The Traveler

Thirsty and craving liquid refreshment, Will retrieved a plastic bag from the ice bucket of his basic hotel room and fled into the hall. Dim lights ran along the walls barely lighting the dreary hallway. A janitor was running a vacuum along the sick lime carpet as Will wandered down the seemingly endless corridor. Door after door, wall after wall, and photograph after photograph, until he came to the end and turned into the small kitchenette where a vending machine and ice machine was located. After a quick fumble in his pocket Will slotted change into the vending machine and let a bottle of ice tea tumble to the bottom. He reached inside and neatly tucked it into his pocket and moved to the ice machine. A small silver box with hand imprints covering every inch. Will choked a black spout with the bag and kneed the release button. Ice gradually filled the bag with small frozen cubes making a loud crushing noise, until it could hold no more and Will released his knee from the green release button.

He strolled back down the hall just as the janitor was dragging the vacuum into the elevator with him at the other end of the building. The black man wearing blue overalls was humming along to a song being played through enormous headphones. Will questioned how it was even possible he could have missed them. He continued down the hall and this time paid slightly more attention to the framed photography. Architecture, wildlife, travel, famous people and artistic paintings filled the tacky golden frames. The stretch of lime carpet and nauseating lined wallpaper made Will dizzy. The weak bulbs didn't help, giving the place an undeniably spooky vibe.

In a hurry to get back into his hotel room Will hastened his pace, but as he reached the end of the hall the temperature seemed to drop. The stairwell door's glass window was even fogged over. He had gone oblivious to the cold temperature when first leaving his room. He scrutinized how it could have dropped so considerably in a matter of minutes, but Will was attired in nothing more than a baggy white t-shirt and blue shorts, so a sudden drop in any warmth should be easily detected. It was odd.

Anxious to leave the strange corridor he slid a card into the slot and was met with a green light and a pleasant ding. The door fell open as he rushed inside and loaded ice into the bucket. The silver bucket was placed on a small mahogany table near the patio window, exposing a tiny balcony holding two cheap plastic chairs and a dirty table. The white table outside was covered in rings from coffee mugs and the occasional tea. Which explained why after a weekend of residence, he had yet to venture onto the balcony. Maybe it was the lack of hygiene, or it could be the questionable safety of its strength given the clear rust bronzing the floor and handrail. A searing sunshine broke through the glass and shed light onto the hotel's contents. A small bed, table, desk and more sickening carpets and wallpapers. The interior designer must have been cheap. Each material looked not only inexpensive, but was marked with at least two various types of stains. All furniture was crammed into the small room with barely any breathing space.

After seconds of debating a venture outside, Will had yet again decided it was safer inside. So he dropped ice into a mucky glass and began pouring the ice tea. Brown liquid grew until the bottle had emptied and the line of fluid was only millimetres from the top of the glass. He delicately lowered into a tiny padded chair and reached for a book at his bedside table. Eager to enter a fictional world and leave reality behind. Pages turned as Will was engrossed in the binding, almost neglecting the glass of refreshment he had so badly wanted.

So much so he'd risked running into the crazy lady. A woman with white untamed hair, a sun damaged complexion, and plenty of extra fat to go around. If that wasn't appealing enough, the hygiene was possibly worse than that of a homeless man. Sweat, bad breath, and a rotting followed this woman like a shadow. To top off the package, the old lady was intolerably rude with a quick temper and very little patience. Will had used the vending machine only days ago and met this abomination as she stood banging the machine. At first Will had assumed a bottle had got caught whilst being released from the black shelves holding the drinks. He initially wanted to help the old lady, but that impulse soon faded. After a very abrupt and loud outburst, apparently money had never entered. Haggis, as she had informed, simply wanted to see if she could claim a freebie. After Will had suggested Haggis quit it before hotel staff came, an almighty rage had occurred. Profanities, threats and the occasional speck of spit in the rage-fuelled speech. This stranger had warned the fellow guest to 'back off', putting it politely. Otherwise she would 'mess him up'.

Will was painfully shy at most times, but confrontation was right up there with violence. He despised arguments and fights. Given this, he apologised and left the woman to her devices. The wailing had crept well into the early hours, until men's voices had joined the ruckus, removing Haggis from her post and returning the scary lady to her hotel room. They told her that if she caused the guests any more disturbances they would have to kick her out of the hotel.

That was the only downside to travelling. Nice neighbours weren't always a guarantee. In fact more often than not Will was cursed with every type of scum imaginable. An abundance of intimidating, selfish and angry individuals seemed to inhabit every hotel he visited. As if they got a newsletter informing them of Will's impending location. After a few hours of reading Will eventually grew restless. He was becoming stir crazy, but the hotel was in a remote location, nestled in a huge bulk of green. The nearest gas station in town was miles away. Will usually preferred it that way, but not this time. He craved for a nice town with a homey restaurant, or a movie theatre showing the latest flicks. Even a bowling alley. Some form of entertainment to help pass the time.

But truth be told, relaxation could never be achieved fully. This came from the fact that he was on the lamb. Yeah, fleeing the hands of the law. Will wasn't a criminal, but the law enforcement officers practically forced him to testify against a drug lord who was known for taking out folk who betrayed him. Will wasn't eager to be one of them. So after hours of interviews, voice mails from officers and unexpected visits, all pleading him to put this scumbag away, he got the heck out of dodge. It had only been a few weeks, but it felt like a lifetime. Days that adopted the feeling of years. Always at the back of his mind, worrying that one day, he would be found. Will was unsure if what he was doing was in fact illegal. Was this classed as obstruction of the law? In any case the question of crime hadn't been enough; Will wanted to leave.

He never stayed at a hotel longer than a week, always keeping his location temporary in hopes of making it difficult to be found. He wondered if a life on the run was worth it. Avoiding human contact, sulking in the shadows, paying with cash, using a different alias at each hotel, and practically becoming a ghost. Even worse, none of his friends or family knew. Will had a good life before being in the wrong place at the wrong time. A well paid marketing manager at an international advertising firm. A boyfriend, friends, and loving family. Not one of them knew. They had tried relentlessly to get in touch through calls and texts, but they all went unanswered. They most likely thought Will was dead or had been kidnapped. Guilt crushed him every single day. Each morning he awoke to the sun shining, and in seconds his existence blurred into focus. A man on the run, nobody aware of the location, remorse choking him. Suddenly Gasping for air, he dared to venture onto the balcony.

The patio door slid open as a bright beaming sun bore down. The rain had faded and wind had seized. The sun was out in full force, making it hard to breathe, but it was much better than the hotel room. Will tiptoed forward, eventually clinging onto the handrail, feeling the crusty orange rust coating the metal pole. The view may have been void of civilization, but it was undeniably breathtaking. A huge forest of fresh green. Huge, thick trees, mountains reaching for the sky, small lakes being used by fishers, wooden cabins plotted in the terrain, and hikers travelling, exploring nature at its best.

Will asked himself if it would be okay to hike. Most use it as a form of solitude, so surely there weren't too many people? The thought aroused excitement. Maybe a lonely life would be tolerable with mother nature as a continual companion. Will went back inside, leaving the patio open, and sat in the chair, pondering the thought of becoming a hiker. He weighed up the pros and cons, making a mature decision. This could be a change to find himself again. Endure a walk of passage. Then for the first time in a long while, Will smiled.

Days later he was trekking through the wilderness, the air fresh and wind calming. It was liberating.

After days of walking it was fortunate he found a small lake. Will was getting a little ripe to say the least.

The miniature lake was surrounded by rocks and bulky trees. The sun glimmered off the lake magnificently, like glitter was sprayed onto the surface. The water was so clear that sand could be seen at the bottom, littered with a few pebbles and greens.

Will immediately threw off his clothing and left his rucksack near a decent sized boulder and crept in. The cold water felt great, it soothed his sore and achy muscles. Limb by limb he was consumed gladly by the icy liquid. Until he delved underwater to rinse his hair and refresh his face. After a few seconds he bounced back up feeling alive. This was the best he'd felt in a long time, Will even started laughing, but when he stopped laughing, he noticed that someone else still was.

An eerie chuckle slithered through the breeze and made Will uncomfortable. He didn't remember seeing anyone. Will twirled in the lake and did a once-over of the surroundings. Trees, ground, blue sky, boulders, rocks, woman – Wait, woman?

At the other end of the lake was a beautiful red-haired lady. She couldn't have been older than twenty. Luscious locks that travelled the length of the back. This girl sat dipping two slim legs into the pool, wearing green trousers. From the waist up she wore nothing but a small bikini, barely containing two large breasts. Will felt a stir in his groin. Which wasn't helped when the young girl noticed his ogling and smiled. She gave a very polite, feminine wave with a quick flick of the wrist.

Will smiled back, suddenly aware he was naked. His member was swinging free in the very clear water. He wondered if she could see, but her eyes appeared to stay high with that heavenly smile plastered to her gorgeous face. It was then that this sublime female let the bikini fall onto the boulder she was sat on.

Will's mouth dropped uncontrollably. The tiny swim piece fell and exposed two perfect round breasts. Now he was powerless to stop it, he had gone from soft to hard in no time. He was dying to shove it deep into her. He did feel a pang of guilt at cheating on his boyfriend, even stranger that it could be with a girl. Perhaps his friends were right after all, maybe he was bisexual. Hoping she felt the same he waded over, but as Will did this he saw something odd.

The trousers she wore were shiny. Which at first didn't alarm him as they could be leather or another glossy fabric. It was the fin at the end that was peculiar. It wasn't a pair of green jeans, it was a huge fin. A mermaid? Have I been alone too long? Will questioned his sanity as he gawked at the angelic beauty. He paused in the water and thought for a second. He questioned if this was dangerous or not. Mermaids were friendly, he thought. He hoped, but it was insane that a creature of fiction was right in front of him, smiling and waving, blessed with extraordinary breasts.

"Hey there, stranger," she said in a gentle voice.

"Ummmm... hi," Will responded, not sure how to handle the situation.

"Could you come and put some lotion on me please?"

Okay, this has to be a dream. Supermodel mermaids don't just throw themselves at me! Did I really just think that?

Will was completely befuddled. The mermaid swished the tail as if it was normal to do so, a kind of come on technique. Will had to admit, he was aroused, which was concerning. Did he have some kind of fetish for fish? Then seemingly out of nowhere, came a school of fish. Red, small, all drawn to the large green fin swishing and sploshing in the water. She giggled at the little sea creatures fussing over the fin.

Will felt happy. It was an undeniably strange sight, but one that brought joy regardless. Even if it turned out to be a dream, so far it was harmless. So he stood in the lake and enjoyed. That was until the mermaid's girly giggles became heinous, from innocent little girl to howling witch. The laugh changed in less than a second. At first mesmerising and captivating, now haunting and unnerving, but shortly after this drastic change in laughs, came another peculiarity. The fish turned simultaneously to face Will. His stomach dropped. Their eyes were glued to the man standing in the middle of the lake, gawking at their queen. They were no longer cute little fishies, but malicious water demons. Until it really dawned on Will what they were: piranhas.

No longer than the realisation came, did the gang of toothy fish swim in a frenzy to the man they saw as a threat. Even worse, the mermaid didn't look worried or scared, but glad. This seemingly enchanting, otherworldly beauty had set the order to kill the man. When the reality of the situation hit Will, he ran as fast as the water would permit. He frantically waded through the lake, bouncing from foot to foot, swinging arms, crawling at water for more travelling leverage. The only sound that could be heard now was the bubbling of water. The rapid wiggle of small fins caused a thriving mound of bubbles to follow Will, tinged with redness. A hot lava moved closer and closer, but blending in with this noise was the gleeful shrieking of the deceitful mermaid. Along with clapping. The creature sat enjoying the show, applauding the heavily-toothed minions. All the while, Will struggled to breathe. His limbs were already aching from pushing against the water in an attempt to escape a no doubt excruciatingly painful death at the hand of hundreds of sharp teeth.

The hungry predators were now only metres from their meal. You could almost feel their eagerness. Their immense desire to chow down. Whereas Will could think of nothing worse. The clump of boulders were getting closer to him, but so were they. He pushed and pushed, determined to survive. Will wanted to mangle the stupid bitch to death if he fled the clutches of the piranhas. Until he made contact with a boulder and launched up and out of the water, but not before two of them chomped onto his left foot. It was like a knife slicing through flesh that had been dipped in acid.

Will yelped in agony. Which caused the evil mermaid to chuckle. I will kill that bitch!

Will was horizontal on the boulder just aside the lake, shaking vigorously, but they clung on for dear life. The hectic shakes did nothing to release their grips. Even worse, the energetic jerking seemed to be digging their teeth further into the flesh. The bundle of fish that still remained in the water were leaping up and reaching for the foot. Each one took it in turns to pounce and reach for the bloody limb that had two of the faction attached.

Will heard the splashing as each one fell back into the lake after a worryingly high jump. He clawed from the tip of the boulder, fearing one or more fish may join their friends. The boulder felt smooth against his belly as he lunged onwards, using his hands to bring him closer to land. Will's attempt to flee further did nothing to relent the piranhas. Still jumping, teeth exposed, jaws unhinged. Until he fell from the slab of rock.

Rolling forwards he hit sand. Pebbles and rocks scratched Will's back, but that was nothing compared to the still-existent pain at his foot. Still swinging, still dangling, and still devouring. These piranhas just wouldn't quit. In a panicked haze Will reached for a small rock and began smacking each of them one by one. The chunk of boulder slowly but surely made the teeth pull out. Soon they completely lost their hold, helplessly wiggling on land, struggling for breath. Their tails wiggled and upper bodies spasmed. That was when Will noticed the carnage the little critters had made.

The foot was now more comparable to a bowl of spaghetti. Bloody, bone visible, veins dangling like string cheese. So he continued to pound the piranhas. He pulverized the red-scaled sea monsters with vigour, taking great pleasure in their kill. Smack, smack, smack. Until all that remained was two sloppy lumps of red fins and a shattered skeleton and squashed, jelly-like eyes. One part that did remain undamaged through the battery, were the two sets of teeth. Will, gazing at each set of jagged teeth completely understood how they could cause so much harm to his foot in so little time with the white daggers that were before him. Clumps of piranha were spread around the jaws, tangles of arteries and other body parts. Will was joyous at the extermination of the predators, but the feeling of accomplishment was short lived when the mermaid began bellowing like a demon. She was not so happy.

Will was no longer smug and satisfied at the grizzly termination of the piranhas, but now terrified at what else this evil mermaid was going to send after him , and no longer than he thought it, did it happen. One by one, predators came from the woods. At first Will was unsure what they were. From a distance they were nothing more than moving clumps of fur, but within the fur was eyes , and within those eyes was hunger and viciousness. A pack of wolves crept from the bark, slowly approaching Will, at the mermaid's command. Piranhas were one thing, but wolves were another entirely. More and more kept sprouting from the green. Their brown fur had been camouflaged against the bark, but now, against the rocks and grey boulders, they were clearly visible.

The deceitful sea creature pointed a finger at Will, with a sinister grin. When each member of the pack sped their pace and made for their target, Will got the hell out of there. He fled naked through the bushes. The pain of his foot made it difficult to run, but he figured, one limb in slight anguish, or get eaten alive by ravenous wolves. That forced a life-preserving attitude to kick in.

So he ran. Heart pounding, skin tingling, lungs ablaze, and one foot screaming out. He swung around trees, jumped over rocks, and avoided steep mounts. They were much faster then the killer fish. Paws pouncing were not far behind. Vicious growling echoed as the woods began to turn unnaturally dark. At midday the sun was now retiring. It sank into the sky and fell away, as the moon took its place. This made it considerably more difficult to run. Will repeatedly lost his footing and took many tumbles. Knees pulsing with agony and body wearing down. Trees seemed to breed. No longer was there reasonable space between thick bulks of brown, but now Will had to turn and conform to squeeze through the gaps, but judging by the increasing volume from the beasts, they had no difficulty making their way through the abundance of trees.

Will questioned why they hadn't reached him yet. He was pretty sure wolves had night vision, plus this was their territory, everything was familiar to them. God was on their side. The odds didn't look great for the running human. Yet they still hadn't got their bounty. Were they intentionally staying a way behind as to scare him? Did they need to work up an appetite first? Were they getting more pleasure out of the chase than the kill?

All these enigmas and more ran through Will's mind in his frantic gallop through the wilderness, but how the sun had vanished at this time of the day was beyond any explanation Will could conceive. This surrealism was terrifying. The odd, unexplainable darkness only made everything more terrifying. Until Will came to an abrupt stop when a wolf came in front. The yellow eyes were the only visible thing at first. Until Will's night vision highlighted the furry body surrounding the yellow ovals. Before he could make a second move, Will was surrounded.

Famished beasts circled the helpless human for an impending slaughter. They began growling into the night. Each took steady steps to their evening meal. Paws crunched through dirt and leaves as the circle of wolves became tighter. Will was frightened, but a part of him was relieved. He was exhausted. Body drained of energy, and multiple injuries throbbing. In the midst of his consideration to just give in, his feet, yet again, became muddled. A tangled mass of limbs that sent him falling through the soil and landing in a small square underground. He landed with a thud as straw fell down with him.

Instantly, his head thumped with the added disorientation of a whooshing sound circling his skull. Straw continued to fall like snow, landing on the muddy ground. The pit was completely dark, save for the minimal light brought in by the moon. There was nothing but rock walls wrapped in straw and soil. Roots from trees hung above, curly but sturdy.

The wolves surrounded the hole, glaring down, but all Will could see was a bunch of eyes all around him, floating high above. The only worry that he was concerned about, was if they would jump down into the cavity. If they did that, he would be done for, but it was quite a long drop, so would the wolves risk leg or paw injuries?

Then the best possible scenario occurred: the beasts, one by one, left. Soon enough the yellow eyes had stopped bordering the newly formed dent and no doubt gone back to their finned master.

Will exhaled, realising he had injured his legs upon doing so. They weren't broken, but applying pressure would no doubt be painful.

"Would you like some help my dear?"

A voice came from the gloom. Will's head frantically whipped left and right, desperately trying to identify the sound, and praying it belonged to a friendly individual.

"Oh, my apologies." Again, the unknown voice said, but then it occurred to Will that he recognised that voice. From the dusk a candle was lit and a haggard face came into light. The voice belonged to the crazy lady from the hotel: Haggis.

"This is all because of...." Will finally understood the craziness.

"I am a witch my dear, what did you expect?" she cackled into the gloom.

"Now, now, let us see what we can do about those legs. Sometimes amputation is the only option," she smiled, with rotten teeth and a mischievous, terrifying grin.

Will simply screamed, but nothing would deter the insane witch.

THE END

Bio: Mr. Thomas published 2 novellas, 1 novel, and 2 short horror story collections (Amazon best seller in five categories). He also had 1 short story published in a horror anthology, 1 short story featured in Horror Zine's latest magazine (print and digital), did several radio interviews and national/local paper interviews, and a Twitter interview live from NYC. His novel was featured in Scream (British horror magazine). He is a contributor for the horror website horrornovelreviews.com, as well as several published blogs.

E-mail: Wesley Thomas

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