The Extreme Horror Collection

by Lee Mountford

  ‘Thanks, Da,’ he said and bit down, mashing his stubby teeth through the skin. Blood ran free and slopped down his face. He pulled his head back, bringing a mouthful of meat away with it, and chewed greedily. He closed his eyes and let out a long, satisfied moan. He swallowed and took bite after bite, like he was quickly working his way through a chicken leg.

  That was enough for Craig. He instinctively turned his head and threw up across the table.

  ‘Awww, don’t worry about that,’ the woman said, trying to sound sincere, but unable to repress a slight giggle. ‘It always happens. Nothing to be embarrassed about, dear boy.’

  After coughing up some additional bile, Craig desperately tried to beg some more.

  ‘Please,’ he croaked, ‘just end it. I can’t take it any more.’

  The woman approached him, still eating. ‘Can’t do that, sweetie,’ she said. ‘We need you alive. That’s when you taste the best.’ She then brought a bloodied hand down and traced her fingers along his remaining thigh, letting them dance up his skin.

  The touch made Craig flinch, which in turn made her giggle again.

  She ran her hands farther up, eyeing his body as she did. Then her hand hovered over his groin and Craig felt his body impulsively tighten up. She flicked her eyes up, meeting his own, and winked. ‘Suppose there are ways to make this more bearable for you’

  ‘Adela,’ the bearded man spat. ‘Stop that. Now.’

  ‘You shut the fuck up!’ she yelled back, not even looking at him. She continued to lock eyes with Craig. He gave a sudden intake of breath as her finger brushed against his member. ‘Would you like that, sweetie?’ she asked, trying to make her voice as seductive as possible.

  Craig felt dizzy.

  What the hell was wrong with her? In what realm of crazy did she have to live in to think he would want anything like that done to him while he was being eaten alive? Let alone from someone like her. She stroked it again, still smiling, her lips red and wet with blood.

  Craig just shook his head, hoping his mind would break. Maybe then he could be free of this nightmare and get lost in sweet insanity.

  The woman didn’t take too kindly to his rebuttal. ‘Why?’ she asked. ‘Something wrong with me? Too much woman for you?’

  ‘Just leave me alone,’ Craig said softly. ‘Please. Just stop all this. I’m begging you.’

  The woman curled her top lip into a scowl. ‘Are you fucking stupid, boy? Take a look around you. Does it look like we have any intention of stopping? Have you seen how Henry is chomping down on that leg of yours? It’s going to happen, we’re going to eat you all up, and it’s going to hurt. Now,’ she went on, as her face softened and her stroking continued, ‘what I’m offering is a way to take your mind off things.’

  Craig began to weep. The whole situation was beyond fucked up. Did she really think her advances would do any good whatsoever? Kim could be stroking him right now, but with the pain he was in there was no chance of any kind of sexual reaction.

  The woman seemed to notice his lack of arousal too. ‘Hmmm, it’s not playing. Why isn’t it playing?’

  ‘Please,’ Craig repeated, shutting his eyes. ‘Please, just stop. I can’t take it any more. Just end it if you’re going to.’

  He knew it was hopeless, but he had nothing else to offer.

  ‘Fucking prick,’ the woman said, exploding into anger. She bent forward and her hand quickly found his balls and squeezed tight, causing him to squeal in fresh agony. His eyes shot open so wide he thought they would pop from his skull. ‘Does this thing even work? I bet it doesn’t.’ She squeezed again. ‘So, if it don’t work, might as well get rid of it,’ she said, turning to the bearded man. ‘Ted? Pass me a knife. A big one. One that will get things a little messy.’

  The man chuckled and picked up a knife, one with a serrated edge, and held it out for his wife, directly over Craig’s body.

  ‘No,’ he pleaded. ‘Don’t. Please don’t. I’m begging you. Please, for the love of God, just let it end.’ He was screaming now, totally manic, and yet the man and woman, the two evil bastards who held his fate in their hands, just laughed. The woman took the serrated knife and looked it over.

  ‘Ohhhh,’ she said, ‘good choice.’

  She then leaned in again to Craig, bringing her head close to his, so he could make out every feature on her face; the sores, the wrinkles on her dirty skin, the milky, pale eyes, and the yellowed teeth. It all repulsed him.

  ‘Now,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry to say this, honey, but I expect this will hurt quite a bit. But we can’t let anything go to waste, anything at all, even down to the last small mouthful. Which is about all your little friend down there would measure up to.’

  Craig began to scream for help. Another useless gesture, but he was beyond desperate.

  ‘Keep screaming,’ the older man said. ‘Won’t help you any, but damn if we don’t enjoy the sound. Makes all of this a little bit more fun, you know.’

  Craig barely heard him, he just continued to scream and thrash around uselessly on the table.

  To make matters worse, the woman held up the knife directly in front of him, letting him take in every detail. He continued to scream.

  ‘Time to get to carving, don’t you think?’ she asked him, then stepped back a little. She centred beside him, near his crotch. ‘Should have taken me up on my offer, boy. I’m good, you know. You would have enjoyed it.’

  She grabbed a handful, pulled it up as far as she could, and swung the knife towards it.

  Craig screamed again.

  The agony was immeasurable.

  And still he did not pass out.

  Chapter 28

  Ashley wasn’t sure if she was in some kind of hell.

  Images and scenes played out; horrible scenarios that she just couldn’t get away from. Waking up with Tim, lying in a large, warm bed. She felt so happy that they were together and in love.

  Then he struck her.

  And tied her down as she struggled in vain.

  His face changed, twisting somehow. His top lip pulled itself up to meet his nose and his eyes began to sag. There was a knock at the bedroom door, a room she didn’t recognise.

  At least it’s clean, she thought.

  Only a moment later, it wasn’t. It changed into a filthy wreck of a room, with junk piled everywhere and the skeletal bodies of animals strewn across the floor.

  They were large animals, and the skulls looked decidedly human.

  Tim walked to the door and pulled it open with a slow squeak.

  ‘Hey, babe,’ he said, ‘you’re here.’ He then stood aside as Kim entered, a big smile on her face.

  ‘Oh, you have her tied up already,’ she said. ‘Kinky. Do we get to play now?’

  ‘We sure do,’ he said, and they kissed.

  Then there was another knock at the door, but no one needed to answer it this time, it opened on its own. More people entered; a man with a scruffy beard and a cleft lip, a woman Ashley knew to be his wife, and a large, hulking thing.

  ‘Everyone’s here,’ Kim said, pleased.

  ‘So, let’s make a start,’ said the mountainous fat man with the cherubic face.

  They all gathered round Ashley as she screamed.

  Then things changed again.

  She felt herself dragged upwards, as if being brought to the surface of an expanse of water.

  It took her a moment to realise that reality was once again flooding her senses.

  She felt movement, a sway from side to side, and she was aware of cold air against her skin. There was a throbbing pain in the back of her head which overpowered the other aches and strains in her body that also screamed for attention.

  She slowly opened her eyes.

  It was disorientating at first as things slowly came into a nauseating focus.

  The man, who had seemed ready to end her life before she blacked out, was now carrying her, and she was once again completely tied up.

  Which meant he had
decided against killing her.

  For now.

  Ashley lifted her head a little, though the small movement caused more nausea and pain. There was no one behind them, but she could hear someone walking ahead, sniffling every now and again.

  Kim.

  There didn’t seem to be anyone else with them, or if there was, they were moving silently. Which meant the woman Ashley had gutted had been left behind. Perhaps Ashley’s attack had been enough to kill her?

  Regardless of whatever grow-a-new-ass properties these freaks seemed to have, surely slicing open her stomach and cutting into the brain like that would be enough to make things permanent? Then again, the faceless man seemed to still be operating with a hole in his head and his brains scrambled. How they managed to survive such things was beyond Ashley, and she was pretty sure it always would be.

  The pounding in the back of her head seemed to be growing worse, and she let out a woozy moan.

  ‘Ah,’ the man said, without stopping or altering his movements, ‘looks like someone’s awake. Have to say, girlie, you impressed me a little back there. Did a real good job on my sister. Going to be a while before she is back to normal and able to get herself home.’

  Back to normal? After that? How was that even fucking possible?

  People weren’t built to get back to normal after suffering such wounds. Certainly not without immediate medical attention and a shit ton of luck.

  ‘What are you people?’ Ashley asked.

  ‘Just a family,’ the man answered, ‘doing what we need to do to get by.’

  ‘No,’ Ashley said, still woozy. ‘I mean, how come nothing can hurt you?’

  ‘Things hurt us plenty, I guarantee you that. You think Claudia isn’t in pain after what you did to her? Shit, she’ll be feeling that for months.’

  ‘But she isn’t dead.’

  ‘No,’ he said, ‘she isn’t. Takes a little more than that to put us down for good.’

  ‘How is that possible?’

  The man laughed. ‘People don’t tend to find that out, it’s kind of a trade secret.’ Ashley stayed silent, knowing she’d wasted her time asking. To her surprise, the man actually carried on. ‘But you may well get to know. Have some things to talk to Mother and Father about when I get back. About you, actually. Might be that you end up finding out more about us than most do.’

  Ashley had no idea what that meant and had no desire to find out, though she knew she wouldn’t get a lot of say in the matter.

  ‘Are you human?’ she asked.

  The man seemed to pause. ‘Yes,’ he said finally. ‘We’re human, just come to be a little... different, is all. Everyone is different, though, aren’t they? Different is what makes the world go round.’

  ‘It does,’ Ashley said, ‘but not when it turns you into a killer. Or a cannibal.’

  ‘Well, that’s your opinion,’ he said. ‘For now at least. I have a feeling you might come to change your mind. I should have killed you back there, you know, after what you did to my sister. But I didn’t. Decided to take a chance on you.’

  ‘That’s awful big of you. Am I supposed to thank you?’

  ‘Not yet, but in time you just might.’

  ‘I wouldn’t count on it.’

  ‘We’ll see,’ he said. ‘But I think you might be surprised, given what we can offer.’

  Ashley wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, but thought better of it. It was pointless antagonising him any further.

  She heard Kim sniffle again, up ahead, and wondered what she made of the conversation she had no doubt overheard. From the sounds of things, Kim was walking on ahead of her own accord. And if that was the case, she had much more freedom and movement than Ashley did. If any of them had a chance to try something, it was her.

  ‘Kim?’ Ashley called. ‘Are you okay?’

  ‘No talking,’ the man snapped.

  Ashley ignored him. ‘Kim, talk to me.’

  ‘I said shut up,’ the man snapped. ‘I’m warning you both, don’t try anything.’

  ‘Ashley,’ Kim answered in a quivering voice. ‘Just do what he says. He’ll kill us.’

  ‘That’s a good girl,’ Ted said and slapped Ashley on the back of her leg. ‘See, you should listen to your friend.’

  ‘He’s going to kill us anyway, Kim,’ Ashley said. ‘You need to run, if you can. Try to get away.’

  Ashley suddenly felt herself flip forward and land hard on her back, the force of the drop knocking the wind from her.

  ‘What did I just say?’ the man yelled, grabbing the handle of his machete and pulling it free. He held the tip of it to Ashley’s face. ‘Do you need me to prove my point? I’ve already been lenient with you, but I swear, another word from you,’ he then raised the blade and pointed it to Kim, ‘and I gut your friend. Nice and slow.’

  Ashley looked up and saw Kim ahead, her hands tied behind her back and a makeshift leash running back to the man. Pure fear was etched on the girl’s face.

  ‘Ashley,’ she pleaded, ‘just do as he says.’

  Ashley knew that doing as he said meant being lead to their deaths, only being quiet about it. If that was the case, what was the worst that could happen if they at least tried something? Worst case, they met their end a little earlier than they could have, but this freak and his family wouldn’t get the pleasure of eating them alive, which seemed to be his plan.

  At least it would be on their terms.

  If there was anything left for Ashley to cling to in this life, that was as good as it was going to get.

  But her friend was pleading with her, begging her to just... what? Give up?

  Where was the fight she’d insisted Ashley show?

  Maybe Kim was playing for as much time as she could, delaying death, hoping for some divine intervention, but as Kim herself had said earlier, that wasn’t going to happen.

  No one would save them, so they had to save themselves.

  But there was nothing Ashley could do. She was bound up tight and totally at this man’s mercy. He seemed stronger than his sister, and she got the feeling he would have no trouble carrying her the rest of the way back to the house.

  If Kim had truly given up, then there was nothing to be done, other than to let this man lead them back to his house.

  To their deaths.

  To become nothing more than a meal to these deranged lunatics.

  ‘Are you going to stay quiet?’ the man asked. Ashley stared daggers at him, but slowly nodded. ‘Good,’ he said and again lifted her to his shoulder. ‘We ain’t far away now, anyway.’

  Soon they were moving again.

  On their way to their slaughter.

  To say Ashley was disappointed to see her friend totally broken, after all Kim’s talk of fighting on to the bitter end, was an understatement.

  Only a little while ago, the situation had been reversed, but Ashley had, after some persuasion, stepped up, whereas Kim had now regressed.

  ‘There we are,’ the man said, stopping. Ashley pulled her head up and looked over his shoulder. Through the darkness, she could just make out the house up in the distance.

  The man took a breath.

  ‘Home sweet home.’

  Chapter 29

  After the woman had finished hacking away Craig’s manhood—and pulled it free to dangle it mockingly before him—things descended into a hellish chaos.

  Whereas before the family had waited for the father to serve up their portions, the woman’s actions had changed things; tipping them over the edge and completely unleashing all of their animalistic desires.

  Formalities were dispensed with.

  ‘Okay,’ the father said, ‘everyone dig in and help themselves.’

  And they did.

  Craig lay sobbing, in unspeakable agony, as everyone moved in. Everyone accept Tim. He just stood by, with a long face, and watched as the rest of them got to work.

  The feeling of the three of them starting to devour him at the same time, pulling and tearing
and cutting and biting, was pain on a completely new scale. The agony was everywhere, in different shades and measures.

  He screamed; a continuous, terrible, desperate bellowing that did not stop.

  He felt the cleaver go to work again on the opposite side of his body, this time on an arm. It again sunk into the flesh, just above his bicep, again and again, until his arm came free. There was no carving of the meat this time, the father simply dug in, like Henry had done with his leg before.

  Craig also felt a tearing sensation in his gut. Looking down, he saw the great, fat beast that was Henry dig his fingers through the skin of Craig’s stomach. They punctured through, with piercing pain, and pulled, tearing Craig open.

  The big, meaty hands then submerged inside of him, and Craig saw glistening, snakelike, red and purple intestines pulled free. Henry lifted them to his face and forced them into his mouth, slurping them up.

  The mother, who had just stripped him of his manhood, reached in as well, stealing more of his insides.

  The horror was just too much for him, and something fractured. It was as if his mind split into two.

  Part of it was present in the moment, feeling the pain his dying body was put through. The other was aware of what was going on, but was more detached and took everything in, noticing certain, surreal details.

  Henry made his way to Craig’s head, still slurping in strings of meat. He reached a fat, bloodstained hand down to Craig’s face.

  To his eye.

  Craig felt the fumbling, cumbersome appendages work against his eyeball, attempting to pluck it free, but instead only succeeding in pushing it farther in.

  Craig’s incomprehensible screeches grew louder.

  ‘I can never get these things out,’ Henry said, his mouth full.

  ‘Cos your fingers are too big,’ the father said and pointed to the side table where the instruments of death were still laid out. ‘Use that thin needle thing.’

  Thin needle thing?

  The detached half of Craig’s mind noticed the term, which wasn’t the most technical. It was almost comical. However, it was clear Henry understood and grabbed an instrument that was exactly like his father had described.