Glints of Fascination Vol. I

GLINTS

OF

FASCINATION

VOL. 1

S. E. ROBINSON

Text Copyright 2019 S. E. Robinson

All rights reserved

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously.

These stories are dedicated to all of the bold souls who have dared to dream.

GLINTS

OF

FASCINATION

VOL. I

We’re not going to live in our fears. We’re going to live in our hopes.

-- Mike Tomlin

Table of Contents

Them

The Box

Survival

Sunday Drive

Reflections

Hobbies

The Other Side

Doctor to Doctor

Finders Keepers

Communication

Ticket, Please

A Night to Remember

The Final Refuge

THEM

Okay, Tim. Get ready.

They’re coming? Tim asked.

Yeah, came Thomas’ reply. They’re gonna be in range any minute now. How does the ammo check out?

It’s fine. We should have more than enough if we strike hard and fast.

A banging sound came from below.

Quiet, Thomas whispered. It’s them. They’re here.

The two sat quietly in anticipation of what was to come. Thomas looked around and checked all of his gear. Everything was in order. He reached over and tapped Tim’s shoulder. Tim nodded, collected his equipment and moved into position. The stage was set.

Thomas used his binoculars and looked downward. He could hear them but, they weren’t in view as of yet. The timing had to be perfect.

In moments, the Other came into view. Tim prepared to fire but Thomas held him off. They were waiting for the One. They needed the One.

Thomas watched as the Other lurked about. Surely, the One was not far behind. The bang occurred again and the Other went quickly out of sight. Damn. New sounds occurred. The Other was returning and this time with the One. As soon as the One came into view, Thomas gave the signal. Tim fired at least seven rounds. He aimed for the midsection, just as he was trained, a tight grouping, each shot perfectly placed.

The One fell over in a terrible thump. The cries came but they were a little too late. The Other looked up. Thomas knew he was seen and recognized. He turned to Tim, who was already making his move. The job was done—flight was the next appropriate action.

Thomas got to his feet and followed Tim. He glanced back over his shoulder and saw that the Other was in full pursuit. This was going to be close.

The two had been planning this job for several months. Their escape routes were carefully charted, escape should not pose any problem.

Thomas saw Tim turn left. He followed just behind. As they reached the escape hatch, they noted that they had only a few seconds before the Other would be upon them. There was no time to set up a defense. All of the gear they were carrying had to be shed in order to fit through the hatch. Thomas shed his gear quickly but Tim was having trouble. As he moved to help Tim, the Other appeared. Thomas knew that if he stayed to help Tim, the Other would surely get them both. He could not allow that. One of them had to make it to safety. One of them had to survive.

Hey, Thomas! Tim cried out. Where ya going man? Thomas gave no reply as he moved for the escape hatch. Thomas! Wait! Tim pleaded. You can’t leave me like this! You gotta help me, man! Thomas! Noooooooo!"

Thomas was through the hatch. Tears formed in his eyes as he heard Tim screaming. The Other had him now. With all their skill, training and experience, neither Thomas nor Tim, singly nor combined, were a match for the Other. With help from alliances, Thomas was sure that the Other could be dealt with adequately, but survival was the first priority right now.

Thomas moved as quickly as the footing would allow. He knew that the Other wouldn’t follow behind; he and Tim had counted on that. It was the proper calculation, but as he neared the final escape point, Thomas became aware of a grave mistake. He forgot the rope. Since, Tim was smaller than he, Tim was to carry the rope. There was no way to get down without it. There was no way to escape without it—at least not this way. He had to go back and get the rope. But no, he couldn’t do that. The Other would be waiting for him. For surely, the Other would know that it was impossible to get down without it. Thomas had to be clever. He had to get back in and use the alternate escape route. There were four ways to get in from this side. There was no way that the Other would be able to cover them all.

Thomas moved to the nearest opening and listened. He paused and heard nothing. It sounded clear. Slowly, he climbed inside taking care to make as little noise as possible. It was dark everywhere. He reached the upper passageway and listened again. There was movement below, the Other was probably tending to the wounded One. If this was so, then it would be better to just get the rope and return to the original escape plan. The Other had already gotten to Tim. Thomas had to avoid confrontation at all costs.

Thomas moved to the place where he last saw Tim. He came across an outlet and stopped. He listened for a few seconds, heard only distant noises and then continued. He crossed the outlet’s path slowly and quietly. He grew nearer and started around to the left.

There you are! came the bone chilling voice. Thomas, frightened to his core, spun on his heels to face the Other. It was a horror unlike anything he had ever seen before. Thomas watched as the Other’s eyes grew fiery red. His stomach clenched as the Other snarled what Thomas could only imagine where vulgar obscenities. Thomas recoiled, as he would later swear, he saw steam emanating from every part of the Other—even the flare of its nostrils were alive with contempt. And as Thomas stood mesmerized by the wild and flaming eyes, the Other charged.

It was the force of the charge that broke the spell. Thomas managed to elude the Other’s fearsome grip and darted for the closest escape hatch. He could feel the Other’s breath on the back of his neck as he tried to flee. The Other grabbed at him but Thomas was loose in seconds. Thomas wildly reached about, searching for anything that might grant him a moment’s time. He found something heavy and with every ounce of strength that he possessed, he hurled it at the Other. Without waiting to see the results, he lunged for the escape hatch. Moving with all the speed he could muster, he made it through. He quickly came to his feet, but before he could manage to get away he was grabbed at the ankle.

No! he shouted as he tried desperately to wrestle free. The Other began to pull him in. He tried to kick at the Other with his free leg but that too was soon grabbed. Caught, Thomas was slowly dragged back in.

Once completely in, the Other threw Thomas against a far wall. The blow was painful but nothing was broken. The Other approached again and Thomas tried to flee but couldn’t. He was trapped and he knew it. The Other reached down, grabbed Thomas and with brutal force pinned him against the cold wall.

What the hell is the matter with you?! the Other snarled. Don’t you little assholes have anything better to do? When your mother told me not to get you boys BB guns for Christmas, I didn’t listen. Noooooo, I thought you two were mature enough. Hell, I used to have one when I was your age. I thought it would’ve been okay. Boooooy, was I wrong! The Other pushed Thomas over to where Tim lay weeping. Your mother and I just got back from the OBGYN and now we gotta go back again. Just to make sure that you two little shits didn’t do her or your little sister any harm. The Other moved over to the bedroom door. I want you boys to clean up this mess. And the both of you can forget about seeing any sunlight for the next two weeks because you’re grounded!" The Other slammed the door nearly breaking it on his way out.

Thomas got up and looked around the room—it was a terrible mess. He turned back to Tim who was still crying, disappointed that Thomas abandoned him, frowned and sighed. Big deal. Who needs THEM anyway?

The Box

Mommy, Mommy, come quick! Jamie threw open her bedroom door. She looked around and the house was dark. She darted down the stairs and found more darkness.

Mommy? she called again moving toward the living room light switch.

There was no reply.

She flicked on the lights and the darkness fled. On the coffee table just in front of the sofa was a large box, neatly wrapped in blue and green speckled paper.

Wow, she marveled. This feels just like déjà vu.

She walked over to the box.

Atop the box was a small note. Jamie picked up the note and read it. To Jamie with love, was all it said. It was a present for her and like all nine year old girls, Jamie loved presents. She turned the letter over and found it blank. No one signed it. Who was it from? The handwriting wasn’t her mother’s, so it wasn’t from her. Jamie never knew her father, he walked out on them when she was just a baby, so she doubted seriously that it was from him. She asked herself, did it really matter? No, of course not.

Jamie sat down before her present and smiled. She had forgotten what she needed to tell her mother. She placed her hands on either side of the box to lift it but it was too heavy. The box was warm though. It was heavy and it was warm. What on Earth could it be? A game console? The box was big enough, but that wouldn’t be warm, though. Hastily, Jamie ripped off the wrapping paper to reveal a box that was totally white with a lid. No label, no markings—nothing to indicate what it was or where it came from. Without delay, Jamie snatched off the lid and looked inside.

Spiders.

The box was filled with hundreds of spiders—spiders of all sizes, spiders of all kinds. Of all the creatures on God’s earth, Jamie feared spiders most.

She jumped up and screamed as loud and as long as her lungs would permit. She tried to run upstairs to her room but only succeeded in overturning the table. Now, the spiders were loose. She fled to the front door but that was somehow boarded up. She moved to the windows and found them to be nailed shut. She turned back to the living room to see the spiders coming after her. She had to get by them to get to the basement—the way out back was through the basement door. She closed her eyes and ran as fast as she could. Jamie threw open the door leading down into the basement and slammed it shut behind. She rumbled down the steps into a dark basement. She got to the bottom and listened. She needed to walk to the center of the room for the overhead lamp. With every step came a crackling sound beneath the soles of her shoes—a frightening, crackling sound. She reached the light and pulled the chain.

The basement floor was infested with spiders. Jamie tried to scream again but this time it caught in her throat. The best she could do was a gasping, wheezing sound. She danced around frantically in a complete panic. She ran for the back door, but it too was boarded up. She beat against the door relentlessly but only succeeded in bruising her hands.

She turned from the door, gathered all of her resolve and ran back up the