The Abysm blog is gone. I am not nearly a good enough writer to put out a decent chunk of material each week or couple of weeks and keep it going. There's no quality control that way. So I deleted the parts which were already posted and I am continuing on it in my own time. My delusional mind thinks there may be a full book in those few thousand words. This was a short story I posted on that site before I went off the grid.
Hope you like it.
The Old Switcheroo
The dirt road seemed to stretch on endlessly, a glaring scar across the face of an otherwise beautiful landscape. It had been hours since they’d seen the last signs of civilization, and the once maintained road had now devolved into little more than a glorified forest trail. In his haste to get to the cabin, Tony had been speeding with little concern for any nearby cops... he knew small towns like this and hardly thought any would be out here in the middle of nowhere. But when they took the last turn and headed off-road, the car started rocking wildly over various humps and divots in the path. He then decided to ease up on the gas... slightly.
He looked over at Bethany, wanting to catch another glimpse of that body in the outfit she’d chosen for the trip. The shorts were just the right kind of short, and her tight fitting top was good, too good in fact. He felt his foot get heavy on the gas pedal again.
She was staring out the passenger side window quietly, like she had been for much of the trip. It wasn't unusual, Bethany wasn't much of a talker anyway. That was fine, what he was hoping for in this little getaway didn't require talking. "You okay?" He asked, trying to strike up a conversation. She turned her head and flashed that heated smile of hers that turned his stomach to knots. "Yeah, just eager to get to the cabin." The stirrings in his own body told him he was pretty damn eager too, and he refocused his efforts to driving fast as he was able on the uneven terrain.
As time passed and so did his patience, each twist and turn of the seemingly endless path bringing pangs of disappointment. "How much further is it?" He tried masking his eagerness but had trouble. Bobby told him just the other day that being too eager was a turn off to girls, and ‘that ya had to be... cool’. There was a moment of silence, his question hung in the air long enough that Tony thought she hadn't heard him.
"Not much farther." she replied finally, her eyes never leaving the passing scenery outside.
Fate must had heard the prayer he’d been mumbling, because around the next turn a small cabin came into view. Confusion settled in when he got a good look at the place, or more specifically the LACK of. To call the run-down shack a cabin would be optimistic, and a ‘weekend destination' downright delusional. The poor old structure looked like it was about to fall over, its long faded paint peeling, and loosely nailed porch dangerously lopsided. Tony’s heart sank at the sight,. He turned to Bethany ready to express his dismay, but she was staring right back with a sultry smile painted across her flawless face. Suddenly the place didn't seem so bad after all.
"We're here." She said, using a voice that cut his restraint like warm butter. Heat crept into his face at the prospects of this night and he looked away with an embarrassed smile. So much for playing it cool. Who cares what Bobby had to say anyways, Bethany was here with HIM. He watched her carefully as she climbed out of the old el camino, and she made the process a worthwhile viewing experience. He was out of the car in a flash, virtually launching himself into the small clearing surrounding the cabin. He spun in a quick circle, taking a silent inventory of the area. ‘It’s so remote’, he thought, ‘it would take the better part of a day to get back if something happened to the old camino. There was a brief flash of uneasiness in his stomach, when he looked back over to Bethany, the feeling south of his belly took over and he shrugged the thought away. ‘Well, there’s a lot worse things than being stuck out here with her’. Another smile crept in at the thought.
When he looked over, she was already heading toward the shack. He jogged over to catch her. “Hey, wait up!” he shouted, grabbing her hand. Even though it was going to be a warm summer’s night, her hand was noticeably cold to the touch. “But I want to show you the cabin.” She said, her voice suddenly coy. He glanced at the place again and grimaced. “Really? This is the place? It looks like a dump.” She stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him coldly. He realized the mistake, and scrambled to rephrase his words. “Bea...” He said softly, grabbing her around her waist and drawing her close, “...I just meant that you deserve a much nicer place than this. I’ll take you to the finest hotel we can find. The camino still has over half a tank of...”
She held a cool finger to his lips, stopping him mid-sentence. “Tony, I want to be HERE.” The way she said it closed the argument, right then and there. If this was the place she wanted to be alone with him in, then here was where they’d stay. “Sure, okay. Show me around.” She entwined her fingers with his and lead him to the door, which looked to be barely held on by its ancient, rusty hinges. The weathered boards creaked loudly as they stepped onto the porch, making him shake his head dismissively. She let go of his hand and and dug into her pocket, removing a single key that she held up in the quickly diminishing light. Hanging from the shabbily maintained door was a thick, heavy duty lock that stood out of place drastically from its surroundings. She carefully guided the key to its home and turned her wrist, looking back to him as it popped open with a resounding click.
There was very little light in the single room, and Tony had to strain his eyes to make out the dimensions. There were no interior walls in the unfurnished room, only a single wooden chair sitting in the center. As he looked around, he noticed a length of coiled rope near an empty bottle lying the corner. And that was it. His unease returned, stronger this time, clenching his bowels and causing him to stop in the doorway. This was not the place where two people were intimate, it was a place where someone was tortured.
Bethany didn’t hesitate however, stepping into the room and making herself at home. She walked slowly around the chair, holding her arms up high as though showing off some elaborate game show prize. “Don’t you like it?” She whispered coyly, shooting him a teasing smile.
“Do you want me to be honest?” He caught himself saying then cut himself short. He didn’t want to get himself into any more trouble. “Oh, come on now,” She whispered, walking to the pile of rope and reaching down, her eyes locked with his the whole time, “It isn’t that bad.” She picked up the rope and he got a another flash of warning, strong enough to put aside other urges. “Wait a minute,” he shouted, “you’re not planning to tie me up with that are you?”
She stared blankly at him a moment, her face totally unreadable. The rational part of his brain was working overtime, taking account of every piece of the situation. He barely knew this girl, having only met her a few short weeks ago. She'd been overly nice to him and over the last few days very aggressive about taking this trip with him. Suddenly it dawned on him. In his mind he saw the scenario clear as day, her boyfriend and all of his buddies, lying in wait while she tied him up and robbed him. They’d take his money and his car, then leave him stranded in the middle of nowhere, to walk home humiliated. Deep down he knew it was too good to be true. He opened his mouth to confront her when she said something that stopped the logical thinking cold.
“No, I want you to tie ME up.”
He was stunned. What she just suggested was something different entirely. His irrational fear vanished and he found himself grinning like an idiot. Wow, this girl was something else. She stood, swinging the end of the rope and patiently awaiting an answer. The look she gave him spoke volumes, and it was a book he desperately wanted to flip though.
"Well?" She teased. He saw that she was toying with him, and it excited him all the more. He stepped over to her and reached for the rope, sliding his fingertips over the back of her hand while taking it. “You have to say ‘Please’ first.” He whispered, doing his best to cover his increasing excitement. She flashed a quick smile then stepped over to the chair and sat, her eyes never leaving him. She sat upright, arching her back and sticking her chest out. Then she placed both hands behind the chair, lacing her fingers together in preparation.
“Please.”
Tony’s hands trembled ever so slightly, betraying his pent-up desire. He let out a slow breath and walked around behind where she patiently waited, and began looping the rope carefully around her wrists. “No,” She said, stopping him in place. “Tie it tightly. I don’t want any chance of getting out.” He paused, speechless at the request. After making a thick loop he slid her hands between, drawing it closed with a firm pull. The little moan she let out told him it was satisfactory. This was going to be a night he would never forget.
After forming two firm knots he began coiling the rope around her body, watching her chest rise and fall with rapid breathing. The desire to draw her close and pull her down on the old wood floor was overwhelming.He paused to enjoy the moment as he re-positioned the rope up close under the swell of her breasts. Suddenly from the corner of his eye he thought he caught movement, but when he turned to look there was only a single wisp of black smoke floating lazily by. As it faded into nothingness he repeated the loop three more times, layering the rope down her body until he was sure that she wouldn’t be able to move at all.
When he looked down and drank in the sight, he could barely contain himself. There she sat, eagerly awaiting while him, totally under his control. Whatever was going to happen next would be soon. “I have one more request.” She breathed heavily, her lips trembling as they formed the words.
“Okay,” he found himself mumbling, “what?”
“One kiss.”
He stared, his mind razor focused on only one thing... her. He fell to one knee and inched in, his eyes following the gentle curve of her cheek, the shape of her lips, the sultry slope of her neckline. He moved close, savoring the moment. As he neared she suddenly opened her mouth wide, ready to accept him. Then it spread wider than any human mouth should. Black smoke poured forth in great, voluminous waves. He recoiled, startled, but it was already too late.
The world turned to nothingness.
There was no Bethany. There was no cabin. No woods, nor sky, or world. Only emptiness, a null negative space he found himself floating in. When he tried turning his head to get his bearings, he realized he had no neck to use. His brain willed a scream, but there was no mouth for it to come from. No arms to flail, no legs to run with from the growing nightmare. It was the pure and utter feeling of absence, an endless void that he was adrift in. Panic crushed his consciousness, encompassed all thought. Waves of disorientation came from all directions simultaneously. What happened? Where was he?
He had the sensation of being watched. Some strange sixth sense, laying long dormant in modern, evolved humans awoke, a defense system warning him of some nearby presence. The sensation was terrible, claustrophobic. He had no way to fight back against any invisible threat, no way to turn and run. He was locked in his mind, waiting motionless for the inevitable to happen.
It was then that he saw the eyes... terrible, inhuman eyes. Vaguely shaped, they seemed to hold their own light, illuminating in the unyielding blackness from within. Then they grew. Something made of fire knew he was there, and it was approaching him. Fear squeezed his heart, or the space where his heart should be. His logical mind slipped, threatening to tear him kicking and screaming from the world of sanity. There was no logic to what was happening.
Another pair opened. Then another. Two by two, unnatural gazes trained their sights on him, began moving towards the intruder to their unholy domain. Terror choked as he felt their approach, knowing the sound of scaly flesh rubbing against itself was in actuality the limbs of gigantic creatures unfurling.
Then he saw it.
Even without vision in the traditional sense, he knew what lay before him. By the light of the monsters own insidious eyes he caught a glimpse of the beasts, and with that, the last meager thread tethering him to the world snapped... rational thought slipped away. When it reached him it didn’t touch, it enveloped, swallowing the entirety of his being at once. The touch brought pain, a type of searing agony that human nerves could not feel. It burned his brain, his personality... his soul.
Then it was gone, only black once again. The echo of pain remained, a reminder of the reality of what had happened. His skin felt sensitive to the air in the room, the light breeze simultaneously tickling and burning. That was when he knew he HAD skin once more. His hands ached, as did his chest. For a second he savored the feel, because he knew it was real. The dull throbbing in the front of his head was actually coming from his eyes, which were squeezed tightly shut sometime during the ordeal. As he opened them the world swam into view, to see the haphazard old boards of the cabin. He was back on the silly, ignorant Earth, floating lazily in the oblivious universe. It offered no relief to know he was back, because he had seen the other side... been to the place that no human being should go. Some nightmare that lie quietly just past our reach but existed nonetheless.
An annoying droning sound reminded him of having ears. It was incessant, an unending tone that paused randomly, only to start once again. In a vague realization he realized it was actually him, screaming. It was comforting to have a voice again, even though it sounded strange. It didn’t matter if he screamed or not, the things on the other side could find him either way. Some blurry shape stood in the corner of the room, he squinted and blinked to clear his vision. When they came in focus, he stopped.
It was him.
The tall frame he’d seen countless times in store mirrors. The coat he’d been given as MVP last semester. Those pants he’d bought even though the cost was way too much. Everything that made him Tony stood before him. Was he seeing things? Some strange after effect due to the traumatic events? He flinched but found he couldn’t move, his arms and legs were bound and immobile.
Surprised, he looked down to see a pair of too short shorts. He dropped his chin to his chest, and it fell onto the too tight shirt Bethany had been wearing, still looking just as good as it had an eternity ago... when the world still made sense. The pain in his chest and hands were hers, just like the body it belonged to. He was not himself anymore, he was a trespasser.
Then who was in his body?
The Tony-Thing turned to face him, as though reading his thoughts. “It had to be done.” It spoke with a low voice, so familiar yet now completely devoid of emotion. “That flesh was broken and will die soon. The girl never even knew her own ailment.” The Tony-Thing stepped up and glared, the face looking down at him becoming a mask of twisted disdain. “So I needed a new home. Yours will suffice.”
Homes mattered very little to him, nothing did anymore. It amused him to know he’d begun screaming again, but couldn’t remember exactly when. Perhaps he’d never stopped. The Tony-Thing squatted slowly and looked him right in the eye. “So this will be your end.” When he looked into its eye he thought he caught a perceived movement. The pupil was the blackest of blacks, so dark it seemed to contain infinity within. He stared intently, concentrating on witnessing the movement when something there slithered.
A window into the other side of eternity.
The Tony-Thing laughed and slapped him on Bethany’s shoulder. “Never let it be said that I am not merciful...” He stood up and stretched, testing his new home. His gaze drifted up into the corner of the room, like he was talking to someone far out in the heavens. “...For I will allow you to live. Enjoy the gift for it is fleeting, and when you step over again, the Others will be looking for you.”
The real Tony sat in the chair and screamed, his throat so raw the sound was a nothing more than a raspy squeal. Still, he screamed as he watched himself shut the door, heard the lock carefully snap, and eventually the el camino start. He was still screaming as the purr of the motor had long drifted into nothingness from the night air.
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