Griffin Hayes - Malice

By

Griffin Hayes

Copyright 2011 Griffin Hayes

Cover design by Kit Foster

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If youre reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Dedication

To L.B.C, B.J., J.C., C.C. for always believing and to Ishani for everything.

Acknowledgements

Writing is a lonely business, but no one produces a book without some kind of help along the way. First, Id like to thank Diana Cox for the great proofreading and to my editor, John Payne, whos either a saint or a superhero, Im not sure which. A shout out to the very professional and talented Kit Foster for the great cover and finally, a warm thank you to Medical Examiner, Amy Burrows-Beckham MD, for her time and expertise on blunt force trauma. Any inaccuracies in depicting severe head wounds are mine and mine alone.

Also by Griffin Hayes

Novellas

Bird of Prey

Short Stories

The Grip

The Second Coming

And Coming Soon

Nocturnal a novel

Man ... cannot learn to forget,

but hangs on the past: however

far or fast he runs, that

chain runs with him.

Frederich Nietzsche

The stranger grinned and his sunken cheeks made his face look like a skull.

Go on, Lysander, his father, Glenn, scolded. Shake the mans hand.

Lysander Shores family hadnt been in Millingham longer than a week, but he was sure somehow he had met this man somewhere before. Maybe filling bags at the grocery store or delivering mail down the street? This was going to torture him the whole day.

Lysander stuffed his lunch into his knapsack and then slowly held out his hand. The cold palm that slid into his a second later made Lysanders stomach turn. His father must have noticed the discomfort on Lysanders face, because Glenns cheeks flushed with embarrassment. At least for once it wasnt about Lysanders black nail polish or matching combat boots.

Youll have to excuse the mess, Glenn said, clearing a place on the couch where the stranger could sit. Were still getting settled.

A pin on the lapel of the mans suit jacket read Peter Hume and below that Zellermanns. He was probably an insurance guy, Lysander thought, here about the fire that had destroyed their old house in Hayward.

The two men spoke about how the house was a complete write-off, his father running through a list of things that were destroyed, when Peter Hume peered up at Lysander. The odd glint in his eye instantly made Lysander uneasy.

Do you have any pictures? Hume asked Glenn. So we can take inventory of what you lost.

Yeah, Glenn said, looking at his watch. You need those now? I gotta leave for work.

Hume smiled apologetically. Im afraid so.

Glenn sighed, as he always did when asked to do something menial but necessary, and headed for the kitchen. You want something to drink?

Earl Grey would be nice.

Thats the only tea we have, Glenn said robotically. He seemed dazed. Or was he hypnotized? Lysander couldnt tell which.

Humes eyes were shining. Legend has it an old Chinese man gave Lord Grey the recipe for saving his sons life, if you believe that sort of thing.

His father shrugged and disappeared into the kitchen.

Now Lysander and Peter Hume were alone and the air in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. Slowly, the smile disappeared from Humes face.

You were warned not to come here, Hume said, his voice gravelly, almost hoarse. Lysander peered down at Humes scalp and saw the mans translucent flesh squeezing the plates of his skull together.

Lysanders breath caught in his throat.

He knows, Lysander. Humes voice was more forceful. Desperate. Knows youre here. He knew the minute you arrived. Felt you crossing the town line, just like I did ...

Lysanders mouth was frozen open in a mix of confusion and disbelief.

And then, Lysander knew where he had seen this man before. It was Humes hollow face that had been glaring back at him from the old weathered placard that greeted visitors on their way into town. And etched below him in crooked red letters had been the words:

STAY AWAY

But at the time Lysander was sure his mind had been playing tricks on him, because when he passed that same weathered sign on the town line days later, everything had changed. Even Humes face was gone. In its place was a beaming, happy-looking family.

WELCOME TO MILLINGHAM!

A tiny impression appeared in Humes forehead, and from it a thick drop of blood rolled down his face. The mans sockets were receding into the back of his head. A noise came from the kitchen and Humes cavernous eyes darted over Lysanders shoulder. The fear bubbling in his voice was palpable. He hasnt found me, Hume whispered. Not yet. But you. You, hell know right away.

Lysander tried to say something, anything, but all that came was a moan.

Run Lysander! Turn your ass around and RUN!

He could be any one of them, Hume croaked. They all look so innocent, dont they? With their little white houses and their hybrid SUVs. Hard to imagine theres a monster coiled somewhere in all that. Humes eyesblack bottomless chasms nowrose to meet Lysanders, and when he did the expression on his face fell flat. You dont know what Im talking about, do you? You havent remembered yet.

Lysander felt the muscles in his chest knot with fear.

Hes come to finish it, Lysander. The structure of his face was coming undone. Blood flowed freely from his forehead. Into his mouth. Drenching the dark fabric of his suit and the upholstery of the couch. Lysander could see bits of splintered bone and flaps of dangling flesh. It looked like someone had redecorated his face with a tire iron. Thats why hes here. To finish it

Lysander staggered back and nearly tripped over a moving box filled with old books. Glenn reached out a hand and caught him. He was holding a cup of tea. A photo album was wedged under his armpit. Mr. Hume?

Humes face rose. Tight and skull-like, but nothing like the monstrosity from a moment before.

Glenn was handing Hume his Earl Grey when he turned to Lysander. You better hurry or youre going to be late for school. Its already a quarter past.

The alarm in his fathers voice rattled him. Lysander snatched his school bag off the floor, shoved his lunch back inside and left the room as fast as he could.

I wasnt really expecting you till tonight, he heard his father tell Hume as he sped away, so I hope we can make this fast.

Lysander was trying to steady his hand over the front door handle when Hume replied.

Keeping you safe and sound, thats our motto at Zellermanns.

It was on the long walk to school that Lysander tried to make sense of what he had just seen. The whole thing seemed to happen so fast. Hell, he wasnt sure hed even closed the door behind him.

Whenever Lysander closed his eyes, thats when hed see the strangers face dissolving all over again.

Hes come to finish it , was what that creepy bastard had said.

Who was the he Hume had been talking about? Lysander wondered uneasily. More than that, Lysander wanted to know what he had meant by finish it?