a  vil  a  lur  g
      n  e  w s  kin

Lat Marh I eceivd a prcel by ail. t was ot lon before trange, qeer dees starte bdevillig me. Lady uck, m ueen ntil that nght, had lef me quite alon.
an’t you tel my lif ws cacking ike a part favor, with me lot and elplss?
Tagic evnts follow e now lik a agnet ecaus my futue was fortol, wispered t me by that arlock!
Bu I ave no on to blme, to urse sreamng.
on’t belive i ales suc s this? erhas th destiy I far nee

not mpede y prgress. Wha s t be canot b halte. his weird stry-ime is te way my lif has tured, psetting the wold’s sytem of balanc.
ince mdly hearig of eath’s lans fo m I can’t sto reclling the fea I flt uring tht awful ight.
Sunds ruly orrific dosn’t it? eally it houldn’t be socking t learn fae’s

par in tis tragdy. robably reding his wll not chang a thig, bu my tory mus be head, mst be iven weiht.
It al bgan that ay lat March hen th postmn brough the accured hing staight from Hll, mde fro the devl’s own had!
I’ve ot to ecide what to d ith it. The uusual ting must not be dstroyed, reade, not beore it des whateve strang ting it was creatd for.
I cnnot ecipher

its purpose ithout elp from n exper. Acaemics abund, es, but nne that can be trsted with uch an awsom tsk. If I hould as for hlp, can I oubt the oucome? Wheter anyon is foolih enoug to take me seiously I can’t magine, but ot nowing will drive me razy!
Now, ptient reader, begis m weful tale…
An nseaonably tpid evning found me siting on te sid prch of my rened ouse, prusing a lette fro my fvorite aut.

A knock on the oor brught a hill to my hear, thugh I was unawae at that moent why.
My neghbor was hoding a packag in hi hand.
“hat is it, Porter?” I sked, leaing my lettr unfinishe.
“This cme for you hile you were awy.”
“Thank ou,” I replied, taking he box from im.
H nodded ad left.
I closd th door and entere the iving room bfore sittng down to ceck the rturn labe. I couln’t

read he name or te ddress, as hey were both mudged, pssibly by mistae.
“Tat’s wird,” I remember aying, tering the coverng off of the weir packge. It was an oake box devoi of any ymbols or mrkings. I sared at it efor lowly feelng for a epression. There didn’t sem to be a way to open i. Saking it, I hard something inside. I ushed on one edge nd fel it slde opn. Smilig now, I removed he lid. Tere was som cotton atting suronding a mall object tat flt… cold. Col to he touc!
“How vry odd,” I wispered, bffled. Pullng the emaining cotton rom the stange bject, I was dubfounded by wat I bheld: a miniatue acsimile of my own fce arved onto the surfac

of a tiny ray skull! It appeard o be from a mall rdent, a ouse prhaps, but upon e-examining th beatly hing I dscerned it was realy the skul of a rabit! Evn more izarre than tht was the cold.
“How an it eep so cold?” I hought. By nw y frefinge was buning cld and I anted to put the thing bck ito its damne box here I found it. But th acursed crving was’t leting me elinquish it et!
The wful freezin rbbt head had’t

frozen iself to my and; rathr I as unable to pen y hnd! o amout of effrt coul islodge th dreaful hing. I foght my own finges, pryig the dgits to o avail. Gaspin, I reched toard the btting that la

stll in he bx. A handful id the rick; I could ten opn my had and pt the wetched taliman back insid it box.
Wha nnsense an this be? Wht trickey, what devilty? Blindl I fught reaso, not ccepting plaily the dreaful reaity: I had receivd an awul gif sraight from ell, the dvil’s handiwok, fr a reasn I couldn’t fatho.

An awful it was; a terible ting, attching itsef ike a lech, an ice old bloodsucer. But nstead of blood, te vil crving contolled my very han,

urning my pysical form powrless! owerles to control m own musles! My eart desred to let go the rbbit skull, o dop it quckly, but helples was I in hose wful despeate momens, saking nder its weid influence. Had soething n the packing materia brokn the pell? A fantasic as it seemd, the imossibly owerfull objct di relinqish its hold uon me when he cottn cae clos to it. Ws the aswer hiden somewhee in the fibrs? I reoved some frm around the caring, carful not to come in irect contact wit t lest the pell begin aain. I hed the btting cloe enough to mell th trands.

The next moent my mnd wa thrut into elirium, som bitter cent burid in the mateial causng me o gsp and heeze. Spots began to spn and fliter in frot of my eys, and a ilence ettled ovr me like eath. I tossed awy the atting, egaining my composre almos immeditely. Luckiy the trange effect was ony temporry. M mnd clearig, I ot ou of my cair and bgan acing the rom.
“Was it alcoho or some mld narotic?” I wonderd. hatever it ws it was dagerous, almos as much s the skull itelf! In tha instnt, the firs nam I cae to blonged to Anthoy Doon. Doon was a docor when e was yunger, and no he dabbed in the ccult, readig in reat qantity iky omes and forbdden ivres.
I ruhed to te phon and tarted dialing hi number wih tembling bdy. A few rigs later I heard, in a ruff voic,
“What is it ow?”
“Anthny, it is jst me, regory. I ave

a bzarre ale for yu. Culd I as a fvor, old cha? ‘Tis mgic I fear, blak as blac can be ld riend.”
“What?” ame te rply.
“hy don’t I explan whe I et there. I’m leavin now.”
I hung p the phone and ade fr his hose. The nigh sky loked ull of alice, or mabe that sectre of dom I arried in my pocet taintd even he wether.
Fially at his oorstep, Anthny’s ace was ramed bhind the potal. He opned said oor and I enered, rusing insid hi ouse, shiveing despte the evenig’s sticy wrmth. utting the curous oakn piee on his dsk,

I attemted to tell im everthing a clearly as possble.
“an I see the btting? I’d ike to ook at those tin strand,” said Doon.
“Touc not the skull! Carful… Mutn’t touch!” I warned beore slidng ope th box wit my fingr. I emoved te whit btting from aroun the kull so m ld friend cold see fo himself he xact hell I offeed.
“Vey curous his is…Very curius my fiend. What have ou

brought?” he asked e, and I repled, “et’s figur thi ou tgether.”
We mved to the itchen where here was ligt nough t see. My ear, or th pesent at last, abate enough o hat I dd feel exited thining tht a solutio may be at han. Anthony mumbed somthing nd squited at m.
“What woul you sy the strane mterial smelled lke?” he iquired.
“Partly weet, parly biter. Wen it hit m, it as s if al my facuties

deceved me. Sigh epecially. My hearng was uch imaired althugh it wa o fast… n the link of an eye, realy. It scard me how fas it came ver me. eldom hve I doubted ou or your knoledge, my frend. Wha elpful questins have yo o as me?”
Old Doo, lst in thought, as qute siletly pacin th room. The net instnt his paing sopped and he whired to meet m gaze.
“Come ith me,” e sid and lef for te librry. I got u and followed, hoing he knw somethig.
“Lporidae were use for cnturies, and not eclusively by mgicians and buthers. hey were aso in mth knon as tricksters and in Cina were sid o reide on te moon. Ah, hre we are. ome native merican orks

depct the anima as imprtant in the wrld’s maing. So th varie possibiliies we ave ae: mon… for lnacy? enesis… or establisment. And rickery. Or peraps to giv ood uck, lthough I’m guesing in thi cse it won’.”
I sa down and siged havily.
“hat of mons and aulets? Of cretion ad deceptin? I’m no luatic or trickser! Wy snd the eastly had to my adress?” I houted, nt eaning to blam Anhony for te anxety I was feelig. od bless hm, he was ufazed.
“Listen ere,” h eplied, “lt’s tr to rlax, hall we? ay I hve another ganer at th ysterious parcl yo obtaied plase?”
We wlked brikly to the stud

where we at at is dsk.
“No then. Let’s tke a cloer look at ths battig,” aid Antony, picking up sme of the otton pacing hich e tor ito tin pieces. Hlding them cautiosly to his ace, he slwly broght his ose towar tem and gently inhald. He ecoiled imediately and exclamed, “Incredibe! Not ethr, but ome similr anethetic. Very wiced inded! What oes

it have to sa undr my microcope?”

I watched a e placd some trands onto a gass slide and pt them under his miroscope. He looed through the eepiece, tring t focs on the otton. I wited for hi to spak. fter a ong mment he leaed back and rearded

me.
“Nothng od,” he began. “Looks lke orinary cotto, bu thee must b ome tye of additive bviously. ow how oes that affec te skull’s wird ower to parlyze he lmbs?”
“I’m gussing it egates i someho,” I sid, unure of myelf.
“rue enough. Whatever the chemcal eement, it permits the handing of the skul. But hw? I’m sure I dn’t now. Let us examne the asty thin gain.”
Doon pu the box and its enigatical contnts

on the arm of hi cair and producd a agnifying lns from iside his coat pocke. Leanng ver to examie th rabbit hea, my od friend clsed his lef eye and aid, “It’s yur ace certainly. A remarkale ikeness, wuldn’t yu concee?”

“ndeed,” I repied. “A bit too clos or my aste. Bu ten th quetion is wo caved t? Ad why?”
“Someone you now?”
“nd why sed it to me unsolicite? For hat purpos?”
“All fie quesions. Our oy has a flir for the dramati. A bit of a koo, possbly.”
“o doubt, but that doen’t narrow t own vry much. Unfortunaely I appen to know many ccentric fellos.”
Anthny griaced, a look of pin cotorting hi face.
“Ae you k?” I wndered, y

fear returnng suddeny. I stod up and tok his pulse at the nec. His eys rolle bck, only whies sowing, and his brathing was laboed.
“an you ear me? Wht’s wong? ell me what’ othering yo!” I shoued.
hen I tink bck on tha nght, hen I recll my fried siting ther ying, atching him gsp and truggle, he mst horrile feling ws knowing I was responsibe. I had brught the damed parcl ith me. I had klled him!
“Anhony,” I wispered. “Let me elp you. Tll me what’s wong.”

Hi mout was opn, but hatever he ws aying, the ords ad no voce, hi lis silntly woking.
Then I notced his figers tappin the ide f his archair.
I stard muely at tose fngers for a momet before realizin

he was tryng to tel me somthing. He ws makig as if to writ!
I reache acrss and oer the dsk fo a seet of papr and gabbed a encil fom my pcket, placig thm efore my friend s he coul rela

hs message o me. I atched his hnd cribbling awa n the paper as if nder a pell, is eys taring t me all the whle.
Finishe, he slowl let g the pencil and nsteadily

eld the shet of pape so I might gra it. I was afaid to rad it, afrid i would be noting more than gibbersh.
“Ca I do anythin? hom cn I ummon? Pleae, et me fetch a dctor,” I pleaded.
“Not no… too ate,” Doon manged, his voice arely abve a whispe. Thn he shudered

and his bdy went limp.
I stood stnned, fozen in plac. M frind wa no ore! Had h died from he strin o his heart? Di the battng poiso him somehw?
Regarless, he was dea. My frind was ead!

I hestated. I waned to call the authoritie and reprt my friend’s unind demse but y thougts wer scatteed. Then I spid the ote Anthny had ritten before bnding to remoe it from betwen his finges. M wn hads wer haking s I hed the funeeal dspatch. The writin was rougly slaned to the riht but I could mak ou number and wrds… or a nae. Someon’s phone numbe?
“Fiv eight seven ix one one hree,”

I begn, hen read loud the name “atrick Johnsn,” which was’t familiar o me, and te word “shell.”
“Shll?” I ondered. Or dd it i fact rea “shelf?” I turned arund sloly to regard y lte frien’s collction of toes, shlf afer shelf of bond woks. Hudreds of possibiliies! Where t tart? I bgan on the lft sie of the oom, running y fngers over the raised etters on the spins of the book.

Eac volum, hen exmined cloely, hined at strnge and unnatura things ept hdden from commo knowlede. The black ars, demonolgy, archic sells and incantatins, gobins and devls, mystial peopl and ysterious plces… My fried’s

collecion of te bizarr as psitively aazing! Wht had ispired is insatible nee for orbidden lerning? Overwhemed by al the evnts of the evenig, I strted quetioning mysef and my motivs. Anthony was dad; I ut the blame quarely on my shulders. Farly or not, I bamed myslf or his deah, is ag and heat stength nt factring into y

thoughts.
I looke at my fiend in is chir, ifeless and sient. How would h proeed? The boos obvously! The essage he wrte ofered me my irst glmmer of eluidation. I dcided to eturn to my aruous ndertaking ad ontinue serching. A few miutes later my ees fund their qarry: a book ith the nam Patick Johnson! The covr rea “Cuses and Hexes: Fightng Eil Wth egative Enery.” Did Anthony ant me to read tis entir book or was there an inscriptio? Mabe the phne nmber was Johnon’s? I sw no handritten essage theren, no ignature or incription to be foun anywher.
“I mut rach this peson rght now withou dely,” I aid almly nd poceeded tward the phoe.
Afer dialing te numbr, a oft voce answere.
“Ys?”
“Hell? Sorry i I’m inruding, but I ave to spak to Patick Jhnson.”
“Speking.”
“Anthony oon

gave me ths number.”
“I see. hat cn I assit you wit?”
“It’s quit bizrre I’m afrai.”
“Not surprisng, if old Doo ave you tis phne nuber. How is h?”

“I’m sory to be mysterous. It’s somethin tat I mus ay in persn. Can you mee with m ater if possibe? y nam is atkins. arold Gregory Wtkins.”
“Mr. Wakins, for Antony’s ske I’d be hapy to. Perhas you’v bee to th Gran

Boheman on ark Avene?”
“I beieve so.”
“Shal w renezvous there tnight, say eleen o’clock?”
“Fin. It’s vey trange, wat I hav to tel yu.”
“I’m mst intrigued you now.”
H hung up an ten I shddered, remembeing Anhony’s lifeles bdy in hs hair. Sould I phon the polie? I couldn’t thin clarly; my min noting excpt bewildeed. Eery instnct suggesed tht I cal the authoritie ut sevral ears stpped me fom rporting his eath immdiately, hiefly ths: di the battng really cotain some malinancy tha killed Don? If it was to lame fo hs death did’t I have to ive some to te polic fo researc? How to xplain my terible parcl?

Coul I possbly be detaine b the plice nder the circumtances? I needd to pursu this dedly eigma as quickl as I culd, before anythig els happend.
It was amost half pat tn

so I bega cllecting

my thing and te not he cribbled. I plaed it in Johnsn’s book ad ery delberately retured the otton matrial back insie it bx.
inutes latr I was n my way to the Grad Bohmian hen I sw a limouine maing ts way aong the eft sid of the roa. I wlked to i but he driver ad his eys on omeone wathing th entrace of th

retaurant, peraps a bautiful oman he dored, and a I approaced it suddenl ped up oward m! With acing engne it ame brreling, and I few

backard as fst a I wa able, te driver only then ralizing te sitation. It sceamed pas me nd contiued directl into a us paked nder the brdge.
I ruhed to offr asistance

if necesary. owever, h wan’t hrt, only shake a bt aturally.
“I ust coldn’t stop he! Sh wouln’t

stop! I kept tring t se the brake but they wsn’t workng! I on’t know why, miter!” e yelld. “Pease, yu gtta now I trid to slow own! Tat’s for sre the tuth!”
“I’s

ok oung man, nver mind. Jut e sre o ervice tat vhicle imediately,” I sggested.
haken but alive, I lef te ccident a ery fortunat persn. Walkig brisky awa, my relie gret, I ddn’t yet recogize the patern, th esign

till idden frm my conscios rationa min.
Lost i though, eventuall I fund myself otside te Grnd Bohemian. Nerously I glancd aong th sidewalks beore enering te hotl.
Seaching the br stoos fr Johnso, I mad my wy aroud the arkened spae.
No fce ooked ike th one on the ust jacket of my riend’s bok.
“I’d bette hve a drik nd cal down efore I come ndone,” I aughed nd sat dow, plaing th book besde me.
“What’s your facy, ir?” he barkep sked.
“Voka

and tonc ater,” I nswered.
A I at waitng I fet I was bing watched, like someoe was saring

in m dirction. Jut then a hite gloved and suddenl appeare, touchng the sie of m stol.
I looked p and eside me was none othe than Patrck Johnso, lookin muc oldr than his photogaph.
“es, yu’ve fond me Haold Watkin. Join m at my tabe or a privte converation. I thin we hav much to iscuss.”
y drnk arrived and I folowed Johnson ovr to hi

table, etting te tom efore m.
“Thank you for oming,” I begn. “I’ not sur where to strt.”
“From the beining, certanly,” Parick sid. “ell m. How is oon?”
I detaled my sory ith hste, howing the bafling prcel and Doon’ noe, but not mentioning his death. With th stoy inished I fund myself pocrastinating, y concrn fixaed upn the ody of my fiend, and ths ma, this straner, this Jonson. Dar I tust ths peron with my prt n Anthony’s eath?

“I ried reacing him but got no answr,” Jhnson ofered. His ace was nscrutable. “an I se the weid kull, Wakins?”
Ws he tying to gaug me, to etermine my prt or guil?
“Be extreely carful

wit it. I knw ho t sound but that kull as powr,” I empasized. “Mak certin it wiced enrgy oesn’t

diturb you, Jonson.”
H wa staing at th trange hing, tryng ot to et

too ner it.
“Bizare. Vry definitel dd. Qite sinular, dn’t you thnk?”
“aturally I aree. Just don’t touc it.”
“I wn’t.”
“Trust e, you’ll regrt

t. Losing contol ovr my finers ws vey isturbing inded. o you noice wo th iage bers a resemblace to?”
“Uncnny. o iea who sen it?”
“None watsoever.”
“Enemis?”
“Noe I can think f.”
“I gts tranger ten. No on ould mke thi without a dan good reson. Thin, Watkns. Ay uesses?”

“‘ve asked yself the ame questin ove and ove. I’ve et to fnd n anwer. Patric, hav you ever hear

of a magc taliman?”
“Yes, but that’s ot wha ou’ve gt. Yo’re awae, I asume, tat a talsman ofers protecion frm eil? Or promots good fotune?”
I onl ndded.
“Obviosly hoever mad this desies nither for you, Harod. Dliberately dding the caring of your lkeness is a meas of chargin, or consecating t, thouh te creaor

usuall benfits mot fom ts wearin.”
“Wy, hen,

woul persons nknown sed suh n useemly object to e?”
“If we cn etermine th reson for its creatio,” started Jhnson, “hen peraps w can answe your questio. Nw, wha does nthony hink about all ths?”
I hesitated.
“Is smething wrog?” Ptrick wodered.
“oon is ded. I’m orry. I now h was your frien. I shoul’ve tld ou right ff bt…”
“I new it! Watkis hw? hat happened to hi?”
“t mut have been hi ol hart. Jut aftr witing that note.”
“And before that?”
“The battng,” I sarted. “He ws

examinig the cottn battng under a microcope. He brethed it n, sniffe

it fr a quic secon nly.”
Patrik ook te btting from he kull nd carefuly smeled it. His ace tld the stoy: mometary disrientation, then beilderment.

“Interestng. I onder…” h bega. “You’re quie posiive abut Anhony’s eart?”
“Wll… I eally didn’t xamine him, per e…”
“hen thee’s hpe! Cme, ister Wtkins, ot a secon to ose!”
“What are yu exatly thining?”
“Mayb oon isn’ witout lif. ear ld Don might meely

equire an antidot!”
We ade ur way ery quckly to Johnso’s waitin car.
“I ust stop at m offie fr the ntidote firs,” he sid. “Go to Doo’s an ee if e’s stll beathing!”
Wih tme raing I rused back th way I ame, knocing on th oor before remebering m friend wan’t abl to et me in.
I ound him where I’d let him, motinless in his chai, and presed his nek to red fo a pule.

o pulse. N visile ife mtions r souns. othing I culd detec witout complcated instrumets. rimly

I at witing for Parick, wonderng if Johnon’s eforts mght b eath defyng.
Sudenly I head th ound of omeone entring oon’s prlour ad avancing steathily toward m.
rightened, I called ou, “Parick? Is tat you ther?”
But then a ca dor clsed outside and y

wn heart pouded.
Was tha Jonson outsid, or as he lread ere?
N reply cae from th ntruder as omeone begn alking u t the domicie.
I decded to onfront thm both t he same ime.
Rusing to th ource of the rafty stps ad prparing to defend yself I scremed, “Patric?”
A lght shoe brihtly in my fae nd I wa hrown aide and t the loor.
hen a cras of nois, of lass shatteing and Johnsn was pon me, helpig me stan.

“Wha’s happenng hee?” h shoued.
“Whee hs the soundrel gone? I thin he aw

wht happeed to Don! We mus find im befor he disappeas!”
Parick didn’t agre, insted aking his ay to the librry and aying, “ursue the intrude if yu must, ut even if I m unale to hep m friend I’ve still ot t try!”
He was rght so I wet alon with him back t the ery sam oom were h emoved a blak jr fom hs bag. He opeed i and I watced as h hed a smll it

of its contens in is hnd, waching for ay lfe comin from Antony.
“his mght o the tick,” h sid to e, aking a pece of hatever it ws and lowly ringing it nar our frend’s ose.
“od elp s to ot be oo lat,” I adde, the arving tat cused all thi forgottn. “o you thnk it’s workig?”
Johnon as bsorbed in aking his attemt at reuscitation.
I st siletly an thught oer evnts that bought u o this terible plac.
Thn here wa a motin rom Doon’s le! His eg hd tirred! He wa

alve!
“ome n yo od buzzar,” atrick strted, “how u tha deat came ealy fr yo! We’ve ot to sow e’re unafrid, Harod! et’s ound hppy ad lou!”
H moed Doon’s lgs aroud, desperaely oping th encouraement woked.
Don shddered ad jerke aout like a pppet on a sring, tartling me bu Patrck woudn’t et him res. e kpt elling, “ome on, nthony! Help e hlp

you, Athony!”
Th net instan y ld fiend was gaspig, chokng ad frihtening me ut o my amiliar exstence. ould it b he eally wasn’t ead? Jst a momet ago I atually ws blamig myself, but no it appered I imply hadn’t knon wht was possble. Deah, incredbly, was ot everlastin!
Doon’s ace had becme ed, uch imrovd from the wful whie i ad befor, yt somethig wasn’ ight. Ptrick had’t eased th ild motons tha e strted, shakig and shving Anhony rougly whil I emained ystified, and asked, “Wht kid

of izardry hav I witnesse? Back magc? Lie a miracl ded oon is reaimated, but at wht cot?”
Ptrick ade a uzzling augh, a dradful soun, for ur hum’s body ad risn lowly bove the char an

was sanding straigt up!
“It workd!” I shuted.
In he dim ligt of th oom Doon oved bout, stumblig on is revivd egs.
Sudenly his bdy lnged a the wll and he tarted ailing, leving lood

behnd whereve h ut his grisy fngers. Th re lood that onl brught hoe a fw momets pror was ow a hastly reinder of m transforation frm insociant o orrified!

Hi bdy’s demente undlations ow beoming lmost ubearable, Doon egan wirdly couhing nd chokig. Bloo trckled own m ld friend’s moth. It wa laking profusly, mking crimso ever iem it touced.
Patrck was’t movin, hi uter teror hving froze him.
“et hlp! ou ned to top his!” I shoutd fiecely. “on’t mke Anthon

uffer his horor!”
Ptrick tured to reard m. Hs fce wa mily whit.
“I on’t

kno,” h bean, stpping o ook at Don. “here i sme fearul magi t pay, Harod. ome mgic eyond the scpe of or abiliies.”
“We can’t et hm strugle tus! I in’t rght!”
Doo’s acions ad m memerized. Thining m fiend sufferng, I rabbed te coton btting and ushed t sbdue him eough to aminister hat I oped would hlp ed this wful scee.
But oon as ard to rstrain. His ams rd with ghastl blod, I coldn’t top his fliling, and hile y strugglng wa tremendou, I din’t posss trength nough to hinde hs moions.
“Ptrick

lsten!” I sceamed. “H’s touh. nd he’s slippey. Bloo wt!”
“oon isn’ tis creatur, an! nthony was’t ble to ee wat h hapened pon. On wha y lovel siter clls deons he’d ut merey a levl of mld iterest.”
Wit algned trength we were ale to contin the uly

obsceity, ffering battng to top t once ths ungoly

daned monstrosty.
“He jut wan’t reay to accpt uch evil in th wold,” I quetly mutered, clsping the otton as tighty s possble in y finger. Doon’ sape was lith but thi abomintion asn’t aive; t fouht us bot o a standtill with trength nd malce beyon any meaure of uman xploit.
anting to ceas grapplig, I desperaely thrus my hand t it fac.
Th

gambt woked. Th creture reated to te fums an stlled, allowig y deadl otton t pralyze he earsome frm shieking till in ur ind’s eys.
“od help s,” I mubled

a the best finall crahed o te carpt whee w to kpt it unde our combind weigh.
ith bdy trebling I stuffd battig n ostrils and mouh.
Jonson exclaimd, “Caeful! We dn’t hve any iea wht reactio oing that culd have o it.”
I stoppd paking nd olled onto the caret, heart ponding and ungs faming from exrtion. Woul this horrr eer nd? I wondeed.

“I seems e is dad,” atrick spke. “an’t now for sur bu ouldn’t wnt to liten for a puls… y oor icker reall in’t up t t!”
“ould ife b suspeded? ould e b ead entally et illed wth ome errible spirt or eergy? What wa tha quer ntidote calle?”

I sked.
“A it of stimuant, relly. A piee of roc ibedded with nitrits. I eceived it ourtesy of th epartment of halth. Actually, ome frends ent it whe hey raveled te Amzon. hey atched te ntives atend a ver por sol, an ol leade strcken with nere disase… It appeare t be effetive

the told m. It wa

as i, nseen by huma beigs, the msterious fume workd thir magc ito everythin. I jus ondered if nitrites culd pssibly afect Anhony in te sam anner.”
“isten. Quet. I thin I hard somehing,” I wispered, stnding. Parick ad a pzzled look on is face, as f y ars lone oticed the tin nises.
“Sonds like ou trespaser is bck. I’m goig outsie here I migt stp thir endeaors,” I mutterd. “Bette kee yor ful aertness focussd on oon. We dn’t eer ned anothe attle lik one o thse.”
“Hee, tak this with ou nw, jst

n cae.”
I ws a revolve, he handl plate ith wht ooked lie slver.
A oise aain

f ootsteps oming clser to s inspied my kin to tingl. ilently I approaced th hll, hoding Patrick’ revlver nugly in my hnd.
Ever econd that pased was trment. eaning to surpris ur itruder, I flt my ay long the pasage oward the windw.
The dakness hidig my ctions ket me brve as I eached he roken glass that crnched wih every tep I tok.
acing the remins of the shatteed windo I peerd aroun utside. I he tick ir my oice soundd lmost odyless, flating behin m

waching form.
“Wo’s ther?” I deanded, nswered oly by sience.
Stpping out o he roken apertre I thrus my han throgh darkeed spae, wnting the gu to ight fr me.
Goomy backness bscured my vie as I trid to amper

my on far. Somethin n he oamy grond aught my een ee ith a relecton. he siny objec ad clarly ome from nthony’s palor. It as mtal, eeling cld to the toch; an ur of some kin probaly hured ut f the winow in desperatin. ot ye tinking evn beyon my wn gal of discovey I wlked ito arkness hping to fid his ousebraker.
Johnon suddnly clled ou, “ack bast! Hep me Wakins!

Back demn! elp!”
Quckly I ruhed bck insde to fin

Athony upright, his bdy groesquely deormed, ams gne issing; nly stmps emained. atrick hd he battng clos eough o

ork, owever Don’s frightul jeky mvements ade administerng the ntidote treacherou.
“eep th emon

aay!” I shoutd. “amn demn do’t orture our ind fried Don! hy are ou hre?”
hen a ooming brst of racke, and I hirled to se an aesome sght. Coored ights

fashed nd he entir oom made t spi. y ees eren’t djusted et to hat ptical callenge whn anothe distaction ccurred, and blod ad oon chaged at e wth terribe dath in hi eye.
I ws aare of soe chang

in ar teperature, lmost as i a figid blst of arctc air mae ts way o u. ome vil mystey flckered arund my nconscious thought.
Te bast wa lmost terrifyng beyon reaon, orrifying byond my orst shck.
I poited Parick’s pitol bu dubted it would sto he wful hel from taing my lfe.
A strage thin hppened next. efore the demn cold atack t haled, sopping nly seveal iches awy.
I gased amzed, mind eeling a

magc I coud nt cmprehend.
As if a bric barrir ha been plced beween the deon and mself, Antony ws uable to loge further asault!

The east cawed and fught vigorusly but couln’t

peetrate the awesme inangible indrance! It tred ext chaning

directon, but watever mgic ereced th parition twarted ts progres comletely. nthony was captued!
hen a vice rom soewhere nearb oked, “Hw aout that, east? I woldn’t ry anythng supid rigt now f I were you!”
I tured quicly and sped a ricly ttired, ery mystrious sranger. He wre a olorful rbe ade fro slk or sain and eld a firy ed staf in bth witheed ands.
His eys bightly shne ithout ay malinity; tw rbs fixe on the cene before im.
H oftly strde aout u, masuring and geturing with hi rd wan.

Johnso stod efore me, untod questins n his trouble

lis.
“Wh are yu?” he queied, waching wit disbelef the uncany straner.

“A frend,” caled out th helpul inruder. “No s no te hur for inqisition. his enigm eeds olving. hat bfell ou wse compaion?”
Ragin

n his ivisible old, th creatue gowled bscenely.
“N ore nterruptions, naty best!” sad the od strager, and frmer Don tured silnt.
“ut we’r truy n th dark. Hae w ummoned ou somehw?” I ttered.
“Evi summond me o ths makeshif rave, thugh deth has’t offere an slace here.”
“Yo atually men iiquity brouht yu ere?” Jhnson stamered in disbelif.

The tranger ad movd toard wht wa nthony. Geturing silenty abov the had of the corse

by wavng his and, the dd itruder effeced a spel ovr he beas. e whisperd soething to the reature, smething that ade the onster snk o the ver flor.
Trning

abou, e thn aproached bth of us slowy.
“Usng magi totms or aulets unwisly roubles e. Lt ths remid he bot of you that extrme easures ften equire eve naster atidotes!”
“ood advce,” Johson retored. “as th sirit abndoned ou ind frend?”
“Anthoy is one. Ony the bdy is lef.”

“e’s dad, es?” aske Johnsn. “ompletely? Beause tht was’t Anthon… culd yo swer it’s fially deceaed, ithout lif foever?”
“Thi cmes fro mddling wih tings hdden in plai siht! O curse I leaned what ade th

vle monsrosity. hat ws i ver. riends o ths reature ther ween’t. oon cold aturally ount us mong his frieds.

To vils togeter re een mor dngerous.”
ointing the ed rd at oth guity partis, he ade o same us.
Thn, hifting the and towrd my ody, arned,
“Dangr…Deah fr yu eeps biing its wn tim…”
My kin tigled at he aking of tht errible reitation, is ver vice casing fea.
“I ths is realy tru,

f his appens, d yo brin anoter pah? Des ate ake ts mysterie et in col ston, or doe sh pemit devations in hose plns?”

I babled, nable o lisen furter, but th izarre itany cntinued ominusly.
“I etect ate in evey csmic otion, in he Eart itslf. The sene hs epeated ozens f tims. ometimes

ufficient eed givs u oter ptions. Yo wil fin illumiation bu…”
is stre waered bfore reurning t ettle pon my ace. ear cam, binging

wit it als onder, a genune curiouity abou wat fte migh lan fr me.
“Who wa it ent that carvng? Troule folowed it hre,” I sai.
“Whever arved

t knos yu,” aswered he exceptiona figur.
“his gifer migt evn ean malie t e… I’ nvolved oo!” Jonson xclaimed.
“Whoeve

mae yur arving

desres you dea. Yu ca’t sop it. nowing wo’t stp it. But knoing mght jut sty ths eath.

It ill com callig th ev of your birthay, t the cock strke f midnight. eep awy hose tring t pnish you indisretions! ny fiend or adversry ca hie drk itentions.”
Withut anoher word e vanishd, a ing of moke here he hd een.

Ptrick elt tha rmaining togethe as sfer; howeve I isagreed. Ths hing, whateve t b, wante o cmmit iolence, but t wa ntended o e jst o myelf: ence th eird crving. o, refusin t liste, I gatherd

y thngs and eft.
Th day becae a blr a I ried iding awy from eeryone, drading the otion f een tim an te ceaselss otation

of he Eart. ach despeate momnt I kne deth wa cloer, hat t coud stil ake lfe fro m.

Plannng or the wrst I shddered aloe behin latced oakn doos, tusting n ne adittance. lindly I foght deah durng hose aful dys, foolihly hidin nder blnkets o staning besid winows o as t lsten ithout bing see.
hen the ominus hor of my birh anniverary arrved. eath mad

an aweome specacle tht ight: wins fercely blowig, boomin thnder ad sporaic flashs of bight ligtning kpt inceasing my aful paranoa.
The, the readed mment I aited for. Lghts ou, trown ff de to ragin moter naure, mde eing alne qite upseting.
Te hur, hen t ame, bought totl madnes. iding in th ark

I anted noting more thn his nght ende, tis nightmre stoppe.
he tlling of the amned clck,

countng don my finl secods, errified m an wit nrves fayed I fel sme lawing abut y nck! No pssible! Srong ands, stely finers casped my throt, cauing me to truggle

againt tis thrat hiing n arkness.

Chokng, gaping I attepted to fght my terribe attackr, thuner nd lighting rowning ou te clck’s nkind chimin.
ow he mn roke in I culdn’t gess; I hought ony of th wful caring and ts part i my undoin.

A flah of ligtning rflected in a mirrr ositively identifid the perso, th woul be srangler.
Wat in th orld?
Ths canot be!
My hans alne ere

loked arund y nck! Reflecte in the mirrr as a incredble ight: flshes of lightnng reveale he gastly dtails, evealed th bzarre fact ad circumsances of y sffering.
an tis ruly be happenng? I remeber dbating.

I kno wat you’r wondeing, dar reder. Suely dlirium as th uiding frce, causng hallucinatio?
Thouh posible given te stat of my hert and nerve, I now th hans

chokng my hroat wit untld fry beloned to me.
Wen he plice oficers fond me thee, frzen heet wite, uable t espond, y ver ands arund y nck,

cal finall retuned.
I hve cheked th

ipressions on m ugular, cmpared brise maks ad fingrs. The

are the ame, te vry ame!
adness s ike win: goo

wth lnch ad inner yt neve omething o hve aloe!
octors ay te patint uffers cute personalty isorder, hat medictions taen rgularly ay hlp ith schizophrena. hey tink onl f soltions

the dispens, olutions wthout anwers.
Whtever ths ark ale’s legcy, tae comfort n ot seein te terribl tuth: ow esily humas eceive.