Ned |
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An entry into the January 2008 Twilight Creations contest by Derek H. Greeley
A doctor of the asylum burst into the room.
Ned was sitting at a table, awaiting another psychiatric evaluation.
They tied the straight jacket a bit tighter.
"There you go Ned, THIS IS’NT SO BAD"
"There you go Ned, now we will not have another . . . fit, like last time."
Ned groaned. He knew in his mind he was not crazy, what they said to him was what made him have the "fits".
Ned looked at the doctors around the table, "Look, I am telling you, my family was not murdered by me!" He squirmed in his chair, "They were eaten by. . ."
He was cut off by a younger doctor "Zombies . . . right?"
Ned sighed; he looked back on that day in his mind.
"Look Ned, you are making up fairy tales to tell your own mind and conscience that you got away with murder and cannibalism. You are a horrible man Ned, horrible." The doctors all had a somewhat sarcastic tone, as if they felt Ned to be a waste of time.
Ned closed his eyes; he remembered it all as if it was going on now.
Charlie was on the floor playing a game with his younger brother. Ned never knew how to play it, too many skeletons and cards for him to keep track. Kids, before you get into that game, pick up ALL THE MARBLES you left in the living room. He looked in the kitchen as his wife prepared dinner. His youngest son was helping set the table. Ned heard a creak of wood on the porch. A soft moan could be heard coming from outside. Ned approached the doorway with caution, he looked through the window.
"Honey! Derek is outside and he looks hurt!" Ned screamed.
Derek was Ned’s brother from up the street. Ned opened the door and Derek stumbled in, tripped on the rug and fell face first onto the tile entryway. Charlie ran over and helped Derek up. "What are you doing here?" Ned asked. Derek seemed to survey the room a few moments and then grabbed Charlie by the arm tight. He lunged on top of him and sunk his teeth into his neck. Charlie screamed, Ned kicked at Derek. "DEREK WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Derek, oblivious, bit Charlie again. Ned’s wife and youngest came running into the room to help Ned. They all tried to pry Derek off the now unmoving Charlie. Ned fell back and his youngest was bit now too. Ned felt the tears in his eyes. He screamed and beat at his brothers back. His wife tried to run but was bit in the leg and yanked back to the ground. Ned charged and tripped on the rug. Ned went rolling down into the basement. He heard the screams much too clearly, he grabbed a shotgun and rake from the wall and ran upstairs. He whistled at Derek, "HEY LOOK. . . A SHOTGUN!" He pumped it and blasted Derek in the head. Ned saw Charlie now biting his younger brother. Ned knew, he now knew… he thought THEY did not exist. He saw them getting back up, as hard as it was; he knew it must be done. He felt an ADRENALINE RUSH as he ran around the room swinging and shooting, he heard the police on the way down the road. He felt safe again, but where did the youngest go? Ned looked around the room and saw he was missing from the pile. Ned also noticed he and his tools were covered in blood. The Police ran into the house, the new guy almost puked. Ned was arrested in seconds. . .
"Ned, I think we are done for today. Your tales of astonishment and wonder can wait . . . you’re denied again for early parole." The doctors drug Ned back to his cell.
Ned closed his eyes as the tears rolled out. When it hits, they will need LOTS OF AMMO. . It is going to be bad.
He awoke to sirens. . Something was scraping the door. He knew what it was, those doctors were wrong. . Now them, and everyone else was about to experience Ned’s nightmare. The scraping on the door grew louder and then. . The door swung open.
Ned looked in horror at the thing before him.
A doctor from the asylum burst into the room.
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