The Dark Carnival, 1

                Muddy brown eyes watch the scene as it unfolds. A dark smirk plays on the woman’s lime green lips. Long fingers twirl at one of her pig tails, black hair streaked with neon blue. She wears a tight Jesters outfit, complete with a ruffled collar and bells. She chuckles wickedly as the freaks drag a squirming figure into the open pavilion tent and tie the poor thing up to the center pole. A wind blows through, causing the flaming torches to flutter, the fires in the metal trash barrels spit and rise up like fingers eager to consume. Dust billows from the soft dirt as the freaks trample about, cackling, jeering, slapping, pinching, and teasing the wriggly girl. She cries and screams, trying to tug her hands out of the tight bonds, her expensive clothes are ripped and torn away, leaving the Heiress to Daddy’s Fortune naked and beaten, and just like the rest of the poor people she enjoyed stepping all over.

                Karlie stands from her throne, well, it isn’t really a throne, it’s a big chair someone bought at a yard sale, but she likes it. She lopes slowly about her band of freaks. The ugly, the crippled, the misshapen, the outcasts…the evil dregs of society, her people, her followers. Karlie sniffs the air and chuckles, “The night is ripe!” she announces to her people. Her words send them into frenzy, screaming, dancing, and pushing at each other. They bite and lick at the young woman’s flesh, heedless of her pleas for help.   

                Karlie sits back into her throne and watches as her freaks have their fun with the pretty little woman. She grins hungrily as they break out in a lustful dance, fucking each other, raping the woman. They bite harder, her screams echo through the entire carnival, but none who would help her can hear. The little boyfriend, the one with the expensive car, lies in Karlie’s trailer, bound tightly and waiting for the mistress. He pisses himself as he listens to the painful screams of his girlfriend.

                Flesh rips as the freaks bite into the yowling woman, eating anything that spills out, drinking down her blood as if it were wine. Karlie grins her maniacal grin and glances to the side as she notices the biggest, ugliest, and smelliest freak in her band approach her. He grins; it looks as if someone injected his lips with some kind of purplish sludge. His head is lumpy, and yet he keeps it shaved. His body is almost pure muscle, though he’s never been known to work out. Blood coats the front of his pants, though his shirt remains dry. Karlie giggles and nods to him, “Hey there Wimpey, I see you’re spreading your diseased seed around tonight. Got yerself a new girlfriend?”

                He stops at her side; clearly he is her enforcer, though she doesn’t really seem to need one. He gives her nod and cracks his large knuckles, “Yeah, fuckin’ bitch invited me in. Left the door all wide open ‘n shit. Pretty brunette. You’da liked her,” he shrugs, “but I had to open her up there at the end, the look on’re face was a pure orgasm.”

                Karlie laughs and punches his massive shoulder, “Good for you, you little stud. My little boy…is growing up.” They share a chuckle as they watch the gruesome scene before them, the girl is no longer screaming, her glassy eyes stare up at the flame lit tent, that is until someone scoops them out and eats them like grapes.

               

                Karlie and Wimpey walk along the darkened carnival grounds together. He is a good two heads taller than she is, but she has a dancers’ grace, flowing easily at his side, bells tinkling with each step. “I’m going to have my own private party with the boy; you’ll make sure we won’t be interrupted, right?” Karlie glances up at Wimpy as she speaks to him.

He answers her with a single nod and smiles, “Was a good night, wasn’ it? You think we might be closer to…?” He trails off and quails at the harsh and angry look Karlie gives him.

“I don’t know, I don’t fucking know Wimpey. Haven’t I told you to stop asking about that? For fuck’s sake! You know how much it hurts me that it’s gone! Why do you continue to ask?”

He frowns deeply; it makes him look even more ugly, and gives her a shrug with a mumbled “Sorry”

Karlie huffs, and Wimpey almost whimpers, he hates to see her upset, to see such a beautiful woman angry, and hurting, a woman he actually likes, maybe even loves. He almost reaches out for her hand, but she walks on ahead to her large trailer, and leaps gracefully up the steps, the door bangs shut as she enters. A moment later the door opens and Karlie nearly growls, “He fucking pissed MY bed! Who the fuck left him tied up on my mother fucking bed!? Wimpy! Take him to the showers and clean him up!” She steps down from the steps and takes in a deep breath, her hands lift to her throat and seem to glow a dark red, she yells into the night, “I had better see three of the red division at my trailer in one minute or I will kill all of you!” She takes in a deep breath and her hands lower, the glowing had stopped.

Wimpey had covered his ears when he saw what Karlie was about to do, he hates her Mighty Roar, it makes him want to piss himself. Karlie paces in front of the door as she waits, and catches her breath. Wimpey scurries inside the trailer and looks down at the scared man, though gaged, he tries to scream and plead with the ugly giant, Wimpey smirks and lifts him the scruff of his neck and caries him away to the showers. On his way he passes three of the freaks, all dressed in red shirts, running to Karlie. She orders them to clean her room and to get rid of the smell of piss.

Wimpey enters a dark and mildew scented room, when the lights turn on it becomes a small bathroom in a tent, two shower stalls, and two bathroom stalls. Everything is made to be easily broken down and moved. Wimpey tosses the sobbing man to the side, letting him land on the dusty, cold ground and turns on one of the showers, it turns very hot very quick, “Now, there’s really on’y two functions to these showers, really hot, or really cold. Now, ‘cause I like ya, I’m gunna let ya use the hot, even if it costs the boss a lil’ extra money.”

Wimpey unties the man and removes the soiled clothes. The man is smaller, and terrified, he doesn’t even try to run, there’s only one way out and the big ugly man is blocking it, so he slumps into the shower stall, still crying. He touches the water and jumps back with a yelp, “This will burn my skin!  Can’t….I just…please, don’t make me” He steps from the stall and moves towards Wimpy.

The large man grins and cups the other man’s neck, then shoves him back into the stall and holds his body under the almost scalding water. He screams and tries to pry Wimpey’s fingers from his neck, but it does no good, and eventually he gives up and slumps. Wimpey finally lets him go and stands back, grinning oddly to the young man, his large hand rubs at something huge and moving in his pants. The man’s eyes widen as he realizes what he’s seeing, he turns his head, to keep from looking at the sickening man.

He washes as fast as he can, and even though he tries to keep from looking down, he finds his eyes wandering to pitched tent in Wimpey’s pants. He groans and wishes he was back in Karlie’s trailer, waiting for whatever she wanted to do with him. He turns his back and that’s when he feels the large hand cup at his ass, he hears a zip and gulps, “No, oh please no, I…I…”

Wimpy shoves the man’s face against the shower pipe, burning hot from the small portable water heater, it sears his skin. He screams and tries to push away, but Wimpy is too strong. He feels the large hard penis press between his legs, the head of it rubbing along his scrotum. “You don’t say no to me bitch, you jus’ don’t. You hear me? If the Boss lady didn’ want you back tonight, I’d have you right here.”

The pressure against the back of his neck disappears as Wimpey backs off, shaking the water off of his arms and squeezing out his clothes, “Hurry up, she’ll wan’ you back soon”

With his cheek throbbing, the man finishes with the showers, quiet and subdued after Wimpey’s little lesson. Wet and naked, Wimpey forces the man to walk back to the now clean trailer. Karlie steps out and grins, much more at ease. She opens the door and lets Wimpey toss the man onto her bed. “Thank you Wimpey dear. Stick around and listen, I might not even be mad if you want to peak.” She winks and steps inside, ready to work her magic on this poor man.  

The Librarian

                Margret, a middle aged woman, who may have eaten a few too many pies in her days and has the flabby body to prove it, works at the local library. She looks as if she hasn’t changed her hair or style of dress in over 20 years. Hair kept short, curled tight in an older woman kind of afro. She is often seen dressed in khaki pants, or tweed skirts, flowery blouses and glasses hanging from her neck by a gold chain. She is a sweet woman, for the most part, and enjoys her life as a librarian.

                For over 15 years Margret has run this small collection of books, her customer base is very small since they built that 5 story, artistic library nightmare down town, but what she lost in customers, she gained in Hipsters. At least that’s what she was told these glorified hippies were called, these tall lanky types, dressed as if they were blind and didn’t know what they had slipped over their bodies that morning. She found a certain delight in telling them they did not carry books by one author or another, that they were just a small library and never invested much in odd books. It was a small lie, bit she would chuckle as they walked away, frowning into their extra foam lattes.

                Margret loved her books, they were like her children, as she never had children, and only one cat at home to keep her company (her husband had died years before of heart disease), she fell in love with the old musky scent of the eldest books they carried, and enjoyed the soft crackling of brand new books as she gently worked the spine to be used. It was a good life, a content life for Margret.

                This day was an exciting day, Margret and her coworker were expecting a small group of 8 to 10 year olds on a field trip, the school was close by and they liked to use this library as opposed to the newer one, it was so much easier to relax and keep track of the children. Margret spent the day explaining how library cards worked, how exciting books can be, how to use the index cards. The kids were happily looking up books that might interest them, Margret stood back, ready to answer any questions they might present. At the end of the visit the kids thanked her and they were hurriedly ushered out and to the ice-cream shop next door where each child received a free scoop of ice-cream.

                She bid her coworker farewell, letting the young woman leave while she went about cleaning up and putting books away. A lovely young girl, perhaps 20, walked up to Margret, she looked troubled, “I’m looking for a book, well…obviously…” the girl chuckles a bit nervously, twirling her black hair about her finger “It’s a book on magic, well, it isn’t called magic really, someone told me to come here and ask for it. It’s called, I can’t remember the exact title, but it’s something like The World of Glamor. Do you have any idea what I’m talking about?”

                Now, Margret knew exactly what the young woman was talking about, she of course knew every book in this place, but she was not about to give up such an interesting book to such a young child! She frowns a bit as if thinking and shakes her head slowly, “No, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a book with a title like that. Have you tried the New Age section? It might be-“

                The girl huffs, cutting off Margret’s next words. She glares at Margret and steps in closer. “I know you have it! You can’t keep it, it doesn’t even belong here! If you don’t produce it by closing, I promise, you’ll be sorry.” With that, the girl stomps off and leaves the library.

                Margret stands there, feeling violated, and frightened. The book was strange, yes, but did it warrant such a reaction? Couldn’t the girl find other copies? Margret rushes into the small office and unlocks her drawer, she pulls out the old book and sits down on the squeaky office chair, she opens up the book and with a gasp drops it suddenly, it had been glowing, the letters were glowing! After a moment of the shock wearing off, she picks the book up again and opens it, the glowing was fading slowly, the book knew the girl had been there. She frowns a bit and reads the words, though she couldn’t tell you what they said, because she forgets, every time she reads it she forgets the words the moment her mind can form them, but she always feels so good, so peaceful after reading.

                An hour has gone by and Margret realizes she had been sitting there staring at the book, she closes it and stands, moves to the counter where she checks out books and locks the book in a drawer. She goes about her closing routine, locking the doors and shutting down the computers. In no time at all she finds that she’s ready to go home, and when she gathers up her belongings she is faced by two people, the girl from earlier, and a very tall man, both are dark haired and impossibly beautiful. Margret is stunned; she drops her things and stares the couple. The man gives Margret a charming smile and walks towards her, backing her up towards the checkout desk. “The book, my love, of you will.”

                Margret simply stares at the man, she feels warm and fuzzy, she feels loved and envied by everyone in the world, to have such a gorgeous man talking to her, and all she wants is to find favor with him, to be a rug under his shoes would be better than her life before he spoke. She moves around the desk and opens the locked drawer, then slips the book out. “I was just keeping it here, for safety…” Her words trail away as his warm hand covers hers. She nearly melts when he smiles and opens the book, the letters glowing brightly, gold, red and purple, so perfectly lovely.

                The man speaks a few words in an odd language and Margret slumps down, glassy-eyed and brain dead. The man and the girl walk out, happy to have their family heirloom back in their possession, he praises his little sister on finding their beloved book.

                Margret is gone, her body remains, but her mind, even her soul is gone, into the books and stories she so loves, her body remains, and yet, her very essence lives each tale she ever held dear. This is Margret’s heaven.

Dark Side

                The radio turns to 931 AM, it’s 12 o’clock, midnight, and from the speaker sounds a loud, lonesome howl. The radio bump announces the start of the popular show “Night Watch” with the sensuous host The Night Mistress. After a bit of music a deep female voice purrs from the speaker.

Lenor: Good evening my lovers, what dark little things have you been getting up to since we last spoke? Me you ask? Well how kind of you to think enough about me to ask. I’ve been out, in the darkest hours of the night, searching for The Demon of Mariposa. Mariposa California, what a lovely little town. Everyone was in bed by ten, giving me plenty of room to search for my prey. And do you know what I found, my lovers? A rabid coyote, on it’s last leg. It was actually rather sad, the local law enforcement put it out of it’s misery. So, thank you Ryan, of Northern California, but there is no Demon of Mariposa.

Now, onto the supernatural news; it seems there have been sightings of werewolves right in the middle of Chicago! I might have to make a trip out to the Windy City to see if I can dig around and find something.

Ah, it looks as if I have a few callers on hold. Hello, you’re on Night Watch, have you seen any creepy crawlies out there?

Caller: Yeah, uh, well I don’t know what I’ve seen, it’s big and harry, could it be Big Foot?

Lenor: *There is a soft chuckle* Big foot, my love? Well, did you hear anything?

Caller: Ah, well it sort of roared, or coughed…I’m not sure. See my buddies and I were camping and we see this big naked, harry thing, it was right when the sun was going down, so we couldn’t see very well. We were up Mount Nebo in Utah. So, what do you think?

Lenor: My dear caller, I know exactly what happened, there is a man who lives near these mountain ranges, he likes to go up and run around in the nude to scare campers. I’m afraid this wasn’t Big Foot. Hello next caller, you’re on Night Watch..

Caller: Yes I have a problem, I think it’s a vampire. This guy, he jumped out of nowhere and tried to bite me…

Calls like this go on for some time, most are silly, people who just want a little fame, who think they may have discovered something amazing, when it turns out to be nothing. It gets to the end of the show when Lenor takes one more call.

Lenor: Hello my lover, you’re on Night Watch, speak your mind.

Caller: Hello Night Mistress. *This is a very sensual male voice, it makes Lenor squirm in her seat a bit* I have been very naughty. Do you like to be naughty? Do you enjoy giving in to your darkside, Night Mistress?

Lenor: *Feeling a little hot under the collar* Oh my, dear lover, that is quite an interesting question. Why yes, I suppose I do, we all have our dark sides, some much more than others. Tell me lover, what is it that you’ve done?

Caller: He he he, oh my dear Night Mistress, if only I could show you. If only you could understand what it truly means to give in. To feel the beast rise up and claw you down into it’s maw. To feel the hunger upon you. I’m hungry, Night Mistress, I’m hungry for you.

Lenor: *Now breathless, her voice takes on a sexual tone* Mmm, And I assure you, my lover, I am very tasty. I want to give in, I do, though I suppose I couldn’t. You see, there is this annoying little thing that nags at me In the back of the head, it tells me to be careful, it tells me that giving in would only hurt me in the end.

Caller: No, Night Mistress, I would not hurt you. I promise, you could give in to me any time and I would only give you happiness.

Lenor: Perhaps I’ll take you up on that, my lover. You’re welcome to send me your information via the website.

Caller: Yes Night Mistress, I will do that. Good bye, for now..

The call ends with a deep guttural growl, those listening would probably think she hit some kind of button to make the sound.

Lenor: Well my lovers, this concludes yet another installment of Night Watch, this is your ever curious host, the Night Mistress. I bid all of you a very good evening.

Lenor leaves that night, feeling a bit shaken, she doesn’t understand where the growling sound had come from, but it sounded as if it was right in her ear. She makes her way home. Dressed in gothic attire; her red hair hangs down to the small of her back. Lenor is a true beauty, coupled with her sex operator-voice, she can bring near anyone down to their knees should she wish it. Despite all of this, Lenor is a modest and moral kind of girl. She likes to dance around the idea of promiscuity, of getting drunk or high and just screwing any guy or girl that comes along. She has her dark fantasies, she even has an unhealthy obsession with vampires, but she keeps herself safe by ignoring, or fighting these urges.

When she enters her apartment she can tell that she’s not alone, she can feel eyes upon her, smell the scent of a man. She takes a look around as she closes the door, frowning a bit, she doesn’t see anyone, but she can feel him. With a gulp she walks through the living room, heading back for her bed room, that’s when strong hands grab her arms, she looks up into the pale face of her attacker and gasps.

The man is striking, his hair spiked, black with white tips, his face is strong and handsome, his eyes, her heart leaps, glowing an evil red. He grins to reveal a pair of very sharp, long, and real looking fangs. She struggles, though it’s like trying to move steal. She feels a sense of dread, this man is going to kill her, she’s gotten too close to the truth, so he’s here to….

He laughs deep in his throat and moves her around to toss her onto the bed. After she lands she scrambles to find her gun in her bedside table drawer. He watches her with growing amusement, and hunger, “Stop, Night Mistress, there is no fighting this. I asked you before, don’t you want to give in to your dark side?” She stares, wide eyed, at the man and gives a slight nod. Shit.   

Some hours later, as the police scan Lenor’s apartment, they find no trace of a break in, or a struggle, nothing to indicate that anything had gone wrong in this small home. And yet the other residents claim to have heard Lenor screaming and crying, begging for mercy. None of them tried to help, when they heard her screaming in the hall way, they tried to ignore it, frightened for their own lives. Some called the cops, but it was already too late…Lenor gave in to the beast and became his…forever.