spots like the rest of his body. His teeth were sharp and now gnashing at the flesh of his stepfather, who was screaming and flailing around on the floor like a rag doll in the grasp of the man with spots.
Jimmy found himself almost taken out of the scene, as though the screams of Richard and his mother were coming from a distant place – far away from here. The man with spots was making low growling noises as he tore Richard into pieces, blood splattering all over the walls, floor, and ceiling. Jimmy wasn’t afraid. He knew the man with spots was doing just what he promised he would do. He was tearing Richard into little tiny pieces.
4
When the sun came up that next morning, Jimmy pulled the sheet down from his face, afraid at what he was going to see. The act that had taken place at the foot of his bed had been the most violent thing he had ever witnessed. The screaming coupled with the sound of the man with spots eating his tormented stepfather were going to stay with him for a while.
As the sunlight poured into his bedroom window, Jimmy saw the television back in its usual place and unbroken. There was no blood anywhere to be found on the walls, floor, or ceiling like it had been only a few hours before. His bedroom door was open, and there were no signs of the tremendous pounding that his mother was exerting during the struggle. As he climbed out of bed, he couldn’t help but wonder if the whole thing had just been a strange dream. Was it another nightmare to add to the long list of scary dreams he had endured?
His heart raced as he walked around to the foot of his bed, where he had dreamed Richard encountered the man with spots. On the floor in a neat pile were tiny pieces of plaid fabric – the same plaid fabric that made up Richard’s pajamas! The pieces were dime-sized and neatly piled up on the floor, only a couple feet from the television! There was no blood or anything else, just the tiny swatches of fabric.
“Jimmy. Are you up? I had the strangest dream last night,” Kim said as she stood in the doorway, yawning.
Jimmy didn’t say anything. He was trying to process what had happened.
“Have you seen Richard? I figured he would be gone for work by now, but his truck is still in the driveway.”
That was when Jimmy knew that the man with spots had taken care of Richard just like he promised. He pushed the pieces of fabric under his bed and ran to his mother, hugging her tightly. It would be OK now.
Unfit For Human Occupancy
1
Dan Taylor approached the condemned house at 1312 E. Cypress Street with caution. It was easy to distinguish from the rest with boarded-up windows, an overgrown front yard, and the sign nailed to the peeling front door, which read, “unfit for human occupancy”. In the stifling heat of a mid-July day, the gnats were attacking his sweaty face while he contemplated what would be the easiest way to gain access inside.
Dan didn't have a very good feeling about this. It was something he had to do for his new job with Banner McBride, an engineering company based in Decatur, Illinois. They had other offices throughout the Midwest. He was hired to do an engineering study of the structure before demolition. The City of Decatur hired his company to do this type of inspection all over town. He wasn't an engineer but with training, he was able to do the necessary field work that one of the engineers back at the office could sign off on. The real engineers sat back in the air conditioned office while the field grunts got to wade through the filth of it all.
Dan had been laid off for two years after the Firestone plant closed down. He was almost 50, and options were
Jimmy found himself almost taken out of the scene, as though the screams of Richard and his mother were coming from a distant place – far away from here. The man with spots was making low growling noises as he tore Richard into pieces, blood splattering all over the walls, floor, and ceiling. Jimmy wasn’t afraid. He knew the man with spots was doing just what he promised he would do. He was tearing Richard into little tiny pieces.
4
When the sun came up that next morning, Jimmy pulled the sheet down from his face, afraid at what he was going to see. The act that had taken place at the foot of his bed had been the most violent thing he had ever witnessed. The screaming coupled with the sound of the man with spots eating his tormented stepfather were going to stay with him for a while.
As the sunlight poured into his bedroom window, Jimmy saw the television back in its usual place and unbroken. There was no blood anywhere to be found on the walls, floor, or ceiling like it had been only a few hours before. His bedroom door was open, and there were no signs of the tremendous pounding that his mother was exerting during the struggle. As he climbed out of bed, he couldn’t help but wonder if the whole thing had just been a strange dream. Was it another nightmare to add to the long list of scary dreams he had endured?
His heart raced as he walked around to the foot of his bed, where he had dreamed Richard encountered the man with spots. On the floor in a neat pile were tiny pieces of plaid fabric – the same plaid fabric that made up Richard’s pajamas! The pieces were dime-sized and neatly piled up on the floor, only a couple feet from the television! There was no blood or anything else, just the tiny swatches of fabric.
“Jimmy. Are you up? I had the strangest dream last night,” Kim said as she stood in the doorway, yawning.
Jimmy didn’t say anything. He was trying to process what had happened.
“Have you seen Richard? I figured he would be gone for work by now, but his truck is still in the driveway.”
That was when Jimmy knew that the man with spots had taken care of Richard just like he promised. He pushed the pieces of fabric under his bed and ran to his mother, hugging her tightly. It would be OK now.
Unfit For Human Occupancy
1
Dan Taylor approached the condemned house at 1312 E. Cypress Street with caution. It was easy to distinguish from the rest with boarded-up windows, an overgrown front yard, and the sign nailed to the peeling front door, which read, “unfit for human occupancy”. In the stifling heat of a mid-July day, the gnats were attacking his sweaty face while he contemplated what would be the easiest way to gain access inside.
Dan didn't have a very good feeling about this. It was something he had to do for his new job with Banner McBride, an engineering company based in Decatur, Illinois. They had other offices throughout the Midwest. He was hired to do an engineering study of the structure before demolition. The City of Decatur hired his company to do this type of inspection all over town. He wasn't an engineer but with training, he was able to do the necessary field work that one of the engineers back at the office could sign off on. The real engineers sat back in the air conditioned office while the field grunts got to wade through the filth of it all.
Dan had been laid off for two years after the Firestone plant closed down. He was almost 50, and options were
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