Benny Bones by Brian Hogan

Chapter 1 Hedge Lights

Shadow engulfed the houses, lining the alley. Contorted in the night they towered above Jessie. His mind raced, scared to wake the looming horrors above. The cold winter wind sent a shiver through him. Wrapping his coat tight he braced against it. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a bright light — his footsteps quickened towards the source.

Light pierced through twisting branches, casting rays out into the dark alley. Jessie shivered as another bout of wind careened through the dim lane. Behind, the call of wind chimes tinkled in the night. As the piping song died Jessie's gaze became fixated on the flashing lights.

Come to me and I will lead you to your doom.

An image flashed through his mind: cold haunting smile, stretched blissfully, across a stone face in white. As the image faded Jessie became dizzy, stumbling forward. Suddenly, without control of his own body, he began to wander toward the hedge. Even while resisting, his legs moved on their own. They walked closer to the flashing flare of lights; his vision blurred, till pervasive darkness of the mind fell in, shuttering away his world.

Jessie coughed — water, to much water — he was drowning. The boy flailed and bolted upright. He spat at the taste, like liquid coal or stale water left out for days. Opening his eyes revealed a large, black, shallow pool. It's reflected surface was all he could make out within the pervasive darkness. Standing he turned and made out something in the distance. Beyond, lay a patch of white land. Wading through water, the sloshing of his feet echoed off unseen walls.

As he approached Jessie could make out a black form, hunched over a dead deer, shaking and dipping viscously into the carcass. The earth below was stained red, contrasted against the white dirt. Like an arrow shot at a painted target, Jessie walked straight towards the beast.

Closer in the first thing that struck him about what fed on the deer was the mask of stone, hanging at the back of its head. The mask was pure white and had two large eye sockets, stretched below was a thin, sheepish, smile. The white mask stood out against the black fur, covering the creature; individual ribs and spine bones stood out on the frail body. The deer's legs hung in the air, shaking as the creature dived into the deer's stomach, over and over.

"Excuse me?" Jessie said, half scared, half curious, yet it continued.

"Excuse me?" This time the beast poked it's head up.

A face of black smoke peered over at the small boy with ghostly white eyes. It gaped in surprise and yelled,

"Ah, who goes there?" The beast yelled, shrinking away to pull down its mask.

The beast poked up then down, crouched, then leaped over the deer. Landing inches from Jessie it shouted, "You can't have it." The beast grew angrier, "You can't have it — It's mine! Find your own grub, boy."

"No, I — I don't want it. Promise." Jessie pleaded, numb and frozen in his place.

"Oh?" The beast tilted his head to look at the small freckled boy. "Just as well, things awful." It said, in disinterest, "not a speck of Soul in it, just a bland beast is what it is..." It paused, sulking at its misfortune. "Hey," It perked up, sniffing the air. "There's something here. I know that smell." It sniffed about. "Why, that's the smell of Soul. Yes, yes it is! But where is it coming from?" Crouching it twisted, nose to ground, all the while circling Jessie — suddenly it stopped. "You! You have the stink of a son of Adam, a soul child!" The beast rose up and hovered over Jessie, nearly toppling onto him.

"No — no I don't!" Jessie's lip quivered, eyes watered as he watched the beast salivate over its new prey.

"Yes, yes you do. Come — let me have a taste of it." Watching the shaking boy the beast righted his tilted head and asked, "Unless, you don't want to be eaten? Do you, little boy?" Jessie erupted into tears.

"No please — please don't eat me!" The horror of the mask over-took Jessie, deep within his being.

"I didn't think so. Here, relax. I'm sure we can find a...better, arrangement." Shrinking down it patted Jessie on the back. He felt as claws raked over his skin.

"What's your name little one?"

"Jessie." He replied, sniffling.

"Jessie, the pleasure. My name is Benny Bones." Benny Bones paused to look at Jessie with that wide, thin, stony smile. "Pleased to meet you." Benny Bones held out his hand. Long white claws hung from thin bulging knuckles. Jessie took it and they shook hands, slowly. Benny bones nodded his head along to the slow shake.

"Seeing as I'm not gonna eat you little Jessie, you'll be doin me a favour."

"What's that?"

"I want you to take a mask of mine when you leave. I have it just over here, in my secret hiding hole." Benny Bones leaped in glee. "I love making my masks, this one's my favorite! I made it when I was a wee little one, like yourself."

Benny bones dove into a nearby hole. He dug and threw out various items: baseball cards, hair berets, gloves, yo yos and dolls, all strewn across the white dirt. Jessie stared at the doll: button eyes and pink dress, it lay flaccid on the ground, while staring back at Jessie. It's raggedy, straw blond, hair was stained red. Jessie went to pick it up but Benny bones called out,

"Aha! I found it! Look, look, isn't it perfect!" He held the mask up high before turning to Jessie, who had retreated a step. "Here, take it." From Benny Bones outstretched claws a mask stared up at the boy. Jessie grasped the rough stone in his hands and felt the markings left by the tool that shaped it. The mask's eyes were the same shape as Benny Bones'. Two horizontal ovals and a small, pointed, nose. While Benny Bones wore a stretched thin smile this one was smaller and bared white teeth that curved into a sinister grin.

"Th-thank you Benny Bones."

"Now, now Jessie; you can call me Mr. Bones." Mr. Bones said, hunger laying deep in the sockets of his mask.

"Okay...Mr. Bones." Jessie looked around. "Mr. Bones, how do I get out of the cave?"

"Oh — your leaving? So soon?" He said, with a rise.

"Well... My parents might be wondering where I am. I'm supposed to go with them to church, see."

"And are any of your friends going?" Saliva dripped from the stony smile he bared.

"Only Ariya, she's always there. We usually walk home after."

"Oh, well then —" Mr. Bones patted Jessie's mask, "You be sure to show Ariya your new toy, won't you?"

"Okay. So, how do I leave?" Jessie asked. Mr. Bones laughed.

"Why, that's easy! You just close your eyes!"

The boy forced a laugh before closing his eye-lids from the smiling Benny Bones, all the while chills ran up his spine. Please don't eat me. Please don't eat me. Jessie thought, sheer terror, gripping him.

Yet, nothing happened.

He simply stood and waited. Soon the dripping of the cavern was replaced by wind, followed by the tinkling of wind chimes. He opened his eyes, the hedges were dark in front of him. He looked around and sighed in sweet relief to be back. What just happened — a dream? That...thing...was, creepy.

Jessie looked at his teenage mutant ninja turtles watch and nearly jumped. Oh no! It's almost seven! I'm going to be late for church! He thought.

As he turned down a side street in the alley, wind chimes beckoned him with their song and deep within the hedge, a single light gleamed in the night.