The depth of short stories and micro-fiction 2

Imagination of Evil

Georgia had always been sceptical of her six-year-old son's stories about his imaginary friend, Mr. Jenkins. According to Timmy, Mr. Jenkins was a tall, slender man with a wide, toothy grin and a love for playing hide-and-seek in the woods behind their house. At first, Georgia had dismissed it as a normal phase of childhood, but as the months went by, she began to feel a growing sense of unease.

It wasn't just the fact that Timmy talked about Mr. Jenkins all the time, or that he would often leave out food and drinks for him as if he were a real person. It was the way Timmy would sometimes look at her, his eyes glazing over as if he were staring at something behind her. And then there were the nightmares. Timmy would wake up in the middle of the night, screaming and crying, and when Georgia would ask him what was wrong, he would just whisper "Mr. Jenkins" repeatedly.

One day, Georgia decided she had had enough. She was tired of feeling like she was losing her son to this imaginary friend, and she was determined to put an end to it once and for all. She sat Timmy down and asked him to tell her all about Mr. Jenkins, to describe him in as much detail as possible.

As Timmy talked, Georgia felt a chill run down her spine. There was something unsettling about the way Timmy described Mr. Jenkins, something that made her feel like he was more than just a figment of her son's imagination. And then, just as she was starting to think that maybe she was just being paranoid, she saw him.

He was standing in the corner of the room, his eyes fixed on Georgia with an unnerving intensity. He was just as Timmy had described him - tall, slender, and with a wide, toothy grin that seemed to stretch across his face like a grotesque parody of a smile. For a moment, Georgia was frozen in shock, her mind struggling to comprehend what she was seeing.

And then, as suddenly as he had appeared, Mr. Jenkins vanished. Georgia was left feeling shaken and confused, wondering if she had really seen him or if it was just her imagination playing tricks on her.

But as the days went by, Georgia began to realize that Mr. Jenkins was all too real. She would catch glimpses of him out of the corner of her eye, lurking in the shadows and watching her with an unblinking gaze. And then there were the strange occurrences - doors slamming shut on their own, objects moving around the house, and an eerie feeling of being watched all the time.

It wasn't until she stumbled upon an old newspaper article that Georgia finally discovered the horrifying truth about Mr. Jenkins. He was a serial killer who had terrorized their town over a decade ago, murdering dozens of children and leaving their bodies in the woods behind their house.

As Georgia read the article, she felt a cold dread creeping over her. She realized that Timmy's imaginary friend was not imaginary at all, but a malevolent entity that had been awakened by her son's innocence and curiosity. And she knew that she had to protect Timmy from him, no matter what it took.

But as she looked around the house, she realized that Mr. Jenkins was not just a monster - he was a master manipulator. He had been playing on Timmy's naivety all along, using him to get close to Georgia and exploit her deepest fears. And now, he was not just a threat to her son, but to her own sanity.

In a desperate bid to save Timmy and herself, Georgia turned to the only person she could think of who might be able to help her - a local paranormal investigator named Dr. Lee. Dr. Lee was a no-nonsense, middle-aged woman with a kind face and a wealth of knowledge about the supernatural.

As Georgia recounted her experiences with Mr. Jenkins, Dr. Lee listened intently, her expression growing more and more grave. When Georgia finished, Dr. Lee nodded thoughtfully and began to explain that Mr. Jenkins was not just a serial killer, but a type of entity known as a " psychic parasite".

"These entities feed on the fear and terror of others," Dr. Lee explained. "They can take on many forms, but their ultimate goal is always the same - to consume the sanity and soul of their victims."

Georgia listened in horror as Dr. Lee outlined a plan to rid their house of Mr. Jenkins and banish him back to whatever hellhole he had come from. It was a perilous and uncertain procedure, but Georgia was willing to try anything to save Timmy and herself.

As they began the ritual, Georgia felt a surge of hope mixed with fear. She knew that they were taking a risk, but she also knew that they had no choice. They had to confront Mr. Jenkins head-on and take back their lives.

The ritual was a blur of light and sound, a cacophony of prayers and incantations that seemed to shake the very foundations of their house. Georgia felt herself being pulled towards Mr. Jenkins, felt his icy breath on the back of her neck, and saw his eyes flashing with malevolent glee.

But as the ritual reached its climax, Georgia felt a strange sensation - as if she was being lifted out of her body and watching the scene unfold from above. She saw Timmy, his eyes closed, and his face twisted in a mixture of fear and concentration. She saw Dr. Lee, her hands weaving intricate patterns in the air as she invoked the ancient powers of protection.

And she saw Mr. Jenkins, his form beginning to distort and writhe as the ritual took hold. He let out a deafening scream as he was pulled back to the depths of hell, banished from their world forever.

As the ritual ended and the house fell silent, Georgia collapsed to the floor, exhausted but relieved. She knew that they had done it - they had defeated Mr. Jenkins and taken back their lives. But as she looked over at Timmy, she saw something that made her blood run cold.

Timmy's eyes were open, and he was staring at her with a look of pure malevolence. And as she watched, his face began to twist and contort, his eyes flashing with an otherworldly energy.

"Mr. Jenkins may be gone," Georgia thought, her mind reeling with horror, "but his legacy lives on."