Shades From Beyond: A Secret Want

     This story is set in the future. The year is 3087 and in this tale we have two doctors that had perfected biotechnology and could prolong human life for many years with their technological advances in the field of biotechnology. These brilliant doctors were Albert Hanlon and Ryan Denton who could make people younger on the inside and the outside for a longer period of time. Needless to say, both men had yet to discover the secret to immortality, yet they had performed procedures to make people's organs younger to a certain extent and they could also make the human skin younger for a couple of years. Albert and Ryan met at a horror movie marathon of classic monster movies and they each had a profound love for films like Frankenstein and The Mummy. Ryan also loved any film where Medusa appeared. After that horror film festival the two of them found out that they had many common interests in cars, gaming and surprisingly biotechnology. After applying their trade successfully together they were the two most sought after life rejuvenators in the work environment. Their work had made them both extremely wealthy.

     Another thing that both doctors liked to do was to host extravagant parties at their mansions. This time they set up the latest party at Albert's house. All of their closest friends were like the famous singer Noah Lederer, the best accountant in California Dale Christenson along with his lovely wife Vera Christenson. The famous actor Mike Morford was also there along with the famous car designer Tommy Lahr. The two doctors liked to invite their night for a night which was full of betting contests and each of their friends could also bring a plus one with them. One of their friends by the name of Julius Fisher invited a very mysterious man that normally kept to himself, yet on this night the high stakes of betting proved that it can attract all sorts of people. Julius had brought with him a very wealthy antique dealer by the name of Randall Garrison who looked to be a very attractive young man that caught all the attention of every single lady that was at the party. To avoid all of that attention Randall went to the library of the mansion and saw that there were many ancient novels there. One was a novel that he had been looking for a very long time which was The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Albert's library was immense and impressive. He also noticed that there was also a giant Frankenstein monster statue near the right wall.

        Every other guest at Albert's party was drinking fine wine and exquisite food yet Randall Garrison was more interested in the many literary treasures that Albert had acquired. The others were getting ready to watch on the modern Prime Floating Television device the big boxing match that was taking place on the other part of the world in Russia. By that time Randall had rejoined everyone else and everyone was betting on how the fight will end. No one dared to bet against the undefeated Alek Mikhailov which had won all of his fights and his current record was 61-0. No one wanted to take that bet except Randall who told everyone that the undefeated champion was going to be knocked out in three rounds. Albert wanted to bet a hundred thousand dollars that the champion would be victorious. Randall then told Albert that if he won that they would settle the exact amount he wanted in private. As the boxing match went on the undefeated champion was indeed knocked out in three rounds by the challenger Stuart Esper. After Randall had won the wager he told Albert that he would see him later to talk about what he really wanted.

     As all of the guests went back to their homes one by one only two other people besides himself remained at Albert's home which was Ryan and Randall. Randall had gone to the library and Albert along with Ryan followed him. Randall told Albert that he admired his book collection because it was very rare to see real books in a person's home in the modern world. He also told Albert and Ryan that he collected many rare novels that were hard to come by as a hobby that he had. Albert then asked Randall what was it that he wanted and then the door of the library seemingly closed by itself and there was a big thunderstorm outside. Randall told Albert that he wanted to have Albert's eternal soul. Albert thought that Randall was kidding in the beginning until he was suddenly floating upside down flying around which was impossible. Ryan seeing his friend in peril wanted to help him and he decided to try to save his friends life by offering Randall a bet. Randall wanted to know what was at stake and Ryan told him that what was at stake was Albert's life and his own, but if Ryan won then Randall would release Albert and grant Ryan a wish. Randall was intrigued by the proposition and asked how they were going to settle the bet. Ryan then told him that they would each flip a coin three times and that the one that would get if it was heads or tails more times in three tries would win. Ryan then took out what appeared to be an ancient coin and as each one tried to guess if the coin would land on heads or tails Randall got the coin outcome correct two times yet Ryan got the outcome of how the coin would land every single time. Randall then released Albert and asked Ryan what did he want as his wish and Ryan wished for Randall to take the coin. Randall thought that it was an odd request yet he took the coin and as the coin was in the palm of his hand the coin started to give a red glow and it absorbed Randall inside of it. Albert saw all of it and asked Ryan what was happening and he told Albert that he had been hunting warlocks and witches for a very long time and that after he had collected at least 187 of them in the cursed coins then he would finally be able to finally die after being alive for so many centuries. Ryan also told Albert that Randall had taken the souls of over a hundred people.

        Ryan also told Albert that he had lived for such a long time that he had even met the famous poet and playwright Oscar Wilde, but that he had to erase his memory because he witnessed something that he shouldn't have. Ryan then went and touched Albert's head with his right hand and by doing so it erased everything that had just occurred. Afterwards Albert was wondering what happened and his friend Ryan told him that Randall Garrison had to suddenly leave to attend to some personal family business and that Ryan himself had paid Randall a great sum of money for winning the bet. Albert thought that Ryan was very generous for doing that. Ryan then told Albert that he was going to his home and that he would see him at work. Albert then told Ryan that he was lucky to have a friend like him and as Ryan left he said the following words since Albert was nowhere near for Ryan to utter the words: "More than you know."

                                        The End