Twisted Roads – Twisted Horror Stories by Matthew Tonks

The Roundhead Knows No End

“Powerful stuff. I like how it twists and turns its way through reality. Quite a clever concept; it could really work in a weekly episode format,” Jacob says as he looks up from the tablet at Suzan. She leans back in her chair, looking up at the ceiling with a smile on her face.

“I like the concept. A writer’s story that goes haywire, kills the writer and the artist who brought it to life, then erupts over mankind as it makes its move to control the world. Apparently, they have another six chapters to post. But I really think we should make a move now, while we have the chance, before Netflix or someone else gets in on the action offering money that we could never match.”

“You think others are watching?”

“They’d have to be. It’s all over the news with these killings. Surely it’d be prime real estate right now; they’d all be rubbing their hands together to see how it’s all going to end. See if you can track down this Marty Towns and get him locked down by the time the second chapter is released. I want to get production up and running as soon as we can, a name or two out there of who’s in the cast while it’s hot property.”

“What’s my limit?”

“I don’t care, just make it happen,” she says. “Everyone’s got a price tag, and this Towns fellow will have his. But we have to lock it down sooner rather than later.”

“Okay, I’ll get on it right away,” he says as he places the tablet onto her desk and slides it towards her. “Just one question?”

“No, I’m not worried about the negative impact this could have. Numbers mean viewers, and viewers mean numbers, so just make it happen.”

“Done,” he says as he leaves, gently closing the door to her office behind him.

She spins the tablet back around to face her and smiles as she looks over the story again. “How ingenious. You certainly know how to get people’s attention. I wonder what you can do with some money behind you,” she says out loud to herself as she retweets a link to the story and adds the comment, “I see you!”

Suddenly, all the lights in her office flicker as a power untold by the ages surges through them until they explode, leaving her in darkness. She sits there frozen in place, petrified.

“JACOB!” she yells out. She waits for a few moments as her heart begins to race frantically in her chest before he finally replies.

“Suzan? Is everything okay?” he yells from the other side of the door.

“The goddamn lights just exploded. What’s going on?”

“I’m not sure. The lights are all okay out here,” he says. “Can you unlock the door?”

“T-T-There’s no lock on my door, you know that!” she says as she gets up from her desk and quickly makes her way over to the door. That’s when she notices the man standing a few feet from her. His skin is pale, almost white, and his eyes are endless pools of darkness.

“W-W-What the fuck…” she whispers as the man opens his mouth and begins to speak.

“On wings of electricity, through the here and the then, it comes, breaking the walls of the worlds, as your soul calls to it like the beat of drums. It salivates at the thought of taking you into its being. You rode the path, you set its course, and now your souls will feed its beginnings as it breaks through your shell with its force. So fear its name, don’t shy away, it’s coming now, so prepare, for it is here!”

“Let it come,” she says. The man’s head leans to the side with a confused look on his face.

“What? You didn’t think I wanted this? I can make your master bigger than a pathetic story on some unknown’s blog. I can…”

She stops in her tracks, her mouth drops open, and her eyes follow the beast as it rises from behind the man, who flickers from sight, leaving only the beast.

“What makes you think you can do more than what the words spread a million times around the world can do?”

“T-T-They, they’ll stop it before you’re strong enough. But, but I-I-I, I can bring you to a bigger audience, more than his story coul…”

The beast grabs her and slams her against the wall, then lets out a low, inhuman growl. The stink of death wafts into her face, her eyes water as it tears at her flesh, burns her cheeks, and leaves her mouth dry.

“It’s my story, not his,” it says.