[Yeladim]

I'll post three Halloween stories I wrote a few years ago. For your amusement.

HUNTERCAT

It is interesting that you visit me here my friend. It has been how many years? Too many I know. How have you gotten along? Well, I see. As for me, I'm here for my own protection, but I haven't lost my sanity. You won't believe me either any more than the doctors here. The macabre story of the gruesome murder of my roommate, while I have been unjustly found guilty of, is too fantastic for belief. But down a primrose path I will not lead you because in the dark recesses, evil and horror reside.



A misty morning, in retrospect, cold and clammy really, but not untypical of late fall. A fine mist fell like a sticky spider's web, covering the dead leaves and browning grass. Into that dark wood Sam would run. For his health he would tell me but I could see what was really in that woods. In the inky blackness foul creatures dwelt, unseen in their deathly stillness. I knew nothing good would ever come from that womb of evil, but then even I could not resist the kitten that Sam brought back that fateful morning.



"I don't know how, but it's name is HunterCat and it looks like the poor thing is injured." Injured it appeared, but no injury that ever appeared on any living creature. We attended the little cat as best we could but the instant the creature was brought into the room a stillness befell us as unnatural as anything found above the earth. A grave appearance overcame Sam but he dotted on that spirit stealing creature as a mother would a dying baby. Nothing seemed to interest the creature except for raw meat, and Sam.



And after that first fatefull night, the sound of death marched out of the woods and surrounded our little house.



Days later I awoke from a fitful sleep. My dreams were filled with dark things, black crawlers, slimy creatures pulling themselves along the black, muddy forest floor. Other creatures tunneling under our house, releasing their noxious odors into my sleeping chamber. I would have awoken screaming but I had no breath. "Water. I must have water." And so I made my way down those now terror filled stairs into the ichor of our kitchen.



I knew the way well enough to not need a light. If only I didn't. I imagined a cat brushed against me, but we had no such animal, except for HunterCat. The past few days that demon stricken animal avoided me as if I was infected by some ancient, jungle plague. I had done nothing to it except say to Sam that he was becoming too attached to the creature. It looked at me as if understanding my every word, but how could it. It was only a rescued animal who didn't even know who it's original masters were. I dismissed the the touch as imagination and started up the stairs. Then I heard it. The sound no living person can describe and no untortured throat could utter.



I sprinted to Sam's room and flinging open the door I sensed more than saw movement around the room. And flicking on the light I saw that sight that in my agony I tore the very orbs from my head to try to erase, but to no avail.



The police have told you I'm sure, that I attacked Sam while he slept. And on his awakening I was able to tear the flesh from his neck and separate his head from his shoulders. I do not deny that is the scene I witnessed on illuminating that ghastly sight. But it was not I who killed Sam. The dead walk among us and that night they fed on my roommate Sam. Whether HunterCat was protecting it's own kill or encouraging the others to it's meal I cannot fathom and refuse to think upon further. But I will tell you, that hideous creature asked me to join in it's feast. And in my madness, I did.