Hallowed: The Collection

By Donald White

Cloaked figures gather around a stone table, perusing ancient parchments. It is All Hallows’ Eve, and they have come to hear tales of great terror. How a ghostly seduction drives a man to madness. Another walks the world of dreams and must come to face his nightmares. A child braves the dark of night, seeking out the place of friendship lost. There is a tale of foul murder, frustrated by forces beyond the mortal ken. There is the story of a wicked man, who faces monstrous vengeance. They shall hear of a quest for ancient treasure, and the inevitable perils of greed. In another, a woman’s paranoia makes her easy prey for an infernal beast. How one man’s obsession grants him power to indulge. They shall learn the dangers of rage, and the awful end for those who give in. And finally, the story of a man doomed to die who spends his last few days in the pursuit of revenge.

What is sacred? And to what purpose do we dedicate our lives? For only through the shedding of blood, can we be truly clean...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Donald White
• Release date: Dec 11, 2013
• ISBN: 9781311148124

Book preview

HALLOWED: THE COLLECTION

Published by Donald White at Smashwords

Copyright 2013 Donald White

Cover Art by Paul Chapman

Edited by Shawn O’Toole

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (Electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this story, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This story is a work of fiction. People, places, events, and situations are products of the author’s imagination. Any semblance to actual persons, living or dead, or historical events is purely coincidence.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Face in the Mirror

The Golden City

Night at the Lake

Lady Killer

The Thing in the Shadows

Temple of the Life-Giver

The Hound

Sole Obsession

Driving Angry

Letting Go

It was the time of the gathering. Cloaked figures assembled once more around the stone table. They had come, as they did every year to hear great tales of terror. Garbed as they were, one could barely tell one face from another. Were they male or female? It was hard to know.

Each stood silently, waiting for the Lore Master to speak. He studied them all from beneath his cowl. His robes did not distinguish him. Only his deep, resonant voice set him apart. Welcome, to the gathering. Open your ears to hear what must be heard. Open your minds and be guided to understanding. Open your hearts and receive these gifts, to the enrichment of the soul.

Those assembled, bowed their heads and a chanting began, To hear what must be heard. A guide to understanding. Enrichment of the soul. Then, they grew silent once more.

The Lore Master continued, In darkness men stumble. But it is the darkness within that they live with every day. Cast off the evil and purge the filth from your souls by the reading of the word.

And they chanted, The reading of the word.

Spreading out his hands, the Lore Master proclaimed, It is a glorious day of awakening. Learn from the folly of others, and you shall find the peace you seek. May our hearts be as one.

They responded, May our hearts be as one.

The Lore Master picked up a roll of parchment. Man is so easily seduced, and will sacrifice much to fulfill his wishes. But what he wants can become a curse, and thus begins a journey into madness. He handed it to the person next to him, who then began to read:

THE FACE IN THE MIRROR

Sunlight glinted off the blue water, as Drake dipped his net into it. He bent over, sweat glistening on his skin. The man had a muscular physique, with dark hair and eyes. As he leaned down to skim the surface of the water, while gripping the long handle... Jenna let out a sigh. That pool boy is sooo handsome. She watched him from inside the house. The woman was small, with a soft, supple frame, and long blond hair.

He turned around, looking right at her.

Jenna's eyes went wide.

The pool boy smiled, beckoning her with a finger.

She felt moisture between her legs. Jenna stood up shakily, proceeding out to the patio, clad in only her nightshirt. Uh, hello?

Drake nodded at her. Good morning, ma'am. He gripped the handle tightly.

Jenna glided over to him. What was your name again?

He leaned back, still holding the long handle. Drake, ma'am. Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you.

Jenna giggled. It's quite all-right. I had to get up, anyway. She looked him over. It must get hot out here, Drake.

It does, ma'am.

She bent over, gripping her knees. Is there something I can get you… to help cool you off?

The man grinned. No, ma'am, I like it hot.

So do I, she smirked, patting him on the rear!

Drake just looked at her. Then, he nodded.

Jenna came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Isn't there anything better you can think of to do with your stick?

It's a net, ma'am. Not a stick.

She reached around and fondled him. "I wasn't talking about that stick, silly boy."

Well ma'am, he chuckled, letting go of the net. I can think of a few things. He grabbed the woman and guided her down onto her back.

Jenna softly cooed. Take me, pool boy. Oh, take me...

***

No. No, no, no. David balled the piece of paper up. This is stupid. He tossed it into the trash can. The frustrated writer held his head in his hands. It's not working. It's just not working. David was unshaven and unkempt. Clothes were scattered on the floor of his apartment. He wore a short-sleeved shirt, which used to be white. The yellow of his teeth matched the yellowish stains on his walls, from all the smoking he did. David pulled himself up out of the chair.

His apartment consisted of just one bedroom, and a moderate-sized living/dining area. David walked over to the refrigerator, scratching himself with one hand. He opened the door, and pulled out a can of beer, popping it open and drinking as much of it as he could in one swallow. Then, he let out a long, satisfied belch. Ahhh… He held the can to his forehead, feeling the coolness. Did I ever tell you, you're my best friend? He grabbed a bag of potato chips and started to eat.

For several moments, David stood there eating and drinking, mulling over his problems. Nobody's going to fall for this one. The old pool boy routine. I can't believe I'm even thinking of using that. He scratched his scraggly beard, getting a finger stuck in it. Annoyed, he yanked it free, yelping in pain. David just shook his head. You're losing it, man. You've got nothing. He thought about pulling out some reference material. David walked over to the video rack. Maybe the one with the twins and the cable guy might help.

He put in the video, grabbed the remote, and plopped down on the recliner. A roach crawled across the arm rest, and he knocked it to the floor. David pointed the remote control at the television, and turned it on. Then, he pushed play to start the tape. He watched for a few minutes, until his weary eyes could take no more and he fell asleep.

***

David opened his eyes and stared at the television. The movie was over. Damn. I couldn't even stay awake. He sighed heavily, yawning and stretching. What do I do now? No good ideas mean no story. All that work to finally get published and now I can't come up with anything. He struggled to get to his feet, and stooped to pick up the fallen beer can. Sorry, buddy. I completely forgot about you. He glanced over at the clock. Damn, two-thirty in the morning. He scratched his head vigorously. That chair must have been dipped in chloroform. I can't sit down in it, without going out.

Stumbling into the darkened bedroom, he collapsed on the bed. Think, man. Think! You're a writer. You can make a story out of anything. It had been so easy before. Write a few pages, add a twist or two, and you had a little story. Send it away to several magazines, and then wait for the rejection letters to come rolling in. But eventually, he got published. And then, he got published again. None of those works had been of the erotic type, but right now, he needed a change: something fresh, something new.

But nothing would work. Schoolgirls? It's been done. Nurses? Done. French maids? Done way too much! He had tried to use the old lonely housewife gimmick. But erotica turned out to be harder to write than it seemed. Man, what am I going to do? David lay, staring at the full-length mirror on the wall. He chuckled to himself, thinking about how it was the cleanest thing in his apartment. I need a maid. Maybe one of those cute little ones, dressed in a little French maid outfit? David gargled a chuckle, staring up at the ceiling. Sure it's been done... but never to me! He shook his head... noticing something out of the corner of his eye.

David grew still, feeling a chill. You saw something, man. You know you did. He doubted, I didn't see anything.

From right beside him, a light, feminine voice spoke. David? David?

He turned, but there was no one there.

The voice spoke again. David? Daaavid?

Her tone was soft and sweet, but it sent shivers up his spine. David could feel someone staring at him… but from where? He trembled: the mirror.

Daaavid? Please look at me, David.

He didn't want to. Every fiber in his being, told him not to. This isn't real, man. You're just having a bad dream. But slowly, he turned his head to the side, and looked into the mirror. Even in the darkness of the room, he could make out the face of a woman in the reflection behind him!

David rolled onto the floor. He jumped to his feet, and switched on the light. Then, he stared into the mirror.

In the reflection, he saw a woman on the bed behind him. There you are, David.

He blinked his eyes... but she was still there.

The woman winked at him. Lie with me, David.

He turned around, but there was no one on the bed. But he could feel someone... or something else in the room with him. It's just a dream. Man, it's got to be a dream. I'm asleep. Yeah, that's it.

David? Don't you like me, David?

He glanced over at the mirror once again. The woman was beautiful, with long, blond hair, and the most piercing blue eyes he had ever seen. She was wrapped up in the bed sheet, and was smiling at him. What the hell is going on here?

David? Are you all right, David?

He just stared at her haunting beauty, replying through quivering lips "Yeah. Sure. But who are you?"

My name is Melanie. I came here for you, David.

Oh, man. Uh, hey there! He jerked his head around, but saw no one.

Over here, silly.

David looked at the mirror, and Melanie was beaming back at him. Uh, sorry honey… I mean, Melanie… I mean, what do you want me to call you?

Call me anything you like, David. She pursed her lips.

He closed his eyes, standing there for a moment. I've lost it. My mind is gone. I look in the mirror, and I see a girl. I look at the bed, and nobody’s there! This has got to be a dream. This has really got to be a dream. A grin slowly overtook his features. If this is a dream, then I can do what I want… me and her. After all, she really seems to like me. Sure, baby. Let's have some fun. He opened his eyes, looking into the mirror. So Melanie, what brings a pretty girl like you to a place like this?

"I came for you, David. She patted the bed. Lie with me. Please?"

The grin on his face widened. Sure baby, anything for you. He lay down on the bed, feeling something lying next to him. He thought, Man, this is kinky. David felt something on his chest. He looked at the mirror, and saw Melanie's arm resting on him. Inside, he was yelling, This is the best dream ever! The man stared at her reflection.

Hey baby, how about a kiss?

Melanie drew back. No, David.

He was perplexed, But why?

Because, silly, your teeth are yellow. Your breath smells. Your facial hair is unkempt. When was the last time you bathed?

David chagrined, When did my mother enter this dream? Then, he gave a look of disgust at the realization of what he had just imagined. Melanie?

No, David. Not until you're clean.

But baby...

You can lie with me, David; but that is all you can do, until you take care of yourself.

He frowned, wondering, What kind of a dream girl did I get stuck with anyway? He rolled out of bed, and gazed at her reflection.

Melanie looked away, crossing her arms in front of her.

David stumbled into the bathroom. Some dream: I have to take a bath before I can have any fun! He shut the door.

2.

David opened his eyes, thinking, That was the best dream I've ever had! He turned his head slowly to the side. Never before has a dream girl done... He looked into the mirror. Though the reflection was his own, he noticed something that filled him with dread. I'm clean-shaven? How did that...?

David's eyes went wide, as he realized the shower was running in the bathroom. I guess I must have left it on. He tasted something in his mouth. Mint flavor? What the hell? David shivered and shook on the bed, as the water continued to run. Somebody broke in last night. Yeah, that's it. They got some grease on them, and had to take a shower. David bit his lip. Even he did not believe that one. The man froze in place, not knowing what to do. He knew somebody was in his bathroom. David was filled with both curiosity and apprehension. Man, what's going on here? He closed his eyes. Maybe I'm still dreaming.

The sound of running water ceased.

David trembled all the more. I'm guessing this isn't the pleasant part of the dream. He heard noises in the bathroom. His imagination went wild. That sounded like a foot being placed on the floor. That sounds like a towel being pulled from the rack. There's some kind of rubbing sound. And then, silence. He closed his eyes, turning away from the door. You're losing it, man. There's nobody in there. This is a dream… just a dream. He felt a slight patch of moisture underneath him. David sighed fearfully. I guess that means this is a special dream.

The knob on the bathroom door started to turn.

David's eyes shot open. Oh, shit. He heard a soft padding on the floor, and glanced down. There on the tiles were patches of moisture, resembling human footprints. He jerked his head toward the mirror, seeing someone else's reflection standing next to the bed! Oh, shit!

David? Calm down, David, it's just me. Melanie.

Oh! Uh, good... good... morning?

She leaned closer. Good morning, David.

He fell back against the pillow, feeling something pressing against his lips! Inside, he screamed, Holy shit! I'm kissing a ghost! The pressure on his mouth was gone. David could feel something brushing against his front. He looked

Reviews for Hallowed

[eisah-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a non-reciprocal review.The first thing I noticed about this book was the formatting. I had a mobi file, and there were no page breaks. The table of contents starts right under the copyrights (on the same page), and then the story starts right under the table of contents, instead of each having their own pages.It opens with something to set the scene to connect the stories. That's an interesting enough concept since most short story collections like this don't bother to link them.However, picturing a bunch of people in robes standing around a stone table and reading the tales can be pretty humorous at moments. Why?Well, imagine a hooded figure standing in a circle with other cloaked figures, reading a scroll. Now, imagine that cloaked figure reading this from the scroll:"That pool boy is sooo handsome."I keep picturing the cloaked figure adding some sass into that line.The author also threw in lines with exclamation points, which made it read more like a comic book instead of a horror story.""So do I," she smirked, patting him on the rear!""Even in the darkness of the room, he could make out the face of a woman in the reflection behind him!""There, in the darkness of his bedroom, was the face of a woman staring back at him!"There were some good ideas here. For example, in the second story the idea of having children jumping rope to a rhyme, and the rhyme changing to be a little more sinister each time could work well in a scary story.But the execution was lacking.For example, I spent much of the second story confused because it goes right into mentioning the "realms" and "the mist" without explaining anything about them. I had no idea what the setting was supposed to be or why the main character seemed to find it all normal. The text bounced back and forth without making it coherent, so he would be entering "the mist" and then suddenly he would be somewhere where kids were jumping rope."Lady Killer", I think, was one of my favorites both in the story and writing style. Both of the characters were interesting, and there could probably be a series written about Lisa. "The Hound" was also pretty good. "The Thing in the Shadows" was fine, too, although it had purple prose breaking up the story that I thought was unnecessary."Temple of the Life-Giver" felt like way too much was crammed into a short story.The writing improved significantly from "Lady Killer" and on, but it still maintained the issues the previous stories did to a lesser extent. When I started reading the book, I thought I was going to end up giving it 2 stars after the first few stories. It started off with way too many italic thoughts, and the writing in the beginning didn't build suspense for me (you can see some of the quotes from above). The latter parts of the book felt a lot different. The characters were built up better in most of them and the writing was more polished.Still, because the writing did get better later on I bumped it up to 3 stars. It would be great if an editor looked over the work to fix it up.