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Home » Jack's Shadow, a Halloween story
The boys goofing around in the van. October 13 2016
*could be intense for some
October 26, 2016
The sterile hallway reaches end-to-end what must be 200
feet. Every 5 feet there’s an iron door. Each door is fortified to hold back a
hideous, sick minded or evil person. The facility isn’t something you can
Google and other then the locals who are hired to run the place not many people
realize the heinous and brutal death that has occurred by some of those locked
in those rooms outside this town of 5,000 souls.
“This door,” she said pointing “is where we keep Jack.” A
woman said to a group in the hallway just outside the quite from the inside
room.
Dana is a tall and skinny woman. She is wearing a plain blue
polo shirt and khaki slacks. Her tour seemed as simple as a museum guide but
the people who are with her today are not tourists. They are some the brightest
scientists, doctors and F.B.I. profilers of homicidal people.
“Jack lives in the dark. We can never get him out of this
room on his own without us forcefully tearing him out. There is never any light
on inside the room. In fact, any sight of light, even from these florescent
ones above, will cause him great pain and terrible anger where he will lash out
and kill. Later we will place him in a lighted cage and show you what happens
when he is unleashed.”
The group walks down the hall and moves into a safe enclosed
room. The 15 or so people sat down on the chairs that were lined up in rows.
The rows faced a large window. The window was 6 to 8 inches thick. It was made
to be unbreakable.
The room behind the glass was 16 x 16. Fully vaulted to
protect the people outside of those walls and the public at large. There was
one door that led into the room.
The door was fortified metal. Stronger hatches then what
you’d find on a battleship. The only thing going inside the room was Jack.
Along with Jack was a farm animal pig, which would be free to room around the
room.
“Once you all have settled in. I will summon for, Jack.
Please, do not move from where you are. You will be tempted to move but I can't stress to you enough that as far as we know Jack can not see you nor, can he hear you. You
are safe with us. However, there are speakers in here that will allow you to hear what is going on in that room. DO NOT MOVE."
The group looked around at each other and the tension inside the room began to tighten like a vice compelling everyone to stay to watch exactly what was going to happen.
"For the purposes of this demonstration I will ask all over
to look under your seats. There you will find night vision goggles. Please
place them on. We will now shut off the lights. You can view everything in the pitch black dark but, when the lights go back on, you
can remove them. The lights will only be on inside the room. We will still be in the darkness."
The guest fumbled around with their night vision goggles.
The more experienced law enforcement officer’s helped the less experienced
civilians place their night vision goggles on. Everyone was tense but the
excitement in the air could be felt due to the fact that they had no idea what
was going to happen.
“Okay bring in, Jack,” Dana announced, “ and don’t forget to
release the pig once Jack’s inside.”
The group talked to one and other and the sound of mumbling silenced once the loud clanks of
the heavy door began to sound. That sound announced the doors were being unlocked.
One by one-heavy booms could be heard as each of the 8 locks
was slid to the side, which would free the heavy 2-ton door. A creaking sound resonated as
the heavy door swung open. BANG!
The door slammed against the wall. The guests could see through
their night goggles the body heat of the men and women preparing to wheel Jack in.
“No, no,” Jack yelled. “Don’t do this any longer. Stop. Just
kill me. Kill me please,” he implored from is totally sealed cage.
Two men pushed Jacks mobile enclosed cage into the room.
Some of the guests witnessing what was happening removed their glasses. They
were terrified from the sounds and yet they have seen nothing. The experiment had not begun yet.
The workers pushed the box against the far side of the room
where they placed it flushed against the wall into a pre-made mold. Clanking
noises were echoing as they locked the box in place. Steel rods sealed the box tightly.
“Stop!” Jack screamed. “Kill me now,” but Jack’s pleas fell
on deaf ears while the men and women did their jobs in robotic fashion. They had no sympathy or empathy for the hours of torture Jack has gone through over the past year.
After the box was locked into place the 3 men and 2 women
walked back to the door of the room. The last 2 men reached back and grabbed to
handles that were mounted on the door. With all their might they pulled the
door shut. BOOM.
One by one the locks were placed on the door until the 3rd
lock. That is when all activity ceased. Muffled talking could be heard. A small
argument ensued. There was a silence. The guest in the room didn’t know
what was happening and looked around at each other with wonderment. There must have been a major problem.
The silence was broken when the locks could be heard by all
being undone rapidly. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. The locks slid. The door slowly opened.
Then without warning, a medium sized pig was slid through the slightly opened door. The pig
squealed and ran into the room. The door closed quickly and the securing of the locks
commenced, again.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Dana began, “we have not been able
to account for what you are about to see. We do not do this event often anymore
because Jack seems to be getting stronger with every new experiment. In order for more funding so that we
can study Jack we decided to invite you all here today to show you what your
money would be doing. Jack could be the ultimate weapon. A breeding specimen with power no one has ever seen. The money will either tame him and make him useful as a
weapon. Or, we will prove that his existence is not confirmation of life after death but we will affirm that there is pure evil here on earth. And by God we will incinerate him"
The people in the audience gasped. What was Jack going to
do? The anticipation was cruel in itself.
“Glasses off,” Dana said, “ turn on the lights! Release, Jack.”
Jacks cage shook and rattled but its grip to the wall was too great. The shaking caused the first
row of people to jump. The lady on the left of the front row, closest to where
Jack was, watched closely as she saw little bars being slid out of
Jack’s cage and disappearing into the remolded wall until the door was free.
“I can’t do this again,” Jack pleaded, “ you don’t care what
your doing to me. All of you will DIE!”
The light popped on just outside of Jack’s holding cage. His bigger room resembled a large 16 x 16 cubed, clear, cage. The glass was so thick it could withstand a .50 caliber round. The pig was moving around the room. The people in
the audience squinted as their eyes acclimated to the bright light that was
shining through the thick glass. As their eyes began to focus the zeroed in on
a basic room.
Jack's cage his small, a 6 x6 cage which was now slightly opened. The pig roamed around the rest of the
room sniffing its surroundings. Occasionally it would find a carrot or other vegetable
that was left on the floor for him to feed on. Occasionally the pig would be spooked by Jack's whining and screaming.
“I-I- can’t-t, I-I won’t,” Jack stammered. His door would
slightly wave back and forth. None of the light in the room could penetrate the
darkness of the black hole where Jack was hiding.
One Colonel who was sitting in the audience placed on his nighttime goggles again and leaned towards the glass in hope that he would see a glimpse of
Jack who seemed to be hiding from the light. The night vision glasses captured Jacks bare back. He was completely naked and breathing
heavily. His hair was uncut. The length of his hair covered most of his upper
back.
Jack’s breathing continued at a rapid pace.
“Easy, easy,” the colonel whispered.
Jack’s body movement slowed to a calm breathing form.
Without warning Jack reared his head over his shoulder as if he could see the Colonial. The night vision glasses caused a slight glowing to Jack’s eyes. His
facial hair hid the pigmentation of his face. The colonel was startled so he
ripped off his goggles.
Dana ran to his side and placed her hands on either side of
his shoulders and lurched him back further. “Colonel James, sir, you must stay
out of the light. You cannot cast a shadow. You should not be seen. Stay behind the yellow line."
“Um, well, right,” is the only 3 words the captain could
muster.
The pig was no longer strolling around the room searching to
eat carrot sticks. He began to pick up his pace and did hid best to avoid
confrontation. The guest couldn’t understand from whom though? The only other
person was Jack. And he has yet to emerge out of his box.
The pig kicked up its hind legs and leapt forward. All four
feet landed on the ground. He quietly walked towards the corner of the room. As
he neared the far wall, away from Jack’s cage he squealed loudly. The pigs hind
legs were twisted and the body of the pig was thrown to the ground. The pig
quickly got back to its feet and ran towards the window crashing its body into
the glass. It let out a loud wail. The pig tried to run but he couldn’t gain
any traction to move forward. The pig as brought back down to the ground by its
tail and then pulled the length of the room. A dark pig shadow casts upon the
glass. The lights in the ceiling were turning off and on at different angles to
capture the silhouette of the pig. The pig continued to squeal but it couldn’t
get away. The shadow pulled him in different directions until the animal was
swallowed into the opening of Jack’s cage.
The audience gasped in unison. Some people ran out of the
room but others stayed to watch the finality of the horror they were watching.
A woman in the second row fumbled her hands under her seat in her attempt to
find the night vision glasses.
She quickly grabbed them but due to her fear her hands shook
uncontrollably while she adjusted the goggles over her eyes. The light in the
enclosed room was still on but she focused in the deep dark crevasse of Jack’s
box to try and locate the pig. Not a peep was made from anyone. The woman in
the second row got up from her seat and walked towards the glass. She wanted to
face Jack’s cage face on to see inside his layer.
She slowly walked down her row using her hands to feel the
back of the chairs in the first row so she could guide her way without losing
sight of the cage. When she cleared the chairs she walked towards the window and beyond the yellow line
“Ma’am you need to sit down, don't cross that line. The room light will pick up your shadow!” Dana announced.
The lady from the second row ignored Dana and got closer to
the glass. Her goggles illuminated the dark corners of Jack’s cage in bright
greens. She continued to walk forward until the edge of the goggles hit the
thick glass. She was startled and tilt her head back then forced her head
forward again.
Without warning from Jack the pig squealed and the head of the pig
came forcefully out of Jack’s cage. It smashed against the glass directly at the woman from the second row. It was as if the head was in 3D motion but the thick glass acted as barrier of protection. She screamed loudly and
immediately removed her goggles. Bright red blood cascaded over the glass. The
head of the pig was the only thing left. The perfectly preserved head was resting on the ground behind the glass before the lady in the second rows feet. She was frozen in fear. More shadows of the pig was cast on the walls and windows. There were big scary shadows and they made loud pig squeals that echoed throughout the room.
“Get away from the glass,” Dana Shouted! “Get away from the
shadows.
The woman from the second row turned to run but the light
above captured her shadow, which caused her shadow to come alive. The woman’s
shadow grabbed her hair and pulled her back into the lighted area.
“Turn off the lights! Turn off the lights!” Dana shouted.
Dana ran to the woman but would not proceed past the yellow line. She reached out her hand and grabbed the woman's wrists and forcefully yanked her towards her. Jack's shadow pulled her back by her hair and snapped the lady from the second rows neck.
Dana fell backward onto the first row. Jack came out of his cage and walked towards the his glass enclosure. He couldn't see Dana but he knew exactly where she was. He was waiting for her shadow to appear. His body grew larger than life. His shadow grew bigger than his enclosure.
Dana stood up in a trance. She was in shock. Jack used his mind to pull her past the yellow line. Dana was slowly lifted from her feet until her body cast a perfect shadow just before the glass boarder. Jack stared at her. His physical presence disappeared from the cage. He morphed into Dana's shadow. He waited patiently until he saw another shadow beyond her closer to the EXIT doors.
"I'm free," he whispered, to Dana as he violently threw her into the thick glass window killing her. He then jumped into the other shadow.
The dark secret was out. Jack’s evil could come alive utilizing the shadows of people and animals as long as there was a light source that would cast a shadow. There was no turning back now for Dana and her greed to capitalize on Jack's ability of evil. Jack was
loose and he would shadow hop through his killing spree towards freedom. Dana was correct Jack was stronger now and he was loose to live in your shadow. Stay away from any light.
Being goofy myself! October 24, 2016.
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