A slice of flash to round off Halloween...Happy Halloween, Officer
‘The target is taking a left, left onto Market Street. Temporary loss…’
‘Stick with him, John. I’m ten metres behind. Louey’s in position opposite.’
‘Okay, Morse. Got eyeball again. He’s speeding up. Right, right down Back Piccadilly. Temporary loss…’
‘Let’s just nail the scumbag. With blood on his jacket, he’s obviously bang at it,’ said Louey, thinking of the pending paperwork and the fact he should’ve been taking the kids to a Halloween party. Fat chance.
‘Be patient, Louey. Wait…eyeball again. He’s just turned left, left into a ginnel. And, watch it, it’s dark down here.’
‘Right behind you, John,’ said Morse.
Louey shuddered in the meagre moonlight as the night wafted its chill down Back Piccadilly.
John’s voice, a whisper now. ‘Left, left into the ginnel. Even darker now…shit!’
The scream halted Louey. ‘John? You okay?’ Adrenaline flooded his veins, his heart-rate doubling.
Morse’s misshapen figure did a swift left into the ginnel.
‘What the fuck? No…pleeease…’ crackled through his earpiece.
Louey withdrew his baton and torch then sprinted.
Torchlight revealed Morse on the floor, a shadowy shape stooped over him. Louey raised his baton.
A squelchy noise made him lift the beam higher. He froze on seeing the target’s blood-swilled face and manic smile - John pinned up against the wall, his neck gaping dark crimson.
Shuffling behind. Louey pivoted, shined the beam.
Bloody fangs grinned at him. His last thought was of his kids.
‘Happy Halloween, Officer.’
BIO:
TKnC co-editor, Col Bury is currently writing a crime novel and his ever-growing selection of short stories can be found here on TKnC, A Twist Of Noir, Six Sentences, Blink Ink and Flash Fiction Offensive. Col's story MOPPING UP won a comp' to feature in the anthology EVEN MORE TONTO STORIES (published late Nov.2009). He blogs and interviews crime authors at Col Bury's New Crime Fiction.
Sorry, kids, Daddy met a guy that was thirsting for more.
ReplyDeleteNice one, Col.
The cops, dark ginnel's, vampires. Manchester all over. Great piece pal. Loved it.
ReplyDeleteRegards, David.
Evening all. Good un!
ReplyDeleteCheers, Guys.
ReplyDeleteTook a break from the novel n rattled this off on the last minute for October's One Word Challenge comp' with the theme, 'Followed' over at Writers News Talkback. Alas, it didn't win so thought I'd put it to some use here.
Cheers,
Col
Hee Hee.
ReplyDeleteLoved the line 'his neck gaping dark crimson.' You're a man after my own heart, Mr B. But you can't have it :) It's already been ripped away.
Good one.
win some, lose some?
ReplyDeletenicely told.
See, this doesn't happen to the Italian coppers with all that garlic. Good one, Col.
ReplyDeleteLil,
ReplyDeleteSo that explains it - your writing that is.
I'll never be able to write horror like you do, but it's nice to dabble now n then.
Quin,
Many thanks for popping over n commenting.
Cormac,
LOL!
Well done, Col! I liked it a lot.
ReplyDeleteGreat work Col. Had me wondering there for a second whether or not it was deja vu. Forgot I read it on OWC lol
ReplyDeleteGood one, Col. reminds me of my irrational fear of chasing people into dark places. Wasn't the crim I was scared of but what else could be lurking in the shadows.
ReplyDeleteSara,
ReplyDeleteThanks - really glad you liked it.
Lee,
You knew the ending n still commented - good egg!
Matt,
Like all writers, I had me doubts over this one, but it seems it worked. The fear of the unknown, eh? A powerful tool.
Cheers,
Col
Allo, allo, allo - nice one Col!
ReplyDeleteNot so nice for him eh? Nice One Col!
ReplyDeleteAl n Mike - I thank you!
ReplyDeleteLove this one. Brief, to the point, and extremely creepy. Nothing inspires fear like the dark and what awaits you in it. I'm late reading this, but truly better late than never!
ReplyDeleteCheers, Joyce!
ReplyDeleteAs always, your comments are much appreciated.