Parable Quinate: The Parable Collection, #5

By Christopher Besonen

The fifth Parable book. A collection of novellas and short stories.

 

Bodies are piling up and the culprit may bave a possession problem, a blind boy and a deaf girl must work together, the fate of a drifting hitchhiker, an author assembles a beta team for review purposes, something strange is happening with pets and the why is explained, a toddler has encounters with characters from a television show, conjoined triplets contemplate murder and two of the sisters are cops, two dogs and some cryptid event.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christopher Besonen
• Release date: Nov 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215164921

Christopher Besonen

Horror with a purpose.

Book preview

Copyright

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, businesses, places, events or incidents are written in a fictitious manner, or an output of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, is purely coincidental.

All text contained within this book, rather digital or physical, is protected by copyright law. ©2021-2022. All rights reserved unto Christopher Daniel Besonen, the author, courtesy of the Besonen Horror trademark. No unlicensed reproductions of this book may be used, without written consent by Mr. Besonen.

Dedications:

For Drew Stepek and his Godless platform, and all done in the name of Indie Horror.

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Special mention to my wife for putting up with my whining until my stories were edited and corrections given. To Shayna, Elizabeth, Alexandria, Vincent, Elza, Zelda, Dorothy, Gizmo and Pumpkin, you all are my hearts forever. We are immortalized through our appearances in my written words!

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Also in memory of Michael Anthony Scarberry, I wish we could have seen each other as adults. You’re never forgotten. RIP

Nightfall Occurrences

Chapter 1:

An Incoherent Hero

Thomas Harnum kissed his wife on her forehead. She was sound asleep, grinding her teeth and trying to keep from choking on enamel fragments as she swallowed them. He turned her over to save her passageways from certain blockage. She had been repeating this routine for the better part of a decade. What enamel remained was scarce.

Thomas walked past his son’s room, not looking in at the boy who was sitting straight up and muttering. The boy was a mute, when he slept was the only time that he even tried to talk.

The house was quiet, besides the normal sleeping behaviors of the Harnum household. This was a tame night for those asleep, even Thomas would only commit a single murder.

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The obsessed ex stood outside his former girlfriend’s window. A crowbar was in his hand and he was making an attempt to unlawfully enter her premises for the purpose of coveting. She wouldn’t have him back, so he was ensuring that she be forever his through bloodshed.

I’ve been watching you, Thomas spoke dryly, causing the other man to jump.

Thomas’ cheeks were damp with electric tears. The volts were liquid and dripping from eyes of red thunder that flashed with every syllable.

I was just going in to talk -

Hold your lies. I know your intent here tonight. Your aim to assault, your plan to slash her throat six times and that every slice represents a restraining order she put on you.

I swear -

Thomas ignored the continual fibs. The liar noticed that this stranger had a briefcase.

What’s in the case, man?

The prevention of what you had planned to carry out here.

Who are you?

A finger of God!

The lying ex tried to flee, but the briefcase was open and electrical currents, ten in total, were already feeding into each of his toes. He could feel the current flow through his veins, coating and encasing them. The sensation wasn’t painful, but his insides felt tight. Ten more currents shot out, then connected to his fingertips. Little shocks of voltage were keeping the man in place. The odd feeling continued until finally all of his body and mind were layered in a liquid electricity.

Harnum looked dazed, his eyes still lighting up like Hellish strobes.

The currents retreated to the briefcase once the ex's insides were covered. Then, the man’s fingers and toes twitched as Thomas began to pray silently. With each syllable the stalker was electrocuted. His body vibrated violently as the electric sent numbing waves all over his body. Smoke then began pouring out of his orifices as his organs began to dry out. His blood then began to boil as it flowed throughout his anatomy, when it hit the heart, the ex’s chest began to seep red as he hemorrhaged to death. Once he was unalive, Harnum closed the case and left the scene.

The girl who was just saved from numerous neck lacerations had been watching the scene unfold. She ran to Thomas to try to thank him, but he appeared to be unconscious even though his body was in motion. He did not respond to her so she went back to clean up the mess left by the incoherent hero.

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Jamaal Walker was coming home from work. Having just had to fire his number one subordinate, Dennis Platsen, he needed a stiff drink. To his dismay, he witnessed the ex girlfriend carrying a flashing body that was also limp. Irritated, he pulled up alongside her, hopped out and flashed his Federal credentials.

Agent Walker, may I ask what’s wrong here?

This is my ex. He was attacked by a man with a briefcase.

Attacked?

Yeah, he, uh, opened the case and lightning came out of it!

Jamaal swallowed harsh to keep from chuckling. The girl scoffed at his disbelief, clearly the flickering corpse wasn’t enough for the Director to accept her explanation at face value.

I’ll humor it. So the man opened up a case, then lightning lit up your ex boyfriend like a strand of holiday lights?

That’s what happened, yes.

Any proof of said incident?

No. Not that I’m aware.

The Director took a good look at the remains, they appeared as if it had been burnt by fire. He wasn’t sure how or why the body was illuminating like it was, but the fact of a murder needing solved remained.

Drop the cadaver and put your hands to the sky.

What?

You’re under arrest for the suspicion of this gentleman’s homicide.

The dead body hit the concrete with a weak thud, but it continued to pulsate like thunderous clouds.

You have the right to remain silent, Director Walker began to read the female her rights.

She thought the apprehension unfair, but it sure beat having six slices across her trachea. She complied without incident and was taken into custody. She kept her mouth shut, she had watched enough television to know better than to utter a peep without a lawyer present. Walker called for a backup unit to take the suspect in. Once she was turned over and was someone else’s responsibility, he went home and drank until he passed out.

Chapter 2:

The Autopsy, An Interview And Breakfast At The Harnum House

After waking up on the floor, Dr. Sodges staggered to his feet. He still felt his anatomy tingling. The last thing that he remembered was making the thoracoabdominable incision, then the room filling with flickers of moist charges. The ceiling was electrified, then he came to on the floor. The details in between weren’t just a blur, they didn’t exist.

The charcoaled specimen remained where it was, the chest still split in four sections and peeled back for examination. The insides were charred and in ruin. Upon a closer look, Sodges saw the encasing overtop the system of veins that were sprawled together like thick webbing. The covering was not sticky, it was slick and solid as if liquid undergoing a change in matter.

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Alright, so I’m taking over for the Director. I ask, you reply with truthful responses. Got it?

The interviewer was Nicole Pope, a retired Detective with special clearances with the Bureau.

What happened to my captor?

Went home to get drunk. I’m here, and I want details. Don’t make things get difficult.

Fine.

The tape recorder was started. It had been a long time since Nicole had used the device, doing so brought back a bitter recall.

I woke up to the sound of two male voices talking. I peered out of my bedroom window and saw my ex boyfriend being confronted by someone with neon eyes. They glowed as if they were synchronized with the challenger’s tongue. When he spoke, they lit up.

What were they saying?

I couldn’t decipher most of it, it was mainly mumbling to me, but the other man accused my ex of being at my place to kill me.

Did it seem absurd to you?

Not the vengeful ex thing, but the stranger knowing about it was unsettling. And, those eyes, chilling.

Could you see the other man enough to provide a description?

Not beyond the flashings. Only his eyes could be seen.

Hmm. Keep on.

The other guy opened up a briefcase and lighting bolts shot from it and into my ex. He then appeared to fry from the inside-out.

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The ceiling flowed with waves of electric waters. Sodges tried to ignore the phenomena as he cut away the internal parts of the carcass on the table. The cause of death was clear, the person in front of Dr. Sodges was electrocuted from the inside.

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I tried to thank the man for saving me, but he was out of it.

So, you engaged with the perp and he seemed dazed?

That’s a good term to use, yeah. Totally in a daze.

Continue.

That’s it. I went back to dispose of my ex, was encountered, then I was brought here.

Why take it upon yourself to tamper with the crime scene?

I knew it would be pinned on me. A lot of good I did myself, huh?

The recording was stopped.

This isn’t sitting right with me. I’ve witnessed some stuff in my day and I can feel the evil lurking in this story.

Dude saved my life. He’s a hero.

Nicole tried to block out the logical statement, then dismissed the suspect after foreshadowing that they would be in touch. She felt the suspect’s sincerity, there was something sideways about the ordeal.

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Dr. Sodges heard the forensic instruments clatter and looked up slowly. Vaporish hands were coming out of the crashing ceiling and were now in possession of the sharp tools. They carved Sodges up as if he were a Halloween pumpkin. He lost a lot of blood, but not enough to result in death, only severe disfiguration.

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Thomas woke up to the smell of oatmeal. A common breakfast in the Harnum household, especially since Alana had began nightly gnashing. The experts were unsure what the root of her condition was, even though the incidents were increasing in occurrence and intensity. Alana smiled at her love and he fought to keep from weeping. Her teeth were jagged, her gums crusted with blood. He still thought her beautiful and returned the gesture.

Drex sat quietly, a commonplace practice for the mute child. He grinned at his parents just to partake in the loving moment. Alana's disorder seemed to coincide with the birth of their silent son, Thomas' didn’t start up until that son began talking at night.

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You autopsy your cranium?

Walker joked, wincing at the amount of fresh scars all over Sodges’ face.

Wouldn’t be accepted as truth if I were to try to explain it to you.

Whatever. So, where’s the stiff?

Gone.

Don’t fool with me, Sodges. Where is he?

Gone!

The Director cursed, then stormed away without accepting a reasoning. Without a cause of death, his case had just gone cold.

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Thomas politely told his family to have a good day, then he walked down to the old steel factory for a full day of work.

Alana homeschooled Drex because she feared his disability would extract unkindness from other children. Drex was an intelligent boy, but along with the inability to speak was the incompetency for the written word. Words only made sense to him when spoken verbally.

Thomas felt a thickness lingering in the air on his stroll to be a Steelman for the next several hours. Something wasn’t right. Then, he saw the discarded girl and felt queasy. She was smiling, she had a pretty smile and he felt it a shame that such a gleeful looking young lady would be treated in such a manner. Why the grin? Maybe, hopefully, she had gotten some good last words that would scar her attacker’s ego. One last dig as she exhaled for a final time. One of her eyes were open as if she were winking. Thomas felt himself trembling at the animosity flowing throughout his soul. Beauty wasted. Harnum clenched his fist and took quicker strides to his workplace, he needed to get to the phone and inform the proper authorities.

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The case was frozen, without the body there was nothing.

Gone. Bodies just disappearin'. Things can’t be smooth for Director Walker, no sir, Jamaal muttered to himself.

He lit up a self rolled and let the inhalation hit the correct sector’s of the brain before exhaling. Once it was half gone, he stubbed it out and went back inside. He would save the unsmoked part for another stress elevator, there just always seemed to be something to inconvenience the man.

Tell me what you do have.

There’s more questions than answers. All I can tell you is that the man was flayed alive from the inside. His organs were all cooked by a particular electrical current.

Particular?

I didn’t get a good enough look to say anything further. Last thing I recall, the body expelled the electric when I opened it up. I then blacked out.

I can’t ever get a regular or, or, normal, case can I?

It’s your gift, JWalk.

The Director flashed a gleam across his face then left. He had work to do.

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Police came and questioned Thomas, who was quickly cleared of suspicion. They took the murdered girl away after zipping her in a vinyl bag. He felt shook, but continued his workday without incident. Everywhere he looked he saw the girl’s expression, but he refused to let the trauma interfere with his focus. After his shift ended, Harnum went home without looking anywhere but at the sky. As long as the clouds weren’t raining anatomy, he wouldn’t have to endure another terrible sight like he did on his way to what would have been a simple day. He went home and kept quiet on the matter.

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That night, when all eyes in the Harnum home were closed, the spirit of the grinning girl crept into the bedroom of Drex and whispered her story. Drex then spoke it aloud which awakened the unconsciousness of his parents. Thomas kissed his wife and turned her over, she gritted her teeth against a mouth guard as her ears picked up on the gruesome details of what had happened. Thomas listened for the details of how to find her killer, then he went on the hunt.

Thomas found the man responsible for the smiling corpse and opened his briefcase. The perpetrator plead for his life, but electricity flowed and filled the air with a putrid aroma. Thomas then went home and slept, oblivious to his actions, not that he would have shown a shred of remorse had he known what he had done. Not all death is a loss, sometimes the world is a better place with one less monster in it.

Chapter 3:

Sodges Is Visited, The Harnums and Director Walker, Burning Cellmates

Doctor Sodges went home and put ointment on his wounds, they were no longer fresh so the attempt was useless in preventing inevitable scars. He couldn’t sleep, so he got out his current read and began to skim the pages. When he finished the chapter he was on, his bedroom began to drip electrical droplets. He tried to throw his door open but the handle had electrified. He recoiled and leaped back to his bed. Then, the electricity parted and out slithered the head of a bull whose horns were human arms. At the end of the limbs were leeches for fingertips. Sodges screamed, then the entity vanished and everything was as if nothing had happened. He cowered the remaining hours of night in a fetal position.

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Alana awoke to two loud thuds. She answered the door with bloody lip corners.

Morning, I’m Jamaal Walker with the Federal Bureau. Is Thomas Harnum available?

Alana removed her mouth guard which caused blood to slosh out and splat to the floor, then she spoke through ragged teeth.

Sure is, come inside.

Her appearance was ghastly, but she had a sweet demeanor. Jamaal wondered of her condition, but more pressing matters were at hand. Alana