LITTLE YELLOW EYES

A horror story I hope I haven't submitted before...

    Little yellow eyes…

 

     LITTLE YELLOW EYES!

 

     Marvin sat up in bed, sweating, shaking. He scanned the ceiling, the walls…they were gone. Only they weren’t. They were always watching him. It was almost six, so Marvin got up and brewed coffee. He sat at the table, sipping it, wondering what he was going to do. He’d tried staying awake at night, but then he dozed off during the day, and they still came at him. His nerves were stretched to the breaking point, but he didn’t dare take tranquilizers. The little yellow eyes knew when he was vulnerable and swooped down on him…more each time…and closer…trying to get inside him…

 

     The sun was coming up, and Marvin went outside to greet it. He loved the early morning smells…the early morning sounds. He loved Earth and was of Earth--though part of him would always be Cloirbou. His parents--the Old Ones--had sent him, with trepidation, to Earth when the final war broke out on their planet. They had tried to safeguard him, but it had gone horribly wrong.

 

     The next day he drove three hundred miles to Myrtle’s house. “They’re back,” he told his sister as soon as she opened the door. “I thought I’d managed to shake them, but they’re worse than ever now.”

 

     “Oh dear. Well come in and have some tea.”

 

     “I’d rather have--“

 

     “I know you’d rather have something stronger. But right now tea is what you need.”

 

     They sipped the fragrant brew, and Marvin felt himself beginning to relax--which was probably not a good thing. “When the Old Ones put the eyes to watch over us, they didn’t know what would happen. They didn’t know about the multiplicity or the possessiveness…or that they’d try to take us over…”

 

     Myrtle sighed. “It’s the only way they have of protecting us completely from the world. But don’t you know the blocking techniques?”

 

     A hypnotic program had helped Marvin in the past. He’d almost freed himself. But the little yellow eyes broke through the barrier of suggestion. “I’ve used them,” he said. “But they don’t work any more.” He drained his cup and set it down. “I came here because I know you’ve dealt with the same problem all your life. I was wondering how you handled it.”

 

     Myrtle gave him a peculiar smile. Her body was suddenly yellow and glowing. Tiny pieces of it were breaking away and coming at Marvin. “I didn’t,” she replied in a hollow voice

 

     Then Marvin realized he couldn’t move. “What did you do to me?”  he gasped. “What was in that tea?”

 

     The little yellow eyes surrounded him joyously, filling his body…filling his mind…making him theirs at last.

 

Reviews

[Robert Vicens]

I like unhappy endings. They can be interesting and leave you thinking. I agree with another reviewer that lengthwise, I was left wanting more.

The little yellow eyes seemed like an old curse cast long ago... I wanted to hear more on it and maybe what caused it to be cast. And even if I don't read about the cause (which might be less important than the characters we meet now), I'd like to get more into Marvin's head. And I'd love to learn more about Myrtle as well. More characterization please! :)

[Marie]

I thought I made it clear that the little yellow eyes were meant as a protection, which turned into something more. I'm sorry, this story is finished. Myrtle and Marvin are nothing now but a bunch of yellow eyes....

[Robert Vicens]

I re-read it. It's clear. On a second read it's easier because I knew what to look for.

[Workvio]

A delightfully little Sci-Fi story that would make Rod Serling smile at the very thought of such an episode of the Twilight Zone ...

[Marie]

Thanks. You aren't the only reader who thought of this in connection with the Twilight Zone...

[Mirjana Ilic]

This is quite interesting... I'm not a fan of horrors but this was subtle enough for my tastes. I'd enjoy a longer version of this, a few chapters, some more background info on Marvin and such. And of course, a superhero ending where the good guy defeats all evil, in this case the yellow eyes.... though it seems Myrtle has already gotten to him. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it and I would be pleased to return and read some more :)

[Marie]

Thanks, but this is all there is. And there is no super hero. Both Marvin and Myrtle are lost.

[ANTO]

Great wee tale Marie. No hint was given of the twist until the very end. Bravo my friend. I'll never be able to look at the insides of a passion fruit again without shivering.
top marks Marie

[Marie]

Thank you. I hadn't thought about passion fruit...

[John L. Blackman]

Great short story, I loved it and the ending was well executed too. Well done.

[Marie]

Thank you.

[Rana]

Whoa, this was a great little horror-thriller, a very different one too what with it being a science-fiction. The ending was unexpected of course, the sister turning out to be so evil. Though, the young aliens did seem to be very much like us in many ways. Loved it.

[Marie]

Thank you. I don't know if the aliens were like us in the first place, or if they were changed to adapt to Earth.

[Taylor]

Oh, my goodness, Marie. This is creepy, so much in so short a space. I'll be afraid to go to sleep tonight or rather to wake up in the morning. I'm not sure what "Cloirbou" is -- perhaps a made-up name or something that everyone else knows and in my ignorance, I don't know? It doesn't seem necessary to know, but perhaps it adds another level of meaning if known? A good story -- I enjoyed it.

[Marie]

Thahks. Possibly i should have made the meaning a bit clearer. "Cloirbou" is the planet Marvn and his sister are from.

[Woody]

the shortness of it reminds me of the twilight zone series. very enjoyable little piece with a good twist.

[Marie]

Thanks. When the "Twlight Zone" was on the air, I don't think they would have been able to do the necessary special effects. They could now, though...and in colour...

[Woody]

you're right but evven though they had no special effect, they managed to make it so gripping.
read moreyou're right but evven though they had no special effect, they managed to make it so gripping.
I loved it.

[Marie]

I did too.

[Samuel Dickens]

And that's why I drink coffee! This seems more like sci-fi than horror, but I guess it won't matter to poor Marvin.

[Marie]

I thought of categorizing it as science fiction, but thought horror was more appropriate.