What Hides in…the Fog #20

I walked along the road, and it took a while, but a car eventually came. It stopped, and they were going to take off when they saw me, but I convinced them that I needed help. Still, they wouldn't let me ride with them. Not that I blamed them. No, not really.

They *did* call the cops, who brought an ambulance with them, who took me to the hospital. At first they didn't believe me, but when I had them call my boss, who explained to them why I had been sent to the town, they sent someone there to check it out...who found bite-boy.

The state did some testing on the water, and found some very strange things and quarantined the whole area, plus some. Who know what will happen?

As for bite-boy and me? We have been committed. Bite-boy, it is not so surprising. Not really surprising for me either.

I have some good days; they have me on some medication that helps. But, there are days that I *need* those restraints, when the fog is my best friend and the skin...oh, the skin, must come off. Those days are bad. Those days I yell and scream. I can hear bite-boy echoing me as he, too, wants to rip and tear at his own skin. But these restraints do not let us.

On my lucid days, I fear for the future of that area. I don't think they are going to contain whatever it is that is in the soil. One day it is going to spread, and heaven help those it contaminates...especially if it spreads to a large city....

The End

 

©2009,CherryDumas

 

I hope you enjoyed this story…I had fun writing it. and, I think it may have sparked an idea for a full-length story in the future. We will have to see, but I definitely had fun writing it. It has been a long time since I have written this much in a single day. :)

What Hides in…the Fog #19

Running. I ran for hours, until I couldn't run any more.

When I couldn't run any more, I walked.

When I couldn't run any more, I crawled.

The typical horror story escape. But I had to get as far away as I could. Though, no matter how far I went, the fog stayed with me. I don't think I would ever rid myself of this fog. At least, not until I rid myself of the influence of the water...maybe not even then. Maybe the effects of the water are permanent. I don't know. All I know is I am covered with bleeding wounds. Wounds from the trees and rocks...and wounds from my teeth.

I couldn't move another inch. I collapsed. The night was almost over. I had run all that day and most that night. I am exhausted. Maybe some wild creature will come by and end my torture, though I had not seen or heard any...any living creature that is.

But, by this time, I knew no more. I lapsed into unconsciousness.

When I regained it, I have no clue how much time had passed. The sun was high in the sky, but is it the next day, or is it the day after? I don't know. I feel so weak. I need nourishment, but I don't dare eat or drink anything from this region...if I will ever dare eat or drink anything remains to be seen...I have to get away from *here* first.

Climbing unsteadily to my feet, I stumble into an uneasy walk, then I gain my balance enough to run again.

After running for a while, I suddenly come across the road. Not the road I had driven yesterday, but the main highway. Hopefully, I will be able to get a ride from here to some city for help...

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…the Fog #18

God! How horrible! I stumble to my feet and pushing past bite-boy, I run out of the door.

I can hear his maniacal laughter follow me as I trip my up the multitude of stairs, eventually coming out of the church into the sunlight.

Sunlight!

I throw my arm over my eyes.

Had I been down there that long? I know I had not been down there all night, because I had spent part of the night above, but I did not realize I had spent the rest of the night below ground. And the sun. God! The sun! It hurt my eyes.

Carefully lowering my arm, I squinted. Maybe my eyes will get used to it. Whatever that water did, it made things unbearable.

But, even now, I can feel the light easing. It does not hurt so much. Maybe it was because I was in such a dim light all night. Yes. That is it.

I must calm myself. Still, that hideous light radiated off my skin, regardless of the light, and I can still see the fog, that beautiful fog with the creatures cavorting deep within it.

And that urge to bite and tear my skin was overwhelming.

I have to get out of here and to civilization. I must...and get warning about the water. Because if it is here, what if it is in other places?

But, how am I to get out of here? Even if I make it to my car, it doesn't run any more, and it is hundreds of miles to the nearest town...

And still, I can hear bite-boys maniacal laughter echoing in the recesses of my mind. Always laughing. Always calling "My preciousssss."

I have to get out of here!

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…the Fog #17

So, it *is* the water. I thought as I stare at fascination at both my skin and the blood running on my skin. I wonder if I would have torn at myself first if he hadn't had attacked me.

He started that maniacal cackle again.

"Welcome." He cackled "Welcome."

I growled at him, and he stopped cackling only long enough to briefly growl back.

Then the fog. The fog moved. I saw it clearly. It was beautiful. Yes, it was tinged red like I had first seen it, but there were so many other colors in it. And the animals it had formed? Even when it was formless, they were still there, deep in it. There. Always there. It came at me. Chittering and chattering. The squirrels gamboling and playing, running over my feet. The birds landing on my arms. There were no larger animals in this portion of the fog. They couldn't fit down here, but the smaller animals, oh yes. I could see them. They are beautiful. And now they didn't hesitate to touch me, though, I don't feel a thing.

Is it of my mind? I don't know anymore. A bird *landed* on my hand, drawing my attention to it. I lifted my hand slightly and the bird flew off. I didn't feel a thing, but I wasn't paying attention to the bird either.

It was my hand I cared about. Always my hand.

I lifted it. The light shining off it was...odd. not beautiful. Not like the fog. It was hideous. I wanted it off me. I tried scraping it with my other hand.

Ewww. It was there too. No! All over me! Where is the beautiful fog? Maybe it can cover this hideousness.

The fog. Yes. The fog. I look around. It is around me, but it is not covering it. I have to get it off me!

Maybe I can chew it off. Yes! I can try that.

I lift my hand to my mouth and bite. I bite as hard as I can, trying to chew the flesh off. The pain doesn't matter. I need to get that flesh off.

Then a flash of sanity.

I jerk my hand out of my mouth and spit the blood out.

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…the Fog #16

"Drink!" He shouts it...no, he roars it. It is beyond a shout.

"Ok, ok. I will drink." It's not like I will get out of here alive anyway. I think to myself with dark humor.

Downing the water in the canister, I grimace at the bitter taste. Well water, and not too fresh.

I wonder...I drank the bottled water earlier, and that was when I started seeing the fog. I wonder if the water was bottled locally. And if so, I wonder what the well water will do. Because if the bottled water is causing the hallucination of the fog...

Mentally shrugging, I settle down for a long talk with bite-boy. Yeah. Long talk. More like long silence.

"Who are you?" I ask.

Silence. Or rather, babble...it is the same as silence, really. Being from the city, you are used to all sorts of babble. It all becomes a sort of silence...and that is what this is.

"What happened here?"

Babble/silence.

Ok. So this isn't working. The only time I got a reaction was with the pictures, though I didn't particularly feel like being attacked. Yet...

Looking at the bite wounds all over the bite-boy, there was a strange fascination with them that wasn't there earlier, if I was being honest with myself.

But, when have I *ever* been honest with myself?

I moved to stand and bite-boy's gaze sharpened on me.

I stood and walked closer to his picture stash, and he began to growl. I growled back.

What. The. Hell?

That was strange.

Brushing it off, I bent to pick up a picture, and I saw bite-boy jerk to fly at me again, but I met him half-way.

Ripping and tearing at eat other with our mouths.

I fling him away and back toward the wall, wiping his blood off with my hand. He crouched down, staring and growling at me.

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…the Fog #15

As I reached for the photo, I heard a god-awful screech. I looked up, dropped the picture I had just touched and barely had time to brace myself for the attack.

Bite-boy landed against me with such force, I was knocked back against the wall. Again the breath was knocked out of me as he landed a painful hit with his bone elbow to my already bruised ribs. As I tried in vain to get my breath, he bit my cheek as hard as he could. I could feel the flesh tear and the blood pours down. Pushing him off before he could actually rip a chuck of meat off, I could get my arms up in time to brace myself for the next attack.

He swooped in, mouth gaping wide. He didn't try to gouge me with his hands, in fact, they virtually hung limp at his sides. He leapt at me with his legs, guiding himself like a missile with them. His teeth snapping open and closed. I had never seen anything like it.

Fortunately, I had enough strength to keep him off.

Something about it broke through to him, and he started throwing things at me. This is actually the first I had seen him use his arms. Huh. They aren't useless after all.

Shaking my head to get myself out of the daze, I dodge and weave to avoid his missiles. And do fairly well. That is, u one hits me in the face. Oh, that smarted. It hit with enough force it put me on my rear.

And he laughed. He actually laughed. Granted, it was not a comforting laugh. Not even a friendly laugh. It is a raise-the-hairs-on-the-back-of-your-neck insane laugh. I looked around for what hit me. A canister of...what is that? I sniff it...water?

"Drink."

Startled, I look at him. The first coherent words out of him. Will wonders never cease?

"Drink. Talk."

Talk? Hmmm...possibilities.

"How about we talk, and I drink later?" I would much prefer *not* to drink...

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…the Fog #14

The...person...and I stared at each other in shock. I don't know what he thought of me, but I sure was not expecting...him.

He was human, that was evident. And he was a survivor. I guess the authorities did *not* clear them all out. He was young. Perhaps in his early twenties, and completely covered in bite marks. Some are old, the white scar tissue barely discernable. But some so fresh they still bled. Obviously, he has lost his mind.

"Prescioussssss. What isssss he?"

"Your mother read you a little too much Hobbit before you went insane?" I asked casually. Not really expecting an answer.

He hissed at me, showing his blood and gore speckled teeth. His teeth so thick with it, they were blackened. The saliva dribbled pink down his chin.

"So," I said, walking closer to him...though no *too* close. I'm not stupid enough to get in grabbing or biting range. "You have been here for fifteen years. You were just a child when it all happened. What *did* happen. Can you tell me?"

More hissing. He turned as I walked past him, but not much else.

I could feel my stomach clenching. But not from fear. I was actually getting a little hungry. Stupid to think of food at a time like this. But I haven't eaten for so long, all I took time for earlier was one of those bottles of water...and it didn't taste too bad. A little stale.

I pushed the hunger aside.

"I thought the injuries were self-inflicted. Did you know, they thought it was vampires or werewolves that killed your town?"

The man started babbling, but I didn't understand a single word he said, so I continued walking around. There were a few bits and pieces from around the town. Mostly, I saw skeletons from forest creatures. I really wondered at that "fog." But that is something to worry about in a bit. This boy-man was the problem right now. I cast a look at him, but he had gone back to dancing around and babbling at the fog. Since he was ignoring me, I continued looking around. I came upon a stash of photos. I bent to pick one up.

And that was my mistake.

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…the Fog #13

Still no answer, just the incessant hissing.

This is annoying. I thought, half-amused. Better amused than admit that I was a touch scared. I never did handle fear well.

I continue to walk to the door. I have no clue what to expect. This town is supposed to be deserted. Of course, any vagrant could have settled here. I have no clue what they did for food or water, but it is possible that *someone* could live here. There are no reports of it, and according to the survivors, no one stayed behind when they fled. They said everyone was accounted for.

Also, when the authorities came and collected bodies, they did a thorough search, and they said they had collected everyone, alive and dead.

So who this was, I had no clue.

Finally, to the door, I took one last breath around my aching ribs. Just what I had needed, to have an injury when I may have needed to fight. I hope not fight. I am a runner. Usually. As evident by my half-ass attempt to flee earlier. I *would* have fled if I had anywhere to go.

No use worrying about either of those now.

I braced myself. Though, for what, I really had no clue.

Stepping around the open doorway I faced the person waiting for me.

I had been right to brace myself. I had not been prepared.

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…the Fog #12

Still clutching my stomach, I slowly make my way toward that faint light. I didn't know what to expect, I didn't know if they knew if I was here. I didn't even know if there was more than one of them. I suspected it was only one. All I could hear was one cackle...well, one *person* cackle. I heard many cackles.

The closer I got, the brighter the light became. I could see that there was another room. And that there must have been several candles...the light was flickering too crazily for a single wick. As I got closer,

I saw the shadow on the wall.

I stopped. The fog next to me did *not.* it continued its way into the room.

"Preciousssssssss! My Preciousssssss."

I laughed. I couldn't help it. It was too Gollum-eque. Straight from The Hobbit. Couldn't this person have thought of something other that *that* to call this fog?

Regardless, my laugh had caught this person's attention. It was hissing. Yes, hissing.

So, first we have Gollum, now we have a snack, huh? Am I to expect a snack goblin to come erupting out of the room? Shaking my head I continued on to the room. Guess my reason for secrecy is over.

"I know you know I am here." I call out.

No response except the increase of the hissing. Still, I walk toward the opening. I could detect no movement from the person. I won't even say man, because I don't know. The voice *was* deep, but it was hard to tell if it was a male or a female voice.

In the light reflected on the wall, I could see the faintness of the fog shifting. Strange how out in the open it had seemed so large, even upstairs it had seemed so. But down here, it seemed much smaller. It is as if it can compact itself.

"Who are you?" I try again.

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…The Fog #11

I followed the fog through a door in the back behind the altar. I expected to go into the priest's office, but we didn't. Sure, there was a door leading into what I assumed would be his office, but there were two other doors as well. Both hanging open. One led up to what I assumed would lead to the spire and subsequently, the bell. The other leading down. There must be a cellar down there. That is where the fog went.

It is strange to follow a fog. Especially to follow a fog that goes to specific locations and doesn't spread itself everywhere.

I laughed as the fog pushed itself against the wall in an attempt to avoid touching me. I never thought to encounter a neurotic fog before.

Down we went. Further than I thought we would go.

Down and down. The steps did not lead straight down, no, they twisted upon themselves at various spots, and they were steep.

The deeper they went, the darker and more oppressive it got. I would have expected to feel a spider web against my face or arms...but there were none. Further indication that this building alone was still used. For what purpose still remained to be seen. I could no longer see the fog. But I could still hear it. It is very strange to hear woodland creatures right next to me. If it were not for the fact of the steps beneath my feet and the railing I desperately clutched as I descended, I would have thought I was in the forest.

Without warning, the ground evened out beneath me. It did so with such abruptness that I stumbled. If I had not had hold of the railing, I think I would have landed on the ground...probably on my face. As it, I swung around into the said railing with such force I was winded.

Stumbling back, clutching my stomach, I gasp, trying to get my breath back. The fog sounded angrier than ever, yet I don't recall touching it yet. One of these times I *will* touch it. I silently vow as I wheeze.

Looking around, at first I don't see anything. But then, a faint...something. A cackle. Wait. A cackle? Yup. This place has definitely gotten to me. Who cackles in this day and age? And is that candle light?

There *is* someone here!

 

(to be continued…)

(now we are re-caught back up, I will continue the story…;))

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…the Fog #10

Walking in, I see the pews, while dusty, hold very little of it, so little, you can see the gleam of the wood underneath. You can see that they have recently seen the police of wax. You can also see that the floors have also seen the same wax. Well, maybe not the same kind, but waxing as well. I have no clue what kind of wax goes on what. I don't care. My point is, someone has been housecleaning here, and it has been recently.

The angry animal noises, and noisome fog curls around me through the door I left open, yet it doesn't touch me. Surprising, that.

Dismissing it as unimportant now that I know that it cannot harm me (I refuse to entertain the possibility that it will not, not cannot), I walk further into the church, halting halfway down the aisle. I rub at the polished pew with my hand as I consider where to go. Up, or to the back.

The fog makes up my mind for me.

It curls its way (it is no longer in the shape of animals anymore. Once I had left the house, those shapes had reformed back into the almost liquid form of this shifting mass.) Where was I? Oh yes, it curls its way toward the back of the church.

I follow it. Well, not so much as follows as walk with it. I would be walking *in* it, but it refuses to touch me. It makes me wonder if I had not run from it in the house, what would have happened there? It makes me wonder a lot of things.

According to the survivor report...everything started with the fog.

But back to now. With the fog semi-guiding me, yet trying to avoid touching me...I wondered at the whole madness. Just what in the world is going on?

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…the Fog #9

Now that I have rationally determined that these are both an auditory and a visual hallucination, how the hell am I supposed to fight it...and what is causing it? Especially to have given it to a whole town all those years ago.

There has to be a cause somewhere.

I look around the town, and realize that I have not explored the church yet. There probably isn't anything there, but I have to explore every possibility.

Ignoring the fog, I walk in the direction of the spire.

To get to the church, I have to walk close to the fog...a little too close for my comfort, but I am determined not to fear it. It is ridiculous to fear it. I tell myself.

As I get close to it, I reach out and touch it. Just to prove to myself that it is harmless. But as I reach out to it, it shrinks away from *me.*

Yeah...fearsome, that.

Laughing at it, I continue on my way to the church. Closely followed by the animal noises, sounding angry this time.

Looking over my shoulder, I can see the fog is following me at its more leisurely pace. Yes, there is definitely something about this that is created more from the mind than from something paranormal or supernatural.

Or so I will keep telling myself until it is proven otherwise.

I walk to the church and push the door open. The first door I have found that had remained unlocked.

And, unlike the other doors, it did not squeal as I push the door open. Now this is an intriguing development. Why would this door remain smooth and the others not? I don't think God cares for the building despite what the clergy claim...at least, not to the extreme of keeping the hinges oiled.

Walking in, I see other clues that this building is not as abandoned as the others...

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…The Fog #8

Hearing a noise, I turn toward the door, the front door, that is. Though, there is nothing there. The door is still closed tight. But the noise. The noise is getting louder. It is the incessant sound of the woodland creatures. Am I going insane in this lonely deserted town with its nightmarish history?

It is a possibility.

For a surely as I am kneeling on this dusty vinyl flooring, I am hearing something that is not there. I can hear the chattering of squirrels, the squawking of birds. Even the hissing of some sort of forest cat. Yet...I see nothing. Then, the first tendrils of fog forming together. But not in the typical tendrils of fog...however bloody-looking this fog is, no, this fog is forming into the shape of the animals. Squirrels, birds, a bobcat...I slam the door shut before I can see any further.

I shove the towels under the door, knowing it is probably futile. I run to the window. Outside I see the fog-shapes of deer and bear. I break the glass and regardless of the shards, I shove my body through. I can outrun the fog in its tendril form...but in its animal form...I don't know, but I have to try. Some of the people got away...but they may have been let go.

I ran.

Then I stopped. I didn't get far; I wasn't even out of the town. The fog was hanging around the house I had left, completely surrounding it, but it was slowly leaving it. Drifting this way and that, as if searching.

Where was *I* going though. I don't know the area. I don't know how far the fog extends. I don't have any supplies. According to the map, there are not any other towns for hundreds of miles. It was a miracle the people got away did manage to get away. This is ridiculous running.

Besides, the medical reports on the bodies found showed *human* teeth on the bodies. *self*-inflicted wounds. Not even wounds caused by others, but by their owners. Some of the bodies were drained of blood. But there was enough blood around that it is possible they had wandered around until they drained themselves. There is *nothing* suggesting that anything supernatural did it.

But what is with the fog...it *has* to be a hallucination. It *has* to be. Which means...it is harmless.

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…the Fog #7

Running into the nearest house, I looked around for the best location to hide. At first I thought of the closet. And in fact, I did head in the direction, but if it came to fighting (though what I might have to fight, I had no clue), there wouldn't be any room. Though, I did look in there for any possible weapons. And luck be mine, there was a baseball bat. *somebody* was looking after me, after all...or was prolonging my death for their amusement.

Thinking about where to hide, I tried not to think about what might be out there. If anything. Wouldn't it be the biggest cosmic joke if I was doing this over nothing?

Looking around the house, I saw the perfect room. The bathroom. Big enough I could maneuver around in, it had a window that was (barely) big enough I could escape out of if I had to, but small enough that I could defend it and the door. I could shove towels around both to *try* to keep the fog out, yet I could keep them open to watch for the attack...if it comes. And the bathroom door might actually lock, though I won't count on it being a *good* lock.

Going back to the front door, I saw the fog had actually made significant progress toward the house. And strange enough, it looked like it was actually *aiming* for the house. Huh. A fog with intelligence? Yeah right. More like, there is a breeze blowing it in my direction...though...I can't *feel* a breeze.

Even stranger is I can still *hear* the creatures...the squirrels and the birds. At least I assume it is just squirrels. How the hell do I know? I have never seen them before. But that is the point, I still can't see them. I can hear them, but I can't see them, yet they sound like they are close. Maybe they are hidden in the fog. Maybe the fog brought them. I don't know, but it is getting creepier by the second.

Shutting the door, making it into another barrier. However feeble it is with its broken lock, I head for the bathroom. Leaving the bathroom door open I sit on the counter that is next to it.

While I wait, I stare around at the room. Except for the dust, it is fairly clean. There are the suspicious dark spots here as well. I don't dare look in the toilet. Luckily, I haven't had to go. Yet. I don't even want to entertain *that* possibility. I shudder at the mere thought.

Thanks to the dust, I cannot even tell the pattern of the wallpaper or vinyl flooring, let alone the color...but I *think* I can see a hint of flowers. Typical.

The mirror behind me has smears of faded red on it in the shape of a hand. I turn away, not wanting to think of how that got there.

Hopping down off the counter, I look in the cabinet for some towels...forgot to get those, I am going to need them to shove under the door.

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…the Fog #6

I wandered the town for god only knows how long. The moon gave no indication. I never could tell time by the moon. All I knew was that my feet were incredibly sore from all the walking today. Through the woods and now through the town.

I half hoped my walking through the town would uncover some clues as to what happened all those years ago, but if there *were* clues, time had eaten them away. I *thought* I saw dark spots in some of the houses and buildings I broke in to that looked suspiciously like blood, but I am no expert.

Though it would collaborate with some of the survivor stories if it was.

Let's see. How did those ones go? I wish I had my notes.

It was something like the tales of vampires or werewolves...*something* coming and gnawing on the people, drinking their blood, ripping in to them. Who knows? They never *saw* anything other than the end result, and it *did* look like teeth, but nothing *pointed* like a vampires teeth. And nothing animal-like either. More human-like gnawing. As if in their fever, they had been gnawing on themselves. Which, is a possibility...the fever could have been producing hallucinations and odd behavior. The survivors could have been touched with it as well.

Though, nobody wanted to entertain that notion. All these years, they did not want to write it off to that. No, it has been speculation and rumors and fear.

Just my luck *I* got chosen to be the voice of reason.

Deciding enough is enough for the night, that nothing is going to happen, I turn to head back to the house. But as I near the center (yeah, some center) of town, I see the first tailings of the wisp of fog. A fog unlike any I had ever seen before...

This fog is not the brown fog of the city. It is not even the white fog I have seen in pictures that haunts the country and seaside...this fog is almost blood red. This is *not* right. What the hell?

It has got to be a trick of the light. Yeah. That is it. That and I have listened to too many stories about this place.

Then I hear the noise. Not howls of werewolves. Not insidious voices of vampires. Not the hiss of creeping fog. No, this is the chatter of woodland creatures. The chirps and cries of birds. The sounds I expected to hear as I walked through the trees earlier. Now this is definitely getting creepy. Not one building is secure thanks to me. Not the *entire* building that is. *but* I *can* hide in a single room. Yes, that is what I will do.

The question is, jut what *exactly* am I hiding from?

The woodland creatures don't *sound* threatening. They are making the sounds that you would expect them to make on a sunny day. It is just that they started making them when the fog appeared. And the fog...I can't lock the fog out...can I?

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…the Fog #5

Moving to the front door, I try it. Locked. Why lock it? They abandoned the town. Oh well. Ah, a window. Picking up a branch, I break the window and use it to knock out the remaining glass. Climbing through the now empty frame, I enter the living room. Dust coated everything so thickly that I cannot even tell the color of anything, but the floor seems sound.

This will work.

I quickly look around the house for supplies and see that I am going to need some more. I go back to the "store" and make sure to grab some candles and matches while there. Nothing electrical, or battery operated seems to work. And surprisingly enough...the canned goods, and even some bottled water, still seems to be good. Even after fifteen years...I am not questioning *that* luck.

I head back to the house and prepare for true night to settle in.

Luckily, the wait is not long. There is nothing more boring the waiting in a lust laden empty town waiting for absolutely nothing to happen.

Because that is what I was sure would happen.

Nothing.

Tonight would be the fifteenth anniversary of the *illness* that took over the town. Let's see if it would repeat itself with me.

I laugh. Not that it would matter. Nobody would miss me. This is the last stop before I was to be fired. I have no family, No friends. I don't even have a dog or a goldfish. I have nothing.

So what if I might die.

My employer even told me not to bother coming back if I don't discover what happened here. So it is not like anybody will check if I survived here or not.

Silence. Never have I hated it so much.

Tired of staring at the walls, I move to the front door and stare outside. Not a hint of fog. Never had I been more certain that nothing was going to happen.

A walk would probably do me good. Get me away from these depressive thoughts. I wish I had had someone to bring with me, but there was no one. Besides, it is one thing to bring myself on a potentially suicidal mission, even if it is of the mundane type...it is another to bring someone else.

Grasping the door knob, I walk out and down to the road. Damn trees are everywhere. But still no hint of life.

I wonder if whatever killed the people all those years ago did something to the wildlife. But that couldn't be...the forest would be a lot different if that were the case...wouldn't it? Horticulturist I am not.

Shrugging my shoulders I walk through the dim light into the center of town. There are just enough stars and the moon is almost full and bright enough that there is enough to see.

The town looks even worse by the grey light of the moon. It emphasizes the shadows. Eerie.

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…the Fog#4

...later...

Finally, I reach the village. And it is not much to look at. I don't think it would have been much to look at, even if there had been people here.

It is small. And I don't mean "Oh, look how small town cute it is!" I mean it is *small* One main street. One intersecting street and perhaps two or three small side streets. I was lucky to have seen this from the tree top. How it even made it on the map is anyone's guess. What made people want to live here in the first place?

The buildings are even small. I won't go into how run-down they are. That is to be expected; after all, as far as I know, no one has even driven through this town in fifteen years, let alone lived here.

Walking over to peer into a broken window, I see this building is supposed to be the store. You could have fooled me. There wasn't even a sign proclaiming it as such. Though, I guess with a town this small, there needn't be one.

Huh. Ummm, wait a second. I literally scratch my head with this puzzler. There were only a dozen survivors at the most. There couldn't have been many more living here. Where is my briefcase? Shit, Damn Sam! I forgot the stupid thing in the car. Great. Now I don't have *any* of my notes. This is just perfect.

Yeah, this is one fan-freakin-tasting assignment. I won the lottery with this one.

Regardless, I better find a place to crash...somewhere where it isn't *too* bad, *too* derelict. Cause, it is getting dark...true dark. My true assignment is just getting started.

I look around. I doubt there is much use to hope for a hotel. I snort an abrupt laugh. What am I thinking? A hotel? What, do I expect all the amenities to go with that hotel? Yeah, I am completely on my own here. Finding a bed will be good enough. It's bad enough I don't even have any of my supplies.

Thinking of that, I realize I don't even have any of my food or drink. Great. Maybe there is some canned goods that haven't spoiled somewhere here. If whatever killed most of the people here doesn't kill me, food poisoning will...or starvation!

Turning away from the store, thinking to come back *after* I find a place to sleep, I look at the town. The side streets will probably be the best bet for a private home. Which would probably be the most comfortable...more laughter at that thought.

I quickly walk toward the nearest street and turn down it, a stop. More trees. Of course. They have taken over the town. It is surprising they haven't taken over the main street yet. I move toward then and push my way through the underbrush to the first house. The roof *looks* sound let's see about the inside.

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…the Fog #3

Seeing a likely tree to climb, I grasp the lowest branch and lift my leg to lodge my foot into a gap in the back. The bark bit into my hands as I wrap them around the branch. God, what an unpleasant feeling. No wonder I never really liked climbing these things as a child. Shifting my weight to the foot on the tree, I begin to lift myself.

Unfortunately, I am wearing the wrong shoes. Dress shoes are *not* the thing to climb trees in. My foot abruptly slides out of the gap and, with a jarring thud, lands back on the ground, scraping my chin on the trunk as well.

Cursing foully, I grab my handkerchief out of my back pocket. Dabbing at the scrap, I can tell it is bleeding pretty badly just from the sting.

There is no other way around it, if I am going to do this; I am going to have to take off my shoes. Bending down, I unlace the shoes and pull them off. Standing straight, I look back up at the tree. Trying it again, this time I succeed in raising myself to the first branch. After that, it was fairly easy. If you count getting scratches and gouges from the unforgiving twigs and bark easy. But I manage to get to the top. Or as close to the top as I can get.

I push the foliage out of the way and look around.

Trees. Trees and more trees. Where the hell is the town? I see a slight break in the trees to the right...that must be the road. If I remember the map correctly, it showed the town to the east and the cliff to the south. So that would put the town somewhere to the...oh hell, I don't know.

I look around. It is getting pretty dark, but not as dark as the forest would have me believe. I would say, about eight. If I had had to *try* to judge the time according to the light in the trees, I would have said it was after ten.

Oh! There is a large gap in the trees over there, and I can see a steeple. The town, a not too far away. I can make that, no problem. Maybe a half hour longer. Good.

I take one last look around the sky before having to dive into the oppressiveness of the foliage. I begin my descent back into the hell of the silent woods.

I miss the noise and pollution of the city already. My lungs do not know what to do with this air. I feel almost lightheaded from it. Yeah, they can keep this. I will stay in my city from now on.

Reaching the forest floor once again, I put my shoes on and once again head in the direction of the town. Amazingly enough, it is the direction I have been heading this whole time. Guess my sense of direction isn't as bad as I thought it was.

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in…The Fog #2

I was driving along the narrow winding road that passes through the village when the head- and dash-lights began to flicker, then went out. At first I didn't think anything of it...then the car sputtered and died completely. Nothing I tried would start the car back up. Now, I know that typically I wouldn't need the lights on during the day, either the head or the dash...well the dash.

The headlights are on all the time now thanks to new car regulations...which can be annoying. But the dash, well, typically I don't. But the dense trees made it dark enough that it made the lights necessary. But when I tried to start the car back up, nothing would happen. There was not a response of *any* kind.

I wasted a good two hours trying to get that stupid piece of metal to move, but nothing worked. Finally, knowing I *had* to get to town before dark, I decided to walk. I didn't realize it was going to be quite the hike. It looked closer on the map. That and I didn't think it would get so dark quite so fast.

Looking around me, the shadows were almost pitch black now. I had no concept of time any more. How far left to go to the town, I have no clue.

Up until this point, I had been walking steadily...at some points, almost running. But there was little or no change in the scenery. I wonder if all forests are this unchanging, this constant. If they are, it is no wonder wood people always seem to be on the crazy side.

I decide to stop and try to get my bearings, though how, I am not sure. Looking around, I wonder...maybe I can see something if I get high enough. These trees *are* pretty tall, but I haven't climb a tree since I was a kid...and I wasn't ever really good at it. What if I fall? Should I...or shouldn't I? Should I continue to wander aimlessly and hope to stumble upon the town, or should I *try* to see if there is any hope of finding it. Who knows, maybe I am hopelessly lost, never to be found again? Though, if I can find the road, I could find my way back out. Too bad I wandered off it a while back.

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in the Fog #1

The trees' tower over me. I see a cliff just a matter of feet away on the left through the occasional gap between the trunks. But my goal is not the cliff. My goal is far, in the distance. So far, I cannot even hope to see it yet. My goal is a distant town. I hope to make it before nightfall, but I fear that hope is going to be futile. I can already feel the day getting cooler. I can already see the shadows getting darker. I cannot *see* the progress of the sun...the branches of the trees block out all glimpse of the sky. I am lucky to see what glimpses of the cliff I have seen.

The forest is unusually quiet. Or, at least I assume it is unusual. This is the first time I have been in these woods....any woodland really. It is imperative that I reach this town, or I would avoid these woods at all cost. Unfortunately, going through these trees is the only way to reach the settlement.

But, I will go into that in a moment. First, the forest. Looking around, I see no sign of life anywhere, not even a twitter of a bird. I always thought that woods would be rife with sounds. Maybe not mammals like deer and foxes. But squirrels and birds, those I thought I would see plenty of...but I am not seeing any of those at all.

Come to think of it, I have not even heard any rustle of leaves except for those crunching under my feet. No wind whistling through the branches. The *only* sounds I have heard are the ones that I, myself, have made. Odd. Very odd.

Now, the reason that I have to go to this god-forsaken town. And it is forsaken. For all I knew, there is no living being here, from the rumors, it was abandoned some fifteen years ago. An illness had ravaged the town and the survivors, what few there were, had left as soon as they were able. I don't think there were many. Maybe a dozen, maybe less. And their stories were...strange. Some said it was a fever that took the citizens of the town. Some say a monster. All agree it came from the fog.

Typical. I laughed when I heard it. Yeah, typical.

The story went that it came on Halloween night...All Hallow's Eve. The fog blanketed the town and then the screams started. This is where the story became confusing. And became a typical Halloween tale. Yet, my superiors are sending me out here, to verify it. Come on now. This is all insane. How typical, how Hollywood-ish is this going to get. A Fog. Screams. Next you are going to tell me that vampires or werewolves are going to come rushing out at me. Yeah, and I will believe it. I roll my eyes as I plod through the forest.

The silence of the woods *is* grating on my nerves though. It is like it is holding its breath for something.

The air is getting even chillier...and the light darker. I look up, but still can't see anything, the trees are so dense. How could anyone in their right mind *want* to live out here? I am *definitely* not a nature child. Nope, give me a big bustling city any day. But...it does seem to be getting dark awfully fast.

I look at my watch. Shit. The damn thing has stopped. Just like the car, just stopping for no reason. What is with *that*?

 

(to be continued…)

©2009,CherryDumas

What Hides in… the Fog…screw up’s LOL

Ok, I am going to repost these…because, evidently how I was doing it didn’t like I. All day I have been posting these and it messed it up, it was just updating them instead of posting the new ones and keeping the old ones. I am so sorry! *wail and cry* so, let’s start this again. I am sorry…

What Hides in…the Fog!

The trees' tower over me. I see a cliff just a matter of feet away on the left through the occasional gap between the trunks. But my goal is not the cliff. My goal is far, in the distance. So far, I cannot even hope to see it yet. My goal is a distant town. I hope to make it before nightfall, but I fear that hope is going to be futile. I can already feel the day getting cooler. I can already see the shadows getting darker. I cannot *see* the progress of the sun...the branches of the trees block out all glimpse of the sky. I am lucky to see what glimpses of the cliff I have seen.

The forest is unusually quiet. Or, at least I assume it is unusual. This is the first time I have been in these woods....any woodland really. It is imperative that I reach this town, or I would avoid these woods at all cost. Unfortunately, going through these trees is the only way to reach the settlement.

But, I will go into that in a moment. First, the forest. Looking around, I see no sign of life anywhere, not even a twitter of a bird. I always thought that woods would be rife with sounds. Maybe not mammals like deer and foxes. But squirrels and birds, those I thought I would see plenty of...but I am not seeing any of those at all.

Come to think of it, I have not even heard any rustle of leaves except for those crunching under my feet. No wind whistling through the branches. The *only* sounds I have heard are the ones that I, myself, have made. Odd. Very odd.

(to be continued…)

©2009CherryDumas

Halloween fun tomorrow…

Tomorrow I am going to be having lots of fun here on the blog, on Twitter and on Facebook as I celebrate Halloween…what will I be doing…?

That is half of the surprise….join me there and you can see what’s up ;)

Lots of tricks and treats going on of the verbal kind!

 

www.cherrydumas.blogspot.com (of course)

www.facebook.com/cherry.dumas

www.twitter.com/cherrydumas

 

(Expect lots of posting tomorrow)

dental work

So, after several root canals, the tooth we thought I was going to have to have pulled today is now fine. And hopefully it will remain fine. So, no tooth was pulled today…YAY!

BUT! the tooth behind it has gone sour. he ground it down so that no pressure is being put on it and we are hoping it will heal…if not, it will need a root canal, and the way my insurance it, and my finances, and it being the very last tooth…I am not even going to bother.  I will pull that one without hesitation. No messing around this time. I can’t afford it.

this is ridiculous. No offense to the dentist, it is not his fault, but my mouth is costing me a fortune, and I am beginning to doubt my decision to fix it rather than my original plan of pulling everything and getting dentures. yes, it is better to keep my teeth. yes, I would have had other problems in the long run with dentures. but already I have spent close to a grand on my mouth out-of-pocket and we are only 1/4 of the way through fixing everything. I have a lot of work left to do.

I am putting everything else off until after the first of the year. I have to anyway, I am out of benefits and out of money. Come the first of the year, I am going to sit down and discuss with him exactly what it is going to take, price-wise and everything, to get my mouth fixed up. I don’t know if I can afford to do any more, even with starting the year fresh with dental benefits. I would run into the same problem with any dentist cost-wise. it is not like dental work is free.

Maybe after a couple of months, a fresh perspective will occur. I just don’t know. I am back to questioning dentures, but I have so much invested in my mouth now, that I would hate to throw that away. but, it is dental work. it is not like it lasts anyway. that is the sad thing.

what makes it worse, is I had to have my dad pay off my outstanding bill with the dentist today. a big chunk of change…added to my glasses that he paid off today as well. almost $600 went out today.

So, though I can’t pay him back with money, I am going to go back him some treats. It is the least I can do….

maybe some inspiration about the dentist will come shortly…I don’t have many options where I live…

Health care and accountability

This irks me. you hear on the TV all of these lawyer commercials for lawsuits for “medical malpractice” and while some of them are valid, and some *should* be pursued, the majority of them are such a load of BS that it just pisses me off.

It is no wonder that it is so expensive to go to the doctor or hospital. it is no wonder it is so expensive to take prescriptions. it is no wonder insurance is so outrageous. They have to recoup their money somehow.

Yet, people still go after the health care system for things that are stupid. blaming the companies or professionals for things that are inconsequential or that should never be be sued about.

The legal system should never have opened the door for these type of lawsuits. and they should never have let these same lawsuits have their settlements be raised from thousands of dollars into the millions.

As someone who has to go to the doctor a lot, it affects me more than those that only have to go once or twice a year, or less. as someone who sees the inside of a hospital at least once a year, it affects me outrageously. as someone who is in the poverty level income and has to rely on family to survive, it affects me to an even greater capacity.

The more that people sue the medical establishment, the more the medical costs go up. it is a cause and effect. yes, there are cases that *should* be pursued, that have damaged lives greatly…but the majority of the cases out there have damaged more lives as a *result* of the actual lawsuits than the reason *for* the result in the first place.

People take no accountability for their own actions anymore.

Case in point, specifically, case in point is the prescription drugs. these are the ones that irk me the greatest. *shakes head*

Scenario: I see a commercial for a specific drug on the TV (which should never have been allowed either), I convince myself I need that drug. I talk to my doctor. I persist and even though the doctor doesn’t agree (or if the doctor is a bad doctor and doesn’t care) he prescribes it anyway. we talk about the side effects…and also the commercial lists the side effects. I start taking it. I develop problems from the drug…or even die. LAWSUIT! ok, I can see a lawsuit from the death. but the problem…hello. ok, first. accountability. I chose to take the drug. I talked the doctor into giving it to me. the doctor told me about the side effects, the possible risks. they were fully disclosed. I can see a lawsuit if the side effects were not disclosed…but where the side effects were fully disclosed, there should not be a case. period.

Yet you see it all the time. you see it advertised on TV all the time about drugs that were advertised, fully disclosing their side effects, prescribed, then suddenly a mass explosion of law firms are launching law suits against the doctors and manufacturers of the drug. in my book, this is absolutely wrong. the manufacturers and the doctors gave full warning of what the side effects are. the patient, the user, should take accountability for their own actions.

ok, new scenario. surgery. the doctor leaves a surgical instrument in you. ok, now that needs a lawsuit. LOL. or you get dropped on your head while being transferred from the table…that needs a lawsuit. but the room gets too cold and you develop a fever. that is ridiculous. how is the doctor supposed to know? I would rather have the *doctor* be comfortable than me…LOL think about it this way…the OR is set to a comfortable temperature for *me*, not the doctor. I am knocked out, but the room is too hot for the doctor, especially adding those focused lights…which put off *a lot* of heat by the way…and the doctor passes out (which could and has happened)…hmmm no contest. I wouldn’t want my doctor passing out on me during the middle of a surgery…especially if it is a major surgery.

Accountability for our actions. lawsuits are there for when there is need, not for us to abuse the system. it makes it harder for everyone else to a) afford to get insured, go to the doctor/hospital and our medications and b) it can actually make it harder for us to get insured, period.

We need to close the door on these petty and small cases and go back to where we can only sure for major medical malpractice. it has gotten out of hand.

 

 

**None of these topics are meant to be aimed at anyone in particular. Some of them may touch a nerve, and I am sorry if they do, but these are my views. I am even guilty of using some of these and am trying to improve myself in regards to them. Besides, if we can’t laugh at some of the words/phrases we use, then this world is indeed too sad a place to be.**

 

**disclaimer: writer I am, writer I will always be. But spelling I never claimed to own. There will always be spelling errors, even with the aid of spell checkers. Unless I employ 20 proof-readers, and if I do that, you will never get to see these blogs…so, guess you will have to put up with the spelling errors….or do what I do. Blame it on the Typo-Fae and say the spelling errors occurred en-route ;-)**

Lemurian’s/Atlantean’s, Greeks and Vampires…oh my!

LOL, I had to. Don’t shoot me, because I had to.

I *think* I have reported already that the next chapter of Mu Mysteries is all ready to be uploaded, I am just waiting for Sunday to roll around. I suppose I could be nice and upload it now…but who says I am *that* nice? hmmm? ;) This chapter debuts my eldest niece’s character…I have yet to decide if I am going to make her sweet and loving, or evil…well, not quite evil, but wicked. She can be both. She is definitely a smart alec, and that will be reflected in the story LOL. It will be hilarious to see how she reacts to her. Of course, she is not very involved right now…the character, not the niece LOL. After all, she *just* made her debut….the character ;) I promised her years ago that eventually I would make a character out of her and her sister. Her sister hasn’t had a character yet in Mu…but she will as well.

I am also working hard on The Prank, though not much progress has been made at this specific point as I have had to turn my main focus to my third project. As I get it off the floor then I will be able to get them going equally again. I am almost to that point. Just a little more background work…maybe 2, maybe 3 more days.

The third project is getting the sequel to Into the Forest started…it is going to be called Underhill. Well, I had it semi-started a while back…but my main character, Missy…was fighting me, and I couldn’t figure out what she wanted. with the changes she went through at the end of Forest, I was a bit stumped. I knew where I wanted to go, but she was not quite clear…she wanted a little bit more, and I could not quite get what she wanted. but now I do. I was still making her a little too good. she was too good in Forest and now she wants to be bad. and the changes I gave her is going to allow her to do that. Also they get to move to Ireland and I had to figure out the logistics of that, where I have never been there and can’t go…yet. But I almost have that ironed out. And work is progressing well.

So, 3 projects. once I get going, it won’t slow any of them down. work will be about the same speed…actually I am working a little faster than I have in some time, so actually, even with the 3 projects…I might actually get them finished faster…who knows. I won’t promise anything. But, I am a slow writer. that won’t change, but I am able to work on multiple projects and it doesn’t affect any one projects speed on how fast it is finished.

 

 

 

**disclaimer: writer I am, writer I will always be. But spelling I never claimed to own. There will always be spelling errors, even with the aid of spell checkers. Unless I employ 20 proof-readers, and if I do that, you will never get to see these blogs…so, guess you will have to put up with the spelling errors….or do what I do. Blame it on the Typo-Fae and say the spelling errors occurred en-route ;-)**

AP Report – now playing in theaters

Good evening, and welcome to this weeks edition of….*drum roll please* Annoying Phases …otherwise known as the AP Report.

This week I am going after that *cough* lovely little phrase “now playing in theaters.”

So? when isn’t it playing in theaters? Movie or any of the other type of theaters, it is still a theaters, so, is there a specific reason we have to know that it is playing in one?

Oh wait! I know. Maybe it is playing in Roy’s back yard garage and we want to all pile in there to watch it. saves on overhead, you know? *eye roll*

Of course it is playing in a theaters. Broadway. Duplex. Drive-in. They are all a theater of one kind of another. Even if it is a play, or a movie, or a ballet…it still has to play in one. Oh! I lie. in that case, it *might* be playing in a studio, or a gym, or something like that…but most generally, it is a theater. so, unless it is *not* in a theater, I don’t want to hear it *snicker*

the other phrase that is just as annoying is “Coming to a theater near you!” uh-huh *make sure you draw that out ni-ice and long.

I don’t know about you, but usually when either of these two phrases are used (and heaven forbid they be used in the same advertisement), the production is not what they want you to think it is. Thanks, but no thanks.

If (and this is a strong if *snicker*) any ad people are reading my blog…seriously consider taking those two phrases out of your vocabulary…or at least rework them. Cause, honey…they ain’t workin’ anymore.

 

 

**None of these topics are meant to be aimed at anyone in particular. Some of them may touch a nerve, and I am sorry if they do, but these are my views. I am even guilty of using some of these and am trying to improve myself in regards to them. Besides, if we can’t laugh at some of the words/phrases we use, then this world is indeed too sad a place to be.**

 

**disclaimer: writer I am, writer I will always be. But spelling I never claimed to own. There will always be spelling errors, even with the aid of spell checkers. Unless I employ 20 proof-readers, and if I do that, you will never get to see these blogs…so, guess you will have to put up with the spelling errors….or do what I do. Blame it on the Typo-Fae and say the spelling errors occurred en-route ;-)**