6/3/05

Jasper's Beast

This could be the beginning of a Horror RPG campaign or the start of a short story. Or both.

Jasper drove his truck like there was no tomorrow because, for him, there might not be. The great beast had been chasing him for miles down Old Mill Road. Jasper checked his rearview mirror and saw that the enormous dust cloud was still behind him. He floored his old Chevy around a hairpin turn and his head hit the roof of the cab as the vehicle lurched up onto the asphalt of Highway 42. He roared past one of the shiny, new Sheriff's cruisers. Might be Kelly or Tim, the new deputy, Jasper thought to himself. The blue lights came on and the cruiser kicked up its own cloud of dust as it spun wheels onto the highway.

"That's it," Jasper said breathlessly. "See that damn thing that's trying to kill me. Report back to Sheriff Mason."

The siren wailed behind Jasper. He risked a glance into the mirror again to see the enormous beast emerge onto the highway. The cruiser increased its speed even more but was quickly overtaken by the creature. It crushed the trunk of the car in its massive jaws and shook it like a dog with a rag. The siren wailed some more and then was abruptly silenced as the hood of the car smashed into a large tree.

Jasper surged forward, pushing his old truck to its limits but he had gained enough distance from the deputy's sacrifice to lose the animal and head into town.

He made it to the Sherrif's office and shouted for help.

"What's up, Jasper," said Jared Mason, looking concerned and wary at the same time. Jasper was known as a kook.

"I ran into a creature in the woods out past the Mikelson place," said Jasper, wild eyed. "It chased me clear out to the highway. Would'a had me, too if..." he paused then continued more quietly and reverently, "If one of your men hadn't distracted it."

The Sheriff's eyes widened and he grabbed the handset for the radio, "Deputy Carter, this is HQ. Come in. Carter, this is Mason, come on. Damn it, Kelly." He looked to the desk behind him and said, "Tim get out there and check it out."

Mason locked eyes with Jasper who looked to the young deputy and said, "42, about a half mile this side of Old Mill."

Tim nodded and nervously strode out to the street toward his cruiser.

The Sheriff's eyes hadn't left Jasper. He said, "All right, McCrae, you and I both know that you didn't run across any creature in the woods. Your family has been giving us stories like that since before my Pa was born."

Jasper opened his mouth to protest but the Sheriff cut him off, "You didn't run across it. You summoned it. Now sit down and tell me what we're up against."

Jasper's shoulders slumped in resignation and he pulled up a wooden chair.


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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Niiiiiiiiiiice! I didn't see the "summoned it" line coming. I like it!