The Awesomatic Adventures of Dexter Seagrave

RECOURSE! Pt. 04: Claim It, and It Shall Be So! [Story No. 06]

"Shit, well.........uh, now that the cats out the bag for you now too, you can just join the club. Your cousin already teases me about it anyway. Won't feel much different if you do as well," I assert, trying to hide this chimera of annoyance, embarrassment and nervousness currently devouring me. I honestly don't know why I'm so nervous, we're only inside of MY head, but I guess I'm starting to realize that she could find out more than just my bizarre fantasies. She could become aware of rhe much darker parts of me.

While struggling with this revelation, I feel a tap on my right shoulder. The tap was definitely a cause for concern, because even though it felt non-threatening, it left me wet. Whatever just touched me has made the hairs on the back of my neck raise, along with leaving them damn near singed from its horribly smelling, furnace-like breath as it abruptly moves in closer.

Pleasedontlookbehindyoupleasedontlookbehindyoupleasedontlookbehindyou, I rapidly plead to myself as if my life depends on it. Trying to convince myself not to do a 180° turn fails, so now I've come face-to-face with an abomination that only Junji Ito, David Cronenberg, John Carpenter and Aves Bay's own Preston Descrevan could think up.

*🌙*

"What's goin' on, dick-tickler?!" the misshapen beast emphatically inquires with a pitchy growl, grinning in a very uncanny way. Its deep, distorted voice sounds like the prolonged or looped roar of a T-Rex, a running chainsaw and a modulator were thrown together in a demonic blender, then tossed into the rapidly whirling blades of a rusty lawnmower, which itself was placed in a circle of microphones that had been damaged by rainy weather.

While I obviously couldn't recognize this being from their physical appearance or voice, I knew who they were upon hearing the insult tacked onto their question: Bentley Branson Lanier.

Inside of my mind, this manifestation of Bentley looks exactly like the monster I have always perceived him to be. I'm horrified, but nowhere near shocked that my primary tormentor-who has given me nightmares and anxiety attacks since seventh grade!-is now a towering, twisted mutant. At first glance, he seemed to be only crooked and bent out of shape, but the longer I stare, the worse his physical appearance becomes.

"Ummm... Dexter... WHO -- OR WHAT -- THE FUCK IS THAT?!" yelps Zuri, her giant head spinning around in distress. I can feel all of her trepidation coursing through me as far as the monstrosity in front of us is concerned, which I guess is due to this connection we share presently. Admittedly, I would love to sever the link and get us both out of here, as I can barely manage my own fear, let alone hers.

"Well, I figured since you've been hearing all of my inner monologue, you'd know," I respond cheekily. My remark was meant to be more snarky in nature, but the numerous sparks and flames being erupted behind me have informed me that she took it much more personal than I wanted her to. "Since you asked though, that eyesore dead ahead is one of the bullies who has made my life a living hell since I was 13. Bentley Branson Lanier."

"I see. Aside from him being a bully, he's one ugly muthafucka, that's for sure," she says, her delivery a lot calmer now. I can tell she remains anxious though, and that has only served to multiply the uneasiness inside of me.

"Yeah, that's not how he actually looks, just how he exists in my subconscious," I reluctantly express. This apprehension continues to gnaw away at me, but I never take my eyes off Bentley. I just keep analyzing every aspect of his current form.

***

He has a giant, clumsy-looking body, one that was given shoulders which have positioned themselves diagonally as if gravity was trying to drag him back to Hell where he came from. In-between those shoulders sits a neck that is longer than that of a crane or pelican, but just as wide as a caterpillar, except this would be a caterpillar that's overgrown and pulsating with flesh like slimy leather.