Twisted Roads – Twisted Horror Stories by Matthew Tonks

Partial Visions

“FUCK! I can’t believe you don’t see it; it’s right FUCKING THERE!” he yells, poking the screen with his index finger. The other man turns his head to the side, curling his lips up as he struggles to see anything of any value.

“Yeah, dude, I’m just not seeing it. Are you sure you’re not just seeing things? I mean, the footage is pretty low-grade. If I didn’t know where it was taken, I’d have no clue it was a pub; it looks more like something from Willy Wonka.”

“Seriously, are you telling me you don’t see it? It’s as plain as the nose on your face; are you FUCKING blind?”

“Steady on, there’s no need to start hitting below the belt with insults. I just don’t see it. I wish I could, just so you’d shut the fuck up about it, but I just don’t.”

“Well, it’s there, RIGHT FUCKING THERE!” he says again, thumping his finger on the screen. He looks around the room, steam literally pouring from his ears. His eyes widen as he spots an Artline marker lying on the desk to his left. His mind explodes with an idea as he jumps up, grabs it, rips the lid off, and shoves Steven out of the way.

“Colin, what the fuck are you doing?” Steven says, throwing his hands up in the air as Colin proceeds to draw a circle on the screen with the marker. He then steps back proudly, admiring his work and encouraging Steven to examine the circle’s contents.

“FUCK, DUDE, that’s a permanent bloody marker, you dick. Sanders is going to be pisse…” He stops mid-sentence as his eyes bulge from their sockets and his jaw drops open. Slowly, he turns his head towards Colin, who stands there proudly, with a broad grin on his face, nodding his head with enthusiasm.

“Fucking told you, dude. I fucking told you there was something there. I told you I didn’t imagine it!” he says with authority. Steven turns his gaze back to the screen, staring at the image of a shadowy figure looking up at the camera.

“D-D-D, do you know who it is?” he asks, turning back to Colin, but he need not wait for an answer as a large, shadowy figure stares at him, looking out from over Colin’s shoulder.