1 A start of a script.

(Warning: This 10 part short story is inspired by the gruesome crime of Anatoly Moskvin "The Russian Doll Man". This literature contains high exposures to gore and other ungodly deeds that makes one sick. Anyway, enjoy the story, and happy Halloween! P.S. Listen to some dark music box sounds on Youtube to get the full experience of the horror.)

"The show must go on"

September 26, 2010.

8:00 PM

Puddles of water splash beneath my feet, my hands as cold as ice, and my eyes teared up before me. It was a rainy day. I had gone to the bookstore to buy another yearly horror book series called "Mirror". I was always fascinated by how the author made the story so vivid, representing the true color of what fear peeks from behind even in only a small portion. These types of literature excited me, so much so that I enjoyed Halloween more than any other holiday. The line was extraordinarily long this year. To think that my favorite writer got so popular to the point where people all over town would buy his book, I couldn't have been more proud. Yet there was a feeling of uneasiness, a feeling of normality, a feeling of commonness. I stood far behind the line, letting others pass through first due to my inescapable insecurity.

"I'm sorry honey, but we're out of stock." The store manager, Jane, apologized. She is a middle-aged woman in her 30's, she has 3 kids only a couple of years beyond each other. We used to talk a lot back in the early days where I would struggle to find an interesting book. Jane is a kind-hearted woman, but just like books, people would put you back on the shelf to only occasionally check on you cause you are not interesting enough to communicate with. "Don't worry another stock will come tomorrow. Just wait patiently."

"Actually, the kid doesn't have to wait till tomorrow. We have one last book of "Mirror"." The other employee, Elmer, a middle-aged man just like Jane, swapped in. Elmer has been working within the bookstore for about a year already. He's overly a great person to be around, but his smile always seemed so forced, unnatural, he always seemed like he faked every action he ever did. People also rumored that his wife divorced him just before entering the job in the bookstore. "It's tampered a bit but I don't really see a huge issue." He handed the book to me with a warm smile, unkempt and fake as usual.

Jane snatched away the book from his hand. "Are you crazy?!" You know we can't sell damaged items!" She shouted with her eyes widened in annoyance.

"But it's just a couple of scribbles on the front pages. The rest is fine." Elmer argued.

"We still cannot." The manager replied.

Elmer got close to her, almost only a few inches apart. "Look Jane, this kid missed her dinner with her family just to get this book. No one is out tonight so we better make our decisions quickly."

"We wait till tomorrow." Jane asserted her dominance.

Elmer slapped his palm on his face. "Fine, I'll pay for this one. Is that good for you?" He asked in an annoyed tone.

Jena then smiles and agreed. Without asking me, the book was already placed inside a paper bag with its receipt on.

"Here ya go kid..." Elmer gave me the foiled up book. "Happy Halloween!"

"Thank you..." I smiled and whispered back, in shame of how I look as I took my response.

I ran out of the exit, holding the folded paper bag on my abdomen, letting my black dollar store sweatshirt soak up the upholding rain taking place. The feeling of absolute chills penetrates within my soul as the cold wind blew behind my back. Puddles of water splash beneath my feet, my hands as cold as ice, and my eyes teared up before me. Streets that were once filled with kids playing games was now a quiet one, only filled with the echoing raindrops falling from the sky. The road was dark, lightened up by only a few dim street lights. My eyes went from left and right wondering about what horrors lingered by the empty streets.

And then I saw him-

Erm her-

It.

I saw It.

A tall man dressed in an abnormal fashion of heavy clothes meant for snow stood 15 meters away from me. I halted up my tracks for a second, reevaluating the choices I considered to be right. My cold hands started to lose grip on the item I valued. I took a deep breath and exhaled, a small puff of white mist filled the air in front. My eyes looked directly at the figure, I then spoke to myself. "Fantasy is fantasy. Reality is reality. With the power of my lord, neither harm will affect me."

I then continued, my legs bolted along the way of the guy, I never considered to bat an eye towards him or even elevate his presence. I held on tight to the books with both my arms, I closed my eyes, the soothing drips of the rain slithered down my face, my heart raced, and the feeling of death was nearby.

"Protect me, Jesus." I kept rephrasing these words inside my head over and over again as I took my steps. My legs felt like cooked pasta as I got closer, wiggling from side to side, ready to tilt and fall. I smelt his fragrant perfume, covered from the rain by his big umbrella. For a moment I imagined my body to slip and fall to the ground, making me vulnerable and helpless against the man. And then the bliss of joy spreads throughout my body. "Freedom!" I shouted inside my mind. I had passed the man I fear. Then a deep monster-like voice grumbles from nowhere. My hand shook, my heart skipped a beat, and my mind went blank as I heard his word.

"Thea..."