The Haar

by David Sodergren

“What if you had a fall? There’s no one around to check up on you.” “If it’s my time, it’s my time,” she would always reply.

“My cock!” he shouted. “My fucking cock!” As last words went, they may not have been profound, but they were certainly appropriate.

“I take it you have evidence to back it up?” His colleague smirked, doing a poor job of hiding it. “Well, no, not yet, but it’s obvious to anyone with half a brain. That is a requirement to be part of the police, isn’t it?”

“I’ll ask again,” he said. “Do you have any evidence to support your claim? Any witnesses?” “I have God as my witness.” “And is he available to give a statement?”

“Kill yourself.” “I’m trying,”

Aaron looked up and saw the old lady standing in the doorway, watching. Though her arms were stained red with blood, the deep cuts had healed. It was a miracle. A miracle! There is a God, thought Aaron, and then the creature yanked hard on his skin and turned him inside out like a revolting fleshy pillowcase.

Already the images she had glimpsed in Avalon’s mind — those little visions of hell — were fading, and as she drifted off, she could remember almost nothing of them. What life had he led before finding her? How many times had he risen from the sea in search of sustenance? How many people had he killed? Was she safe with him? And most importantly… did she even care?

“Is this real?” she asked quietly. Billy looked at her and smiled. “Does it matter?”

The machines had started up again, and Muriel could identify the flashing lights of police cars in the distance. She wondered what was left of the men Billy had fed on. He always had been a messy eater.

“Oh, Billy,” said Muriel, her heart dancing with joy as he crushed Shelly’s windpipe.