The Terror #wattys2017 #TNTHorrorContest

It's the drug

        Worm stood from his seated position staring, eyes wide with controlled terror behind his twin magnified pupils. Slack jawed, shaky kneed but still curious he looked up from my lap and looked me in the eyes as if to see if I were playing a trick on him.  

        'Is that thing for fucking real bro?"

        Dales bloody head's eyes were rolling in their sockets, signs of his eyelids gone, trying to look up at Worm, there was recognition in those eyes.  The mouth began to move as if it was trying to speak but there were only remnants of lips that had curled back on his jaws like over fried bacon.

        "I don't fucking know," I said, "That's what I'm trying to figure out"

        Michelle wasn't saying a word, she looked at Worm and back at me and stared at my lap. She put her hand on my lap and when she did the gnarley head disappeared. She felt around and I could feel her hand as she stroked past my immediate half hard boner. She pulled her hand back and Dales head reappeared just as before and my stupid penis went as-ease.  I hated that my dick had a mind of it's own and cared nothing at all about where I was or how appropriate it might be. The ever present idiot in my pants.

        "Are you mess'n with me?" She asked tentatively.   

        I was still looking at Worm because it was pretty damn obvious he was actually seeing what I was seeing, which meant either we were both crazy or I was not. All I could do in answer to her question was shake my head.

        Worm crept over and stuck a single finger into the air above the bloody zombi head.  As if he were seeing if a frying pan was hot, he tapped the head and in the reaction it tried to bite at him, jaws snapping, teeth clashing as it rolled in my lap.  Worm jumped back and lost his footing as he tripped over their little coffee table, screaming not unlike a little girl when a boy tries to throw a nasty old worm on her. His ass hit the floor and he scooted back against the wall, glasses askew breathing asthmatically.

        He just stared at the head as he reached into his pocket for an inhaler. He shot it in his mouth and sucked in deeply, eyes never leaving my lap.

        "That really is Dale ain't it, it looks like Dale, if his face was burned off I mean!"

        'That's what I've been trying to tell ya"

        I moved my own fingers toward his mouth and he snapped at me just like he had Worm.

        "And he's been getting fuck'n mean lately."

        Michelle spoke up nervously,

        "This ain't funny you guys, there's nothing there, I ain't buying this shit for a minute."

        She stood up and crossed the room.

        "I really don't like these kind of jokes Merrill, I'm not playing around, please stop trying to scare me, It's not funny you fuckers, this shit is uncool"

        She was beginning to raise her voice. I think she was more freaked out by the idea that I would go this far to attempt to frighten her than the truth of it actually being there.  She looked at me like I was some kind of stranger; like she was finding out about a terrible character trait that was a deal breaker in our relationship.  All I could do was look her in the eye and not look away as I shook my head and lipped, 'I'm not fucking with you, honest, I promise, I'm not making this shit up.

        "He's not lying Michelle, I see it too, Dale's head is in his fucking lap and it just tried to bite my fucking hand." Worm held his shaking hand out as he spoke. Trust me kiddo, he's got Dales head in his god damn lap!"

        She had her arms crossed around her breasts and her knees were knocking as she jumped up and down in the corner going,

        " No No No! This is not happening, You're supposed to be perfect!"

        'What? Nobody's perfect, especially me."

       " That's not what I mean, that came out wrong, I mean...Oh, I don't know what I mean." Then she just started crying.

        I wanted to stand up and hold her but with Dales head, real or not, I didn't want to drop it on the carpet. Worm had become quiet, sitting on the floor contemplating, head cocked like a dog that heard a sound you and I couldn't hear. He wasn't even looking at my lap anymore and somewhere along with all the commotion it had once again returned from wince it had come.

        Straight away I stood and went to Michelle and surrounded her with my arms. She kept her arms crossed and was very stiff and solid to the touch as I whispered in her ear that it was all going to be OK, that it would all work out some how as she sobbed on my shoulder. Finally, she thawed and returned my embrace saying she was sorry she didn't believe me.

        "I think I get it!" Said Worm.

        "Get what?" I asked

        "So, the night you dropped the acid; was it like a purple plastic?"

        "I would say Mahogany but I suppose it could be called purple, I'm halfassed color blind anyway."

        Then to Michelle, he asked, 'Michelle, did you ever have any of that acid?"

        She sniffled and replied, "No, I've never taken any acid, ever."

        "Well I had some of that purple acid and it was about the same time you took that same stuff. It was a purple pyramid that had been going around town for a couple weeks by then. I'm going to guess that has something to do with why I can see Dale's head and why you can too."

        "And that's why I can't then," Said Michelle, "But I don't understand how that can have anything to do with it. How can a chemical make you see apparitions?"

        "I don't know," Said Worm, "But I know how to test my theory, come on, let's go!"

        "Where are we going," I inquired

        "We're gonna go see Danny, he and I tripped on that shit together, if he can see your head, then at least we'll know it's the drug and that's a start."