Bad Weather

It's a Family Addiction
by Robert Baucom

Emily Miller

First Boy
by Denise Brown
Third Place Winner, Fiction

January 9, 2008

HAYDEN, Idaho- A man believed to be in his twenties was hostpitalized last night after severing and then microwaving his own hand. When ambulances arrived at the house, the young man had lost consciousness due to blood loss. Authorities say they are unaware of the reasoning behind such a tragic event and unsure if the victim had any past history of mental illness. The man is currently in stable condition at Kootenai Medical Hospital.

The snow outside was masking the town in gray haze as Russell watched from the couch. The violent wind kept smacking the snow into the thin glass window in an annoying rhythm. Russell searched the room for something else to do but finding nothing of interest came to settle on the couch and landing on the dead TV screen. When was the last time I paid the bill? These days the only thing that ever flickered across the screen was the reflection of life inside his tiny trailer.

A loud clatter followed by a meow startled him.

“Mreow,” the trashcan seemed to say.

“Pauly?”

“Mreow,” the garbage replied.

Russell reached in and rescued the gray tabby, named after his favorite apostle. He loved that cat. It was always getting into trouble and shed so much it’s a miracle the thing wasn’t completely bald, but it was the only company Russell had in his lonely trailer these days. As Pauly made his way up his arm, and Russell could feel the cat purring as he returned to the couch. Russell returned his gaze to the gray lifeless screen, but this time his mind couldn’t wander. The snow wouldn’t let up. It just kept pounding on the window. THUD thud THUD thud THUD thud THUD thud THUD. He was growing more anxious and infuriated by the sound with each pound. THUD thud THUD.

The phone rang, “Hello?”

“Good afternoon sir. How are you doing this fine afternoon?” said the voice on the phone.

“I’d be doing better if it wasn’t snowing, who is this?”

“My name is Luci from the cable company. We wanted to inform you that you are now five months behind and late fees are being added weekly. However, due to the impending blizzard…”

“Blizzard?”

Russell had been getting prank calls all week which he attributed to the snow. Kids had been out of school for a week and a half now and were no doubt starving for entertainment. His favorite had been the kid who asked if he had any fruit. When Russell replied no the kid said, “You should get some, you know what they say, an apple a day keeps the devil away.” And then he hung up. “That’s what the weatherman is saying. Anyhow I’m calling to inform you that with the dangerous weather ahead we will be reinstating one news channel for you to keep you updated on the status of the storm, for emergency purposes. When the storm has passed the channel will no longer be available to you .”

“Gee thanks.”

“Thanks for your time sir and we hope this will help to ensure your safety, enjoy your afternoon and we look forward to hearing from you soon. Goodbye.”

Russell turned on the tube and surfed through the channels. Nothing came but gray fuzz.

Russell chuckled to himself, Another prank call, muted the TV sound off and let the static squirm all over the screen. The rhythm of the snow was irregular now. The pattern was gone. Where did it go? This is worse. Where’s the pattern? Russell searched for some kind of format to the snow, but found none. Pauly sprawled out on the coffee table, knocking over an unopened bottle of little green pills that rattled as it fell to the floor. The frightened cat jumped onto the couch next to Russell and hissed at the bottle. You’re just having a day aren’t you cat? He picked up the pills and put them back in their spot on the table. His gaze lingered on them for a moment. He remembered the cute pharmacist who had filled the prescription two weeks earlier…

A brunette newswoman flashed onto the screen. What the hell?

“Some people both religious and scientific are saying the end may been sooner than we think Tom. Here is some footage from last night, not in recorded history has the moon been such a brilliant red before and people on both sides of the theological fence are in an uproar. Some members of the church are claiming the return of Christ, others are saying it’s the coming of the antichrist. Scientists argue its due to global warming and that our atmosphere has changed the appearance of the moon. No one knows for sure what caused the odd coloration just yet, but scientists are investigating. Up next, Barbie’s famous ex gets a makeover for the new generation.”

“You know I always thought Barbie was a tramp,” said Pauly, sitting up on his hind legs.

“Me too my feline friend,” replied the newswoman. “Me too.”

Russell’s eyes widened. But, the cat.. And the TV? But? He shut his eyes tight and shook his head, holding his ears. Not now, not now. When he opened them the cat was laying next to him again, sound asleep. The gray fuzz returned and the news was lost. Where did it go? Russell glanced out at the Show which was now piled up to the window. The cable lines must be out. The static from the speakers was almost unbearable but he let it blare because it was better than the pounding of the snow on the small window. The cat crawled into his lap and Russell scratched it between the ears and closed his eyes.

'Hello Russell' said a familiar voice that sent spiders of discomfort scurrying down Russell’s spine. As he opened his eyes a saw the sinister creature emerge from the gray lines.

“What are you doing here?”Not now, not now.

“Have you looked in the mirror today Russ?”

“What are you doing here? You are not supposed to be here.”

“It’s a simple question really,” replied the voice, “Have you looked in the mirror today, or not?”

Russell fidgeted and closed his eyes again. Shook his head. I’m fine, it’s fine, I’m fine. The voice laughed as Russell opened his eyes. The figure remained on the TV screen. Russell shut his eyes ad rubbed them hard but the figure wouldn’t leave. Go away go away go away “GO AWAY!”

Russell tried turning off the TV, turning off the picture, the voice, but nothing happened. Damn it not now.

“Oh for Fuck’s sake, why don’t you just look in the God damned mirror Russ? You always do, save us both the time and just look already.” The voice was angry now, irritated, but it was also right. No matter how much Russell wanted to say no, he always looked. Russell walked into the bathroom, not looking up, not yet, studying the tiles on the floor. Then the base of the wall, the sink, his toothbrush, the wooden frame, and finally his reflection in the mirror. There, on his forehead were two sixes. He’d seen them before, but they were always very faint, hard to see. This time was different. But how, why now?

“You’re missing something aren’t you?”

“Am I?”

“You are, but I’m certain you will find it on that sinister little hand of yours.”

Russell looked down at left hand and there on the top of his skin was a six. It looked like a scar; like a six had been burned into his skin and the raised remains were the six he saw. He could feel his heart racing in his chest, beating faster and harder with every quickening breath. He’d read about this, read about it many times. The storm, the red moon, the sixes. He knew what was happening. He was marked.

The voice of the beast resonated through the small trailer. “In just a matter of time, you will fulfill all the prophecies, everything I told you about will unfold in a matter of days. Mankind will never be the same and they’ll all have you to thank. Once that six makes its way up your arm, through your heart and to your head, you will become the ultimate evil, the antichrist.”

Russell was unable to calm his breathing. Hyperventilating and sure his heart was about to burst out of his chest, he was almost dizzy his mind was spinning so fast. He thought about that cute pharmacist, about his grandma. He remembered his little sisters and his mom. What’s going to happen to them? I can’t. Not now. It can’t happen, not to them, not to me. He had to get rid of that six. But how? How?

He ran to the kitchen sink and began scrubbing his hand with the dish sponge, but nothing happened. Come on, COME ON! He scrubbed harder but still nothing. He needed something more, something better. There’s steel wool under the sink. He grabbed it and began scrubbing, but the six remained. All he could sense was the six etched into his hand.

“It will never come off, just give it up.” The voice teased him from the television set. He glanced at Pauly for some kind of something, anything, but the cat merely stared in confusion at his frantic owner. Now you’re silent. Russell began trying every cleanser in the house, dish soap, borax, bleach, none of it worked. He tried burning it the top with a lighter, He winced as his skin melted away but the six remained. Holy shit is it moving already? It was closer to his wrist than when he first started scrubbing, not by much, but it had moved. He needed to work faster. He didn’t have much time.

“That six will never leave your hand,” the television smirked at him. The beast would not stop taunting him “as long as you live that six will never leave your body.”

Russell’s heart stopped. His breath froze in his nostrils. If the six wouldn’t leave his hand, his hand would have to leave his body. He understood now. It was clear. He sighed, relieved as he set out for the garage.

The Perils of Time Travel
by Ben Greenstein