Skulls

by Tim Marquitz

  Jacob puttered around outside, dragging out his work to keep from having to go inside. His ploy paid off.

  Less than a half hour later, his dad stormed out of the house with Ann in tow. She was finishing her makeup as she walked to the truck. She didn’t look happy.

  His drinking curtailed the night before, his father seemed ready to make an early start of it. Ann hustled into the truck, giving Jacob a dirty look. His dad shouted for him.

  “Don’t think you can go sneaking off tonight. I’ve got the neighbors watching for you. You do anything but what I told you and you’ll need surgery to remove my foot from your ass. We clear?”

  “Yes sir,” Jacob answered. He went out of his way to sound appropriately subdued.

  It apparently worked. His dad glared at him for another moment, and then got in the truck and drove off in a hurry. Jacob waited until the truck was out of sight before going into the house. The usual scents awaited him.

  He sighed when he saw the mess they had left. It was more than obvious they’d gone out of their way to make sure he had plenty to do.

  As though she’d cooked a seven-course meal, Ann had left a ruin behind for him to clean up. Dirty pots and pans covered the stove. The dishes were stacked high in the sink, a marvel of culinary engineering. Empty food packages and cans lay scattered about the counter and floor. Streaks of unidentifiable liquids colored the tile near the sink and stove.

  Jacob just shook his head and went to his room. He turned on the stereo as loud as he dared without setting off the neighbors, then returned to the kitchen to clean, energized by the sharpened rhythms of Pantera.

  The mess once more a kitchen, he tied off the trash bag and headed outside to dump it. The back door swung open and Jacob froze.

  There was a plain cardboard box sitting at the bottom of the stairs.

  A cold chill settled over him. How it had gotten there? The gate was still closed and the yard empty. He set the trash bag off to the side and returned to the box.

  The box was no bigger than a foot squared and it had no markings of any kind. A single strip of brown packing tape held the lid closed. There was no name or address on it.

  Jacob left the box behind and went out the gate, to the front of the trailer. He glanced around, looking to see if he could spot anyone lurking out there.

  Remembering he had upset Chris and Glenn, blaming them for the destruction of his yard, he wouldn’t put it past them to do something to get back at him. The box could be their revenge.

  Seeing no one around, he returned to the back yard. He stared at the small box. At last, his curiosity got the better of him. He put his foot against the side of the box and pushed. It slid forward a little. Something heavy shifted inside.

  He knelt beside it and gave it a tentative sniff, expecting something nasty. Dog shit, maybe. But he smelled only the musky odor of cardboard. He tilted the box so the opening was pointed away from him. Then he started to pull the tape free. It came away easy. The flaps popped loose, but nothing leapt out at him.

  Encouraged, he opened the box top with his foot. Still, nothing happened. So he peered inside.

  The white dome of a skull stared back at him.

  Jacob stumbled back and crashed into the steps. Sweat beaded at his forehead and his heart pounded a drum line in his chest. He stared at the skull as though he expected it to come alive.

  It didn’t.

  The hard wood of the stairs was beginning to cut into his back. Uncomfortable now, he pulled himself to his feet. He stood over the box.

  Jenks must know where he lives. He’d dropped the skull off unseen. He also had to know his dad’s schedule. He knew it would be Jacob who found the box.

  Tremors of fear rattled his frame. Jenks had been able to sneak into the yard. The old man could easily have done worse. With his dad and Ann gone, the music up loud enough to mask all but the most blatant of sounds, Jacob hadn’t given a thought to someone else being there. He’d have never known if Jenks had decided to sneak up on him.

  But why leave the skull? Was it a warning? Did Jenks know Jacob hadn’t just been on his land, but had been in the bunker as well? Of course he did.

  Thoughts whirled through his head. He wondered what the old man hoped to gain from delivering the skull to him.

  He suddenly felt tremendously exposed out in the yard, so he snatched up the box and scurried inside. He locked the door behind him. He made the rounds of the trailer, searching every room in case Jenks had slipped inside.

  He was alone. Just him and the skull.

  Satisfied all the doors and windows were locked, he went to his room and set the box down on his bed. He turned off the stereo and realized he was breathing heavy. His exhalations were suddenly loud in the silence of his room. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and dried his clammy hands with the sheet. Taking another deep breath to steady his nerves, he pulled the skull out of the box. He cradled it in his hands and stared at its flawless dome for a few minutes, resisting the lure of its eyes. Under a barrage of whispers, his hands shook. Almost unconsciously, he began to turn the skull’s face toward him.

  His resistance crumbled and he found himself staring into the dark sockets.

  The room went cold as the eyes sparked to life. Too late to turn back, the dead pulled him in.

  Chapter Twenty

  The darkness faded as Sharon opened her eyes. She blinked to clear the shadows and looked around. Her thoughts were thick and hazy.

  She looked to the light that illuminated the room, its shade turned to the side so as to not be blinding. A quiet crunch beneath her drew her attention to the floor. A dark plastic tarp lay under her bare feet. Shimmering metal bands encircled her ankles.

  She tried to move but found she couldn’t. She reached for the restraints, but her arms were bound too.

  Awareness exploded in her like a flare.

  Her hands tugged against the restraints as fear ran like lava through her veins. She shrieked and the sound echoed through the rafters. It shook dust and spiders loose that rained down over her.

  “Quiet.”

  Sharon went silent at the command. She stared wide-eyed at the man who stood before her. He was masked and dressed in black, but it was the axe he held in his hand that drew her attention.

  He stepped toward her, slow and deliberate. He held his finger to his invisible lips indicating she was to be silent. Sharon was too overwhelmed to disobey. She shook against the restraints. The steel bit into her wrists. A trickle of warm blood ran down her arm and tickled her armpit. She tried to shrink away. She prayed it was all a dream.

  In defiance of her prayers, the man leaned in close. His dark eyes were just inches from hers. She could feel his breath through the mask. It was hot against her cheek. Sharon trembled and looked away, but the man took her chin in his gloved hand. He forced her back to his gaze.

  He stared as though he was looking through her. At last, he pulled back just a bit. A twisted smile seemed to squirm beneath the mask as he let her chin go.

  Tears blurred her vision. Sharon found she couldn’t look away. Even as the man lifted the axe and set the flat of the blade against her chest, she couldn’t pull her eyes from his. Something sparkled mysteriously in their depths.

  The man stood in front of her a moment. The axe remained nestled cold against her sternum. Finally, he pulled it away and leaned in close once more. His masked face brushed against her ear. She shivered as his breath washed over her again.

  “This is for you, Jacob,” the man said. His words were spoken slow and muffled behind the mask.

  Jacob? Sharon went rigid. She turned her face to her tormentor. She didn’t know who he was talking to, but it made her blood run even colder to think they were being watched. She clenched her eyes shut and pressed her cheek into the wall as if to hide.

 
“Open your eyes,” he commanded.

  She defied him for a heartbeat before she could no longer. She turned her head to face him, eyes open. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

  The man reached over and grabbed a handful of her concert T-shirt, at the shoulder. He bunched it up and pulled it away from her skin. He set the sharpened edge of the axe at her collarbone and slid the blade downward. Sharon squealed as the axe slipped by her, just inches from her skin. It sliced through her shirt without resistance.

  Sharon let out a sob as the blade slipped free, her shirt split down the center of her body. She trembled against the restraints and stared down at her shirt that hung loose, revealing her bra. Her mind ran wild with fear.

  The man leaned in again and whispered into her ear, “Repeat what I say, exactly as I say it.”

  Sharon nodded shallow. Fear made her willing.

  “I’m yours, Jacob. Now and forever.”

  Sharon drew in a deep breath and mumbled what she’d been told.

  “Louder!” the man shouted in a voice like thunder.

  Shaking so much she bounced against her bonds, Sharon spit out the words. “I-I’m yours, Jacob, now a-and forever.”

  The man tightened his grip on her shirt and peeled it away. He cut the remainder free and tossed it to the floor. Sharon could see her black bra. It stood out against her pale skin. The swell of her small chest heaved beneath it.

  The man ordered her to look down at herself and she did, tears blurring her sight. Not sure of anything, she did as she was told. Her eyes roamed across her body. She hoped her compliance would satisfy the man and he would let her go.

  After a few moments, the man lifted her chin and stared into her eyes. “There are no limits to experience.” Sharon’s eyes locked on his, but she knew he wasn’t speaking to her. He was speaking to the other—Jacob. “You’ve found the altar and I know you’ve prayed to its god, feasting upon the memories of the dead. They’re a part of you forever now, Jacob. There’s no going back.”

  Sharon shivered at his words. Her flickering glimmers of hope slowly sputtered to black. The man was insane. He was going to kill her.

  He knelt and grabbed the hem of her jeans. He slid the axe up the leg, peeling them away from her as he sliced them open. One side done, he did the same at the other. He left just a few strands at the waistband to hold them together.

  He stood before her once more, a cold numbness washing over her. He ordered her to repeat his words. Sharon did so through a sobbing gasp.

  “I love you, J-Jacob.”

  “Now smile.”

  Her lips twitched and she forced a smile on her face. She could see herself reflected in the dark pits of the man’s eyes. She hoped it was good enough.

  Apparently it was. The man nodded, then tore away the remnants of her jeans and cast them aside. He nestled his fingers in her hair and forced her to look down. She stared at her nearly naked body. Her cotton panties were exposed in shame.

  “Does she remind you of anyone, Jacob?” He ran a hand over her thigh and along her side. Goose bumps trailed in its gloved wake.

  He ordered her to keep her head down and disentangled his hand from her long black hair. He grasped at the strap of her bra and cut it free with a chuckle. It fell open, exposing her full breasts to the cold air. Sharon closed her eyes and turned her head. The man growled at her and she reluctantly returned her attention to her body.

  She stared at herself without feeling, but her eyes were full of her flesh.

  “Dreams can be more than just dreams, if you’re willing to pursue them. This is a reality you can have every day.”

  The man reached down and cut her panties off. He let them slide to the floor. Sharon sobbed. Her legs went weak. Only the biting restraints at her wrists kept her upright. She looked at her naked body. Tears fell over it, running cold down her belly.

  The man left her there staring for a moment. Her head was a whirlwind of confused thoughts. She wanted to close her eyes. She wanted to hide, but she knew it would only anger him. She continued to look as he hovered before her.

  The light shimmered on the stiff leather of his apron as she cast a furtive glance at the man. The axe was nestled tight in his hand. She looked away quick and heard him speak.

  “This is my gift to you, Jacob.” He adjusted her head so she could see all of herself. He then lifted her chin until the back of her head pressed against the hard wall. “Cherish this moment. I will come for you soon.”

  Sharon looked into the man’s eyes. They were awash in red. She gasped as he raised the axe and turned away when she saw its silvered edge streaking toward her. She felt a searing pressure at her throat. Her head slammed into the wall.

  Then she felt nothing.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Released from the memories, Jacob gasped and slipped from his bed. The skull still clutched in his hands. He felt his body shaking, but couldn’t seem to move. He stayed still as the memories washed over him like turbulent waves.

  Willing his hands to release the skull, he finally managed to set it in his lap. He snatched the skull back up with a gurgled shriek and tossed it on the bed. He was surprised to realize he was excited.

  He jumped to his feet, expecting to feel ashamed. The feeling never came. He looked to the skull again only to have visions of Sharon take center stage. She was so similar in appearance to Cass that his mind overlapped their images.

  Cass in her bikini, Sharon in nothing. Both smiled back at him.

  He couldn’t stop thinking about it…them…her. He glanced at the clock. It was only a little after six p.m.. His dad would be gone until after two am. He had plenty of time to indulge.

  He crawled across the bed. He scooped the skull into his hands and got comfortable. Once more he stared into Sharon’s empty eyes, willing the dead to arise. She came to him on tendrils of willowy smoke.

  * * * *

  The visions ended. Jacob slipped from its memories and found himself once more alone in his room. His shirt, long since removed, though he couldn’t remember when. He lay there in a pool of cloying sweat. His skin was flushed.

  I love you, Jacob. I’m yours, now and forever.

  Love was a fairy tale he’d never believed in, a “happy-ever-after” that never came. His parents had never loved him, or even each other. His real mother leaving when he was twelve made it clear how little she cared. He knew for sure his dad didn’t love Ann. He certainly didn’t.

  He looked at the skull in his hands. His heart pounded so loud in his chest he could hear its dull knock. He sat there, enveloped in his visions.

  His eyes were dry as he thought about Sharon. He had no tears for her. He managed to blink some moisture in to them, but that was all. The knock of his heart was suddenly echoed by one at his window. He pulled the curtains aside.

  Sharon stood outside his window.

  No, not Sharon. Cass.

  He held a finger up, telling her to hold on. He staggered away from the window. He spied the skull on the bed and quickly hid it in the closet. His legs were rubbery as he made his way down the hall. He ran his hands along the walls to keep him steady.

  It took him a few moments to undo the locks on the front door. When he finally managed it, he let Cass in. He went over and flopped down on the couch. He felt the heat of her stare.

  She came into the house complaining. “I’ve been calling you all night. It’s after eleven—” She started to slam the door, but stopped when she saw him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Jacob shook his head. His eyes felt as though they were swirling inside their sockets. He stared at Cass, but could only see Sharon. Their images had melded into one.

  “What are you on?” Cass’s walked over to lay her hand on his forehead. She flinched and pulled it away when she felt the cold swea
t. “You’re wasted.”

  “No I’m not, Sharon.”

  Cass took a step back like she’d been shot. Her brown eyes went wide. “Who the hell is Sharon?”

  Jacob just stared at her a moment, not understanding. “I mean Cass.” He got up and walked over to apologize, but he slipped and fell onto the coffee table. The legs snapped and he hit the floor hard. The table had broken in half beneath him.

  Cass leapt to his side and pulled him up, setting him back onto the couch. She didn’t stay close though. She stepped away again as Jacob reached for her.

  Jacob watched her retreat. A spark of anger flickered. “You said you loved me. Why won’t you come here?”

  Cass just stared at him as he pawed at the air after her. “You’re drunk, Jake.”

  “I’m not, I swear.” He got to his feet and managed to stay on them. He took a tentative step forward. He steadied himself, and took another. His arms reached out for her once more.

  Cass just stood there waiting for him. He wrapped her in a deep hug, squeezing her so tight she groaned.

  “Easy, Jake.” She wiggled loose a little, pulling her face away from his sweaty cheek.

  “Now and forever,” he whispered in her ear. “I love you, Sharon.”

  With a feral growl, Cass shoved him with everything she had. Jacob stumbled back and tripped over the broken table. He crashed into the couch and nearly toppled it over. He glared at her in his fury.

  He screamed at her. Frothy spittle sprayed the air. He started to get up.

  Before he got to his feet, Cass was out the door and down the stairs. Jacob could hear her feet as they hit the asphalt.

  He stared after her, unable to understand why she’d run. But he knew she hadn’t gone far. He knew how to bring her back.

  He went to the closet and pulled the skull out. It sat comfortable in his hands. He slumped over on his bed and set it on his chest. He grinned as he stared into its eyes.

  “Come back to me,” he told it.

  The night sky swirled in its sockets. A moment later, he was sucked back into the dreams of the dead.