| Supernatural Fiction posted May 2, 2020 | Chapters: |
...9 10 -11- 12... 
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THE CURSE/A Novel of the Breedline series
A chapter in the book THE CURSE
The Handsome Stranger
by scongrove
| Background Thanks for taking the time to read my chapter. It's still in the working stages, so if you catch mistakes, please let me know. Stay safe & enjoy! |
Previously . . .
When five-year-old Joseph Parker witnesses his mother’s brutal death—by the hands of his abusive, alcoholic father—he mysteriously starts to hear voices in his head that changes his life forever. As this dark, soulless entity inhabits the young boy’s body, it introduces itself as the Shadow and teaches him how to survive and how to focus on one thing. To kill.
Immediately following the incident, police arrested Joseph’s father and later sentenced him to twenty years in prison. Without any other living relatives, social workers placed Joseph in foster care.
By age thirteen, Joseph had gone through ten foster families before a psychologist placed him into a mental institution due to his psychopathic and sadistic behavior where he spent most of his adolescent years.
Twenty-one years later, after mastering the skills of manipulation with the Shadow’s help, Joseph was back in the real world. The day the institute finally discharged him, believing he’d been cured, it wasn’t long before he landed a job as a freelance journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle and his opportunity to avenge his mother after his father was back in society living as a free man.
After Joseph tracked down his father and took his life, it was time to appease the Shadow’s ravenous appetite for human flesh. With his newfound driving force to take lives, the Shadow guides Joseph to a young girl who is alone in a bar.
When the girl leaves on foot, Joseph follows her to what appears to be a deserted street. Before he has a chance to take the girl, two men show up out of nowhere and attack her. As they drag her to a vacant building with the intention of doing her harm, the Shadow commands Joseph to kill the men and take the girl. Prepared to obey the Shadow, Joseph’s features begin to transform into something evil and demonic. As he moves in to strike, something big with speed of lightning suddenly leaps out of the fog and viciously attacks both men while the girl manages to get away.
When Joseph realizes it’s a werewolf, he watches in stunned disbelief as it rips the girl’s attackers to pieces.
Continued . . .
Although Carrie was desperate for sleep, she couldn’t shut her eyes. Every time she tried her mind kicked up all those horrible images from earlier. Lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling, her thoughts continued to torment her. Her imagination seemed to be getting the best of her, spinning out of control. Tears fell from the corners of her eyes as flashbacks of Kevin’s body came to mind. There was so much blood. It was everywhere. Just thinking about it sent chills up her spine. She huddled beneath the covers like a child afraid of the dark.
Who could have done such a thing? And why Kevin? Then, her thoughts went to another place: to the vacant building, to the sickening memory of those creeps putting their hands on her, and to the thing that looked to be something straight out of a horror flick. Were werewolves real? It didn’t seem possible that something like that could exist. She felt like she was losing her mind.
Could that thing be responsible for Kevin’s death? She swallowed the knot that had formed in the back of her throat and whispered, “Could it be… coming after me?”
But morning arrived without incident, and when she went downstairs, she heard voices coming from the kitchen. Carrie stopped and listened. She clearly recognized her roommate’s, but not the other voice. It sounded like a man. Maybe it was Ryan, she thought.
“Jessica…” She hesitantly called out.
“I’m in the kitchen,” Jessica hollered back. “I hope you’re dressed. We’ve got company.”
As Carrie started for the entrance to the kitchen, she stopped short when she caught sight of the guy inside. Nope, he wasn’t Ryan, she thought. Although Ryan was easy on the eyes, this guy was not exactly your average Joe. Going by his profile alone, his attractiveness registered off the charts. His dark, shoulder-length hair—pushed behind his ears—reminded her of the lead actor in the movie, John Wick, minus the facial hair. She wondered what color his eyes were.
“Oh, there you are,” Jessica said.
Carrie focused on her roommate as she motioned her inside. “Come… meet our new friend.”
When Carrie looked away from Jessica and gazed at the handsome stranger, she felt her mouth drop. The minute she noticed his mysterious eyes, goosebumps trailed over her skin. She sensed something dark and lethal behind his blue eyes.
Hmm… she thought. For some strange reason, she expected the color to be brown.
“Carrie, this is Joseph Parker,” Jessica said, grinning like a Cheshire cat.
Joseph smiled, revealing a perfect set of teeth. He stepped forward with an extended hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you… Carrie.”
Carrie nodded hello and instantly took his hand. “It’s nice to meet you too, Joseph.”
The Shadow appeared in Joseph’s head. “Mmmm… she looks scrumptious.”
As he released her hand, Carrie tilted her head in question. “You look familiar. Have we met before?”
Joseph narrowed his eyes and paused for a moment, wondering if she’d spotted him last night in the Cat Club. Surely, she didn’t see him during the attack… did she?
“No,” the Shadow simply said.
Finally, Joseph shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t believe so.”
“He’s come to your rescue,” Jessica said. Her smile brightened and her eyes narrowed on Joseph’s face. “Isn’t that right, Joseph?”
The Shadow laughed. “We’ve come to take your soul.”
Carrie glanced over at her friend and then back to Joseph. He looked nervous. Then, after a few seconds, he brought his other hand forward. “I… ah, found your purse.”
“Can you believe it?” Jessica said. “Isn’t that great, Carrie?”
There was silence for a moment. Carrie seemed lost for words. She couldn’t take her eyes off the white handbag he held in his grasp. Impossible, she thought. Finally, she looked to his handsome face and muttered, “Where did you… find it?”
“I found it on Richmond Street,” Joseph said as Carrie slowly reached for the purse. “That’s the route I usually bike. I spotted it in a ditch. The silver handle caught my attention. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have seen it in all those tall weeds.”
“We are good liars,” the Shadow whispered to Joseph.
“How did you know it belonged to me?” Carrie hesitantly asked.
“Sorry, but I...” He shot her a half-smile. “Looked at your ID.”
Carrie unzipped the small handbag and dug her hand inside. When she found her wallet and her cell phone, she looked back up at Joseph. “I don’t know what to say?”
“How about thank you,” Jessica chimed in.
“Oh, of course,” Carrie said, smiling ruefully. “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m not thinking too clearly this morning. It’s been a long night.” She set the purse down on the counter and offered her hand to Joseph. “Thank you, Joseph.”
He took her hand and lightly squeezed. “You’re welcome, Carrie.”
Then, an uneasy silence filled the room.
“Joseph was telling me about his exciting job,” Jessica blurted, breaking the tension. “He’s a freelance journalist for the San Francisco Chronicle.”
“I like Jessica.” The Shadow smacked his lips. “She looks tasty.”
“Oh, really.” Carrie cocked her head to the side. “That’s interesting. How long have you been a writer?”
“Basically, since I was a teenager,” he said, nervously shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “The day I read my first mystery novel I knew I wanted to be a writer. That’s when I decided to jump into journalism.”
With her interest piqued, she said, “So, who’s your favorite?”
He looked at her in question. “As in… a writer?”
Carrie nodded.
“I’d have to say, Ernest Hemingway.”
“Liar,” the Shadow remarked. “Stephen King is our favorite.”
“How so?” Carrie queried.
“Mostly because of his works, although…” Joseph cocked a brow. “There’s one quote that that he wrote that really stayed with me growing up.”
“Well,” Jessica butted into the conversation. “We’re dying to hear it.”
“Oh, you’ll be dying,” the Shadow drawled. “I promise.”
Joseph’s voice softened. “The world breaks everyone, and afterward,” he paused and looked pointedly at Carrie, “some are strong at the broken places.”
“Smooothhh…” the Shadow hissed.
Carrie shivered at the musical lilt of his voice, and the way he pronounced his words. It spread through her, calming her, comforting her somehow. She wanted to know more about this mysterious, handsome man.
“I like it,” Carrie said, gazing into his piercing blue eyes. “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
Joseph checked his watch. “Sure. I have a few minutes, but only if it’s no trouble.”
“Of course not. I was about to make a fresh pot anyway.” She smiled and glanced at her roommate. “How about you, Jess?”
“Oh, no thanks. I’m meeting Ryan across the street at Chloe’s Café.” She averted her eyes from Carrie and shot Joseph a look. “Maybe you two would like to join us?”
Carrie looked at Joseph as though she was gauging his reaction.
“Make up an excuse,” the Shadow urged.
“Sorry,” he said. “I’ve got to leave in half an hour. Work never ends.” He sighed. “Maybe another time?”
“Yeah, sure,” Jessica said. “Give Joseph your number, Carrie.” She flashed Carrie a shit-eating grin. “We’ll plan a double date.”
Carrie blushed and shot her roommate a look.
“Uh…” Joseph stammered. “Okay.”
Before Jessica left, she winked at Carrie and said, “It was nice meeting you, Joseph. Enjoy your coffee.”
Thanks,” he replied. “You too.”
To be continued . . . hopefully soon. I have gotten behind on this story due to work schedule and re-editing my other three books. I will get back to it as soon as I can. I appreciate everyone that has supported me and given me so much advice and encouragement. YOU make a difference! All my love to everyone!
When five-year-old Joseph Parker witnesses his mother’s brutal death—by the hands of his abusive, alcoholic father—he mysteriously starts to hear voices in his head that changes his life forever. As this dark, soulless entity inhabits the young boy’s body, it introduces itself as the Shadow and teaches him how to survive and how to focus on one thing. To kill.
Immediately following the incident, police arrested Joseph’s father and later sentenced him to twenty years in prison. Without any other living relatives, social workers placed Joseph in foster care.
By age thirteen, Joseph had gone through ten foster families before a psychologist placed him into a mental institution due to his psychopathic and sadistic behavior where he spent most of his adolescent years.
Twenty-one years later, after mastering the skills of manipulation with the Shadow’s help, Joseph was back in the real world. The day the institute finally discharged him, believing he’d been cured, it wasn’t long before he landed a job as a freelance journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle and his opportunity to avenge his mother after his father was back in society living as a free man.
After Joseph tracked down his father and took his life, it was time to appease the Shadow’s ravenous appetite for human flesh. With his newfound driving force to take lives, the Shadow guides Joseph to a young girl who is alone in a bar.
When the girl leaves on foot, Joseph follows her to what appears to be a deserted street. Before he has a chance to take the girl, two men show up out of nowhere and attack her. As they drag her to a vacant building with the intention of doing her harm, the Shadow commands Joseph to kill the men and take the girl. Prepared to obey the Shadow, Joseph’s features begin to transform into something evil and demonic. As he moves in to strike, something big with speed of lightning suddenly leaps out of the fog and viciously attacks both men while the girl manages to get away.
When Joseph realizes it’s a werewolf, he watches in stunned disbelief as it rips the girl’s attackers to pieces.
Continued . . .
Although Carrie was desperate for sleep, she couldn’t shut her eyes. Every time she tried her mind kicked up all those horrible images from earlier. Lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling, her thoughts continued to torment her. Her imagination seemed to be getting the best of her, spinning out of control. Tears fell from the corners of her eyes as flashbacks of Kevin’s body came to mind. There was so much blood. It was everywhere. Just thinking about it sent chills up her spine. She huddled beneath the covers like a child afraid of the dark.
Who could have done such a thing? And why Kevin? Then, her thoughts went to another place: to the vacant building, to the sickening memory of those creeps putting their hands on her, and to the thing that looked to be something straight out of a horror flick. Were werewolves real? It didn’t seem possible that something like that could exist. She felt like she was losing her mind.
Could that thing be responsible for Kevin’s death? She swallowed the knot that had formed in the back of her throat and whispered, “Could it be… coming after me?”
But morning arrived without incident, and when she went downstairs, she heard voices coming from the kitchen. Carrie stopped and listened. She clearly recognized her roommate’s, but not the other voice. It sounded like a man. Maybe it was Ryan, she thought.
“Jessica…” She hesitantly called out.
“I’m in the kitchen,” Jessica hollered back. “I hope you’re dressed. We’ve got company.”
As Carrie started for the entrance to the kitchen, she stopped short when she caught sight of the guy inside. Nope, he wasn’t Ryan, she thought. Although Ryan was easy on the eyes, this guy was not exactly your average Joe. Going by his profile alone, his attractiveness registered off the charts. His dark, shoulder-length hair—pushed behind his ears—reminded her of the lead actor in the movie, John Wick, minus the facial hair. She wondered what color his eyes were.
“Oh, there you are,” Jessica said.
Carrie focused on her roommate as she motioned her inside. “Come… meet our new friend.”
When Carrie looked away from Jessica and gazed at the handsome stranger, she felt her mouth drop. The minute she noticed his mysterious eyes, goosebumps trailed over her skin. She sensed something dark and lethal behind his blue eyes.
Hmm… she thought. For some strange reason, she expected the color to be brown.
“Carrie, this is Joseph Parker,” Jessica said, grinning like a Cheshire cat.
Joseph smiled, revealing a perfect set of teeth. He stepped forward with an extended hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you… Carrie.”
Carrie nodded hello and instantly took his hand. “It’s nice to meet you too, Joseph.”
The Shadow appeared in Joseph’s head. “Mmmm… she looks scrumptious.”
As he released her hand, Carrie tilted her head in question. “You look familiar. Have we met before?”
Joseph narrowed his eyes and paused for a moment, wondering if she’d spotted him last night in the Cat Club. Surely, she didn’t see him during the attack… did she?
“No,” the Shadow simply said.
Finally, Joseph shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t believe so.”
“He’s come to your rescue,” Jessica said. Her smile brightened and her eyes narrowed on Joseph’s face. “Isn’t that right, Joseph?”
The Shadow laughed. “We’ve come to take your soul.”
Carrie glanced over at her friend and then back to Joseph. He looked nervous. Then, after a few seconds, he brought his other hand forward. “I… ah, found your purse.”
“Can you believe it?” Jessica said. “Isn’t that great, Carrie?”
There was silence for a moment. Carrie seemed lost for words. She couldn’t take her eyes off the white handbag he held in his grasp. Impossible, she thought. Finally, she looked to his handsome face and muttered, “Where did you… find it?”
“I found it on Richmond Street,” Joseph said as Carrie slowly reached for the purse. “That’s the route I usually bike. I spotted it in a ditch. The silver handle caught my attention. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have seen it in all those tall weeds.”
“We are good liars,” the Shadow whispered to Joseph.
“How did you know it belonged to me?” Carrie hesitantly asked.
“Sorry, but I...” He shot her a half-smile. “Looked at your ID.”
Carrie unzipped the small handbag and dug her hand inside. When she found her wallet and her cell phone, she looked back up at Joseph. “I don’t know what to say?”
“How about thank you,” Jessica chimed in.
“Oh, of course,” Carrie said, smiling ruefully. “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m not thinking too clearly this morning. It’s been a long night.” She set the purse down on the counter and offered her hand to Joseph. “Thank you, Joseph.”
He took her hand and lightly squeezed. “You’re welcome, Carrie.”
Then, an uneasy silence filled the room.
“Joseph was telling me about his exciting job,” Jessica blurted, breaking the tension. “He’s a freelance journalist for the San Francisco Chronicle.”
“I like Jessica.” The Shadow smacked his lips. “She looks tasty.”
“Oh, really.” Carrie cocked her head to the side. “That’s interesting. How long have you been a writer?”
“Basically, since I was a teenager,” he said, nervously shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “The day I read my first mystery novel I knew I wanted to be a writer. That’s when I decided to jump into journalism.”
With her interest piqued, she said, “So, who’s your favorite?”
He looked at her in question. “As in… a writer?”
Carrie nodded.
“I’d have to say, Ernest Hemingway.”
“Liar,” the Shadow remarked. “Stephen King is our favorite.”
“How so?” Carrie queried.
“Mostly because of his works, although…” Joseph cocked a brow. “There’s one quote that that he wrote that really stayed with me growing up.”
“Well,” Jessica butted into the conversation. “We’re dying to hear it.”
“Oh, you’ll be dying,” the Shadow drawled. “I promise.”
Joseph’s voice softened. “The world breaks everyone, and afterward,” he paused and looked pointedly at Carrie, “some are strong at the broken places.”
“Smooothhh…” the Shadow hissed.
Carrie shivered at the musical lilt of his voice, and the way he pronounced his words. It spread through her, calming her, comforting her somehow. She wanted to know more about this mysterious, handsome man.
“I like it,” Carrie said, gazing into his piercing blue eyes. “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
Joseph checked his watch. “Sure. I have a few minutes, but only if it’s no trouble.”
“Of course not. I was about to make a fresh pot anyway.” She smiled and glanced at her roommate. “How about you, Jess?”
“Oh, no thanks. I’m meeting Ryan across the street at Chloe’s Café.” She averted her eyes from Carrie and shot Joseph a look. “Maybe you two would like to join us?”
Carrie looked at Joseph as though she was gauging his reaction.
“Make up an excuse,” the Shadow urged.
“Sorry,” he said. “I’ve got to leave in half an hour. Work never ends.” He sighed. “Maybe another time?”
“Yeah, sure,” Jessica said. “Give Joseph your number, Carrie.” She flashed Carrie a shit-eating grin. “We’ll plan a double date.”
Carrie blushed and shot her roommate a look.
“Uh…” Joseph stammered. “Okay.”
Before Jessica left, she winked at Carrie and said, “It was nice meeting you, Joseph. Enjoy your coffee.”
Thanks,” he replied. “You too.”
To be continued . . . hopefully soon. I have gotten behind on this story due to work schedule and re-editing my other three books. I will get back to it as soon as I can. I appreciate everyone that has supported me and given me so much advice and encouragement. YOU make a difference! All my love to everyone!
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