Chapter Eight1
The Stoneman murders Started in 1985, and lasting well over two years, a series of twelve murders were committed in the Sion and King’s Circle locality of the city. The criminal or criminals' modus operandi was simple: first he or she would find an unsuspecting victim sleeping alone in a desolate area. The victim's head was crushed with a single stone weighing as much as 30 kg. In most cases, the victims' identies could not be ascertained since they slept alone and did not have relatives or associates who could identify them. Compounded to this was the fact that the victims were people of very simple means and the individual crimes were not high-profile. It was only after the sixth murder that the Mumbai Police began to see a pattern in the crimes.
A stroke of luck seemed to come the police's way when a homeless waiter survived a brutal attack and managed to escape being bludgeoned to death. However, in the dimly lit area of Sion where he was sleeping, he had not been able to get a good look at his assailant, and what seemed like a big break came to naught.
Shortly afterwards, in 1987, a ragpicker was hacked to death in the adjoining suburb of Matunga. Even though the police and the media were quick to label this the handiwork of the same person, no evidence to link this crime with the others was ever found.
As mysteriously as the killings had started, by the middle of 1987, they stopped. These crimes were never solved. No one was ever caught.
2
Present Day: Cohoes, N.Y. 3
“Look, Mommy, that girl is swinging from the tree down there. Can we go down there?” little nine-year-old Jason asked his mom, pointing down over the wall towards the falls at a stark white form hanging from the tree. 4
“OH MY GOD!” burst from the little boy’s mother as she turned him away from the grizzly sight, hurrying up the steps from the viewing area towards the bridge as she dialed 911 on her cell phone. 5
Her outburst attracted other park visitors and they began to gather and point.
It wasn’t long before Nicolas’ body was sighted and apprehension and anxiety built among the sightseers. The Cohoes Police arrived promptly dreading this call. They had hoped the killings that had caught the attention of the nation would stay on the other side of the river, but from the description it seems Hell has crossed the Hudson. Nick’s body was found at the foot of the cliff where it had landed. It wasn’t molested. It was as if he was forgotten about. 6
Someone shouted and was pointing towards the part of the falls that had no water falling over it. It looked to have writing inscribed on it. As the officers neared the rock wall they discovered large words written in blood: 7
DANYA DANYA DAYNA DAYNA
IM COMING FOR YOU DAYNA!
DON’T YOU FEEL SPECIAL? 8
John got the call mid-morning to go over to the Cohoes Falls. On the way he was filled in by the detective on site at the double homicide. John’s stomach was tightening with the description of the murders. Jesus, it’s him; now he’s crossed the river, he thought. He arrived, parked in the lot across from the
entrance and made his way over the bridge and through the gate down to the falls following accentually the same path the killer took. But no one had told him about the message for Dayna, in a place where no one human could have possibly written it. John was thinking this as he read it. He had started to think the shape was not human after that day in the park, but the hospital incident convinced him. He didn’t know what he was, but he knew he wasn’t human. John backed up pulling his cell phone from his pocket quickly dialing his brother‘s number. When Tim answered John wasted no time in formalities. 9
“Tim, where’s Dayna? She’s there, right? I need you to take the..." Tim cut him off. 10
“John, hold on, Jesus Christ! I should have called you last night, but I figured you had enough to do already and I’d handle it.” 11
“What the fuck are you talking about, Timmy?” John asked, feeling his body tense up. Tim explained how the kids had gotten out and how he had gone out looking for them all night and he had just got back, and was just going to call John. 12
“John...John, I’m sorry.” but his brother had already hung up. 13
John turned immediately and headed back up the hill and across the bridge followed by the Cohoes detective. 14
“Where are you going? You’ve hardly seen the crime scene. What can you tell me about this guy?” he asked, running after him. He was a short, heavy set, rat faced man who now was huffing and puffing trying to keep up with John. 15
“I don’t have time. Besides, the only thing you have to worry about is telling the parents of those kids. He won’t be back. This was a distraction.” 16
“What? HEY, WAIT A FUCKIN…” but the Cohoes detective never finished his sentence, making the mistake of grabbing John’s arm as he spoke. 17
John spun about grabbing the man by his shirt and pushing him up against the fence of the bridge. 18
“Listen real close, buddy.” John said, inches away from the detective’s face.
“That name painted in blood on that rock wall down there is a little girl. A little girl that is now wandering around with her brother, God only knows where, with that fucking maniac after her. So no, I won’t wait. Now stay the fuck out of my way!” as John continued on his way to the parking lot and pulled out spinning his tires. 19
Jesus, he thought, what is it about Dayna? Why is he so obsessed with her?
After the other night it showed he will stop at nothing to get at her. He crossed the 112th Street Bridge into Troy and turned right on 2nd Avenue heading for the city. 20
He thought, this fucker is after a girl who is running around with her brother looking for him, Jesus Fucking Christ. He pulled his cell out dialing as he drove. On the other end a female voice answered. 21
“Hello?” 22
“Jennifer, it’s John. Dayna and Lenny are missing. They snuck out on my brother.” 23
“Oh my God, John, that maniac is after Dayna!” 24
“Listen to me, Jen.” and he explained where his brother lived and asked her to please go and get Jess. She would be safer at her house. Jennifer readily agreed and hung up. John pushed down on the gas turning his siren on and raced through downtown. 25
He spent the day looking for them in vain. This was their neighborhood, he wouldn’t find them if they didn’t want to be found. So now he found himself sitting up in Prospect Park on a picnic table. He was just staring up at the now emerging stars. It was a clear cool October night and the stars shone brightly.
The kids kept invading his thoughts. Where are they? Are they
alright? And where is the shape and what is he up to? Did he know they were out looking for him? Then he chuckled. Jesus Christ, what a mess. He pulled his gun out checking its status then placed it next to him. 26
Lenny, Jamie, Bobby and now Dayna who had joined them met in Bobby’s parent’s garage. Lenny, seeing it was useless to argue with her, just conceded, figuring it was better to know where she was. 27
“Ok, what’s the plan?” Bobby asked. The little group huddled up in his garage casting fearful glances about them as if at any minute the shape would come busting in. 28
October 17th, it was the night of the big game. The Troy High vs. Lasingburgh football game. The crowd poured in while the rain drizzled down just enough to dampen the field and spectators, but not their emotions which were running high. 29
He stood in the shadows of the trees on the far left side of the field. It was a small wooded area that ran up the hill to the cemetery on Oakwood. He watched them filing in. His eyes were burning and his head was throbbing. Victims. They were victims to him. He blended in perfectly with the shadows, with the very small exception that when the wind blew on this chilly football October
night, his was the only shadow that didn’t move or flutter in the wind. The branches on the trees swayed under the gusts of wind and leaves were falling to the ground, but the shape just stood unmoving, eyes glaring. 30
Emily Neilson practicing her cheers with the other girls caught glimpses of this eerie illusion aspect, but couldn’t quite put her finger on what was making her hair on the back of her neck stand up. She stared hard trying to pierce the blackwash that seemed to set itself apart from the other shadows. Emily stifled a slight cry when she suddenly caught the glint of two eyes, two red burning malevolent eyes. She started forward trying to get a better look when a cry went up from the bleachers and surrounding grounds as the home team took the field. The familiar maroon jerseys and white helmets of the Lasingburgh Tigers sent a roar through the crowd as the team made it’s way on to the field and then to the sidelines. The Troy High Trojans were already milling about on their sideline in their white away jerseys and gold pants. The Captains made their way out to the center of the field for the coin toss. He watched intently from the trees. He had seen Emily notice him, in fact, he eluded her to see him. He wanted her curiosity peeked. Even now she was looking over. He smiled and melted further back into the shadows. The rain was coming down harder now leaving only the parents and the die hard fans in the stands and along the field’s fence. Even the local television crews had left. It was slim pickings now, but the girl was still here. He could smell her. She could never escape now. He had her scent. She must belong to him now. 31
10-7 was the final score; the home team Tigers went down in defeat. He waited along the street shielded by the shadows and rain coming down in sheets. Drops were hitting the parked cars like insects on a suicide mission playing kamikaze with a windshield on a country road at night. 32
He watched her exit the school wearing her jeans and sweater with a light jacket. Emily couldn’t help but steal a glimpse across the field at the darkened area that had so captivated her. Her friends were waiting for her in a dark gray Chevy Suburban. She trotted over to the vehicle hopping in the back seat. Almost immediately the doors locked; she felt a hand close over her mouth and another on her throat, then there was darkness, and the Chevy sped off. 33
Booby sat waiting as the darkness closed in. The rain began to come down harder, but he sat there silently, watching. The kids were spaced along the back road to Lenny’s. Lenny and Dayna with Sadie right beside them were at the very end of the road where the trees meet the concrete jungle. The old mill stood out behind them looming above the trees like some ancient bastion of evil. The full moon rising behind it lent its eerie glow to the atmospheric scene. As the night wore on and the chill of the October wind set in the kids began to leave their posts and gather together. 34
“Do you think he’ll show?” Jamie asked draping one arm over Indy as he sat patiently next to her. 35
“He’ll show.” was all Dayna said. The kids eyed her with curiosity now. She seemed to have changed. She acted older and more distant. Bobby leaned closer to Jamie whispering, “Is it me or is she weirder then usual?” 36
“Well she’s been through a lot, Bob. They all have; Lenny and Jessica, too.” Jamie answered. 37
“Yeah, but she’s like, like I don’t even know her.” Bobby replied back. Dayna turned to them and just stared. She had heard every word and knew it was true.
She had changed. She didn’t belong here. She felt something or someone calling to her. She…and then her thoughts were interrupted by headlights coming down the broken pot holed road. The kids all crouched down simultaneously. Sadie’s upper lip curled back as she caught that familiar scent, while Indy lowered his head and stood silently still watching. The van pulled to a stop almost in front of the kids hiding on the side of the road. Lenny squatted holding his father’s shiny black instrument of death in one hand, while grasping Sadie by the fur of her neck with the other. He could feel her tenseness under her hair; she was like a coiled spring waiting to unload. 38
The van door opened and the three of the kids inhaled sharply as the shape stepped out into the darkness. Dayna only stared. The killer moved to the back of the van opening the doors and dragging a squirming, twisting canvas sack from the back. The kids could hear the muffled screams and terrified moans coming from it. The shape threw the sack over his shoulder and, walking back to the
open drivers side door, reached in shifting the van into neutral and let it row down the incline picking up speed. It crashed through the gate to the cobblestone road and on down the hill. 39
The shape had turned not even watching the van. Instead he was looking up the hill checking for any witnesses. When he turned back around he found his way blocked. 40
“Shit!” Lenny hissed under his breath as he looked out across the road. 41
“What the fuck is she doing?” Bobby said. The three kids crouched behind the trees and bushes looking out on this confrontation of comical proportions. 42
“Put whoever it is you have in the bag Abaddon down and go back to whatever Hell you crawled out of.” Dayna said standing defiantly before the shape. Sadie was right next to her. For the first time in eons he found himself startled and it actually brought a smile to his face. 43
“Well, well, well, Dayna. Saved me some time. Where are your little friends? I’m sure they’re here scurrying around somewhere in the bushes. Hmmm, but I see you have that mangy cur with you. Damn thing bit me you know.” He glared at her holding Emily tightly as she struggled in her bonds. “Oooooh so we’re starting to feel different are we? Coming into are own as they say.” he said and laughed. Sadie issued a low warning growl. 44
“Abaddon. I said put it down.” she answered him defiantly, gripping Sadie’s neck hair. 45
“Abaddon. Abaddon.” he whispered to himself lost in thought now. “I haven’t heard that...been called that in a very, very long time. Tell me little one, do you know what it means?” Dayna didn’t answer; she just continued her cold hard stare listening to him. 46
“It means many things in many different languages. In Hebrew it means place of destruction and it is the realm of where the damned lie in fire and snow, one of the places in Hell that Mosses visited. But in my world it is the first name of the Infernals as I am, and it means the Destroyer. That is who I am, little one.
I am the Destroyer.” 47
“I do not fear you, Abaddon. Put it down!” was her only reply. The shape shifted his shoulders and the sack slipped from him and hit the ground with a thud and a groan. 48
“Ok, let’s play.” he said, stepping forward. Sadie was crouched and snarling ready to spring when two shots rang out collapsing his legs at the knees. 49
“Shit! Holy Shit!” Bobby yelled jumping up and away from Lenny who had grabbed Bobby’s shotgun and pumped two shells into the shapes legs. Lenny ran up and placing his father’s gun behind the killer’s ear, fired three times. A black tarry substance splattered back on him. Meanwhile, Bobby and Jamie had untied and pulled Emily from the sack helping her up the hill to Congress.
Dayna still stood where she was, not moving. Lenny finally grabbed her by the elbow and began to pull her away up the hill after the others. 50
“You can’t kill him, Lenny.” she said. 51
“Looks like I just did a pretty good job of it, sis.” 52
At the top of the hill she stopped him. “LENNY! You can’t kill him.” she said looking back. Lenny followed her gaze and stumbled backward almost hyperventilating as there at the bottom of the hill, standing, watching them, was the shape. 53
“He doesn’t die that easily, Lenny. I have to do it.” Dayna said, but Lenny was already backing up pulling her along with him as the shape began to walk up the hill towards them. 54
“Dayna, come on. We have to get the hell out of here now.” he said, turning and running while holding onto his sister.
They soon caught up with Jamie who was helping Emily, and Bobby who had both dogs with them. Bobby had to put Sadie on a leash or she would not have ever left Dayna and Lenny’s side. The kids cut between the old barber shop and pizza parlor, up into the ball diamond, down onto Birch Street and in the back way of Bobby’s garage where they had started from. Lenny turned to Dayna and eyed her intently then exploded. 55
“WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, DAYNA?” Then, calming down, “What did you call him? Abaddon? How did you know that and what is going on with you?” The other two kids moved closer listening. 56
“I don’t know, Len. I mean I know, I guess I know...I don’t know how I know.” she stumbled along. “I just knew his name was Abaddon. He is evil. He is the Destroyer. Through out history he has shaped mankind’s nightmares. He must be sent back to where he came from.” 57
“What the hell are you talking about, Dayna? Where are you getting this from?” Lenny implored her, trying to understand his sister. 58
“I don’t know. When he showed up it all just clicked in my head. I knew him. I could see him for what he really is. He doesn’t frighten me.” 59
“Well he scares the shit out of me.” Bobby chimed in. 60
“Here, here.” Jamie added. 61
“What the hell is going on? Was that the killer everyone is talking about? Oh my God. He was going to kill me?” Emily said with tears running down her face. Jamie moved over to her placing an arm around her shoulders trying to comfort her, but not really knowing what to say as this conversation between Dayna and Lenny was a little unnerving for her. 62
“This is fucking nuts. It’s fucking crazy. Ok, well I’m calling Detective John. And you are staying here until he gets here. You’re going back with him.” 63
“You’re just gonna get John killed, Lenny. He doesn’t know what he’s up against and even if he does, he has no idea how to stop him.” Dayna said. 64
“Oh and you do, I suppose?” Lenny queried. 65
“It will come to me.” 66
“Jesus! That’s it. You’ve lost it. Come on. Bobby, can we use your phone?” 67
“Yeah, man, we will go in the back way.” Bobby said leading the way. The rain was coming down hard now and they could hear it hitting the garage roof as if someone was dumping a bag of rocks on the structure. “Man, it’s pouring. Ok when I open the door just head for the back porch and hey, last one out make sure the door is closed or my parents will be pissed.” They all mumbled their
assurances, but no one wanted to be last as they crowded the doorway. Lenny was first and yanked the door open and everyone froze! There standing in the doorway, rain pelting off him was THE SHAPE! 68
To be continued... 69
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Author notes
Thanks to Wikpedia for information supplied on Stoneman.
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Comments
1 - 7 of 7
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Ah, the suspense is building. This one rocks. You certainly do know how to string someone along. It's intense!
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Awesome
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Edge
Wow! You had me on the edge of my seat with this one. Dayna has turned into quite the tough little firecracker.
Also another cliff hanger just at the right moment. Your wicked good at those. Always you get me.
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I have QUESTIONS!!!
Dayna is changing, something is happening, what is going on??? Why is the killer obsessed with her? How do they know each other? Did she know all along she knew him? Does she have powers?
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So you want answers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well yes Dayna is changing. Something is happening. How they know each other is instinctual. No she had know idea who or what he was until recently. Annnnnnnnnnnnnnd drum role please...Don't all women have powers over men. lol tthere have i answered all your questions?
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Waiting anxiously!
Another exciting chapter! I love the suspenseful cliffhanger ending!! I will be waiting anxiously for the next chapter.
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Thank you i'm glad your into it.
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