The March of the Horrors

A rhyme written for the children becomes the catalyst for the invasion of the waking world.

There seemed no end to the darkness in which Charlie dwelled and he drifted endlessly through sensory deprivation. All that remained for the combat medic were fragmented memories and fearful thoughts of forever losing his grip on them. He was no longer certain who he was, but he would never rediscover the facts if he did not struggle against the inertia and lethargy that threatened to consume him.

In his mind he saw a desert- an expanse of sandy wasteland that spanned horizons. Then his thoughts settled upon a mountain range that stood out an orange hue against the wonderful blue of the sky. Peace and calm were shattered as the earth erupted all around- dirt and sand flailing in all directions and then he was falling until again he was enveloped by deepest night.

Again he struggled to ‘see’- to remember some aspect of who he might have been and free himself from the darkness. Charlie remembered the light at the top of the world- a haze of stunning white amongst the pitch, and thought to move toward it.

He drew closer to the illumination, but then recalled something else- something more important to him than his own existence. Words he had scribed, typed, in the desert; a letter he had sent to his loved ones- a rhyme for his children accompanied by music for a party he could not attend.

Charlie’s mind was filled with emotion- excitement, gladness, and joy in the knowledge that loving eyes had read what he had written for them. He was coming home for Christmas.

A voice he did not recognise spoke from the depths of this purgatory and shattered his hopes,

‘Walk into the light.’

The tone of the voice was deep and hollow and spoke as if issuing a command rather than a request. Charlie remembered being a soldier and wondered if this was the memory of some unremembered superior issuing orders.

‘Go to the light!’ the voice repeated, more urgently this time.

Charlie looked to the light once again and imagined he was moving toward it.

……………………………………………………………

The return journey from the ‘throne cave’ was a joy for Amber and she held tightly to her big brother’s hand as she pulled him quickly through the passageway. Once outside they saw Norris waiting patiently by the crack in the mountain,

‘Hello children,’ he said in greeting, ‘did you discover what we most need to know?’

Billy raised an eyebrow and nodded emphatically,

‘And then some!’ he said in total agreement.

‘We’re going on an adventure to save the King!’ Amber added with a happy on the spot skip and jump.

Norris stood up tall onto his hind legs, (looking very much like a kangaroo, Amber thought), and folded his front legs like arms,

‘Interesting,’ he said contemplatively, ‘so the King is alive.’

‘He’s trapped in the dark world and the Horror’s are coming here,’ Billy said in reply, even though no question had been asked.

Norris nodded sadly and craned his long neck to look into the dawn sky,

‘They are coming to shut out the light of the world and we must travel the dawn route to stop them,’ he said, a large tear rolling down his long snout.

‘Yes! How did you know that?’ Billy asked, confused.

‘The words of the Queen are in your thoughts Billy and your thoughts are an open book to me.’

‘You can read my mind?’

‘Should I choose to, yes.’

‘I’d much rather you didn’t.’

Norris smiled away his grief and lowered onto all fours again,

‘I will endeavour to do so only when necessary young man. Now climb onto my back and we shall follow the dawn that brought us here.’

Billy was in the process of placing his sister onto Norris broad back when he heard something from the distance. It was like the whisper of an echo inside of his mind, but it was there all the same,

‘What’s that noise?’ he asked of no one in particular, although it was Norris who answered,

‘Best not concern yourself with it Billy,’ he said, ‘there are far more pressing matters.’

Billy held out a hand to shush the dragon and bowed his head to listen,

‘Hold on a minute Norris- I think I recognise it,’ he said presently.

Norris sighed and shook his head,

‘It will come to know good…’ he began to say, but Billy was beyond taking good advice.

‘I do recognise it- it’s the rhyme Dad sent us for the Halloween party!’ Billy said excitedly to Amber, his arms were raised as if he were about to embrace his sister; overwhelmed as he was with joy.

Amber smiled back at him and said, with equal fervour,

‘The March of the Horror’s! I hear it too!’

Suddenly the valley between the mountains was filled with an eerie chanting that followed the less sinister tune of the teddy bears picnic. Billy and Amber hummed along as the words repeated,

If you go down to the tomb today, you’re sure of a spooky surprise

If you came out of a womb you’ll say, ‘I cannot believe my eyes!

For every ghoul that ever there was

Has gathered with goblins and gargoyles because

Tonight’s the night

That everyone get’s a big fright!

 ‘I knew I recognised it!’ Billy exclaimed joyously and picked Amber into his arms once again as the volume of the tribal beat increased.

‘We really don’t have time for this- we must follow the dawn before it leaves the Gateway!’ Norris urged the children- as gently as he could, given the circumstances.

‘Is Daddy coming?’ Amber asked her brother, completely oblivious to all that the dragon had said.

 ‘I don’t know Amber- let’s hope so eh?’ Billy replied, hopeful tears beginning to well at his lower eyelids.

‘We must leave here children- it is not your father!’ Norris said in a raised voice. Billy’s head snapped around to face the dragon and he asked aggressively,

‘How do you know that, Norris? How do you know he’s not coming?’

‘Did you not listen to all that you have been told boy?’ Norris retorted and then gestured to the sky,

‘It is the beginning of the night terror invasion.’

Billy followed the dragon’s upward gaze and saw that the dawn sky was darkening as swarms of bats cast their shadow on the land below as the rehashed nursery song was chanted more loudly,

If you go out of the house tonight, you’d better not go alone

And if you’re alone at home tonight, you’d better stay by the phone

For every ghost that ever there was

Has gathered with Zombies and vampires because

Tonight’s the night that everyone gets a big fright!

‘Quickly children- we must depart the gateway before we are lost!’ the dragon yelled above the encroaching din.

Amber screamed as legions of rats, mice and insects scurried across the ground. Billy looked in wonder as the peaks of the mountains became filled with the distant shadows of all breed of monstrosity. The earth below their feet began to crack open as a hideous voice boomed across the landscape,

‘Go no further Questioners- bow to your King and you will be spared!’

Fear invigorated Billy to action and he pushed Amber onto Norris’ back then jumped up behind her as hands from below the surface of the gateway reached up at his legs.

‘Let’s go then Norris!’ he shouted indignantly that the dragon seemed to be taking pause at this most inopportune of moments.

‘I’m looking for a space to take off. I need a run up!’ Norris explained.

Billy looked frantically about the Gateway Realm as children and their escorts darted about in panic below the growing darkness. Wherever the shadow the overhead swarm fell the earth was covered with rodents and termites and then torn asunder by the reaching arms of zombies and ghouls that were buried below. Across the mountains the hoards of horror marched purposefully down into the valley- their King at the head of the misshapen ranks; his golden staff held above the golden crown on his ever so human head.

All about the King loomed monstrosities of all description. Ogres and trolls, hungry giants and winged beasts towered above the rest while gargoyles, witches, warlocks, vampires and wraiths flew abreast of their leader. Further behind strode packs of werewolves and troops of zombies together with countless other creatures of sinister origin.

The shrouded dream wraiths turned as if entranced toward the King and walked to the darkness to meet him. Each in turn was transformed to a darker version of what they once were. Their shrouds blackened as skeletal arms, hands and fingers protruded outwards as they pointed the way to victory. The chaos that they left behind was remarkable- many of the dreamers clamoured to the azure gateway, while others took to the skies in the hope of reaching their destinations before the sky was blotted from view.

Across the waking world parents and carers were disturbed by the weeping and wailing of children who had woken in fear of the nightmares that had invaded their dreams.

In the wake of the fleeing mass Billy spotted a pathway that stretched through the purple grass toward where the shadow was growing,

‘Over there Norris!’ he exclaimed, pointing the way over the dragon’s head, but in doing so saw something that both amazed and shocked him.

‘Kurt?’ he asked himself, not quite believing what he was seeing.

Had the situation not been so desperate then Billy may well have laughed aloud at the sight of his closest friend.

Running toward them in a haphazard flurry was a large pink unicorn with a turquoise mane and tail. Upon its back rode Kurt, his shoulder length dark hair flowing in the breeze of motion as he sped along dressed in the garb of a roman soldier.

‘Kurt!’ Billy shouted at his friend as Norris began to take long deliberate strides through the grass.

‘It’s me- Billy!’

Kurt looked toward Billy as their mounts neared one another and smiled in recognition,

‘Billy!’ he yelled in delight, ‘what are you doing in my dream?’

‘Come with us!’ Billy replied as Norris picked up speed.

‘I can’t! Damsel says we have to get away from all these monsters!’ Kurt replied as they came together from opposite directions, only to pass a moment later.

Billy turned and reached out to his friend as Norris left the ground- and not a moment too soon. The ground in front of Kurt and Damsel opened up and a fiery demon rose up to block their path to the gate.

Billy watched in dismay as Damsel reared up and threw Kurt to the floor. The demon reached a putrid hand toward the fallen boy who screamed in terror before disappearing from view.

‘Kurt no!’ Billy screeched in anguish.

………………………………………………….

‘Argh! No! Get away from me!’ Kurt yelled as his eyes opened and he sat up in the darkness of Billy’s room.

It took him a moment to remember exactly where he was and everything that had happened. The Halloween party- the phone call that revealed his best friend’s Dad was missing in action and his promise to stay close to Billy and offer his support. He realised he must have fallen asleep as they were talking, (some friend he turned out to be), and scrambled from the inflatable mattress to the single bed where his upset friend slept. Kurt breathed in deep relief as his eyes grew accustomed to the night and he saw that Billy was sleeping soundly.

‘Wow! That was a mad dream!’ he whispered to himself as he lay back down on the spare bed.

He couldn’t remember everything about it, but he knew he and Damsel were in a strange country filled with evil monsters and that Billy was there too. He couldn’t be totally sure, but he thought that Billy was riding a green dragon and, if he was not mistaken, Amber was on it too.

Billy suddenly spoke and Kurt was chilled with unexpected fright,

‘Are you okay Kurt?’ his friend asked in the darkness and when Kurt opened his eyes he saw that Billy was sat up and staring at him blankly.

Is Billy a sleep walker?’ Kurt thought, but said,

‘I’m fine thanks Billy. Go back to sleep.’

Billy continued to stare for a moment before saying,

‘I think we’re going to need you on our mission,’ and then lay back down again- snoring loudly.

‘Weird,’ thought Kurt and then went back to sleep with a song in his thoughts,

When you’re tucked up in your bed tonight, you’d better leave on the light

From under your bed and inside your head- we’re waiting to give you a fright

For every Wraith that ever there was

Has gathered with Witches and Warlocks because….

Author's Note

Very much raw and unedited first draft, so pretty much any feedback would be useful. I presume that if you've got this far you are enjoying the journey- there will be more very soon. Thanks for reading.