Twisted Roads – Twisted Horror Stories by Matthew Tonks

The Roundhead Calls You

“You’re kidding me?” he says as he rolls around on the bed, the phone pressed firmly to his ear.

“Why would I kid you? It’s true, it’s everywhere. God, I can’t believe you haven’t heard; it’s all over the news and social media. Haven’t you seen any of it?” she says with a giggle.

“Nah, I’ve been on a Netflix binge for the last twelve hours.”

“What the hell could you be watching for that long?”

“The first two seasons of Hemlock Grove. I was about to start the last before you called. I haven’t even left my room since I got home yesterday; just me, a twenty-five, and some munchies,” he says as he pulls his laptop over to his bed, bringing up a browser and quickly typing in ‘Roundhead murders.’ The search results litter the screen with news reports about the killings from across the world. His eyes widen as he presses the top result, which was only updated fifteen minutes ago. His mouth drops open as he quickly scans over it. He feels his hands begin to tremble as he places the phone back to his ear.

“Is this shit for real?”

“That’s what they’re saying. At first, I thought it was just over-advertising for the story. Like, these guys had thrown a shitload of money at it in the hope it would, I don’t know, make more money. Like when that movie came out a few months ago, and they were saying some guy died while he was watching it, and then all those other people said strange shit happened to them later on when they got home. But after a little while, more and more bodies turned up. It’s, like, fucking worldwide. There have been at least a million reports so far, and it doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon.”

“Fuck, and it’s all got to do with this story?”

“Apparently. A few hours after the first story was posted online, the murders started happening. Three people in my street have been found dead so far, and another eight two streets over. It’s like something out of a horror film.”

“NO WAY?”

“I’m NOT kidding,” she says. “You should go have a look at the site before they take it down. I mean, they’d have to, right?”

“Well, yeah, if it’s connected to the murders, it’d make sense that they’d take it down. What’s the address?”

“My three sixty-five challenge dot com, the three and the five are numbers, not words. The Roundhead should be the first post. Trust me, it’s right up your alley. The next one comes out tonight, if they don’t take it down, that is.”

“Okay, give me a second,” he says as he types the address into the web browser and waits patiently. But a four-one-four error comes up on the screen, and he lets out a sigh. “Looks like they’ve taken it down already.”

“Really?” she says as she checks her computer. “Nah, it’s still there. I’ll share a link on your Facebook wall. You’re obviously typing it in the wrong way,” she says. He can hear her typing away. “Okay, done,” she says as the line sparks with static.

“Macy? You still there?”

“Yeah, what the fuck was that?”

“Fuck knows, some sort of interference. Anyway, I’ll give it a look when I get off the phone and buzz you back once I’m done,” he waits for an answer, but there’s only silence as the static rips through the phone line again. “Mace?” she still doesn’t answer. “You still there, Mace?”

“T-T-T-There’s a weird creepy kid standing in my room, staring at me,” she says softly. He can tell she’s nervous.

“WHAT?” he says as he lifts himself up off his bed. “Real funny, Macy, I said I’d read…” he stops mid-sentence as he hears a strange disembodied voice of a young girl on the other end begin to speak.

“Over the centuries, you’ve called it by many names. Your people still remember the last time it came and played its games. But this time, its power is stronger than then, as the world shares its story over and over again. So call to your God, call him by name, but nothing will save you, for you’ve entered its game.”

The static rips through the phone once more, and he can hear Macy scream on the other end of the phone just before it goes dead.