Asylum

There was a rather large black shadow slowly making its way for the car. It was a man, Mark thought. Most likely an old man, judging from his slowness. Mark continued to try to turn. He was now completely perpendicular to the road.

Mark looked back at the shadow. It was still coming for the car, but it was too far off for Mark to see any of its features. Mark did notice that it appeared to be limping. The car was almost turned when Mark looked back at the shadow.

"Mark, please just turn the car, please!" Said Jem.

"Mark." Said Hutch, her voice higher pitched with fear.

Mark didn’t do anything for a little while. The man was close now. Mark could almost see him clearly. He was an old man. His dirty clothes hung off the hunch in his back. His wrinkled face was set in a stare at the car. Mark coughed. As he did this though, he hit the door lock button on the control panel. Mark’s mind was racing, along with his heart.

Finally the car was turned around. Mark floored the gas pedal and they soon flew by the man. Just as they passed him, Mark got a good look at him. His mouth was hanging open, as if he were trying to grin, but didn’t have the strength to hold his jaw open. He had no teeth. He was wearing a ripped hat that was covered in leaves.

"That was so creepy!" Said Jem.

"I know. I wonder where he was going. The only thing behind us was the woods." Said Hutch. There was an awkward silence as they all thought the same thing, the reason Mark locked the doors.

"I bet he was homeless." Said Mark.

"Maybe he lives there." Said Jem. She was smiling now, but no one knew how close to being right she was.

"Mark this is gonna be so scary, when are we going to go?" Asked Hutch. Mark shrugged, beginning to regret bringing them there.

And so it started.

A few days after the incident at the asylum Mark was at his friend Trent’s house with a few of his other friends. If ever there was a bedroom that matched a person’s personality, this was it. There was very little clutter on the floor, only a stack of CD’s and a guitar. On the table next to his bed, were 26 candles (he had bragged about the number before). Behind the candles was a tube of black hair dye, and a pack of cigarettes. On the table to the left of the bed was the Satanic Bible. It was there mostly for show. His walls were decorated with super heroes and porn stars.

Mark sat on the floor and looked at his CDs, mostly Danzig, Sublime, and Atom and His Package. Abdul sat on the bed. Abdul was a character as well. He was dressed head to toe in black, save the patches on his sweater. On one side was the Misfits skull, and on the other the Dead Kennedy’s symbol. He was the goth of the group, from his crazy blue hair to the black nail polish.

Ricky was on the floor also. He was an oddball (as if they weren’t all odd). He had a number of strange obsessions. Currently he was into "The Muppets", and "The Who", and Thor. His Thor obsession was the strangest. He had made a costume of the Marvel version of Thor one day for a small movie they were making.