TAG Part 2

Welcome back!  Thank you for the support and the kind feedback.  I want to become a stronger writer, and love this particular style and genre.  So thank you so very much!

Here is part 2 of TAG.  I hope you enjoy it!  More to come, dear readers!  Just remember, I have a whole book full of crazy, scary, creepy and even troubling stories... Just wait! 

TAG Part 2

I slowly stood back up, and then just stood there for a minute.  I watched as he got smaller and smaller, and then disappeared into the horizon.  I could not move.  What the hell was that?   Finally, I snapped out of my trance.  He was gone, and here I was outside in my robe, freezing in the oddly cold November air.  I instinctively hugged myself and rubbed my upper arms to get a little warmth in them, and exhaled as my breath made swirly tendrils of fog in the air.  I ran back inside, shut the door and locked it behind me.   I leaned against the door, taking another deep breath in. 

What was that?  Was I still dreaming?  I was all alone in the house, so it was definitely a possibility.  But no, this feels awake.  And now, after that weirdness shot chills of shock-waves through my body, I was absolutely awake.  Wide freaking awake.

I glanced at the time, and saw that it was now 6:17 and I had less than 45 minutes to get up and ready for my first meeting of the day.  So, I decided to put that bizarre incident out of my head and get on with my day.  Hopped in the shower, had coffee, got dressed.  I often felt like I was living in that old Beatles song “A Day in The Life”:

“Woke up, got out of bed, dragged the comb across my head.  Found my way downstairs

and drank a cup.  Looking up, I noticed I was late”.

Story of my life, and probably millions just like me.  But I did look up, and I was running late.  So I threw on my best business casual look and added nice shoes and accessories so that I didn’t project a look of being as late as I really was, and headed out of the front door.  Since moving to this new apartment with no assigned parking, I was often confused when my car wasn’t right outside of my door.  But today, thank God, my car was in the spot right in front of my door.  As I rushed to it, I thought of that young, ghostly boy and a shudder ran through my body.  I looked around once more to see if he was in sight, but no.  He was gone.  I reached for the door to my car, and jumped in shock as I saw a leg of what looked like a giant spider under my door handle!  I couldn’t help myself, and let out a short scream of horror.  I took a deep breath, and leaned in to see what it really was.  And I was right, a big, hairy, brown spider.  It was November after all, and those spiders tend to pop up in the strangest places.   I had seen them before, and while I do not love spiders, I do not fear them.  So I placed my car keys strategically under my handle and tapped a little, hoping the vibrations would make the creepy crawly move.  And boy did it work!  That little guy was wiggling as though I set him on fire.  He scurried out from underneath the door handle, but did not move beyond that. 

“Come on, little guy, I have a meeting”, I pleaded.  But he just sat there, and if I didn’t know any better, I would say he was looking right at me.  I hate to kill things, so I didn’t want to squish him.  I thought I would give him a fighting chance and just get him to the ground.  Since I could see most of him, I moved closer and finally gave him a flick with my pinky knuckle.  He flew in the air, and landed on the ground.  I thought I would see him scamper away to safety, but he didn’t move.  I looked more closely and saw that he was dead.  He was alive a second ago, I had seen him move… But now, he was dead as a door-nail.  Huh.  Sorry little guy, I didn’t mean to.  And off I went, zipping towards my first appointment of the day.

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At that very moment, the boy from the door, hidden somewhere unreachable, smiled.  

(End of Part 2)

Welcome to my new blog!  

As many of you know, I am a huge fan of the horror genre.  I love to read, watch, study, analyze, assess and discuss anything horror.  Jaws is my favorite movie, followed closely by The Exorcist - which, btw, is my favorite book (I have read it so many times, that I cannot keep track).  I love reading horror because as a reader, it is thrilling and invigorating.  But also, as a writer, I love studying the way the authors bring terror to life....how it builds slowly, how they use language to convey such deep and powerful emotions.  And I admit, I read to learn how I might be able to do it someday myself.  So folks. today is someday.

Here is my first fiction blog - and the reason it is a blog, is because I honestly have no idea how to publish a book of short stories.   

Plus, one of the best reading experience I ever had was when I read Stephen King's "The Green Mile".  The reason it was the best reading experience for me was not as much about the story -which was indeed amazing - but because, if you do not recall, when it was initially released, it was released as a serial novel.  He released it in 6 short pieces, one month apart.  So I would get the first book, which was delightfully super light and thin, and tear through it in day - and then I had to wait a whole month to learn what happens next!  It was terrible and wonderful!  I loved that antici...pation.

So beyond the fact that I have no clue as to how to publish my works, I am very excited to utilize this method.  I will post parts of my stories once a week, and then you, dear reader, will have to wait to learn what happens.  Ready?  I have no idea what will happen, so thank you for taking this crazy, terrifying (to me!!) plunge with me.  I am really opening up to you, and you will see things that you might think - "how the hell did she come up with that!?!?".... I hope you will still be my friend after peering into the twisted darkness, hahahaha... But I figure, Stephen King still has friends, right?

The first story is called "Tag", and here is the first part of it.  Please enjoy and let me know if you want to read what happens next! 

TAG

It was a normal morning, or so I thought… But don’t all horror stories start out that way?  I was still in bed, groggily waking up slowly.  Trying to rip my body from the soft and comfortable bedding was always a challenge in the morning.  I am not sure what the opposite phrase for a “Morning Person” is, but whatever that phrase is, it’s me.

When the doorbell first rang at this hour, just past 6am, I was so shocked that I thought it was either my imagination or a remnant of a distant floating dream.  But then the dogs started barking, and I knew it was real. 

“Who on earth…?”, I said to no one, as I was all alone in my room. 

I rose, and threw my robe over my PJs, and as I walked out of my bedroom, tossed my hair up into a messy bun.  Coffee would be great right now. 

I tripped over my running shoes at the foot of my bed as I crossed my bedroom to head towards the front door. 

“This better be good,” I mumbled to myself.

I made it to the front door, and looked out at the peep hole.  No one was there. 

“Oh, maybe a package delivery”, I thought, realizing that they often ring the bell and then rush off to deliver their next. 

So, I unlocked the front door, opened it.  I could not believe what I saw.  Standing there, all alone, was a small young boy, looking very somber and serious.  He looked about 6 years old, and despite the fact that it was July, he looked like he was freezing.  I knelt down in front of him, to see if I recognized him at all.  I didn’t know what would be weirder, if I knew him or if I didn’t.   Turns out, I didn’t.  He was not familiar at all.  He had very dark eyes, almost black, and wore no trace of a smile.

“Hello?”, I said, almost as a question.  “Can I help you?  Are you ok?”

He looked at me for a moment, and then in a cold, dead voice said, “Tag”.  He reached out with one hand, and with his pointer finger, gently touched me on the arm for just a second.   Then, he turned and slowly walked away.  I called after him to wait, I was so puzzled and at the same time, concerned for his safety.  Who was he?  What had he meant?  Where was he going?