Death Watch
Hello there, friend, and welcome to Bradshaw, Texas, where the steaks are bloody, andthe trucks are muddy. I wonder if I could invite you to join me as a fly on the wall this evening… Me? Oh, flies have no names. I’m just an old soul in need of a little company and a good story; so, whaddya say? Shall we take a trip to a cool, dark bedroom at 3324 Wilmore Lane, where an elderlywoman lies on her deathbed? She can feel the end is near, but she refuses to go quietly into that good night… No matter how desperately she yearns for it. Evelyn Kirkwood has a list of ailments longer than her frail arms and all the medicationsto go with them, but it doesn’t matter what they are; at 79, she’s dying of old age— plainand simple. She’s had a hard life, and now she’s looking at a harder death; it was nevergoing to be any other way— not for her… Her grandson— a grown man of 38— sitssnoozing in a recliner as bulbous raindrops strike the window, and a dark, shadowy figure looms in the corner… Every few minutes, a fresh burst of lightning flashes its eerie glow upon their motionlessforms, and a roaring clap of thunder spills into their dreams… But things such as theweather stopped bothering this family long ago… The weather is something that happens Outside; they stay Inside. ———— Evelyn married Mark-Austin Kirkwood in 1962. They were only 18 back then, and shecalled him Caustin… That’s when the world was still pretty and new— when aging wasa myth, and death was nothing more than a foreign concept… Her husband was asupervisor at the paper mill, and— by all appearances— they were living out thecoveted middle-class American Dream… But— like all dreams— this was merely anillusion. All told, they had seven wonderful years and two beautiful children together before fatereared its ugly head. In the summer of ‘69, their son was killed in a boating accidentafter falling overboard; little Jordan’s arm was amputated by the propeller, and the6-year-old perished enroute to the hospital. That’s the day Caustin became Mark; Evelyn blamed him for not shutting off the motor in time, and he blamed her for letting ithappen at all. Two weeks after the funeral, Jordan’s possessions were taken away; even his pictureswere removed… Their daughter, Emily, was only four and did not understand why herbrother was gone— why her father was suddenly cold and cruel— or why her motherstayed locked away in her room; she had no point of reference for emotions like grief ordepression… But as the days turned to weeks— then months, and years— this becameall she knew. In ‘72, Mark was fired for drinking on the job, and the family was forced to move into asmall house fifteen miles outside of town… Six months later, Evelyn’s mother passedaway; it was around then that they traded their car in for a used clunker… That’s whatMr. Kirkwood was driving on the morning of April 13, 1973 when he failed to heed astop sign on Sycamore Street… Unfortunately— at the exact same moment he blewthrough the intersection— Harriet Springer was trying to get her three kids to school,and she came to what is commonly known as a rolling-stop. Had she in fact come to afull stop, she would have undoubtedly noticed the instrument of her demise barrelingtowards her at fifty miles-per-hour. Mark got off easy; he died on impact— well before his debilitated mind could registerthe accident was even occurring… Evelyn was forced to take Emily and what little theyhad left to her father’s home in Alabama. Life wasn’t ideal, but the years passed as theyalways do. In ‘76, Evelyn married Ross Bordeaux, a used car salesman; he wasn’t much to look at,but he didn’t drink, and he was kind at first… Sadly that, too, was only temporary… In‘78, it came to light that Evelyn’s new husband was less interested in her than he washer daughter… Emily was 12 the first time he touched her inappropriately; with each secret visit to herroom, he went a little further, and she became a little more withdrawn from the world…At 13, he took her virginity, and she began cutting herself… Within a few months, therewas no sexual act he hadn’t forced upon or from her. She bled from places she didn’tknow could bleed, and she thought it was her fault. For the rest of Evelyn’s life, the day she learned of this betrayal will be a jumbled blur.The memories are buried so deep, that— anytime she tries to recall them— she gets anawful headache, and it becomes impossible to think. Sometimes she will see a flash ofherself holding a peculiar bottle over a simmering pot; sometimes, it’s the image of abulky, rolled-up rug… A rug that looks a lot like one she used to own… Evelyn reported Ross missing that October; she was the prime suspect only until policediscovered Bordeaux’s disgruntled customers. He had half-a-dozen death threats in hisoffice, and they were all dated within the last two years. Suddenly, detectives weren’t sosure where to look, and no formal charges were ever filed. Eventually, Evelyn was able to sell their home and move back to her father’s house;barely recognizing the empty shell that remained of her daughter, she vowed to nevertake another husband… Unfortunately, Emily had only begun to learn the cruelty ofmen. During her senior year, she began self medicating with pills, and— on her 18thbirthday— she dropped out of school to marry a 26-year-old junkie who called himself amusician. His name was Travis Corley, and he overdosed on the night of their firstanniversary… Being three months pregnant, the new widow was forced to move back inwith her mother and grandfather. Fred Mueler was at his limit; his blood pressure was high, his heart was bad, and hewas terrified of what would happen to his girls after he was gone. That fear tripled withthe birth of his great grandson; for the first two years of Tommy’s life, Fred was mostoften the one to change him, feed him, and soothe him. Evelyn did her fair share ofwork, too, but Emily was rarely home. The family lived in a state of constant dread…That she would follow in the footsteps of her father and late husband was clear; it wasonly a matter of when and how? With every phone call, they expected to hear the awfulnews, but— on January 9, 1987— Fred beat her to it by dying in his sleep. Emily still had no interest in straightening out her life, so Evelyn assumed full care of hergrandson and subsequently spoiled him rotten… Tommy was her second chance, andshe intended to get things right this time around… All the while, Emily continued downthe path of self destruction until finally— on a stormy, January night in ‘91— Evelynreceived the Call. Emily was killed in a deadly collision caused by an intoxicateddriver— only she was not the intoxicated driver! It was one of her… Shall we call him aclient? He and the only person in the other vehicle— a father of four— also perished inthe crash. Evelyn barely reacted; by now, she was hard as steel towards everyone and everythingexcept for her darling Tommy. After receiving the max payout from the insurance company, she felt no remorse in going after the driver’s family. As it turns out, he was a very successful businessman from the city looking to be more discreet after causing a scandal the previous year. The lawsuits won enough money to pay off Fred’s house and truck while still leaving a sizable nest egg— one that was invested wisely. Her dreams of Tommy becoming a doctor fizzled out around highschool when hisgrades never seemed to get higher than a C-average… Plus, the closer he came tograduation, the more she couldn’t handle the thought of letting him go. She could affordto supplement his income no matter what he decided to pursue… But then there wasstill the problem that he would eventually meet a girl and want to live with her instead…She found herself feeding him extra sweets after dinner and snacks between meals—anything to fatten him up… She even stopped reminding him to shower, and— being ateenage boy— he often averaged just one a week. He wasn’t much for socializing, andthat was fine, too; he had plenty of games, and the other kids never gave him a reasonto desire their company anyway. After he graduated, Evelyn kept meaning to help Tommy find a job… But then shewould think of all those hours that her Good Boy would be away, or— even worse—what if he still managed to meet a girl? And not just a girl— no, no, no— it would be aconniving whore who wanted to steal him away! With a little more consideration, shedecided it would be best to employ Tommy herself; every week, she gave him a list ofodd jobs and paid him $20 an hour for his work… He did a few chores in the beginning,but he quickly realized he didn’t really need any money— so he quit. A voice in Evelyn’smind told her to speak up— to teach the boy some responsibility… But she couldn’t bring herself to do it… As a result, the years continued to pass and nothing changed— just the way they likedit. This brings us back to where we started— to the stormy night of September 27,2023— at the bedside of a dying woman and her attending grandson. “Tommy…” Evenyln’s voice is weak and feeble as she calls to her grandson. When hedoes not stir, she takes a moment before trying again. She has only been at it for a fewminutes, but that is an eternity when you are frightened— and the figure in the cornerfrightens her very much. “Tommy… I need—” That is as far as she gets before succumbing to a violent fit ofcoughing. The sound jerks the sleeping man back to reality, and he trips over his ownfeet while searching for the light. As he rises, a flash of lightning illuminates the nowempty room with an eerie glow, and Tommy has just enough time to reach the lampbefore falling back into darkness. “You ok, Gammy?” His hands tremble ever so slightly as he pours a glass of water andwaits for Evelyn’s coughing to subside. “Fine, fine,” she sputters weakly; when she is ready, he lifts it to her lips with one handwhile supporting her head with the other. After a few sips, she taps her fingers, andTommy sets the glass atop her nightstand before carefully wiping the dribble from herchin. This is how they start each morning; Evelyn wakes to the unshakable feeling that she isbeing watched… Then her eyes seek out the dark figure that she is now all too accustomed with seeing. The first time it appeared, she thought it was merely a hallucination; it was nothing more than a shadowy mass floating outside of her room. Since then, she has made sure the door is kept shut at night… A week later— maybe a little more— it reappeared; this time in the far corner of herroom. It was too dark to be certain, but the shadow seemed to be moving— morphing—into something almost humanoid; only its head was much too small for its body, and nolimbs had yet taken form. Eight more days passed before she finally saw the apparitionclearly enough to recognize its odd shape as the result of a hooded cloak. The garmentwas a far deeper black than any she has previously seen; it made the surrounding nightseem pale and dull… But then there was the small void where the figure’s face shouldbe… Evelyn has come to believe— almost accurately— that its face is actually a blackhole;she feels an unshakable certainty that it will creep closer and closer until she is simplysucked inside— that its pull will be so fast and so strong, even her dying scream will notescape. Some voice deep within her— perhaps one which still retains knowledge from aprevious life— recognizes the looming figure as the shadow of Death… “Here, let me fix your pillows.” Tommy fusses over her bedding, desperate to be helpful.When his grandmother initially became bedridden, she had a nurse with her around theclock, but she and Tommy found reasons to dismiss each one… Now it is just the two ofthem, and that is exactly how they intend it to stay… “Such a Good Boy… My sweet—” exhausted, Evelyn is already drifting off again, butTommy needs her to stay awake. “Gammy, wait; do you need the bedpan? You don’t wanna wake up in a mess again, doyou?” His tone is gentle and caring; he has never felt many positive emotions towardsthe outside world because it has never shown any towards him… But— where his Grandmother is concerned— that is all he feels. His entire existence revolves around—depends upon— her, and there is nothing he fears more than her loss. “But I don’t gotta…” Evelyn whines, but then transitions to the warmer, motherly tonereserved for when she needs to ensure cooperation. “Don’t let me be a bother; you goon and read your little cartoon books. I feel so much safer when you’re watching overme… My Good Boy…” She doesn’t like to think of it as manipulation, but it is exactlythat. She is desperate to rest before the apparition returns— which will happen the momentTommy falls asleep— but she doesn’t know how to explain this without sounding senile… In fact, a significant part of her strongly suspects— and hopes— that is exactly what she is; senility is far easier to live with than Death. “Oh, alright…” Tommy knows he will soon pay dearly for acquiescing, but he cannotbring himself to push… Instead, he returns to the recliner and opens a comic book.It is less than two hours later when he hears— and smells— the confirmation of his fear. The alarm is set to go off in twenty minutes, but he does not wish to risk anotherinfection. Laying his comic aside, Tommy yawns, walks to her bedside, brushes his darkhair beneath a shower cap, fits a new pair of plastic booties over his feet, and slips onsome rubber gloves while making a mental note to order another box. Ready to begin, he leans down, whispering, “Gammy, it’s time,” while nudging hershoulder softly, but she barely stirs. “Gams, we have to get up now.” Evelyn wakes just enough to feebly attempt rolling onto her side, and Tommy positionshis arms beneath her to assist; some of the mess gets on his arm, and he edits his mental note to specify elbow-length gloves. After cleaning the excess waste and removing the sheets, he prepares a warm sponge bath… Such moments used to make him gag and retch, but now they hardly concern him.Likewise, the first time he bathed his grandmother came with a level of awkwardnessmost people never experience; it felt wrong— dirty— to rub a wet, soapy sponge on hersagging, naked breast… To work his way south to even more forbidden regions… Buttwo things helped him overcome this difficult adjustment. Mainly repetition; it has a wayof desensitizing us to even the most unthinkable acts. The second is how whollymundane and unappealing the human body becomes after almost 80 years in our cruelworld… After the sponge bath, their routine does vary in one new way this morning… “Therenow, how’s that? It’s not too loose or too tight? These had the best reviews. Lots ofpeople said they forgot they were even wearing them.” Outwardly, Tommy is smiling—his voice is sweet and soothing, and his eyes are bright— but inwardly, his stomach istight, and he is terrified she will change her mind. “Yea, yea; I keep saying it’s not the diapers. It’s using them! How would you like sittingin your own mess and waiting to be changed? Hmm?!” Evelyn’s eyes are squinted intothin slits to better see her grandson’s face. “But Gammy, that’s what you were doing anyway… I’ll still take you to the bathroom orbring you the bedpan whenever you want… These are just in case.” Tommy has lostcount of how often they have repeated this exact conversation, but he would gladlytriple the number if it meant cleaning less fecal matter. “Don’t you sass me!” To a stranger, Evelyn would sound angry, but Tommy knows she issimply afraid. They each understand the diapers are more than a demeaning inconvenience; they are an admission of defeat— another step towards the grave. “Oh, no ma’am, never.” Now that his grandmother is clean and clothed, she is taken intothe living-room where Tommy places her into another hospice bed— this one set to areclined position for better television viewing. Being in her bedroom all day every day was crushing her spirit, but her dispositionimproved considerably with this simple routine adjustment. She now has a view of thestreet through her big, cottage windows, and she enjoys creating backstories for herneighbors almost as much as she enjoys watching the hummingbirds through her patiodoors. “Well, Gammy, what do you wanna watch this morning?” Tommy stands with the remote in his hand— waiting to make a selection— but Evelyn is clearly lost in thought. He cannot actually hear what those thoughts are, but, luckily, we can! She will never admit such a thing aloud— or even allow it to dwell too long in hermind— but she is desperately worried that her grandson will not be able to care forhimself once she is gone… She has already paid for all that could be pre-arranged; afterthe funeral, her ashes will be placed in a beautiful urn and mailed to Tommy… Sheimagines him placing her upon the mantle where she will continue watching over himfrom above… Or— she must admit— possibly below. “Gams, I could use you back here on earth, please.” It makes him nervous when shedoes this; her face goes slack, and her eyes become cloudy… It makes him feel as if heis looking at a corpse. Only in these final days has Evelyn realized the unforgivable disservice she has done toher grandson. In trying to avoid the mistakes made with Emily, she has isolated himfrom the rest of the world; she wanted him all to herself, and now he will be utterly andcompletely alone because of it. “Ok, let’s do some Hitchcock, then; that’s always a winner.” Tommy puts on her favoriteshow and gently shakes her back to reality; Evelyn’s stomach is on a strict schedule,and he is already running behind. With the loss of her teeth the year prior, they quicklyfound baby food to be the easiest way for her to eat. She cannot take in much at once,and when Tommy attempted to cook, it always ended with food poisoning, grease fires,or ants… Once he managed all three… “Did ya at least get meat flavors? I ain’t eating no more of that banana-pear shit!” Toanyone else, her words now sound like garbled gibberish, but Tommy still hears her asclearly as when he was a child; so much so, that he would be quite shocked to learn ithas changed at all. “I sure did; we’re having a double helping of turkey for breakfast.” He announces thisproudly and feels an instant pang of disappointment when she fails to confirm he is infact a Good Boy. Looking up from the selection of baby foods, he sees her attention has drifted to one ofthe dark corners, and her lips appear to be moving. He has caught her doing this a fewtimes over the last couple of weeks, but he can never make out her words, and she becomes angry when questioned. He thinks it is because she is embarrassed, but we know it is because she is frightened. Crossing the room quietly, he listens closely… “I told you to stay out of here, you sorry bastard!” Evelyn’s words are clipped and sharp.Tommy wonders if she is seeing her dead husband… A mind like his cannot conceive ofsomething like Death manifesting as a physical entity— not outside of his comics, atleast… Yet— when he glances back to the corner— the food tray falls from his handsand the awful noise is almost enough to conceal his startled scream. For just thebriefest instant, he saw the outline of something large and misshapen… But then hiseyes adjust, and he sees the corner is actually empty. Evelyn feels as if her heart has stopped and wonders if this is the moment she will die,but— ever so gradually— her breathing returns to normal, and her heart resumesbeating… Though perhaps slightly more strained. “Oh, I’m sorry! Thought I saw something for a second…” Tommy is trying to make lightof things, but he is slowly beginning to crack under the mounting pressure. He is alreadywell past his limit, and he knows the sudden addition of terrifying hallucinations willutterly destroy him. So, you see, they both have their own reasons for being particularlyupset. Evelyn looks up to see her grandson is pale and shaking, but he is not her immediateconcern. What terrifies her is the fact that he saw the apparition; he should not be ableto see the products of her dying mind… “So what the hell is it?” She does not mean tomutter the question aloud, but she has little control over such faculties these days.“No Gammy; there’s no one here.” Tommy bends down to meet her at eye level andspeaks even louder; “I was mistaken!” It tests every ounce of Evelyn’s patience. “Dammit boy! Back up! I’ve told you! I’m hard of hearing— not deaf!” She is not trying tobe harsh; she understands his reaction all too well… She has spent more than half ofher life believing she was ready to leap into Death’s arms, but— now that the time hascome— she does not want that menacing black shadow anywhere near her. Its presence in her home is an unwelcome intrusion she would like to banish with a shotgun. “Right, sorry… Here, how about we get you some breakfast? Nothing broke; all I need todo is fix you a new glass of orange juice. Be right back!” Tommy rushes off before shecan protest, and Evelyn is left alone once more. Only now does she notice the television is on and eagerly directs her full attentiontoward it. She wants to think everything will be fine as long as she doesn’t look in thecorner… But she doesn’t believe that at all… “Tommy, what’s today’s date?” Evelyn asks as he returns with her juice. “It’s the—” Tommy stretches the word as he checks his phone “—twenty-seventh.” “I’ll hang on for as long as I can, but I don’t think I’ll get to see October this year… Justremember, if it’s only a matter of a few hours— maybe a day— do whatever you have todo to make it to the end of the month. You might as well get one more check out ofthose gov’ment bastards… But don’t try to wait any longer… Who’s my Good Boy,huh?” “Me; I am…” Tommy blushes proudly, knowing he will absolutely do whatever it takes tofulfill this morbid request when the time comes… Of course, he is once again envisioning her death as taking place in the distant future.He operates on one very basic principle— that as long as he keeps his grandmothernourished and comfortable, she will not die. He only sees the brave face Evelynpresents outwardly… He cannot understand the betrayal of having one’s own body turnagainst them, nor can he fathom the excruciating pain that comes with knowing you willbe sick every day for the rest of your life. “Yes-you-are,” Evelyn coos as if speaking to a toddler, and Tommy soaks up the sweetpraise that is his sustenance. The rest of the day is a cycle of these same events; after breakfast, Evelyn watchestelevision and hummingbirds until dozing off. A few hours later, Tommy wakes her,changes her diaper— a task which proves far more simple than changing her bedsheetsand nightgown— and feeds her lunch… Dinner comes and goes in much the same way,and then it is time to get ready for bed. Evelyn is fed, changed, brushed, and moved back to her bedroom where she watchesmore television until falling asleep… Then— like every other night— Tommy sneaksupstairs to play on his computer; sometimes, that means watching a movie, playing agame, or listening to music… Other times, it means touching himself in ways he wishesa woman would touch him. Not that it will make any difference in the coming course ofevents, but this night happens to be one of the latter… The earliest Evelyn has ever woken is between 2:30-3:00, therefore, Tommy makescertain to return by 2; with this routine, she has never noticed his absence… Until rightnow— at the stroke of midnight— when she wakes in a state of absolute terror… She ispositive she has just experienced some unspeakably horrific nightmare, but she cannotrecall what took place… Then she feels the spectre’s presence, and she has her answer. The television is still on, and she dares not look away from it. She feels cold, empty—like Death’s hand is looming only inches away— and she does not wish to know if herinstinct is correct. Without moving, she calls out to no one… “Tom… Tommy… Tommy, please… Come on, baby… Tommy? Wake up, Tom… Tommyplease, please Tommy!” Evelyn continues in this way for several minutes, her feargrowing with each second. Finally, she cannot stand it anymore… Ever so slowly, she lowers her gaze towards his chair— his empty chair… “Must be inthe bathroom…” That is what she tells herself, but— deep down— she knows it hasalready been too long for that… “Dammit Tommy—” before she can finish her thought, she sees it. To say its hand is“only inches away” may be an exaggeration, but not a very big one. The apparitionstands just at the foot of her bed— its arm extended towards her— hand opened wide,inviting… And it has changed its form… It now radiates warmth and comfort… All herfeelings of empty coldness vanish as if blown away by a refreshing summer breeze… Itis the hand of her father, her mother, her daughter, and even her little son— all joinedtogether… Where the figure’s face was once a black void, she can now see the faces of her longlost loved ones— calling her home… But no matter how desperately wishes to jointhem, she simply cannot… “What about Tommy?” Her words are barely audible, but sheis certain the apparition understands them… And that it does not care… Be it a homeless man on the street, the president of the United States, or Deathincarnate, Evelyn will not tolerate the dismissal of her grandson’s life. She calls uponevery ounce of pain and misery she has ever felt while focusing on the memory of theirboat speeding towards little Jordan… “We must have looked like a monster coming togobble him up….” She pictures the sight of Mark and Emily in the morgue— her parentsin their coffins— and she imagines crumpling all of that anguish and rage into a tight,black ball which is then hurled at the apparition. In reality, nothing actually passes between the two, but— just as she sees the ball ofhatred collide with the entity in her mind— the figure with the warm faces and welcoming hand explodes into dozens of snake-like shadow tendrils that swarm all around her bed. Evelyn tries to scream but no sound escapes; she is forced to watch in helpless terroras the black shadows stretch, warp, and bend their way into the tall, sinister figure sheis accustomed to… Only now its reaching hand is that of a skeleton, and its palm is nolonger turned upwards in invitation but down— prepared to take. Its long, bony fingersare sharpened to fine points, and Evelyn already knows its grip will be like ice-coldsteel. It looms over the foot of her bed like a nightmare personified, growing taller, darker,and— somehow, she knows— angrier. Her eyes are involuntarily affixed to its true face,which— to her horror— is now visible; it is the face of the oldest thing she has everseen. Its gray, leathery skin is mottled and stretched thin over its skull, conforming to theshape like a glove. It has no distinguishable gender, hair, or nose; its paper-thin lips arestitched shut with thick, red thread, and its eyes are empty sockets— windows to thepredatorial void awaiting her… She can feel its pull, and— when it gets too close— itwill consume her. Adding to her panic, Evelyn is completely paralyzed; her mind is awake and trapped—helpless— inside of a useless body. Mentally, she is very much like that of a corneredanimal; she understands the Now— the sight before her, the feeling of a clenched fist inher chest, the pain in her left arm and upper abdomen, the nausea, and the cold sweatbreaking out all over her body… But animals never concern themselves with “why” thepredator chases them; whether for food or sport, they must run. The apparition is now so large, it must bend forward so as not to hit the ceiling. Its bodystretches across the length of Evelyn’s bed, placing its face directly above her own… And suddenly— faster than the human eye can follow— it descends upon her like apouncing tiger, enveloping her. If someone looked in at this precise moment, they wouldsee the literal definition of nothing. Evelyn, her bed, the floor beneath it, the wall behindit— they all appear to be gone; it is as if some great god has taken a pair of scissorsand removed them from the universe, leaving only a blank void in their place… But theyhaven’t gone anywhere; they are simply hidden beneath the black blanket of Death. Likewise, the last thing Evelyn experiences before losing consciousness is nothing. Shehears nothing, she sees nothing, she smells nothing, she tastes nothing, and she feels nothing— not physically or emotionally. She has no desires, no fears, no memories, ordreams— there is only the vast expanse of nothing… Tommy never hears a sound; when he returns, he sees only his grandmother— restingpeacefully. “Gammy… Gam-gam… Come on, it’s almost 6:30, can you believe it? I can’t rememberthe last time we slept through the night, can you?” Tommy shakes Evelyn gently, butshe shows no signs of stirring, and her head rolls side-to-side in a loose, unnatural way.Now frightened, his voice grows louder— more frantic— as each word passes his lips. “Gammy… Gams, you have to wake up, now… Gammy? Gammy, you have to!” “What did I tell ya about screaming in my ear, boy?” Her voice is a hoarse whisper, butTommy has no trouble hearing it. “Whew! Holy shit, Gams! I almost called 911! Are you ok? Should we… Well, I mean…Do you think we should go—” “No!” She cuts him off, her voice suddenly restored to its prime. “We ain’t goingnowhere; use your head!” “Uh, ok… If you’re sure… I guess that’s fine…” Tommy is confused; something feelswrong, but he is not sure what. “Ain’t ya gonna change me? Did you suddenly lose your sense of smell or something?” “Sorry Gammy— just glad you’re ok…” Tommy dons his protective gear and movesEvelyn to the top of her large dresser which has been converted into a makeshiftchanging table. With practiced ease, he quickly opens her gown, but that’s as far as hegets. No amount of experience could have prepared him for the sight hidden beneath.Her diaper looks like a jumbo water-balloon filled with toxic black sludge; the waist flapsare barely holding, and shit is leaking out of every opening. He gasps audibly as he stares slack-jawed behind his mask, and his expression is oneoften worn when trying to solve a difficult puzzle; he simply doesn’t know what he’sgoing to do with all of the waste. It’s on his arms, her nightgown, and all over thesheets— even the floor. “What’s the problem?” Her tone is sharp and defensive. It brings Tommy back to reality. “Nuh—nothing! Nothing at all; there’s just a little moremess than usual, but we’ll have you fixed up right quick, don’t you worry.” He avoids hergaze by busying himself with extra towels— four of which go directly into the trash… Some things simply cannot be cleaned… When the diaper is finally removed, it barely fits in the wastebasket, and Tommy is forced to fetch the one from the bathroom which is also soon filled to the brim… With the worst mess of his life nearly behind him, he takes both small trash cans to thecurb rather than risk the plastic bags bursting. He doesn’t care if it upsets the HOA toput them out a day early, nor does he care if the garbage men are angry; he simplywants the mess out of his house so he can begin erasing this awful memory. Back inside, he is completely lost in thought as he passes through the living-room andturns into the hallway where he suddenly lets out a short, high-pitched scream. At thefar end of the still dark corridor— hovering in midair— is a cloud of swirling blackshadows; they are stretched long and thin like eyeless snakes, twisting and writhingthemselves into a knot. Tommy reflexively shuffles backward— out of the hall— but trips on a rug in his haste.He is stunned momentarily before recalling the reason for his panic, but the pain in hisaging body has a sobering effect. “It’s just not possible; shadows can’t move of theirown— especially not through the goddamn air!” Rising to his feet, he holds his breath and turns back toward the hallway; feelings ofrelief wash over him to see it is empty once again. Yesterday’s similar incident flashesthrough his mind, and he briefly wonders if a tumor could be causing these hallucinations… Then comes the realization that this would mean visiting a doctor, and he dismisses the theory as quickly as it came. “Hey! Did you forget my bare ass is still flapping in the breeze?! Where the hell did yougo?!” The sound of his grandmother’s accusing voice echoes in Tommy’s head, and hissuffocating fear of disapproval temporality erases all other thoughts as he rushes to herside. “Well look who it is…” “Gammy, I’m really sorry! I took out the trash, but then there was this—” Tommyhesitates; he doesn’t want to strain Evelyn’s heart with a fright— nor does he wish herto think he’s lost his mind… “—big spider in the hall. Don’t worry; I killed it and sprayedsome of that poison.” “I guess that explains why you screamed like a little girl. So, how ‘bout it? You gonna getme off this damn dresser or what?” There is a hint of playfulness to her words that givesTommy a profound sense of relief— like some great danger narrowly avoided. “Ha… Yea I guess I did sound like a girl; well, in my defense it was a really big spider…But hey, it’s dead and I’m alive, so let’s get you into something more comfortable andhead into the living-room.” Tommy maintains a chipper disposition as he raises Evelynto a sitting position and gets a fresh nightgown over her head… But then his work comes to a stop. “Can you lift your arms for me, please.” “Well… No… I’m sorry, Tom… It doesn’t seem that I can…” “Hold on; don’t panic—” “You’re the one panicking…” “—Uh, here! Let me just—” Tommy gently lifts Evelyn’s arms into the sleeves one at atime, then carefully places her into the wheelchair. When she cannot hold herself upright, he bends forward to secure the harness— something she has never needed until now— and breathes in the smell of something far worse than human waste. “Gammy, I don’t wanna do it anymore than you do, but we really can’t put off going to the—“ “Don’t you dare say it! You know they’d never let me come home again!” Her words arelike actual needles in his ears; they’re angry, hurt, confused, and— worst of all— knowing, accusing… “Do you remember what we talked about?” “Yes ma’am…” Tommy’s reply is mumbled, and his head hangs low in defeat; strands ofgreasy hair fall before his face, but they hide his shame from no one. “Did you think I was joking?!” “No ma’am, I—” “Your childhood has lasted damn near 40 years now, boy! It’s time to be a man! There’sno one left to take care of you!” A sudden, violent bout of coughing snaps Tommy backinto caretaker mode, and he rushes to bring his grandmother a cup of water. Afterwaiting for the fit to subside, he lifts it to her lips, but— each time— the coughingresumes, and the water dribbles down her chin and front. “Oh, forget the damn water, would ya?! Sweet Jesus!” Tommy sets the cup on the nightstand— clearly unhappy— and mutters, “I’m sorry.” “Fine, fine… And you can wear that scowl for as long as you’d like, but I still ain’t goingback to no hospital; what’s the number one rule, son?” “No hospitals… No exceptions.” “Yes, yes. Now, tell me why. Come on; I know you remember.” “Because you want to die in your own bed— in your own time— with no furtherintervention from medical professionals or their expensive scams.” “That’s right! And what are you gonna do if I die right before the end of the month?” “Wait until midnight on the 1st to call 911.” Only half of Tommy’s awareness is in thepresent; the other half is a million miles away, falling into a bottomless pit alongsidedozens of eyeless shadow snakes… “Yes! But not too long, right? Now, who’s my Good Boy?” “Me… I am…” There is no enthusiasm behind his words, only dejected defeat. “Well, wecan’t put off the sponge bath any—” “Oh yes we can! You know as well as I do it won’t help. Why put either of us through theextra bother? It eats up so much of our time; wouldn’t you rather be playing one of yourgames while I watch TV?” Her points are impossible for Tommy to dispute; if he is honest with himself, he cannot remember the last time a bath made a dent in her smell… But this is different; it is more than a foul odor— it is downright rotten— and it scares him like a bad omen… As he pushes Evelyn into the hallway, he thinks again of the shadow serpents and wonders if the smell is really his grandmother or something lingering near her… “Yea, I guess you’re right… Well, we’re behind schedule anyway; if we hurry we can still fit in your people-watching time.” “No!” She snaps; it is quick and vicious… And then it is gone. “We’ll leave the curtainsclosed today; I have a headache.” The prospect of sitting in the dark all day is not one that Tommy relishes, but— with howthe morning is going so far— breakfast worries him much more, and his instincts arefinally correct… After placing Evelyn in the living-room bed, he retrieves the food trayand a single helping of ham flavored baby food. “Come on, Gammy, just try— please!” He stands exasperated with a spoon full of goop,but Evelyn’s mouth is shut tight. “Will you settle down and listen to me, goddamnit? I’m trying to tell you I can’t swallow it!Do you want to clean that slop off of you, me, and the floor for no reason?” “But you have to—” “I don’t have to— nothing, mister! Now hush!” With no arguments left to make, Tommy resigns himself to the couch. The curtains haveall been pulled closed; the room is dim enough to be mistaken for nighttime, and itfrightens him. Deciding it was better to clean in the light than cower in the dark, he startsa load of laundry before loading the dishwasher. The kitchen has a window cut-outwhich overlooks the living-room, allowing him to keep an eye on his grandmother. Hewatches her for a moment— sitting stiff as a board, eyes pointed at a television just outof his view— and he weeps softly. The dishwasher needs to be replaced, but that would require letting strangers into thehouse; instead, he prefers to help the old girl along by pre-rinsing. After developing arhythm, his mind begins to wander, and he momentarily forgets about scary thingslurking in the dark, but he remembers to cast an occasional glance in Evelyn’s direction. It is during one of these glances that he sees the outline of a tall figure standing in thefar corner of the living-room; it is wearing all black and has a hood pulled over itshead… But it is too dark to see its face… Panic takes over, and a plate falls from his hand, shattering. He ignores his grandmother’s startled cry, focusing only on the motionless intruder as he rushes into the living-room and fumbles for the lightswitch. Evelyn recoils at the sudden brightness, but Tommy hardly takes notice; the corner is now empty, but it was only out of his sight for a second. He searches the room for any sign of where the figure could have gone, but he and Evelyn are quite alone. “Just what do you think you’re doing?! You’re not cracking up on me, are you?” “Didn’t you see him?” Tommy continues checking behind every piece of furniture eventhough he has already seen nothing is there. “Who? Oh! Is that damn mouse back again?!” “No! The—” He stops himself from taking it any further. “Nothing, nevermind… Justshadows, I guess…” “Then turn off the damn light!” Tommy does as he is told— too confused to argue— and returns to clean his mess inthe kitchen. By lunchtime, Evelyn remains paralyzed and is still refusing to eat; whatTommy tries to feed her dribbles down her chin and into her lap. All the while, there is atall shadow figure in the corner of his eye, but— when he turns his head— nothing isthere… Dinner is much the same, and, tonight, Tommy does not feel like spending time in hisroom; to be so far away from his grandmother would be either too lonely or not lonelyenough, and he does not wish to experience either scenario. When he moves her intothe bedroom, she feels cold and stiff. After adding an extra blanket to her bed, he gentlymassages her arms and legs to increase circulation. “You can’t possibly think that’s doing a damn bit of good…” Evelyn’s voice is condescendingly amused. “It certainly isn’t hurting anything,” Tommy mutters without looking up from his task. “Nothing but that little head of yours;” she replies with a soft, low cackle which turns intoanother coughing fit. Tommy tries to give her water, but, again, most of it misses the mark. Her inability todrink frightens him more than the paralysis or refusal to eat. If a healthy person can onlysurvive for a few days without water, how long will she last? Then there is the matter ofthe shadows— the shadows which are suddenly able to move of their own volition andchange their shape at will; he feels very much as if he is in one of his comics. “Oh, forget it; I’m fine now.” If Evelyn had the ability to move her arms, she would haveslapped it from his hands. “But Gam—” “I said forget it!” The sudden venom in his grandmother’s tone makes Tommy recoil,and he retreats to his recliner where he silently stares at the television until fallingasleep. All night, he dreams of the room’s shadows gradually stretching themselves toward thesame direction, becoming longer— thinner— as the hours pass. Ever so slowly, theypeel away from their surfaces to merge in the far corner where dozens more of theseserpents are now settling into the shape of a tall, cloaked figure. It is entirely blackwithout a speck of color; where its face should be is a void so dark, Tommy feels it mustbe a hole in the very fabric of reality… Then he blinks, and— upon opening his eyes—the figure is standing before him… He now finds himself staring directly into the void,and he screams, pushing himself— and the recliner— backwards. When he next opens his eyes, he is lying flat on his back— feet in the air— and the sunis shining through Evelyn’s paisley curtains. He is drenched in a sheen of cold sweat,and his heart races with the all-too-real memories of his nightmare… But— try as hemight— he cannot remember what he saw within the void, and he is grateful. “Well… Are you dead? Are you gonna answer me or what?” These are the first words ofwhich Tommy is consciously aware, but they sound far away. There is a piece of his mind screaming that it must be late— that he has importantthings to which he must tend— but an even greater piece is still staring into thatimpossible void, unable to look away… It is the memory of Evelyn’s paralysis whichfinally breaks the spell. Is she better? Worse? Had her words sounded playful—light-hearted (dare he think)— just now? He must know. Shaking away the last of his stupor, he winces for his bad back as he rolls out of theoverturned recliner and rises to his feet. Taking in the room around him, he noticesevery shadow is in its proper place. In the light of day, nightmares always seem silly andoverly dramatic… But not this one… If anything, the instilled cold sense of dread is onlyintensifying— effecting his senses. When his eyes first fall onto Evelyn, he is takenaback by the sight of a pale corpse staring wide-eyed at the ceiling… Then he shuts his eyes tightly to refocus. “She was just speaking; she can’t be dead.I’m still hallucinating…” He repeats the lines in his head like a mantra until he is onceagain brought back to the moment by his grandmother’s voice. “Hello? Is anybody home? Tommy! What the hell is wrong with you, boy? You ain’t gonetouched in the head, have ya? I tell you what, we don’t have time for that, sonny, youbest snap out of it!” When he opens his eyes, all appears normal once again. “Sorry… I’m just… It’s nothing…” With a shake of his head, he brings himself fully back to the present, stands the recliner right-side-up, and gets to work. “I’m fine now… Everything is fine…” Don’t let him fool you, friend; it is most certainly not fine… He just desperately needs itto be; in fact, he has never wished for anything so unreservedly— so desperately— ashe wishes for this… “Well, I should think so; looky here!” Detecting a surprise undertone of cheer, Tommyfollows her gaze down to her arm where she holds it slightly raised. “Guess I’m gonnabe around a bit longer after all, ha!” As the morning progresses, he learns her bowel movements are back to the normallevel of disgusting, and— most importantly— she is able to swallow again. Not onlydoes she drink a glass of water, she eats an entire jar of beef baby food. Even thoughhe wishes she would eat a little more, Tommy is elated by her improvement… Healmost forgets there is a tall, sinister shadow figure looming in the corner. Evelyn’ssilence regarding the unwanted presence has led him to assume it isn’t real, and thushe has decided to treat it accordingly… With his new strategy in place, the day passes as smoothly as one can considering theless-than-ideal circumstances. His last Amazon order arrives, he is able to clean thatawful stench from his grandmother, and— after dinner— they watch a movie beforegoing to bed… The night, however, is not so kind to our dear protagonist… His dreamsare once again plagued by shadows and visions of Evelyn’s rotting corpse… But memories of this nightmare fade soon after waking, and the morning proceeds normally. Unfortunately, this perfect illusion is nearing its end… As lunchtime approaches, there isa knock at the kitchen door. “Who the hell is that?” Evelyn sounds as annoyed asTommy feels. “I’m sure it’s one of those sorry neighbors again; I’ll be right back.” On his way, anotherround of knocking sounds. “I’m coming, I’m coming,” Tommy pulls open the door with anannoyed jerk. “Hey there, neighbor; I was walking over to check on y’all and noticed your cans werestill out, so I thought I’d bring ‘em up on my way.” The middle-aged man in thesweater-vest lives next door; Jason Vaugner also happens to be President of theHomeowners Association… His extended hand is ignored, and he makes a look ofdisgust when the rancid stench from inside invades his senses. A refusal to shakehands would normally anger Jason, but— after seeing (and smelling) his neighbor— henow considers himself fortunate. “Oh… You shouldn’t have…” Tommy replies in a tone that clearly conveys his sincerity.Jason awkwardly wipes his hand at the thought of his near miss; “Uh, anyway, I knowyou have a lot on your plate with— umm— with everything… So, I just wanted to remindyou that trash days are Tuesday and Friday— not Thursday… And it runs pretty early,but as long as you drag the cans back on the same day, it doesn’t really matter whattime you do it. Sometimes, I don’t get my own until damn near 9:00 at night, haha…” This is a fascinating exchange, truly. You see, Jason harbors quite the distaste for Tommy, yet— due to the pressing social obligation under which he has been conditioned to adhere— he is incapable of expressing such emotions outwardly. This is why he feels the need to include polite laughter even though the subject material is clearly not humorous. Even more interesting is the fact that Tommy understands these protocols very well; heis fully aware that Jason expects him to follow a certain script— to chuckle at hisjokes— to politely agree with his every word and end it all with a firm, heartyhandshake… But Tommy will not bend; upsetting Jason Vaugner is one of fewpleasures Life still affords him. After a long, thoughtful pause, he simply responds,“while you’re here, I’ve been wondering about something… Why is it called theH-OH-A? Y’all know “homeowner” is just one word, right?” “…Yea… No telling.” Not wishing to give Tommy the satisfaction of a reaction— andequally desperate to escape the awful odor now burning his lungs— Jason is alreadywalking away as he adds, “Just remember what I said; next time there will be a $50 fine,and the price goes up after that.” Ahh, the politics of human interaction— it never gets dull. Of course, Tommy forgets hisneighbor’s threat by the time he closes the door; the only thing that confuses him morethan the HOA’s existence is the fact so many bend to its will. They have no officialauthority; the source of their power is merely the fear of rejection, and he considersthose who participate to be the lowest forms of life… He is also wholly ignorant to thechain of events he has just set into motion; had he handled his neighbor with a bit morecare, our story may have ended differently, but now, sadly, the events we are about towitness are set in stone. “Jason again?” He hears Evelyn ask from the other room. “Yep.” Tommy speaks loudly to be heard from the kitchen where he is preparing herlunch tray. “Well, what was he crying about this time?” “I put the trash out a day early, haha.” “Oh, he can suck a rock. We’re gonna need Joey to cut the yard one more time, though,or they’ll all be bitching about that next.” “Yea, I’ll text him after lunch; are you hungry yet? I found a new flavor— turkey pastabake.” “Jesus, boy. If you want to poison me just drop some cyanide in a ham jar; why do youkeep ordering all these weird chunky flavors?” “Well I couldn’t tell it had chunks when I ordered it… I just thought you might wanna trysomething new. Nevermind, here; I’ll go get the ham.” “I don’t know what’s gotten into you the last couple days; it’s like you’re living off in adifferent world.” Quickly returning with the new food jar, Tommy responds without thinking. “I know; I’msorry. I’m doing my best, but it’s kinda hard to keep up with everything that needs doingaround here while the shadows are coming to life—” Only after the words are out doeshe realize what he has said. “I mean… I’m sure it’s just stress… Now that things aregetting back to normal, the hallucinations will probably stop…” “Oh! I didn’t realize you could see him too; I just didn’t want to worry you, but it’s onlyDeath; he’s here for me— not you.” Tommy stands in stunned silence as he processes this new information which socompletely— so instantly— has reversed every belief holding him together. It takes allof his self control to keep his voice steady and calm. “Gammy… Are you saying that youcan physically see a man standing in the corner over there?” He gestures to the apparition with an almost imperceptible nod. “No— it’s not a man; it’s Death, and he’s only here for me. Just ignore him; that’s what Ido. He’s been hanging around for weeks, but I keep refusing to go with him. I don’tknow why you’re so surprised; I keep telling you we’re gonna get that extra month’scheck. It’s already the 29th; we’re so close now! And who knows— with the way I’vebeen feeling, we just might shoot for November!” Evelyn’s cackling laughter echoes in Tommy’s mind as he races upstairs to retrieve hishandgun. He purchased the Smith & Wesson .22 on a whim and has never actuallyused it, but he feels now is the time. After making sure it is loaded and ready to fire, hehurries downstairs to face what he now fervently believes must be a crazed homelessman… But— when he reaches the living-room and turns on the light— no one is there.“Where’d he go?!” Tommy searches the room in a panicked rush, gun raised and ready. “What in sam-hell are you doing with that thing?!” “Not now; quick, which way did he go?” “You can’t possibly think you’re gonna shoot Death. Tell me I didn’t raise that big of afool!” “You’re the fool if you think Death has been hanging out in our house for weeks on end!Do you hear yourself? Is your mind going now, too?” Tommy instantly regrets his harshwords and takes a softer tone. “I’m sorry… I just don’t understand how you aren’t takingthis more seriously…” “Oh stop being so dramatic! It was Death! Couldn’t you feel it? Didn’t you sense it? Likesome long forgotten memory…” Seeing no point in further debate, Tommy settles for, “I guess we’ll see soon enough.” ———— Fear not my friend, I know our journey has been a long one, but— I promise you— theend is near. We must only take the briefest of intermissions so that I might inform you of what is taking place next door. Jason Vaugner is currently— at this precise moment— eating a delicious roast sandwich with his wife, Meg, and recounting the details of his visit with Tommy. His biggest concern is the smell… He caught only a quick glimpse of the kitchen and wonders if it is the sole source of the stench or if the rest of the house is in a similar state. Either way, he is certain Evelyn cannot be receiving the care she requires; he feels compelled to call for a welfare check, while Meg believes this would be a waste of time… The State only intervenes in cases of the absolute worst of conditions, and she fears what a man like Tommy may do if they were to call the police. With his lunch hour nearing its end, Jason is forced to accept Meg’s suggestion to waituntil after his big presentation… However— due to unforeseen circumstances— he willnot return home until after 11PM, drunk and incoherent… But tomorrow is another day… ———— Tommy puts Evelyn to bed at the usual time, and, again, chooses to remain by herside— the 22 tucked securely in his lap… And, again, his night is plagued by images ofDeath— visions he will not remember but will see again nonetheless… For now, he willonly recall a tall, dark, hooded figure rushing toward him. Without hesitation, he raises his weapon and fires not once but three times; the figuredisintegrates into hundreds of shadow snakes which disperse in every direction, disappearing into the walls and floors— all except for a single serpent which strikes out,latching onto his outstretched foot. At the same instant, Tommy’s world turns red as hisfoot explodes with a blinding pain that radiates outward through his entire body. Instantly, he is awake and screaming in agony. The world is still red, only he now understands his own blood to be its source. The gun remains in his hand, but he hastily drops it on the nightstand wishing to be rid of it. “Are you fucking kidding me?! How? How can someone be so goddamn stupid?!Huh? I swear to Christ—” Tommy can hear his grandmother fighting to be heard over his own agonized wails, butthe pain becomes so unbearable that her words might as well be in another language. “Please… Wait…” He needs to move quickly, but he cannot so much as sit up to properly inspect the wound… Not until a few of Evelyn’s words make it through loud and clear…“Just dial 911 and give me the—” “No!” I don’t need a goddamn ambulance! I just need a second! Can you please justgive me that?!” Tommy angrily spits through gritted teeth, but he is slowly unfurling hisbody. Though it involves much more screaming, he uses his arms to push himself intoan upright position, then slowly lifts his leg to bring his foot across his lap where he cansee the bullet’s exit wound. Grateful for some small bit of luck, he removes his shirt andwraps it securely around the gaping hole. “Bullet went all the way through… Gonna get cleaned up… Be right back… Sorry…” Each word becomes more strained than the last as Tommy hobbles out of the room. Hefalls just before reaching his destination and drags himself the rest of the way. Afterfinally making it to the bathroom, he leans against the wall to catch his breath… That iswhen his eyes fall upon a tall, shadowy figure in the dark hallway… And it is now pointing at him with a rotting, skeletal hand… The only emotion it inspires is pure, unfettered rage. With his good foot, he kicks the door shut with a loud bang and takes several deep breaths. ———— It will take Tommy a moment to finish tending his wound; while we wait, perhaps Ishould remind you of the Vaugner’s. If you recall, Jason wished to speak with policeabout a welfare check for our dear Evelyn, but his wife convinced him to give the matterfurther consideration. As it would happen, the incident with his neighbor was pushed tothe back of his mind after receiving a promotion and the wild night that followed, but—after hearing this morning’s gunshots and those horrible screams— he knew what he must do… ———— Now that Tommy’s foot is clean and properly bandaged, he hobbles to his gaming roomwhere he retrieves a real oak replica of Gandalf’s staff. With it, he is able to movearound with slightly greater ease, but he is notably pale from the blood loss, and severalof the bones in his foot are shattered. The sight beneath the bandage is already growinggrimmer as the bruising darkens and the swelling increases, but he is so numb withshock and fury that he barely feels it anymore; his body is like a machine fueled by puredesperation. “Well it’s nice to see you’re alive!” Tommy is pleased to see Evelyn’s temper has cooled; in his current condition, he is notsure he could control his own if provoked. “Yea, I was gonna say the same to you. I’msure you’re ready to get changed; I’m sorry… Fuck am I sorry…” “Nothing we can do about it now; what’s done is done. We’ll just have to take it one stepat a time— ohh, hah, no pun intended— and see how it goes…” “I’m glad you’re able to find it so humorous…” His words are low and bitter, but he isangriest with himself. “You fired three times, ya know? The—” “Gams, please!” Tommy’s voice cracks and tears spill down his cheeks as he pulls hersheets back and prepares to move her. “Alright, alright… But what do you plan to do about me? We could call up one of thosetemp nurse—” “No! I told you we don’t need anyone! I can handle it!” With a loud, agonized grunt, Tommy attempts to lift Evelyn from the bed, but the moment any weight shifts to his right leg, they both collapse back onto the mattress. “Maybe you should just put a towel down and do it here. This isn’t gonna work, son.” “Yea… Yea, you’re right. Be right back.” “Hey, wait a second; what’d you do with the gun?” “It’s tucked into my waistband… And yes the safety is on…” Changing Evelyn’s diaper pushes Tommy to his absolute limit, but the thought of havingnurses in the house again is enough to keep him going. Moving her to the living-room,however, proves impossible; deciding to remain in the bedroom, he hobbles to thekitchen for her food tray. It is there he hears a violent knocking at the door followed by,“police! Open up!” Perhaps if Tommy had not been blinded with anger or suffering from sleep deprivation,he would have remained silent and taken his chances… But he is hurt, he is scared,and— on some level, he understands— he is alone. He does not know why the policeare at his door, but— since he believes he has done nothing wrong— he views thempurely as a nuisance. Ripping the door open, he see two officers, and he is left standing before them inbloodied clothes with a giant, wooden staff and bandaged foot on full display; they didnot pair well with his ghostly white skin-tone, wild, bushy beard, or wide, blood-shoteyes. Before he can speak, the man introduces himself as officer Daniels and hisfemale partner as officer Newcomb. They are there for a welfare check on EvelynKirkland but advise they have also received reports of gunfire. “Of course there was gunfire! We’re in Texas! There’s always gunfire! Who the hellcares?” “When we get calls that people are scared in their own homes— we care, sir. Especiallywhen the shots are fired somewhere that happens to be emanating a suspicious smell… Not to mention, you, sir, happen to be covered in blood and appear to have a serious injury to your right foot… I don’t suppose you would let us come in and take a look around? Maybe speak to Mrs. Kirkland?” Officer Daniels remains courteous despite Tommy’s hostile demeanor. “Hell no. Gammy is resting; she would tear my hide if I brought people into her room.We’re just fine here; you can be on your way.” “Well, hold on, now.” Officer Daniels places his hand on the door to stop it from latching. “We can’t just take your word for it on a welfare check; we have to make sure she’s ok,and— when she is— we’ll be sure to tell her you did your very best to keep us out of herhair… And— by the way— just what is that smell, anyway? It sure is mighty strong…” Of course, the officers already know what the smell is— they’ve experienced it enoughtimes in their line of work— but they have to play the game. “Not that it’s any of your business, but that happens to be a can full of my grandmother’sshitty diapers because the HOA fuckwads will cry if I take out the goddamn trash!” Tommy is growing increasingly angry; he does not even notice when the officers’ handsmove closer to their holsters. “Right, right… And does all of that blood belong to you, or…” Officer Daniels lets thesentence hang. “Yes, it’s mine; you can see my foot is obviously injured. I hope you got a nice littlepower rush outta this, but— if you’ll excuse me— I’ve got to feed my grandmother now.If you expect to cross that threshold I suggest you come back with a warrant!” This time,Tommy successfully slams the door. He can hear the officers speaking into their radioas they walk away, but the words escape him. With a racing heart and shaking hands, he slowly makes his way back to Evelyn withthe food tray. “What was all that about?” “Oh… Uh, police… Welfare check… For you…” Tommy collapses at the foot of her bed,barely managing to keep the tray upright, though his staff falls to the ground with a hardthud. “Absolutely not! I can’t go out there, and those dirty pigs aren’t coming into my house!No sir!” “That’s wh-what I told ‘em…” His hands are now shaking so badly that he struggles toremove the lid from the jar of baby food. “Good; that’s my Good Boy, Tommy. My good, Good boy!” The words are like a balm on Tommy’s wounded soul, and the jar lid gives way with asatisfying pop. “I love you, Gammy,” he adds with a soft sigh as he prepares a spoonfulof turkey flavored mush. “You’ve always been the perfect son; I don’t tell you that enough, but I’m going to start.” Our dear Tommy is so immersed in the praise he has longed to hear, that he does noteven notice the dull throb radiating through his right leg anymore; he becomes lost indaydreams filled with what-ifs and should-haves that can now never be. Time slipsaway, and he is surprised to hear the spoon suddenly scraping along the jar’s bottom.“Oh, I guess that’s it… Well, we can’t go in the living-room, but we can still watch someHitchcock! How ‘bout it?” Tommy feels that he is doing well; he does not understand thathe is pale as a sheet or that his words are barely coherent. If not for the copiousamounts of blood, he would easily be mistaken for someone in the throes of violentwithdrawals. “That sounds wonderful, son.” A grin spreads across Tommy’s face as he relishes the moment he’s been waiting for.To him, it feels as if weeks have passed since he first injured himself, but now— finally— he is able to collapse in his recliner and rest. He struggles only for a moment to get an extra pillow beneath his bad foot, then he lays back, starts Evelyn’s playlist, and closes his eyes… At the exact same moment, there comes the sound of distant police sirens… And they are getting closer… It takes no time at all for them to reach 3324 Wilmer Lane, at which point they are shutoff, and Tommy’s phone begins to ring. Not recognizing the number, he presses declineand blocks the caller. After repeating the same process with the next three calls, there isa moment of silence before a woman’s voice can be heard speaking through a megaphone. “This is Sergeant Pamela Reed with the Bradshaw PD. We have a warrant to search the property. Come out with your hands up, or we will have no choice but to enter by force.” Pamela’s words are filled with authority and the practiced ease that comes with repeating the same phrase for years on end… But they soften as she continues, becoming full of compassion and understanding; it is the tone she uses to convince criminals she is their friend. “Please, Tommy. We only want to help Evelyn. Just let us say a few words to her; then we can clear up this whole misunderstanding and all go on with our day. Don’t you want that, Tommy?” Tommy does not respond aloud; he merely closes his eyes and begins rubbing histemples while humming a soft lullaby from his childhood. “No! They can’t do that! They can’t! Tommy! Oh, Tom, don’t let them take me! You can’t!You won’t, will you? Please, say you won’t!” The sobbing desperation he hears in Evelyn’s voice is just enough to pull him from thetrance, and he is flooded with new determination. If he only does one thing right in hisentire life, he wants— no, needs— it to be this. “Gammy, so help me, I don’t care what ittakes— what I gotta do— those bastards aren’t gonna get you. I promise!” “Oh thank you! Thank you so much; I knew my Good Boy wouldn’t let me down. Oh,Tommy, my life would have been so awful— so empty— without you.” Knowing he does not have much time, he begins barricading the bedroom door witheverything he is capable of moving. So much adrenaline is coursing through his veinsthat he does not even need his staff to move around. “This is your final warning. You have sixty seconds to come out peacefully.” Sergeant Reed is using her official voice once again. She has seen this scenario enough times to be confident of its outcome. In her experience, guys like Tommy never do things the easy way. “Tommy, I’m so frightened!” “It’s ok, Gammy; I’m right here. They ain’t getting in, I swear.” “But if they do… I want you to put me out of my misery. Promise me.” “But—” “Promise me! I’m 79-years-old goddamnit! I’ve earned the right to choose where I die! Iwon’t go with them! I won’t!” “I promise; I swear! No matter what, they aren’t taking you…” It is the hardest promiseTommy has ever made, but he steels himself, determined not to let down the onlyperson who loves him. Seconds later there are several loud crashes. Wood splinters and cracks as the doorsare forced open; glass shatters as multiple windows are broken, and the debriscrunches beneath a dozen pairs of boots as they march through the house. Every fewseconds, a voice calls “clear,” and— each time— it is a little closer until, finally, thefootsteps are just outside of the barricaded door. “Tommy, this is officer Daniels again…” He pauses in case there is a response, but noneis forthcoming. “I got that warrant you asked for… Do you think we can have a realconversation now? It’s not too late to just open the door, ya know?” “Gammy doesn’t want to see you! Go away!” Tommy is trying to sound intimidating, buthe comes across as a scared, petulant child. “You tell ‘em, baby!” “There! You see?! Did you hear her? She wants you gone!” Tommy absentmindedlystrokes his 22 which is now back in his hand with the safety disengaged. He is notwilling to fail. “Alright, we’re coming in hard; I hope you’re standing back… And Tommy… We’ve dealtwith some pretty bad people over the years, so breaking into places this way tends tomake us nervous. I really need you to have your hands in the air— empty— when weget this door open… You think you can do that for me?” Officer Daniels waits for aresponse, but again there is only silence. “Ok then, here we go!” Tommy stands against the opposite wall, feet planted, and gun raised towards the door.The moment it begins to open, he expects to see officer Daniels, but— instead— he isonce again looking into the endless void of Death’s face. With a new wave of fresh fury,he fires, hitting the edge of the doorframe. The next events unfold instantaneously; bullets rain through the small opening asTommy leaps to the side, but he is too slow. He is hit three times before falling to theground where he watches the door explode inward as a team of police pour through theopening. He hears Evelyn’s screams, but he can do nothing about them; he knows hehas failed, and he is ready to die. In his final seconds of life, he suddenly remembers what he saw when forced to peerinto Death’s faceless void… It was this— the moment of his death. He saw it after firstwatching the death of his father, his grandfather, his mother, and then, finally, hisgrandmother… This knowledge only troubles him for a brief moment; as his lastneurons cease to fire— Tommy’s world falls into complete darkness, and his suffering isfinally brought to an end… Credit: Page Turner Official Site Please Note the Author of this Creepypasta does NOT give permission for it to be used for any podcasts or narrations Copyright Statement: Unless explicitly stated, all stories published on Creepypasta.com are the property of (and under copyright to) their respective authors, and may not be narrated or performed under any circumstance.