Icon #42 Three Stooges

#42

Jan sat very still, counting backwards from one hundred, and trying not to think about the fact that Hellraiser started on HBO ten minutes back. She stared stonily at the TV screen, but kept her silence. Her hands gripped the upholstery on the couch so tightly that her knuckles had gone from red to white.

Bob ignored her. His attention was locked on screen. Every “Why, I oughta,” and “woo woo” brought barks of laughter. At one point she risked a glance at him. He was leaning forward in his seat, and tears rolled down his eyes.

Jan closed her eyes, and drifted away. She walked through a dark place. There were screams in the distance, and she tried to make out what direction they came from, but each time she turned, they danced away into the shadows. She walked on, and eventually, there was a light ahead. It glowed dimly, leaving a pool of radiance about its base. She stepped forward and barely stifled a gasp.

Bob was tied between two wooden posts. His arms were stretched to either side, tied by leather straps. Three shrouded figures circled him slowly. The tallest was bald, and she took a step back when she saw that he had pins – or sharp nails – protruding from his temples.

Jan stood very still. They appeared not to have noticed her. Bob saw her – he opened his mouth and spoke to her – but no sound came out. She couldn’t understand why there was no sound, so against her better judgment she moved closer. After a few steps, she knew…he had no tongue – it had been cut from his mouth.

Suddenly one of those circling whacked Bob in the side of the head. He tried to duck, but was bound too tightly. An eerie, ghostly voice whispered. “Why…I oughta” – and the second shrouded figure stepped forward. He grabbed Bob by his nose and yanked, at the same time striking his palm into Bob’s forehead. Bob screamed in agony. Jan stood very still. She knew she should be helping, but something held her back.

The bald pincushion creature stepped forward, standing face to face with Bob, who struggled, trying to pull back. An eerie, deep voice spoke, and the words seemed to come from all directions at once.

Woo woo! The creature lifted his arm and with the speed of a striking snake, he jabbed his fingers into Bob’s eyes. They drove in deep, and Bob’s scream echoed through the darkness like waves of sound.

Jan shrieked.

Someone shook her gently.

“Hey babe,” Bob said, “what’s wrong? Were you sleeping?”

She took a deep breath. GOD – a dream? She opened her eyes to speak, and laugh it off. She turned and stared into Bob’s empty, bleeding eye sockets.

This time the screams didn’t stop.