The Paper Mache Man

By Jesse Pullins

Two friends bond over increasingly unsettling films. When the envelope is pushed too far, a wedge is formed between them, pushing one to delve into the disturbing unknown of the deep web. Upon the discovery of a seemingly forgotten forum, a single question begins to torment them: "Have you heard of The Paper Mache Man?"

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jesse Pullins
• Release date: May 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9780463969342

Jesse Pullins

Jesse Pullins is an author from the Midwest. Specializing in horror and suspense, he enjoys writing exciting tales of the unnatural and otherworldly. He draws heavy inspiration from horror games of the 90's to today, as well as classic slasher films and chilling animations. His other books are cheap thrills vol.1 and Undulating Flesh.

Book preview

The Paper Mache Man

By: Jesse Pullins

Smashwords Edition

Copyright ©2022, Jesse Pullins

Cover illustrated by Alexander Clark

For The Scarystory Collective. A place where it doesn’t matter what corner of the world you’re from, a kind word and some inspiration can always be found.

"There was a HOLE here. It’s gone now."

—James Sunderland (Silent Hill 2)

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 1

Emily wanted to be scared. At first, I shared her enthusiasm, setting up movie nights twice a week and chewing through an ever-growing list of the scariest films we could find. I was a pretty big movie buff myself, so I contributed my own favorites to the list. It started innocently enough. Emily had just gone through a bad breakup and was trying to take her mind off the hurt. As her roommate, I was happy to lend a helping hand. It had nothing to do with the fact I was infatuated with her. I knew she didn't see me that way, it was something I had to stomach and forget about. Sometimes someone just needs a friend.

We started with the classics. Michael, Jason, Freddy, Pinhead, Leatherface. Bowls of popcorn, cans of light beer. Some nights we ordered Chinese take out, laughing and pointing with chopsticks as unfortunate individuals screamed and met their demise. It was really fun, and experiencing the thrills once more built up a sense of camaraderie. It felt like it was more than a trip down memory lane. I thought the excitement wouldn't last for long, but it became a ritual of ours.

On the days we didn't work, we would go sit on a little bench by the lake and burn, excitedly scribbling more titles in a little red notebook to the list as we passed a joint back and forth. She would always wear this oversized Coheed and Cambria hoodie she bought online, two sizes too big from a shipping error. It was adorable, watching her jot things down, hood pulled up like she was hiding.

I hooked up an old PC rig I wasn't using to the living room TV, and we would use it to either stream or play DVDs we picked up from the bargain bins at the store. We would plot out the week's movies, twice a week, sometimes a third. We would always watch two movies back-to-back, often staying up too late discussing cheesy on-screen kills or chilling scenes.

As we crossed names off the list, we had the pleasure of revisiting old favorites. I always thought it would fizzle out when she found another boyfriend, but would always come back with more for next time. As the weeks passed, we relished in one iconic scene after another. Leslie Nielsen's stone-cold killer in Creepshow. The terrible Achilles tendon cut in Pet Cemetery. Angela's unforgettable face in Sleepaway Camp. As the films slowly haunted my dreams with childlike nightmares, I noticed a strange theme with our movie binges; none of it seemed to scare Emily.

Soon, she started to dig deeper. She started checking forums, going through list after list of top chilling horror movies, the ones that stuck with you for days. Soon the movie nights felt less like a fun hangout and more like a trial. I know it was lingering grief from the breakup, or a crisis of some sort. Everyone goes through the phase of gritty soulless movies, but it was starting to feel like punishment. I wanted to be there for her, but I started having to brace myself for each session. The uncomfortable silence in Calvaire, the way-too-long scene in Irreversible. I was rapidly approaching my limit, but Emily didn't even wince. Her eyes were glued to the screen, the awful imagery reflected in her gaze. As I fought the urge to look away, she was looking for something. Looking for more.

That night she opted for a third movie, and with that, a bottle of liquor. We usually didn't party like that, aside from the tokes on the lake and the light beer. Despite my reluctance, I agreed. We poured some roughly measured shots and sat in for the latest showing we had done yet. It was a movie I hadn't seen but had heard rumors about. A Serbian Film.

I... couldn't finish it. I was completely repulsed, it was nothing like the other movies we had watched. It was disturbing for the sake