The Soul Eater

by S. C. Alban

  Who are you? What do you want?

  The shadow leaned forward closer to her. She heard the voice in her mind.

  Who I am isn’t of importance. I am here for you, child.

  Me? What do you want with me?

  The deep voice chuckled. So innocent, I tasted you the moment you crossed the threshold. She brought you here to be my special gift.

  Gina scooted back in her bed until her back hit the headboard. I… I don’t understand. This is my house. What are you doing here?

  She thought the questions, but her gut already knew why this man was in her room at night, and it wasn’t good. She had heard too many stories not to know.

  The shadow jumped up and perched on the edge of her bed. A shiver ran up Gina’s spine. His movement reminded her of her feathered visitor from earlier in the evening. Pushing her fear aside, Gina lifted her chin.

  How come I can’t see your face?

  The shadowed man leaned forward.

  You want to see my face, child? It will be the last face you will ever truly see.

  The shadow leaned forward and almost immediately, Gina wished she had not been so bold to ask. As the man entered her vision, her eyes widened.

  Though his outline resembled a man, what perched in front of her was no man at all. A long grotesque beak jutted out where a mouth should have been. Gina squirmed when it opened and a long, thin, pink tongue wriggled around like an oversized worm. Thin black feathers covered half-human, half-bird arms. They shone like obsidian when they crossed the path of moonlight where it slivered into her room.

  Gina froze. She barely breathed; the terror creeping up her neck strangled her. The creature leaned closer and Gina’s eyes widened into round saucers when she focused on his. The large, black marbles sat in his head… cold… lifeless. Gina swallowed hard. There was no soul behind the round orbs. She felt the emptiness of them consume her as she fell into their darkness.

  She kicked her legs and pushed herself further back into her headboard, her hands stretched out in front of her desperate to keep space between the creature and herself.

  Wh… what do you want?

  The creature cocked its head to the side and twitched. He placed his hands on her shoulders and drew her closer.

  I’m hungry.

  The creature’s beak opened wide and the worm-like tongue shot out. It pushed its way into Gina’s mouth. Gina moved her head from side to side, but the bird-like tongue moved with her until it found the back of her throat and pushed further. Gina felt it squiggle down her throat, past her esophagus, and settle in her stomach.

  No! No! Please! Mommy! Daddy!

  The creature pulled her close, opening its beak wide to accommodate Gina’s face. The black eyes darted around in excitement as it feasted on Gina’s soul.

  That’s it, child. Don’t fight it. Don’t fight it.

  Gina’s vision blurred as the tongue went deeper and deeper and deeper. Her heart began to slow. Her muscles relaxed. She thought she heard the faint sound of cawing in the distance.

  ***

  Gina awoke with a start. She sat up in bed, sweat beaded up on her brow. Her heart raced. She placed her hand on her chest and felt the fast patter of it through her pajamas.

  “What a freakin’ nightmare,” she said wiping her brow with her sleeve. She furrowed her forehead and tried to push the horrific visions out of her head

  A knock on her door snapped her out of her reverie.

  “Hey there, sleepyhead, it’s time to get up. Any later and you’ll be late for school.” Her mother walked into her room and threw open the curtains. Sunlight streamed into the room. Gina squinted at the sudden change. Her mother came over and sat on the bed, her eyes narrowed.

  “Are you feeling all right?” She brushed her hand through Gina’s hair before placing the back of it against her daughter’s forehead.

  Gina shook her head. “I’m fine. Just tired. Didn’t sleep well last night.”

  “You’ve got dark circles under your eyes. Looks like you didn’t sleep at all.” Her mother paused. “Hmm, I know it’s difficult sleeping in a new place, but it’ll be just like home in no time. Maybe you should take today off. With the move and everything, I not surprised you’re so affected. One day won’t kill you and you can use it to catch up on sleep.” She smiled at Gina and squeezed her shoulder.

  Gina smiled back. “Mom, I’m fine. I need to go to school. It will be worse trying to catch up.”

  Her mother stood up. “Well, if you’re up for it. I’ll go make some breakfast”—she paused at the door—“and, Gigi… thanks for being so flexible with this move. Your father and I know it wasn’t easy leaving all your friends behind.”

  Gina nodded and watched as her mother closed the door behind her. She sat in her bed a few more seconds before throwing off her covers and swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

  Something in her peripheral caught her eye and she turned her head in the direction of the object. She held her breath as a thin, shiny black feather drifted down onto her sheets. It landed next to her leg.

  With a trembling hand, Gina reached out and took the feather between her fingers. How can that be? It was just a dream.

  I told you, child. It is no dream.

  Gina jumped out of bed and wrapped her arms around herself.

  “Where are you? Why are you doing this? Leave me alone!” she screamed into the emptiness of her room.

  You will not escape me. You are here now.

  “Leave me alone!”

  You are mine. Tonight. Tomorrow night. The night after.

  “Go away!”

  Every night until your soul is mine. I will have you.

  “Gina? Gina?” Her mother raced into the room. “Honey, what’s wrong? What’s happening?” She brought her daughter into a tight embrace.

  “He’s here, Mommy. He’s here!” Gina buried her face in her mother’s chest and pressed her body against hers. “He wants to eat my soul. He wants to suck it out!”

  “Gina! Gina! Calm down! No one is here, Honey. You’re safe. It’s just me and you, baby.” She grabbed her daughter’s face in her hands and looked into her tired eyes. “That’s it. You are not going to school today. I think we’ll go see a doctor, just to be sure, but Sweetie… when you’re overtired and under pressure, you need to take time for rest. The mind can really play tricks on people.”

  Tears streaked down Gina’s face. She knew last night was real, but how could she explain it to her mother. But, if going to the doctor meant getting out of the house, Gina couldn’t agree fast enough.

  “Stay with me… while I get dressed.”

  Her mother’s brow lowered, but she nodded. “Of course, Gigi. Then, we’ll see what we can do about an appointment.”

  ***

  Gina was relieved she was able to talk her mother into going to the library after the doctor’s appointment. Of course, there was nothing physically wrong with her, but the doctor told them if the lack of sleep continued, he could send her to a sleep study. Perhaps, her circadian rhythm was off.

  While her mother found the romance section, Gina went straight to mythology and folklore. She was able to find a book on local folklore and dove deep into its pages hoping to find something about the creature who visited her last night.

  She flipped through the dusty pages, her eyelids growing heavy. She scrubbed her face with her hands and yawned deep. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so tired.

  That’s what happens when a Soul Eater feasts on you nightly.

  The thought woke her up. A Soul Eater? Where did that come from? Gina sat upright and flipped through the thick book in front of her searching for anything mentioning a Soul Eater.

  When she exhausted the book, she went and searched the shelves for another. A fat tome from the top shelf landed on the ground near her feet. Gina bent down and picked it up.

  “Mythology and Shadow Work of the Central Valley,” she read aloud.

  She opened the
book and fingered through the table of contents. Gina’s finger stopped on Chapter Fourteen.

  The Birdman.

  She flipped open to the page and read frantically in a whisper.

  “The first reports of the Birdman were first recorded in 1923. Mary Ellen Gallagher, daughter of Thomas Henry Gallagher and Katherine Edwards Gallagher, was treated briefly at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Modesto for hysteria. The girl complained of a creature, half-man and half-bird, who would visit her nightly to feast upon her soul. The behavior lasted nearly three weeks before Miss Gallagher was found dead, by hanging, in the work shed on her property.”

  Gina’s eyes shot to the next paragraph.

  “A second incident occurred in 1932. This time, a widow, Martha Bennett, was found wandering her orchard in the middle of the day in her sleeping clothes. Witnesses stated that Mrs. Bennett was in a confused mind, speaking of a Soul Eater. When asked to describe the creature’s form, Mrs. Bennett described a man, with bird-like characteristics and black eyes, like lifeless marbles perched in his head. Mrs. Bennett was admitted to Memorial Hospital and treated for hysteria. She was found in her room with her wrists slit seven days later.”

  On an on, Gina continued to read the stories of the many men and women, all describing the same phenomenon. No more than ten years between each story… all ending with the same fate. Her face paled and she felt dizzy. She backed up until the bookshelves stopped her. She slid down, her bottom hitting the floor, the thick tome resting in her lap. Gina forced herself to take slow measured breaths.

  She flipped to the end of the chapter and read aloud.

  “The Birdman, or Soul Eater, of Oakcrest seems to remain a mystery. There is no further information of this creature’s origin. How it can be stopped is unknown. The only information known is what is found after the attacks begin. The farm house where the subjects resided has since been destroyed.”

  Gina’s heart sank. What was she going to do? If these stories were any indication of what was to happen to her, there was no hope. Someone had to have an idea of what this creature was and how to stop it. She glanced back at the pages and scoured for the source of the chapter… a name… anything that could lead her to answers.

  Her finger stopped at the bottom of the page.

  Susan Thompson.

  Why did that name sound familiar?

  Gina thought hard, her eyes closed in concentration. The answer was so close. Where had she heard that name?

  “Gigi, sweetie, you ready?” Gina opened her eyes and saw her mom standing at the end of the aisle.

  Nodding, she closed the book and placed it back on the shelf. She’d have to think of it later. She only hoped she could find answers before night fell.

  ***

  The answer didn’t come.

  But, the Birdman did.

  He was there that night, compelling her to be still, taking her voice away as he siphoned out bits and pieces of her soul. The only sound was the soft suckling of the worm-tongue as it feasted on her insides.

  ***

  Months later and Gina could barely stand. The Birdman had come nightly and stolen fragments of her soul. She knew it would happen. She knew what he was doing. Yet, she remained powerless to stop him. Gina looked around the supervised rec room she now occupied.

  That’s why Mommy and Daddy put me here. To keep him away. To keep me hidden.

  The soft hands that held her up shifted to rest under her arms. Gina inhaled deeply. It smelled like Nurse Felton. Nurse Felton always smelled like vanilla and lavender.

  Gina was shuffled down a long cold hall. The floor was hard and slippery to walk on in socks. Nurse Felton helped her to her room and got her in bed.

  “Okay now, Gina. Looks like you’re all ready for bed. You have a good sleep. My shift ends before morning, so Nurse Branton will be here to help you get ready for the day. Remember, it’s family day and I bet your parents will be here as soon as the doors open.”

  Gina looked up at the ceiling.

  Family day? What does that mean? Nothing. Mother, Father… just two people everyone tells me I’m supposed to care about.

  Gina searched her heart. Empty.

  Another day of them hugging me and holding my hand, and bringing me stupid dolls and things from a life I don’t even care about… and for what? What are they trying to make up for? To fix? Don’t they see? I’m broken.

  Gina closed her eyes tight. She didn’t want to see her parents.

  “You can’t force me to see them! I don’t want to see them! I’ll never love them no matter how many dolls they bring me! What is this stupid doll doing here anyway!”

  Gina picked up Amanda Jane from her bed and threw her across the room at Nurse Felton. The Cabbage Patch hit the wall next to the nurse’s head and slid down, landing in heap on the floor.

  A pang of guilt ate at Gina’s stomach as she gazed into the doll’s green eyes. Scrambling over to the crumpled toy on the floor, she picked it up and held it close to her chest.

  Gina’s silent tears soaked into the cloth body of the doll. I’m sorry, Amanda Jane. I’m so sorry.

  She rocked back and forth on the floor, Amanda Jane still swaddled in her arms.

  Well, isn’t this a surprise… there’s still more of you left. Don’t worry, child. I can make the pain go away. I can make everything go away.

  Gina stopped rocking and her neck snapped her face upward. Her eyes widened as the birdman’s voice slithered into her head like a fat, greedy serpent.

  “No! No! No! Get away from me! Get away!”

  Nurse Felton hit the button near the door. “We need a tranq in Room 7B. Last name, Graham, first name, Gina.”

  Gina sat up and pushed against the wall. She wildly flung her arms in the air against an invisible attacker.

  “No! Get away! Leave me alone!”

  Two large male orderlies entered the room. They approached her on each side.

  “Gina,” Nurse Felton said in a calm voice. “Gigi, hon, please calm down. Take a breath and calm down. Everything is okay. You’re safe. It’s just you, me, and the orderlies. That’s all.”

  “Get away! Leave me be! Don’t call me that! I’m not Gigi! I’ll never be her again! I’ll kill you! I swear!” Gina gnashed her teeth, spit flying from her lips.

  The two orderlies grabbed Gina by each arm, lifting her easily and carrying her over to the hospital bed. They held her face down in a prone position, a knee in her back assured she could not move.

  “No… no... no…” Gina thrashed in vain against the strength of the two men. Nurse Felton approached and injected the sedative into Gina’s backside. Within seconds, Gina’s body relaxed and her movements slowed.

  Gina’s voice squeaked out like a small mouse caught in a trap. “No… you don’t get it… he’s coming… he’s coming for me.” Her movements slowed as the sedative took effect. “He’s going to… eat… my… so...” Her words trailed off into nothingness while her tongue got thick. She stopped fighting.

  Gina’s vision was blurred and her body became fuzzy. At least when he came tonight for the last bits of her soul, she’d be under the haze.

  A strange relief flooded through her as a bittersweet realization set in. Yes, he’d come for her tonight, and when he finally feasted, finally sucked her dry; she’d never be frightened or sad, or happy for that matter, ever again.

  Chapter Four

  The House Crow

  Carol took a step further into the yard craning her neck for a closer view. The grass, she could only imagine at one point was soft and green, now flattened under her shoe like stiff piece of cardboard. Again, she saw movement, but this time the east window curtain swayed in a nonexistent breeze. Her head darted in the direction. Again, she shielded her eyes from the sun to get a better look.

  How could that be? Sue specifically stated this house had been unoccupied for years, locked and monitored by their company. When they had done the initial walkthrough, everything seemed in perfect order. Could it b
e a squatter? A recent break-in? Carol remembered an article about how since the market crashed a few years ago, homeless squatting in abandoned homes ran rampant.

  Great, just what she needed? She squinted her eyes and leaned in closer.

  Should I call the cops? Maybe it’s just a trick of the light? Why would anyone be in this house… my house?

  The silence of the moment pulled her in further. She held her breath and the seconds stretched into minutes, while waiting for something to move in the upstairs window. A hint of movement teased her vision and as she reached for her cell in her purse, a crow swept down from a tree branch above nearly knocking her headband off.

  “Jesus!” she yelled as the bird flew past her head.

  “Caw! Caw!”

  The large black bird landed on the brown grass in front of her, its beady black eyes shining like marbles. It opened its beak and cawed loudly again.

  “Shoo! Get out of here!” Carol kicked her leg towards the bird.

  The crow cocked its head at her and hopped out of reached. It cawed louder than

  before.

  “Stupid bird. You’re lucky I don’t own a pellet gun.”

  The bird opened and closed its beak a few times and with a flap of its wings, rose effortlessly into the air. Carol followed its path with her gaze until it landed in an oak tree on the other side of the fence.

  Carol’s mouth opened when she noticed her crow was just one of the near thirty birds spread out on the trees branches. Their blue-black feathers glimmered in the sun like obsidian… like Sue’s brooch. Carol blinked at the thought.

  One by one, the birds began to caw. The short bursts of sound sliced through the air and curled up Carol’s spine. A sense of warning flashed through her brain.

  This isn’t good. You shouldn’t be here.

  Where did they come from? Carol shook her head in wonder.

  “Okay, Carol, time to return to reality.” She laughed at herself and gave one final glance up to the window.

  Lack of sleep, stress, and loss of her social life were most certainly the culprits to her imaginings, her mind playing tricks. Besides, she and Sue had toured the house just a week ago for the final walkthrough and there was no sign of unwanted inhabitants.