Twisted Roads – Twisted Horror Stories by Matthew Tonks

Originally I planned to write a big piece about how, after a solid year, after three hundred and sixty-five days, I’d managed to not only post a new story each and every day, but, at times posted multiple stories, creating more than I originally intended to post, it was going to be a massive self pat on the back. But, it seems, from what I am to understand, that is not true.

There is a problem, one I’m sure you’ve noticed over the last month, for the sake of helping you understand, we’ll call the problem, Marty.

But how can a fictional character be a problem, surely it was still me creating the stories, it was still upholding the rules of the challenge? Right?

Wrong…

I received a cryptic phone call late yesterday afternoon, it was then I found myself in a conversation with a man who would not give his name, he just said, for theatrical purposes, his words, I could call him The Fear Master.

Okay, I know, over the last week I introduced a character by that very name to take over the blog as a way of continuing some sort of imbalance to the site, a higher authority who ruled over all, for everyone.

Anyway, he told me that Marty wasn’t ready to leave, neither was our other friend, and, that me giving Marty form, power of the blog, and a voice, had, well, had caused problems that cannot be easily resolved.

His argument was that Marty had taken some twenty days from my year long challenge, and in giving those days to him, I had not fulfilled the agreed upon deal. In doing this, he said I created a paradox overlapping this reality with Marty’s false reality, allowing not only Marty existence to be possible, but, the other as well, which has created a bigger problem, but, he has a solution.

I hung up the phone, he called back straight away, I did the whole don’t call back again crap, and once again hung up the phone, he of course called again, this time I didn’t bother putting it to my ear, I just slammed it down, and took it off the hook.

That was the end of the story, bang, over and out, some wack job wants to play stupid fucks, he can go elsewhere.

Of course, it wasn’t the end of it, was it.

 I woke to the sound of someone humming around three, my wife was snoring beside me, the dog, doing the same at the foot of the bed. I rolled over and caught a glimps of someone moving past the bedroom door, instantly I was awake, I jumped out of bed, and rushed out into the hallway. Except, it want the hallway, it was a white room, where a smiling man, who looked familiar, but I don’t know why, was standing in front of another, who was sitting down on a seat in front of him, next to a busted up table. The man didn’t need to turn around, I knew who he was, but he did anyway, his face screwed up with hate and he charged at me. I had no fucking clue what to do, but as I braced myself he exploded into dust. Leaving me and the smiling man alone in the room, that’s when I noticed the other one, in the corner, it looked at me with its soulless, black eyes, but before anything could happen I woke up in bed.

I know it sounds like another crazy story, and with all the insanity that’s been going on here, I don’t blame you for not believe me, because I don’t.

But, an hour ago I got another call from the so called Fear Master, he asked me if I was ready to play his game, I asked him who he really was and he just laughed and said tomorrow we start, then hung up.

So, instead of celebrating a milestone, I’m scared, for I have no idea, what tomorrow will bring.