In the Belly of the Beast
In the Belly of the Beast
The year 2015 when I was born, was the year that the world had only begun to fall apart. My father would tell me stories throughout my childhood of how the world used to be, and how it came to be now.
It all started in 2012. That very year was said to be the worlds end, but there was no end, only disaster. It started with a terrorist attack. The leader, Lucas Cortez, created enough bombs to destroy an entire province. He almost succeeded as well. May 16th, 2012, half of Quebec was wiped out. That was 600,000 people dead and 16,000 injured.
In 2013, there was a strike that took place outside of the white house of the United States of America. The citizens were tired of the lack of success Barack Obama had on their country. Obama, beginning to lose his sense of self, had ordered 200 state troops to shoot anyone who refused to leave the protest. They all refused, 4,000 dead. This started a riot through the entire country.
In 2014, the Government decided it necessary to set a curfew. If there was anyone on the streets, outside their homes after 10 o’clock at night, they would be executed on the spot. That was 20,000 dead within the province of Ontario per night, for three years straight.
In 2017, the worlds Governments declared the world to be overpopulated and that only the wealthy may bear children. Those found pregnant, must be killed on sight. That was another 5,000 a day through out the country of Canada.
In 2020, a chain reaction of nuclear power plants in China exploded which had wiped out just about the entire population of China. By the time I reached the age of seventeen, there was no Government, no jobs, no money or running vehicles. The world was in utter chaos and the worlds population went from 3.5 billion people, to 2.5 million. Within my twenty-one years on Earth, I was the one to have witnessed things that no one could ever imagine witnessing.
The world of 2036 was a constant battlefield for survival. I witnessed my father being shot between the eyes while I hid in a nearby dumpster. I watched as my mother was stabbed through the stomach because she was found pregnant, and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. My older sister was caught running home, two minutes past curfew. I watched out my bedroom window while she was being sexually assaulted then had her face bashed in with an officers gun. Again, there was nothing I could do about it.
Now in 2036, at the age of twenty-one, I am a woman who lives in the shadows. I stay in a house just outside of Toronto that no person would suspect there to be life. Now I live in a world of cannibals. There was only a small supply of food left within my home. My name is Catherine, twenty-one years old and my journey had only just begun.
I walked into the kitchen of the bungalow I’ve been staying in. The crazy people of this world would believe the house had been abandoned for years. What they didn’t know about the house was that there was a hidden button that opened the doors to an underground passageway. It led to a whole new home. It contained a kitchen, washroom, bedroom and a large computer screen that displayed the outside and inside of the entire house. It also included running water and working electricity.
Whoever had previously owned the house must have been a wealthy man. His skeleton still lay within the bedroom of the second floor of the house. The interior of the upper level was destroyed; it portrayed a typical abandoned house in a horror film. When I discovered the hidden part of the house, it was in mint condition and in the pantry was a year’s supply of food. I knew that I was blessed.
I opened the pantry and saw only one jar of ravioli left.
“Shit,” I muttered. I grabbed the jar and a pot, then began to cook. Staring down into the food made me realize just how screwed I was. I knew that it was time to move on from this place. I was terrified of the thought of being outdoors but I was a dead woman either way. I would starve to death in here or be eaten alive out there. My options weren’t looking too good.
I threw on my shoes and packed a backpack with my personal belongings. I checked the security cameras and made sure that I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Then I went upstairs to Dead Fred’s bedroom. It felt too weird living in a random dead mans house, so of course I gave him an identity. I thanked him for his home and walked out the front doors for the first time in one year.
I began to wonder where I would go. I knew there was an old grocery store near by, but I was also sure that it would be empty. I decided to check things out anyway. I stayed low in case the Hannibal’s were in the area.
The Hannibal’s are just what their name describes, cannibals. There are quite a few of them and they all stay together, like a big family. If a person was found a stray, they would hunt them like animals then have them for lunch. Nobody even wants to know what they do to the women before slaughtering them. They use incest as a way to supply food as well. When the child is born, broken and deformed, they would cook them as an appetizer, or so I’ve heard. The Hannibal’s are disgusting people and cannot be stopped.
I stared down at the cracked pavement but kept the other four of my senses well aware of my surroundings. I was only a block away from the grocery store when an orange tabby cat ran to me and brushed itself against my leg. It must have been months since the poor creature came into contact with a human. There aren't many cats or dogs left around here. The world as we know it is still over populated with deer, which would be useful if I weren't in the middle of Toronto where there are hardly any trees.
When I reached the grocery store, I stepped through the broken glass doors then listened for movement. When my gut instinct told me that the store was empty, I realized that it truly was. It was empty of every product it once carried. As I continued to walk through the store, I heard a jar fall from a shelf a few isles away from mine. My heart sank and I threw myself to the floor.
I searched the faded tiles for some kind of weapon, but found nothing. I was completely defenseless. I was 5’6 and really thin with no sign of muscle. I had no chance against whoever stood close to me.
I heard footsteps move closer to my location. I shimmied myself down the isle as quietly as possible. Then suddenly, my foot shuffled through shattered glass. The footsteps stopped.
“Who’s there?”
A young mans voice echoed the grocery store. The voice was firm when he spoke.
“Show yourself,” he yelled.
I knew then that my cover was blown, so I stood and looked the man in the eye. He was tall with thick brown hair and didn’t look much older than I was. He wore a worn leather jacket with a red t-shirt underneath. He was overall a very handsome man.
“Who are you?” He broke the silence.
“What does it matter?” I spat back.
“It doesn’t,” he said, then began to walk away.
When he turned his back to me my body froze. There in front of me, was a man who didn’t appear to be evil. He must have sensed that I was harmless as well because in this world, you didn’t turn your back on a stranger. So I ran after him.
“Where are you going?” I questioned, now walking at his side.
“Where does it look like I’m going? I’m going to find food. There clearly isn’t any in this shit hole.” He gestured to the building we just came from.
“You do know that it’s not safe to be walking around like this in Hannibal territory,” I said.
“So then you should know that a lovely young lady such as yourself should especially not be walking around like this in Hannibal territory,” he said back, voice calm.
“I know a place we could go for the night. We will be able to discuss our next move.”
“And what makes you think that I need help from a girl?” he asked.
“Because, you and I both know that it’s rare to find a sane person in this world who isn’t about to be eaten. It’s only logic to work together and we’d therefore cover more ground,” I
finished explaining.
“Fine, where is this place you speak of?”
“A few blocks over, common,” I said and ran ahead.
When we arrived at the house, I said my hellos to Dead Fred and got an eerie look from...
“Gosh! I forgot to ask for your name?”
“It’s Gabriel,” he said quietly while glancing at Dead Fred’s remains. I could tell that he was
wondering if I truly was sane. When he looked back at me I told him the story of how I stumbled upon Dead Fred’s house. Once he understood the story he nodded his head and began walking into the living room.
I followed and said, “I’m Catherine by the way.”
I pressed the hidden button and the door to the passageway opened. Gabriel’s eyes widened with amazement. As we walked in, I couldn’t help but notice his curiosity.
“You can shower if you’d like, there is running water and I can assure you there’s hot water as well,” I suggested.
He wandered around for a few minutes before stepping into the washroom, closing the door behind him. While he showered, I decided to lie on the bed. When I threw myself onto the sheets I breathed in the scent of laundry detergent. I was falling asleep when I heard the faucet in the washroom turn off. I looked up as he walked into the room, with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Shit, I knew I was blushing.
“Dead Fred didn’t happen to leave any of his clothes behind, did he?” he asked, not realizing my reaction.
“Actually yes, in the drawer over there.” I pointed to the dresser at the far corner of the room.
“Thanks,” he said then grabbed the clothes from the drawer and walked back into the
washroom to get dressed. As soon as he left the room I thought about how crazy I was. I knew I just met the man but for some reason I was feeling something different about him. I shook my head and started walking from the room. On the way out, I bumped into Gabriel.
“Oh sorry,” I jumped, “Come with me, I have something to show you.”
I led him down the hall to where the security computer was kept. I explained to him that this was how I knew whether or not things were safe. He was impressed with the perimeter cameras. I stared up at the clock on the far wall of the kitchen. It was midnight, time to shower then go to bed.
“Feel free to take the bed tonight. I’m just going to take a shower,” I said. He nodded and I stepped into the washroom. The water was hot and refreshing. This shower was the best that I’ve in a long time. It was the first time I didn’t feel completely alone. I felt happy to know that there was another human being just outside those doors.
I got out of the shower and dressed myself. Stepping out of the steamy room I noticed that the place seemed quiet. I checked the bedroom then the kitchen for Gabriel, but he was no where to be found. My heart sank and I ran to check security. What I saw on the screen was Gabriel unconscious, being carried away by three, maybe four of the Hannibal's. I panicked and realized there was nothing I could do. No! I thought, I was tired of being helpless. What was Gabriel doing outside in the first place? Suddenly, it was like a light bulb glowed above my head. I had an idea.
I knew that the Hannibal’s would wait a couple of hours before slaughtering Gabriel. I’ve heard that they store their ‘food’ in a walk-in refrigerator to keep the meat ‘fresh’. The Hannibal’s property wasn’t too far from here. They lived in a massive mansion four blocks over. I planned to leave in an hour with the double barrel shotgun that was stored in the closet of the house. It had at least ten reloads which was twenty shots. That should be plenty enough to eliminate a large portion of the Hannibal’s. I never thought I would end up putting the weapon to use, but I was wrong.
When the time came, I left the house and stayed in the shadows. The moon was all there was lighting my path. The shotgun was strapped to my back along with two kitchen knives. I walked through the neighbourhood to the outskirts of the city. Massive buildings towered over me, then finally I was at the mansion. A row of dead trees followed a narrow driveway which led to the house. There was a small forest that surrounded the property. I hid in the nearest bush and began examining the mansions perimeter.
There were three Hannibal guards on duty from what I could see. I needed to get past them without alarming the others. Knives would be a nice, quick and silent death method. I crawled like a wounded soldier so that I could get close enough to make a move. Hannibal guard number one was ten feet away. He wore a white t-shirt covered in dried blood and basically looked like your typical redneck. He kind of reminded me of that one guy from the movie ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’. I couldn’t put my mind to who I was thinking of. Damn, I knew that would bother me.
Anyway, I snapped my conscience back to reality and pulled out the butcher knife, then ran up behind the Hannibal guard. He was able to let out a quick gasp before I covered his mouth and slit his throat. I released him and watched as he bled to death, the only sound was the gurgling of blood that filled his lungs. One down, two to go.
The next two guards were just as simple to dispose of. I was simply able to use the same method each time. Now with the guards down, it was safe to continue the mission further. I was beginning to feel intimidated and thought of Gabriel. Was he still alive? No, I couldn’t think of that now. What mattered was rescuing him.
I was now looking into the Mansion through one of the outside windows. From every view and angel it appeared that the house was vacant, empty. I knew that the Hannibal’s have been preparing to dispose of Gabriel and make their lunch in the cellar. So I walked up the front steps of the mansion and entered the building.
Here I was, in the belly of the beast. A place where people were slaughtered, raped, eaten, hung, and forgotten. A place where innocent people looked back and saw nothing but tragedy within their lives. A place where people witnessed the unforgivable and felt the unimaginable. A place called Hell.
My heart fell when I saw what was plastered on the walls.. Heads were hung as ornaments, or stuffed like an animal. There were jars of fingers and toes and even pictures used as wallpaper of each victim. It took me a moment to understand how those photos were developed, but in a mansion such a this I knew there must have been a Red Room for photo development. How despicable.
I wandered through the massive kitchen then peeked around the corner into the living room. There was no one there. The rooms were dark and silence ringed in my ears. I walked past a beautiful fireplace and a ton of warn out furniture, then stumbled upon a hallway. I listened closely and heard distant whispers. I removed the shotgun from the strap on my back and held the end with my left hand. I placed my right hand on it’s handle and put my index finger on the trigger. A nervous feeling fluttered deep within my stomach. I ignored it and stepped in front of the wide basement door.
The stairwell was long and damp. It took minutes for my eyes adjust to the darkness. I kept the shotgun pointed in front of me and took careful steps down each stair. Once I reached the bottom, the voices became more firm, more near. I walked silently along the wall then
saw movement coming from the other room. I fell to the floor where it was darker.
There was a dim light coming from the other room and with the amount of voices, I estimated ten or more Hannibal’s. I was about to burst in and start shooting people but heard a shuffle beside me. I looked to my right and there laid a deformed little boy. I was about to scream when the child covered my mouth and motioned a finger to silence me.
“Please keep quiet, I don’t want them to know that your here,” the child whispered. One eye was much larger than the other and only half of his head had thin strips of hair. His mouth was crooked and one of his arms had more than one joint. I quivered but kept silent. The child removed his hand.
“You weren’t captured, so why did you come here?” he whispered.
“They took my friend an hour or so ago. I’m here to get him back,” I replied.
The child rolled over onto his back and said, “You are the silliest person I have ever met. You can’t just charge in that room and start shooting.”
“And why can’t I?”
“Because, silly girl, more will come,” he snapped. “Come with me and I’ll help you out. I know a way to get outside without going through the house, there’s a passageway just over...”
I cut him off, “I’m not leaving without Gabriel.”
“You’re talking about that large man they brought in earlier, aren’t you. I know where he’s kept, but I won’t help you unless you promise me I’ll be freed from them.”
“Why do you want to help me, kid? Your one of them!” I snapped.
Sadness crossed the child’s face and I realized that he wasn’t here by choice. He was born into the Hannibal’s world and couldn’t leave unless they were all dead. I sighed, “Fine kid, what’s the plan.”
“There are seven men in the other room. Just past that room is the walk in fridge we keep the bodies...”
“So it’s not a myth, you do refrigerate people,” I said in shock.
“Let me finish! So there are two people who keep watch over the fridge. Those two people are my parents. What I’m thinking is, I’ll walk through the room and to the fridge. I’ll distract my parents and warn them that I saw another person at the outskirts of the property. They’ll tell the others and everyone will be distracted outside. That will give us enough time to get your friend, give him a weapon then go out there and dispose of them all!” the child explained his plan and it didn’t sound too bad.
“Your not lying are you? Why should I believe that you won’t tell them my real location?”
“Have you seen this place? I’m just a kid! I don’t want to live the rest of my life around rotting corpses.”
“Fine, go, I’ll stay here.” Then he ran into the other room. Voices grew louder. People were shouting with excitement and I heard footsteps.
“Another hunt everyone, lets go!” I heard a voice yell then I listened as the footsteps grew fainter. The child returned and had a fresh bruise on his forehead.
“What happened?”
“When they get excited they beat on me. Forget about it, we have to hurry.” The boy grabbed my hand with a sweaty palm and pulled me through a room. I tripped on something and fell to the floor. In the dim light I could see blood splattered everywhere. What I tripped on was an arm. I squealed but kept running with child.
There in front of me was a massive door with a single frosted window. The child opened the door and pulled me in. He flicked a switch and a light turned on. This time I couldn’t stop the scream from escaping my mouth. There were dozens of naked bodies hung from the ceiling by their necks. They were hung like cow hides at a butcher shop. I never felt so terrified.
I stumbled through the bodies in search of Gabriel. I finally found him at the corner of the room, naked and frozen. There were cuts all down his chest and dried blood was spread down his legs. He was hung by the arms and I ran to him.
“Gabriel!” I screamed and untied the tight knot around his wrists. I noticed that the child was watching me intently. I laid Gabriel gently on the floor and took off my over sized sweater. I threw it over top his chest and laid my body on his.
“Wake up, please. Keep warm!” I prayed out loud.
“You’re...crushing me,” Gabriel murmured.
I looked down into his dark blue eyes and felt a burst of happiness jolt through my body. I threw myself into him and hugged him close. Tears filled my eyes.
“I was so afraid I’d lost you. Why were you outside when you knew damn well it wasn’t safe? Were you trying to leave while I was distracted?” I was almost hysterical.
“No Catherine. I saw them coming from the cameras. I knew that they must have followed us,” he put his hand to my face, “I didn’t want to put you at risk so I ran outside and let them capture me. They had no idea you were there. Why would you come after me?” He managed to take a deep breath and then shivered.
“I came for you because I didn’t want to risk losing the best thing to have happened to me in a very long time.” I grabbed his hand.
“This is all very touching and all, but we need to get the hell out of here,” the kid said impatiently. Gabriel looked over at him then back at me and I mouthed, “Long story.”
Minutes later with my support, Gabriel stumbled down the halls of the cellar. The child led us through a narrow passageway that took us to an old sewer. We took the nearest exit and everything was clear. We were now outside the property. Gabriel stood tall and I handed him the two knives.
“No thanks, I want the shotgun darling,” he shook his head.
“No way, the shotgun is my bitch. The Hannibal’s are going down.”
I stood and walked out into the open. The Hannibal’s that were in the area began to surround me. Many of them carried pitch forks or other sharp objects. I knew I had the advantage. I aimed the shotgun at the first mans face then bang, off went his head. There were so many of them. Gabriel was stabbing and breaking bones like there was no tomorrow, and I was down to three shots. There was only four Hannibal’s left standing.
Before I was able to shoot a person who was running towards me with a jack hammer, I felt a sharp pain deep within my shoulder. I had been stabbed just above my shoulder blade. Damn, I didn’t see him coming. I gasped and fell to the damp ground with my hand wrapped around my arm. Then I saw the last two men charging towards Gabriel from different angels. He ran between them and stabbed them through the neck. It was over.
“They’ll all dead! I can’t believe their actually all dead!” The child began to dance in a circle.
He came to me and hugged me. He torn a strip from his shirt and tied it around my wounded arm.
“Thank you so much,” the boy smiled.
“Don’t mention it kid.” I winked at him
“My name isn’t kid, it’s Raphael.”
“Wow that’s a wonderful name to be honest,” I replied.
His face lit up as if he had never received a compliment in his life. Gabriel knelt beside me.
“Will you be able to walk?” he questioned with his wonderful deep voice.
“Yes, lets go home,” I smiled and he kissed my lips.
I looked over to Raphael. “What do you say kid? Live with us. I promise to take care of you.”
“Wow! I would love that so much!”
So when the battle was over. Gabriel, Raphael and I walked hand in hand through the empty
streets of Toronto back to Dead Fred’s cozy little home. As the sun came up I realized that it was time to start a family. With the Hannibal’s gone we would be free to set foot in the forest’s to hunt deer, and we wouldn’t need to hide from the world because we had each other. Raphael, age twelve, Gabriel, age twenty-five and I, age twenty-one, our lives have only just begun.
The End
It all started in 2012. That very year was said to be the worlds end, but there was no end, only disaster. It started with a terrorist attack. The leader, Lucas Cortez, created enough bombs to destroy an entire province. He almost succeeded as well. May 16th, 2012, half of Quebec was wiped out. That was 600,000 people dead and 16,000 injured.
In 2013, there was a strike that took place outside of the white house of the United States of America. The citizens were tired of the lack of success Barack Obama had on their country. Obama, beginning to lose his sense of self, had ordered 200 state troops to shoot anyone who refused to leave the protest. They all refused, 4,000 dead. This started a riot through the entire country.
In 2014, the Government decided it necessary to set a curfew. If there was anyone on the streets, outside their homes after 10 o’clock at night, they would be executed on the spot. That was 20,000 dead within the province of Ontario per night, for three years straight.
In 2017, the worlds Governments declared the world to be overpopulated and that only the wealthy may bear children. Those found pregnant, must be killed on sight. That was another 5,000 a day through out the country of Canada.
In 2020, a chain reaction of nuclear power plants in China exploded which had wiped out just about the entire population of China. By the time I reached the age of seventeen, there was no Government, no jobs, no money or running vehicles. The world was in utter chaos and the worlds population went from 3.5 billion people, to 2.5 million. Within my twenty-one years on Earth, I was the one to have witnessed things that no one could ever imagine witnessing.
The world of 2036 was a constant battlefield for survival. I witnessed my father being shot between the eyes while I hid in a nearby dumpster. I watched as my mother was stabbed through the stomach because she was found pregnant, and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. My older sister was caught running home, two minutes past curfew. I watched out my bedroom window while she was being sexually assaulted then had her face bashed in with an officers gun. Again, there was nothing I could do about it.
Now in 2036, at the age of twenty-one, I am a woman who lives in the shadows. I stay in a house just outside of Toronto that no person would suspect there to be life. Now I live in a world of cannibals. There was only a small supply of food left within my home. My name is Catherine, twenty-one years old and my journey had only just begun.
I walked into the kitchen of the bungalow I’ve been staying in. The crazy people of this world would believe the house had been abandoned for years. What they didn’t know about the house was that there was a hidden button that opened the doors to an underground passageway. It led to a whole new home. It contained a kitchen, washroom, bedroom and a large computer screen that displayed the outside and inside of the entire house. It also included running water and working electricity.
Whoever had previously owned the house must have been a wealthy man. His skeleton still lay within the bedroom of the second floor of the house. The interior of the upper level was destroyed; it portrayed a typical abandoned house in a horror film. When I discovered the hidden part of the house, it was in mint condition and in the pantry was a year’s supply of food. I knew that I was blessed.
I opened the pantry and saw only one jar of ravioli left.
“Shit,” I muttered. I grabbed the jar and a pot, then began to cook. Staring down into the food made me realize just how screwed I was. I knew that it was time to move on from this place. I was terrified of the thought of being outdoors but I was a dead woman either way. I would starve to death in here or be eaten alive out there. My options weren’t looking too good.
I threw on my shoes and packed a backpack with my personal belongings. I checked the security cameras and made sure that I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Then I went upstairs to Dead Fred’s bedroom. It felt too weird living in a random dead mans house, so of course I gave him an identity. I thanked him for his home and walked out the front doors for the first time in one year.
I began to wonder where I would go. I knew there was an old grocery store near by, but I was also sure that it would be empty. I decided to check things out anyway. I stayed low in case the Hannibal’s were in the area.
The Hannibal’s are just what their name describes, cannibals. There are quite a few of them and they all stay together, like a big family. If a person was found a stray, they would hunt them like animals then have them for lunch. Nobody even wants to know what they do to the women before slaughtering them. They use incest as a way to supply food as well. When the child is born, broken and deformed, they would cook them as an appetizer, or so I’ve heard. The Hannibal’s are disgusting people and cannot be stopped.
I stared down at the cracked pavement but kept the other four of my senses well aware of my surroundings. I was only a block away from the grocery store when an orange tabby cat ran to me and brushed itself against my leg. It must have been months since the poor creature came into contact with a human. There aren't many cats or dogs left around here. The world as we know it is still over populated with deer, which would be useful if I weren't in the middle of Toronto where there are hardly any trees.
When I reached the grocery store, I stepped through the broken glass doors then listened for movement. When my gut instinct told me that the store was empty, I realized that it truly was. It was empty of every product it once carried. As I continued to walk through the store, I heard a jar fall from a shelf a few isles away from mine. My heart sank and I threw myself to the floor.
I searched the faded tiles for some kind of weapon, but found nothing. I was completely defenseless. I was 5’6 and really thin with no sign of muscle. I had no chance against whoever stood close to me.
I heard footsteps move closer to my location. I shimmied myself down the isle as quietly as possible. Then suddenly, my foot shuffled through shattered glass. The footsteps stopped.
“Who’s there?”
A young mans voice echoed the grocery store. The voice was firm when he spoke.
“Show yourself,” he yelled.
I knew then that my cover was blown, so I stood and looked the man in the eye. He was tall with thick brown hair and didn’t look much older than I was. He wore a worn leather jacket with a red t-shirt underneath. He was overall a very handsome man.
“Who are you?” He broke the silence.
“What does it matter?” I spat back.
“It doesn’t,” he said, then began to walk away.
When he turned his back to me my body froze. There in front of me, was a man who didn’t appear to be evil. He must have sensed that I was harmless as well because in this world, you didn’t turn your back on a stranger. So I ran after him.
“Where are you going?” I questioned, now walking at his side.
“Where does it look like I’m going? I’m going to find food. There clearly isn’t any in this shit hole.” He gestured to the building we just came from.
“You do know that it’s not safe to be walking around like this in Hannibal territory,” I said.
“So then you should know that a lovely young lady such as yourself should especially not be walking around like this in Hannibal territory,” he said back, voice calm.
“I know a place we could go for the night. We will be able to discuss our next move.”
“And what makes you think that I need help from a girl?” he asked.
“Because, you and I both know that it’s rare to find a sane person in this world who isn’t about to be eaten. It’s only logic to work together and we’d therefore cover more ground,” I
finished explaining.
“Fine, where is this place you speak of?”
“A few blocks over, common,” I said and ran ahead.
When we arrived at the house, I said my hellos to Dead Fred and got an eerie look from...
“Gosh! I forgot to ask for your name?”
“It’s Gabriel,” he said quietly while glancing at Dead Fred’s remains. I could tell that he was
wondering if I truly was sane. When he looked back at me I told him the story of how I stumbled upon Dead Fred’s house. Once he understood the story he nodded his head and began walking into the living room.
I followed and said, “I’m Catherine by the way.”
I pressed the hidden button and the door to the passageway opened. Gabriel’s eyes widened with amazement. As we walked in, I couldn’t help but notice his curiosity.
“You can shower if you’d like, there is running water and I can assure you there’s hot water as well,” I suggested.
He wandered around for a few minutes before stepping into the washroom, closing the door behind him. While he showered, I decided to lie on the bed. When I threw myself onto the sheets I breathed in the scent of laundry detergent. I was falling asleep when I heard the faucet in the washroom turn off. I looked up as he walked into the room, with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Shit, I knew I was blushing.
“Dead Fred didn’t happen to leave any of his clothes behind, did he?” he asked, not realizing my reaction.
“Actually yes, in the drawer over there.” I pointed to the dresser at the far corner of the room.
“Thanks,” he said then grabbed the clothes from the drawer and walked back into the
washroom to get dressed. As soon as he left the room I thought about how crazy I was. I knew I just met the man but for some reason I was feeling something different about him. I shook my head and started walking from the room. On the way out, I bumped into Gabriel.
“Oh sorry,” I jumped, “Come with me, I have something to show you.”
I led him down the hall to where the security computer was kept. I explained to him that this was how I knew whether or not things were safe. He was impressed with the perimeter cameras. I stared up at the clock on the far wall of the kitchen. It was midnight, time to shower then go to bed.
“Feel free to take the bed tonight. I’m just going to take a shower,” I said. He nodded and I stepped into the washroom. The water was hot and refreshing. This shower was the best that I’ve in a long time. It was the first time I didn’t feel completely alone. I felt happy to know that there was another human being just outside those doors.
I got out of the shower and dressed myself. Stepping out of the steamy room I noticed that the place seemed quiet. I checked the bedroom then the kitchen for Gabriel, but he was no where to be found. My heart sank and I ran to check security. What I saw on the screen was Gabriel unconscious, being carried away by three, maybe four of the Hannibal's. I panicked and realized there was nothing I could do. No! I thought, I was tired of being helpless. What was Gabriel doing outside in the first place? Suddenly, it was like a light bulb glowed above my head. I had an idea.
I knew that the Hannibal’s would wait a couple of hours before slaughtering Gabriel. I’ve heard that they store their ‘food’ in a walk-in refrigerator to keep the meat ‘fresh’. The Hannibal’s property wasn’t too far from here. They lived in a massive mansion four blocks over. I planned to leave in an hour with the double barrel shotgun that was stored in the closet of the house. It had at least ten reloads which was twenty shots. That should be plenty enough to eliminate a large portion of the Hannibal’s. I never thought I would end up putting the weapon to use, but I was wrong.
When the time came, I left the house and stayed in the shadows. The moon was all there was lighting my path. The shotgun was strapped to my back along with two kitchen knives. I walked through the neighbourhood to the outskirts of the city. Massive buildings towered over me, then finally I was at the mansion. A row of dead trees followed a narrow driveway which led to the house. There was a small forest that surrounded the property. I hid in the nearest bush and began examining the mansions perimeter.
There were three Hannibal guards on duty from what I could see. I needed to get past them without alarming the others. Knives would be a nice, quick and silent death method. I crawled like a wounded soldier so that I could get close enough to make a move. Hannibal guard number one was ten feet away. He wore a white t-shirt covered in dried blood and basically looked like your typical redneck. He kind of reminded me of that one guy from the movie ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’. I couldn’t put my mind to who I was thinking of. Damn, I knew that would bother me.
Anyway, I snapped my conscience back to reality and pulled out the butcher knife, then ran up behind the Hannibal guard. He was able to let out a quick gasp before I covered his mouth and slit his throat. I released him and watched as he bled to death, the only sound was the gurgling of blood that filled his lungs. One down, two to go.
The next two guards were just as simple to dispose of. I was simply able to use the same method each time. Now with the guards down, it was safe to continue the mission further. I was beginning to feel intimidated and thought of Gabriel. Was he still alive? No, I couldn’t think of that now. What mattered was rescuing him.
I was now looking into the Mansion through one of the outside windows. From every view and angel it appeared that the house was vacant, empty. I knew that the Hannibal’s have been preparing to dispose of Gabriel and make their lunch in the cellar. So I walked up the front steps of the mansion and entered the building.
Here I was, in the belly of the beast. A place where people were slaughtered, raped, eaten, hung, and forgotten. A place where innocent people looked back and saw nothing but tragedy within their lives. A place where people witnessed the unforgivable and felt the unimaginable. A place called Hell.
My heart fell when I saw what was plastered on the walls.. Heads were hung as ornaments, or stuffed like an animal. There were jars of fingers and toes and even pictures used as wallpaper of each victim. It took me a moment to understand how those photos were developed, but in a mansion such a this I knew there must have been a Red Room for photo development. How despicable.
I wandered through the massive kitchen then peeked around the corner into the living room. There was no one there. The rooms were dark and silence ringed in my ears. I walked past a beautiful fireplace and a ton of warn out furniture, then stumbled upon a hallway. I listened closely and heard distant whispers. I removed the shotgun from the strap on my back and held the end with my left hand. I placed my right hand on it’s handle and put my index finger on the trigger. A nervous feeling fluttered deep within my stomach. I ignored it and stepped in front of the wide basement door.
The stairwell was long and damp. It took minutes for my eyes adjust to the darkness. I kept the shotgun pointed in front of me and took careful steps down each stair. Once I reached the bottom, the voices became more firm, more near. I walked silently along the wall then
saw movement coming from the other room. I fell to the floor where it was darker.
There was a dim light coming from the other room and with the amount of voices, I estimated ten or more Hannibal’s. I was about to burst in and start shooting people but heard a shuffle beside me. I looked to my right and there laid a deformed little boy. I was about to scream when the child covered my mouth and motioned a finger to silence me.
“Please keep quiet, I don’t want them to know that your here,” the child whispered. One eye was much larger than the other and only half of his head had thin strips of hair. His mouth was crooked and one of his arms had more than one joint. I quivered but kept silent. The child removed his hand.
“You weren’t captured, so why did you come here?” he whispered.
“They took my friend an hour or so ago. I’m here to get him back,” I replied.
The child rolled over onto his back and said, “You are the silliest person I have ever met. You can’t just charge in that room and start shooting.”
“And why can’t I?”
“Because, silly girl, more will come,” he snapped. “Come with me and I’ll help you out. I know a way to get outside without going through the house, there’s a passageway just over...”
I cut him off, “I’m not leaving without Gabriel.”
“You’re talking about that large man they brought in earlier, aren’t you. I know where he’s kept, but I won’t help you unless you promise me I’ll be freed from them.”
“Why do you want to help me, kid? Your one of them!” I snapped.
Sadness crossed the child’s face and I realized that he wasn’t here by choice. He was born into the Hannibal’s world and couldn’t leave unless they were all dead. I sighed, “Fine kid, what’s the plan.”
“There are seven men in the other room. Just past that room is the walk in fridge we keep the bodies...”
“So it’s not a myth, you do refrigerate people,” I said in shock.
“Let me finish! So there are two people who keep watch over the fridge. Those two people are my parents. What I’m thinking is, I’ll walk through the room and to the fridge. I’ll distract my parents and warn them that I saw another person at the outskirts of the property. They’ll tell the others and everyone will be distracted outside. That will give us enough time to get your friend, give him a weapon then go out there and dispose of them all!” the child explained his plan and it didn’t sound too bad.
“Your not lying are you? Why should I believe that you won’t tell them my real location?”
“Have you seen this place? I’m just a kid! I don’t want to live the rest of my life around rotting corpses.”
“Fine, go, I’ll stay here.” Then he ran into the other room. Voices grew louder. People were shouting with excitement and I heard footsteps.
“Another hunt everyone, lets go!” I heard a voice yell then I listened as the footsteps grew fainter. The child returned and had a fresh bruise on his forehead.
“What happened?”
“When they get excited they beat on me. Forget about it, we have to hurry.” The boy grabbed my hand with a sweaty palm and pulled me through a room. I tripped on something and fell to the floor. In the dim light I could see blood splattered everywhere. What I tripped on was an arm. I squealed but kept running with child.
There in front of me was a massive door with a single frosted window. The child opened the door and pulled me in. He flicked a switch and a light turned on. This time I couldn’t stop the scream from escaping my mouth. There were dozens of naked bodies hung from the ceiling by their necks. They were hung like cow hides at a butcher shop. I never felt so terrified.
I stumbled through the bodies in search of Gabriel. I finally found him at the corner of the room, naked and frozen. There were cuts all down his chest and dried blood was spread down his legs. He was hung by the arms and I ran to him.
“Gabriel!” I screamed and untied the tight knot around his wrists. I noticed that the child was watching me intently. I laid Gabriel gently on the floor and took off my over sized sweater. I threw it over top his chest and laid my body on his.
“Wake up, please. Keep warm!” I prayed out loud.
“You’re...crushing me,” Gabriel murmured.
I looked down into his dark blue eyes and felt a burst of happiness jolt through my body. I threw myself into him and hugged him close. Tears filled my eyes.
“I was so afraid I’d lost you. Why were you outside when you knew damn well it wasn’t safe? Were you trying to leave while I was distracted?” I was almost hysterical.
“No Catherine. I saw them coming from the cameras. I knew that they must have followed us,” he put his hand to my face, “I didn’t want to put you at risk so I ran outside and let them capture me. They had no idea you were there. Why would you come after me?” He managed to take a deep breath and then shivered.
“I came for you because I didn’t want to risk losing the best thing to have happened to me in a very long time.” I grabbed his hand.
“This is all very touching and all, but we need to get the hell out of here,” the kid said impatiently. Gabriel looked over at him then back at me and I mouthed, “Long story.”
Minutes later with my support, Gabriel stumbled down the halls of the cellar. The child led us through a narrow passageway that took us to an old sewer. We took the nearest exit and everything was clear. We were now outside the property. Gabriel stood tall and I handed him the two knives.
“No thanks, I want the shotgun darling,” he shook his head.
“No way, the shotgun is my bitch. The Hannibal’s are going down.”
I stood and walked out into the open. The Hannibal’s that were in the area began to surround me. Many of them carried pitch forks or other sharp objects. I knew I had the advantage. I aimed the shotgun at the first mans face then bang, off went his head. There were so many of them. Gabriel was stabbing and breaking bones like there was no tomorrow, and I was down to three shots. There was only four Hannibal’s left standing.
Before I was able to shoot a person who was running towards me with a jack hammer, I felt a sharp pain deep within my shoulder. I had been stabbed just above my shoulder blade. Damn, I didn’t see him coming. I gasped and fell to the damp ground with my hand wrapped around my arm. Then I saw the last two men charging towards Gabriel from different angels. He ran between them and stabbed them through the neck. It was over.
“They’ll all dead! I can’t believe their actually all dead!” The child began to dance in a circle.
He came to me and hugged me. He torn a strip from his shirt and tied it around my wounded arm.
“Thank you so much,” the boy smiled.
“Don’t mention it kid.” I winked at him
“My name isn’t kid, it’s Raphael.”
“Wow that’s a wonderful name to be honest,” I replied.
His face lit up as if he had never received a compliment in his life. Gabriel knelt beside me.
“Will you be able to walk?” he questioned with his wonderful deep voice.
“Yes, lets go home,” I smiled and he kissed my lips.
I looked over to Raphael. “What do you say kid? Live with us. I promise to take care of you.”
“Wow! I would love that so much!”
So when the battle was over. Gabriel, Raphael and I walked hand in hand through the empty
streets of Toronto back to Dead Fred’s cozy little home. As the sun came up I realized that it was time to start a family. With the Hannibal’s gone we would be free to set foot in the forest’s to hunt deer, and we wouldn’t need to hide from the world because we had each other. Raphael, age twelve, Gabriel, age twenty-five and I, age twenty-one, our lives have only just begun.
The End