Chapter 11 Son

Totem. A natural object or animal that is believed by a particular society to have spiritual significance and that is adopted by it as an emblem.

My name is Son, second eldest son of the Porter family. Since I saw mom cook for my 6th Thanksgiving I've always wanted to be able to cook for people. To simply make amazing food and hear the satisfaction it gave was a treat for me. But I have a bit of a temper. I mean I don't mean to blow up. I've only ever hit one guy and he said my food tastes like shit. I ask if he wanted a refund. He agrees and then states proudly how he's going to tell everyone how bad my food was. That was bad enough but no problem. Right? You see he then proceeds to press his finger into my chest and and spit on me. At that point I was beating the shit out of him. Got hauled down to the station. yata yata. That was a good 10 years ago.

Now I'm here, in New Seyuta, enjoying the grand opening of my new Restaurant "Delight". I specialize in all kinds of foods from many different cultures. Went to school for it and everything. And now I get to enjoy the look on the faces of these gorgeous people in my Restaurant. I hired and trained a few chefs on the technique and recipes. Grilled them for the past few weeks until they got the hang of it.

I'm surprised by the number I managed to draw in. Even with the hellish advertising I've been doing its honestly a little strange. I guess I have past failures to thank for that. This will be the second time I'm opening my Restaurant. My first was in New York and it had been bad. I dont think I need to go into detail about it.

After everything's done the crew and I clean and close up shop. I'm the last one there, enjoying the site of my better looking new building.

"Hi there Mr.Porter" I turn to see a young African American man in a opened up suit approach me. He looked a little younger than me in age so probably in his mid twenties. "Your food was absolutely amazing, I gotta tell you...." He just went on and on. He complemented my food, work ethic, blah blah blah. I mean I appreciate it but I'm tired as hell too. It's about 11:50p.m.

"Hey," I stopped him. "Thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoyed it. But I gotta go."

As I'm about to go I'm surprised by his amazingly dashing appearance. It's like perfection. Although he wears his suit like a pop star/boy band, his smile is perfect, his shoes are perfect. His hair is...you get the idea. If I was a woman I'd probably fall head over heels off looks alone. Really though. Now that I look at him ,he looks like money.

"Just listen for a second." he flashes a smile and stops three feet away from me.

"Your Restaurant is unique offering so many different cuisines at an affordable price. And you drew in a decent amount of customers without being widely known but without the right advertising skills it'll never really draw in its target consumer rate." His mannerism is completely professional without being Dominantly judgemental. I listened diligently now interested in what he's giving. In the end he gave really good tips on advertiment and even lowering cost. He also assured me he plans on getting into contact with me soon.

"By the way. I should've lead with this but..." he extended his hand and I shook it, "my name is Dark...Dark Shadow." Upon hearing his name I realize who he was. The CEO of SHADE Inc. The huge business conglomerate that basically does it all. Entertainment, Security, Medicine, Media even government. Since WW2 this company has been one of the best businesses other than RX Corporation. Actually I think I the hospitals here are SHADE universities.

My mouth drop along with my hand though I regain composure easily. I can't believe how easy it was for me to forget his face. I mean it's on nearly every magazine in America dressed practically the same way. He's basically the worlds most eligible bachelor. Genius, playboy, philanthropist. And he's giving advice on marketing....I should kidnap him...wait no that's a horrible idea. Invite him over for dinner with my troubled family and talk business? Huh.... I focus and realize he's staring at me.

"You good man?" I straighten up and go with my plan...not the kidnaping plan. He'll probably Tony Stark me anyway so inviting him to dinner is better. It goes off without a hitch. He says he needs to stop by his penthouse and he'd be there in a bit. I was tired but now I'm exited. My business is most definitely gonna benefit from this. I take my leave.

I'm about to get home until my phone rang. I know I shouldn't answer it while driving especially at night but it could be important. I reach down feeling for my phone. I'm still in the city but I'm about to exit on the main highway. Can't seem to find the phone. I know I brought it with me. I look down for a second and see it. I grab my cell and quickly look back up. Upon focusing on the road I see a woman in the street facing the vehicle. I swerved but the vehicle impossibly loose control and it flip. Black.

My head feels like it's in a blender. I wake. Vision blurred. It's dark, cold, and damp. I think I'm....hanging? There's a distinct smell of blood. Yup that definitely woke me up. I fully wake and my vision clears. Night vision must've set in because I can see just barely. I look around. I'm upside down and I think I may be in some factory. My legs are tied together by a ceiling hook. Fear wells up in me. Looking around I see others hung up like I am. I almost scream frantically but I see a woman in a dark cloak walk up towards the area I'm in. She stops beside me and i pretend I'm like the others, unconscious or possibly dead. I Open my eyes just barely so they look to be closed. I see her. I think it's the same woman who stood in the road.

"Lift thine neck o wicked man of the Sanctum." Her voice is young and enchanting. I sense an accent. I can't see her face though. She coats a hood. a big one and her head is turned away from me.

"Huh?!" The man she stands over comes to. I guess he was out like me. "Who....who are you." It had been too dark to see but I could easily make out the fear that crept into his voice.

"Once upon a time Mary had a baby lamb, fleece white as a snowflake--" her response was...I don't know.

"What the fuck!" The man spoke my mind.

"No one knew of Mary's special lamb but mary left the gate open one night," she continued. "All the children from Mary's school saw the lamb and they laughed and played. 'oh why does the lamb love Mary so?' they would say. And they lamb answered, "my fleece is white as snow because I've yet to have children."

"What the FUCK!" Again the man repeats my thought. It's almost like our minds are on the same wavelength. Though anyone would think that when they heard the lamb spoke. This is obviously a parody of that nursery Rhime. Mary had a little lamb. This one is headed towards a creepy place though. I can tell.

"The lamb crikkity crik cracks and Mary's schoolmates fly away. Mary's teacher looks up at the lamb and ask where art our children?" She continued as she dance around the man. She seems like she belongs in a looney bin. "The lamb reply crikkity crik cracks and the teacher fly away. Now Mary sees that the lamb is full and grown but papa says to Mary 'that lamb we cannot own. So Papa takes his sickle and says to the lamb crikkity crik crack Crikkity crack crack Crikkity."

With just a swift move of her hand, the man's neck opens and her other hand goes up holding the blood with a bucket.

Holy Shit!! She just killed him in cold blood. Oh God she's gonna do the same thing to me probably! I got to get out of here.

"Drip Drip in u go, in the bowl and into the fold.." I'm already having a silent freakout while being hung up in a factory with other bodies. But now this crazy woman comes up, slicing necks, and singing a creepy nursery Rhimes.

"Drip Drip, into the hole, out he comes, father of Yule." she ends her nursery rhime. Father of Yule sounds familiar. That entire thing actually. I think mom use to tell my brothers and I the story. And it wasn't a sick nursery Rhime. Theres just something about people who slit throats while singing a song that makes me feel disgusting...guh and I ate before the accident.....

After the bowl is filled the stench really sets in. I'm about to puke. She walks away repeating her song. I look for any way to get out. I still have my wallet. it has a cheap blade inside disguised as a card. it's better than nothing. The wallet is attached to a chain on my jeans. I lift myself up to grab it but fall back down. It's harder than the movies demonstrates. I somehow manage to get the blade. I dont wanna fall on my head so I pull myself up and grab onto the hook.

Footsteps. Like death. The mistress is coming. I think of the man's terrible fate. How his neck was slit. I move quicker. The footsteps come closer and my heart quikens. Pop. My legs are released and I hang on the hook. The psycho approaches and I stay stiff trying not to swing as much. She stands about the distance of ten feet from me. She does the same to the other man and eventually leaves. Though she called him "Tin Man". Once I'm sure it's safe I drop and move silently. It's dark and damp, almost misty. The disgusting taste of iron in the air makes me gag but I fight through the urge to barf up my dinner and push forward across what seems to be a wide open corridor.

I see a door upon moving a good distance from the bodies, and walk towards it but I hear footsteps on the other side approaching. It must be her. The killer. If I run she'll hear me. if I try to jump her I'll likely die considering she has a blade. And there's nowhere else to hide. I choose the best option I have. I hide behind the door and lay my back flat against the wall.

The door opens, a foot enters the room and the body of the killer follows. She walks on by saying "Jack and Gill went up a hill to fetch a pail of water. Little did the boys know mama was bathing and down they fell one after the other.....--" Yeah I just walked into the door before it closed.

I see a long hallway and a door at the end. Hopefully it leads to the outside. I move quickly but silently. These halls echo loudly. Once I'm there I quickly open the door breathing heavily. It's like I'm out of breath but I barely even ran. My heart is moving a thousand beets per second. Its fear.

I calm myself and realize I'm in a room with another door. Though I see an alter at the center of the large room. At the alter resides a white dagger. I approach seeing an opportunity to seize a weapon. The dagger has a white snake on it in design. Red eyes, white scales and... holes? I see a mouthpiece at the bottom. is this an instrument as well as a blade? Green ranger anyone? I take it in my hand of course and it feels great. It makes me feel powerful almost. I then proceed to go through the door but I hear the door close behind me.

"Hello Scarecrow. " She just called me Scarecrow....

I turn and see the woman. Now that I look at her I think it's a teenager. At most she could pass for twenty. She may be Caucasian. And there are symbols painted on her face. I can't make em out. I don't care to either.

"Stay back!" ugh I sound frantic. My heart rate speeds up. I back up holding the blade towards her. I reach for the door but she charges me. I swing and she dances backwards holding out her knife and giggles.

"You hold the dagger? So are you Oz?" I become irritated.

"What the fuck!" I shout "Just let me go!"

"Oz holds papa's knife. Father of Yule needs White Snake." Again she says father of Yule. I try to leave but she runs at me again, blade in hand. I end up closing my eyes and hold out the blade and I feel her body press against mine.

My hands are wet. Something hot Is on me. I open my eyes and see the young woman with pale eyes and blood drip from her lips. She coughs and the crimson liquid flies on my face. Smiling she places her hand on my cheek and says into my ear "Run Oz." It was said playfully....like a game was being started.

She backs up and i hear the sound of the blade coming out of her chest. Blood spills onto the ground. I think I hit an artery. she simply laughs and as her blood spills on the floor I see the room began to change. Becoming corroded and twisted. I open the door and run. I run until I see the exit. It gets warmer but the dampness doesn't leave. Honestly at this point I dont care. I can sense the corruption follow me. Once I'm at the exit I open the door and see that I'm at some compound in the wilderness....

The building around me becomes distorted and I see as the compound is turned inside out and the ground beneath me crumbles. I fall to darkness seeing the young woman laughing, looking down at me from the edge. And into hell I dive.