Horror Master: A Compilation of Twenty Short Stories

By James W. Cook

We live in a scary world, and we hear about it every night on the news. Yet, it is perhaps the stories that dont make the news that are the most horrificthe stories that remain in the dark, never to be unveiled. These haunting occurrences often end in blood and torment, but youll never hear about them unless they happen to you.

In Horror Master, author James Cook brings together twenty stories of pure terror. Meet the new town sheriff who has to deal with a local mans dead body found in the lake and the possibility of a horned beast. Find out what happens when you lie to a madman, and witness a doctor who performs sadistic treatments on criminal patients.

There is an underground prison and a small town torn by trauma. Theres a crazy gunman who needs to be taken down, and ask yourself: what could possibly go wrong with the circus in town? Find in this collection stories that will shock you into a state of pure panic and paranoia. Close the pages and realize it could all happen to you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: May 20, 2016
• ISBN: 9781491794845

James W. Cook

The author was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania on March 1, 1951. I attended Freedom High School in Bethlehem Pennsylvania as well as LCCC. I am also a U.S. Army veteran having served from August 1968 through August 1971 as well as being a Vietnam Veteran. I am the proud son of the late William and Thelma Cook.

Book preview

THE INHABITER

The sleepy little town of Brookdale, Vermont has had its share of excitement over the years, but things were about to change. The newly elected sheriff, Sheriff Lonnie Benson, had recently moved to town from the busy streets of Chicago and although he had thought he had seen everything, he was soon to discover he had not seen everything. He thought he had given up the mean streets of Chicago for the peace and quiet life that Brookdale had offered. It had old style Victorian style houses as well as cottages along the many lakes that summer time had its numerous vacationers visit.

The July fourth holiday was still five weeks away yet what was about to happen made it seem as though it was just around the corner.

It all started the day little Dexter Wiley was walking his dog down to one of the lakes to do some fishing when he discovered something floating along the edge of the water. As Dexter and his dog got closer, he noticed it was a body. By the time he stood next to the body, he saw it was none other than old man David Cox. Cox was an elderly man of sixty-six years of age and a fixture in the community. He once owned the local grocery store but since his wife died several years ago, Cox decided he could no longer continue to operate the store alone so he sold the business and retired. Cox would spend most of his time fishing or walking along the road setting up his easel and doing some sketches of the scenery to paint and later sell at his stand at the farmer's market during the weekends. It brought him extra money and kept him busy.

Dexter, running as fast as his feet would take him, ran back to town and notified the sheriff what he had discovered. Panting from excitement, Dexter tried to explain that he had found old man Cox dead by the lake. Sheriff Lonnie Benson tried to calm Dexter down and after finally getting some information from Dexter, Sheriff Benson got in his squad car and raced to the lake.

Once the sheriff got there he did not see anything at first, but after several minutes had passed, he saw something floating near the shoreline a few hundred yards north of his position. It appeared to be wearing a red plaid shirt and a fishing pole laying besides the body. Even from that distance, the sheriff could see with great detail what laid before him.

Stumbling through the sandy soil, Sheriff Benson made his way to the body and saw for himself that it was indeed, like Dexter had said, was the body of David Cox. Sheriff Benson grabbed Cox by the shoulder and turned him over unto his back. It was then that Sheriff Benson saw what had happened to Cox.

Something or someone had ripped out all of the vital organs from the body. Everything was missing, but who or what could have done this and why. Sheriff Benson returned to his car, drove to the scene of the crime, and staked the area off by placing crime scene tape around the perimeter. Sheriff Benson called in for the coroner as well as two of his deputies and an ambulance. Sheriff Benson was unaware that this was just the beginning of a nightmare that would consume this town and himself. Sheer terror was about to begin and ending was far from over.

While all of this was going on, things were normal down at Fry's Auto Repair. Jasar Fleming, the mechanic, was busy fixing a sixty-seven Chevy that Mayor Arnie Hancock had brought in for repair. Mayor Hancock prized that old Chevy so much that if there was a flake of dust on the hood, he would get out the hose and wash the entire car. Jasars girlfriend, Stacy Jenkins was standing next to the car talking and just spending quality time with her man. Stacy was the kind of girl that most guys at the high school wanted to have as their own girlfriend but could never have.

Jasar and Stacy were unaware that something was lurking behind the garage and it wasn't friendly. It was what was responsible for what happened to David Cox and it was looking for its next victim. Stacy asked Jasar, Where's the bathroom, I have got to go bad? Jasar replied, Out the back of the garage. Stacy started making her way out the back door when she just missed seeing what was lurking behind the garage. As she sat on the toilet, Stacy could hear what sounded like a muffled growl. Thinking it was Jasar pulling a joke on her, Stacy yelled out, Stop it Jasar. None of your sick, weird, jokes.

As she returned to the garage, she started chewing out Jasar for playing the joke on her but Jasar just laid on the ground, underneath the car unresponsive to Stacy's demands to end the joking around.

Walking around the garage, unaware of Jasar not being responsive to anything, Stacy continued to check everything out at the station before saying goodbye and leaving for home. It would be hours before Stacy would discover how close she had come to becoming a victim herself.

It took about an hour before Sheriff Benson received a call from Fry's Auto Repair from a customer who had stopped by to get a tank of gas and had discovered the body of Jasar Fleming, his body apparently chewed open and his organs removed. Sheriff Benson now thought he had a serial killer on his hands now that he had two victims with the possibility that there could be more. Sheriff Benson would soon become aware that having a serial killer would be the least of his problems.

Once again Sheriff Benson had to tape off the perimeter as a crime scene. Deputy Foster would remain at the scene to investigate while Sheriff Benson would notify the family of Jasar Fleming.

As Deputy Foster was bending down to check the body for further bite marks, something was standing behind him, breathing down his neck, drooling slime down his back.

As Deputy Foster turned to see who it was, he saw the beast for himself. He screamed when he saw the large toothed, horned, hairy beast. The beast then opened Foster's mouth as wide as it would go, then breathed a gaseous liquid down his throat, succumbing his hairy body to the ground. He had taken possession of Deputy Foster's body. He had become the inhabiter. Now, nobody in Brookdale was safe and it would prove difficult for Sheriff Benson to know who was who in the community.

Having inhabited the body of Deputy Foster, the beast was free to roam the community, taking more victims to their deaths.

Sheriff Benson tried to get Deputy Foster on his radio in his patrol car with no luck, so driving as fast as possible, the sheriff arrived on the scene. Seeing the body of Jasar still laying on the ground and Deputy Foster nowhere to be seen, Sheriff Benson took out his flashlight and began searching the area, calling out for Deputy Foster.

In the mean-time back in town, Deputy Foster, or should it be the inhabiter, began searching for more victims. Walking along the back streets, he came across the beautiful, young lady named Meesha Wong. Meeshas parents owned the Chinese restaurant in town and Meesha did not want to inherent the place. She wanted to attend the university and become a biologist. The inhabiter, seeing Meesha Wong walking the dark street, made his way towards her and once behind her, his breathing made her turn around and when she saw him as Deputy Foster, her fears subsided.

Miss Wong then said, Deputy Foster. How are you doing tonight? Just that quick, the inhabiter lunged forward, attacking Miss Wong, grabbing her by her arms and forcing her to the ground, her screams were muffled by one of Deputy Foster's hands while the other hand ripped open Miss Wong's chest. Miss Wong's screams began to subside finally resulting in death as the inhabiter began to rip out organ after organ and eating each one. Every organ he ate only made him more powerful and the vast amount of blood encouraged him to seek out another victim. One would think that his lust for blood would have been satisfied by this action, but no, it only made him want to seek out another victim.

Once he left, Miss Wong's body was motionless, void of all her vital organs and practically drained of most of her blood. Within a few minutes, three dogs cautiously walked over and began licking what was left but were noticed by a woman named Vicky Butterfield. Once Vicky got closer to what was left of Miss Wong's body, Vicky left out an ear piercing scream, so loud that people were awaken by the sound. Within a minute or two a crowd had gathered and not to long after that a patrol car had pulled up.

It was Deputy Harold Ithika, a man in his late fifties whose parents had endured world war two as prisoners in the United States. They were Japanese and at that time were not trusted, yet were very patriotic. Harold never held a grudge against America, in fact, he loved his country. Telling everybody to disperse, Deputy Ithika walked over to the body of Meesha Wong. Deputy Ithika, nearly sick to his stomach himself, called in to the station to have Sheriff Benson notified that another person has been murdered and their body ripped open and their vital organs missing. By this time the sheriff was starting to become concerned that if there was a serial killer in his town, he had to find him as fast as he could or else there would be pandemonium. The last thing Sheriff Benson needed was for the town to start to panic, but without knowing that there was an inhabiter lurking around and for now disguised as Deputy Foster, there was not much the sheriff could do.

Once the coroner arrived, he was about to take the remains of Miss Wong to the morgue when Sheriff Benson pulled up. Stop," he yelled. Sheriff Benson wanted to see for himself what the body looked like. He saw for himself that it appeared the same as the other's and once satisfied, released the body.

The next evening people were gathered at the Silver Bar Café for some partying. The work week was over and people wanted to try to forget what all had happened during the week. Three people were dead or missing and Sheriff Benson and his men were nearly working round the clock to find the person responsible for the murders.

As the people gathered and danced the evening away, in walked none other than Deputy Foster, or should one say, the inhabiter. As he walked among the people, one lady asked, And where have you been for several days Deputy? My but your eyes are very green tonight. The inhabiter ignored the lady and just continued walking among the crowd, stopping every so often to sniff out a viable candidate to inhabit.

As the music reached a crescendo, more and more people hit the dance floor and the inhabiter continued on his quest being able to mingle about as Deputy Foster. After several minutes had passed, Deputy Foster came across a young lady who seemed to be the only wall flower in the establishment. Her name was Nancy Ruhl, twenty-five years old and still searching for that mister right. Deputy Foster noticing her vulnerability, introduced himself and asked her to dance. Shy as she was, Nancy at first was not sure whether she should but after some coxing on Foster's part, Nancy relented and rose to her feet and proved even to herself how quite a great dancer she really was. Even the other dancers on the floor were amazed at how well Nancy could dance.

As the evening drew to a close, Deputy Foster asked Nancy whether she would like him to escort her home since her had ulterior motives.

Nancy who had never really been with a man before, agreed not realizing the danger she was in. Deputy Foster gently placed her in the patrol car and drove her out to the woods, far from her apartment. Nancy thought perhaps Deputy Foster had intentions of playing a little hanky panky but he actually had other intentions. The beast within him showed itself to Nancy. The appearance of Deputy Foster gave way to the likeness of the inhabiter and soon the inhabiter had opened Nancy's mouth and forced himself inside her despite her screams. Now, the inhabiter had taken the identity of Nancy and the body of Deputy Foster had been pushed outside of the patrol car as the inhabiter began to open Foster's chest and rip out his vital organs to devour them, leaving only an open cavity where there were now only bones and chipped meat.

The inhabiter, full by now from his meal, began walking toward the depth of the woods leaving the remains of Deputy Foster and the patrol car behind. He has taken the body of Nancy and who knows who could become his next victim. Having Nancy's body would make it impossible to believe that she was the one he had taken control of and had to be feared.

Sheriff Lonnie Benson after three days without Deputy Foster showing up for duty, began to search for his whereabouts. Everybody he asked told him that the last time they saw Deputy Foster was three nights ago at the Silver Bar Café attending the dance. Sheriff Benson knew that Foster was not the kind of person that would just disappear without telling anybody his whereabouts, but still he had to investigate this as a missing person case. In the meantime, the inhabiter was on the prowl deep in the woods with people unaware that he had taken the identity of Nancy Ruhl. Later, a report came in that Nancy Ruhl was reported missing and since Foster and Nancy were last seen together, it was assumed that perhaps they had eloped. Nancy's parents ruled that out rather quickly saying their daughter was not emotionally prepared for settling down with a man since many years ago Nancy was raped by a fellow student at a high school she attended at another town.

Sheriff Benson told Nancy's parents, Well at least she's with Deputy Foster. She's safe with him. Little did anyone know that it was the farthest thing from the truth.

The July Fourth holiday is one week away and already guests from other town's are starting to check in at the Black Horse Inn, one of the town's most notable establishments dating back to before the Revolutionary War. It was even rumored that General Washington had even stayed at the Inn but there was never any solid proof as such.

As night had fallen, a group of teenagers were walking through the woods when they stumbled upon the body of Deputy Foster. One of the teens turned the body over and noticed his chest was ripped open and his organs were ripped away. The three girls with the group screamed in horror at the sight and one of the guys called the police with his cell phone letting them know they have found Deputy Foster's body.

About fifteen minutes later two squad cars approached the teens and four deputies came running over to where the body was laying. The teens, still mingling about, told the deputies that all they were doing was strolling through the woods when they came across the body. One of the deputies asked if they saw Nancy Ruhl anywhere. The teens having not seen her made the deputies fear for her safety. The one thing they did not know was that Nancy's safety had already been compromised. The inhabiter has taken control of Nancy, at least until Nancy's body becomes too weak to support the inhabiter, then he will have to seek out another victim in order to keep himself strong.

Once the deputies had taken down enough information from the teenagers and the ambulance had arrived to take the body of Deputy Foster away, the area had been secured for further analysis and soil samples were scooped up since there was a massive amount of blood scattered about.

Meanwhile, the inhabiter was making its way towards town, near the Black Horse Inn. Was Nancy's body becoming too weak already or was the inhabiter just seeking out a potential victim?

The next day and more tourists were arriving, so much so that the Black Horse Inn was starting to nearly run out of rooms. The inn had always had those who made early arrangements but they always had a few rooms available for those who came at the last minute. The owners of the inn, Skylar Jones and his lovely wife, Methea Jones, have lived in town since they bought the inn about seven years ago when they also came to town as guests from upstate New York. They fell in love with the town so much they never wanted to leave. The small town charm and the laid back way of life just drew them to this place, but as the countdown to the holiday approached, that laid back feeling would become nothing but a past memory.

Three days until the fourth and the inhabiter was beginning to weaken. Nancy's body was not able to support the inhabiter like the others, so it was time to search for another victim. Appearing as Nancy, the inhabiter walked along Highway 32 when a car approached from the opposite side of the highway. It was Roy Baskin, a kid from the Fry's Auto Repair who knew Nancy quite well. As his car got closer, Roy saw Nancy walking along the edge of the highway. Turning his car around, he pulled next to Nancy and asked her, Hey Nancy, want a lift? The inhabiter, appearing as Nancy, just shook his head in approval, opened the car door, jumped in, and closed the door.

As the two pulled away, Roy began some conversation with Nancy but Nancy just sat there as though Roy was not even in the car. Roy then said, Nancy, what's wrong. You are not talking? The inhabiter, as Nancy, turned his head towards Roy, quietly sat there for a moment, listened to Roy say, God Nancy. You have got the greenest eyes I have ever seen. At that moment, the inhabiter attacked Roy causing the car to spin out of control and smashing head on into a tree. The inhabiter opened Roy's mouth and entered his body, then Nancy's lifeless body just lay on the seat while the inhabiter, now appearing as Roy Baskin, left the car and walked down the highway towards the old amusement park. Roy's car, smashed against a tree with Nancy's body inside, would stay there until it would be found the next day by Deputy Marlin while on patrol.

Deputy Marlin, checking the car's plate, discovered the car belonged to Roy Baskin, but where was Roy and why was Nancy's body inside Roy's car? Did Roy kill Nancy then smash into the tree while Nancy fought off her attacker? This was a puzzle that seemed to be growing lately. Even Sheriff Lonnie Benson was starting to think that there were too many coincidences to think otherwise.

Now with the strength of Roy Baskin, the inhabiter had temporarily taken refuge inside the old amusement park. He was full after eating some of Nancy's heart and lungs. As his green eyes looked toward the sky, he howled upwards as though he was a wolf like one would see in an old black and white horror movie from the forties. Where was he from and how did he get here? That question would be answered soon enough, but there were to be more victims before that question was to be answered.

Sheriff Benson was busy making final preparations for the Fourth of July festivities. Banners had already been hung throughout the town and along the main street. Sidewalks had been washed down, and even the park in the center of town was spiffy.

The day before the holiday and the sheriff's office was busy patrolling the town, making sure everything was in perfect order. The stores were busy and even Sam Cramer's Barber Shop was packed. Sheriff Benson even took his patrol car down to Jacky's Gas Station for a fill-up and some idle chit chat with Jacky. Jacky might be a female but she sure know's her stuff when it come's to a car's engine.

It was the night before the fourth and things were quiet in town, except down at Jacky's. She was busy finishing thing's up on a customer's car before taking the day off for the holiday. As she was under the car, the rear screen door slowly squeaked open, then closed. Jacky never heard the sound; she was too busy putting an oil pan back on a car. The intruder was none other than the inhabiter. As he approached, the inhabiter stood by the lift unnoticed at first, then Jacky turned her head and saw Roy Baskin standing there. Jacky asked Roy, What can I do for you at this hour Roy? As Jacky walked past Roy, he grabbed her by the arm, and as Jacky yelled loudly for him to let go, the inhabiter inside him began his assault, and in seconds had Jacky by the throat, opened her mouth, and breathed himself into her as Roy's body fell to the floor, lifeless as the other victims had become. Now the inhabiter had become Jacky and walked away from the gas station towards the woods leaving the lifeless body of Roy Baskin behind and no clue as to the whereabouts of Jacky.

The morning of the Fourth of July and Deputy Johnson began his day on patrol. His job was to conduct the first patrol to check out the town for anything out of place. Driving first down Main Street, Deputy Johnson found everything in it's place. As he proceeded throughout the town he found nothing out of the ordinary, then as he went farther away, he drove toward Jacky's Gas Station. Deputy Johnson saw the station's doors wide open and Jacky's car still in it's stall. It was unusual for Jacky to be at the station at this time of day on any given day, much less on a holiday. Deputy Johnson had a bad feeling that something was wrong.

As he drove up to the station, he looked around but did not notice anything unusual other than the fact that Jacky's car was still at the station. Leaving the patrol car, Deputy Johnson began searching first the outside of the station, then entered the office. Noticing nobody inside, he called out for Jacky, and still no response. Cautiously, he went into the bay area and saw the body of Roy Baskin lying next to a car. Checking the body, he saw the chest cavity had been ripped open and his vital organs removed. Deputy Johnson called in for an ambulance and the coroner, then noticed that Jacky was missing. As he taped off the garage area as a crime scene, Deputy Johnson remembered how the other bodies had their organs removed and that as they were discovered, the next victims were found in chronological order.

Deputy Johnson had just finished jotting down his report when Sheriff Benson pulled up to the scene. By this time the sheriff had grown accustomed to what's been happening around town and he wanted to catch the killer before the day's festivities began, which were to start in about four hours. Little did the sheriff know that as of now, the culprit was walking around town in the body of Jacky, which would prove difficult to catch the inhabiter.

By nine in the morning, people had started gathering in the center of town, at the park, where Mayor Arnie Hancock would officially start the Fourth of July festivities. Sheriff Benson had to be there since if he was absent, the mayor and the citizens of Brookdale might easily become suspicious. Sheriff Benson never missed the opening ceremonies and if he missed this one, it would be a first.

As the crowd grew larger, farther down the street came walking Jacky. Jacky appeared tired and dirty. As she stumbled down the street, Sam Cramer, the barber, came out of his shop and asked her if she was alright. That is when Jacky approached Sam and pushed him back into the barber shop. Sam began to complain about the amount of force Jacky was using against him, but no sooner had he opened his mouth to speak, Jacky, or the inhabiter, spread his mouth even wider, and began to breath himself down inside him. Once inside Sam Cramer, the inhabiter as always, ripped open the chest of Jacky and proceeded to eat her vital organs, leaving a bloody mess all over the barber shop.

With a blood soaked shirt, Sam left the shop and walked down the street towards the center square where Mayor Hancock was finishing his speech. As everybody was standing around, Sam Cramer continued walking and as he got closer to the podium, one lady saw his appearance and screamed in horror, seeing his blood soaked shirt. Mayor Hancock paused, looked up, and with the look of shock, saw Sam standing there, blood dripping from his shirt.

Sheriff Benson ran over to Sam and asked him what happened to him that he has so much blood on his shirt. Pausing for a moment, then turning his head towards the sheriff, he mumbled, Jacky attacked me and I had to defend myself. The sheriff asked him where Jacky was and all Sam did was walk away and head for the woods. That is when Sheriff Benson and Deputy Johnson headed straight down the street for Sam's barber shop.

Once they arrived at the barber shop, they saw the body of Jacky, laying down on the floor, her body ripped open and her organs removed, and blood everywhere. Deputy Johnson called in and ordered an all-points bulletin for Sam Cramer. Sam was now considered a murderer and was thought to be the person responsible for all the murders that the town of Brookdale has been experiencing lately. Despite this, the sheriff wants everyone to enjoy the holiday and leave everything to him. He promised that soon he would have Sam Cramer in custody and the town could return to normal. The one thing the sheriff did not know was that Sam Cramer was not the one responsible. The inhabiter was responsible and soon the sheriff and his men would discover that and have to find a way to deal with the inhabiter.

Deputy Johnson told Sheriff Benson that Sam Cramer was not the kind of guy that would kill, much less kill Jacky. Someone else has to be responsible, he said. Sheriff Benson replied, You saw all the blood on his shirt yourself. He has to be the killer. As the town celebrated, the inhabiter had returned to the woods, filled with the flesh that was Jacky's, waiting until the next time his hunger required he search for another victim. His time would come later that night.

Darkness had fallen and the town had begun to wander off to sleep. Tonight Deputy Johnson was on shift and it was he who would patrol the lighted streets of Brookdale. Deputy Johnson was not the type of person who scared easily, but tonight, even his fears would be tested.

It was around three in the morning when Deputy Johnson began his hourly patrol. Leaving Mabel Hopper at the station, Deputy Johnson first went down Main Street, then a few side streets before he finally drove down a few alleys. One of those alleys he thought he saw someone dash across in front of his patrol car as if in a hurry. Slowing down and using his spotlight, Deputy Johnson scanned the area, looking to see if anybody was up to some mischief. Farther down the alley, he stopped when he thought he someone standing near the rear of the barber shop. Getting out of the patrol car, using his flashlight, he approached the barber shop. That's when he got a look at who was standing there. It was none other than Sam Cramer. He was still wearing the blood soaked shirt and as he looked at Deputy Johnson, his eyes turned as green as an emerald and his mouth began to open, then as he started to attacked Deputy Johnson, Deputy Johnson ordered him to stop, and when he continued to run toward him, Deputy Johnson drew his revolver and fired several shots. Still, Sam Cramer came towards him and Deputy Johnson continued to shoot until he only had one round left in the chamber. That round he saved for Cramer's head and taking careful aim, he fired straight for his head. Suddenly, Sam Cramer's head exploded from the bullet and his body fell to the ground. That's when Deputy Johnson got the shock of his life. Rising from Cramer's body was the large, hairy creature, the inhabiter. He was tall and smelly, and he flashed his green eyes at Deputy Johnson as he turned towards the deputy then without reason, turned again and ran towards the woods, perhaps waiting for another time to claim a victim. Luckily for Deputy Johnson, the inhabiter was not in the mood to inhabit his body, at least for now.

Deputy Johnson, who was breathing heavily by now, returned to the station and told Mabel to call Sheriff Benson immediately and have him come to the station along with the other five deputies. Deputy Johnson knew this thing had to be destroyed and it had to be before somebody else is possessed by the inhabiter.

When Sheriff Benson arrived, Deputy Johnson told him what he experienced and the sheriff at first did not believe him, but Sheriff Benson knew that Johnson was not the kind of person to make up stories, especially at four in the morning. The inhabiter was on the loose and had to be killed before someone else becomes his next victim.

As the patrol cars made their way towards the woods, the inhabiter was already making it's way towards town through the old amusement park. The sheriff was not aware that the inhabiter was using the park as a way of entering the town as well as the highway leading from the woods.

As the police were searching the woods, the inhabiter was busy searching for another victim in town and he happened to find his next candidate. Taking a smoke break was Tyler Winston, a young kid who works down at the diner. Tyler never smokes inside his apartment for fear his landlady might catch him and evict him so he always stands a few feet away from the building.

As Tyler was enjoying his cigarette, the inhabiter casually strolled up behind Tyler and silently grabbed him by the collar and twisted his neck, just enough to turn him around so to breath down his throat, which by now was wide open, screaming in pain from being twisted. As the inhabiter continued his assault, a neighbor, Josh Oswald was witnessing the whole episode. Grabbing his gun, Josh took careful aim and fired a round square at the inhabiter, causing it to let go of Tyler. As Tyler's body dropped to the ground, the inhabiter started to run towards Josh. By this time one of the deputies had returned to town to obtain a shotgun. As the deputy was turning down the street, he saw the inhabiter run toward Josh Oswald and grab him by the collar, twisting his neck and begin to breath down his throat.

Once the inhabiter had finished occupying Josh's body, it started to walk towards the woods, and that made the deputy radio ahead to tell the sheriff what he had just witnessed and to let him know that the inhabiter was now in the body of Josh Oswald and to take care not to kill Josh.

The deputy ran over to check on Tyler and once he knew Tyler was alright, he helped him to his feet and took him home. All while every citizen was asleep, things were certainly heating up in town. The sheriff ordered that reinforcements from neighboring communities be brought in to deal with this situation. This problem seemed to be larger than believed and even the sheriff and his department was not capable of handling it alone.

As the sheriff and his deputies were about to call it a night, one of the deputies saw in the distance Josh Oswald walking along the old dirt road leading down from the old saw mill. Sheriff Benson instructed his men to use caution and that he would approach Oswald to see for himself if he would be able to see if Oswald was indeed possessed.

As Oswald got within one hundred feet, Sheriff Benson ordered him to stop. Oswald, who was now possessed by the inhabiter, slowly walked toward the sheriff, his green eyes staring down the sheriff. Sheriff Benson could see that Oswald was not about to stop. Backing down, Sheriff Benson retreated and ordered his men to aim and shoot Oswald. Five deputies and Sheriff Benson took aim and fired their weapons and Oswald fell to the ground, dead as dead could be. As Sheriff Benson ordered his men to cease fire, Oswald's body was at first motionless, then in a few seconds it started to move and shake. As the sheriff and his deputies watched, the inhabiter left the body of Oswald the same way he entered, through the mouth, and the hairy, dirty beast stood before them, growling as if he were a bear, all nine feet of him.

Sheriff Benson ordered his men to fire their weapons at the inhabiter and as they did, the inhabiter lunged at one of the deputies, pulled out his chest and ate his still beating heart. Just watching in horror the inhabiter kill their partner and eat his heart made the deputies wonder what kind of beast they were dealing with and most importantly, where the hell this thing came from. As the beast threw the deputies lifeless body to the ground, he began to walk away from the police, all the while as they continued to fire their weapons,