free!

TWISTED ROADS – AN ANTHOLOGY OF TWISTED TALES – VOLUME 1

The world is but a twisted globe, spinning round and round, allowing light to breathe life onto its weary bones. But, where there’s light, there’s always darkness, and hiding in the shadows are things our imagination cannot even begin to understand. So buckle up and venture forward on a journey through thirty-one short stories, stories bathed in blood, stories dipped in darkness, stories that will take you through the veil of sanity and onto the twisted roads of madness.

Available to buy in ebook or paperback format from Amazon HERE, (please make sure your geographical location is set to your country so you can purchase a copy) as well as all other ebook suppliers.

This book is FREE to all mailing list subscribers.

To subscribe, press HERE!

Short Story

Day 47 -Ticky Ricky – Short Story

June 28, 2016 Matthew Tonks 1 Comment

“Sticky icky, yucky ducky,” those were the last words my brother sent to me in a message, before he vanished off the face of the earth a few weeks ago, and I had no fucking idea what it was meant to mean, but it clearly meant something, that I was sure.

It all happened about three weeks ago when I got the message, had I realised at the time it was going to be so important, so vital a message, I would have replied, or called, or done something. But I just laughed at it and didn’t even bother to reply, I mean why? If I’d cared to think about it I would’ve remembered where I’d heard it from before, as I honestly don’t understand how I could have forgot, but I did.

After a few weeks of nothing the cops could do fuck all, they tried tracing where his phone was last transmitted from, but the area was massive and they turned up nothing. I harassed them to no end, but the detective in charge of the case Miranda, cute blonde with great legs and the most perfect arse you had ever seen, gave it to me straight three days ago and said the whole sorry bullshit, and it was time I accepted one of two things, either he doesn’t want to be found and he’ll show up when he’s ready to show up or he’s dead.

I know Freddie has or had, a lot of demons, heroin being his biggest, and he had on many occasions disappeared for days on end, but never like this, never not at least sending me a message to let me know if he was still alive.

So I decided to do my own digging, going through his social media, reading his messages, calling everyone he’d talked to in the week leading up to when he went missing. But no one knew anything, that was until Sally, a friend of Freddie’s, I say friend but I should say dealer. Sally said the last time she saw Freddie he was apparently having a shit load of paranoid episodes, more than usual, she said, and kept on going on about someone called Ticky Ricky, I knew what she meant straight away.

Ticky Ricky was the nickname we’d given our cousin Carmichael. As kids we would always have to visit him every week at the home, as his Mum and Dad had died not long after he was born and Dad felt like it was his responsibility to keep an eye on him, he was somewhat disabled, suffering from some type of learning disability, that as kids we could not understand. Which was why Dad said he was better off being surrounded by people who could help look after him the way his Mum and Dad would want and not with us, which we were thankful for. Me and Freddie, we called him a lot of names back then, stuff like spastic, retard, shit like that, you know how kids are. But Ticky Ricky, that was our special name, the one we only shared with each other. I honestly didn’t know if Carmichael was still alive, it had been years since we last went and saw him, once Dad realised what we were saying and doing while we were alone with him. Dad spat his shit and stopped taking us, said it was cruel and insensitive and we weren’t raise to be like that, you know the whole shebang, so he said it was better if we just stayed home.

I decided to go to the home and see if he was still breathing and what role he had to play in all this and at the time, I didn’t really care that the home was dead centre in the area from where Freddie’s last message had come from, I should’ve stopped then and there and called Miranda, but I didn’t think too much of it, I mean why should I? I was more worried about Freddie than I was about myself. When I got here the place was a rundown mess, it had closed down some years ago, when, I’m not sure, but the trail was cold, until I noticed his cheap arsed Honda parked out in the old car park, empty and looked like it’d been untouched for weeks. So I panicked and found my way into this place, screaming out for Freddie, hoping to whatever was up there he was okay, just on a massive bender somewhere and lost his keys and his phone. I saw the leg first, hanging out of the door way, and I rushed towards it, fear and adrenaline pumping through my body like it never had before. I knew he was dead before I touched him, he was grey and stiff, colder than anything I’d felt before and that’s when I saw it, a shadow standing a few feet from my brothers decomposing body. I panicked, I mean wouldn’t you, you find your brothers body and then this wispy fucking Casper comes out of the wall looking all nasty and shit. I took a step backwards and it rushed at me and plunged its hand through my chest, grabbing a hold of my heart and squeezed it, all the while, I looked into its black, soulless eyes and recoginsed them, finally I realised what the hell Freddie was trying to tell me and where I’d heard those stupid words before. That’s all he ever said, constantly, and now that spastic had come back from the grave to pay retribution for all the taunting we gave him when we were young, and that’s when he leaned in as I gasped for my last breath and whispered in my ear, “Stick icky, yucky ducky.”

END

Short Story

Day 46 – Vermin – Short Story

June 27, 2016 Matthew Tonks 1 Comment

“Stay true to who you are my flower,” Lance says as he slumps backwards in the chair, his eyes lifeless, she grips his hand tightly as the tears run freely down her face, David places a hand on her shoulder, and she turns to him, his face busted, bloody and bruised, and she gives him a reassuring smile, squeezing his hand.”We have to go,” he says.

“I know, I just don’t want to leave him here, not to them.”

“We don’t have a choice, the longer we stay here the closer they get, we have to go,” she gets to her feet and gives Lance one last look before she follows David out of the room, her eyes darting feverishly around, searching for any signs of them, she grips his hand tightly as they hear scurrying coming from the ceiling above them, and he squeezes it back. Chunks of ceiling tiles crash to the ground behind them, but neither look back as they run into the schools dimly lit hallway, screams that send spine tingling waves of nausea through them both fill the hallway behind them, as they hear claws scratch the polished concrete. As they get closer to the doorway to freedom the ripping of the claws in the ground behind them intensifies, knowing there must be at lest twenty to thirty of those things behind them, within reach of the door he desperately extends his arm out as something leaps from the open door to the left and bites down on his arm, he screams in pain as he crashes to the ground, dragging her with him. She scrambles to her feet.

“Run! Go!” He yells as he tries to fight the small beast off, she grabs the handle of the door as she crashes into the doorway as the small horde of these demonic, green creatures rip and tear into them both, her bloody hand slams against the doors window as she is dragged to the ground. Suddenly several gun shots silence the screams and the creatures scurry of into the darkness, she stands at the end of the hall, smoke rising from the shot gun.

“Can you walk?”

“Mrs Wierck?”

“Mary, can you walk?”

“I-I can try.”

“That’s going to have to do,” she says as she helps her to her feet. “They’ll be back, in stronger numbers, so we have to move, I’m sorry about David, he didn’t deserve to die that way.”

She looks over at what remains of David’s corps, his ribs stick from his chest, exposed and covered in meaty chunks of flesh, his intestines lie scattered around the floor, chewed and torn. She places a hand over her mouth and sucks in a breath as she holds back her tears.

“Mary? We don’t have time, I’m sorry, but we have to move, NOW!” She says as she grabs Mary by the arm and pulls her back down the hallway.

“What the hell is going on? What are these things?”

“They’re vermin, older than man, they say they were gods first attempt at a sentient life form. Obviously he failed, and he buried them, deep in the earths core, where they laid dormant for a millennia or more, until they were disturbed and set free to roam again, and they’re hungry.”

“Why the hell didn’t he just unmake them?”

“Because that’s not what he does, he creates, good, bad, it doesn’t matter, he just creates and sees what happens.”

“Well that just doesn’t make sense.”

“Nothing ever does when it comes to his ways, in here, we’ll be safe, he will protect us,” she says as they run into the school chapel.

“You’ve got to be kidding me?”

Before them, crawling across the walls, roof and floors are hundreds of the small creatures, they hiss and growl at the girls, and then attack, leaving no time for them to try to escape but only to scream. But that too does not last long as an ever growing pool of blood runs out from underneath the door, and the only sound that can be heard is that of the foul creatures crunching and chewing on flesh and bone.

END

Lies Of A Broken World

Day 45 – Lies Of A Broken World – Chapter Three – Act IV

June 26, 2016 Matthew Tonks Leave a comment

Christopher removes the headset and gives a little laugh as he sits back in his seat, how easily this plan played out, and now as he relaxes as the jet prepares to take off towards New London, he feels finally fulfilled. He looks out the window and takes a sip of wine ‘Here’s to a plan well played.’ He allows a small laugh to escape.

“Is this seat taken?” a voice asks.

“No, please help yousel…” Christopher stops mid-sentence as he meets Gary’s gaze.

“How’s this for a coincidence, fancy running into you, Hallowthorpe not with you?” Gary asks as he sits down looking around the cabin.

“No, I have a personal matter to take care of that does not involve Caroline,” Christopher says as he slides the headset down the side of his seat.

“Man what a view,” Gary says as he peers out the window. “Hey what are those?” he asks as he pulls up the headset.

“No please, they are very expensive,” Christopher says in a panic as he grabs hold of the headset.

“Ok, no need to get excited there Christopher,” Gary says as he lets go. “Anyone would think you just killed Hallowthorpe with some remote controlled droid dressed as her long dead sister.”

Christopher sits there in shock for a few moments and his eyes begin to well up with tears, “What! How?”

“Sometimes the little things you overlook are the things we find, but the servo-chair, leaving that behind was a big mistake. Seems not only does it record everything the droid does, but it also led me straight to you, I thought it was more important getting to you than Hallowthorpe. It also didn’t work well for you to use the same name for the ticket that you used to hire my former partner Andrew Fontaine for the ground work in your little plan. I see you’re a little shocked, so if you don’t mind, I’ll fill you in on what I think is going to happen, so tell me how close I am,” Gary says as he settles back in his seat. “You see Christopher, I’m pretty sure when we get a DNA test done on you, we’ll see that you’re Hallowthorpe’s half-brother or some relation of some kind, and I’m betting that’s why you did it in the end, you wanted to avenge the father you never knew and the sister you actually liked, all I want to know is why did it take you so long do it?”

“The bitch was stealing my ideas and taking all the credit, I was the brains, she couldn’t even think without getting a headache. Spending all her time and credits at those disgusting so called entertainment shitholes,” Christopher replies. “The worst thing was, I never got a cent of what we made, I was paid a pittance for all the work I did, she deserved to die, one bad deed justifies another, I saw nothing wrong with it.”

“Too bad Christopher, if you tried another way, you could’ve been sitting where she was, you could’ve had it all, but now you’ve got nothing.”

“What’s going to happen to me now?” Christopher asks as the tears run down his face.

“I don’t want to ruin the fun, but it’s going to be very cold.”

Within Delta City, man has recreated many areas to remind themselves of the beauty Earth once possessed, bio-engineered parks that can be found throughout many of the uptown and downtown suburbs. These parks were created with one intention, to mimic the once living earth that man so long ago destroyed. Milwaukee Park is by day a haven for children everywhere, and by night brings out all the monsters that hide in the shadows, and tonight is no exception.

Three members of a Zerker’s gang named The Aces, deal out punishment to a credit jumping bookkeeper for their current employer.

“Boss said you owe him his cut of your takings Washington, boss don’t like the disappearing act you did, you’ve wasted our time and his time and credits finding you,” one of the Zerker’s say to Washington, as he holds him by one leg in the air.

“I’ll have his money Palco, I swear, it’s just tied up in an investment, there was nothing I could do. I have the same problems as your boss, I just needed time,” Washington pleads.

“You know how this all works, if you weren’t so deep in shit then maybe we could give you a free pass. But you’re not only sinking in your own shit, your breathing it in like the disgusting little creep you are,” Palco replies.

“I’ll double whatever Barossa is paying you if you give me a day, that’s all I need.”

“You think I’m that fucking stupid?” Palco replies, “You know what happened to the last guy who tried to make a little money on the side? They got fucking buried, I’m not that stupid, so again you little shit, what will it be, fingers or toes?”

“District-Three PD, freeze!” A voice yells from the darkness of the park. “Release Washington and get on your hands and knees!”

“Fuck me, is this your doing little man?” Palco asks looking down at the upside down Washington.

“No way, I may be stupid, but I’m not that stupid.”

“Bullshit, they know your name arsehole,” Palco yells as he rips Washington in two like a wishbone and slams a button on his chest. The other two Zerker’s follow Palco’s lead, setting off a chemical injection of ND411 or as it’s known on the streets Nitro, an illegal steroid that works overtime. It simultaneously stimulates rapid muscle growth to every muscle in the body, sending the user into a muscle-bound rage fit more commonly called ‘Red Rage.’ The officers are quickly ripped into various pieces before they can even mount a defensive attack, the Zerker’s then continue their drug induced rampage off into the city.

In the shadows, a figure watches them from afar. ‘That’s it, continue on your way my Zerker friends, leave me to do my work.’

The man turns back to the four children who sit behind him, he pulls out a knife and it gleams in the moonlight.

“Now that our friends are gone let’s get started shall we?” he says as he thrusts the blade into one of the children.

END OF CHAPTER THREE

Short Story

Day 44 – Price Paid – Short Story

June 25, 2016 Matthew Tonks Leave a comment

He looks up into their faces through his one good eye, the other a mess of puss and blood and clenches his teeth as another punch connects with his face, he feels his jaw shift and several teeth move in his head, the room spins violently and he feels another punch connect from the opposite side.

“I don’t know how you survived, but this time I’m going to make sure you stay dead,” A voice says as another punch connects and then silence. For what seems like an eternity he hears no sounds, except for his heart beating vigorously in his ears. Finally he draws up the courage to open his eye and the carnage that lies before him is jaw dropping, if his could. The four men who brought him to this warehouse, lie dead, their heads look as if they had exploded, and Tony Dangika, his former employer, the man he crossed over a fucking woman even though he knew what would come of it, sits in a chair opposite, staring at him, his eyes full of fear, his face bloody, his nose broken, but he was alive, but why?

“He who tries, survives,” a voice says, he looks to his left, squinting into the darkness of the warehouse, trying to see the owner of the voice. He feels something grab him from behind and his bindings are cut and he almost tumbles to the floor, but is pulled back into the seat.

“Who are you?”

“A friend, maybe, someone who wants the same thing Johnny,” the voice replies.

Johnny looks towards Dangika, “I just wanted this piece of shit to pay, that’s all.”

“And pay he will, for all he has wronged, and you will be the vengeful hand that will make him.”

Johnny forces himself to stand, rubbing his wrists where the bindings had dug into and he drives a vicious right punch into Dangika’s head and spits a mouthful of blood into his face and looks around the darkened warehouse for his would be saviour, but still cannot see anyone.

“Where are you?” He calls out.

“Here, there, everywhere.”

“What sort of answer is that? Show yourself?”

The voice laughs, “Johnny, take your anger out on Dangika, release it, you know you want to, you know it’s what you want, this man who took your family from you, stole your life and left you buried in a hole alongside them. Didn’t you ever wonder how you survived, how you managed to claw your way from your grave, haven’t you wondered?” The voice says as a shadow slowly comes towards him from within the darkness. “Do you remember what the lasts words you said before he shot you in the head? Do you remember who you called for and what you asked?”

He stands there memorised, watching as the shadow begins to take shape before his eyes, “I told him even if I had to sell my soul to the devil, I would make him pay,” he says as the the shadow takes the shape of a bearded man in a black suit, with a blood red shirt and three headed skull cane which he strikes into the ground and smiles.

“Well then, don’t you love happy endings?”

END

Short Story, Twisted Roads - An Anthology Of Twisted Tales - Volume One

Day 43 – Skillet – Short Story

June 24, 2016 Matthew Tonks Leave a comment

He leaps from his bed, still half asleep, as the banging that is coming from beyond the bed room, from somewhere else within the house, has pulled him from his world of dreams. He stumbles out into the small hallway that connects all the rooms in the house, and his eyes grow wide with panic as he sees a light coming from beneath the kitchen door, he looks around the hallway for some sort of weapon, anything, but there’s nothing in sight. He looks over his shoulder, back towards the bedroom, before he can even contemplate going back the kitchen door opens and he freezes in fright. For five or more minutes he stands there, petrified, waiting for whoever is in the kitchen to come walking out into the hallway, but no one does. Finally he builds up the courage to take a step forward and makes his way, nervously towards the kitchen. He hears someone opening draws and moving their contents around and then closing them again, he panics as he knows someone is in there for sure now, someone is defiantly in his home. After ten or more minutes of slowly making the his way down the three meter hallway he reaches the doorway to the kitchen and slowly peers his head around the corner and his mouth drops open, searching through his kitchen cupboards and drawers is, himself…

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TWISTED ROADS – AN ANTHOLOGY OF TWISTED TALES – VOLUME 1

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Lies Of A Broken World

Day 42 – Lies Of A Broken World – Chapter Three – Act III

June 23, 2016 Matthew Tonks Leave a comment

Caroline stands in front of a holo-projection of Mike Robbins the current anchor of Channel Thirty-One news, his contract is about to run out, and he’s trying to make a better deal.

“Look I don’t care, you either agree to my terms or you can find work elsewhere, although I don’t know where else there is!” Caroline yells as she slams the phone down. “Ungrateful pricks, you give them everything, make them a name and all they want is more!”

Caroline makes her way out into a large kitchen, four robots stand awaiting orders.

“How may I be of assistance Miss Hallowthorpe?” one of the robots queries.

“I am ready for my evening meal.”

“It will be ready in five minutes Miss Hallowthorpe,” the robot replies and then it whisks off and begins preparing Caroline’s meal, the other robots quickly join in, suddenly there is a loud crash from the lounge area, and Caroline instantly freezes.

Quickly she hits a small emergency button next to the phone and looks around the kitchen for something to use as a weapon, a knife rack catches her eye, and she slowly draws a knife free, then quietly makes her way out into the hallway. A sound comes from the lounge area and causes Caroline to freeze in her steps, after a few moments she slowly steps towards the entrance way when she is stopped again, this time by a cold shiver that run down her spine. She spins around in fright coming face to face with her long dead sister.

“Rebecca!” Caroline screams in shock.

“Hello Caroline, miss me?” Rebecca says as she backhands Caroline to the floor, and the knife goes skidding off underneath the sofa.

“Don’t look so surprised sister you never really thought you could be rid of me did you?” Rebecca asks with a smile.

“There’s no way,” Caroline says.

“Why, because you killed me?”

“You’re not my sister, I don’t know who you are, but you’re not my sister. But it matters little of who you are as the police are going to be here very soon!”

“I hate to disappoint you sis, but they’re not coming, I took care of that before I got here.”

“What the fuck are you?” Caroline yells. “You can’t be here, you’re dead! You’re dead!”

“But I am,” Rebecca replies, “and I want what is mine, what you took from me.”

“I took nothing from you, you took it from me, I should have had it all, you never earned it, you just sucked up to Daddy all the time, you never challenged anything he ever said you just wanted the credits. I’ve turned this into a business, into something even Daddy never dreamed of. You’re scum just like he was, that’s why he had to die, and that’s why you had to die too!” Caroline screams as she attacks Rebecca, who easily avoids her advances and throws her into the lounge area, Caroline goes crashing into the ground, she lets out a cry of agony as her hip rips out of its joint.

“You killed Daddy too?”

“Don’t play stupid with me bitch, you knew I killed Daddy, you saw me do it, but you knew to keep your mouth shut because you knew you would get everything!” Caroline yells as she feels around and finds the knife lying underneath the sofa, Rebecca grabs Caroline and pulls her up.

“You killed Daddy!” Rebecca yells, Caroline takes the chance and plunges the knife deep into Rebecca’s chest, they both go crashing to the floor, and Caroline forces the knife in deeper, staring into her dead sister’s eyes with the glee of a maniac as she does.

“I’m not going to make the same mistake twice, this time, I’m going to make sure you stay dead!” Caroline yells as she slowly gets to her feet and limps away.

“Where do you think you’re going? It’s not over yet,” Rebecca says from behind her, Caroline turns around and faces Rebecca again.

“It’s just not possible, I stabbed that knife into your heart, you should be dead?”

“Sorry to disappoint you,” Rebecca says with a smile. “But you were right about one thing, Rebecca is dead, and I’m glad you finally admitted to what really happened,” she says as she grabs the front of her fringe and rips the skin off revealing a robotic face.

“You’re a droid?”

“Surprise Caroline, I just want to tell you it’s a shame I’m not there with you to witness your death first hand, but still there is nothing to cry over with this second rate live feed. In a way I’m sorry it had to end this way Caroline, but that’s how somethings go. You see right now I’m jetting off to my new life and you, well let’s just say you’re about to pay for your sins,” the droid says, the voice now matching Christopher’s.

“Christopher?” Caroline mutters as the droids eyes flash red.

“Don’t worry Caroline, I promise it won’t hurt too much, goodbye sister.”

“Christopher you fu…” she screams as the droid explodes, the explosion rips into Caroline, her skin and flesh ripped from her bones, leaving only the smoking remains of what once was Caroline Hallowthorpe.

END OF ACT III