The Horrorscope - Episode 41: It's Written in Stars

What if we were wrong? asks Pincer. What do you mean? asks Ram. I mean, what if this is all just a coincidence, says Pincer. It might be, says Mary. If this is all just a stupid coincidence then we’ve done nothing but waste our time. But then again, I do not think that those arrows are just a coincidence or that blocked exit, says Kei. Then what if Mary was right and it is a trap? asks Pincer. Then we’re fucked, laughs Kei. I don’t think you should worry about it, says Mary. What do you mean? asks Ram. Well, if they wanted to ambush us… They would’ve done so long ago probably. It’s not like anyone is gonna jump down in the sewers to help us, right? asks Mary. Damn, says Pincer. By the way, what were your horoscopes for today? asks Ram. They all sigh in unison. The end of the world, they all say it at the same time. Wow, responds Ram. Well, they’ve predicted that ever since the blackout ten years ago. So, you know, says Kei. But the clock is right at least two times a day even if broken, right? asks Pincer. Right, says Mary after a sigh. At least this exit isn’t blocked, says Ram with a smile on his face.

What the fuck does the UN want now? asks Wasa. I don’t know, says the officer. You guys keep taking down those cameras! Wasa shouts. Hello? Wasa says as he picks up the phone. Hello, I’m the general manager of the UN Headquarters, Niles. And there is a large crowd gathering here and we need you to keep the building secure as this is your doing, say Niles. Why don’t you call the military? asks Wasa. What military? asks Niles. We don’t have a military? asks Wasa. Why would we need to? Is there anyone threatening us? Do you know of an alien species that wants to invade us? asks Niles in the most sarcastic manner possible. Wasa starts laughing. What the fuck is up with this world? asks Wasa rhetorically. I will be expecting you and your force shortly, right? asks Niles. Right away, sir, says Wasa as he hangs up the phone. Ken looks at him with a distressed face. What? asks Wasa. What’s happening? asks Ken. It seems this world doesn’t have a military force. And we have to abandon what we’re doing here in order to keep peace at the protest, says Wasa. There’s a protest? asks Ken. Apparently, says Wasa as he straps his guns and puts on his coat. Listen up! Wasa screams. We’ve been tasked to head to the UN Headquarters and keep peace at the protest! And that’s exactly what we’ll do. So, call all officers that are at home, on vacation, not on duty to come and continue work here. And the rest, get your gear and let’s head out to the UN HQ. NOW! Screams Wasa as everyone starts to shuffle to get their things and get moving.

Finally, some fresh air, Pincer breathes leisurely. Look around, what can you see? asks Kei. What are you suddenly, blind? asks Mary. No. I just need a bit to focus again, says Kei. Are you okay? asks Ram. Yes, just a rush of thoughts and information flooded my mind and I need a bit to figure out which are relevant and which aren’t, explains Kei. You’re a weird one, says Pincer. There are some footprints, says Ram. But we can’t do shit with them, says Mary. And who knows how old these are or how contaminated they are, says Kei. You done and okay? asks Ram. No, but you do understand that this doesn’t mean I’m unconscious or anything like that, right? Kei asks sarcastically. I guess, says Ram. Maybe we should go towards the other exit? asks Pincer. Or we should go the other way, says Mary. Or we can go both ways, says Kei. So, we split up? asks Ram. No! says Mary. What the fuck? asks Kei as he pulls out his phone and looks at it. Hey guys, I think I found something, says Pincer. What is it? asks Ram. It looks like blood. And quite a bit of it, says Pincer. Well, we need to take quite the sample from here, says Mary. Whose blood do you think it is? asks Ram. It may be from the victim or the aggressors, since they attacked a criminal, says Mary. We need to head back now! says Key in an exasperated way. But what about the blood? asks Mary. We’ll take samples with us, I just saw the messages from Ken, says Kei. How we’ll get back to the precinct? asks Ram. I know a taxi driver that owes me, says Kei as he dials a number and calls it.

If you liked this episode of The Horrorscope then don’t forget to like, share and comment. If you want to keep the short stories free and want more of them, you can always donate at: https://www.paypal.me/RaulFO

The Horrorscope - Episode 40: Rotten to the Core

I see X going from the apartment and there is only one care leaving from Kei’s place. That must be the car they left in. The rest of the people seem to have remained to see what was happening. Or is this a decoy? Wasa thinks to himself. Well, it won’t hurt to follow the car until I can get some confirmation. I just don’t understand why would they approach Ken and Kei. What were they after? Did they really not know about N? Or the devices? Something doesn’t add up, even with the rat in our force. How did they have a way to know exactly what we did? Did someone hack our security system? Or did someone give them access to it? No. That means that they can see what I’m doing right now. I have to reset the system and change the password, Wasa thinks as he scrambles to reset the system and the password. Fuck! Wasa exclaims in a panic. Someone changed the password and email beforehand and now I can’t get back in. No, no, no, no, this means they are watching us and know everything. Fuck! Wasa exclaims again as he pulls out his gun and starts going around to shoot every single camera in the precinct as the others look at him bewildered. What the fuck? Ken asks himself as he hears the gunshots inside.

Well, fuck, says Kei as he looks at the exist from the sewers. We have no way out this way, huh? asks Ram as he looks at the collapsed exist. Back the way we came, I suppose, says Mary. But why didn’t anyone hear this? asks Ram. Maybe because there is no one to hear it fall? You know, like that question about the tree falling in the forest, if it makes any noise if no one hears it. Same thing here, says Kei. But why do this? asks Mary. It doesn’t make sense, says Pincer. We could’ve just come the other way from the outside nad found whatever they were trying to hide. So, this doesn’t make much sense, says Mary. Maybe that’s the point? To delay us? Stray us from the right path? asks Ram. What if the other exit is in the same shape? asks Mary. We might just be barking at the wrong tree, says Kei. What do you mean? asks Ram. It means we’ve wasted time, says Mary. What do you think, Pincer? asks Kei. I don’t know. I thought going back up would be a good idea, but now I don’t even know what to think, says Pincer. It feels like they are a few steps ahead of us. Like they knew we were gonna come here, says Mary. But how? asks Ram. How indeed, says Kei. This really just might be a trap for us, says Mary.

Ken rushes inside to see Wasa still shooting at security cameras. What are you doing? he asks Wasa. I’m getting rid of a little problem we are having. Poking some unwanted eyes, says Wasa. Ken pulls Wasa aside. You do know that you look like a fucking crazed man on a shooting spree, right? They won’t trust a man that has lost his marbles and started shooting up the fucking place, say Ken distraught. And what would you have me do? They took over our security system and we can’t get any access to it. I’m not just going to stand here and let the rats win this one, when I can just poke their stupid eyes out, says Wasa. Have you tried using your words? asks Ken. Wasa goes up the stairs and looks at the whole precinct. Listen up! We have rats that have taken over our security system and that are watching our every little move. Those that aren’t tending to those injured start shooting down any and all security cameras. We ain’t just gonna let some killers do what they want with the law. So let’s protect the sanctity of our jobs and poke their stupid eyes out! shouts Wasa at the top of his lungs. Captain Wasa, a phone call for you. It seems urgent. It’s from the UN, says an officer.

If you liked this episode of The Horrorscope then don’t forget to like, share and comment. If you want to keep the short stories free and want more of them, you can always donate at: https://www.paypal.me/RaulFO

The Horrorscope - Episode 39: Race To The End

Everyone has their phone on silent, right? We don’t want to make too much noise, says Kei. Right, says Pincer. So, which direction should we go? Left or right? asks Mary. Kei goes to take a look at the map. If we go to the right, the route outside is shorter. And from there, we can go by the river bank to the other entrance, says Kei. But why not go back in and then follow the route to the left? asks Mary. I was thinking that if we were to go out that way, we might find something, explains Kei. I don’t like this, says Ram. You don’t have to like it, says Mary. Don’t worry, I don’t like it either, says Pincer. Wait, says Mary. What? asks Pincer. Before we leave. What’s our plan? she asks. I don’t know. You are the police. You should know how to act in any given situation, says Kei. So, we’re going blind again, sighs Mary. It’s not like we have a choice, says Ram. We do though. We could ask for back up or someone to meet us there, says Mary. Kei pulls Mary to the side. Indeed, but we just might alert the rat and then we’d setup our own trap, he whispers to her. Fine, let’s go, says Mary. What did he say to her? asks Pincer. Ram shrugs and follows the two.

Call them immediately back! says Wasa. On it, says Ken as he calls Kei again. The phone rings and rings. Nothing. He’s not answering, says Ken. Fuck! We will have to look for them somehow or we need to quickly catch X and Yellow, says Wasa. Can’t we trace their phones? asks Ken. Even if we could, if they’re in the sewers, it won’t show us the right location or it might not show us any of their locations at all, explains Wasa. What’s our best option then? asks Ken. To try and catch those two, says Wasa. By the way, he continued, how did you two get back here? asks Wasa. They blindfolded us, handcuffed us, put us in two separate cars and tied us to the chairs so we couldn’t do anything stupid. Then we were dropped off at separate ends of the same intersection. I tried to take a photo of their car or number plate, but it was too blurry, says Ken. But do you have the timestamp on that photo? asks Wasa. We might find them on the cameras, says Wasa. Yes, here, says Kena s he hands the phone over to Wasa. Where’s your car? asks Wasa. That’s a bad idea, since they might track us, says Ken. Well, that means no taxi and neither one of our cars, says Wasa. And no public transport either, says Ken. And not many we can trust, says Wasa. Or, we can disable the tracker from one of our cars, says Ken. Do you know how to do that? asks Wasa. No, but it can’t be that hard to figure out, says Ken. Good, you do that. And I’m gonna keep looking for those two, says Wasa.

By the way, are we just gonna gloss over what Kei said about abducting criminals to test on them? asks Pincer. No, but what do you want us to say or do? It’s not like we know where they keep the criminals, right? Or like we’d have a way to track them, says Mary. And besides, even if it is true, it means that they’re not yet there with the tech. So we might still have some time left before they can replicate what happened ten years ago, says Kei. But what if we don’t? asks Pincer. What do you mean? asks Ram. Don’t you all remember what happened ten years ago? The deaths didn’t start all at once, it was a gradual. It started with one and it slowly snowballed into a billion over twenty four hours, says Pincer. So you’re thinking that Scorpian was the first and that soon they’ll be another billion. But if that were the case why weren’t there any reports of others? asks Mary. That means that he was either a test subject or he was killed by mistake, says Kei. But also, why would you want to recreate what happened ten years ago? asks Ram. Why wouldn’t you? asks Pincer. If you are going to replicate it, and be public about it, you are going in the history books as the one that managed to kill the immortals, explains Kei. And besides, who knows if these are the same guys from ten years ago, says Mary. Or if it’s a copycat, says Kei. This is fucked, says Ram as he looks at the exit from the sewers.

If you liked this episode of The Horrorscope then don’t forget to like, share and comment. If you want to keep the short stories free and want more of them, you can always donate at: https://www.paypal.me/RaulFO

The Horrorscope - Episode 38: Burnout in Hellfire

We need to catch those two, says Wasa. I do doubt the fact that they’ll catch the bait and go after your pal, Kei, he continued. What? asks Ken. Don’t worry, Kei isn’t alone. He is with Ram, Pincer and Mary looking for that criminal that went missing, says Wasa. I didn’t even think about it, but why would you send Kei with them? That’s dangerous? asks Ken frustrated. That’s exactly why I sent him, since I couldn’t send you, explains Wasa. Ken sighs as he looks at Wasa asking what he wants to do next. Have you followed their trajectory through town? Maybe we can find their location, says Wasa. I did try. But I do need another set of eyes, which is why I came to see you in the first place, says Ken. Are you okay? You seem so out of it, says Wasa. Yes, it all feels so much, says Ken. I know, says Wasa as he pats Ken on the shoulder. I want to be angry. Since my partner died and I couldn’t do anything about it. I want to feel a certain way, but I just can’t. My mind is simply blank, says Ken. I can’t tell you that I understand it. Each person mourns in his own way, and you were unfortunate enough after ten years and that whole ordeal to lose someone again. So, don’t worry, you can lean on me and others to help you. Come on, we need to catch those fuckers and bring them down before they can do more damage, says Wasa.

What the fuck is with this arrow stuck here? asks Pincer. Look, there are more, says Mary. This is giving me weird vibes, says Ram. You don’t think someone was… says Pincer. Hunted? asks Kei. Yes, hunted… says Pincer. This is quite the way off where the tracker was found, says Mary. Maybe that’s where they got out? asks Ram. Maybe, says Mary. But then why didn’t anyone notice them? asks Kei. Oh, I get it, says Pincer. You’d think someone would notice people dragging people out of the sewers, right? asks Kei. Right, says Ram. So why wasn’t there such a report? asks Kei. Because that’s not where they got out, says Mary excitedly. Exactly, says Kei. They must have went out the same way they came in. You’d also notice someone going into the damn sewers, not just going out, says Mary. Bingo, says Kei. Okay, but where is that? asks Pincer. Why don’t I look it up? asks Ram. Do that, says Mary. Why don’t we do that up, instead of sitting in literal shit? asks Pincer. You don’t want anyone really knowing or seeing you, now do you? asks Mary. Once he finds the map, we’ll think of where to follow and see if we find something, says Kei. Call captain Wasa, Mary tells Kei. I don’t have his number, but I have Ken’s. But that’s a good idea, says Kei.

Kei? Kei are you okay? Ken asks furiously. Yes, we’re fine. Don’t worry. That’s not why I called, says Kei. I have a lead, they both say in unison. You go first, says Ken. Is captain Wasa with you? asks Kei. Yes. Why? asks Ken. Where are you? Can anyone hear you? I want him to hear this as well, says Kei. Hold on a second, says Ken as he goes to close the door with a key and puts Kei on speaker. Done, captain Wasa can hear you, says Ken. So, we’ve found arrows quite a bit off from where the tracker was. It seems whoever came after the criminal, they were having fun and was hunting them. So even in this shit and with rats around, we just might find a clue or a lead to who is behind this. Even though we’re still in a pinch, says Kei. Understood, says captain Wasa. What else? asks Ken. That’s about it. Ram is now looking for a map and we’ll let you know once we know more, says Kei. Good, says Wasa. Here’s what we found, says Ken as he tells Kei about seeing X and Y at his apartment and tracking them down together with Wasa. Found it, says Ram. Well, Ram found the map. We’ll keep in touch, says Kei as he hangs up. Fuck! They might be in danger, says Wasa. What? asks Ken. There’s a rat with them and they might be walking straight into a trap, saya Wasa panicked.

If you liked this episode of The Horrorscope then don’t forget to like, share and comment. If you want to keep the short stories free and want more of them, you can always donate at: https://www.paypal.me/RaulFO

No Adult Supervision

There’s a cycle in nature that we’re all too familiar with, at least in theory. Birth, small, helpless, getting fed by parents. Protected by those bigger and stronger or those that are seen as responsible. Then growing, learning about the world, how to survive, what’s important and what’s necessary. Those responsible remind you of the dangers and the need to be self-sufficient. Yet still, you are protected by those bigger than you. Then you are thrusted into the world to try things, see how they work, if you know how to work them. They call this youth. It is where most creatures experience they best time of their lives, before life happens. This is where any living being will feel like they’ll have the most if not all freedom. At least those fortunate enough to not have to start life early and have to grind to make a living hunting, praying on those weaker, swimming or running for their lives. And after this brief period, you are asked to get your life in order and be self-sufficient. This is the first taste of stress, anxiety and where you learn that the price of freedom comes at a cost. And it is not cheap, whether you’re a bee, a bird, a snake, a buffalo, an elephant or worse of all, a human. This is the moment those truly fortunate continue to enjoy life, and the rest follow those that were unfortunate at a younger age to work and grind for their life and freedom. And then you get to be your parent’s age…

After much work, much grinding and much time, you get to look around and see how tough everything is. How you have to live, work, and be at a certain standard all the time. It feels exhausting, you think to yourself. This isn’t what I was promised when I was told I could be anything I wanted, you remind yourself of youth. But there’s nothing you can do about it. If you want to eat, if you want to drink, if you want to procreate, if you want to live, you have to do what everyone else is doing. You start hearing that everything is like a jungle. It’s either eat or be eaten alive. Yet when you look around there’s plenty for everyone, but some choose to hoard and let it all get moldy and rotten. But, you can’t complain, you have your own share and you have to be happy with it, or someone will come and snatch it all away from you for being ungrateful. And of course that’s true, if it were all a jungle and only the strong survive. And of course it is just a jungle, if you don’t know about forests or deserts. And then time passes and you do as those before you did. Yet you notice something…

No one knows what they are doing. Sure, one knows how to make honey, another knows how to scavenge for food and one last one might know how to hunt. But just because you know how to do one thing well, doesn’t mean you know how to do all things well. Yet everyone you meet seems to be an expert with tips and tricks on how to do about everything. Though the more you hear the more you ask yourself if that is even true. So, you start feeling uneasy about where you are and take a peak outside the jungle. You discover mountains, grass plains, forests full of a thousand different trees, deserts and ice. Animals and insects you’ve never seen, appear out of nowhere, and tell you stories of ways to do something you did all your life in a different way. The more you learn, the more ways to do things you find, and the more time you spend learning the more you doubt everything you know. You become unsure, you become more anxious, nervous and uncertain about everything. Yet, you find the things that can never be disproven and that are certain beyond any shadow of a doubt in any jungle, forest, mountain cave you’ve ever been in, those things were always the same.

And now the world expects you to do as they’ve done. But you’re not sure you should, since you don’t know much and you don’t know if it’s the right thing. So you go back to the jungle and you meet those you’ve met before. They seem overconfident in what they’re saying now. So, you confront them and they lash back at you, you’re a traitor for calling what they believe into question. You know that you can’t trust them anymore. Anyone that knows anything for certain yet doubts what has been proven is not someone to trust. And the more you look, the more it seems that the whole world is full of these creatures. Friend, foe, family or pray, you can find them everywhere you look. Ant, bird, snake, lion or man are masters of one job, and jacks of none, you think to yourself as you are just a jack of all trades, but a master of not one job. Yet it doesn’t matter. Because life continues, change is slow and incremental and whatever you do, however you struggle and no matter how much you scream. There are no adults in this world, just children playing pretend.

Hope you liked this post. It’s been a few years since I last wrote something more personal and direct like this. But, since The Pilot Program 2021 is completed, I thought to fill the void with some old-school style posts like these. Hope you liked it, if you did and want to keep the short stories free, you can always donate at https://www.paypal.me/RaulFO

The Horrorscope - Episode 37: Drowning in Luck

It’s horrible. It stinks, Pincer complains. Why do we ever have sewers and toilets if we barely eat anyways? asks Ram. You answered yourself, says Kei. What should be looking out for? asks Pincer. Anything unusual, says Kei. Mary starts laughing. We’re in the sewers, can you be more specific? asks Mary. I don’t know. You think I live here to know what to look for? You guys are the trained professionals, not me, bemoans Kei. No one trained us for this, says Kei holding his nose. Look for something that might be used to cut someone’s leg, I guess, says Mary. Well, that’s asking us to look for the needle in the haystack, says Pincer. Why didn’t we think this through? she asks. I did, says Ram. Me too, says Pincer. Me three. It’s just that what I had in mind isn’t what we found, says Kei as the other two nod. Well, whatever, says Mary. Let’s just move, maybe we will find something, says Pincer. Why would you throw away so many drugs? asks Ram. Well, maybe they didn’t want to have those distractions anymore, says Kei. Just give it a day, damn. And you’ll be free of it, says Ram. It’s not that simple. The drugs stay in your system for almost a year, depending on its potency, says Kei.

What? asks Wasa annoyed. The door opens and Ken enters. I have some important information. Thought to let you know, says Ken. Aren’t you swift? asks Wasa. No, sir. Just very, very lucky, says Ken. I really hope you’ll think of something better than what you have told me until now, Wasa tells Telum as he heads for the door. Ken closes the door behind Wasa and locks it. So? What did you find? asks Wasa. I managed to find the video of what happened after we left Kei’s place the second time. Kei apparently jumped out the windows and a minute later it seems smoke started to come out of his apartment. But, we didn’t get to see who or what or why, since people evacuated and they probably blended in with the crowd, says Ken. How is this important information? asks Wasa. Because, I didn’t stop there. Remember ten years ago, after all that happened. All residential buildings were required at least a pair of security cameras for homes and for apartment buildings you need at least three. One at the front entrance, one at the back entrance and one in the elevator, says Ken. So you called the security firm to send you the footage, says Wasa. Yes. And we got video footage of that X guy in the elevator. And pretty sure that if I looked even further into it, I’d find Yellow too. But I hurried to print the photo of the guy and call back the security firm to see if anyone recognized him and them headed here to tell you all this, says Ken excitedly. So what do you want to do now? asked Ken.

We’ve searched through so much shit, says Ram. Stop complaining and keep looking, says Mary. But is this even worth it? Think about it. If you wanted to kidnap someone, would you be so dumb to let a weapon or anything behind? asks Pincer. Yes, says Kei. Why? asks Mary. Because this place is already filled with weapons and all sorts of weird and dubious things. Why wouldn’t you hide a weapon here? Didn’t you say it earlier? Needle in the haystack, says Kei. Well, it says if you step in this stuff, you’ll have luck. I don’t feel lucky right now, says Mary as she looks around. But why a criminal? asks Ram. Because who cares what happens to a criminal? asks Kei. Yes, but why? What do you do with a criminal? asks Ram annoyed. Fuck ‘em? asks Kei whilst shrugging. Drug them? asks Pincer. Experiment on them! exclaims Mary. But why? asks Ram again. Because they need to find a way to re-do what they did ten years ago, of course. Why do you think that what happened ten years ago didn’t happen again? They didn’t know how to reproduce it. But, then, ten years later and many other tries it worked. Not how they hoped it would, but it worked. But they still don’t know why. So, what would you do? Get some criminals and experiment on them. And if I were them, I’d get one of each zodiac sign, says Kei excitedly. What the…

If you liked this episode of The Horrorscope then don’t forget to like, share and comment. If you want to keep the short stories free and want more of them, you can always donate at: https://www.paypal.me/RaulFO

The Horrorscope - Episode 36: The Darkness at the Beginning of the Tunnel

What now? asks Hull. Well, now we wait for the UN to respond. If they won’t, the people will. But until then, do me a favor and call all available units from the outskirts to surround the area where that criminal named Mary disappeared. And the rest have them patrol and guard the UN buildings in the city, says Wasa. Will do, says Hull. Wasa goes down, opens the door and looks at him. How are you holding up, Telum? Telum nods. For how many years have we known each other, Telum? How many years have we worked to have a tight lipped and tight knit group here? Yes, that’s right. Quite a while now. So, I do wonder why this is happening the way it is happening. Why did you leave the building before it exploded? Why did you do nothing when Bala’s head was crushed? Why does that feel like it wasn’t a coincidence? And you know it makes no sense for you not to talk, right? Since you presume yourself to be innocent. Or are you hiding something? asks Wasa. I’m hiding nothing. But you aren’t willing to listen, says Telum. When was that ever true, Telum? Now, try me. You’d might surprise yourself, says Wasa with a wicked smile on his face.

Hey, says Ram. Is this the spot? asks Kei. Yes, says the officer that hailed them. Anyone suspicious around? asks Mary. Not that I’ve seen. Is he okay? asks the officer as Kei looks insistently as his hooves. Yes, don’t mind him. He did the exact same thing to Phenos, from what I’ve heard, says Pincer. So, that’s the hole you’ve found the hand in, says Ram. Yes, says the officer. Okay, but couldn’t it be that it came more up the street and got stuck here? asks Kei. It is possible, says the officer. Right, but then how do you trace it back? It could have come from anywhere in the city. And it’s not like blood doesn’t wash away, Kei mumbled. Well then, we were wrong. Weren’t we? asks Ram. What do you mean? asks Pincer. Well, if this was in any way a trap, it’s not a good one since their bait floated away, continued Ram. Kei starts laughing. What? asks Ram. You completely misunderstood. That’s not the bait. We’re the bait, says Kei. What bait? asks the officer. Kei looks down at the officer’s waist to see a gun. Oh, don’t you worry about it, says Kei. So, what should we do? asks Mary. Want us to split? Or are we going together? asks Pincer. Have you never read any books? Or seen any movies? asks Kei. We’re going together, but with some distance between each other. That way if one misses something, the other can see it, says Kei. You heard him. Let’s go, says Ram.

It still feels odd, says Wasa as he sits across from Telum. Were you followed? asked Wasa. Not that I know of, says Telum. Then do tell me. How do you think they knew about what you were doing? asks Wasa. I don’t know, Telum says as he looks at Wasa. Well, that’s the problem. It’s not just that you had to leave the building and that by coincidence everything else happened. You failed to protect your partner. You failed to protect a civilian. You failed to bring any answer or lead. So, from my perspective, it looks like you managed to sabotage this investigation. Now how exactly can I trust you? Since there are clearly rats in this place and right now, you are our only lead into that, says Wasa. But, couldn't’ve been any other from, before he can even finish Wasa interrupts him. No. Ken and Bala never strayed from the pack, says Wasa. But what about Kei? asked Telum What about a civilian that never set foot here? asks Wasa. Nothing, says Telum as he lowers his head. Well, this is just heartbreaking, says Wasa as he picks something up from the table. A knock on the door…

If you liked this episode of The Horrorscope then don’t forget to like, share and comment. If you want to keep the short stories free and want more of them, you can always donate at: https://www.paypal.me/RaulFO

The Horrorscope - Episode 35: Trap for the Shadows

Come, we have to sneak out the back, says Ram. What? asks Mary. Wasa told us to get you to come with us, says Ram. Why? Where is he? she asks while looking around. Doing a press conference out front, distracting them. We have no time to spare, we need to find that criminal that was lost, says Ram. Fine, reluctantly she agrees as she picks up her jacket. Where are we going? asks Pincer. Downtown, says Ram. And who is this guy? asks Mary. Oh, right. Forgot to introduce you. Mary, Pincer, this is Kei. Kei, this are Mary and Pincer. There, everyone now knows each other, says Ram. The three kind of confused look at each other with an awkward smile. What do you think we’ll find? Ram asks Kei. I don’t know. But the fact that we will show up there will draw eyes upon us. Especially since you guys are dressed in your work attire and are escorting me there, he replied. Don’t worry about it. That’s why we have Pincer and Mary with us, says Ram as he stomps his hooves in excitement. Just look at him, he continued, he has the toughest skin I’ve ever seen in my life, he says as he hits Pincer’s red orange shell skin. But where downtown are we going? asks Mary. In the sewers. Hopefully, you guys aren’t squeamish, says Ram whilst laughing.

What is the plan? What do you expect to happen next? asks the press. In all honesty, I do not know. What I would wish for is for UN to finally do something. It feels like we’ve gone long enough without any answers. Without any real relief for what happened, And with the hope that people will forget. But we did not, could not, have not forgotten what happened. We still remember those dear to us that we lost that day. The planet mourned their losses and yet, here we are. With another dead man on our hands. With ex-convicts disappearing suddenly. And our hearts once again broken. Something has to change. And if it won’t we will have to take a stance to change things ourselves as people. We did not unite for the death of our fellow men, women and children to be swept under the rug and for those filth that brought that upon us to roam the world freely, says Wasa. But what did you do? Since you have suspects yet no leads, asks the press. We couldn’t do much, sadly. The suspect we had on the tragedy from ten years ago, cannot communicate. We’ve brought in experts and we cannot find a way to talk, write, or do anything, sadly. But, we the death of our colleague, we found new leads and new suspects. Which we are currently and actively pursuing. We will give you more details as the situation develops. Thank you, says Wasa as he leaves and the crow explodes into noise.

What do you think Wasa’s plan was with this? asks Ram. Well, he probably wants to draw as much attention to this as possible. If we have two definitive suspects, two unknowns and one other lead with this missing criminal. It is also possible to create as much uproar as possible and make them panic in order to make them act or make some kind of mistake, says Kei. So, we are cannon fodder, says Pincer. We’re bait. Otherwise he wouldn’t’ve sent me with you guys, says Kei. Well, let’s hope they’re dumb enough to come alone after us, says Mary. I don’t know about that. If they were watching the press conference they might have consolidated. Whatever move they make next, must be a precise one. Or they must go back into hiding, says Kei. But do you think after killing a man, burning an apartment and exploding the police precinct these guys will go back into their hole? asks Ram. Seems they’re risking a lot, says Ram. I don’t know, but it’s always possible, says Kei. Let’s hope that this shitty lead will take us somewhere at least, says Mary as they park the car. Or at least that someone bites the bait, says Kei. I don’t want anything to bite me, says Ram as they get out of the car. Hey you! screams someone at them.

If you liked this episode of The Horrorscope then don’t forget to like, share and comment. If you want to keep the short stories free and want more of them, you can always donate at: https://www.paypal.me/RaulFO

The Horrorscope - Episode 34: Lighting the Fire

Ken, you’ll handle the data base search and the video on Kei’s apartment. And please get me officer Hull as you leave. Thank you, says Wasa. Yes sir, says Ken as he leaves. What should I do? asks Ram. Take Kei and go find Mary and also get Pincer to go with you. You’ll need the help, says Wasa. And what will you do? asks Ram as Hull enters the office. Officer Hull, please inform the press that will have a press conference in 5 minutes outside the precinct, says Wasa. Sir, yes, sir! says Hull. That’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to announce the death of Scorpian, that we have at least five suspects and that there are missing persons, says Wasa. But why? asks Ram. Didn’t you say that until now you didn’t go public as to not create panic? he continued. Yes, but I think you all are right. The UN has done nothing and we haven’t done much either. We need to put pressure on those above us to do something and on those killers by having them know we are onto them, says Wasa. Okay, but you are inviting more and more danger your way, says Kei. Well, luckily for us, we’re still immortal and we’re the police. And this time, we’ll be prepared for them, says Wasa. Good luck, sir, says Kei as he and Ram leave his office.

Hey, Mary. Do we have a working computer? asks Ken. Yes, why? Yours’ fried too? she asks. Yeah. And I need some traffic footage and access to both criminal and the driver’s license databases, says Ken. Need some help? she asks. No, thank you though. I’m looking for something very specific. So, I’d like to do it myself, says Ken. Oh, I haven’t seen you so fired up in a while, says Mary. Well, after so many years, you it feels like things are finally moving. So, where is the PC? asks Ken. In the storage, right after evidence. To your left after you enter the room, down on the floor. There should be a couple of those older models from five years ago or so, says Mary. How do you know that? asks Ken. I like to know where things are in case they might come handy later, like now, she says as she hands him the keys to the storage room. Thank you, Ken says before leaving. Ken! she shouts. He turns around. Good luck! Hope you find what you’re looking for, she says. Thanks, says Ken. Why did this feel so sad? he asked himself as he puts his hand to his chest. I can’t get distracted. I need to concentrate now. Come on Ken, you’re better than that, he tells himself as he gets to the storage room.

Hello everyone. Thank you for coming on such a short notice. I know you all have been waiting to get some answers in regards to what happened and I am grateful you kept your distance and let us do our work, says Wasa as the press has its eyes on him. I want to begin by saying that this was indeed a terrorist attack. It was an attack on peace, it was on attack on law and law enforcement, it was an attack to our principals as people. 58 officers were badly wounded, and sadly, 12 had their heads crushed, be it by debris, the explosion or some other way. Those 12 will have to restart their lives. And they might never be who they were before, just a shadow of their former selves. This is just one of the two major tragedies that struck us here. The other, is that after ten years, another one of us died. The press explodes as they clamor. I will answer all your questions. The press subsides to murmurs as they shuffle around. Yes, a two days ago, detective Bruce Scorpian was found lifeless in his apartment. We have five suspects as of now and are currently investigating the matter. We will inform you as the situation develops. Regarding the tragedy that has befallen us ten years ago, we do have one suspect. And as a one last thing, people have began disappearing, so please be aware, especially if you were a criminal and served your sentence, someone seems to be targeting you, says Wasa as the press erupts again.

If you liked this episode of The Horrorscope then don’t forget to like, share and comment. If you want to keep the short stories free and want more of them, you can always donate at: https://www.paypal.me/RaulFO

agrypnia: Every Dream Is A Nightmare - The Pilot Program 2021

Sleeping is dangerous, you never know what psychopath awaits you on the other side... There are no good dreams, there are only lucky ones. And once your mind can dream, the only one you can rely on, is not your friends, not your family, but only on yourself.

Hello, I hear in the darkness. How’s life over there? The voice asked.

It’s horrible. I can’t find my parents. I can’t find any of my friends. Food is getting scarce since no one can really work well. And I have no idea where I live. I’m sleeping under a bridge right now!

Oh how pitiful. But, you know, I know that you are lying to me. How? I can hear it in your voice. Yes. That’s right.

I hate my own voice.

By the way. Have we met before?

I don’t know? How could I know? I can’t see you. It’s pitch black right now. I hear him start laughing.

Oh no. How did you survive all this time, Theo? He continues to laugh.

What do you mean? Why are you laughing?

We are not that stupid, now are we? This is a dream, isn’t it. You are conscious within a dream, aren’t we?

Yes, I shout loudly.

Around my neck I feel two hands tightening and squeezing hard. It’s suffocating.

You see... You can feel everything, it’s like magic, he says whilst squeezing even harder on my neck. Yes, and you get to make those horrible noises and suffer at your own stupid hands.

I try to scratch my way out of his hands as I start to flail trying to kick him. But, he starts to punch me in my sides, in my stomach, in my ribs, over and over again with his hands still around my neck.

Don’t worry. I won’t kill you. I’m just curious. He says while he keeps punching me. I have to wonder, dear Theo. How did you get to have such a nice life, he says as he drops me. So, why don’t you stop lying to me and get to the truth. There’s no way you were lucky enough for 26 years. There’s no way you didn’t run into some atrocious monster in this vast pool of infinite infinities and have not lost to at least one of them. So, what’s your secret? What do you bargain with? How did you beat the rest? I ask, because I don’t know about you… But, I use this time more for unloading all my anger issues at myself and at this cursed world we live in. It simply keeps me happy and motivated while awake. You can call this some form of therapy. Why? Because like you, I barely got to know my parents. Who knows how lost they are and in which hellhole they are. So sometimes, like now, I meet someone interesting. Which means, I got to know how you survived and why are you so calm about this?

Because there’s nothing I can do about it, can I? I can’t help but fall asleep. I can’t help but be dragged into these nightmares. And there is nothing I can do about it. So, if I’m lose and am beaten or even killed. Who cares? All the friends I make change, disappear and die. I don’t have a family. And even if I did, I wouldn’t know where to even find them. I don’t know why, I don’t know how, I don’t know shit about fuck all. So, I try to live wherever.

Well, that’s boring. You’d think someone that grasps the general pieces of this would understand the concept behind it all. Guess I was wrong. Now, I have to wonder if you are even worth left living, he says as he cracks his knuckles. So, I’m going to do you a favor. And trust me when I say this, it is going to be a favor to kill you. I’ve seen nightmares which you can’t even comprehend. I’ve heard stories which haunt me to this days. So, if you think your place in this universe doesn’t matter. If you take whatever life you have for granted. If you reduce yourself to something less than a roach. It is going to be my pleasure to reduce you to atoms. That way, at least, you’ll have a purpose again. You’ll literally matter, he says as I hear him walk towards me.

Wait! I shout at him. You said you wanted to know how I survived all these 26 years, right?

Yes, he says as he stops.

Kill me, try to take my place. Do anything to pull me out of the place I am in right now. And you will die.

He starts laughing.

What do you think I am? Fucking stupid? That’s clearly a bluff, he says whilst getting even closer.

No. No, I am not. There is a timer and an alarm. If I don’t wake up within 8 hours and 15 minutes after I have fallen asleep, a stake will pierce my heart. If you’ll take my place, you will die. Why? Because there is a fine way to getting out of the bed without setting off the contraption. Tempt me, and I will take you down with me. I might not be as strong as you. But, what I do have, is no fear of dying. You wanted to know how I survived. This is how. Like a coward, even if I have to kill myself over twice.

You fucker… Fine… But, don’t think you’re out of the woods yet. You might’ve survived tonight, but, you never know what’s waiting for you next time you’ll fall asleep…

If you liked this short story and want more of it, like, share, comment and re-read it. That way, you can make sure to cast your vote for it to become the short story series for 2022. This is the last of the eight yearly short story pilots, which means, one of the eight will become the short story for 2022. And you choose which. And if you want to keep the short stories free, you can always donate at https://www.paypal.me/RaulFO