Beware The Reaper's Wrath - A TWILIGHT ZONE story

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"You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind; a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of the imagination. Next stop: THE TWILIGHT ZONE."

- Rod Serling

Beware The Reaper's Wrath
A Twilight Zone story

By Anon Allsop

Kenny Odholm was a thug. His entire existence rode upon the backs of the less fortunate. He was a parasite of the worst degree. Inside Kenny's cold, calculating heart beat the blood of pure evil. He murdered for the first time at the age of thirteen, and his second was at the age of fifteen. His gang affiliations had not helped his cause, as they too had become prey to Kenny's brutal lust for power.

Many thought Kenny would meet his demise at the business end of a policeman's revolver, or perhaps by the electric current at a prison in one of the many states where he was wanted. Unfortunately, Kenny wouldn't meet his fate in any of those forms, for life had a much more cruel form of punishment waiting for the likes of Kenny. A fate found only when he crossed the threshold of...The Twilight Zone.

***

It was dark, and a light mist continuously fell from above. Kenny leaned against the wall and calmly flipped his spent cigarette onto the damp pavement, his scowling face hidden in the recesses of the dark alley. Only the faint glow from the dying cigarette would have alerted any passersby to Kenny's location.

A slow, wicked smile spread across Kenny's thin lips as he spied his beautiful victim standing alone on the dimly lit street. She appeared young, perhaps in her early to mid-twenties. His dark eyes darted quickly along the street, past the bus hut toward the store she had just exited. Keeping to the shadows, Kenny made his way toward his fourth victim this year.

Yes, it had happened before. All of them were beautiful, young and in their prime. Two were college girls, one was a young newlywed, and all were dead at his hands. Now that he was about to add this young beauty, he smiled as he approached the bus hut and stood in the drizzle, waiting patiently for his opportunity to strike.

As he entered, he looked away and smiled, hiding his wickedness from view. He could tell she was nervous as her eyes shot a furtive glance his way when walked past. Her hand clutched her purse tighter and she swallowed hard, her eyes showing the fear that was evident in her heart.

Kenny smiled at her, and she dropped her eyes quickly to the ground. "Sure is a shitty evening." Kenny's voice hissed, sounding much like the devil he was as he tried to draw her into a conversation.

"Yes..." She whispered, her fear of him mounting.

"You live around here?" He again hissed.

"Not...not far." She said, her voice trembling with fear.

Kenny turned to face her and leaned against the back of the bus hut, "You sure are a pretty little thing."

"I'm married." Came her nervous reply.

Kenny let out a short laugh, "Like I care."

She kept her eyes facing forward, her heart hoping that he would go away. Kenny reached out his hand and touched her face, but she immediately knocked his arm away with her purse. "Please go away, I'm not interested."

"That's too bad to hear that..." He smiled, stepping closer, "Because, I'm interested in you!" With that, his hand locked upon her collar and spun her around, and she was pulled toward Kenny's evil mouth.

"No! Please!" She cried as Kenny tore the top two buttons from her jacket, the force sending the buttons rolling across the sidewalk. "HELP!" She screamed, only to have Kenny clamp his brutish hand over her mouth. She struck out at Kenny's face, struggling to free herself from her attacker. Another button broke free, allowing the young woman to lunge for the exit. Kenny chased her from behind, she stumbled across the grass and fell, he was on her instantly. Her struggles were for her very survival...to preserve her own life or die trying. However, she struggled for only a while, a struggle that lasted until Kenny's knife found her heart. Slowly she fell lifeless into his vile arms, the once great life faded from her sparkling blue eyes. Kenny smiled, then gently caressed her forehead, still warm from a once vibrant heart.

As he had done with his other victims, Kenny threw aside her shoes and coat, making sure they landed in the dark shadows. With a wicked smile, this serial killer roughly jerked her slacks from her, these too were cast aside and into the dark shrubs. He stood up and glanced quickly around, then back to the dead beauty wearing only her shirt, bra and panties. "Now, I'll take you to a place where they won't find you for awhile...a place where I can do with you what I want!" Kenny ran his sleeve across his nose and again looked over his shoulder, the night was eerily quiet. Kenny had struck again.

Slowly Kenny eased her lifeless body to his shoulder, turned and quickly vacated the area. At the edge of the alley he paused, looking back to see if anyone had seen the murder. No one was present, so Kenny quietly disappeared into the shadows, carrying the woman with him.

***

In the tall grass, Kenny arranged her body as he had all the others. He removed all identification, slowly working her wedding rings from her slender fingers, now cold in death, and then followed quickly by the removal of her thin, diamond-studded watch.

A quick glance toward her neck revealed a diamond pendant with a thin silver chain. He smiled and removed it from her corpse. Kenny stood and laughed; it sounded like a short evil snort. Quickly he melted into the shadows, then he placed both rings and necklace into the purse she had been carrying. As he was slinging it over his shoulder, he heard a noise coming from the distance. Something or someone was moving through the brittle, gently swaying grass.

As he backed into the shadowy foliage, he bumped into a rusted fence, bent and twisted from age. Peering through the blackness, he could see that he wasn't far from an ancient cemetery. A slow smile spread out on his face, for the place looked as though it hasn't been visited for years. How fitting for this victim to be left here, forever resting with those most like her...among the dead. Again, movement brought his attention back to his unwelcome visitor. Something was out there among the fallen gravestones.

Kenny slowly drew his blade, the same one that only an hour before had plunged into the heart of the pretty blond. He glanced back toward the girl, her pale features still reflecting what little light made its way to her soft features. His eyes scanned the dark night; woe be to the fool who stumbled upon his latest shrine!

The blade was held low, so it wouldn't reflect warning to this unsuspecting person as it moved toward him. Kenny could make out a human form as it slowly the made its way across the cemetery. Closer and closer it came.

An ugly smile crept over Kenny as he crouched low in the shadows. Hidden from view, he remained like this, as the new victim was almost upon the body of the beauty. He was giddy with excitement as he expected a startled scream from the voice of the shadowy figure. The person paused beside the corpse and then leaned something against the tree from where Kenny was hidden. It looked as though it was a long walking stick.

The hooded form could be heard softly crying, then with a trembling sigh, it bent low and lifted the cold female up into its arms. As it turned, Kenny made his move. It was a swift arch against the night sky that raced downward toward the cloaked figure that held the girl. Through the thick material the blade easily sliced, and Kenny laughed as it struck bone...the bone of his newest victim's ribs!

Then, incredibly, the cloaked figure pulled the blade from Kenny's hand, and it slowly turned to face Kenny, while still holding the deceased woman! As if by magic, her body vanished with a shimmer and faded from view! Kenny stumbled backward, surprise caught the fear in his throat.

The knife still protruded from the chest of the form, slowly the sleeve moved toward the handle. Sounding much like blade against bone it was removed, the shrouded form stood, holding it in its blackened hand. Kenny's eyes went wide, and he scrambled to his feet and stumbled backward again.

The figure's hood slowly turned toward the blade, still resting in its hand. As had the girl's body, the blade vanished from view. With a startled scream, Kenny turned and ran, but he tripped and fell over a rotted log.

As Kenny struggled to his feet, the form moved toward him. In one great lunge, Kenny threw himself against the dark figure. It was as though nothing was there; Kenny passed completely through and found himself lying upon his chest behind the robed form!

Again the shrouded figure turned slowly, almost as if floating just above the ground. Slowly it made its way to where Kenny lay. Kenny screamed, "Get away from me, you freaking nightmare!" He struck out with his foot but it passed right through the robe.

The figure slowly raised a bony finger toward Kenny, pointing directly at him. His hooded head gradually turned to where the woman had lain. Kenny scrambled to his feet, quickly leaping over the short fence that lined the cemetery. Pausing on the other side, he quickly glanced back toward the figure.

Its hideous face was only inches from Kenny's! In fright he fell backward, quickly crawling for several feet until he regained his footing, then he turned and ran as fast as his legs could carry him...far from the demon, not stopping until he was sure that he had gotten safely away.

As Kenny paused to catch his breath, his trembling fingers touched his mouth. He felt slightly swollen there; perhaps his fall to the hard ground had busted his lip. His fingers came away; in the darkness he could see them stained red. Indeed he must have hurt his lip, made evident from the stickiness of the blood as it dried upon the surface, yet, neither one was sore.

Kenny used the bottom of his shirt to wipe the blood from his mouth, constantly glancing over his shoulder as he fled from the demon that chased him. He again clung to the shadows and followed a long building that ran parallel to the cemetery. Behind him, along the horizon, he could see the demon as it stood silhouetted against the late night sky, motionless, its outstretched arm still pointing toward Kenny.

He began to run, gaining speed with each long stride. At the end of the building, Kenny paused to catch his breath, finally noticing the purse of his victim slung across his shoulder. He again glanced backward, but the demon was not in sight. Kenny smiled and opened the purse, searching for her diamonds.

Carefully he picked out the rings. He noticed that they were actually fastened to each other; they appeared as two rings, but from the bottom they were actually one. He lifted it up, balanced on the tip of his ring finger like a crown. As he was examining it closely, trying to figure its worth, it suddenly slid down past his knuckle.

Kenny dropped the purse and using his right hand tried to pull it from his finger, but he could only rotate it in a circle, as it was too small to go beyond his knuckle.

In panic, Kenny struggled with the ring, but he was unable to remove it from his finger. Suddenly, Kenny heard a sound behind him, causing him to spin; the cloaked demon was floating down the street, still apparently looking for him. Kenny quickly grabbed the purse from where it fell...and ran.

Across the vast stone parking lot, down the sidewalk that led to a church's doors he ran. Scrambling up the steps in fear he pushed against the huge oak doors with his hands, the gleaming diamond sparkling upon his finger. "Please open the door! For God's sake...please!" He cried. To his horror, another backward glance revealed that the demon was floating across the parking lot toward him.

Kenny tried the handle, but it wouldn't budge. In terror, he looked back over his shoulder and he held a stifled cry as it caught in his throat. "Why are you chasing me?" He cried out, but in his heart he knew why. Kenny reached a decision, dashed down the steps and ran straight for the road. Behind him floated the demon.

Kenny was so exhausted from running; his mouth was parched, no longer could he swallow. His breath was gasping and wheezing with each deep breath he inhaled. Kenny ran to the street, along one side sat a dark blue sedan, behind it Kenny hid. Slowly he grasped the door handle and eased it up, but it was locked. He swallowed hard and peered over the edge of the car. Kenny knew that somewhere behind him, the demon lurked.

Again he paused to try and remove the ring, but still it would not budge beyond his knuckle. Something bumped against his leg as he crouched; it was the purse from the victim. Kenny opened it up and glanced inside; in a flash he reached inside and removed her wallet. Opening it up, he saw that she had $35 dollars in cash, a few credit cards and a driver's license. "Kelly Jendra. Only 26 years old." He whispered as he examined her photo. Then he quickly perused through the extra photos that were inside the wallet.

There were several photos of a little girl who appeared to be two or three years old, each was of the same child. There was also a portrait of a man, the murdered woman and the little girl. He flipped that image aside, and there was a small photo of a smiling infant, somehow he knew that this child was different from the other in the photo. Kenny sneered, "These little bitches are going to have to figure what to do without their mommy...she ain't coming home tonight!" He chuckled. He closed the photo flap and again looked at her driver's license.

"She had been very beautiful...when she was alive." Kenny smiled and began to place the wallet back inside the purse, as he did he took pause. Upon the end of his thumb, the nail had grown to almost a full half inch. He held up his hand and frowned, "What the..."

He began to look at his other fingers, some were extended well past their tips, while others, were just slightly beyond normal. He caught sight of his reflection against the polished surface of the car door. It almost looked as though his lip had begun bleeding again, taking the bottom of his shirt he dabbed at his swollen lips. He leaned into the door and looked closer. "It looks as if I'm wearing freaking lipstick!" He gasped as he pulled at the bottom of his shirt. "What's going on here…is the damn thing's shrinking?"

As he wiped the color from his lips, he held it up to the dim lighting from across the street. It appeared to be red with tiny flecks of something in it, whatever it was made it sparkle and glisten like the diamond stuck upon his finger.

Suddenly, in the reflection of the car, the shadowy figure appeared behind him. Kenny had no time to think, however, and quickly he stood and began racing down the road.

At the far end of the street stood a service garage; Kenny headed straight for the safety of the lights. Racing up to the door, he cried in fear as he banged the glass with his hands, hoping against hope that someone was inside. After three full hits against the glass he stopped and pulled his hands down, they were slightly thinner than they had been, almost feminine in appearance with the ring and longer nails.

Kenny glanced up, in the reflection of the window he could see the demon closing in on him. He fearfully cried and stumbled over an outdoor display rack of windshield wipers.

To the rear of the building Kenny ran, followed closely by the demon. Kenny scrambled across the back of the parking lot and jumped a chain link fence. Coming down upon the other side, he nearly had his arm pulled from its socket, and his shirt sleeve became tangled in the fence. As the demon approached, Kenny again pulled frantically at his sleeve. Finally the sleeve tore completely from the shirt, leaving the tattered material hanging where he left it...still attached to the fence.

As Kenny turned and slid down a steep incline, he watched in horror as the demon passed completely through the fence, continuing his relentless pursuit of the terrified murderer!

At the bottom of the hill, he spun and raced across a meadow toward the lights of a nearby restaurant. Kenny ran toward the establishment, he spied a door partly ajar, and raced to it. As he threw his body against the door, he spilled into the kitchen as several workers looked up.

"Hey man, we're closing up!" One of them said as Kenny was clamoring to his feet. He said nothing and made a beeline to another door at the end of the room. "Hey! You can't go in there!"

One of the workers grabbed at his arm and tried his best to hold him from fleeing. Kenny shoved him and as the worker fell, the other sleeve became torn and slid from his arm. "Freaking asshole!" Kenny growled as he threw aside the door, pushing another worker from him as he did so.

Behind him he heard a scream, and then panic ran rampant as someone shouted, "What the hell is that?" Kenny knew only too well, for the demon was still in pursuit.

Running headlong from the kitchen, Kenny raced past several long tables and through a set of double doors. He stumbled and fell against a long mirror, sending shards in all directions. Kenny picked up one of the longer pieces as he crawled to his feet, using one of the many tables that were empty in the dining room. He headed straight to the front door and threw it open, and then he ran out into the parking lot. As he raced past a small car, he spied the keys hanging from the ignition. Quickly he threw open the door and jumped inside. In only a moment, he had the car started and was throwing a shower of stones against the restaurant as he sped away.

He drove like a madman for several minutes, and then slowly felt as though he had finally lost the chasing demon. He slowed down under a light and took stock in what had happened to him this evening. Glancing down to the seat, he noticed the long jagged piece of mirror he had grabbed from the restaurant. He held it up so it reflected back his image. Again, he attempted to pull the bottom of his shirt up to wipe away the lipstick that kept appearing. He struggled to pull it away, so tight against his chest it had become. "What the hell is happening to me?" He cried, still trying to reach his now fuller lips so he could remove the shimmering color.

He paused, those lips...they looked nothing like his! He touched them with his tongue. They felt real enough, but they were considerably fuller and looked like those of a woman. His eyes were again drawn to his hands, now slender and feminine looking. Once again, he turned the ring and tried to remove it, but still it refused to budge. Glancing up and looking into the rear view mirror of the car, he focused upon the eyes that were looking back, his own eyes.

Quickly he raised the broken mirror to his face for a closer examination, his eyes were shaped slightly different, more open...almost feminine. The lashes were long and dark, the coloring around the lids was soft and feminine as if he were wearing makeup! Kenny tried to wipe it from the lids with his shirt, as had happened only a few short moments before. He couldn't get the shirt up high enough to touch his face. Somehow the sleeveless shirt was tightening around his chest, growing shorter as time passed. "What the hell is happening?" He gasped aloud, his voice sounding strangely different, slightly higher in pitch.

"H...how can this be happening to me?" He cried, looking down at his slender arms as they became more and more feminine looking! He realized that the purse was still draped over his shoulder, so he set it down and began to dig inside, looking for anything that may help him out of his predicament...even a cell phone.

As he pulled his hand from the darkened recesses of the woman's purse he stared in horror and shock as each of his fingernails upon his right hand was painted a dusty pink! "No!" He gasped as he switched hands and dug for the bottom of her purse again, this time at a much more frantic pace. As before, when he removed his left hand, each of the dainty nails had become painted with the same dusty pink polish. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" He cried, tears rolling upon his terrified cheeks. It was as thought someone struck him hard when he realized that the watch that had once been on the woman's wrist had now somehow been transferred to his, in much the same way as her diamonds had. Crying, he tried to remove it but to no avail, it was stuck fast.

As he glanced up, he suddenly came face to face with the demon that was just outside his window. With a very girlish scream, Kenny dropped the car into drive and raced down the road. The demon's image was behind for only a moment; slowly it dropped further back until it disappeared completely from view.

For several minutes Kenny raced, trying to put more and more miles between the demon and him. As fate would have it, however, the car sputtered and coughed...slowly rolling to a stop upon the road. He glanced toward the gauges, "Shit...no…God No!" He cried as he realized that he was out of fuel. Knowing that waiting would be useless, Kenny opened the door and jumped out, running as fast as his legs could carry him he headed toward a small town that he could see ahead.

The evening air was cool, and the drizzle had finally stopped...or maybe it hadn't even drizzled in this area. Kenny could feel the goose-flesh as the dampness created the tiny bumps along his skin from the chill. He hurried down one street and slipped in the darkness of the little suburb. Only ten feet from where he stood was a clothesline, the clothes were pinned and hanging in a row.

As Kenny shivered and moved through the clean laundry, he yanked a shirt from the line and slipped it over his shoulders, covering the rapidly shrinking tank-top. He didn't know what was happening, or why; he only knew that the demon was somewhere behind him...following…he had to keep moving.

As he walked in the darkness, he ran a finger up around the collar of the tank-top. But he did not find material where he expected it to be; instead he only found his own skin. Pausing in the dim glow of a backyard light, Kenny held open the shirt he had stolen, the former shirt that he had hidden when his arms became chilled...somehow had transformed, barely covering his chest. The edging was now trimmed and stitched...no longer ragged and torn! "Oh...no! God...WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?" He cried helplessly, as he hurried down the darkened street, all the while examining his feminine hands in the light as he ran. He stumbled and caught himself from falling by sliding his fingers along a wall for leverage, each dainty tip reflecting back the high polish of a long oval nail.

Finally at the end of the dark street, he came to a tall fence. In exasperation he leaned against it, absentmindedly scratching his side. Slowly his gaze was drawn to where he had been scratching...where he should feel the material of the tank-top. He pulled aside the material, the bottom of the tank had moved even higher than before!

In disbelief he examined himself. The tank was slowly changing, the bottom gradually moving higher and higher...becoming...what it looked like to Kenny was...a bra!

As he stood there, the top drew up until it ended its movement just below his chest, then the straps narrowed, thinner and thinner until they became like those of a normal bra. Between the two were smaller triangular patches of material that he knew would eventually become cups. "Noooo!" He cried as he dropped to his knees, "That thing is making me look like a woman!"

No sooner than he spit out the words than a shadow fell across the ground; Kenny quickly looked up, and saw that the demon was only ten feet from him. A quick dash toward the fence gave Kenny the momentum he needed to scale it quickly. Just as he was about to throw himself over, the ghoul grasped his feet and began to tug him from his perch.

Kicking and striking at the demon's hands, he finally was able to free himself and drop to the other side. Kenny instantly ran, leaving the demon holding his empty shoes.

After almost fifty yards had passed between them, Kenny slowed and looked back. The demon passed through the fence, but the shoes fell, being left on the other side. He stifled a cry and rounded another corner, racing as fast as his legs could carry him down the street. He turned to his left and ran down an alley; trash-cans lined each side, causing him to alter his stride as he picked his way through. It seemed that with each step that carried Kenny, his pants grew strangely loose around his waist, almost as if they were growing too large.

A six-foot fence blocked his exit from the alley. At the bottom of the fence, was a small two-foot hole, while overhead were several wires crisscrossing and impeding his escape. Kenny quickly made a decision and dove for the hole. His belt became tangled on a nail where someone had tried to mend the fence, but try as he might, he couldn't dislodge his belt. Through the small slits he could see down the alley he had just vacated, and with growing dread he watched as the demon entered the alley.

"Please leave me alone!" He cried. His voice sounding more and more like that of a female. "Stop chasing me!" He bawled as the tears coursed down his cheeks in fear of the demon. Doing the only thing he could to escape the cloaked figure, he quickly removed his belt and crawled out of his pants. As he regained his feet he noticed a window curtains part; an older man peered through the glass, in his hand he held a phone. The shrouded figure paused and looked toward the window, which gave Kenny a moment to race away from the scene.

The barefoot murderer raced for his very life, jumping hedges as best he could, but still the changes worked their way with him. He could feel the gentle swing of his growing breasts as they began to fill the lace cups of the bra that had recently appeared upon his chest. Frequently he felt hair tickle his cheek as it grew longer and longer. He stumbled, falling against the ground, catching himself by his now, slender fingers. As he gasped for air, his breasts heaved with each breath, and slowly he struggled to his feet. Suddenly his eyes were riveted upon his waist, it was now narrow like that of a woman, and his hips became wide, made perfect for childbearing!

Behind him moved the cloaked figure. As he turned to flee, it grabbed his hair. The bony fingers pulled Kenny back, causing him to sprawl along the ground. "Hey! What's going on out there?" A voice called into the dark night.

"H…help me!" Kenny cried. "It's going to kill me!" He fought against the hand that held him for all he was worth; he could feel his strength draining from his body, so it was now matching that of a young woman. Finally in one superhuman feat, he was able to jerk himself from the demon's grasp and race away from its clutches once again.

He ran as far as his now smooth, thin legs could carry him; pausing for a moment against a porch, gasping for air. "What's the matter, child? Is someone trying to hurt you, dear?" Kenny looked up and saw an old woman with curlers in her hair.

"It's after me...trying to kill me!" Was all he could say, each short sentence followed by the unmistakable gasps of a woman trying to catch her breath.

The old woman scanned the yard, "I don't see anyone!" She again turned her gaze back to the exhausted female. "Why don't you come inside and we can call the police." At the mention of the police, Kenny disappeared into the darkness. He didn't want to face the wrath of the law...especially since he had several murders to explain! Behind him he could hear the old woman calling for him to return.

As Kenny ran, he could see the glossy reflection of the polish on his toes. Each thrust of his foot created the image of a female running; the hairless legs reflected a smooth sheen that bespoke of a beautiful young woman's legs as she ran to keep fit. Only for Kenny this nightmare was more than that, he was running for his very life!

As he turned a corner he entered another dark alley, but this one looked strangely familiar. He slowed and trotted to the end, on the ground was a lit cigarette, still smoldering against the damp pavement. A glance at the end of the street told him where he now was...where it all began. Before him stood the dimly lighted bus hut, slowly, almost hesitantly he walked toward it.

He paused at the entrance. His reflection in the glass showed a half-naked blond, wearing only her tiny panties and a bra, covered by a shirt, stolen while she was fleeing. Over one of her slender shoulders, hung a dirt covered purse. His eyes were drawn to the lacy panties the reflection wore, his smoothness evident that he...now she was all woman. Kenny cried as he realized that he had somehow transformed to that of a girl...to him, just another victim.

She heard a short laugh behind her and spun toward the entrance. There before her stood the shrouded figure! She backed away and came against the wall. "Stay away from me!" She cried as she slid along the glass wall, her escaped blocked by the demon. With her right hand she began to dig into the purse, all the while keeping her eyes upon the demon. "You come any closer and I'll scream!" She shouted, and then felt silly for saying something so feminine.

The dark figure stepped closer, dim outlines gradually appearing clearer, its hideous mouth was twisted into a macabre sneer. It closed the distance between them in one quick movement, as it reached out; Kenny locked her small hands upon the demon's strong arms. One bony hand held her diminutive and slender throat, the other was pushing against her beautiful face. Slowly the former man was being compressed into the back wall, with it; it was crushing the life from Kenny's body. Again and again Kenny cried for air, only to have the monster slam her into the glass wall of the bus hut. Finally Kenny's mind began to swirl, fleeting memories of her began to swirl upon the brink of unconsciousness, only to race headlong into those of a stranger. She could remember his last four murders, the gang fights, the woman he raped...all of them raced foremost into her mind only to be pushed aside by the struggle she now faced, her own fight for survival!

Slowly her fight grew more and more desperate, she cried as her gasps struggled to fill her aching lungs. Suddenly, her mind reminded her that she still carried the jagged shard of mirror, so her tiny hand struggled to locate it in the purse she still carried. She worried of the lives that would be left behind, those of her daughters, April and Cassandra...girls that she knew that she never had...and yet, could remember bringing each one into the world along side of her husband.

With a rapidly dying mind, her fingers locked around the wide end of the long, broken glass. She thought back to her friend from high school, how it took so long for him to finally ask her out. How handsome he had looked when he picked her up at her home for the prom. Again the mind wavered, these were all memories that she never had and yet, were as fresh in her mind as if they had happened only yesterday. Her fingers pulled at the strong hand upon her slender throat, giving her for a brief moment a refreshing gasp of air and revived the struggle of this hapless, tiny, female form.

The mind does strange tricks to the human brain as its dying. Kenny felt that this was no different, and again her mind began to wander as she could feel the life ebbing from her body. He recalled a time that this man had knelt down upon his knee in the park, proclaiming his love to a woman. Kenny knew that she was that woman, or at least the form she now possessed was that of the woman. With a renewed effort, she thrust the reflective glass shard into the chest of the demon, burying it deep into the barrel chest of her attacker. Slowly the grip it had upon her throat eased, then she watched as it fell against the wall, spilling backward onto its evil side.

This was the first moment that she had to realize that she had won the struggle. She sank to the floor and began to cry, as her long wailing voice echoed along the walls of the bus hut as she rocked herself amid her fears. She looked down at her small hands, along the right palm was a long bleeding gash from where the glass had sliced into her hand from the final thrust of the weapon. She frowned as she watched it protrude from the evil demon's chest...where had it come from?

She wiped her tears and slowly stood on trembling legs and stepped past the lifeless figure in the long hooded cloak. Stumbling out the doorway she fell into the grass as the sound of sirens grew in the distance. She opened her purse and stared through blurry vision as tears dropped upon the photos of her children. She had come so close to losing them forever, turning the page she saw the smiling face of her husband.

Before her screeched the tires of the police car, with drawn guns they scanned the area. One woman officer retrieved a blanket and threw it around Kelly's shoulders. "We'll just sit here for a moment so the paramedics can get a good look at you."

Another police officer walked up carrying a coat with his gloved hand. "This was in the grass, it must belong to her."

"We'll need that for evidence!" She replied calmly, "Once the paramedics are finished, we'll move her into the ambulance to get warm. Hopefully she'll be able to answer questions." The policeman nodded as the coroner's car pulled up, and then he briskly walked inside the bus hut and spoke to the officer in charge. Both of their glances turned toward the stricken female, trembling under the blanket.

A calm feminine voice brought Kelly from her trembling; she slowly looked up to see the woman officer taking a seat in the grass beside her. "My name is Sergeant Mallory Kendell...what's your name?" She was clearly trying to get the overwrought woman to talk. "Are you hurt?" Kelly's eyes wandered back toward the commotion in the bus hut. "Did he try and rape you?" Questioned Officer Kendell; trying to interrogate the stricken woman. She tapped the wallet in Kelly's hands, "You have a beautiful family." Clearly her questions were designed to make the victim at ease; however, the officer was troubled by the lack of answers from the young mother. Clearly, her ordeal with the attacker had affected her greatly; she knew it would take time for the woman to regain her senses.

Kelly's wide blue eyes slowly returned to the figure in the hut. The police continued taking photos of the demon's body, making sure to shoot it from every angle. Finally she was able to speak, "I...I'm Kelly. Kelly Jendra." She said as a tear rolled down her cheek, "It...he tried to kill me!"

The officer hugged the terrified girl, slowly stroking her long blond hair as the paramedics quickly scrambled across the street toward them. "He won't hurt you..." She glanced to the body lying in the hut, "He won't hurt anyone…ever again!"

Kelly cried into the blanket, "I...I just wanted to go home...home to my family..." She gasped from her sobbing. "Why did he want to kill me?" The officer had no answer as the paramedics began to check the stricken female for injuries.

Officer Kendall stood and moved away, allowing for the paramedics to do their job. She slowly made her way back toward the bus hut, where she was met by the coroner. "That lady's damn lucky!" The coroner exclaimed as he crouched beside the lifeless body at his feet.

"Who is it?" She asked, also lowering herself beside her co-worker.

"This is Kenny Odholm...he's been the main suspect for a string of murders that date back almost a year ago. All of them were beautiful woman..." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder, "Just like her." He reached out and touched the mirror as it protruded from the killer's chest. "Crazy thing is...where the hell did the piece of mirror come from?"

"I can answer that. This asshole had chased her through a restaurant not more than a half mile from here; she busted the mirror trying to get away from him. I'd bet this piece matches with what's left back there."

***

Kelly looked up from the hospital bed as her husband burst into the room, "God, when they told me what you went through..." His eyes filled with tears. "Promise me that you'll quit that job and stay home with the kids from now on!"

Kelly smiled and hugged her husband as he showered her with kisses. "What did you do with the girls?" She asked as her eyes darted over his shoulder, scanning the hall he just came from.

"They're with grandma for now, I didn't want to bring them here...I wasn't sure how bad that bastard hurt you." Again he hugged his wife, and his hug was strong and full of love.

"They say I killed him." She said as she looked down, "Honestly, I can't remember much of what happened."

He sat down on the bed and held his wife's hand, "For you not to remember, is probably for the better." He held Kelly's chin in his large hand and kissed her deeply, "God, if anything would have happened...I...I don't think I could have handled it!"

"You would have...eventually." She pushed back a tear as it began to race down her cheek.

He tenderly rolled her bandaged hand over, "Aside from the stitches in your palm...looks like the murdering bastard bore the brunt of the attack!" He smiled, and touched her small nose. "I guess I'd better never underestimate the power of a woman...including that of my wife."

She smiled and leaned into his kiss, "I'll make sure that never happens..." Her slender arms snaked around his broad shoulders as he pulled her close to his chest.

***

Kenny Odholm found that if the Grim Reaper is forced to come calling, it had better not be before the deceased's time. If it does, there will be hell to pay...and pay for it Kenny did!

Though for Kenny, it was with his own body, twisted and transformed into that of his victim. So complete was the Reaper's revenge that it evicted the mind of the murderer as well, leaving in its wake, the exact memories of his beautiful young victim. Returning the wife and mother back to a family that loves her, and forever pushing Kenny into the dead world that lies beneath the ground inside...The Twilight Zone.


End

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Comments

Justice Served

littlerocksilver's picture

The not so Grim Reaper did a good job.

Girl.jpg
Portia

Portia

Yes... I'd call that a

Yes... I'd call that a sucess... He certainly took someone who deserved to be taken.

Very captivating story Anon, thank you for writing.

Beyogi

Justified!

I like how you handled this story. The plot was straight forward, but I was wondering about how this would be a body-swap until close to the end. lol Well done. I really liked several elements of this story. Using the killer's POV, the suspense you built, the gradual transformation, the sense of helplessness. All-in-all a superbly written story.

Cheers
Zapper