Hole in a Field, Chap 25

A little while ago I wrote a short story for the L. Ron Hubbard "Writers of the Future Contest".  I did not win, and I know why, my story is really more horror than Science Fiction or Fantasy.  But I decided that I will post each chapter here on my blog.  There are 37 very short chapters, for a total of 15,000 words, about a fifth of a modern novel.  Here is the start.

Chapter 25:

“You want to know what is going on?”  The Not-Allison was still standing there with the discolored and steadily more hideous face of Todd’s friend, speaking to him in hisses and menace that is reserved for bullies trying to lull false security from a victim before knocking them all the harder when they least suspect.

“If you could fill me in on all of that, I think that would be really helpful.”  Todd was now debating whether or not he had the mental fortitude to shoot what used to be his friend if the threat to his safety dictated him to do so. He acknowledged again that his Kit firearm was at the base of his spine, but decided that he would prefer to not have to find out, and put it out of his mind.

“Okay, here is what is going on:  I, Allison, came to this little bit of nowhere with you, my little crush, Todd.  We were supposed to meet some other people to work with, your friends Wilton and Clair, and some other guy, who are probably all dead at the bottom of this little hole, who evidently didn't get the call to wait for us.

"I then crept into the darkness trying to impress you, and now here I stand before you a changed woman.”  All the color was now gone from her skin but was returning in selective fashion. Her lips were brighter, the skin around them was turning an even brighter red, her eyelids also were turning bright red along with the rest of the areas around her eyes.  She looked menacing and cartoonish.

“Change back.”

“Sorry, can’t step into the same river twice," said Not-Allison.  "I don’t want to go back. I like it now, I like it here.  You’d like it too, Todd.  Just let me help you get there.  Come on Todd, you're the one who said for me to keep trying, you're the one who wanted this.”

"I did not want this."

Not-Allison rubbed her hands in a shaky unnatural pattern across her body and said in a mock seductive voice, "I think you want this."  She grasped and pulled off her gown and stood stark pasty white in front of Todd.  Not-Allison giggled and her body shook with the laughter.

Todd’s phone hummed with a text message. Todd grabbed it and held it up so he could glance between it and keep his eyes on Not-Allison.  The ID said it was from Allison, and it said: 'shoot that thing, its going to try and kill you.'

With that, Todd drew down. Not-Allison leapt at him, her hands like claws, and Todd squeezed the trigger.