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angi.com. The

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1:48

Thanks for watching. Disclaimer.

2:35

Horror Hill is a horror anthology

2:37

podcast, bringing you scary stories from

2:40

all corners of the internet and

2:42

beyond. As such, certain

2:44

stories include content that some listeners

2:46

might find offensive. Listener

2:49

discretion is advised. Good

2:53

evening, my friends, and welcome

2:55

to Horror Hill. As

2:58

always, I'm your host, Eric Peabody,

3:00

and tonight we're going to be

3:02

reading two stories, both dealing with

3:05

forces outside of our natural world.

3:08

To open, we'll be covering The Eye

3:10

of the Storm by John Westrick. This

3:13

story is about a young man and

3:16

his grandfather in Florida doing their best

3:18

to tough out a hurricane. As

3:20

the Eye of the Storm approaches, both

3:22

are expecting a respite from the

3:24

chaos raging outside, but as

3:27

luck has it, they couldn't be further from

3:29

the truth. Then

3:31

to close out tonight's episode,

3:34

we'll read Familiar Acceptance by

3:36

Shane H. Sillars. Tom

3:39

and Jason are two researchers on

3:41

a secret government project, and they've

3:43

just been called in very early

3:45

on a weekend. Upon

3:47

arriving, they learn that some unknown

3:49

entity has breached the facility. This

3:52

creature has certain abilities that make it

3:54

very hard to detect, And

3:57

several people are already dead. It's

4:01

a race against time to start the

4:03

creature before it reaches the wider world.

4:07

You're. Listening to the standard edition

4:09

of this program. If you'd like

4:11

to help support horror show and

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also remove these pesky ads had

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to Chilling Tales for Dark nights.com

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and click patrons in the upper

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menu to sign up. Today you'll

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get instant access to hundreds of

4:24

and free stories and we'd and

4:26

scale back some as our. Less

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savory means of generating money for

4:32

the show. Find a way you

4:34

wouldn't happen to still have all

4:36

of your Orc. Switch. And.

4:46

Now from author John West Rec

4:48

I give you. The. I have

4:51

to storm. The.

4:55

Storm slithered across the country side

4:58

consuming all and it's path. Hurricanes

5:01

are nasty, especially in

5:03

southern Florida. This. One

5:05

was a category for with sustained winds

5:07

one hundred and fifty miles per hour.

5:10

Most. People evacuated such a

5:12

storm, but not my grandpa.

5:15

The. Man is a stubborn as a boulder

5:17

with less emotion. The boot. He's.

5:20

Hard difficult to live, but

5:22

not entirely without his charm.

5:25

He's. Faithful, slow and steady and

5:27

always does what he says.

5:30

Grandfather. Cut from a different

5:32

class. old school through and through.

5:35

His face as as severe as the

5:37

storm and his demeanor equally so. No.

5:40

One would consider him a pleasant man,

5:42

not even as mice. For. This

5:44

reason he lives alone and Henry county

5:46

on a plantation. I

5:49

found myself stuck in the cross

5:51

hairs of this ungodly devastation for

5:53

his sake. I was worried for

5:55

him. And his oldest grandchild

5:57

so I sent responsible to care for him.

6:00

To this day I regret

6:02

my decision. And left me

6:04

scarred. Sleep. The eludes

6:07

me. I lay in my bed

6:09

unable to keep my eyes closed.

6:11

And. The stillness is the early morning.

6:14

I hear desperate cries.

6:17

I told myself there was nothing I could

6:19

do. This is probably

6:22

true. But. Seer stole

6:24

my breath away. And

6:26

was powerless to stop some. Storms

6:29

are the worst. The. Panic

6:31

attacks began. The. Memories come

6:34

back in a flood of emotions. I

6:37

remember how the details. To.

6:39

Hear the screams. The

6:41

noises snow human mouse to

6:43

produce. My. Therapist says

6:45

their fantasies my mind conjured to

6:48

distract me from my loss. I

6:51

want nothing more than to believe this.

6:54

And I know it's not so. I

6:57

saw the I. The

7:01

crotchety old bastard shouted. Jeb.

7:03

move your ass. storms. Approach him restore need.

7:05

gather all the cattle of the barn. Thoroughly.

7:09

Regretting my decision to help the old

7:11

man, I responded, i'm going as fast

7:13

as I can. Yelling at me isn't

7:15

gonna make it better. At

7:18

this point the wind was whipping through

7:20

the trees. the rain was pelting us

7:23

in the face, feeling like pinpricks on

7:25

are exposed skin. This. Was

7:27

so stupid. The old man had

7:29

insurance on the farm and all

7:31

damages would be recompensed. Loves.

7:34

Us makes you do dumb things.

7:37

The. Old Man was the only family I have

7:40

last. My. Mom died in childbirth

7:42

and my dad drank himself to

7:44

death. Suicide. One

7:46

sip it time. Death.

7:48

By the bottle. I

7:51

was left alone with no family members who

7:53

cared for me. No. Legal

7:55

Guardian and the age of fourteen.

7:58

Confused. Loss. bouncing

8:01

from couched couch. Consumed.

8:03

By anger at my mother for abandoning

8:05

me. Disgust. For the

8:08

weakness of my father. And. Jealousy

8:10

of my friends who had loved ones.

8:13

This. Is how Terence Terry

8:15

Clearwater sound Me. He

8:18

took me an without a second thought. As

8:20

level headedness grounded me. The. Old

8:22

man was the only consistent thing in my

8:25

life. He genuinely saves

8:27

me. Guilt.

8:29

And shame shatter my heart

8:31

when I remember this. A

8:33

debt to my Grandpa will forever

8:36

be unpaid. When. He

8:38

needed me most. I

8:41

froze. The.

8:43

Storm roars, A. Surprise

8:45

me how loud hurricanes could be.

8:47

A war was being sought outside,

8:50

an onslaught of wins and rain

8:52

against the longevity of the trees

8:54

and stones. Judging. From the

8:56

noise. Seemed as if the

8:58

storm was winning. We.

9:01

Made our way and doors, stacking

9:03

the heaviest beds and dressers against

9:05

the windows. We. Weren't keen on

9:07

having a branch tossed through the window

9:09

to impale anyone. I. Began

9:11

to sell the bath tubs and sinks with

9:13

water, knowing that at any time the power

9:15

to go out. After

9:17

we saw confident enough in our fortifications,

9:20

the two of us gathered in the

9:22

living room. To distract ourselves

9:24

from the tempest huffing and puffing

9:26

and trying to blow our house

9:29

down. Adult Out Cards. I.

9:32

Was in the second game of poker

9:34

when the lights began. Slicker. Before.

9:36

We could even finish our hand. The lights

9:38

were out altogether. For. A

9:41

seconds we sat in the dark listening

9:43

to the wind and rain. Was

9:46

oddly peaceful. And

9:48

that was the last peaceful moment I

9:50

had with my Grandpa. Sometimes.

9:53

I wake up to tears staining

9:55

my pillow case, yearning for that

9:58

moment again. I

10:00

don't think I would light the candles. I

10:03

would just let the moment linger. Stretching.

10:05

It out for as long as possible.

10:08

I miss his gruff voice and

10:11

dress hands. The. Sturdy pad on

10:13

my shoulder. The signature way of

10:15

showing me that he cared for me. He

10:18

never outright said he loved me.

10:20

That. It was clear by his actions. Words.

10:24

Are cheap, But. Actions

10:26

are invaluable. He.

10:29

Was. Invaluable to me, Or

10:32

ignited the flashlight and let a sufficient

10:34

number of candles. My. Nose was

10:37

assaulted by roaring cents. Each.

10:40

Tried to compete with it's counterpart. The.

10:42

Room smelled of pomegranates and

10:45

maple, cinnamon and ocean breeze.

10:47

Any smell imaginable was present.

10:50

The. Smells made me queasy. At

10:53

least that's what I thought than.

10:56

Looking. Back at it. Now I'm convinced

10:58

somewhere in my subconscious and was aware

11:00

of what was about to happen. My.

11:04

Grandpa grabbed his portable battery operated radio

11:06

the one he used to listen to

11:08

ball games and switched it to the

11:10

local weather channel. In. A

11:12

crackling, static a tone. The weather host

11:14

predicted that the eye of the storm

11:16

should be passing Henry County in the

11:19

next few minutes. The. Charming

11:21

woman's voice promised that the worst had

11:23

passed. There shouldn't be much more to

11:25

worry about. She. Advised us to

11:27

stay hunkered down and wait the remainder of

11:29

the storm out. The.

11:31

Woman could not have been more

11:33

wrong. The storm

11:36

in one final torrent of

11:38

ungodly fury. Blue. With

11:40

all it's combined strength. An

11:42

awful ripping, nice a crack,

11:45

and an explosion. The.

11:47

Hundred year old oak in our

11:49

front yard smashed through the kitchen

11:51

window. I. remember staring up

11:53

through the gaping hole in the

11:55

ceiling seeing the pitch black of

11:57

night dark and by the suffocating

11:59

clouds and whipping winds, I

12:02

felt as if I was staring into the depths

12:04

of the abyss itself. The

12:07

storm at that moment ceased. No

12:10

more wind, no rain. The

12:12

clouds parted so that the moon was visible.

12:15

It was full, the eye of

12:17

God peering down on us. I

12:20

stared perplexed at the moon. It

12:23

was the color of blood congealed on

12:25

a corpse. The visage

12:27

was malevolent by nature. It

12:30

was not the celestial body I was used to. It

12:33

was foreign, uncomfortably large.

12:36

The moon seemed to open wide

12:39

and swallow the night sky. This

12:42

false moon had one dark

12:44

spot in the center, a

12:47

pupil in the center of an eye.

12:49

The longer I looked at it, the

12:51

more it peeked into the depths of my

12:54

soul. It was

12:56

alive. More than that,

12:58

it meant harm. I was

13:00

certain of this. I can't tell you

13:03

how I knew it, but there

13:05

was no doubt. The

13:08

night sky, other than the crimson

13:10

glow radiating from that celestial eye,

13:13

was darker. It

13:15

wasn't merely darkness. It

13:17

was inky blackness, void

13:20

of any light. It

13:22

was the sky bathed in pitch. No

13:26

light refracted. No

13:28

light illuminated. My

13:30

flashlight's beams seemed to be choked in the

13:32

night, an anorexic illumination

13:34

emitting from the spotlight. Where

13:37

my LED light should have ignited the

13:39

sky like an offspring of the sun

13:42

itself, it barely allowed me to

13:44

see the far wall of the room. It was

13:46

as if the cruelty of the storm split

13:49

the fabric of our reality only

13:51

to have the hole filled by this

13:53

monstrosity. Perhaps that's

13:56

exactly what occurred. I'm

13:58

not sure. explain

14:00

what I saw. I just know that

14:02

my grandpa was there, and then

14:05

after the storm, he

14:07

wasn't. Regardless

14:09

I found my adolescent self staring

14:12

at the night. I

14:14

can't rightly tell you how long me

14:16

and my grandpa stood, looking at the

14:18

eye and the sky. We

14:20

didn't speak. What was there to say?

14:23

We were glued to

14:25

our spot, necks contorted, eyes

14:28

locked on the celestial body. I'm

14:30

not even sure I blinked once the

14:32

entire time. My eyes

14:34

refused to break the soul gaze

14:36

for one moment. Soul

14:39

gaze it was. I

14:41

understood vileness at that moment.

14:44

I met true darkness. Fear

14:47

did more than fill my heart.

14:49

It consumed me. A

14:51

shadowy beast tearing into my sanity.

14:55

I felt myself wandering, my

14:57

consciousness being lost forever. It

15:01

was the blood curdling cries and

15:03

that inky blackness that broke my

15:05

mind's wandering. It was off

15:07

in the distance, but I could not locate

15:09

the origins. The darkness did

15:11

more than distort the light. The

15:14

sound was odd. It

15:16

was as if the night had substance to it,

15:18

causing the sound waves to bounce off of it.

15:21

Echo location was impossible. One

15:24

moment the sound would come from behind me. The

15:27

next would be just outside of my

15:29

field of vision. I couldn't

15:32

tell if the creatures were leagues

15:34

away or if they lurked

15:36

right outside of sight. A

15:39

different type of fear seized me. This

15:42

kind was animalistic and natural,

15:44

whereas the previous type was

15:46

philosophical and soul-wrenching. There

15:49

was a predator on the loose.

15:52

My mind could comprehend. Before

15:55

that eye in the sky induced a

15:57

fear that ripped at my understanding entirely.

16:00

It was something superseding my

16:02

insignificant intellect. Still,

16:05

my body became erect. My

16:08

senses fired on all cylinders,

16:10

attempting to detect and protect.

16:13

The carnal portion of my mind took over,

16:15

self-preservation kicked in, and I

16:18

unconsciously shuffled towards my grandpa. My

16:22

instincts remembered how it was like in

16:24

those earlier days, those days

16:26

when we weren't the top of the food

16:28

chain. Humans are

16:30

herd creatures by nature. We

16:33

build sprawling metropolises so we don't have

16:35

to remember those days when creatures stalked

16:37

us in the night. We

16:40

try so hard to banish the

16:42

darkness with our artificial light, yet

16:44

still we wake screaming in the

16:46

middle of the night from those phantom

16:49

memories from our ancestors. Those

16:52

memories of monsters and

16:54

creatures so evil we try to forget.

16:57

We haven't forgotten, and

17:00

neither have they. We

17:03

huddled there, me and my grandfather,

17:05

under the dinner table, unwilling to

17:07

make a sound, hoping,

17:09

praying, that the how-wolves would fall off

17:12

in the distance. Now

17:14

such thing happened. Fear

17:16

muddled our minds and we could hardly even

17:19

breathe. Eventually, my

17:21

grandfather whispered in a voice

17:23

barely audible, we need

17:25

to get to the attic. We're exposed

17:27

here. We'd stand a better chance of

17:30

hiding. Also my guns are

17:32

in the lockbox there. Mostly

17:34

because I lacked a better plan myself and

17:37

I was petrified to be alone, I followed

17:40

him as we crept from under the table to

17:42

the corner of the room. On

17:44

all fours we crawled from one side of

17:46

the room to the other, careful

17:48

to not make a sound. The

17:51

cries were getting desperate, hollering,

17:54

slobbering noises produced in the back

17:57

of the throat. I

17:59

made my blood. the run goals. In

18:02

the dim light of my flashlight, I

18:04

saw my grandfather trembling. His.

18:06

Hands shook and to say screw

18:09

sweaty. The. Bees your

18:11

calls were terrifying, but I'd

18:13

never seen my Grandpa scared.

18:16

This absolutely paralyzed me with

18:18

see her. My. Grandpa survive

18:20

the Korean War, the Vietnam War,

18:23

and help train people in Desert

18:25

Storm. If he was

18:27

worried. Then. I knew we

18:29

were in dire straits. We.

18:31

Weren't moving fast enough? I

18:34

was deadly afraid that those creatures talking

18:36

us would catch. As

18:38

we barreled forward, scuttling as fast as

18:41

we dared, we turned the hall to

18:43

run face to face with one is

18:45

as creatures. It resembled

18:47

a dog. I mean

18:50

this in the loosest way possible. It

18:53

was made his shadow. I

18:55

don't mean it was shadowy. I

18:57

mean the body was formed by

19:00

the swirling darkness. Its.

19:02

Paws were too large for the

19:04

sleek frame, extended even longer by

19:06

cruel clause protruding from it's temps.

19:10

The. Beast had twisted spines piercing

19:12

it's band back. It's.

19:14

Skin was flaky like it was

19:16

afflicted with serious case of move.

19:19

From God I was unable to

19:21

see the creatures face. Its

19:23

ears were notched instead or act.

19:26

They. Shortened and lengths and in a

19:28

mesmerizing pattern that was oddly pleasing to

19:30

the I. We. Backed

19:33

away slowly making sure we didn't

19:35

lose sight of the demon dog.

19:37

In. Reverse we made our way to the living

19:39

room, hoping to make it to the staircase.

19:42

As we stood at a we heard

19:44

a scratch. My.

19:48

Head twist and was breakneck speed to get

19:50

a glimpse of a second creature climbing through

19:52

the whole created by the fallen tree. We.

19:55

Were exposed to it. The. creature

19:57

only had a looked up from it's

19:59

incessant scratching see us. Forgetting

20:02

all pretenses, we climbed to our

20:04

feet, scrambling across the hardwood hallway

20:06

for the living room. I

20:08

wasn't even trying to hide my footfalls.

20:10

I fled with all my might. My

20:13

grandpa was right behind me. The

20:16

creatures heard our ragged breathing and

20:18

our heavy footfalls, and

20:20

in seconds they were in hot pursuit.

20:23

Snarls and slobbering yowls echoed

20:25

down the hallway after us.

20:28

Panic seized me and I ran faster

20:30

than I ever thought possible. When

20:33

I made it to the stairway, I turned to

20:35

look back. My grandpa was a few

20:37

strides behind me. The creatures

20:39

were barreling towards him. He wasn't

20:42

going to make it. Our

20:44

eyes locked, and I saw

20:46

that he saw he wasn't going to make it.

20:49

His lips formed. I

20:51

love you, son. It was

20:54

the first time I had ever heard him

20:56

say it. Tears filled

20:58

my eyes. I knew I

21:00

ought to help him, yet my

21:02

feet remained locked firmly to the spot.

21:05

I watched as he changed course and began

21:07

to run towards the front door. The

21:10

creatures were drawn further away from me. Still,

21:13

I was unable to move. I

21:16

stood there, stunned, struck dumb in

21:19

the presence of my grandpa's final

21:21

heroic act. Time was

21:23

put on rewind, and for a second

21:26

I saw the man my bent grandfather

21:28

used to be. A glorious

21:31

man, young and full of

21:33

life. He stood tall, accepting

21:36

his death with stoic grace. My

21:39

grandpa turned to me and we locked eyes. A

21:42

moment passed, and then he bellowed, Go!

21:45

Get out of here! Grab the gun and

21:47

hide! As if

21:49

it was magic, the ice in my

21:51

veins melted. I moved

21:54

with the grace of an Olympic athlete. I

21:56

flung myself up the stairs three steps at a

21:58

time. I barely hurled through the spare

22:01

bedroom, slamming the closet door against the

22:03

plaster wall. I pulled the

22:05

drawstring for the attic door up above my head.

22:08

I shot up the pull-down ladder and

22:10

found myself in pitch darkness. If

22:12

I could only get to my grandpa's shotgun,

22:15

maybe I could help him. I cursed

22:18

my squeamish nature and caused my grandpa to

22:20

place the guns up there in the first

22:22

place. It couldn't be

22:24

too late. I couldn't lose him

22:26

too. He was all that

22:29

I had left. As

22:31

if to make a liar of me, immediately

22:33

I heard a familiar voice echoing

22:36

from downstairs. It

22:38

was my grandpa screaming.

22:41

Tears filled my eyes and my vision

22:44

began to sway. Those

22:46

screams. Those

22:49

god-awful pleas for help.

22:52

They tore great swaths out of

22:54

my still-beating heart. I

22:57

was consumed by those creatures, not

23:00

bodily, then emotionally. My

23:03

grandpa. My strong,

23:06

stubborn, and independent grandpa.

23:10

I was left alone again, in

23:13

the dark, with no one to guide

23:15

me. I collapsed to

23:17

my knees in that scorching attic. I

23:20

looked to the heavens, hoping to see God.

23:23

All I saw through a leaking

23:25

crack in the roof was

23:28

that damned eye. The

23:31

blood moon seemed to wink at me,

23:33

pleased with the activities of this night.

23:36

I heard the unearthly screeches of those

23:39

dogs taper off. It

23:41

was just me and the celestial

23:43

body. We stared at

23:45

each other for a moment. Then,

23:47

too, the eye

23:50

in the sky didn't want flesh.

23:53

It wanted this. It

23:56

wanted to gorge itself on my

23:58

pain, the kind that

24:00

remains, a kind

24:02

no doctor can heal with

24:04

clever medicines, the

24:06

insatiable pain of loss with

24:10

no hope of recovery, a

24:12

broken heart unable to be mended, guilt

24:15

for actions not taken and

24:19

prices not paid. I

24:21

used to think I was brave, a strong

24:24

man. Now I

24:27

know the truth, me and

24:29

that I both saw. I

24:32

am a coward, through and through,

24:35

willing to let those I love

24:37

pay the price while

24:39

I stay cowering in safety.

24:42

That night I protected my own

24:44

worthless skin, but I lost

24:47

my soul in the doing. With

24:50

one final glance I looked

24:52

and saw that eye, and

24:55

it saw me. I knew it, and it

24:57

knew me.

25:01

Then the winds picked up and

25:03

the clouds obscured that eye from

25:05

my sight. I would

25:07

like to say I've never seen it since, but

25:10

every time I close my eyes I

25:12

still see it. You

25:15

see, I live

25:17

my life under the watchful

25:19

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26:31

You've. Been listening to the Eye of

26:34

the Storm by John Was. And.

26:38

Now from Shane age sellers

26:40

I present. Familiar.

26:43

Acceptance. It

26:48

was an early Saturday morning when Jason pulls up

26:50

in front of my house. Grabbing.

26:52

My briefcase and Id card from the could

26:55

encounter a want to the front door. Careful

26:57

not to wake Janice and the kids who

26:59

were still tucked snugly in their bags. Outside,

27:02

the neighborhood was dark and

27:04

silent, the streetlights still buried.

27:08

Walking. Across the porch, the cool spring

27:10

morning nipped at my arms, causing me

27:12

to rub my hands together for warmth.

27:15

I. Descended the front stamps, taking a

27:17

moment to admire my manicured front

27:19

yard before entering the Cadillac. Inside,

27:22

the interior smelled of fresh leather

27:24

and strong coffee. As Jason turned

27:26

to greet me. Born.

27:28

In terms hobbies, Lebron. Would

27:31

have been better if I were still

27:33

sleeping I said duckling my seatbelt. Jason.

27:37

Chuckles shaking his head as he put

27:39

the Cadillac and Dries and started down

27:41

the quiet neighborhood street. So.

27:43

What's the deal with the all hands? on a

27:45

Saturday? I said looking out the

27:47

window is the car turned onto the main

27:50

road towards the base. And

27:52

the Colonel sent an order out last night. Seems

27:54

like the Or and D boys don't fuck some

27:56

for not. Sucking. are

27:58

indeed i hope this is as bad

28:00

as that autonomous recon trooper fiasco last

28:03

year." I groaned. The

28:05

previous year, R&D had airdropped a

28:08

fully armed recon droid for testing.

28:11

The only problem was it blew off

28:13

course, landing in a public park. Before

28:16

we found it, the droid had

28:18

used its 30mm chain gun to

28:20

blast two teenage dropouts. You

28:23

know, the clean-up on that job still makes me

28:25

want to take a shower, I said.

28:28

Jason nodded in agreement, his eyes concentrated

28:30

on the road as Casey Kasem announced

28:32

the next top 40 on the radio.

28:36

Together, Jason and I had worked at

28:38

the base for seven years, gaining

28:40

each other's respect and trust as fellow

28:42

scientific field agents. Despite

28:45

Jason being 52 and sporting at least 280 pounds, he performed

28:47

well. Generally,

28:51

field work is for the young pups,

28:53

like me, but the brass

28:55

wanted someone with seasoned experience. The

28:58

best they could do was a guy that

29:00

resembled a mall Santa Claus and enjoyed playing

29:02

Dungeons and Dragons. We

29:05

approached the main gate, where two military

29:07

policemen stopped us. The

29:09

first, a young private, checked our ID

29:11

cards, while an older sergeant used a

29:13

telephone to confirm our entry to the

29:15

base. After a few

29:17

minutes, the older sergeant entered his duty

29:20

shack, lowering the tire spike barriers and

29:22

raising the gate for our entry. From

29:25

there, we drove past several barracks until

29:27

reaching another guard gate for the base

29:29

lab. We're here,

29:32

Jason said, parking the car close to

29:34

the entrance. I

29:36

grabbed my briefcase from the floorboard and

29:38

exited the Cadillac. The sun

29:40

was just starting to crest over the

29:43

horizon as I surveyed the semi-empty parking

29:45

lot. Were we the

29:47

only ones to get the invitation? I

29:49

asked, looking at Jason as he struggled to

29:51

put on his white lab coat. Sure,

29:54

could be a need to know thing. You

29:57

drive on the way back, He replied,

29:59

tossing me the. The used the Cadillac. I

30:02

put the keys in my pocket and began

30:04

walking toward the front entrance where I scanned

30:06

my access card to unlock the door. The.

30:08

Lobby and side with sparsely decorated

30:11

with large potted plants that added

30:13

a soft touch to the sterile

30:15

white floor. Towards. The back

30:17

A guard sat behind a large cherry

30:19

wood desk that's linked to stainless steel

30:22

elevator. I took one

30:24

last look at the outside parking lot

30:26

as Jason entered behind me before walking

30:28

to the front desk. Good

30:31

morning, gentlemen. The. Young guard

30:33

said as he met us. Jason.

30:35

And I relinquished are Id cards to

30:37

the guard, a practice that was almost

30:39

automatic after years of working at the

30:41

lab. The. Guard pulled out a

30:44

clipboard silently inspecting as before placing a

30:46

phone call to the lower floor. This

30:49

is front desk may have missed or Timothy

30:51

Frazier and Mister Jason Bowler waiting for an

30:53

escort. The. On guard said into

30:55

the some. The. Guard listened

30:57

intently and then hung up the phone

31:00

escorting us to the elevator. An

31:02

electronic dane emitted from the control

31:04

box as the up arrow flashed

31:06

green. Jason rocked back

31:08

on his heels, whistling while the

31:10

guard resumed his front desk duty.

31:13

I. Pretended to look at my watch,

31:15

trying to avoid small talk when the

31:17

elevator door opened revealing Harker. Parker.

31:20

Was a big man, was short brown hair

31:22

and a mustache that would make Tom Selleck

31:25

jealous. As usual, he wore business

31:27

attire, but a ditch to the codes in

31:29

favor of a white button up shirt with

31:31

the sleeves rolled up. On.

31:33

His shoulder a brown leather strap

31:35

hung low with an Uzi submachine

31:38

gun attached. J.

31:40

Harker must have the hardware. Jason.

31:43

Said pointing toward the gun. Parker.

31:45

Grinned before motioning us on to the

31:48

elevator. Got as guard you

31:50

boys safely to the boss man. As

31:52

I entered the elevator, I couldn't help but

31:54

feel uneasy at the comment. Why?

31:57

Would we need an armed escort down in

31:59

the last. Sure, Security

32:01

was tight, but I'd never seen

32:03

Harker armed like this. My.

32:06

Thoughts were interrupted as the elevator

32:08

doors shot and began it's descent.

32:11

Did. You gentlemen camps the Redskins game last

32:13

night. Parker. Asked leaning against

32:15

the elevator law. Can.

32:17

Say I did I responded looking

32:19

back at Harper and then the

32:21

Jason. I'm in a ball

32:23

game and ten years. Jason. Said

32:26

for a look of admiration. Really?

32:29

By. Parker. Asked genuinely

32:31

perplexed by Jason's response.

32:34

Sunday. As my campaign day

32:36

currently I'm playing the key been

32:38

The Borderlands. Jason. Smiled.

32:42

This. Answer Seem to confuse Harker

32:44

even more. The. Elevator bounce

32:46

to stop the door opening to

32:48

reveal the main lab hallway. On.

32:51

Each side doors branched off to

32:53

various wings of the facility, illuminated

32:55

by the hum of bright fluorescent

32:57

lights. Are I?

32:59

gentleman and I got orders to escort you

33:01

to the break room and under the head you

33:04

are not to leave my side at any

33:06

time. We. Got fifteen minutes before meeting

33:08

with the Colonel, so do your business now.

33:11

Parker. Said stepping out of the elevator.

33:14

And. I'd like to visit the restroom first.

33:16

Jason. Said raising his hand like a

33:19

student would in the classroom. Parker.

33:22

Let out and audible sign. All

33:24

right, let's reverse the order of the

33:27

agenda. Us follow me. We.

33:29

Walked along our steps, squeaking on the

33:31

shiny tile floor before coming to a

33:34

stop at the nearest bathroom. Parker.

33:36

Motion for us to stand against the

33:38

wall as he opened all three of

33:40

the bathroom stalls before walking back and sitting

33:43

on the counter. Are

33:45

a gentleman that says. I

33:47

took a step forward to the urinal

33:49

while Jason walk toward the nearest star.

33:52

Parker. Rushed over to the stall that

33:54

Jason entered, his hand firmly gripping the

33:56

door before Jason to close it. Sorry.

33:59

Champ. Gotta have eyes on you. Parker.

34:01

Said. Seriously.

34:04

You're. Going to sit there and watch me take a dump.

34:07

Jason. Replied in disbelief. Orders.

34:10

Or orders champ, just close your eyes and pretend

34:12

you're at the beach or something. Since.

34:14

One of I taking a shit on the beach.

34:17

Jason. Retorted. Hey,

34:19

you use that nerd imagination of yours

34:22

to teleport wherever you want, but the

34:24

door stays open. Parker. Said

34:26

with a look of authority. What?

34:29

The hell was going on here? I

34:31

saw it as a sinister leaving myself.

34:34

Whatever. It was. It wasn't good,

34:36

and the faster we sound out, the

34:38

sooner we could leave the subterranean shit

34:40

hole. Jason gave up

34:43

on his morning poop by flushing the

34:45

toilet with the look of frustration. Don't.

34:48

Worry champ, there will be more bathroom breaks

34:50

in the future. Parker. Said

34:52

with a relaxed smile. After.

34:55

Washing our hands, we elected to bypass

34:57

the break room instead, choosing to head

34:59

to the Colonel's office. Parker.

35:01

Knocked on a wooden door that proudly

35:04

displayed a brass polished plaque with Colonel

35:06

William West and on it. A.

35:08

Few seconds ticked by. Until.

35:10

The door was opened by a large black

35:13

man dressed like Harker. You.

35:15

Verify these two haven't left your side. The.

35:18

Man said pointing his Uzi at

35:20

Harper. Ben. Was on the

35:22

whole time. even wash willie wonka over there

35:24

try to make fudge. Jason

35:26

turned to shade of red the remark as

35:28

Harker looks down at the barrel of the

35:30

sub machine gun and then back up to

35:33

the guard. All. Clear Sir.

35:35

The. Man said lowering the gun and opening

35:38

the door to the office. Silently.

35:41

We filed into the room as Harker pointed

35:43

to to leather chairs for us to sit

35:45

and. Behind. A large

35:47

oak desk sent the Colonel a

35:50

balding white man in his sixties.

35:52

His uniform was adorned with various

35:54

campaign ribbons and badges indicating his

35:57

years of military service. And.

35:59

More gentlemen and I see Harker A

36:02

safely escorted you inside. This.

36:04

Is Chambers. He's a security professional

36:06

like Harker. The. Colonel said

36:08

rifling through a red folder with the

36:10

words Top Secret stamped across the

36:12

front. Jason. And I

36:15

looked at each other's The Colonel pulled

36:17

two pages out and neatly arranged them

36:19

on his desk before speaking. Last.

36:21

Night Doctor Kanji and three others

36:24

in research and development were working

36:26

on Projects Companion when a security

36:28

breach was detected. Surveillance.

36:30

Cameras picked up to anomalies. the twenty

36:32

two hundred and twenty do ten. These.

36:34

Anomalies were thought to be electronic interference

36:37

caused by the radioactive isotope the team

36:39

was using during the test. Our

36:41

video forensics was able to pull still

36:43

frames from the footage. Gentleman.

36:46

Would you're about to see a strictly

36:48

classified. Chambers. Walked

36:51

over taken to photos from the Colonel's

36:53

hand and placing them in front of

36:55

us. I. Reached into my

36:57

briefcase, retrieving my glasses while Jason

36:59

took the first photo. Months.

37:01

I have my glasses. I held the

37:04

photo up to the bright fluorescent light

37:06

carefully and splitting the details. The.

37:09

Photo showed size men dressed in

37:11

surgical gowns surrounding a mummified corpse

37:13

that lay curled on a stainless

37:15

steel table. Everything

37:17

seemed normal. The. Men

37:20

were hunched over with various instruments and

37:22

hand. But. Something was off

37:24

with the man on the far right.

37:27

His. Features were longer are more

37:29

exaggerated and Er s. I

37:32

thought you said it was Doctor Kanji

37:34

and three others. I asked still focusing

37:36

on the strange man dressed in surgical

37:39

garb. That's correct,

37:41

Mr. Fraser. There were only four

37:43

individuals in that lab, but twenty

37:45

two hundred assists individual appeared and

37:48

for ten minutes worked alongside Doctor

37:50

Kanji and his staff without notice.

37:53

Then. At twenty to ten. Everything

37:56

changed. The. colonel said

37:58

motioning to chase to pass the other

38:00

photo to me. The

38:03

second photo revealed a room

38:05

stacked shoulder to shoulder with

38:07

misshaped men. Some of

38:09

them had extra limbs, while others seemed to

38:11

hang from the ceilings and walls. The

38:14

fifth man from the first photo glared

38:16

up at the camera, his mouth full

38:19

of what appeared to be fingers instead

38:21

of teeth. A trace

38:23

of fear gnawed at the back of

38:25

my spine as the room instantly felt

38:27

cold. Dr. Kenji

38:29

and his staff were terminated by the

38:32

lab's emergency incinerators, the

38:34

colonel said, leaning back into his leather

38:36

chair. You mean they're all

38:38

dead? Jason questioned. So

38:41

if the lab incinerators destroyed everything,

38:43

then why are we here? I

38:46

said, looking back to the photo. Chambers

38:49

stepped forward, taking the photos

38:51

before speaking. Security

38:53

sensors detected motion outside the lab

38:55

right after the incident. As

38:57

per protocol, we locked down the east

38:59

wing and pumped in decontamination foam. That's

39:02

when we lost contact with the control room. How

39:05

many were in the control room? Jason

39:08

asked. Three. Saunders,

39:10

Fisk, and Nelson. Where

39:12

are they now? I asked. Chambers

39:15

went to answer, but the colonel held

39:17

up a hand before responding. Gentlemen,

39:21

anyone who was in the east wing should be

39:23

considered no longer with us, which

39:25

leads me to why you're both here. I

39:27

need a solution to stop this before it

39:29

spreads any further. I

39:32

recommend a mixture of hydrofluoric acid,

39:34

the man standing in the far corner said.

39:38

I hadn't seen him when we first entered

39:40

the colonel's office, yet I felt

39:42

he had always been there. I

39:44

looked to Jason, who had the same puzzled

39:46

look before turning back to the colonel. The

39:49

colonel shifted in his seat with a perplexed

39:52

look. I'm sorry, gentlemen, this

39:54

is... I'm

39:58

a doctor, The man said. As

40:00

he crossed the two of his arms and rested

40:02

another pair on his hands, Yes,

40:05

Doctor apologies, I forgot you were

40:07

there. The. Colonel replied. Hydrochloric

40:10

acid is oddly specific for this

40:12

task. Why do you propose we

40:14

use that? Jason. Asked. The.

40:17

Doctors right? I seem to droop down to

40:19

his cheek as he walked to the chalk

40:21

board behind us. Both. Jason and

40:24

I turned to say same as he began to

40:26

draw the board. Think. Of

40:28

the anomaly like a fun house of mirrors,

40:30

the distort your image. The. First

40:32

mirror you see reflect yourself. The

40:35

same reflection is then cast to other

40:37

mirrors that surround you and those images

40:39

are cast even more. Mirrors. Your.

40:41

Energy Still familiar, but now vastly

40:43

different as the reflection moves further

40:46

away. The. Doctor drew on

40:48

the board to articulate his lesson. The.

40:50

Drawings were a mix of scribbles and scratches

40:52

that resembled of it. a two year old

40:55

my do given the same piece of chalk.

40:58

We. Can smash the mirrors that

41:00

would only make more shards more

41:02

reflections. What? We need to

41:04

do is dissolve the mirrors. Thus,

41:06

Hydrochloric acid. The. Doctor

41:09

said with a smile that stretched past

41:11

his ears. Suddenly.

41:13

The doctors chest exploded as the

41:15

room filled with the crack of

41:17

automatic gunfire. I dropped to

41:19

the floor as a burst of hot

41:21

lead exploded the doctors head into a

41:24

red mist of teeth, hair, and booth.

41:26

The. Body swayed back and forth, falling

41:28

to the floor only inches from.

41:32

Hot bio mixed with this

41:34

morning's oatmeal spewed forces. I

41:36

vomited. My. Ears and head

41:38

pounded from the concussion of the gunfire.

41:42

Jesus. Christ who shot the Doctor.

41:44

The. Colonel shouted peering behind his

41:46

desk. Sir. Is

41:49

not Yeomen. Parker. Said pointing

41:51

the smoking barrel of a gun at the

41:53

lump of flesh. Jason.

41:55

Crawled back away from the body. i

41:58

shit myself He cried. I

42:02

leaned against the chair, looking at the

42:04

remains. The clothes were

42:06

nothing more than skin imitating the pattern

42:08

and color of the clothing we wore.

42:12

How did I not see the extra pair

42:14

of arms or the multitude of fingers on

42:16

his hand? I stood

42:18

up, wiping the oatmeal from my mouth and

42:20

lending a hand to Jason. Good

42:23

thing we got it! said a woman

42:25

next to Chambers. I rubbed

42:27

the bridge of my nose with my thumb

42:29

and index finger, pointing towards the woman. She's

42:32

not real! The

42:34

woman stepped back, squeezing her three

42:37

breasts together. Honey,

42:39

I'm all real woman! Chambers

42:42

unloaded his oozy, causing Jason to fall back

42:45

on his ass with a grimace of disgust.

42:48

The woman's body seemed to dance with

42:50

the gunfire until it slammed into the

42:52

wall and slid to the floor, leaving

42:54

a bloody skid mark. Chambers

42:57

ejected the empty magazine, inserting a fresh one

42:59

into the gun and cocking the bolt back.

43:02

White billowing clouds of spent gunpowder

43:04

hung heavy in the air, stinging

43:06

my eyes. What

43:09

the fuck? Jason yelled

43:11

as he crawled back to his feet. The

43:13

Colonel climbed from behind his desk, inspecting

43:16

the woman's body while Harker moved to

43:18

the office door. Your

43:20

order, sir? The

43:23

Colonel seemed to linger before going to a

43:25

red phone on his desk. We

43:27

need to do a full incineration of the site. What

43:30

the fuck? Harker exclaimed. Not

43:33

all roast us! Jason

43:35

protested. I leapt

43:37

forward, putting my hand over the receiver

43:40

before interjecting. I have a

43:42

better idea. We get chemical suits

43:44

from the supply room and flush the site

43:46

with hydrofluoric acid. You

43:48

want us to take an acid bath? Jason

43:51

interjected. The suits are

43:53

acid resistant and we can wash ourselves off

43:55

with a lock or showers once the acid's

43:57

been dispensed. Anything not where it's

43:59

been. wearing a suit is going to be a big

44:02

steamy pile of gore once we're done." "'You're

44:05

going to listen to that thing's advice?" Chambers

44:08

said with a look of confusion. "'I

44:10

think the anomaly is an extension of

44:13

our own selves. Or at

44:15

least it thinks it is. It

44:17

creates its own persona based on what it's

44:19

interacted with. So, if Dr.

44:22

Kenji had suggested the acid prior

44:24

to the lab being incinerated, then

44:26

the anomaly might use that same

44:28

dialogue as camouflage. I'd

44:30

also wager there's a canister of the stuff

44:32

down by the lab pump station just for

44:34

this scenario," I said, holding my

44:36

hand up to calm the situation. "'That

44:39

doesn't make sense, Tom. Why

44:41

would it tell us how to destroy it? Why

44:44

didn't we recognize it?" Jason

44:46

questioned. "'It didn't

44:48

know. It's just imitating. Monkey

44:50

see, monkey do. The

44:53

fact we didn't notice it at first is

44:55

something I can't explain. Maybe

44:57

it's the power of suggestion, like

44:59

hypnosis." The Colonel

45:01

looked at the red phone and then

45:04

back to me. "'You sure this'll work?'

45:06

he said, stepping back from the

45:09

phone. "'I'm not sure of anything,

45:11

sir. It is either this or

45:13

we burn.'" We

45:15

stood, looking at one another as silent

45:17

thoughts raced across our faces. The

45:20

Colonel slowly nodded his head, approving

45:22

the plan. As Harker opened

45:24

the office door, stepping out into the foyer.

45:28

Chambers followed behind, motioning for us

45:30

to follow. We traveled

45:32

down the vestibule past the break room,

45:34

the facility quiet except for the

45:36

sounds of our footsteps echoing off the

45:39

floor. Up ahead,

45:41

I could make out a large double door

45:43

with the sign, SUPPLY, posted in the middle.

45:46

Harker jogged towards the entrance, coming to

45:48

an abrupt stop and turning to scan

45:50

behind us. Jason was being

45:52

pushed by chambers as he struggled to

45:54

keep up, when the lights

45:56

of the facility dimmed and flickered

45:59

off. We all

46:01

paused, breathing heavily in the dark

46:03

confines of the hallway. Jason

46:06

held out a small penlight, illuminating the

46:08

group. "'Emergency lighting

46:10

should be on any second,' the

46:12

Colonel said, moving beside me." We

46:15

proceeded to enter the supply room, where

46:17

a large counter faced the door with

46:19

bins full of various items lining the

46:21

wall behind it. To our

46:23

right, a pair of swing doors led to

46:25

a room with rows of large metal shelves.

46:28

A gurney sat pressed against the wall with

46:30

a shopping cart. "'First

46:33

things first. We need suits and

46:35

flashlights with batteries,' the Colonel

46:37

said, pointing to the barely visible

46:39

shelves. I recommend the

46:41

flashlights first. Seems like the

46:43

emergency lighting isn't kicking in," Chambers

46:46

whispered. "'This looks to

46:48

be the inventory list,' Jason said

46:50

as he grabbed the clipboard hanging on the

46:52

wall. For a moment,

46:55

we were cast in darkness as Jason

46:57

redirected the tiny beam of light onto

46:59

the clipboard. His finger

47:01

traced the list as he flipped the first

47:03

page over and came to a stop halfway

47:05

down the second page. "'Flashlights

47:08

and batteries are on aisle two. Chemical

47:10

suits are on floor.' Jason

47:13

pointed the tiny beam towards the shelves,

47:15

pushing the shopping cart towards aisle two.

47:18

About ten steps down, he stopped,

47:20

retrieving several flashlights and D-cell batteries

47:23

from the shelves. The

47:25

group took no time in putting these

47:27

to use, illuminating the supply room with

47:29

wide angles of light. Jason

47:32

pushed the cart, rounding the corner and turning

47:34

toward the last row of shelves against the

47:36

far wall. There, I

47:39

pointed to a stack of individually wrapped

47:41

chemical suits and respirators on the third

47:43

shelf. Jason

47:45

stopped in mid-stride, turning away from the

47:47

group and walking to the nearest aisle.

47:51

"'What the fuck are you doing?' The

47:53

computer hissed. Jason ignored

47:55

him, undoing his belt and removing

47:58

his dress flags. We

48:00

don't have time for this." Chambers

48:02

barked. Jason kicked

48:04

his shoes off, shaking his head in

48:06

frustration, before turning to Harker and then

48:08

to Chambers. Any of

48:11

you shit yourselves, huh? Seriously,

48:13

I've been walking up and down this facility

48:15

with mud in my trunk. Chambers

48:18

paused with a look of bewilderment as

48:21

Jason was handed a pair of clean

48:23

overalls from a conjoined twin sitting on

48:25

the shelf. The first

48:28

had smiled, revealing a set of

48:30

enlarged molars that resembled a horse.

48:33

The other had a face full of

48:35

eyes, blinked in unison as it

48:37

turned away from the beam of the flashlight.

48:40

Uh, Jason? I

48:43

stammered. No, Tom, I'm

48:45

fucking done with this place. I don't

48:47

give a shit anymore. These jackasses can

48:49

go fuck themselves. Jason

48:51

yelled as he put one foot into the

48:53

overalls. Harker pushed me

48:55

out of the way as he and Chambers

48:58

lifted their oozies towards Jason. Jason's

49:00

eyes went wide as he stared down the

49:02

barrels of both guns. Is

49:05

there one behind me? He

49:08

whimpered. I nodded slowly

49:10

as the conjoined twin climbed down

49:12

from the shelf behind Jason. Fuck

49:16

me! Jason yelled,

49:18

diving to the floor just as Harker

49:20

and Chambers opened fire. That

49:23

brass kicked high in the air as

49:26

the rounds snapped into the deformed twin's

49:28

body, causing a wet explosion of viscera.

49:31

The Colonel ducked down, sticking his fingers

49:33

in his ears as the roar of

49:35

gunfire echoed through the concrete room. Jason

49:38

started crawling on all floors across the

49:40

floor just as Chambers fired his last

49:43

shot. The twins staggered

49:45

back, reeling from its wounds as Harker

49:47

and Chambers looked at each other with

49:50

surprise. The two backed

49:52

up, trying to distance themselves from the

49:54

creature as it leaned itself against the

49:56

heavy steel shelves. Last

49:59

mag! Parker exclaimed as he

50:01

pulled a magazine, handing it to Chambers.

50:04

Chambers was already leveling his submachine

50:06

gun towards the twin when it

50:08

darted forward, seizing the Colonel by

50:10

his shoulders where he remained crouched

50:12

with fingers and ears. The

50:15

creature lifted the Colonel high into

50:17

the air, slamming him face first

50:19

into the ground with a gut-wrenching

50:22

crunch of shattered teeth and bones.

50:25

The twin snorted into fience before

50:27

smashing the Colonel's head flat with

50:29

its large foot. A

50:32

loud pop emitted as the skull

50:34

broke open and brain matter squirted

50:36

like strawberry jelly across the floor.

50:40

Chambers opened fire, aiming at the two

50:42

heads of the anomaly, the bullets turning

50:45

the twin's faces into a bloody pulp.

50:47

The anomaly swayed before crashing into the

50:49

aisle, bringing several of the shelves down

50:52

on top of it. As

50:54

the smoke cleared, Chambers held

50:56

his right hand up in a salute

50:58

to the Colonel's mangled body. The

51:02

entire spectacle made me feel squeamish, and

51:04

I could distinctly hear my heart pounding

51:06

despite the ringing in my ears. I

51:10

studied myself by grabbing the nearest shelf,

51:12

trying to look away from the grisly

51:14

scene. Jason made

51:16

his way to the fourth aisle and was

51:18

already dumping chemical suits into the grocery cart

51:20

with a manic fervor. I

51:23

could see terror visibly etched into his

51:25

face. All right,

51:27

listen up. I'm quarterbacking this shit show

51:29

now, Harker said. Chambers

51:32

seemed to size up Harker, contemplating

51:34

the changing of leadership. Why

51:37

should I follow you? He asked.

51:40

A smile formed across Harker's face as

51:42

he held up a plastic key card.

51:45

Because I got the keys to the armory,

51:47

bitch. And if you're good, we'll stop for milkshakes

51:49

on the way. Harker

51:51

smiled back, giving a nod of approval.

51:55

It took a moment to collect myself

51:57

and even longer to console Jason. Today's

52:00

traumatic events were stacking up. All

52:03

the while, Harker and Chambers

52:05

grew increasingly impatient. I'm

52:07

sure they would have left us had they known how

52:10

to work the pump station. This

52:12

knowledge, coupled with the fact that I

52:14

had provided a solid plan early, gave

52:17

us some currency. The

52:19

group made a detour to the armory,

52:22

where Harker and Chambers swapped their Uzi's

52:24

out for M16 rifles and all of

52:26

drab bandoliers full of magazines. The

52:29

pair were in their element, enjoying

52:31

the thrill of the circumstances as

52:33

we weaved through the dark corridors

52:35

of the underground laboratory, arriving at

52:37

the pump station. Inside,

52:40

industrial piping spiderwebed along the

52:42

walls and ceiling. In

52:45

the center, three massive pumps

52:47

sat alongside two steel canisters

52:50

of compressed hydrofluoric acid. My

52:53

guess about Dr. Kenji taking precautions

52:55

was correct. Okay,

52:57

I need to hook the valve up to the main

52:59

pump. Once the compressed gas

53:01

is transferred, it should liquify through the

53:03

sprinkler systems. It'll take at least

53:06

five minutes for the pump to prime and start

53:08

dispersing. Once I make the connection,

53:10

we gotta move to the locker rooms and get

53:12

under those showers. It's no guarantee,

53:14

but if we use the extra

53:16

suits as shields and stay under the water, we

53:19

should be okay. I said,

53:21

tearing the bag open on one of the chemical

53:23

suits. That is,

53:26

if the fumes don't kill us first.

53:29

Jason chimed in. The

53:31

group followed my example, donning the

53:33

suits and respirators, while I reviewed

53:35

the coupling instructions for the acid.

53:38

I started to install the nickel plated valve

53:40

into the canister when a loud

53:42

scream came from outside. Parker

53:45

picked up his rifle, motioning for chambers to

53:48

join him. Finish the hookup

53:50

and meet us outside, he said,

53:52

opening the steel door. I

53:54

looked at Jason, who was focused deeply on

53:56

the pump. Reaching out, I

53:58

placed my right hand. hand on his shoulder.

54:01

We're going to get through this." Jason

54:04

stared at me, eyes full of

54:06

dread. "...I hope so." We

54:10

spent the next moments in silence, connecting

54:12

the canisters to the pump. When

54:14

finally finished, I gave a thumbs up to

54:17

Jason and then opened the main

54:19

valve and pressure switch. A

54:21

loud swoosh sound discharged from the

54:23

canisters as the compressed acid transferred

54:25

to the pump holding tank. Jason

54:28

flipped a series of switches at

54:30

a control terminal, engaging the emergency

54:32

generator. The pump motor

54:34

roared to life as gauges

54:36

and valves started to build

54:38

pressure. With one final look at Jason,

54:41

I hit the prime button and released

54:43

the intake valve for the main sprinkler

54:45

system. A clock had

54:47

just started. Wasting

54:50

no time, we exited the pump station.

54:52

Harker and Chambers were at the end of the hall

54:54

with rifles at the ready. "...We

54:56

gotta move, now!" I

54:59

said, the respirator muffling my voice.

55:02

Chambers lifted his rifle towards us, stopping us

55:05

in our tracks. "...Take the

55:07

masks off. I need to see if you're human."

55:10

"...We don't have time for this bullshit!" I

55:12

shouted. Chambers responded

55:14

with a hard poke from the barrel

55:17

of his M16 into my chest. The

55:19

pain from the strike was immediate, causing me

55:22

to double over. I

55:24

see faces or I start blasting,

55:27

Chambers said. "...Better do

55:29

what he says, boys!" Harker chimed

55:31

in. Jason

55:33

was removing the hood of his chemical suit

55:36

when a nude black man walked next to

55:38

him and grabbed it. Chambers

55:40

paused, lowering the rifle as if

55:42

recognizing the man. Still

55:45

clutching my chest, I turned to face

55:47

the stranger, a sense

55:49

of familiarity accompanying him. "...You

55:52

guys got a suit for me?" The man

55:54

questioned, dropping Jason's hood. "...Why

55:57

are you running around here naked?" Chambers

55:59

asked. asked, oblivious to the man's

56:01

long fingers that touched the floor.

56:04

Shoot him, Chambers! It's not real! Harker

56:07

yelled. Down the hallway,

56:10

more voices called out. You got

56:12

a suit for me? Causing

56:14

Harker to turn to face a mass

56:16

of figures walking towards us out of

56:18

the darkness. Fuck!

56:22

Harker bellowed, firing at the incoming

56:24

crowd. The report of

56:26

the rifle seemed to refocus Chambers as

56:28

he stepped back, emptying his rifle into

56:30

the bald man. Flesh

56:32

splattered across the wall as the

56:34

rounds cut through the anomaly with

56:37

deadly accuracy. I dove

56:39

to the floor just as Harker pulled the pin

56:41

on a grenade and threw it at the crowd.

56:44

A woman, with long spines protruding from

56:46

her skull, caught the grenade in mid-air,

56:49

tossing it back at Harper. The

56:51

grenade exploded in a deafening fireball of

56:54

shrapnel, hurling Harker a good six feet

56:56

down the hall. The

56:59

first few droplets of acid began

57:01

raining down from the sprinkler. Any

57:04

second, the full contents of the pump

57:06

station would expel, flooding the

57:08

facility in a highly corrosive bath.

57:11

Jason bumped into me, his face

57:14

bright red from chemical burns, the

57:16

exposed skin blistering from the initial

57:18

drops. Desperately, he tried

57:20

to cover his face using his gloves,

57:22

but the acid continued to fall. I

57:26

reached for my friend as he fought

57:28

to escape the overbearing pain of the

57:30

acid. Chambers

57:32

redirected his rifle towards the group that Harker

57:34

was fending off. A man

57:36

with eight legs scurried across the ceiling

57:39

towards us like a grotesque spider. Jason,

57:42

now screaming, his face and

57:44

beard frothing off like wet

57:47

tissue paper. Big

57:49

foam bubbled from his nose and mouth as

57:51

he collapsed into my arms. I

57:54

reached to pick him up, recoiling in

57:56

horror as my gloved hand came away

57:58

with gobs of sticky foam. flash. "'Airborne,

58:02

motherfucker!" Chambers yelled,

58:04

cutting the spider in two with a

58:06

burst from his rifle. I

58:08

let go of Jason and ran, my

58:10

legs driving harder and faster with each

58:13

step. Three deformed

58:15

men tackled Chambers. The

58:17

four struggled, Chambers managing to shoot one

58:19

in the chest, just before

58:22

another sunk a fire axe into his

58:24

shoulder. The fight disappearing in

58:26

the darkness and torrents of acid

58:28

now coming down full form. I

58:32

could barely see through the fumes, the

58:34

acid interacting with the environment around me.

58:37

Floor tiles cracked, while paint peeled

58:39

from the walls and plastic fittings

58:41

began to melt. Bursting

58:44

through the locker room doors, I rammed

58:46

the showers, turning the faucet on until

58:48

a jet of water spewed forth. The

58:51

protective membrane of my suit was quickly

58:53

turning to goo, but the water

58:55

seemed to halt the damage. I

58:58

stood under the shower for what seemed like

59:00

an eternity. All around

59:02

me, the anguished cries of the

59:04

anomaly could be heard as the

59:06

acid did its job. I

59:09

thought about Janice and the kids waiting for

59:11

me back home. I thought

59:13

about Jason, with his metal D&D

59:15

miniatures at my dinner table. Tears

59:18

ran down my face as I

59:20

prayed for the horror to be

59:23

over. When

59:25

the sprinklers did stop, I

59:28

cautiously exited the locker room, navigating

59:30

through the nightmarish corridors of the

59:32

facility with flashlight in hand. Piles

59:35

of steaming bodies littered the

59:38

passageways, a sight that made

59:40

me dry heave into the respirator. After

59:43

several minutes, I found the main lobby

59:46

where the elevator was. In

59:48

front of me stood a young,

59:50

naked boy, shivering in the

59:52

beam of my flashlight. The

59:55

boy was only five or six years of age,

59:57

his face red from crying. Please,

1:00:04

no more hurt." The

1:00:06

boy cried as he wiped snot from his

1:00:08

nose. There was

1:00:11

an innocence about the child, but

1:00:13

I knew he didn't belong. When

1:00:15

I stepped towards him, he retreated with a

1:00:18

face of genuine fear. "'You're

1:00:20

the original?" I asked.

1:00:24

The boy looked down to the floor before

1:00:26

replying. "'I'm

1:00:29

what's left. I

1:00:31

just... I

1:00:33

just wanted to be..." "'You

1:00:36

killed the others!" I

1:00:38

yelled, bawling my fists together,

1:00:40

hot rage welling up inside.

1:00:43

The boy jumped at the sound of my voice

1:00:45

and began shaking. "'They

1:00:47

kept trying to hurt us! Hurt

1:00:50

me!" I

1:00:52

stopped my advance, the anger

1:00:54

slowly receding. It

1:00:57

was true. The anomaly had

1:00:59

tried several times to coexist, and

1:01:02

each time it was torched, poisoned,

1:01:04

shot, and

1:01:06

finally dissolved. Could

1:01:09

it be that the anomaly was its

1:01:11

own life force, not just

1:01:13

a twisted image of us? I

1:01:16

took off my glove and reached my open

1:01:18

hand out towards the child. The

1:01:20

boy cautiously took it. He

1:01:24

rode the elevator up and walked out into

1:01:26

the sun shining through the windows of the

1:01:28

lobby. The guard met us

1:01:30

with his weapon drawn but lowered it with

1:01:32

a look of confusion. "'Behave

1:01:35

yourself,' I said, looking down

1:01:37

to the boy. The boy

1:01:39

looked up to me and then waved at

1:01:41

the guard. "'Bring your son

1:01:43

to work day, remember?' I said.

1:01:47

The guard, still baffled, nodded and

1:01:49

stepped to the side, allowing us

1:01:51

to exit. When

1:01:54

we arrived home, Janice met us on

1:01:56

the front porch. Toby, my

1:01:59

son, had a little and Sarah, my daughter,

1:02:01

washed me off with a garden hose before I

1:02:04

took the chemical suit off. Janice

1:02:06

brought fresh clothes from the house, handing

1:02:08

me a towel to dry off and

1:02:10

an oversized shirt for the boy. They

1:02:13

were curious about the boy, seeming

1:02:15

to accept his presence more the longer he

1:02:17

was there. I

1:02:20

sat on the porch step, my wife

1:02:22

joining me. Toby and

1:02:24

Sarah whispered something and giggled, causing the

1:02:26

boy to smile. Then

1:02:28

the three were off, chasing each other

1:02:30

through the manicured front yard as the

1:02:32

sun dipped past the trees of our

1:02:34

neighborhood. I didn't know

1:02:36

what would come next. Would the

1:02:38

army come knocking? What would I

1:02:41

do about chasing? Had I

1:02:43

made a mistake bringing the anomaly home after

1:02:45

seeing what it could do? My

1:02:48

wife leaned her head on my shoulder,

1:02:50

taking my hand into hers. The

1:02:53

boy was now chasing Toby around

1:02:55

a crepe myrtle, while Sarah jumped

1:02:57

up and down laughing. The

1:03:00

anomaly was becoming what it always wanted

1:03:02

to be. Accepted.

1:03:16

You've just heard Familiar Acceptance

1:03:19

by Shane H. Sellers. Shane

1:03:22

Sellers is not just an avid

1:03:24

actor. He's a maestro of the

1:03:26

macabre, specializing in tales of the

1:03:28

wicked and sinister that stalk in the

1:03:31

shadows of the mind. As

1:03:33

the imaginative force behind the

1:03:35

carrying creature feature YouTube panel,

1:03:38

Shane breathes life into his

1:03:40

dark tales, leaving audiences stunned

1:03:42

with every blood-soaked word. Well,

1:03:47

well, nothing like closing out with

1:03:49

a good old shapeshifter story. In

1:03:52

fact, listeners, you might want to scroll

1:03:55

back through your podcast history to hear

1:03:57

some older episodes of Horror Hill. just

1:04:00

to make sure that I'm not an

1:04:02

otherworldly monster that has implanted itself into

1:04:05

your memories. Regardless

1:04:07

of my own dubious existence, I'd

1:04:09

like to thank you for listening

1:04:11

tonight. As I

1:04:13

record these stories, alone in my

1:04:16

studio, with only the occasional rustling

1:04:18

in the corridor outside, and the

1:04:21

sound of distant screams to keep

1:04:23

me company, it warms my

1:04:25

heart to think of all of you joining

1:04:27

in. Of course, the

1:04:30

stories themselves are the stars of

1:04:32

this show, so extra thanks go

1:04:34

to John Westrick and Shane H.

1:04:36

Sellers for tonight's tales. As

1:04:39

always, I'll be back next week, so

1:04:41

be sure to tune in at the same day

1:04:44

and time. Until then, my

1:04:46

friends, stay spooky.

1:04:51

You've been listening to the Horror

1:04:53

Hill Podcast, a production of Chilling

1:04:55

Entertainment and the creative team Chilling

1:04:57

Tales for Dark Nights. Tonight's

1:04:59

episode was hosted and narrated

1:05:02

by yours truly, Eric Peabody.

1:05:04

Original music provided by Eric

1:05:07

Peabody and Nicki McSorley. Finalization

1:05:09

by Eric Peabody and Craig

1:05:12

Groshak. Got a terrifying

1:05:14

tale of your own that you'd like

1:05:16

performed? Email it to

1:05:18

us at natalie at chillingtalesfordarknights.com

1:05:21

to have your work considered

1:05:23

for future production. Seeing

1:05:26

as how we're all living in

1:05:28

a technological nightmare of our own

1:05:30

devising, I'll ask you to follow

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only will you have appeased the

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you'd like access to uninterrupted horror,

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free of ads, and these annoying

1:05:55

bookend segments, might I

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recommend becoming a patron? You'll

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get access to hundreds of episodes of

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this show, as well as everything from

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the other programs in the Chilling Tales

1:06:07

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1:06:09

means all of Otis Chiry's scary

1:06:11

stories told in the dark, Drew

1:06:14

Blood's dark tales, Paul

1:06:16

J. McSorley's Fear from the Heartland,

1:06:18

and more. It's a

1:06:21

veritable smorgasbord of horrific delights.

1:06:24

As for me personally, I'm on

1:06:27

most social media as Viking

1:06:29

Guitar, or Viking Guitar Productions.

1:06:32

I'm always on the lookout for new

1:06:34

stories to narrate and new music projects

1:06:36

to mix or master. If

1:06:38

that's of interest to you, feel free to

1:06:41

reach out and we can talk turkey. Also,

1:06:43

I will be back next week

1:06:46

with more terrifying tales to keep

1:06:48

you up all night. If

1:06:51

darkness is what you're after,

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darkness has found you. Angie

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1:08:25

The The

1:08:28

delicious ice cold taste of Dr. Pepper has

1:08:30

a lasting effect on people. Lindsay from Sacramento

1:08:32

said... Pro tip, 40 degrees is the perfect

1:08:34

temperature for an ice cold Dr. Pepper. Why

1:08:36

is 40 degrees the perfect temperature for Dr.

1:08:39

Pepper? We brought in Sue from Duluth, Minnesota to

1:08:41

tell us. Oh yeah, I know a thing or two

1:08:43

about cold. Oh, that right there is the

1:08:45

perfect kind of ice cold for Dr. Pepper. Mmm,

1:08:48

I'd share that with my friend Nancy. She likes

1:08:50

Dr. Pepper too, you know. My coldest... Alright, that'll

1:08:52

be all, Sue. Having a perfect temperature for

1:08:54

your Dr. Pepper? It's a Pepper thing. Inspired

1:08:56

by Real Fan posts.