Short Story #3

Trevor Whittemore

The Mattress 

     It was early summer and Fred had just gotten off of working construction on the street laying blacktop. Fred was a built man in his early forties and he worked long hard hours. He was dripping with sweat when he got home so he took a cold shower and then threw on some fresh boxers and a tank top. Fred then took out he trash and noticed a nice California king sized mattress just outside the dumpster.

     “Wow why in the hell would anyone want to throw this away,” said Fred who’s mattress had more holes in it than a knit blanket. 

     He then hauled the new mattress back to his house and he trashed his old one. After that Fred took a shower he made himself a microwave meal as his wife Barbara usually does the cooking but she was on a business trip and she would not be home for at least another day. So Fred threw a frozen burrito in the microwave and after he finished it he grabbed a bottle of water and went into his bedroom took off his clothes and set his water down on his night stand and got into bed as he slept in the nude.

     “Wow this is like a cloud much better than that piece of holy shit and it even smells brand new,” said Fred as he turned on his fan. He then drifted off to sleep.

     At around midnight Fred awoke and he started to itch all over.

     “Why am I itching so bad,” said Fred as he scratched all over his body.

     “Maybe it was something in that damn burrito that I am allergic to. Who knows what the the hell they put in those things,” said Fred then got up and grabbed two Benadryl from his medicine cabinet. 

     He then got back into bed opened his bottle of water and took the pills. Shortly after he fell into a deep sleep. The next morning when Fred woke up he had red spots all over his body. From the top of his shaved head to the tops of his feet. And they itched something fierce.

     “What the fuck is this chicken pox!” yelled Fred as he scratched himself profusely. 

     “I can’t stand this I need to get in to see a doctor,” said Fred as he jumped in the shower and washed himself thoroughly.

     “Christ this itches!” yelled Fred.

     After he finished showering, he brushed his teeth and drove himself to the local urgent care. He was seen by the Doctor shortly After signing in and filling out paperwork.

     “When did you first notice this?” asked the Doctor.

     “Just last night I started itching and when I woke up I was covered in spots," said Fred.

     “Have you ever had chicken pox before?” asked the doctor.

     “Never. Is that what this is?” said Fred.

     “Yes, I reckon it is so I am going to write you a prescription for Acyclovir and I want you to get some Aveeno oatmeal and soak in it. You do have a tub I presume?” said the doctor.

     “Yes I do,” said Fred.

     “I will write you off work for two weeks and if this doesn’t clear up by then I want you to come back in to see me," the doctor said.

     “Two weeks? I can’t miss that much work,” said Fred.

     “I strongly suggest you stay away from anyone as this could spread like wildfire to the populace,” said the doctor.

     “Great! I will be lucky if I still have a job after this,” said Fred with a frown.

     “Most importantly don’t scratch them. I know it’s hard but you could scar if you do,” said the doctor.

     “Alright. Is there anything else doc?” asked Fred.

     “I will also write you a prescription for Ibuprofen for the pain, so make sure to take them after you eat and they should scab over within a few weeks which is when I want you to come back in to see me got it,” said the doctor.

     “Thanks doc,” said Fred and he left.

     That night Fred took an aveeno bath after taking the medicines he was prescribed but he couldn’t stop itching and the spots had tripled in size and they were very painful. Fred went and grabbed a bottle of glenfiddich scotch and started to down it. 

     “What the hell is happening to me this fucking hurts” said Fred cringing. 

     He lied back down in his bed and he turned the television on and a horror movie was playing.

     “I look like I belong in a fucking horror movie” said Fred as he downed nearly half the bottle of scotch. He then passed out drunk.

     At 2 am Fred jumped out of his bed screaming in pain and ran over to the bathroom mirror and when he looked into it he saw silver dollar sized blisters covering his entire body he screamed out in pain as he looked at his arms and torso. The giant blisters were moving and a large black beetle chewed his way out of Fred’s arm and it bit a chunk of flesh out of his arm with its razor sharp teeth. Fred screamed and smashed his fist down hard onto the giant beetle and nearly broke his hand as its carapace was harder than stone.

     ”Ahhh!” screamed Fred then more of the large black bed bugs started to chew there way out of him.

     “HELP ME!” screamed Fred and one by one the large black beetles burst out of him.

     He fell to the floor squirming in pain as the large flesh eating bed bugs devoured him. They ate his eyeballs from their sockets and his ears and nose they ate his genitals and before the sun rose Fred was nothing more than a skeleton lying in his own blood on the bathroom floor. The large beetles then flew out through the glass window in Fred's room shattering it to bits. The next day Fred’s wife Barbara returned and when she entered her bedroom she screamed out at the top of her lungs when she saw the skeleton of her dead husband covered in blood. Barbara couldn’t figure out how her husband died or who did it or even if it was him. It was so bizarre. She spent the next couple of nights in a hotel as the police investigated Fred’s bizarre murder. After the funeral Barbara decided it was time to go back to the house where her husband was killed. That night she climbed into bed and immediately noticed how soft the mattress was.

     “Oh Fred you got us a new mattress how sweet of you” said Barbara as she started to cry. Eventually she took a Valium and cried herself to sleep mourning over Fred.

     The next morning she woke up covered in tiny red spots itching all over.

END

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Short Story #2

Trevor Whittemore

Abandoned

     It was early October and Benjamin and his best mate Ronald decided to go on a camping trip. They brought a tent, sleeping bags, a cooking pot, hot dogs, buns, 2 cans of chili, 4 packages of chicken top ramen, a wooden spoon, water, a flashlight, a grappling hook connected to twenty feet of rope, a loaded Glock 23 with a sure fire light attached a bong and half an ounce of Jack Herer, and half an ounce of soul assassin OG.

     “Wow this is quite the hike Ben,” Ronald said.

     “I actually don’t know any one who’s came this far up the mountain,” Benjamin said.

     “These trees are amazing this is truly a magical forest, I hope we can find our way back,” said Ronald taking it all in.

They had been hiking for nearly six hours straight when they came to a large boulder.
     

     “How the fuck are we supposed to get up that, there has got to be another way right?” asked Ronald.

     “Nope I’m afraid not but that’s why I brought this,” Benjamin said as he pulled the grappling hook out of his backpack. 

     “You’re joking right I'm not about to climb that thing and fall to my death,” Ronald said.

     “Don’t you want to see what is beyond this rock I sure do. I mean who knows if it’s even been explored,” Benjamin said.

     “What If the grappling hook doesn’t hold that’s got to be at least twenty feet up if we fall we are dead” said Ronald.

     “I will go first and secure the grappling hook around that tree and I promise you won’t fall,” Benjamin said.

     “I don’t even have any service on my cell what if something happens,” Ronald said.

     “This is a once in a lifetime chance to explore an area that probably hasn’t even been discovered where’s your sense of adventure,” Benjamin said.

     “Back at home playing Uncharted on my PS4,” Ronald said.

     “Well then when I find some real treasure I will tell you all about it. I didn’t hike all this way to turn around I have always wanted to go beyond that rock and your the first person to actually make it this far with me you can’t turn back now” Benjamin said.

     “Alright but you better make sure that rope is secure around that tree,” Ronald said.

     “Scouts honor” Benjamin said as he saluted his friend.

     Benjamin twirled the grappling hook and flung it into the air and missed the tree as the iron hook came crashing down to the ground nearly hitting Ronald.

     “Don’t kill me before I get up there,” Ronald said.

     Then carefully Benjamin took aim and flung the hook into the air and it caught on a thick tree branch. He tugged the rope hard to see if it was secure.

     “Perfect” Benjamin said with a smile.

     “Nice throw” Ronald said.

     Benjamin then climbed up the rope and once he reached the top of the enormous boulder he fastened the grappling hook around the trunk of the tree.

     “Your turn just don’t look down,” Ben said.

     Then he carefully ascended the rope and high fived Benjamin once he reached the top. Benjamin and Ronald continued to hike through the forest stopping to hit the bong once. They continued their journey until they saw what appeared to be an old abandoned house made from stone. It looked like a house lost in time from a bygone era. Most of the foundation had crumbled pieces of the outer structure were still in tact. There was an iron trap door that led into a basement with an ancient looking lock on it.

     “Wow this House has got to be at least three maybe four hundred years old,” said Benjamin with excitement in his voice.

     “It sure looks ancient older than anything I've ever seen,” said Ron.

     “I wonder what’s down there, I reckon I could shoot off the lock with this,” said Benjamin as he pulled out his 40 caliber handgun and fired a couple of rounds at the old rusty lock.

     “What the fuck bro those could have ricocheted and hit me,” Ronald said.

     “But it didn’t and look the lock is broken in half,” said Benjamin as he lifted the old cast iron trap door.

     “I’m not going down there,” Ronald said.

     “You know you’re the biggest pussy I’ve ever met get your ass down here” 

     Then he switched on the surefire light attached to his Glock and threw a flashlight at Ronald who nearly dropped it. They climbed down a few ancient stone steps and found themselves in an underground cavern. As Ronald shined his flashlight down he screamed out loud as there lying on the floor was a headless skeleton wearing chainmail armor. Lying next to it was an old shield and sword as well as his severed head.

     “That’s nothing, look at this" said Ben and he shined his light down onto piles upon piles of human bones and skulls.

     “I am out of here,” Ronald said as he climbed out of the cave.

     Benjamin looked around the cave and there was a small tunnel leading further into the cave but he was to large to fit into it. When he looked in the tunnel he saw something large flickering on the floor so he reached as far as his arm would stretch but it was just out of reach. So he grabbed the old rusty sword lying next to the old skeleton and he used the blade to drag it towards him. His heart started to race with excitement when he saw what it was. Benjamin then bent down and picked up the giant emerald that was nearly the size of his fist and he put it into his bag. He then set the sword down in the tunnel and climbed back out.

     “Did you find anything down there,” Ronald asked.

     “Just a tunnel leading further into the cave but I couldn’t fit,” Benjamin said as his heart pounded with excitement at the treasure he just found.

     “I wonder who made it?” Ronald asked.

     “Maybe one of the seven dwarves,” Benjamin said.

     “Let’s set up the tent here,” Ronald said and they set it up under a tree right next to the ancient house.

     “Man I’ve got the munchies and it will be dark soon let’s make some chili dogs,” Ronald said.

     “That is the best idea you’ve had all day let’s do it,” said Ben as he gathered stones, twigs, and kindling to build a fire. 

     Ronald found some sticks and then he opened the two cans of chili and poured them into the pot that he set up over the fire using a large stick and some big stones. Benjamin then roasted the hot dogs and handed a stick with a dog on it to Ronald. After they ate dinner they loaded a fat bowl of Soul Assassin OG. 

     “Damn this weed is strong,” said Ron taking a huge rip coughing out all the smoke.

     “It’s the best shit ever isn’t it,” Benjamin said taking a bigger rip than Ronald.

     “I wonder who those dead men were in that cave. That headless skeletons weapons and armor looked medieval. You didn’t by any chance grab that sword did you it could be worth a fortune,”  said Ron.

     “No I left it in that tunnel go get it if you want I am sure it is worth quite a bit and that shield too”.

     “You really think so?” Ronald asked.

     “I am sure of it".

     “Could you get it for me mate please?” Ronald asked.

     “Don’t be such a wimp unless of course you want to wait until day break,” Benjamin said with a smirk.

     “Fuck it I will get them now,” Ronald said

     “That a boy” 

     Ronald then turned on the flashlight and carefully opened the iron trap door and climbed down the stone stairs. He grabbed the shield lying next to the skeleton then he walked towards the tunnel shining his flashlight on it and he spotted the sword. As he bent down to grab the sword he heard a high pitch snarl and he quickly shined the light down the tunnel but there was nothing there.

     “That Soul Assassins no joke I am hearing shit,” Ronald said. 

     A tad frightened he set down his shield and flashlight and reached for the sword which was a good arms length away. He grabbed it up quickly and just as he did he saw two glowing yellow eyes looking right at him. He snatched up the flashlight hastily and shined it down the tunnel but there was nothing there. He grabbed the shield and as he reached for the sword a tremendous force hit his shield cracking it in half and he saw the glowing eyes right in front of him he then felt intense pain and he tried to scream but only a blood curdling gargle came out and the last thing he saw were those wicked glowing yellow eyes before he slipped into deaths cold grasp.

     Twenty minutes later.....

     “Ronald what the hell are you doing down there?” Benjamin asked as he grabbed his Glock 23 and turned on the light. 

     He then walked down the stone stairs and saw his friend lying there motionless.

     “Come on man I didn’t drop it that far in there,” Benjamin said and he shined the light down onto his friend and his head was missing. 

     He then heard a high pitched roar and as he shined his light down the tunnel about five feet away from him was a slimy green creature no taller than three feet with yellow eyes a very long pointed ears and a nose and a huge mouth full of razor sharp teeth. It had on tattered leather clothes and a leather cap with two straps on both sides of it hanging down past its gaunt cheeks. It was also wearing a leather satchel. In one hand it was holding a gnarly cleaver that was dripping blood and in its other hand was Ronald’s severed head. Benjamin took aim and right as he fired the goblin rushed him and bit his hand. He dropped the Glock and picked up the maglite that was lying on the floor next to Rons corpse and he hit the creature over the head with it. Benjamin then ran as fast as his two legs would take him. He ran to his tent and grabbed his backpack and he followed the same path he took before. He did not stop nor did he look behind him he ran and ran until he came to the same tree he used to get up the cliff with. He took his grappling hook out of his bag and fastened it to the tree as fast as he could and just as he was about to climb down his feet were pulled out from underneath him as he crashed down hard onto the ground. He tried to grab his flashlight and right as he had it in his hand a large cleaver came smashing through his arm severing it. Benjamin screamed out in agony as he looked at his bleeding stump where his arm used to be. Then THWACK, HACK, CRACK the Goblin severed his head off and it fell off of the cliff crashing down to the ground below. The slime green Goblin then shimmied down the rope and picked up Ben's severed head and he tied it to his waist with some twine. Then it climbed back up the rope and dragged Benjamin's corpse back to the campsite. It then carved him up and cooked him in his own pot that still had some chili left in it and ate every last bit of meet from Ben's bones. Afterward it grabbed the green Emerald from Ben's pack and looked it over then the creature put it into its satchel and it dragged Ben's headless skeleton back into the cave. The Goblin then removed the emerald and placed it in the exact same spot it was in before and it headed back into it's lair at the back of the cave.

     Two Years Later, a newly wed couple was hiking.

     “Wow babe what a hike that was,” said the husband.

     “I am beat,” said his wife.

     “Look at this a rope lets see whats up there” said the husband. 

     “You know I am kind of beat,” said his wife.

     “Come on where’s your sense of adventure,” said the husband.

     “Okay fine but you owe me one,” said his wife.

They both climbed up the rope and were never seen or heard from again.

END

You can check my website and books! 

Click Here!

Short Story #1

     I'm going to start publishing my original short stories on my blog. I think it would be nice to introduce myself. It will be a serialized short fiction. I hope many people will enjoy them and become interested in my novels. I will try to publish often!

Trevor Whittemore

A Rare Catch

     It was late in August and Harold a retired Navy Veteran was fishing his favorite spot in Gozo. Using the same rod that his father gave to him when he was just a boy. Harold had caught everything from Albacore, Amberjack, Snapper to Sailfish and even though Grouper. 

     He cast his line whipping his wrist and the lure sailed through the air landing a good thirty feet from his skiff that he named Azalea after his late wife who was native to the island.

     “Damn it’s a hot one,” said Harold setting down his pole and reaching into his ice chest pulling out a large can of Cisk, a Maltese beer known for its unique flavor and a favorite among the locals.

     He had been drinking since early morning. Just as he cracked it open his pole launched into the water as he forgot to set the drag, so he quickly started up the engine and followed his pole. The Azalea was pretty fast for a skiff so he quickly caught up to it pulling alongside it. He reached down to pick it up and nearly fell in.

     “God Damned fish,” he yelled as he recomposed himself.

     A good thirty feet in front of his pole just beneath the surface of the water he could see the metallic blue glimmer of the fish he hooked that was dragging his pole across the water effortlessly. There were cliffs up ahead he knew the fish would have to change course soon but the pole disappeared beneath the rocks.

     “Well fuck me sideways and call me Suzanne. There’s a cave under there I’d bet my life on it and I am not loosing that pole.”

     Harold being an ex Navy Seal could hold his breath for nearly five minutes in his younger days. He killed the engine dropped anchor and put on his mask, snorkel, fins, waterproof flashlight and diving knife then he jumped into the water.

     He swam through a network of tunnels surfacing for air when he could. He swam underwater for a good two minutes when suddenly his flashlight flickered on and off then it died. Harold tried not to panic as he kept swimming. He swam faster and faster and tried to swim up hoping to find an air pocket but he hit his head on rock. He knew that if he didn’t find one soon he would drown. So he pushed on through the underwater tunnel and then in the distance he noticed a faint blue light. For a second, he panicked thinking this was it, but he swam as fast as he could towards the light and it got brighter and brighter, and then he surfaced as he gasped for air.

     He was in a giant cave full of large glowing blue crystals that illuminated the cave. He climbed out of the water onto the cavern floor as he breathed air into his lungs. He stared in wonder at all the giant glowing crystals in the cave then he quickly turned his attention to the sound of something scraping against he rocks. When he looked down into the water, there was his fishing pole being dragged around the large pool. Harold could see a strange looking metallic blue fish pulling his pole around. He waited for the right moment and reached into the water pulling his pole out of the water. He quickly loosened the drag a little and started to reel in the beautiful yet strange looking fish.

     “I think I got myself a new species here,” said Harold as he reeled it in.

     Then suddenly the fish shot out of the water and into the air it’s metallic blue wings flapping. Harold quickly noticed that it was not a fish that he hooked but a strange creature with webbed hands and feet with sharp claws at the ends of them. It had silvery eyes and metallic blue skin. He hooked the creature through its right cheek. It sneered at Harold as he reeled it in like a kite. The sinister looking sprite fought hard as Harold continued to reel him in. The wicked pixie was about the same length as a large Tuna but it was skinny and it had gill slits in its ribs. It hissed and darted down at Harold scratching and clawing at him with its hand and feet. Leaving tiny lacerations all over his arms. Then it opened its mouth revealing row upon row of translucent blue razor sharp teeth. Harold jammed his fishing pole into the pixies mouth but it bit it in half. He then unsheathed his dive knife right as he fairy bit into his shoulder. Harold screamed so loud it echoed in the large cave. He then stabbed the sprite in its kidneys as it poured blue blood. It let out a shriek so loud that Harold quickly covered his ears dropping the knife to the floor. The sprite launched itself at Harold who put his arm out in front of him trying to hold it back. But the vile pixie bit into his arm. He could feel it cracking through his bones splintering his ulna and radius as it bit his arm off. With a burst of adrenaline he quickly picked up the knife and stabbed it through the side of the foul fairies head its wings stopped flapping as it died at the end of his blade. Harold screamed out in pain as he bled all over the cavern floor. He then tore off his shirt and wrapped his half severed arm to stop the bleeding. Seconds later a few crystals in the cavern started to resonate. Then more and more until the entire cavern was humming. Then one by one they started to shatter blue liquid and shards shot out everywhere some piercing into Harold’s skin. Each shard contained the same creature that Harold just killed.

     “No,” screamed Harold as one by one the evil fairies flew down to him.

     One grabbed a leg another one grabbed his arm and another his head. They ascended holding onto Harold biting chunks of flesh from his belly until his entrails fell to the floor but one fairy grabbed one side of his intestines and another fairy grabbed the other side starting a tug of war match with them. The Pixie that had hold of Harold’s arm chewed it clean off as five more pixies ate his legs. The one pixie that had hold of his head chewed right through his cervical vertebrae pulling his head off and eating out his eyeballs. The rest of Harold’s mangled lifeless body fell to the floor with a splotch leaving a heaping mass of gore behind for the flesh hungry pixies to devour until there was nigh a scrap left of poor Harold.

     Azalea was floating outside the hidden cave and was later found by a local fisherman, but Harold was never heard from or seen again.

END

You can check my website and books!

CLICK HERE!

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to show you a few roughs of the painting that is underway of "The Legend Of The Yorkshire Werewolf Book One" a six book series inspired by "An American Werewolf In London" the talented Gary Ward is working on the painting now and it should be finished within the week. I just started writing Book 4 and just to give a few hints this book will feature a horrifying all black werewolf with red glowing eyes known throughout East Anglia UK as The Black Shuck it will also feature more black Werewolves including the Barghest. I don't want to reveal too much here just yet but book 4 will most likely be the most horrifying and disturbing in the entire series. Well I hope you enjoy the roughs. Also if you haven't had the chance to check out my first book "Pavor Nocturnus" you can click on the link below to see reviews of the book as well as purchasing options.

Sincerely,

Trevor Whittemore

Pavor Nocturnus

Click here and get Pavor nocturnus!

The Legend Of The Yorkshire Werewolf update

Just giving an update on my book "The Legend Of The Yorkshire Werewolf" a six book series inspired by "An American Werewolf In London". The first three books are being edited right now and the cover is being painted by Gary Ward. You can see his art on Pinterest under the name LeGrande62. He is truly an amazing artist. So here is an introduction to my book "The Legend Of The Yorkshire Werewolf"

In 14th century England Ivor and his loyal dog Arthur live on the outskirts of the Yorkshire Wolds. A dense forest where King Edward III had his men cart off victims of the black plague where they were placed in a large pit deep within the forest. Then one full moon Ivor and his German wolf Spitz are attacked by a pack of abnormally large grey wolves. That end up hurting Arthur and chasing him off into the forest. Now Ivor is willing to do everything he can to save his dog. So he hires the greatest wolf hunter and warrior in the land. Byron Brookthorne whose skill with a longbow is unmatched. Will the two brave men ever find Arthur or will they succumb to a fate far worse than death.

Mask of Pavor Nocturnus

    My dad has working on the mask of Pavor Nocturnus.

    When the mask is ready, I will use it to help promote this book and possibly use it in the movie if and when it comes out. That's my goal!!

   

I got a new review on Online Book Club!!

You can read whole review at ONLINE BOOK CLUB

PAVOR NOCTURUNUS BY TREVOR WHITTEMORE