The Dark Place In Your Mind: Strange Tales of Horror: The Dark Place In Your Mind, #1

By Brian C. Sloan

30 chilling tales of the paranormal, suspense, and psychological thrills await you in this short story collection. If you have a penchant for the macabre and unknown, then this is for you! Stories include:

• "Tell Me I'm Pretty" - Bella's obsession with her looks takes a very twisted turn.
• "Write Beside You" - Auto-writing sessions invite in an unwanted spirit with dire consequences.
• "Through the Eyes" - John has horrific visions in his sleep, but they're more than just dreams.
• "The Kitchen" - A city-wide program to reduce the homeless population works ominously well.
• "Lucid" - An experimental dream therapy turns into an unending nightmare.
• "I Dare You" - Adolescent antics include pranks, but no one's laughing after one fated night.
• "Imposter" - Sean is faced with the reality that someone or something looks just like him.

These strange tales full of dark twists and morbid fates will guide you through the depths of your inner horrors. It is those horrors that we hide between the spaces of what know...that insidious, wonderful, and dark place in your mind.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brian C. Sloan
• Release date: Apr 4, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224300006

Brian C. Sloan

Brian C. Sloan began writing at a young age, including fantasy stories and reviews in his high school newspaper. Always the avid horror fan, he began writing short horror stories and it quickly became his new passion.  He now writes horror exclusively in an ongoing series “The Dark Place In Your Mind.” Alongside writing, he enjoys video games, drawing, and movies. He lives in North Carolina with his wife Jessica.

Book preview

TELL ME I’M PRETTY

There was a girl named Bella Sikes who was 16 years old. Her family had raised her in a loving, positive atmosphere and always encouraged her to care about others. Yet, as much as they tried to influence her ideals, they always had trouble with Bella when it came to her own appearance.

Her family always told her that true beauty was on the inside, but Bella could not grasp this. Ever since she was young she spent countless hours styling her hair, trying on different clothes, and worrying about her appearance. Bella always got compliments on her eyes which were a deep, piercing blue. Because of this, she loved eye shadow and became fixated with it very quickly.

This obsession with Bella’s looks grew worse when she got her first doll. Her aunt gave her an elegant porcelain doll for her birthday. Bella was enthralled when she first laid eyes on it. She admired the grace and intricate detail. To her it was the perfect portrayal of beauty. Her favorite thing about the doll was how lifelike the eyes were. It made her think of how pretty her own eyes were.

Soon after, dolls became Bella's new obsession.

Mrs. Sikes would often find her daughter dressing like a doll and putting on makeup to look like one. She became so worried about the obsession that she began taking away clothing and makeup in hopes that it would stop her daughter’s excessive behavior. Unfortunately, this was to no avail.

Bella’s mother finally had enough and told her that if she didn’t stop obsessing over her appearance that she’d throw all the dolls away. Bella promised to stop with tear-stricken eyes, but soon continued the behavior as if it was impossible to stop.

At her wits end, Mrs. Sikes ransacked her daughter's room and threw all the dolls and makeup into the dumpster. This devastated Bella to no end. She screamed and cried for hours in total disbelief that all of her favorite beautiful things were being taken away. She even stopped talking and was sent to a psychiatrist for help. This endeavor also proved fruitless.

One day, Bella disappeared on her way home from school. After checking the most logical places to find her, Bella’s parents knew something was very wrong. Bella's cell phone was found in her locker at school, which was quite strange as she never went anywhere without it.

The only clue they had was a phone call Bella made that morning. This call was to a world renowned doll maker by the name of Samuel Black. Upon hearing the name, Bella's mother remembered that her daughter asked if she could buy a Samuel Black doll. This request was immediately denied due to Bella's obsession and the exuberant price range of the dolls.

After the police spoke to Mr. Black, they found that Bella contacted him personally about purchasing one of his dolls. This was both perplexing and disconcerting to Mr. Black because his number was not publicly listed.

Bella was upset at Mr. Black's rejection, offering to do whatever it took to get one of his dolls. Seeing that something was not right with Bella, Mr. Black abruptly ended the call after more of Bella's unending pleas.

The authorities checked more into Mr. Black, but there was nothing suspicious and he was quickly ruled out. He was especially forthcoming with the authorities and vowed to alert them should Bella ever contact him again.

The media quickly picked up the story and it was all over the news. While it was nice to think that more people could help her find Bella, her mother became very stressed from all the attention. She was glad when things finally died down around three months later.

Despite having no leads, the one thing that helped her through was the letters of encouragement she got from the public.

One day, Mrs. Sikes received an unusually large package at her door. She was not expecting one, but she reluctantly signed anyway. There was no return address, so she brushed it off as a consolatory gift from a sympathizer.

After tearing off the outer package, she saw the name Samuel Black on the box. With a hint of wariness, she opened it. Her fears were confirmed at the sight of the life-size doll inside the box. This upset her greatly.  She couldn’t fathom why someone would send her a doll after everything that she’d been through with her daughter.

Once she got over the initial shock, she saw in person just how detailed Mr. Black’s dolls were. This one was ornately decorated and the amount of detail was immaculate. She was awestruck at how real the doll’s glass eyes were. Bella’s mother was never a fan of porcelain dolls for this very reason. In fact, she found them downright creepy and the eyes on this one were especially eerie.

Shivering from the sight, she walked into the kitchen and phoned the doll maker’s company to vent her outrage.

Hello! Samuel Black Dolls, how can I help you? The secretary greeted her.

Yes, this is the mother of Bella Sikes. I can't believe you would let someone do this!

I'm sorry...what's the problem, miss?

Someone has sent me a doll from your company, which is just ludicrous! After all I’ve been through over Bella....I-I-I just...

Oh my....I am so sorry, Mrs. Sikes. I’ll look at our orders to see who sent it to you so you can file a harassment report, if you'd like.

Thank you.

Okay, I just need your address to confirm.

After checking for a moment, the secretary came back on the line with a puzzled tone.

Thanks for holding Mrs. Sikes. I—I’m not really sure how to tell you this but...it seems no one has ordered a doll from us that was sent to your address.

What?!! I demand to speak to Mr. Black then!!

Speak to....oh........

The solemnity of the words fell heavy on the mother's ears.

You...haven’t heard?

Heard what?

The police found Mr. Black in his home yesterday when he didn’t show up for work. He...he was murdered.

Murdered?!

Yes....they’re still investigating it. We’re all pretty shaken up about it...

Oh...I...I don’t know what to say. I’m...I'm so sorry...

It’s perfectly fine, Mrs. Sikes. It's understandable under the circumstances. You’ve been through a lot. Is there anything else that we can do for you today?

No....I don't think so.

Okay. Again, I'm so sorry and wish there was more I could do. If I overlooked an order with your address, I'll let you know first thing, okay? We’ll keep you in our thoughts.

Thank you.

Mrs. Sikes put her phone away and sat down in shock. She could only stare blankly at the wall for a few minutes as she processed the bleak news.

What is going on here? Who sent the doll, then? Perhaps someone bought it and sent it to me personally...

In a daze, she went back into the den where she left her package.  She almost fell over when she entered the den and saw the opened box.

The doll was gone.

Randy? She called hesitantly.

She hoped that her husband quietly stepped in while she was on the phone call. There was no response, so she texted him to make sure he wasn't there.

Her husband replied.

Still at work. Is everything okay?

After she read the alarming message, she noticed something odd on the packaging.

There was dried blood inside...

She had to hold her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. Backing away from the package, her mind raced as she tried her best not to panic. Then the cool touch of a porcelain hand grabbed her shoulder.

She screamed and pushed the hand off her as she ran for the front door, not daring to look behind her. Livid fear coursed through her body and quickly rose to a panic as she reached the front door.

The door was chained shut.

She heard a heavy clop of footsteps approaching her in the foyer and turned to see, despite not wanting to. The life-size doll shuffled into view and stared at her in silence.

Her legs turned to jelly and she shrank against the wall, waiting for the monstrosity to end her. As the thing got closer, she saw that a trail of blood oozed out from one of the doll’s pant legs.

Samuel Black’s blood....

The white porcelain face of the doll was now more horrific than before. Its bright smile was painted on, complete with blushed cheeks. Once it came face to face with Mrs. Sikes, the thing stopped and turned its head to the side in curiosity.

WHAT DO YOU WANT?!! Bella’s mother screamed.

Don't you like it? The doll thing said in a whisper.

Wh-wh-what?

The doll's voice was so quiet that she almost thought it was a hallucination.

I said ‘don’t you like it?’ The way I look?

At that moment, the mother realized why the doll’s eyes were so unsettling. They were a deep piercing blue, just like Bella's. She began to cry uncontrollably, not wanting to accept what was happening.

Don't worry, mommy. You'll get used to it. It's part of me now...like a beautiful evolution.

The mother continued sobbing in disbelief and shaking her head.

"Don’t be scared. It’s just me. Don’t you think I’m soooo pretty now? Am I just the most beautiful girl you've ever seen?"

A NIGHT AFTER WORK

I was on the verge of a panic attack. Sweat poured down my face as I clenched the steering wheel. Streetlamps rhythmically illuminated the car as I drove. My mind was everywhere at once. The closer I got to my house, the more I felt the anxiety build and beg for release. As I decided what to do from here, I recanted the night’s previous events.

I worked at a bar and got off at 10pm. It was just late enough to be on edge as I took the back exit through an alleyway. My fear was heightened when I noticed an unknown car waiting at the other end of the alley, blocking my passage to the street. Memories of my past flooded my mind...

Five years ago, I worked for some very bad people. In exchange for jail time, I gave information to the police and was relocated. Since then, I kept my act clean, but always kept a watchful eye in case my past decided to catch up to me.

With the ominous car blocking me from the alley, it seemed my reckoning was finally coming.

My hand was ready on my gun as I casually walked towards the exit. Two masked figures stepped out from the shadows and grabbed me. I fired off my gun in pure reflex and felt the weight of one person slump against me.

The second assailant had their hands up and shouted Wait! but I didn't give them a chance. No way I was gonna fall for that. After firing another round, the second person fell silently to the ground.

I had survived...but what next? Knowing the people I’d worked for, they’d have someone looking for me at home.

Oh God, they could have Julie! I had to make sure she was okay...

I almost ran to my car, but quickly decided against it. Taking their car was probably best. They wouldn't see me coming.

It all happened in a blur as my panicked mind went into overdrive. I couldn’t call the police. I’m not supposed to have a gun and having two bodies on my account wouldn’t help my case. They would never believe an ex-con, anyway.

I hopped into the car and made my way home, trying to stay at the speed limit as best as possible. Getting pulled over would only delay my efforts more.

I called Julie’s phone.

It went straight to voicemail.

Nonononono, I said under my breath.

I kept trying the number over and over, but it went to voicemail every time. I finally made it to my block within ten minutes, but it felt like an eternity.

I parked two houses over and walked to my home.

Unsettling was the most fitting way to describe my house. There were multiple cars nearby that I didn’t recognize and none of the lights were on. This was highly unusual, as we kept as many lights on as possible. Even when we're asleep, we keep at least two lights on inside so it appears someone's awake.

To try and stir up any movement, I knocked on the door and quickly crouched down in the nearby bushes. There was no answer, so I crept back to the door and put my ear against it.

Maybe it was my imagination, but I swore I heard faint murmurs and whispering. Going around back was the best entrance at this point so I silently made my way through the yard's side fence.

I heard the faint sound of my front door creak open, forcing me to double-time it to the back door. My adrenaline was pumping wildly and I had to make a conscious effort to breathe slow and deep. I could practically hear my pulse hammering in my ears. Finally, I was able to get my faculties under control.

My quivering hands barely managed to unlock the back door and I crept in while trying my best to breathe shallow.

In the darkness of my home, I heard muffled shuffling from the den. I had to wait for a moment to let my eyes adjust. I almost jumped out of my skin when I beheld a figure right in front of me with their back turned.

Holding my breath, I crept up and grabbed the figure around the neck and put the muzzle of my gun to their head.

Where are you keeping her, you son of a....

The lights flipped on.

SURPRI—

The words cut off as I witnessed all my friends together in the den whip around in confusion to greet me. They gasped at the sight of me holding a gun to my friend’s head.

Holy shit! What are you doing, Cameron?! My friend yelled.

I immediately let go and my poor friend crawled away on the floor and sat there in shock. As someone tended to them I just stood there, completely taken aback by everything.

Oh, I’m uh...so-s-sorry...

I holstered my gun as I caught my breath.

Cam, are you okay? What’s going on? My next door neighbor asked.

Y-yeah. I-uh, hah....I've just had a-uh really jumpy night.

Damn, man. You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Relax man, it’s just a surprise birthday party.

I took another breath and laughed hysterically for a moment. Here I was, thinking I was going to get assassinated in my own home and it was a surprise party! The fact that it was my birthday never even occurred to me.

Oh my God...you guys scared the bejeezus out of me! I said. You wouldn’t believe the night I’ve had!

I felt giddy with relief. The masked goons in the alley seemed distant because I was so elated that my home wasn't infiltrated. We chatted for a couple of minutes and I apologized profusely for being so paranoid.

Yeah, you scared us pretty good there, buddy, said Anne, my wife’s best friend. Especially since we didn’t see Ryan’s car.

"Ryan’s car? Wouldn't you be watching out for my car?"

No. I guess they changed their minds last minute. Ryan and Julie were supposed to surprise you when you got out of work. They even had a cake. Haven’t you seen them?

I looked down to see a splatter of birthday cake on my jeans.

The unholy epiphany wrenched at my gut and my world began spinning as I fell to the floor.

Cameron!? Are you okay?

No. I was not okay...

NOISE COMPLAINT: THE DIARY OF DANIEL KIRBY

July 7, 2012

It’s been a while since I’ve written in my diary. Life has been boring and uneventful for the most part. But you know what they say: Be careful what you wish for.

I’m not the kind of person who likes to complain, even when there is reason for it. I guess I’m too laid back, as many friends have often told me. But there’s a line you have to draw somewhere, and it’s getting drawn every day.

I’ve been living in apartment 302 for only two weeks and already things are more than unpleasant. This is a nice area and most of the time, things have been nice and quiet...except at night.

For reasons unknown, music has been blaring around one to three in the morning. I can hear people talking and yelling as if in a drunken stupor.

It's so exasperating. The noise is causing me to lose hours of sleep every night. I’m really hoping this is just some summer phase...

––––––––

July 21, 2012

This is getting really bad. I'm not just losing sleep after the noise starts. Now, I can’t fall asleep before it, either. The anxiety of it is getting to me. I know once I lay my head down I’ll be startled awake again by that stupid party music coming from only God-knows-where.

The main problem is my apartment is smack dab in the middle of the complex. On top of that, I've got neighbors above, below, and on each side of me. I can never tell exactly where the music is coming from. Man, I really wish summer was over...

––––––––

August 22, 2012

I finally had it. I contacted the office to voice my complaint. Summer time is over and that horrible ruckus is still going on with no respite. This is apparently going to be a permanent thing and I can’t take it anymore. My lack of sleep is taking its toll and I’m always exhausted at work.

The receptionist said they’d gladly look into it, but it would be hard to notify them of the complaint since I didn’t know what apartment it was coming from. I wanted to check myself, but honestly I’m just too chicken to confront people.

To try and help me, they're going to contact all the people around me and ask if there's any loud music being played late at night. They said it would take about two weeks to get the word out and receive any responses.

I understood, so I left it up to them for the time being.

––––––––

September 9, 2012

I had an especially hard day at work and decided I was going to find these idiots and tell them myself to turn their stupid music down or the cops would be coming.

Of all the hours to do this...

So I walked around until I located the source of the noise. Two buildings over, I went up the stairs and two doors down to find room 507. Once I was there, it was all too obvious this apartment was the source of everything. I knocked on the door, and there was no answer. Three hard knocks later, the music and noise continued as if I didn’t exist.

Finally, I started yelling.

Hey! Shut your damn music off!! I can’t get any sleep! You’re bothering me and everyone else!

Moments later, I was surprised to hear the apartment door behind me open and a man poked his head out the door.

Hello? he said.

He gazed toward me in a groggy state and seemed none too pleased.

Can you believe these people?! They’ve been playing their music all night and I’m losing sleep and can't get a hold of them! Can you help me with sending in a complaint?

The man looked around as if trying to think.

Crazy people, he muttered, and shut the door.

I shook my head in irritation. Why was he being so unhelpful? Maybe he just didn't want to get involved. I tried again to get someone to answer the door, but it was useless.

Feeling defeated, I walked back to my apartment to another sleepless night.

––––––––

September 15, 2012

I received a call from the office stating they had looked into the matter, but no one else