Domestic Bloodshed

A young man moves back in with his old college roommate after being released from a mental institution.

 Under the tall, foreboding gates of the Victorville Sanitarium; young Henry Wyndham is impatiently awaiting his old college roommate Terrence Reigns.  Henry had just been released after a five year stay in the institution, and was more than ready to make a fresh start.  He was anxiously anticipating his friend, who had visited him regularly in the past year and had remained his only remaining anchor to his past life.  On his final visit Terry had invited him to stay in the spare room of his apartment; promising he’d be right outside the second he got out.  Henry now knew that this was at least half bullshit seeing as he’d been waiting around for over thirty minutes.  But he could not complain, this was his only real chance for a new beginning.  His impatient restlessness was beginning to reach its climax when he saw the familiar old station wagon Terry had driven all those years ago, slowly pulling up right alongside him.

Terry rolled down the window and greeted him, “ayyyy stretch, sorry I’m late you must be half past ready to scoot; you need any help with the bags?”

Henry forced a smile; quickly opening the back door to toss his suitcase onto the empty seat, “nope this is it.”  Closing the door, he opened the passenger’s side and jumped into the seat; swinging the door shut behind him, “let’s go.”

Terry obliged, sliding the shifter into the “D” position, simultaneously pivoting and slamming his foot on the pedal; tearing away leaving behind the gloomy Sanitarium.  They sat in silence for the first several minutes of the ride; Terry had no idea how to properly handle this alien situation.   Henry just sat, staring out the window with a vacant expression on his face.  “Check out the set on that one,” Terry piped up, his eyes leering and following a voluptuous woman who was jogging on the opposite side of the road.

“Huh?”  Henry snapped back to reality, something he hadn’t done in quite some time; looking about as clueless as a seventh grader in the corner at his first school dance.

“You alright, man?”  Asked Terry, looking sincerely concerned at his friend, “I’m not the best when it comes to this stuff, but if you need to get something off your chest that you can always talk to me; just tell me if something’s wrong before this goes bad.”

   “Nothing’s really wrong man, just the fact that I’m final out; it’s a bit surreal.  I mean it’s like all this time has gone by; we’ve grown, we’ve changed.  But we’re back together just like we were, it’s like that line in that song ‘time’ off Dark Side ‘the sun is the same in a relative way but you’re older, shorter of breath and one day closer to death.’”

“One rule Henry.”  His head darted and he stared at Terry, who cracked an awkward and forced grin “No conversations deeper than the kiddie pool before my first meeting with Mister Weiser.” 

He chuckled at his own lame joke and it got Henry to at least crack a smile.  “I’m sorry Terry; it’s been so long since I’ve been able to freely spend time in a social setting.  I’ve been getting too many doses of electrotherapy, and it did cured me, but guess I gotta acclimate myself to more natural banter.  Though I haven’t been able to keep up with sports too well, it sparked too much apprehension amongst the patients.”

At this they both sincerely laughed, Terry was relieved that the tension was finally broken “I’m glad this is working out, man I gotta say you seem well, considering.  That place you were in gave me the willies; I can’t believe it was able have a positive impact on you.”

“It definitely took some getting used to, but after I finally gave into Doctor Kinkaid everything finally fell into place and started to make sense again.”

“So there haven’t been any more visits from old Professor Armitage?”

“They eradicated the delusion.”  Henry said almost robotically, and once again began to stare blankly out the window.

The rest of the car ride passed by awkwardly, until they reached the rather large brick complex that held Terrence’s a+partment.  They made their way up the stairs, and digging in his pocket for the key he opened the door to Henry’s new miniscule dwelling.  Terrence gave him the meager tour which ended with Henry’s even more meager living quarters.  It was about the size of the closet which held the cat food and grocery bags for the litter box.  Henry dropped his suitcase in the middle of the floor and began to evaluate the confined space that he couldn’t help but notice was smaller than his room in Victorville, even the padded one.  But this would be good, he could reestablish himself in society in his own way and this was merely a stepping stone.  He then noticed that Terry’s cat Barnabus had been in the doorway staring at him since he entered his new room, and couldn’t help being disconcerted by the feline’s dead, luminescent lamps.  He felt that the gaze was peering into his mind; receiving his static signals of misgiving.

But this was nonsense, the exact kind of thinking Dr. Kincaid had cured him of and attempting to be amiable to the animal stretched out his hand “come over here buddy, was this your old digs; am I crampin’ your style here?”  The cat didn’t move an inch; just sat, perched upright staring at Henry.  He chose to ignore it and began unpacking his sparse belongings. 

Several nights later, returning home from work; Terry burst through the door into Henry’s room.  “What the hell man, I’m unemployed and living in this room; did you not get the slightest inkling that I could possibly be tenderizing my pork roast?”  Said Henry exasperatedly.

They both burst out in a fit of laughter, and as soon as Terry was able to regain his composure he said “I got tickets to Metal Spookfest at the Meridian tonight.  Come, get off your a*s we’re doing this kimosabi.” 

“I don’t know, man I’m down to go out; but can’t we just go to the movies or something; that honestly sounds like the last thing I want to do.”  Replied Henry, looking more than a little uneasy at Terry’s idea for the evening.

“I don’t think you heard me, this is a free night on the town; there’s all different types of bands playing; so at least we can have a good laugh before Bedlam goes on.”  Without waiting for any other response, Terry reached down and pulled Henry up out of bed “come on, no excuses; get yourself dressed and we’re finally going to paint the town red, just like the old days.”

Without another word he went into his own bedroom to prepare for the evening; leaving Henry alone in the room with his thoughts.  And Barnabus, who as usual was staring directly at him and continued as he unwillingly began to get dressed.

 

Several hours later and the two young men are at the Meridian, amongst a sea of assorted metal dufuses.  Terry looking extremely bored at the band performing on the stage, leaning over to Henry screaming into his ear “here’s the real spookfest, a bunch of grown men on stage in their 30’s shrieking about god and the government for thirty minutes.” 

Immediately after saying this the song ends, and the singer brandishing his cordless microphone began to make what seemed like a very well-rehearsed speech.  “Look, I appreciate those of you that came out so early to check us out, and I know a lot of you are probably a little taken aback by aggressive presence and Christian message.  But I gotta tell you, I’ll be the first one to admit this world is a very ugly place; I unfortunately know this firsthand.  Got involved with the worst crowd when I was young, got caught up in some s**t that was way bigger than me.  Next thing I know I’m in a warehouse, duct taped to a folding chair; these guys took everything from me.  Beat me for s**t I didn’t do, and raped me when it was time for a break; I’m just up here trying to tell you that there’s a light at the end of every tunnel.  F**k what you believe, f**k what I believe I’ll be back at the merch table after this; come pick up a shirt and we can talk if you want.  Anybody that just came back from active duty; anybody that’s been through some sort of trauma, anybody.  But they’re telling me we gotta get out of here, thank you guys we were Conflict of Eternity.” 

Terry and Henry merely stand blankly, and silently; until finally Terry was finally able to quietly stammer “Jesus”. 

Henry blinked lost in reflection on what had just been said, he was right this was the absolute last place he wanted to be.  Before he even realized how lost he had gotten in thought he realized that Bedlam had finally began setting up.

“Here we f****n’ go hahahah” Terry yelled nudging Henry’s ribs and pointing up to the stage where several men in white and black paint slathered haphazardly all over their bodies adorned in tattered, decomposing garments of cotton and leather.  It seemed as if all of their musical equipment was setup, but the men were erecting poles all around the stage and shoving what appeared to be stuffed animals on the spiked tips of them.

Henry’s feelings of anxiety began to peak as the band seemed ready to start; as their singer made his way center stage, and the crowd began to erupt in cheers.  The man was extremely slender, wearing the most tattered clothes and erratic body paint of any of his fellow band mates.  He simply stood there while the feedback rang out staring out at the audience with a malevolent and searching glare, finally screaming out “ONLY DEATH IS REAL”.  Moving over towards the pole closest to himself; removing one of the limp items and to Henry’s horror he realized it was a dead rabbit that was still freshly dripping gore.  “ONLY DEATH” screamed the singer again, and to Henry’s utter dismay he gave the dead rabbit a good twist and began to slather its viscera all over his body as the band began to play their first song. 

Terry nudges the mortified Henry and screamed into his ear “on top of this the guy buries his gig clothes in his backyard for months before a tour.  That way they can start to decompose and rot!”

Henry merely continued to stare forward impassively, lost in the violent sonic and aural assault being driven into his skull. 

 

Several days later Henry is sitting up on his inflatable mattress having a staring contest with Barnabus per usual.  The telephone buzzes breaking the tension between the two; he does a backwards somersault on the bed and picked it up.  It was a local bookstore he had applied to the week before “…yes this is him…oh hello, I was hoping that I’d hear back from you…oh yeah I’m willing to work whenever…What?  Oh, it’s uhmm a psychiatric hospital…yes hahaha that’s why it sounds familiar; ‘Victorville Sanitarium’ just seemed like it might scared you off…what?  Okay; hope to hear back from you soon Mr. Sarvaggio.”  As soon as the words left his mouth Henry slammed the phone down on the receiver and slammed himself even harder back onto his bed; deflating it a little bit.

Terry walked into the room tentatively, “so I’m guessing that didn’t go as well as we could’ve hoped?”

“No, it did not at all.  I guess the stink of my crazy won’t even allow me a job in the back room at Sarvaggio’s s****y bookstore.” 

“Don’t worry about it Windy, that was just one opportunity; there’s plenty of work to be found.  And there’s no need to beat yourself up, there’s no burden on me as long as you’re staying here as a matter of fact it’s nice having somebody other than Barney around.  Speaking of which…” he nodded down at the cat “….he’s warmed up to you pretty fast; he’s usually a stuck up b***h.”

“This thing has been following me into my dreams; him and that Messiah Kaos from that effed up Bedlam band.”

“Really, did I not tell you what happened?”

Henry looked up both puzzled and apprehensive and softly said “no, what is it?”

“Guy offed himself on the last night of the tour.”

“Seriously?”  Inquired Henry so quietly Terry could barely register he’d heard him say anything at all.

“Yeah, man; and you wanna hear the worst bit?  The first thing his bandmates did when they found him was take a picture for the cover of their next album.  I heard they got a copy faxed to the Mount Sanai record shop down the street; we should go and check it out!”

“I think I’ll pass” said Henry in the same nearly inaudible tone.  “I don’t think it would be good for me; these dreams are reminding me of the ones that I used to have about professor Armitage right after he died.”

“Ahhhh s**t, I’m sorry Henry I can be such a dingus sometimes” Terry said awkwardly apologizing.  “it’s gotta be tough getting used to this again; on top of being stuck in here all day, every day.  Come on let’s go grab some food; my treat.  I promise not to expose you to anymore horror-shows; just the two of us out for a laugh like the actual good times.”

“Thanks Terry, but I’m not really up for it.”

“Alrighty, you can’t say that I didn’t try; I’ll be down at the Sloppy Seal if you need anything.”  Terry got ready and departed without another word exchanged between the two of them; leaving Henry on his own once again with Barnabus perched next to him, staring.

 

Henry groggily comes to in a lecture hall that is empty; apart from himself, Barnabus, who was on his lap and a shadowy figure who is writing up on the blackboard.  When the figure turned around, Henry realized the figure was Messiah Kaos and what he’d written on the board was “ONLY DEATH IS REAL”.  “Mr. Wyndham do I have your full, and undivided attention?”  Without any answer he began “good, because this is going to be short and to the point.  Pain my pupil, pain, and death are the only variables in this universe worth focusing on.  The pitiable, vainglorious attempts at pleasure your peers and yourself endeavor towards are that of a child rooting for a mother’s breast.  You see” there was a deep surge of pain as if he’d been raked by razors across the chest.  And he noticed that Barnabus had left his lap and now was at the front of the room in the hands of the dead man.  “I will guide your hand towards this knowledge, for I know you are no stranger to pain and confusion; the natural reaction to the chaos this world offers.”  He then abruptly snapped the cat the same way he’d done to the rabbit at the Meridian and just like that night he began to twist and drench himself in the carnage.

 

Henry awoke, shooting into an upright sitting position.  Panting, and sweating so severely that he was not aware of his surroundings until he felt the wet lump next to his left leg.  His heart stopped, realizing that he was covered in more than just sweat.  Barnabus was next to him per usual; except his eyes could no longer stare.  His body had been mangled just as it had been in the dream; when the realization and shock fully hit him Henry let out a blood curdling scream.  Which brought Terry; who’d just returned home running into the room.  He stood there dumb-founded for several minutes finally whimpering “how could you Henry?” 

And before he had any chanced to respond, Terry had already left the room and returned to his own; where they both separately had sleepless nights.

 

Several days came and passed and not a word was spoken between the two, Terry being too confused ethically and emotionally to begin to process the event.  And Henry was just plain confused, scared and more alone than ever.  Once more it is a tense night; both young men lying awake with their doors open.  Finally Henry physically drained of all energy falls asleep, and into the same dreamscape of the Messiah’s classroom of horrors.  “Glad to have you back Henry; are you ready for tonight’s lesson, it is the most important one I have to impart upon you.”

Henry again was either paralyzed with fear, or the simple fact that he was not the one in charge of this lecture hall.  “Good, now you remember what I wrote up on this board last time; it is the key concept in life.  That only death is real; you live with these illusions of chasing pleasure and hiding from pain, but in reality they are one in the same.  This is why I threw myself across the veils of death and you must do the same my young friend.  What is there for you in this corporeal world, other than false hopes and dread; join me in the realm of control and certainty.” 

Henry, realizing the hypnotic power these words were having over him had only one chance to push himself out of this nightmare.  He attempted to lift himself from his chair but felt as if gravity had multiplied ten-fold in this world.  His new teacher began to verbally reprimand him but all Henry could muster was a large intake of air and a bellow of “NOOOOO”.

 

And just like that he was awake again; drenched in what this time was thankfully only sweat.  Jumping up off of his inflatable mattress Henry quickly made his way into the bathroom.  Staring at his reflection in the mirror, at the gaunt panic-stricken face that he barely could even recognize as his own.  He began to mutter to himself “I am Henry Wyndham; and I am trying to reclaim my life.  A life that is worth living, as many lessons I’ve learned from pain; I do not seek it.”

At this moment the form of Messiah materializes behind Henry and begins to whisper into his ear “are you listening to yourself?  I was embedded inside of you; the only reason I horrified you so much is because I truly opened your eyes.  You were on the precipice and I am here to reassure you that death and pain are the only cleansers.  Give your friend the release you gave his cat the other night; those nose trimmers seem like they would do just fine.”

Henry buried his face in his hands beginning to scream in a vain attempt to drown out the apparition, who only got louder.  Taking its advice Henry picked up the nose trimmers and jammed the scissors into his chest; surprisingly it dug in and met its mark.  The body tumbled to the floor and Henry soon thereafter; to his horror from this new vantage point he recognized that the body was not of Messiah but of his friend Terrence Reigns.

 

An EMT is meeting a police officer in the main room of the apartment, he attempts to be heard over the shrieking coming from another room “what’s the story here Don?”

The officer smirked responding “kid just got released from the boobie hatch, stabbed his friend who’s been letting him stay here.”

“Jesus guess he needed some more time in the oven.” 

“That’s the irony; this Dr. Kincaid got arrested just a week ago for using extreme shock treatments down at the Victorville Sanitarium.  And guess who that sicko’s final guinea pig was.  Seems like this kid was having dreams about his dead professor and he tried to cook it out of him.”  He was now leading the EMT to the bathroom, and opening the door showed him Henry writhing around on the floor next to Terry’s body in apparent agony.

“He’s fucked up”, said the EMT; as it is revealed that the spirit of Barnabus is viciously attacking every inch of Henry’s body.