A Monster Escapes

by Lewis Wolfe

  The other reason that Jane wanted, very desperately, to live longer was the demon that lived in a room deep inside her head. The lock was solid and he would never be able to get out. Until she died, and then the terrible entity that only wanted to consume and be entertained would again roam the earth.

  Worries for another day, Jane decided as the sun broke through the clouds and caressed her face. A face that she didn’t hate as much as she used to.

  Justifications

  Thank you for reading my story.

  A Monster Escapes has been in the back of my mind for several years, in various shapes and degrees. When I finally set out to write it, my main focus was on telling a story about people first and about events second. I wanted readers to think and reflect and, maybe, ask questions they otherwise would have never asked.

  A good chunk of my (generous) proofreaders did come back to me, all asking the same question. Who was the good guy in this story?

  A Monster Escapes isn’t about good versus evil. Not really. It’s a story about people and people come in very complex packages. Good and bad mix together to form various shades of gray, and are governed always by our motivations and beliefs.

  Take for example Agent Bradford, a man that many readers seem to dislike. His beliefs about women are somewhat archaic and he defends and rationalizes them almost violently. Yet, within the context of his belief system, Agent Bradford is a hundred percent conscientious. He does exactly what he believes is right and, even if we don’t agree about what right and wrong is, as a writer I came to admire his character.

  In contrast stands the peculiar Jane Elring, who openly admits that she has to do things that she isn’t necessarily proud of. She cheats, lies, manipulates and even kills to secure her freedom. To balance this behavior, she decides, she will try to take down the demon that plagues Brettville. Good? Bad? Or just a young woman dealt an unfortunate hand, trying to make a future for herself?

  Most people have no trouble identifying the bad guy of the story. Baal is an ancient name that has carried different meanings throughout the ages. In my story he is the demon that only wishes to consume and be entertained. This desire is a common sickness of our modern times and it lives in all of us. I believe that I may have discredited the real Baal, in whichever capacity he exists, by making him so very human. I apologize.

  Brettville is, of course, a fictional town. Its layout however has been based on a small city in Alabama. Those who know how to look may even be able to find it, as I have left a clue here and there.

  Being a writer is a funny business. It is about searching the depths of your heart and mind and blurting it out on paper for all to see. In that sense, it can at times be a terrifying endeavor. It is strange to realize that all the characters in my story are me, and that I am all of them.

  A good friend once told me that a writer writes, and that is all he has to do. How I wish that were entirely true! In order to get my story out there I have to be a writer, a publisher, a marketer and a business man. I am not very good at, at the least, two of those.

  I can however be completely genuine when I say I want to hear from you. Did you like my story? Hate it? Let me know. You can find ways to connect with me on my website, www.lewiswolfe.com where you can shoot me a message, sign up for a newsletter about my writing projects and find general news and information about me. Did you see how I clumsily promoted myself there? Good stuff.

  Thank you again, dear reader, for taking the time to follow my story. May we meet again.

  -Lewis Wolfe