A Soul in a Man

By James Skillman, Jr

Vincent Gray lived in a rural area growing up in Brownsville. Though in school he wasn't the popular kid, always picked on and bullied, he set out to find a way to get back at the kids that would do this to him. In Brownsville, a serial killer was on the loose. People were disappearing to be never seen again, people had their suspicions but nothing could be made clear. Vincent finally getting a clue on where he could go for help to take care of the bullies in school from Mason Thompson, a person he worked for. He set out for revenge and justice in his mind...

• Language: English
• Publisher: James Skillman, Jr
• Release date: Jun 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005535735

James Skillman, Jr

James Skillman was born in a small town in Pennsylvania, living most his life in the countryside town of Reynoldsville. He started writing when he was a teenager. He wrote poetry and dark poetry at first and had some of his works published at a young age. He has had an interest in everything horror from movies to books and also games since he was a kid. Interests including movies, reading, writing, games and adventuring, rather it be in a car, looking at new places, or walking in the woods.You can follow him on twitter at @Ginger_beardTV or follow his horror gaming at- https://www.twitch.tv/thegingerbeerdman.

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james skillman

A Soul in a man

Copyright © 2021 by james skillman

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

james skillman asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

First edition

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Contents

1. Chapter 1 Hell Hole

2. Chapter 2 Home

3. Chapter 3 High School

4. Chapter 4 Tarot Reading

5. Chapter 5 Through Vincent’s Eyes

6. Chapter 6 You feeling alright?

7. Chapter 7 Justice and Horror

8. Chapter 8 Serial Killer

9. Chapter 9 Psychotic

10. Chapter 10 A Soul In A Man

Even the nicest people sometimes, cannot turn the blackest heart.

1

Chapter 1 Hell Hole

In the town of Brownsville, things were always slow. It didn’t matter about how fast you were gonna get somewhere or the fact that you might be late. The only thing that mattered is that you got there safely. In the dark corners of Brownsville, there always held a dark secret from the past that nobody dug up unless you’re telling scary stories, that is. The town might have been a little slow to catch on, but the people of Brownsville knew something was wrong. People were coming up missing on the back of milk cartons or on the news, but something always seemed fishy about the whole subject because delivery trucks were always close to the scene at the time of the accidents or places the missing victims were last seen.

It didn’t make sense to most, people thought maybe it was a coincidence that there was always a delivery truck around them. On Decker Street, though, sat that delivery truck that was always on the news. People saw it there, of course, who lived on the street. Nobody was gonna ask questions though they were gonna let the police handle it, nobody got into other people’s business, let alone you might end up dead if they actually turned out to be the killer.

That truck belonged to Mason Thompson, a weird middle-aged man that hated people in general. It was easy to point his way, being how he was to people in all. The police didn’t think it was him though because he was always on routes, the times of people becoming missing so the pieces didn’t add up for questioning. Sheriff Gray though, who just got appointed to sheriff, didn’t leave anyone out and decided to personally go to his house to question him by himself. He wasn’t scared of anyone. In fact, he thought they should be scared of him.

The sheriff’s bronco pulled up onto Decker Street. He looked around at the neighborhood, thinking it was a pretty quiet place coming near the end of the dead-end road. He then parked the car on the side of the road in front of Mason’s house. The delivery truck was parked in the driveway, so he knew he had to be home. Sheriff Gray checked his gun inside the bronco, making sure it was loaded if he needed it before putting it back into the holster on his belt, getting out of the vehicle. He made his way slowly up to the house as he looked around some, not seeing anything strange as he knocked on the door. It wasn’t long until it opened, as Mason stood there looking at him.

Hello there newly Sheriff Gray congrats. What can I do for you today? Mason looked a little tired, but that was to be expected from a truck driver, he thought.

Thanks, well, if you watched the news, you would know why I’m here. We have some missing people being reported and every time there seems to be a witness stating your kind of delivery vehicle was seen in the scene area they were last seen. So we are doing a check-up on the vehicles that fit the description and yours is one of them, Sheriff Gray explained while he tried to look over his shoulder a little to look inside.

I’m not killing people and putting them in my truck or basement, if that’s what you’re asking, Mason kinda chuckled some.

Mind if I have a look around then? Will start at the delivery truck, then make our way through the house? Asked Sheriff Gray, being polite about it.

If it will make you happy, I don’t have a problem with it, Mason said, but under his breath, he was saying other words as he got the keys to his truck. He then stepped out on the porch with sheriff Gray as they walked over to the truck and he unlocked the back door. Sheriff Gray had his hand on his revolver as he did it, the door flung open. It was just an empty truck as Sheriff Gray looked around inside. He didn’t see any dried-up blood or suspicion that something could have happened, at least not with a DNA kit to look for the blood he thought.

Happy about the truck? I don’t get another load till morning, Mason said, looking at him with a smirk, then a chuckle.

Yeah, close it up. Will move through the house now, Sheriff Gray started walking back up to the porch as Mason closed the door to the back of his truck, then met him up there. Mason opened the door as they went inside the house. Sheriff Gray looked around the house, beginning to eye everything down, trying to see if anything was out of place or suspicious he could ask about. Mason followed behind him, watching him as they were making their way through each room of the house, making it to the kitchen. He didn’t go upstairs, more because it was only him and if something was to happen, he didn’t want to be cornered.

Everything looks good to you? Did I pass the police inspection? Mason said with a smart chuckle as Sheriff Gray looked out the back window, seeing a boy digging a hole that looked very familiar. He then opened the back door as he went out on the back patio, looking down at him as Mason followed him.

Oh, that’s Vincent. He earns money for helping me with my garden and other things I need around my house, Mason explained, but sheriff Gray already knew him.

Vincent stuck the shovel into the ground as he picked up more dirt, tossing it to the side. His clothes were full of dirt from digging, but he was lean but built enough to move the dirt. He wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Vincent, what are you doing down there? Asked sheriff Gray as Vincent looked ahead at the fence. As he knew the voice as he slowly turned around, looking up on the porch at him.

Digging, Michael, what are you doing here? Asked Vincent, looking up at him with a sour look.

Checking up on a report and it’s sheriff Gray when I’m in the suit and uncle Gray when I’m not! Sheriff Gray told him as Vincent waved to him to leave as he turned around and started digging again.

What are you digging that for? asked sheriff Gray, looking down at him. He looked around the yard, noticing all different sizes of holes also he thought it was weird for a garden.

For gold, sheriff wanna help? Asked Vincent sarcastically as sheriff Gray shook his head, Mason just smirked.

I’m done here. Vincent get home soon it’s gonna get dark and I don’t want to have a call from your parents or pick you up past curfew, said Sheriff Gray, Vincent just shook his head and kept working, he knew what he had to do and when to be home. Gray then walked back through the house leaving in his bronco in front. There was nothing more he could do and nothing in plain sight to get him on.

You know that man? Asked Mason, looking over at Vincent wondering.

"Ya, that’s my asshole