Chapter 4: A Monster Is Born

Jerry looked down into the black abyss of the well. He couldnt see anything but a ungodly smell was coming from it. He tied one end of a rope around his waist and the other to a nearby post that seemed sturdy enough before crawling. The well walls felt damp and mossy, he prayed nothing he touched would turn out to be alive. As he slowly made his way to the bottom the smell became worse, it became so strong that he had to stop to cover his nose with his shirt. the brick support his left foot suddenly collapsed from the weight and Jerry fell straight to the bottom. He landed on something but the darness hid its true form, but it felt like a bunch of sticks wrapped in some type of leather. He pulled out his phone, the light from it shined on what was a shriveled up corpse that seemed to have died many years ago from falling down this well.

"It's not too late." The voice of Ed Harley spoke out as if it was comimg from above him but when he shined his phone around no one was there. Jerry grew angry, "ED HARLEY, SHOW YOURSELF TO ME AND STOP MESSING AROUND, OR DO YOU FIND ENJOYMENT IN THIS?" Jerry screamed but no there was no answer. When he looked down he examined the corpse. Exposed to the elements like this it should be more rotted and picked at by wildlife, yet it seems that is not the case, the body has shriveled to look almost unhuman. He notice that whoever this was died the moment he hit bottom due to the head wound but that didn't explain the cuts on his arms. It was if to him that the person had been fighting something on the way down but only the remains of one were here. Jerry carefully picked up the remains and put them over his shoulder, "You may smell bad but at least you're light as a feather." He started climbing when he realized what he had just done, "Did I just compliment a corpse? I'm losing my mind." He continued climbing up back to the top.

(Haggis's Shack)

Jerry layed the corpse gently on a table and backed away from it, "I've done what you asked of me." Haggis got out of her chair and walked slowly to the table, "I can see that." She said as she inspected it carefully, lifting the arms and checking it's teeth. She moved her hands across it's chest, "You've done well Jerry Hall." Haggis began placing candles around the body. The creatures that filled her home fled to the shadows as if the onew something was about to happen. Jerry wiped his head of sweat, "Do you know who that was?" He asked her. Haggis lit a match, "His name was Ricky McCoy. Poor boy was madly in love with a girl he couldn't have. Their families hated eachother but that didn't stop them from trying. unfortunately, it ended with bloodshed when his love was killed by one of her own brothers. He seeked vengeance and summoned Pumpkinhead, for a price."

"What was the price?" He asked but she ignored him to focus on lighting the candles. When she was done she blew out the match and Jerry asked again, "What was the price he paid?" He said more sternly. She grabbed a chalice and an old dagger from a cabinet drawer. She walked infront of Jerry, "In return for Pumpkinhead, your soul will become forever trapped in limbo for all of eternity. Ricky McCoy found that price reasonable just like the ones before him did. Do you find this price reasonable Jerry Hall?" Jerry should have been debating it but all he could think about was his son. He remembered the last thing he said to him was to fuck off, not I love you. A tear rolled down his eye as the memories filled him with sadness and anger, "I do. I want The Monroe family dead by any means." Haggis pointed to Jerry's hand which he raised infront of her. She cut it with the dagger and let the blood drain into the cup.

She squeezed the wound making the blood come out faster and steadier as Jerry became woozy. The cup was mostly filled when she let him have his hand back. Jerry was woozy and a hard time standing as he watched her heat up the bowl above a candle. The world started spinning around Jerry, his legs felt like jelly, his eyes felt like they were gonna pop out. He fell to knees as he tried to get a grip on himself, his skin felt like it was burning. He looked up at Haggis, she began pouring the blood on the corpse's mouth. The crimson liquid steams as it hits the dehydrated flesh. The corpse suddenly began moving around, its limbs getting longer and its face started to stretch out. Jerry watched in horror as it slowly began to lean up seeing its mid transformation before passing out.

(One Hour Later)

Jerry opened his eyes and saw a spider slowly crawling towards his face, "OH JESUS." He yelled and jumped to his feet. Haggis was back in her chair rocking back and forth, "You can go now Jerry Hall." Jerry didn't question her, he turned around and walked right out that door. He got his car and took a deep breath before driving off. He slowly made his way down the dirt roads and onto pavement. He turned on the radio so it wouldn't be so quiet but all he could get was static, "Were in a bad area." Jerry jumped at the sight of Ed Harley sitting in his passenger seat. He stopped the car in the middle of the road, "STOP DOING THAT." He yells. Ed shakes his head in disappointment, "You should have listened to me Jerry. You have no idea what is going to happen."

"OH AND YOU DO ED, DO YOU KNOW ED? I DONT CARE WHAT HAPPENS AS LONG AS THE PEOPLE WHO KILLED MY BOY ARE PUNISHED. YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND." It was then that Jerry noticed how Ed looked, he was exactly the same in ever way, as if age never touched him. It only took a second but he put it all together, Ed Harley was dead. Ed looked out his passenger window, "I do understand how you feel. I lost my boy two years after you left town. He was killed in a accident when a biker hit him and ran." Jerry had met Ed's son a few times while visiting his store and thought he was nice boy. The ghost had tears running down his face from the memory of seeing his son on the ground. Jerry opened his glove compartment and pulls out a napkin but Ed had already vanished.

Jerry regreted what he said and wish he could take back. He continued on his way listening to the static from the radio. He kept driving until he got back to Union, he was thirsty. He parked right infront the bar and walked inside heading straight for the bar. The bartender wasn't Dennis, it was a asian man in his early 20s with pink dyed hair. Jerry took a seat infront of him, "Hey." He greeted, "Crown Royal Black and leave the bottle." The Bartender nodded and went to fix Jerry's drink. The music was loud, men were dancing and having a good time, Jerry was the only one sitting down actually drinking and not having a good time. As soon as that bartender put that glass down he began chugging it down like it was water. less than 20 minutes and the bottle was less than half filled. Deciding it was to tedious to pour out some in a cup, Jerry started drinking straight from the bottle.

Once he was finished, Jerry slapped some money on the counter and wandered outside. He made his way down the street singing incoherent lyrics before planting on his face. He had passed out again but this time a police car had pulled out next to him. Two officers exited the vehicle, "Looks like we got a little adventurer over here. Alright, you grab the lower half and I'll get the top." The two officers awkwardly picked him up an put him in the back seat. When the two got back in they looked back through the police barrier, "You've seen him before?" One officer ask the other, "Nah, He must be new in town. But who ever he is must be trying to forget something." The three were off to the station while a monster made his way to Baltimore.