The Painkillers

The Painkillers


The night sky fell on him. He could hear the voices calling his name.
Eddie your son is at home crying, hurt in pain.
He ran and ran ignoring the comments made by the dark voices singing in his head.
Eddie your wife's breasts are firm let me touch them.
These voices were getting to him. He smacked his head left and right.
"Please stop" he spoke "I'll be a good boy".
He ran and turned the corner looking behind his back for them. Eddie stopped. Breathing heavy and sweating profusely he fell to his knees.
"Please" he said praying on his knees "I'll be a good boy".
Eddie heard something coming from behind him. Men on motorbikes wearing black jackets looking like a gang peered out from the mist. Eddie fell to the ground flat on his face, which was sucking up the dirt. Suddenly the voices stopped. It was silent. Eddie got up to his feet and brushed himself off. His body was still trembling. He turned around and the only thing that he saw was the barrel of the shotgun in his face and ten bikers standing behind it.
"No please" he cried as the biker smiled.
The gun fired and blew off his head.

Joel Herring and his police chief Hix strolled down the hall of police station.
"So what do we got?"
"One dead"
"So?"
"This guy was an ex-cop with no trace or evidence of how he died at all".
Joel spoke up "So what are you saying?"
"I am saying that there is no reason why this guy should have died and I want you on this Joel".
Joel thought for a moment.
"Here" Chief Hix handed him a folder "These are the files on his mother Margaret Baxter, I want you to find her and she if she knew of any problems with Eddie".
Joel nodded and headed towards his desk.

The building looked broken down and ratty. Tree leaves hung on the roof with bird crap on the windows. Joel was dressed in a suit and tie. He rang the buzzer in the main entrance where he heard no answer.
"Mrs. Baxter?" he talked into the speaker "It's Lieutenant Joel Herring from homicide here to ask you a few questions about you son".
There was no response so Joel was let in by another tenant in the building and made his way up the stairs and to her apartment. The knock he made on the door echoed across the hall. The door quickly opened and on old woman with shaggy grey hair and an old knitted sweater jerked her head out.
"What do you want?" she snipped at him.
Joel pulled out his badge.
"I'm Joel Herring homicide".
She slammed the door in his face. He knocked again but a little louder and aggressive this time and the door opened again and she came out.
"Please come in and sit down," she said this time with an evil smile on her face. He sat down and so did she.
"What do you want to know about my son?"
Joel pulled out his pen and pad of paper.
"Do you know if your son did drugs or drank excessively?"
Mrs. Baxter lit up a cigarette.
"No way" she exclaimed "My son was a perfect gentleman who never touched a bad thing like drugs or alcohol in his life".
"Them how do you explain his death?" Joel asked sitting back in his chair.
"He was a vegetarian" she replied "At least until they came".
Joel's hand dropped.
"Who came?"
"Those bastards who killed my son".
"It's ok Mrs. Baxter" Joel spoke as he put his hand on her knee and she touched it "It will be alright".
It was then her eyes shot up. She squeezed his hand tighter.
"THERE COMING FOR YOU!" she cried.
"Who is?"
"THE PAINKILLERS!"
Joel shook her "Who are they?"
"They murdered Eddie and Myles and now they want you".
Joel looked down and then up and saw Mrs. Baxter with blood shot eyes, barbed teeth and a warty green face.
"THERE COMING FOR YOU" she said as she dug her fingernails into Joel's hand. He quickly pulled his hand away and put pressure on the blood.
"Mr. Herring what's wrong" Margaret said with her face back to normal.
"Nothing" he replied, "I have no other questions".
Scared, breathing heaving and sweating profusely he ran out of the apartment, down the stairs and to his car. When he got into the car the fresh wounds on his hands were gone.

The night was foggy and damp. Joel was at home on the couch thinking. He turned on the T.V only to see another Family Ties rerun. It was then a voice rang in his head that was so loud and real.
Honey I'm home
He shook his head. The voice repeated followed by a sharp pain in his temple. Joel got up and winced in agony. He turned his head and saw ten bikers standing by his front door. One had a shotgun. The pain was gone. At first they looked blurry to him and then he saw them focused and clear as day. He ran to his room as the biker fired the gun blasting Joel's door. The bulky well shaped with a pony tale spoke up.
I own your mind Joel!
"Who are you?" Joel shouted.
He heard a devilish laugh that tingled his spine. He sat on his bed waiting for them. His bedroom door opened slowly. He felt a breeze flow through his hair.
"Honey I'm home" a familiar voice flowed.
It was then a tall woman with long blond hair and a nightgown walked in. Joel's face dropped. It was his wife who had been dead for three years.
"Wendy?" he asked.
"Darling it's me" she repeated and touché d his arm.
"But your dead".
"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" her arms flew out to him.
He could not believe it as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Your back" Joel cried.
But something was wrong. One of her arms was hugging him but where was the other one. He looked up and saw a knife being lured down on him. He grabbed her arm to defend himself.
"NO" he screamed insanely.
A smile was on his wife's face. Joel pushed her away and she disappeared into the thin air. Another evil laugh shattered his mind. Joel fell back on his bed. Thinking. Was this real?

Joel rushed to his desk at the station the next morning acting very weird and chief Hix followed him.
"What's wrong Herring you look like shit?"
Joel ignored the comments and headed straight for his desk. Sweat poured from his head. He picked up the phone.
"Yes" he said "I'd like to make an appointment with Dr. Raymond Troy please."
His hands shook and he could feel his skin colour getting paler.

He was rushing to get to Dr.Troy's office the next day. He got to the office and walked in. Dr. Troy greeted him.
"Mr. Herring" he said, "I've been expecting you."
He went to shake Joel's hand but Joel refused.
"I've got a problem."
"That's what I'm here for."
"I've been seeing things," Joel said as he paced back and forth "Things that are dead and not real."
"What kind of things?"
"The other night I was at home and I saw my wife and she tried to kill me for gods sake."
"Ok calm down."
"They're running my mind"
"Who?"
"THE PAINKILLERS" Joel was biting his nails in a frenzy "They want to destroy me."
Dr. Troy sat back in his chair and took in a deep breath.
"Yes" he replied, "I know"
Joel butted out the cigarette that he was smoking.
"You mean you know who they are?"
"Yes but you can't tell a soul."
Joel nodded.
"You see the painkillers are a former biker gang that was burned to death by a bunch of local bad ass cops" Dr. Troy went on "All were killed except for the leader, he was shot at point blank range in the head."
"How do you know all of this?" Joel asked.
"Eddie Baxter was a patient of mine" Dr. Troy went on "Anyway, the painkillers used to rape and murder teenage girls and now their souls control the minds of police officers, and now your next!"
"How do I stop them?"
Dr. Troy sat back in his chair
"There is only one way" he whispered "That is to sacrifice your own life."
"You mean kill myself?"
Dr. Troy nodded.
"Isn't there another way?" Joel asked in despair.
"Afraid not" he answered.
Joel darted out of the office without looking back. When he got into his car he looked out the back and saw a flurry of bikes. He knew it was them. He quickly took off with the painkillers on his tail. It was then that Joel stopped and got out of the car. He faced them, ready to confront his fears.
"Come on you fuckers" he yelled.
They came straight at him all ten of them speeding on their bikes but they rode right through him and disappeared.
"Time flies when you're dead" a voice swallowed the air.

The next day Joel was in his office and Chief Hix got on his case right away.
"Herring did you question Mrs. Baxter like I told you?" he asked.
Joel didn't feel so good so he nodded and made his way into his office. He saw his desk on fire. He shook his head, looked again and it was still there.
"FIRE!" he cried darting to his office as fast as possible. He tried to put it out with his hands but it was too high. Then the fire disappeared. Like it wasn't even there. Hix walked in.
"What the hell is a matter with you" he yelled "Are you seeing things again Joel?"
"It was there," Joel mumbled "A fire, didn't you see it?"
"No, it looks like you need a little time off" Hix put his hand on Joel's shoulder "Why don't you come over to my place around five, Joyce is cooking up some killer ribs."
"Ok"
"Now clean yourself up you look like shit!"

It was five o'clock. Joel pulled up in front of Chief Hix house. They were all gathered in the backyard at the picnic table. Hix stood up.
"Hey Joel, let me introduce you" he pointed, "This is my wife Annie."
She was a tall woman with reddish brown hair.
"This is my son Brian" Hix smiled "Who hasn't finished his homework"
Brian was short and skinny with light brown hair.
"This is Joyce our housekeeper," he continued.
Joyce did not look at Joel, she seemed afraid of him.
"You want some ribs?" Hix asked.
"Sure"
Brian got up and spotted the gun in Joel's pants. He grabbed his jacket and tugged.
"Can I see that?" Brian asked pointing to it.
"No" Joel replied, "That's dangerous"
"Please Mister, Please"
Joel started to hear voices.
You can do it….I know you want to….
He grabbed his head in pain. They boy kept tugging on his jacket as Joel put his hands down. He looked at the boy and then at his gun. The gun was in a pouch so Joel quickly popped it open and pulled it out.
"You want it! HERE!" he said as he pointed it at the helpless Brian's head. He blew the back of his brains out. Chief Hix turned around as Joel put a bullet in his stomach and neck. Annie screamed in horror as she tried to run. Joel blasted her in the back and head. Joyce came out from the back door with a bowl of salad in her hands as she saw Joel covered in blood and a gun in his hands. She ran as Joel Herring looked at his gun, shot at her and missed. Without thinking he ran inside to find her.
"Come out here little maid" he called "I'm not going to hurt you, I'm just going to ease you pain just like everyone else."
He walked into the kitchen as she came darting out hitting him with a frying pan. She tried to swing again but Joel grabbed her and threw her on the ground. He opened fire at her but missed as she ran upstairs. He chased her.
"Make it easy on yourself" Joel called "After they get you they're going to me."
He walked into the master bedroom.
"Joyce?"
She ran at him with a bat and clocked him in the back of the head.

Joel woke up feeling his head bounce. Joyce was dragging him down the stairs. She also had the gun.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Shut up or I will kill you," she cried, "I mean it."
Joel got up and jumped on her as the two scrambled down the stairs. He slapped her twice then picked up the gun. He stood up and pointed it at her.
"Please no" Joyce balled helplessly.
He pulled the trigger and shot her three times without hesitation. Joel then dropped the gun. He looked at his hand covered in blood as he ran them down his face. He turned around and saw the painkillers standing there stern and tall.
"Good boy Joel, you did the right thing" the leader with the ponytail spoke quietly.
"You bastards" Joel yelled as he heard a laugh. He quickly grabbed the gun and stuck it to his own head. The leader stopped laughing.
"No stop Joel"
" There is one bullet left in this gun and I'm not going to let it go to waste"
Police sirens were heard at the side of the house.
"No matter what Joel, we will always own you mind"
Joel stood tall.
"I don't think so Mother Fucker" he said and then pulled the trigger.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO" the leader's voice carried.
Joel's brains flew out the side of his head. The painkillers blew into flames as the fire spread throughout the gang and there bodies turned to corpses as they were forced to the underworld of hell.



THE END