ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME [Part1]

ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME...Part 1



SPACE-- THE FINAL FRONTIER…
One of the biggest answers avoiding mankind, well for the moment anyway, is the concept of extra terrestrial life.

Is there anyone out there? Are we really the only sentient beings alive in the whole universe?

Well there are two sets of thinking on this possibility and both sets are absolutely adamant that “they” are right in their assumptions.

You noticed I used the word assumption! Because that’s all really people can do, “assume” there is life elsewhere in this infinite colossus that is the universe.
“Assume” that “what,” are you out of your tiny mind, there is no such thing as little green men!!

The doubters have their point, I mean who in their wildest imagination could ever conceive the remotest possibility that indeed, there is alien life out there, somewhere.

Have you ever gone outside on a cold dark winters evening and stood somewhere, preferably where there isn’t any sodium light pollution and looked up into the heavens.

And whilst doing so just stopped and thought for one moment, as you stare at the incomprehensible number of twinkling stars, punctuated by the odd steady glow of a distant planet that there just might be the remotest possibility, that we are not alone?

****


Appleton Wisconsin, February 2015

“James Jones I am talking to you.”

“Its Immy Miss, not Ames,” the teacher-Miss Allen, lifted a pointed fore finger up in the air, a bit like a cricket umpire does when he’s just dismissed a batsman.

The finger then redirected itself and pointed straight at Jimmy Jones, Miss Allen then, still with the loaded finger pointing at Jimmy, moved rather dexterously it has to be said and nimbly picked up a whiteboard marker.

J-A-M-E-S, the name was carefully scribed onto the whiteboard in a way only a professional teacher can write and after the marker was gently placed back onto the table, Miss Allen, finger still pointing said.

“Now James, I want you to slowly and carefully, read the word I have just written on the board, take your time.”

Jimmy Jones stood up and gently moved a chair away with the back of his legs, he then slowly leaned forward and positioned both hands on top of his desk.

Pausing for a few seconds, whilst staring intently at the whiteboard Jimmy suddenly and in dramatic fashion, clumped back down into his chair, folded both arms and shouted, “Immy Miss.

The rest of the class all began laughing and a few wooden building blocks as well as other paraphernalia got banged onto desks, a little too loudly for Miss Allen’s liking.

Miss Allen smiled, years of patience and experience had taught Tina Allen to go with the flow and let it all just burn out.

All 15 kids eventually got bored of cheering Jimmy’s seemingly victorious resistance to correctly pronouncing his name and began once again to turn their attentions to problem solving.

Class 4b wasn’t your ordinary run of the mill elementary class, this particular class although based inside a faculty known as Appleton Junior high, was specifically aimed at special children.
Everyone in class 4b suffered or were afflicted with autism..

Though all were able to speak fairly normally, there were some, like little Jimmy Jones who couldn’t and as such, more care and attention was focused on helping Jimmy to talk as normally as anyone else.

Although these kids suffered from learning difficulties to the level we associate, as in speech, coherence, numeracy, literacy etc etc.
Some of these children had other attributes, as in being able to use a part of the brain no other “in normal health” human beings could ever possibly be able to..

Little Jimmy Jones from Appleton Wisconsin “is” one of these very special persons and it will be Jimmy’s special gift that will assist humanity in its greatest hour of need!!!

Later that evening

Alison and Henry Jones both stood staring out of a large French window and onto a broad timber patio.

The object of their interest was the beloved sight of their eight year old son who, since the day he was physically able to, would sit cross legged and stare incessantly up into the heavens.

With the Jones’s being fairly well off, Henry and Alison were surgeons at the St. Elizabeth memorial hospital in Appleton, so could afford to live in a rather secluded area.

This meant there weren’t many neighbours, which wasn’t too bad really when bringing up an autistic child. 

Other “so called normal” kids tended not to have the same co-existent attitude as adults did and thus both Henry and Alison decided to closet Jimmy away, for now at least.

“Wonder why Jimmy’s always been so fascinated with the stars,” asked Alison Jones, who at that moment placed her husbands left hand into her right.

In return, Henry gently squeezed his wife’s hand and reassuringly said, "not sure my darling, but I think we know what to buy him for his birthday this time, don’t you?”

Alison nodded and with a loving smile on her face gently squeezed her husbands hand that little bit more.

Jimmy was a wonderful little boy and though Alison Jones couldn’t possibly have known at this stage, little Jimmy Jones in the coming days would endear himself to every single human being on the planet and then some!!

Jimmy glanced over his shoulder and seeing his parents watching him gave the A-OK sign, both parents simultaneously returned the universal sign of everything is cool.
Jimmy then returned back to the conversation.

Yes, that’s correct, you’re thinking little Jimmy Jones is all alone so how could he possibly be having a conversation right?

Jimmy wasn’t sure of this himself, but in his head he could hear voices every time he looked up into the heavens and this had been going on for about a couple of weeks.

Jimmy wasn’t sure what to think of them at first, he knew he was a special child, as in having the ability to work out things for himself and at a speed far faster than so called normal folks.

Jimmy was also and though he was only 8 years old, aware that he had what some would call a disability, though Jimmy would disagree.

Oh he knew he couldn’t pronounce some words correctly and he knew that other so called normal children would inevitably make fun and so forth.

Jimmy didn’t care a jot, he knew he was as bright as a button and knew he had friends that no other kid on earth had and that “was” special.

Jimmy craned his neck back up into the star studded heavens and again came the familiar voice, though Jimmy noticed something a lot different this time, the voice seem to be getting louder, as though were somehow getting “nearer.”

NASA headquarters, Kennedy space centre Florida

Tech John Adams stared in disbelief at the screen in front of him and in time honoured fashion gave himself a little pinch, just to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.

John was still there at work and not suddenly springing up like a startled rabbit in bed at home, it was then that John felt a wave of nausea and a giant invisible hand seemed to squeeze John to the point he couldn’t breath anymore.

Still gaping at the screen John phoned his boss, who phoned his boss who then phoned his boss who then telephoned the President of the United States of America.


[The situation room] The Whitehouse Washington DC February 2015

The President hurried along a long corridor flanked by secret service men, bursting into a room known as the situation room he shouted at a bunch of guys also known as the joint chiefs of staff.

“Is this true?” Barked a flustered President who then seated himself, stood up again and re seated himself, the Boss was narked.

A large built gentleman in full military uniform casually walked toward the commander in chief and gently placed several 10 X 8 photographs in front of a now terrified President.

“Holy shit,” cursed the Chief, “are these for real?”

The man in uniform just stared back impassively and said they were indeed the real deal, “just been verified by NASA sir and the Hubble doesn’t lie,” he replied.

The five star general was referring of course to the deep space telescope operated by NASA but funded by congress to record and take images from deep into the universe.

“What the hell are they?” Uttered a stupefied President.

“We’re not sure sir,” replied the uniformed man, who for all intents and purposes seemed to be the highest ranking military representative gathered in the situation room.

“But I somehow think they’re not anything human,” continued the general.

The President continued to stare at these incredible photographs which would have been seen by very few human beings, up to now that is.

The images in the photos defied belief and the most powerful man on the planet had to really fight down all kinds of strange feelings and urges, the main one being fear swiftly followed by panic.

In the first of the photographs were what appeared to be thousands of objects, no tens of thousands of objects. 

In the second one, which was a little higher and closer in definition were the objects in closer detail and so forth.

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that these were some kind of space vessel and that that they were part of some enormous armada.

“Dear God almighty,” exclaimed the President, “where on earth are “they” headed?”

The general raised an eyebrow at that point and then realising the President wasn’t attempting a joke, gently reminded the most powerful man on earth that these objects in the photograph were on a direct course for earth!!


The Kaminski residence Baltimore Maryland

Donny Kaminski was an absolute space nut, in fact he was totally obsessed with anything pertaining to space, planets, stars, you name it and not only the real stuff, but everything Si Fi too.
In fact Donny lived breathed and slept “space.”

Donny was quite the computer geek too and as a computer programmer for Microsoft had the ability and access to almost any kind of revolutionary software he could get his mitts on and he usually did..

The one he was mesmercaly staring at now was an illegal hook up into NASA’s live Hubble feed, this was only supposed to be monitored and observed by official employees of NASA or any other government represented official.

Donny though in some sort of trance, still had the sense to save these astounding images just before the screen went blank. “Fuckers,” shouted Donny, “they turned the darned scope off and I just wonder why?”

Heading over to his printer Donny stared in amazement at the printed photos rolling out of the machine and he really didn’t know what to think. Were these real images of what appeared to be an alien fleet?

Or was it some kind of elaborate ruse to flush out anyone using illegal software like he was doing? “Yea, sneaky bastards,” cried Donny, “that’s what it’ll be, nice try guys, well you’re not gonna catch me so better luck next time.”

Grabbing the photos Donny switched on his shredding machine. 

When you’re using illegal software and printing said images of anything illegal, its usually a good idea to have a paper shredder.

Dumping the now shredded remains into the trash can, Donny headed off to work wearing a smug self satisfied look on his face that some of the best brains on the planet had just failed to trap one Donald Kaminski.

[Little Jimmy Jones from Appleton Wisconsin, we will be with you soon… Please tell your people we will be there soon, very soon. Please tell your leaders we wish to speak to them but only before we have spoken to you Jimmy Jones from Appleton Wisconsin. We are your friends and would wish “you” to be the first human we see. Now go and prepare your planet for our arrival, do it now little Jimmy Jones from Appleton Wisconsin Planet Earth…]

And so it was at that point on February 12, 2015 that little Jimmy Jones picked up his parents phone and asked to be put through to the President of the United States..

The switchboard operator politely told the curious little boy, who seemed to have a speech impediment that the President was very busy, but if the little boy called Immy, or probably Jimmy would care to write a nice letter than she would be happy to forward it on.

The also curious switchboard operator then asked little Jimmy Jones what was it he wanted to ask the President of the United States?

When little Jimmy Jones said that it was about some friends of his heading toward the earth and the fact that they had asked Jimmy to tell the leaders of earth they were coming, which of course the President was one, well this was how he was going to do it.

Even though and in 999 cases out of a thousand the switchboard operator would instantly dismiss this call as a nut call, or crank call, her instinct was telling her something wasn’t right here.

Stella Banks double checked that the call was being recorded and then politely, though not condescendingly asked little Jimmy Jones what it was he wanted to tell the President, but in a little more detail.

Again, little Jimmy patiently explained to the nice lady on the switchboard about all the voices in Jimmy’s head and that he had been in contact for about two weeks now.

Shortly after the call had ended, Stella Banks and as part of her training, initiated a trace on the callers address. Soon after that she notified her boss, who notified his boss who then duly informed a now ashen faced commander in chief!!!


International Space Station, geo stationary Orbit 350km above the Earth

Air force Major Alan Epstein replaced the coms receiver back into the cradle and armed with a worried frown on his face proceeded to inform all remaining personnel on the station that they were being evacuated!

“What,” cried Major Yuri Bourshin, “what the hell for, nobody has informed me?”

It was at that point Major Bourshin also received a call from Moscow control and that he was to absolutely comply with the immediate evacuation.

“Its like sumthin pretty serious is goin on,” said another member of the crew and at that point Major Epstein for whatever reason, suddenly stared out of a porthole window, what he saw nearly gave him a heart attack!!!

***

A still ashen faced President, now aware like the boys at NASA and the military of a huge alien presence above the earth, gently took the proffered telephone from a nearby aid.

Forcing himself to smile though he really didn’t want to, the commander in chief engaged in what was probably the most bizarre conversation he had ever had in his entire life.

Back at the Jones residence in Appleton Wisconsin, a similar scene was unfolding as both stunned parents stared in disbelief at little Jimmy, who just so happened to be chatting away to the most powerful man on earth..

Shortly after finishing the telephone conversation little Jimmy beamed a huge smile at both his Mom and Dad and said, “the president wants us to go to the Whitehouse!”

Both parents stared at each other in horror and then back at Jimmy, “what, now, this minute?” Cried Alison Jones.

“Yes, I think so,” replied Jimmy and sure enough, about an hour later a white Sikorski Helicopter appeared out of nowhere and the three Jones’s were whisked off to Washington, just like that.

The Kaminski residence Baltimore Maryland

Donny Kaminski had endured a shitter of a day and his boss at work had crawled so far up Donny’s ass he could feel him in his throat.

After taking a quick shower and nuking a frozen Pizza in the microwave, Donny did the only thing he knew would make him feel a whole lot better and that was pour a large cold one, get out the scope and stare at the stars.

Donny loved to do this, what he deemed his favourite hobby, he just felt a natural affinity when gazing up and into the stars.
Where Donny lived was fairly ideal for star gazing too, there weren’t too many street lights so afforded a pretty good unrestricted view skyward, especially when it was a clear night like tonight.

Positioning the tripod stand the four foot telescope was mounted on in his back yard, Donny then dragged a garden chair forward and sitting down got ready to do some space exploration.

Gently wiping the glass eyepiece with a soft lens cloth and armed with a glass of ice cold Bud, Donny spoke. “To boldly go, where no man has gone before” and then placing his left eye onto the scope he stared up and into the great beyond.

It was whilst Donny was gently panning the quite powerful six mirrored scope from left to right he ran a sort of self commentary.

“OK, what do we have here, the star of Orion, hi there Orion, how ya doin tonight, oh there’s the great bear and that must be, what in the holy fuck” and Donny Kaminski as well as dropping the glass of beer to the ground subsequently wet himself!!

The Whitehouse

“The President of the United States gestured toward an aid and said, “how long before that family get here?”

The aid being asked that question cocked his head slightly sideways and placed a forefinger to a tiny earpiece, after a moments pause and a nod of the head said, “they’re here sir, south lawn.”

It was at this point on the 14th February 2015 [Valentines day] that only a handful of folks knew what was actually happening above our earth.

The President and his closest staff of course, the crew aboard the ISS, Little Jimmy Jones and his parents, then there was Donny Kaminski over in Baltimore Maryland, who even at this stage was still in a state of catatonic shock.

That however was all about to change and much to the watching horror and acute consternation of an utterly disbelieving President.

Gathered inside the oval office were the boss, his joint chiefs of staff, a handful of scientific experts from NASA and of course Mr and Mrs Jones. 

Accompanied by the star of the show, or was soon to be anyway, little Jimmy Jones from Appleton Wisconsin.

They were all, along with the majority of planet earth, staring at the large plasma TV screen, but its was on that screen that held everyone in complete rapture.

The image on the screen was obviously of something not from this world and looked straight out of a Si Fi movie. The figure in question had a large domed head and rather disturbingly only one eye, a sort of Cyclops if you like.

The strange figure also had a small fluted what would have to have been a mouth.

This bizarre figure was clad in what appeared to be a type of black vulcanised rubber suit, a sort of space suit I suppose.

If that wasn’t mind blowing enough, the figure was talking and depending on which country was watching the broadcast, was being broadcast in the language of that host country. 

So in the case of the stunned audience in the oval office, it was of course being spoken in English.

This is what was being said..
“Greetings humans of planet earth, my name is Nacron of a race called The Naxon and we would like to make a contact with you. We come in peace and have no intention of using violent methods or any other such acts, unlike the majority of mankind have perpetrated throughout its somewhat violent history."

“What the hell’s it mean by that?” Uttered a miffed General, “shush,” said the President, the being calling itself Nacron continued on.

"We are here on a specific mission and will only leave your planet when we have fulfilled this mission. The nature of this mission will be disclosed to the one known as Jimmy Jones from Appleton Wisconsin planet earth."

At that very point, millions and millions of disbelieving folks from all corners of the planet wondered who in the hell was Jimmy Jones. 

Was he a scientist? Was he an alien abducted human from the 50s whom now these strange looking beings had come back for?

Who in the hell was this Jimmy Jones?

Everyone including the President was now staring “at” little Jimmy Jones. 

It was at that point that little Jimmy heard the voices again and this time they were almost too loud and as such little Jimmy suddenly clutched both temples and yelped.

Instantly his parents sprang forward but Jimmy made the gesture that he was OK. The voice was asking him whereabouts on planet earth he was situated.

After requesting to the voice that it turn down the volume a tad, which it did, Jimmy informed the voice in his head that he was at the home of the president of the United States.

Everyone in that room was staring in amazement at little Jimmy, he seemed to be in some sort of deep trance, then as if what was happening wasn’t crazy enough, something equally just as crazy happened. Jimmy disappeared, just like that!!!!


Parts 2 and 3 to follow.....

THE KISS OF DEATH

THE KISS OF DEATH


A short portly figure entered a large dining room and then seated itself at one end of the huge mahogany dining table.

Clad in a pure Chinese silk dressing gown the portly figure began to eat the food that was on the plate in front of it.

About an hour later and after consuming the best part of a 16 ounce T bone, Carl Mcdermott removed himself from the dining table and headed for what appeared to be an equally large drinks cabinet. 

On pouring himself a very large expensive cognac, Carl then proceeded to address his ever waiting and of course “always” attendant audience.

This, the dining alone in the large hall and then the cognac along with his speech was part of a nightly and never ending ritual for Carl Edward Mcdermott and had been since the day he had decided he’d had enough of the human race..

You see Carl by profession was a taxidermist which meant of course he stuffed objects, these ranged from Henry the pet Hamster to a full grown shire horse.

****

Taxidermy (from the Greek for arrangement of skin) is the act of mounting or reproducing dead animals for display (e.g. as hunting trophies) or for other sources of study. 

Taxidermy can be done on all vertebrate species of animals including mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians.

The methods that taxidermists practice have been improved over the last century, heightening taxidermic quality and lowering toxicity. 

The animal is first skinned. This process is similar to removing the skin from a chicken prior to cooking.

This can be accomplished without opening the body cavity so the taxidermist usually does not see internal organs or blood. 

The skin is tanned and then placed on a polyurethane form. Clay is used to install glass eyes. Forms and eyes are commercially available from a number of suppliers. If not, taxidermists carve or cast their own forms.

****

However, Carl over the years grew tired of stuffing owls, prized fish and of course someone’s beloved pet and began to explore the possibility of preserving “humans.”

He knew this could be done, if you could stuff a bison you could stuff a human being. The difference being it was of course “illegal” to stuff for instance, a recently departed family member, though Carl had heard of such practices. 

In fact in certain medieval Royal housolds stuffing one’s spouse used to be quite common.

It was on the day Carl had a blazing argument with Mrs Mcdermott and the subsequent savagery in the way Carl bludgeoned Eva to death with a nearby two pound lump hammer, that Carl knew he had a chance to bring to life his long held fascination with what a human being would look like completely stuffed and presented inside a glass case.

Staring at the now ex Mrs Mcdermott Carl admired his work, in fact he was so impressed he decided that he would like to see what other folks would look like, stuffed and presented inside a large glass presentation case. “Forever” as it were and so it started…..

The second of Carl’s, err shall we say acquirements, came about a month after Eva McDermott’s entry into this what had now become a grisly collection of lifelike dead people.

Carl was out shopping for various supplies and though he much preferred not to shop in the local supermarkets, this time he did which proved to be highly unfortunate for one Chloe Holloway.

Chloe was a checkout operator at the local Tesco express in Wandsworth and Chloe was having a bad day.

Not only had her regular child minder not turned up meaning she had to hurriedly drop her three young children off at each different father’s houses, Chloe’s boss also insisted she work a double shift but that was after she’d received admonishment for being rude to customers.

Chloe’s boss went through the usual spiel of how if it weren’t for the customers spending their hard earned money in Tescos, Chloe would be out of a job and as such should bear that fact in mind when snatching money from them. As well as purposely dropping change onto the floor knowing full well the customer wouldn’t be able to catch it in time.

Chloe’s shift manager then proceeded to show CCTV footage of Chloe forcing certain items into a customers shopping bag that were never going to fit in.
Then after witnessing the plastic bag splitting down the middle and solemnly shaking her head as if to say, sorry, we have no more bags. Chloe would laughingly watch the hapless customer struggle to carry said items away.

Well all this did was put Chloe in an even filthier mood topped off of course with the fact she’d had to go to all three bleeding houses dropping each kid off. 

Part of “each” individual father’s condition of minding “his” child was “he” wasn’t responsible for anyone else’s hence the lengthy detour.

A short stout man with short curly red hair and dark glasses approached Chloe’s till point. 

Chloe waited until the red haired man had placed all several items down then proceeded at what seemed like in ultra slow motion to check the items through the scanner.

Well all this did was agitate the red haired man who, to the temerity of Chloe snapped his fingers and said, “come on child, I haven’t got all day.”

That prompted Chloe to stop completely and scrupulously examine a culprit finger nail. After what seemed like an eternity at scanning said nail, Chloe smilingly glanced up at what was now the raging face of a very pissed off customer.

Smiling even more Chloe said, “sorry sir, am I keeping you?”

This particular customers face was so red now it nearly matched his hair. Then almost as if a light had gone on, the customer suddenly smiled back and after staring a bit longer than he should have he departed. But not before he looked back to stare a little longer at Chloe Holloway.

“Fucking creep,” muttered Chloe and then smiling again she proceeded to scan more goods. But this time it was a hell of a lot faster, this customer was a 6ft plus dark haired hunk of a man with gorgeous blue eyes and for a fleeting moment and through batting eyelashes Chloe saw daddy number 4.

Later on that day after finishing that horrendous double shift, Chloe headed toward a silver Renault Cleo. Just as she had deactivated the alarm she heard a sound nearby and it sounded like a woman’s voice.
“Help me, help me please I think I’ve been robbed.”

Now as horrible as Chloe was with customers, particularly unattractive overweight male customers, she still bore a a connection to the sisterhood and if what seemed like another female needed help, then Chloe would at the very least see what was going on.

Walking several feet away from the Cleo she saw what appeared to be a distressed woman slumped over the back seat of another, larger vehicle. Curiosity getting the better of Chloe now she proceeded to investigate.

The minute Chloe reached inside the rear of the larger dark coloured vehicle she knew something wasn’t right. For a start the voice kept repeating itself and the figure purporting to be a person wasn’t, it was a sort of plastic doll only meaning to look like a person.

Chloe instantly realised she was in danger. Too late, “wham”. A dark attired figure materialised out of nowhere and before poor Chloe Holloway knew what was happening she was sinking into the now not so unpleasant feeling of chloroformed unconsciousness.

A week later Chloe, after being injected with cyanide was subsequently opened up and gutted. 

Then having various wire attachments inserted into the now remaining husk, became the second addition to Carl 

Edward McDermott’s macabre collection of stuffed exhibits, more followed.

There wasn’t any logical explanation as to why Carl collected his prize exhibits, they were simply random and possibly why the Metropolitan Police hadn’t a clue as to why or how certain individuals from all walks of life were suddenly and mysteriously disappearing off the streets of London, some of them in broad daylight.

Carl wandered over to another exhibit and pointed a short stubby finger at this particular glass case.
This was, or should I say used to be a traffic warden…..

Carl smiled and then told the now quite inanimate Traffic Warden that doing things by the book and following procedures was the only course he could take.

Just like the same words the Traffic Warden used on Carl before he booked him. 

Taking another long slow sip of Cognac Carl this time wandered over to another exhibit.

Inside this one was again and in a former life but in this case preserved for eternity was a big issue seller.

Again Carl, taking a long luxurious sip of the expensive cognac would address the now inanimate figure holding a copy of the big issue out toward whoever was in the way.

“And that’s why “you” are here my friend, just wouldn’t leave me alone would you?”

Carl paused for a few seconds, as though waiting for the perfectly preserved big issue holding form in front of him to reply, but of course he wouldn’t.

And so this nightly ritual continued. 

All in all there were now 15 glass cased exhibits and in each one was a member of the public who just so happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, as well as pissing Carl off for whatever reason.

In each case scenario, Carl would embark on a random tour of the City, a bit like the legendary Jack the Ripper all those years ago and randomly and purposely provoke someone.

And in every case, whether be man or woman, whether 6 stone or twenty, Carl would effect a capture, a little akin to the great white hunters of colonial Africa.

These would vary on necessity, of course as in the hapless Chloe’s case, the subtle creeping up from behind using chloroform and employing minimal effort was all that was needed.

In the case of a 20 stone male, a more robust form of capture would be needed, as was effected in the capture of exhibit number 10.

This particular choice and the one Carl was now staring at through the glass case was, or what used to be a nightclub bouncer.

On one occasion Carl had been refused entry into one of London’s many S & M venues, a trait and fetish Carl enjoyed.

Not only did the bouncer reject Carl’s attempt to gain entry into the club, but he also had the temerity to mock him too.

Carl usually didn’t need any added incentive to perform and effect his obsession with collecting things, but in this case he made special dispensation for this cretinous imbecile who dared make mock.

Shortly after being told to sling his hook, Carl returned home to pick up one or two items, the main one being an illegal 50,000 volt Taser.

Wearing a skin tight latex face mask and dressed in the uniform of a paramedic, Carl drove toward the famous night club venue known as “The Torture Garden.”

The reason Carl was dressed in a paramedics uniform was simple. He was also driving an EFRV [emergency fast response vehicle] It wasn’t a real EFRV of course, it was an Audi estate that had been adapted using “illegal” decals to make it look like the real thing.

One of many ruses and disguises Carl would use in his taking and collecting of future exhibits.

As soon as Carl neared the venue he pulled off to the rear of the nightclub. 

Making sure the coast was clear, Carl then surreptitiously pulled out of the fake ambulance a lifelike dummy.

Placing the dummy on the ground and in a realistic collapsed position, Carl then headed toward the front of the club to seek out his prize.

It wasn’t long before Carl picked him out and it also wasn’t long before the now disguised killer, adorned with the latex mask and of course the bogus uniform that Carl had convinced the bouncer to assist the Ambulance service in lifting a helpless victim into the EFRV.

As soon as the hapless bouncer was out of the way of any prying onlookers Carl took out the taser and jammed it into large man’s abdomen.

The big bouncer at first and alarmingly for Carl didn’t seem to be affected, so Carl again thrust the device into the same abdominal area.

This time the electrical current did its job and the now electrocuted bouncer slumped to the ground without barely a whimper.

The hardest job was manoeuvring the 20 stone [280 pound] man into the Audi, but of course Carl did and two hours later and at the dead of night Carl was once again 'deep' into the heart of his chosen profession.

Carl continued staring at the huge figure in front of him and in a somewhat mocking tone of voice said, “I bet you let me in now you fucking moron.”

Carl headed off to another part of the house, this room was a lot smaller than the dining room and the exhibit hall and this is where Carl did most of his research. 

Picking up a small remote control Carl pointed it at a large plasma flat screen TV.

Switching on the news Carl watched for a few minutes and like most people bored with bad news just went through the motions.

Then the image on the screen returned to the pretty young blond newscaster and Carl suddenly became interested.

Picking up a photograph of his ex wife, Carl stared hard at it. 

Suddenly he headed over to the large TV screen and placing his dead wife’s photo next to the screen, Carl looked first at the pretty young blond newsreader and then at the photograph of Eva.

“Remarkable,” whispered Carl. In fact it truly was, the startling resemblance between the pretty blond newsreader and Carl’s ex wife Eva was staggering.

Suddenly Carl had a thought and replacing the photograph down onto a nearby table he gently caressed with a left hand, the flickering image of the young blond newsreader.

“Well well well Eva” and at that point Carl glanced at the photo of his dead ex. Glancing back to the image on the TV and still stroking it affectionately Carl spoke again and this time he was shaking in anticipation.

“Looks like you won’t be on your own for much longer, in fact” and Carl this time bent down toward the screen and gently kissed the young blond newsreader smack on the lips. 

Then chuckling demoniacally said, "because “you” my pretty young thing have just been given, the kiss of death."




THE END