3
The fog moved into the town of Hunter’s Ridge around midnight; the night air hot, stifling and dead as a crypt. Officer Keane was in the middle of his shift and tonight was proving to be just as sleepy and quiet as hundreds of nights before. Hunter’s Ridge was a small town after all, population about 500; besides he thought, nothing ever exciting happens here. As if the thought had conjured it up Officer Keane spotted a figure dressed in black walk out of the ally between Don’s Doughnut Shoppe and the coin operated Laundromat. The figure paused as if aware of Officer Keane’s stare, turned and seemed to looked right at Keane, and continued walking down Main St. heading towards Cemetery Row Rd.
Unnerved and thinking that the figure might be a burglar, or if nothing else up to no good Officer Keane starts to follow behind the figure in his Patrol car. As he rounds the corner onto Cemetery Row he notices the figure is well down the road near the edge of town already. Breathing a sigh of relief and thinking to himself “That’s it keep moving, right on out of town, become someone else’s problem.â€
As the figure turns into the old Trinity Cemetery; Keane curses under his breath, he should have known it couldn’t be that easy. Pulling over to the side of the road Keane groans as he realizes the fog is getting thicker by the moment. â€*beep*, why tonight in this god forsaken fog?†Unbuckling his seatbelt Keane opens the door and keys his Mic. “Jeanie I have someone entering the old Trinity Cemetery I’m going to go in and see what’s going on.†Seconds later there was a brief crackle and a woman’s voice answered from the radio’s speaker. “I don’t envy you out in this fog, you best take care of yourself John.†Chuckling, Officer Keane keys his Mic again. “I wouldn’t worry Jeanie it’s prolly just some kid out to get his jollies off by vandalizing some old headstones. I’ll report back in a bit.â€
With that Keane pulls out his black department issue Maglite flashlight, clicks it on and heads for the Cemetery gates.
Shining the light in head of him Officer Keane is dismayed that he can only see 3ft. ahead of him. “This is pointless, he mutters to himself. I can’t see or hear anything in this fog, its best I just head back.†Turning around he is startled as a large figure in black looms out of the fog in front of him. Before he can react something hard collides with his head and his entire world dissolves into blackness.
Sometime later Officer Keane awoke, head throbbing and sight fuzzy. He suddenly became aware that he couldn’t move. As his head cleared he came to find that his arms and legs were outstretched and staked to the ground. Seeing the headstones around him he decides he must still be in Trinity Cemetery. About all he can move is his head the bindings of his arms and legs were to secure to budge even a fraction. Laying his head back he closes his eyes to collect his thoughts, “What in the **** is going on, he thinks to himself. I’m lying here staked out in a cemetery, my shirt seems to be the only thing besides my radio that is missing. My utility belt and gun is still on and the flashlight is lying on the ground two feet away shining on a headstone.†As he opens his eyes again he finds himself staring into the inky darkness of a hooded figure.
There is the stench of death surrounding the figure, so overwhelmingly powerful Keane feels the urge to vomit. Turning his head to the side he catches sight of something in the figures hand. Bring it forward he sees it clearly, a blackened blade. As the figure places the tip of it against his chest Officer Keane knew without a doubt that he should have stayed in bed today. “Oh God please help me, Officer Keane somehow manages to croak out of a suddenly dry throat. He tears he eyes from the knifepoint on his chest and looks at the hooded figure again. “Who are you?†he says, barely louder then a breath. The hooded head looks toward him, slightly *beep* its head and with a whispery voice sounding of ice and dead leaves speaks for the first time. “I am the Plague of Days.†And starts slicing Officer Keane down the middle.