Through The Eyes of Our Horror

Chapter One: The Apparition

Behind every mad man is a victim that drove him there. Anthony Claymont was one of those men. The time he spent burying his secrets deep down, took up so much of his energy that it became a vicious cycle. Every person he found interesting would develop into an obsession. This girl was no different, nor was she a challenge to deal with once she realized what was going to happen to her.

It was surreal, burying her parts throughout the garden in his backyard. Every part there was a rose bush planted over it. This girl was different, and deserved the best flower he could plant over her discarded parts. He oftentimes sat out in the garden at night when he couldn't sleep. The presence of all the lovers he nearly had was usually enough to comfort him.

But that night, he felt the presence of something much different. The smell of a familiar perfume drifted over to him in the summer breeze. It was her. The one that nearly got away and nearly had his heart in the palm of her hands. The one he would forever hold above the others. Clarissa Rhys.

She stood on his porch and watched him, silently. Her gaze was full of intent, but she spoke not a single word. Was the lack of sleep really beginning to wear on his mind? She couldn't be standing right there, could she? Taunting him for his transgressions. Watching.

The man remained where he was, staring with parted lips. He shook his head, but she was still there. He finally stood up as his gaze continued to be locked with hers. He wanted to speak, but he found himself at a loss for words.

The woman said nothing, but her head turned towards part of the garden he hadn't been in yet. The darker side that wasn't illuminated by the porch light. She raised a hand and pointed in that direction, then simply vanished as minaciously as she had appeared.

His heart jumped into his throat as she vanished. He turned his head to where she had been pointing and began to warily walk towards that direction. The farther from the safe lighting of the porch he went, the more ominous the air began to feel. Stepping into the darkness, the light suddenly went out, and with that, she re-appeared.

This time directly behind him.

For a moment, Anthony paused as he sensed that familiar presence, and then he swung around to face her. That calm gaze met his and sent a hard shiver up his spine. Was she there to administer some sort of revenge? Were his eyes deceiving him? She began to walk closer and closer to him until they were mere feet away.

But she remained silent until suddenly, he backed up and tripped on a boulder. Landing hard on the ground, he could only watch in a petrified silence as she approached him once more. She tilted her head over and stared down at him, only vanishing when she reached down. And yet again, he was left alone. He lied there on the ground, panting hard.

Was this what he got for not taking his meds? It wasn't his fault that the only medication that worked was shit he couldn't afford. He squeezed his eyes shut and rested his head in an attempt to collect himself, but yet, he just couldn't. "I'm sorry," He uttered shakily, "I don't know why I do this."

There was a rustle in the woods nearby. So close he could hear it as if it were happening directly behind him. There was a hole dug beside him, deep enough to bury something. Horror overtook him as he realized it was the size of...a grave. Suddenly, the girl appeared beside him, mere inches away from his face, startling him so much he jumped and landed in that hole with a hard thud.

From inside, he could hardly even make out the tree leaves up above him. There seemed to be nothing but darkness all around him. He scrambled up to his feet, ignoring the jolt of pain in his body from the fall. For some reason, the grave seemed to grow deeper the more he struggled to climb out. "Help! Somebody help! I'm stuck!"