The Terror #wattys2017 #TNTHorrorContest

The Terror Part Two

"The first thing I need you to understand," Drawled Jimmy, "Is what memory is. You will be needing to count on your memories to master the situation you have found yourself in,"

He opened a finely carved box on the table for us, filled with cigars. Lifting the box in my direction, I waved him away, "Not really my deal Jim."  He nodded in confirmation and placed it back on the table, taking one for himself, he allowed the lid to close with a light clack. Pulling an ivory handled buck knife from a sheath on his belt, he trimmed the end off, passed it under his nose, closed his eyes and breathed in the aroma before he put it in his mouth.  Nearby was a stick match from a short canister an arm's length away on an adjacent bookshelf, that seemed to somehow light midway from the shelf to his cigar of its own accord. I tried to ignore this but as I tracked its path from it's home to its destination with my eyes, I'm sure he noticed my astonishment.  I was still staring at the flame when I noticed Jimmy smiling coyly while looking me dead in the eye, puffing on his stogie and filling the air with perfume.

He shook out the match and puffed a few more times, getting the glow on the end to his preferred consistency. He took a smooth draw of the vapor and leaned back before blowing it into the air above us. The air in the room took on a fragrance, redolent with spice, tobacco and something kind of balmy, perhaps a thickening of sorts.  

"You see son, our memories are not unlike gifts, and as such, there is a pretty ribbon on the outside with some holiday paper held on with tape." 

He drew on the cigar and this time, released the aroma in my direction. While normally I would have thought that quite rude, the perfume was so intoxicating that I didn't give it a second thought, he said, "Just breath it in son, it's not pot, just breath nice and normal and allow it to penetrate into your fibers, that a boy, nice and easy."

I did as asked with no lack of trust though I had barely just met this man. There was something inherently trustworthy about him, this strange white being with his pink eyes looking through me over the top of his tinted spectacles. The effect of the perfume was immediate and my surroundings were transformed into a magical place, though unchanged in any way. I felt as though I had just stepped through the looking glass, curiouser and curiouser.

"What is that substance, Jim?" I asked perplexed.

"That's not the proper question Merrill, but we'll get to that another time. What we are going to focus on," He raised a finger pistol," like a laser beam, is this memory thing I'm trying to get you through. So," He raised a slightly bushy eyebrow,"  how do you feel son, perception wise that is?"

I had to admit, I felt a little self-conscious as I sat back and looked around the room, scrutinizing and appraising the situation.  I did feel a little extra alert but not speedy in any way, also, I was quite pleased with the moment, uncharacteristically happy along with a certain glow in the ether.

"I would have to say that I am feeling pretty damn fine," Nodding my head, "Especially illuminated I'd say."

" Good, good Mr. Graves, the fragrance is designed to get you out of your head and it seems to have done the trick, so let's carry on..."

"What do you mean, 'out of my head' Jimmy?"

"That's another topic for later on, now," He stubbed out the cigar in a bronze ashtray that looked like a Chinese dragon that I didn't even notice before, "How does he do that? " I thought to myself. " So, as I was saying, pretty paper with a bow and so forth which after torn away leaves one with a box of some sort.  This box, if we're lucky has some sort of writing on it so that we have some idea what's in the box, but of course, often times, what's on the box is not always what is in the box. Often times it's still a mystery and the gift giver thinks it's a good idea, to make it even more difficult to open, to cover the whole damn thing in duct tape, just to make you struggle. You see what I'm getting at here?"

"Wow, I never thought about it that way.  It's like, now you're gonna tell me that once you get the box opened there's still, like, tissue paper or bubble wrap holding the gift inside."

"That's right, and then there's always the giver who thinks they're giving you something you want but it turns out to be the wrong thing entirely, or there's always those times when you think you know what's in the box, something you've really, really been expecting and then it's not even close."

"That reminds me of a Christmas we had,"

A memory I hadn't thought about for years, yet it came to me as if it was yesterday, sharp and distinct," 

 For what seemed like a whole year I had been thinking I was going to get this totally bitchen Hotwheels set. I reminded my parents every time the commercial came on that that was the particular set I wanted, I was like eight and didn't know anything about money, kids don't think about that, and I was sure when I woke up on Christmas morning and tore open that big box I was going to find that set.  But what they got me was a discount brand, some no name Japanese copy, not even close man. I tried to not look disappointed, Tried to pretend I was happy but couldn't stop the tears. I was just a little kid, my Dad said I was a spoiled brat and ruined Christmas for everybody."

"That's a sad story Son, seems like the wrapping on that one was pretty thin. You've been carrying that one around right next to your heart haven't you?"

"I promised myself I would never expect things like that again. I truly did ruin that Christmas by being selfish and expectant, I try to be a better person than that now."

"I know you do, it's part of what makes you special my boy. You have an ability not all humans have, you actually learn from your mistakes, but not in a twitchy reactionary kind of way, but in a thoughtful, caring, cognizant way. There is much to learn my boy and together you and I will work out this situation with dead friends and perhaps, just perhaps, we'll get down to the cause."

"I have a feeling you already know what the cause is Jimmy."

" I do," The eyebrow raised again, looked around the room, cupped his hand next to his mouth as if telling a secret, " The cause, you see,  is you, Merrill."  

He removed his glasses and leaned in closer and took my hand, looking me once again in the eye with that all-knowing stare.

" The cause has always been you."

I looked back into those eyes.

"I don't understand Sir, the cause of what?"

"Why, The Terror, of course, The Terror."