The Animal Within

The horrific professor...

The Animal Within…By Sami Khalil

The wafting smell, coming from the weathered, natural stone chimney, held an uncanny mystery. Depending upon the vagaries of the weather, it caused latent fears within neighbors to surface, cross-referencing unruly ways. Knowing their neighbor belonged to “The Church of Satan” beforehand, facts could not sway their purblind thoughts in idle curiosities.

Upon studying ancient myths, legends and theology, “The Creep” as he was known, who was a professor on the subject at The University of Alabama, had fascinating fever of animals, their influences on art and the religious ceremonies of the ancients, knowing there were many untold sacrifices made to the gods or God, which brought about transformations and redemptions. Why not, he thought to himself, when all of humanity duly possesses “the animal within”, enthroning our genes along with a spirit?

 Even many known cults sprang around the beast of the wilderness. Some mummified them, preserving them for posterity.

The smell kept on baffling the neighbors, for what in the world was happening among those walls, caused such massive annoyance, prevalent in mindscapes. The Creep’s noted yard, was attended by animal statues of all sorts, most notably the ram, the winged bull, the monkey, the beetle, black cats and The Sphinx. 

Mistrust was sharply present towards this neighbor, as rumored by them, that his house was peopled by phantoms, tending to his needs. The house was modest but eerie looking. Five-sided rooms, with niches pointing to Egypt, made it so unique. Even certain trees that were planted, held Gothic meaning. Those trees stood eminently haunted, bearing a mournful appearance of weathered fate.

What was observable too, were the dark-tinted vans, carrying night guests in and out, gesticulating from across the fence sight. The large bullpen he had built, possessed dogs and cats, suitable for breeding purposes and selling, as was told, which made no hesitation of suspicion. It felt like the worst animal shelter. 

Finally, a neighbor called the police to investigate, after his dog went missing, due to weird circumstances (people from different places reported theirs missing too along with cats). To shine a light on the problem, the police obtained a search warrant, entered the house, rummaging through aforementioned speculations. To their surprise, the house was meticulous. They turned their gaze to the chimney and it was clean as a whistle. As they were looking around diligently, the detective, who was very crafty, went outside, digging in the yard insidiously. He stumbled upon charred bones, which looked suspicious, to be sent to the lab for testing. 

Compared with the dust collected within the chimney, they uncovered the taxonomy truth of evidence. A great clue was evident to the detective, which gave it all away, knowing about the professor and his ways, was the mural on the wall which stated: “Release the animal within.” The professor took it literally, admitting after many interrogations, that he believed in fire (Hellfire) which was the only way to release those animal instincts from dormancy. He did chop to pieces canines, felines and anything he could get a hold on, burning them in his bloody chimney. Another queasy shock was induced by the fact that, a local veterinarian supplied him such with many stolen ones. Come to find out, he had a book published long ago, stating in one section:

“Fire unravels the blurred lines between the human and animal kingdoms. Must not we burn in Hell for purification.”

Reviews

[lakinbob]

Got to agree with our Beccy here. Not so far away from when we first stood upright, are we.

LB

PS. Something is following us in the dark, I think it's a ghost from our yesterdays.

[Sami Khalil]

Wow! I do agree Lakinbob. Thank you so much for this lovely visit and kind sharing. See you soon.

[Beccy]

We wear suits now; smile instead of snarl, but the basic instinct is still there beneath the cloth, the teeth still sharp.

'The animal within.' A perfect title to a story that reminds us how slowly along the road to true civilisation we travel.

Beccy.

[Sami Khalil]

Wow! So true and well articulated brilliant poet. I like your take on this one and humans in general. Thank you so much for all. Good to see you.

[Lydia Shutter]

OH MY....another scary story. This is the sort of story we used to tell at camp outs around a fire. I think YOU have released the animal within here, my friend. Such a great story teller...but I am glad I am not alone in my house right now. :) Lydi**

[Sami Khalil]

Hahaha. Thank you so much Lydia for this lovely review and kind visit. My mind wanders lately...lol

[‘Thoughts In Time..]

Hmmmm excellently written with knowledge deep and knowing- many ways to purify - once we have gone to far there’s no going back - the line between goid and bad dark and light is very thin- I’d like to think one would choose life over death- well written- wise you are- 🌹

[Sami Khalil]

Wow! So true and well said Rose Petal. Thank you kindly for all.

[‘Thoughts In Time’🌹]

My pleasure- the deeper you look the clearer you see 🌹

[Neville]

Sure as hell made this guy shudder... What a tale you can tell and true.. You are one heck of a wordsmith Sami and so say all of us who choose to sleep with the light on............. All Good Things.... Neville

[Sami Khalil]

Hahaha. You are awesome my friend. I so much speechless in your honor. Drink some hot cocoa and milk for that might help...lol...Just kidding. All good things and thank you kindly.

[Neville]

no problem, no worries, my pleasure, my friend...

[Sami Khalil]

:)................

[lightsong]

I always try to give some time to read Your stories, it's not that they are long, but as I've said before it's that my English doesn't help me.

in my humble opinion, and from those stories I read from You, Sami my friend You are really great! Your style is clear and keep us interested and holding on, that's the secret of a "good" story, I even think Your talent glows through Your stories more than Your poems, You know so much, and You have so much to say, each time You speak of a new subject, while reading this one I felt I was reading it in a magazine, or a book or... ect, honestly, You have a fine pen my friend, be proud of Your self.

I won't ever agree that any human have the right to play with other humans fates and lives, nor any other living creatures, he wanted to see using his twisted mind and ways the proof to something he could have believed in without all these "DEFINITELY" unnecessary awful non-humanist harms and actions IF he used his mind correctly.

[Sami Khalil]

Wow! I'm so grateful for your testimony and with humbling self, I ask God's more love and blessings upon you. Feedback should make us want to strive for more excellence for us all. thank you for sharing and I'm so glad to have known great writers like yourself.

[lightsong]

You are certainly warmly welcome dear Sami, I always try to give my best in my feedbacks :)

[Sami Khalil]

::::::))))))))

[emmajoy]

Sometimes we have to experience what we don't want or need to, and, hands up, i'm not a lover of gothic pieces and certainly not Satanism - tho know its power exists to a more than frightening extent than people believe, primarilyu because so many see it as scary unreal, rather than dangerous reality.

You wrote of your man as being meticulous, of course, first the pure then the devastation reaped by the death of innocence creatures; second the incarceration of death within walls/shells - places that should be protective.

Sami, you've moved so far from your beautiful use of words in poems of different lengths into places that you've obviously read about and studied. Your mind sees and develops, teaches (wisely or not, depending on how seriously people accept the themes!) and i find it utterly, completely impressive. Maybe it's due to my own present dark thinking, don't know. I've read this piece three times, hope my comments make sense.. i blather!

'“Fire unravels the blurred lines between the human and animal kingdoms. Must not we burn in Hell for purification.” Has anyone ever discovered the truth in that, i wonder?

[Sami Khalil]

Hahaha. Accept my apologies if I scared you. It is in good faith I wrote this one to shed a light on Satanism and how some believers in cults can take things literal even in mainstream religions when the speaker talked figuratively. My mind is digging deeper into the human pshyche and it is very deep. Thank you so the wise review and sharing and I hope you had a nice trip.

[emmajoy]

Rarely scared by words, Sami - more from their occassional reality. Also how people react in different circumstances, past, present and the unknown!. To teach is sharing facts, to learn is using those facts. Yes?

[Sami Khalil]

I so agree. Gracie Millee.

[emmajoy]

Prego, prego!

[Sami Khalil]

:)..................

[emmajoy]

Same from here to there.

[barleygirl]

It's too early to get into the mindset of Halloween, but I've been in this mood since I wrote a recent macabre story (Rant Runneth Over). I love that a macabre spirit is going around on this website. I love the storyline of your story, even tho I'm a pet lover. It's weird how I like a story more if it makes me cringe a lot, which is what happens when imagining mistreated animals! You do a great job of creeping along with your storytelling, not revealing too much too soon, but then finally you reveal the missing pets, etc. which heightens the tension in your story (((HUGS))) fondly, Margie

[Sami Khalil]

Wow! Thank you so much beloved poet and friend for this wonderful review and appreciation. Nice photo of yours. Glad you like the macabre genre too.

[Chris Shaw]

Hello Sami, I don't often stray into stories preferring to read poetry, but saw your name and thought, hey why not. First of all your posted images are very gothic, and my grandson who is 19 would love them. I read with interest and wondered where your lines were going to take me. As an animal lover I held my breath when I realised what was happening to those animals. The neighbours were right, they knew something suspicious was going on in that house. A professor taking a quote literally and believing the killing of animals would release the animal within. And to make matters worse he was supplied with stolen animals from a vet. Really creepy Sami. I find anything to do with satanism quite disturbing. Good read though my friend.

Chris

[Sami Khalil]

Hahaha. First of all, this has some philosophical, historical and religious connotaions especially relating to the ancients. Secondly, I'm very spiritual but I delve into all aspects of the human pshyche and condition which is very real to all of us. I'm so glad you took the chance to read it, for you are brave indeed. Million thank yous.
By the way, I was reading about The Church of Satan and their (Holy Book) and this was a kind of reaction to their claims.
Million Thank yous.

[Chris Shaw]

You are very welcome Sami. Don't worry, I won't be having nightmares:))

[Sami Khalil]

::::::)))))))))

[Sami Khalil]

"Mistrust was sharply present towards this neighbor, as rumored by them, that his house was peopled by phantoms, tending to his needs. The house was modest but eerie looking."

Sami Khalil