One of my favorite series of video games is Splatterhouse. This short story takes place at the intro to Splatterhouse for the PC Engine or TurboGrafx 16 as I knew it. I thought it would be fun to narrate the beginning for writing practice and nostalgia. Thanks for reading.
Splatterhouse
Fan Fiction
By: Keith Luethke
The red Ford pickup cruised along Hidden Oaks, a dark, lonely road where towering trees interlaced and vines wove together to blot out any sunlight that dared to trespass.
"Where did you say we were going?" Jennifer asked from the passenger's seat. She was eighteen, had long blond hair, and wore a tight fitting halter top and skirt to match.
Rick took his eyes away from her cleavage and naked legs. Jennifer never dressed that way in their college occult classes, but when he picked her up for a date she was an impressive sight.
"We're going to Dr. West's mansion. I thought you'd want to see what our professors in class were talking about," Rick grinned.
Jen shrugged. "But it's abandoned."
"I know. I just thought we'd drive around it. Maybe get a few pictures, and then go out to eat somewhere," Rick promised.
"That sounds nice," Jennifer said.
It started to rain. At first only tiny drops struck the windshield, but as they drove deeper through Hidden Oaks the rain tumbled in sheets, blocking Rick's vision. He was forced to decelerate the Ford's speed and take the curves with more caution.
Jennifer pressed her knees together. Rick noticed how smooth her legs were. Then something was standing in the road. Something humanoid, and dark red, and dripping wet.
Rick saw giant mashing teeth and large fish-like eyes reflecting in the headlights.
"Look out!" Jennifer cried.
Rick slammed on the brake pedal and jerked the wheel.
The Ford slipped off the road and slammed into a twisted oak tree stripped of summer leaves. Rick and Jennifer were thrown forward, but their seatbelts kept them from flying through the windshield glass.
The Ford hissed smoke; its hood and engine were crumpled around the front of the giant leering tree.
"Are you OK? Are you hurt?" Rick demanded, looking over her body. He couldn't see any discernible marks or bruises but that didn't mean they weren't there.
"I'm fine," Jennifer said. She unbuckled her seatbelt. "What about you?"
Rick released his grip on the steering wheel. "I'm fine too. I'm sorry."
"It's all right," Jennifer answered. "We're OK." She peered through the back window. "What was that thing in the road?"
"I have no idea," Rick said. "I've never seen anything like it before."
Jennifer withdrew her cell phone from her purse. "I can't et a signal out here. Do you have your phone?"
Rick shook his head. "I forgot it."
"Great, what do we do now?" Jennifer huffed.
Rick took off his coat and placed it around Jennifer's shoulder.
"We'll have to walk," he said.
Outside the truck it was pouring rain. Beyond the dark clouds swirling overhead came the grumble of thunder.
Rick and Jennifer exited the Ford. Together they walked onto the road, arm and arm. Where the odd creature had stood was a greenish slime in the road, but no other signs of what it was or where it had gone.
Rick searched through the dense trees crowding around the desolate road, but found only darkness there. They kept going, quickening their pace as the storm heaved down a torrent of rain and slapping wind.
Ahead of them and lurking in the night was the mansion of Dr. West. A tall black gate was strung around the immense property and shrubs and ivy found their home along the protective barrier of steel.
Something growled behind Rick and Jennifer, something more guttural than a canine, something foul and primal.
Jennifer started running for the safety of the mansion and Rick followed after her. Behind them came heavy footsteps and deep breathing, but when Rick looked over his shoulder he could see only rain and darkness.
The black gate was open, green slime lined the bars.
The mansion was up ahead, countless windows peered down at them like the watchful eyes of a hulking beast. Rick tried the door knob but the mansion was locked.
"Rick, I just saw something by the gate near the woods," Jennifer announced.
He turned and looked but saw nothing. He didn't doubt there was something there lingering and ready to pounce, but the night hid its secrets well.
Rick slammed his shoulder against the front door in an attempt to get inside.
Above, the lightning flashed, illuminating the front yard.
Jennifer screamed, "They're coming!"
The front door popped open as Rick rammed against it a final time. He ushered Jennifer inside and then followed after her. He then slammed the wide door shut, keeping out the rain and whatever horrors came with it.
Inside Dr. West's mansion was dark and damp, it was only when lightning flashed that they were able to see and navigate through musty shadows and forgotten lore. There was a glass shelf with faded yellow pictures and a bone mask behind a totem of a deity Rick could not recall.
"I'm not going back out there," Jennifer shivered.
"We'll hang out here until the storm ends," Rick suggested. "Maybe we'll even spend the night."
A door creaked open from somewhere nearby.
Rick could make out a giant hulking figure, bend, twisted, cadaver grey in color, and heading toward them with large extended claws and a gasping mouth full of tentacles and drool.
Jennifer tried to run away but the monstrosity snatched her.
Rick barreled at the creature and a long talon ripped through his stomach and wrenched upward. He was then thrown into the glass case on the ornate wall. Glass shattered all about him and he couldn't get up.
Rick could hear Jennifer's screams echoing through the mansion as the beast ran off with her. He could feel his lifeblood seeping out. He knew only darkness and pain.
"She doesn't have to die, Rick."
The voice was indistinct and spoke in his head. A few feet away from Rick's hand was a mask, not just any mask, but a skeletal one seemingly crafted from ancient bone; it had tumbled out from the glass case when he'd shattered it, and now the mask spoke.
"Put me on. I can help you. I can heal you. We can get her back. She doesn't have to die, Rick."
With the last of his strength fading away, Rick curled his fingers around the mask and placed it on his face, bonding and cursing his life forever to an ancient evil, and gaining immense power in the process.
In Rick's mind, the mask laughed, a terrible sound full of malice and dread.
The End