More Tales Of Twisted Terror

Side Dish

Evie stood at the side of the window and watched as the food soldiers filed past, two by two. The first in line, fanning out, and searching, ..the rest carrying their finds in small cages. The sight sent a shudder through Evie`s small frame.

Evie recognized the neighbors three year old swinging by ,captive now , in one of the cages. He would go to the food farm and be fattened up before it was market time for him. There were several small dogs and some cats. The flesh eaters were out in force because of the upcoming holiday.

She shuddered at the thought of the next feast. She also was running out of the strength to evade them. Winter had come on and her sources of nourishment were becoming limited.

There was an old greenhouse on the other side of the city and soon ,before she became too weak, Evie knew she would have to chance going there. There just might be some vegetables left inside.

Before the takeover there had been plenty for all to eat but soon the flesh eaters had overpowered all and seemed to grow in number . They had consumed almost every living organism that they could until there was nothing left except their own kind and a few stray animals.

Evie`s parents and older relatives were among the first to be harvested for food. She herself had left home as soon as she had realized what was about to happen. Joining a small resistance group ,Evie had moved with them from place to place until most were captured by the flesh eaters. Everyone knew what their fate had been.

Her special friend in the resistance movement had been captured three days ago Four of the flesh eaters had set upon him when Evie and him were on a food foraging trip .Her last sight of Tor had been fighting a losing battle with them ,him screaming at her to run and she had obeyed. She had run until she could run no more.

It was dusk and soon would be dark. It would be much easier to move about then. Perhaps she could make it to the greenhouse. If not she would starve in this section of the city.

She was missing Tor terribly now. Shaking off her depression ,Evie ran her fingers through her dark hair, and strode to the doorway ,awaiting the first shrouds of night.

Evie slunk out as soon as she had the cover of darkness.She had mulled it over in her mind and had decided the safest route to her destination would be straight through the heart of the city as that was not where they would expect a Vegan to be.. Certainly not right in among them, therefore they would be less vigilant.

Doorway to doorway she went until she found a stairway. Up the stairs Evie quickly went ,stopping at the top to look and listen. There were footsteps ahead of her coming this way ,She darted into a doorway and leaned against the door and surprised ,felt it give .She tumbled backwards into the room and quickly sprang to her feet. The room was empty.

Breathing a sigh of thanksgiving , she looked around and saw a small doorway to her left. It was ajar. Haltingly Evie investigated. A small dressing room with a shower and feminine clothing hanging on a metal rack..

Dare she? Evie hadn`t had a bath in what seemed like years. Throwing caution to the wind she turned on the shower and stripped her ragged clothes off.

Once under the shower, the warm water on her naked body felt like heaven. In wonder , she picked up the soap and hastily began to lather her aching body. .For a moment she was transported back to her first meeting with Tor.

She had been sleeping in a small stand of trees when she was set upon by the food soldiers They had roughed her up quite a bit and tied her hands and feet together. Remarking how little and scrawny she was one had said that she would be a good specimen for the farm. Evie had screamed and screamed but to no avail. She had been carried off with no further ceremony.

They took her to an enclosure where she was made to shower and dress in a white sack type dress.. She was let out in an enclosure with other young girls. Some were pregnant. Looking closer Evie was shocked to see that some could not have been over twelve years of age. The girls were quite willing to talk and began to tell her of the place they were all held in. They looked at her with eyes so sad , some were rolled into a ball in corners, crying and wailing.Evie could tell that they had given in to madness.

They told Evie that this was a breeding station .One girl told her she was on her fifth pregnancy and four babies had been taken from her to be fattened up for the Flesh Eaters.

One of the girls had her hands bound behind her back.She was obviously in her eighth or ninth month of pregnancy.Evie was told that the girl had killed her last baby to save it from the flesh eaters.No matter about the bound hands, as she had told the others, she would gnaw her baby`s throat this time.

Covering her ears , Evie slowly lowered herself to the ground unable to understand the horror of her situation.

About that time she was grasped in a strong hold by two guards, ,one on either side,. telling her she was going to the breeding room. They had a new mate selected just for her. She could hear the nastiness and disrespect in their voices.

They had roughly dragged her to a small four- walled enclosure with another nasty smelling guard at the door. All the flesh eaters smelled badly to her . She knew it was because of their diet of flesh..

The guard opened the gate and the two who were dragging her, bodily threw her inside, still kicking and screaming with all her might.

In the half light Evie could see a form move towards her.It was a man and he did not give off the oder that the guards did.He reached for her and crushed her against him running his hands over her body and breathing hard.

Evie felt his lips on her throat and then they moved to her ear.She heard him whisper , ‘play along and when I say ‘GO’, we are out of here.’ Shocked ,Evie relaxed against him,sensing an ally..

The guard leaned over the gate ,leering .Actually he enjoyed the fringe benefits of his job. The man kept caressing Evie`s shivering body and manevering ever closer to the gate.

Suddenly he let go of Evie, and with one lunge, brought both his fists hard and forcefully upon each side of the guards surprised head.The man sank from sight and after grabbing Evie`s arm ,they were suddenly over the gate and running at full speed.

Losing these sad thoughts,Evie quickly shook the water from her hair and stepped from the shower, suddenly face to face, with a young woman in a maids1 uniform.She had been so lost in the warmth of the shower and her thoughts of Tor that she had not heard anyone enter the apartment. Evie cursed at herself for dropping her guard.

‘Missy, I am the replacement you asked for .I heard the shower and laid out your clothes for the feast. Your escort will be along shortly.I will help you dress and I hope you enjoy your dinner’,the young maid spoke in a way that gave Evie to know that the girl had never met the apartment`s true owner.Evie was saved, once again , and still remained safe for awhile.. Who knew how long that would be?

It seems to be best to play along ,and she allowed the maid to brush her wet curly hair and dress her in a pale mauve velvet dress with a long sweeping shirt. Oh, joy.. were she to run ,she would have to hike the skirt up above her legs.!

Evie caught sight of herself in the mirror. Peering closer she saw that she had matured and the girl child had quickly become a young woman and a pretty one at that .Blushing ,Evie wished that Tor could see her like this.

The maid brought out earrings and helped Evie fasten them on her ears.’You are ready ,Missy,all but your shoes‘, handing her low heels, but never the less heels..Evie groaned inwardly and slipped her feet into them.

There was a tinkling of a bell and the maid disappeared toward the front of the apartment .Evie looked wildly around. There was no way out of this place save the front door.

The maid returned and told that her escort and driver were waiting.He was also new and the maid hoped that Evie would find him satisfactory.Of all the luck,Evie was starting to believe in guardian angels!

The young man escorted her to a waiting vehicle below the stairs in front .There were many people on the street and all seemed to be hurrying in the same direction.Their smell was overpowering to Evie.She knew there were too many of them to outrun so she entered the car and her escort proceeded to drive her to the main part of the city where the feast was being held.

Pulling up to the entrance to the Great Hall, they were met by the doorman and Evie`s escort said to him, ‘Miss Du Luc, sir’. .She was then escorted into a long hall filled with people waiting to eat. Their heads turned as she entered ..and then turned back again to each other as they realized that she was just aother guest and not a waiter bringing their food.

Across the hall on spits were human bodies , turning slowing ,being basted with some manner of spices and broth.With a start, Evie recognized Tor as one of those roasting She almost swooned and went to her knees but strong arms caught her before she fell to the floor.

‘Miss Du Luc’, a male voice said,’you need to eat .You have grown weak from your fasting before the big feast’, .With that the man drew a chair from the side and seated her at the long table..’, You will be among the first served.’

Evie was in panic. Tor was dead.. dead!.. Nothing more than meat on a spit. Her fears had come true. She knew she was utterly alone now. The smells of the roasting flesh and the smells of these flesh eaters were almost more than she could bear. Were it not for the hatred welling up in her, tenfold for them, she would have collapsed on the floor moaning in grief and fear.

Evie was angry.. angrier than she had ever thought possible. She wanted to leap up and tear everyone that was in the hall limb from limb! She would find a way to make them pay .Make everyone of them pay dearly ..and she would except nothing less than each of their deaths. .nothing less! Her face became serene as a platter containing bits of roasted flesh was placed in front of her.

Evie steeled her soul and with vengeance already forming in her mind, she picked up a bit of flesh, and under the hall`s watchful eyes,.. slowly, began to chew..

The End

©2006 Faye Sizemore

The Plateye Twin

©2006 Faye Sizemore

In the low country of South Carolina,the Gullah folk still tell tales of the troublesome shapeshifter,the much feared plateye..

Emmie Sue had a problem..

Emmie Sue knew exactly what the problem was, She just did not know what to do about it .It was something she had just learned to live with. it. It had always been there.

The knock at her door turned out to be Mrs. Jerusha Evans Mills,faithful member of Emmie Sue`s church.She said she had come bearing messages.

Emmie Sue smiled as she listened to her friend compliment her on her singing at the church last Sunday. Her friend said no one had ever sung Amazing Grace in such a moving manner. The whole congregation was in awe.

Her caller told her that she should have stuck around to be congratulated. That was why Jerusha Evans was here today .She was carrying the congregation’s well wishes and compliments to Emmie Sue about her wonderful performance.

Emmie Sue nodded and thanked her for coming by. After seeing Mrs. Mills to the door, she leaned against it after she had closed it , and sighed. Things like this had been happening all her life. Emmie Sue had not gone to church in two weeks. Yet she had been seen there those two Sundays..

Life got a little complicated when one had a plateye attached to them like glue. Well, .at least this time it was something good and not like last month when everyone was sure they had seen Emmie Sue drunk and bawdy at the neighborhood saloon.

She had never, in her life, been to the Starlite Saloon.. It was that plateye that had been there, looking just like Emmie Sue.

Her plateye was a cross between angel and devil and had been around every since Emmie Sue could remember. She used to think ,when she was very young ,that it was a twin sister.

Emmie Sue soon had learned she had no sisters. The plateye was always there and most of the time looked identical to her.

The shape shifter had a sense of humor too. Emmie Sue had a terrible crush on Jason Collier and one day he started paying Emmie Sue loads of attention. He even lured her over to the corner of the school playground and attempted to kiss her.

Emmie Sue had closed her eyes and waited for the kiss. When it never came, she had opened her eyes, to be met with her own laughing face .That had been cruel but that was how the plateyes did things.

Sometimes they were good and sometimes they were bad.

The plateye had come to the pond where Emmie Sue, Jason and some other children , were swimming. . It had held Jason’s head under the water until he was almost dead. Everyone had thought it was Emmie Sue who had tried to drown Jason.

The children avoided her after that incident and Jason’s family had almost had her committed to an institution for disturbed children. Had it not been for her mother’s pleas,they would have. She had been placed under a doctors care.

Emmie Sue had tried to tell Dr. James about her plateye but to no avail. He gave her pills to take and her mother made sure she took them. They made Emmie Sue drowsy and gave the plateye almost free rein.

Life was not easy with a plateye for a companion, especially when no one else could see it.

Years had passed and Emmie Sue`s plateye showed no inclination to leave her.

Over time there had been many troubles and tragedies associated with her.

Word always seemed to get around. In this little town everyone knew everything about their neighbors and all their history and Emmie Sue was often a topic of their small talk.

Emmie Sue had loved her father dearly. One afternoon, as Emmie Sue`s mother had sat in the cool on the patio, waiting for them to join her, she heard a cry and saw her father pitch headlong down the steps of the open porch.

He had tumbled in what seemed slow motion, until he had hit the patio blocks below with a sickening crunch of his dear head..

Emmie Sue, screaming in horror, had seen a form upon the steps. It instantly faded and she knew it was the plateye. The plateye had tripped her father, just as she herself, had followed him out the front door.

After the funeral Emmie Sue had had to have her medicine increased because of such agitated and extreme grief. There had also been speculation in the small town as to her father having been pushed to his death by her.

No one would listen to her about the plateye.. not even her mother or Dr. James.

Her mother had enrolled her in the local sanitarium after that and that`s where Emmie Sue had spent several years until her mother had died and Dr. James had released her on her own, to be seen at the local clinic on a regular basis.

Seemingly they had made progress as she no longer talked about the plateye.

Her life had been a series of small misunderstandings because of her plateyes shenanigans. Most of her time was spent alone except for church occasionally, and of course, her clinic visits.

Emmie Sue waited in the lounge for her monthly appointment with Dr, James and leafed through a magazine to pass the time. There were several other patients there and it might be a long wait.

The door to Dr. James office swung open to let a patient exit and as it did, Emmie Sue saw her plateye already inside with the doctor.

At that exact moment there was the sound of a struggle coming from the office and attendants went rushing through the lounge to the office where the violent sounds were coming from. Emmie Sue saw her plateye bent over Dr. Evans as the attendants rushed in to grab her.

Suddenly, there were rough hands pulling at Emmie Sue and, in surprise and shock, she looked down and saw her own hands clinched tightly around old Dr.James bony throat, just below his bluish gray face. .

Quickly looking up again, just as she felt the prick of the needle, she saw through the still open door, her plateye sitting in the lounge, with her legs sedately crossed, reading a magazine.

As Emmie Sue watched, stunned, her plateye lifted its eyes from the magazine that it was reading and smiled at her above it, knowingly.....

The End