Becoming...
Page 23
ONE
Nothing ever happens in Taunton, Mark thought with a grimace. The town was the kind of subdued dwelling hated by the young and sought by the old.
He groaned as he set off to meet his friend Rick for their weekly trek to the mall, a trip which was becoming as dull and pedestrian as every other aspect of life in Taunton.
The only thing that kept him going was Rick’s razor-sharp putdowns and the hope that something exciting would happen.
‘Fat chance,’ he muttered, touching a flame to the tip of the cigarette that poked from between his lips.
He glanced around furtively as he inhaled the warm smoke. The last thing he needed was for one of his mother’s friends to see him with a cigarette.
The only thing worse than the dull routine of going to the mall would be being grounded.
Mark pushed his shoulder-length blonde hair away from his forehead. His jacket was making him sweat in the heat of the day. He went hands-free on his smoke while he removed the garment.
‘Whoa, gay t-shirt,’ said a voice from his left.
‘Fuck you, Rick,’ he said, turning to see his friend grinning and flipping him the bird.
‘Ready to go spend some of your rent boy money?’ Rick beamed.
Mark punched him on the shoulder. Rick winced and his smile disappeared.
‘Whoa, you hurt, man. No fair.’
Mark grinned and flicked his cigarette at his friend. It landed on his chest, sending sparks flying everywhere like a miniature Catherine wheel.
‘Ok, message received,’ Rick said.
They chatted as they walked.
The general consensus was that the day was going to be as mind-numbingly dull as any other.
But this would not be the case.
At the mall, they shoved their way through the crowds. For two fifteen year old boys, the jostling masses of semi-naked women were a godsend. Rick’s eyes nearly popped out of his head as he saw a pink thong peaking from the back of a slim lady’s jeans.
‘Seen at least fifteen girls I’d fuck,’ he grinned.
‘Ditto.’
‘So where you wanna go? Just get some shakes like normal and watch the chicks go by?’
‘Maybe in a bit. I want to get some new trainers. These are practically falling off my feet.’ He raised a shoe that was more air than material.
‘If we have to,’ Rick groaned. ‘But don’t be long.’
‘Stop whinging. There’s nothing else to do.’
Rick shrugged.
The bargain sports store where Mark bought his trainers was crammed with sweating, jostling punters.
The scene was a little overwhelming – a crowbar would probably be needed to get more people into the store.
The walls were ten feet high, covered in shoes and baseball boots and racks of clothing. The staff all wielded six foot long poles so they could reach the items on the higher shelves.
Mark shoved past a woman who clearly had dodged any sporting activity since he and Rick had been in diapers and headed for the men’s trainers.
‘It’s fucking red hot in here,’ Rick said, fanning air onto his face.
While Mark waited for a path to clear to the shoes, someone barged into him. He almost turned and planted him one but the fact that the man was built like a brick shithouse put him off.
He was bald and had a blue Lakers cap wedged on his skull. His entire face was contorted by an expression that was equal parts agony and crazy. He staggered as if heavily intoxicated.
‘Whoa, he’s loaded already,’ Rick said. ‘Not even twelve yet.’
Mark shushed him, not wanting the big guy to hear and become angry.
Mark cursed under his breath as the big man turned and looked right at him. It seemed he had heard the exchange and thought it was Mark who had insulted him.
‘I didn’t say that,’ Mark said, his hands coming up instinctively in front of his face.
A strand of drool came from the right side of the man’s grin. His eyes looked unfocussed and glazed over. He seemed to be looking through Mark.
His mouth moved but the words didn’t make sense.
‘Hee no. Come aaaa. Helmee.’
The man looked distressed and more uncoordinated than ever.
Mark opened his mouth to ask what he meant, but before he could, the man turned, taking out a young girl as he lunged forwards into the crowd.
‘Noo,’ he shouted, frantically looking over his shoulder as he shoved deeper into the crowd.
Voices of protest came from the other customers, but they were blotted out by the blaring of the store’s alarm.
‘Think someone’s holding the place up?’ Rick said. ‘That’d be pretty cool.’
A few dozen people managed to shove their way out through the crowd before the store’s shutters began to come down.
Mark heard a scream over the siren and looked back to see a huge man in a black uniform appear. His face was obscured by a large, ominous-looking gas mask.
His beefy hands clutched a submachine gun.
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Acknowledgements
I’d like to keep this as brief as possible, as it might end up longer than the story if I get carried away…
First of all, I need to thank my frankly awesome wife and daughter for their support and belief in me. You have no idea how much it means to me that you dream big too. I love you both more than I could ever put into words. Thank you both.
Mez, Pez and Chuckles – you are the best family a guy could ask for. Thanks for supporting me in everything I do.
Bev, Chunk, Ren, Mike ‘O’Popolous’ Kell, Conk, Klunk, Keithy Boy (flying in the sky so fancy free!) and all the Bishop morons – you’re the best friends I could have ever hoped to find. Cheers! m/ m/
The Baron – for being the craziest man in any room at any given time. They broke the mould when they made you, mate. Just keep away from that window…
Ian – for all the feedback and crack and music recommendations. Cholera does indeed bounce. The next gateaux’s on me, my friend.
Stephen Bryant of SRB Productions, who created this kickass cover. Awesome work! Thank you.
I’d like to thank Rod Glenn, awesome writer and head honcho at Wild Wolf, for giving me a foot in the door with Twisted Tails and for all the advice and help you’ve provided. Pipe Dreams is gonna be cracking!
Reggie – the metal is strong in you! House in Wales rules. Cheers for the advice and feedback. Keep it metal. And I promise I’ll review Division of the Damned soon… m/ m/
Poppet – thanks for all the advice on the business side of things. It’s nice to have someone to help me muddle through it. Thanks for all the freebies too. Sequel to Quislings on the cards?
John Holt – thank you so much for helping me negotiate my way through the minefield of the EIN and tax situation. It is hugely appreciated.
Jim McLeod – Thanks for allowing me to take part in my second interview and featuring me on the excellent Gingernuts of Horror site.
Last but certainly not least, Chuck W Lovatt, the man with the funniest Facebook page in history. Thanks for your support, mate, I know I can always look forward to some encouragement and wise words from you. Chuffed!
Thank you to everyone else who has supported me in any way, especially the people who have shared links and those who have taken the time to read my work. I am also hugely appreciative of all of the readers who have left reviews. Cheers!
About Jacob
Repeated viewings of The Shining as a child have left Jacob with a love of the dark and the disturbing that really comes to life in his writing.
He works to a soundtrack of blisteringly heavy music, and, like his beloved metal, his writing is brutal, uncompromising and intense.
You can find Jacob on Facebook (Jacob Rayne)
Twitter (@jacob_rayne)
E-mail rayneofterror1@gmail.com
And sign up for monthly (ish!) newsletter at http://eepurl.com/bciffz
Praise for Jacob’s work
Becoming…
‘I can honestly say that this book has done something that no other book has done in a very long time -
It scared me. It gave me nightmares.’
‘We were plunged into the action from the getgo and it did not let up until the final explosive page’.
‘Up there with Richard Laymon for cringes!’
‘As soon as I read the prologue, I could feel my blood starting to chill. I knew I was in for something special.
I was wholly invested before I even read the first chapter.
Speaking of wholly, and the first chapter… HOLY SHIT – what a first chapter!’
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00L5T9WG8
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L5T9WG8
The Lazarus Contagion
‘I found myself constantly terrified but unable to put the book down because I needed to find out what he had in store for me next’.
‘This book is written in such a way that before you know it half the story has gone by in a haze of terror and gore’.
‘He infused horror with sci fi this go round and man oh man was it a success’.
‘I know when I pick up a Jacob Rayne book I will not be disappointed, he has a gift for the macabre and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next. So buckle your seat belts because The Lazarus Contagion is the wildest of rides’.
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00PR8FM26
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PR8FM26
Sunshine
‘Scared me to death’.
‘A non-stop adrenaline surge’.
‘Starts on page one and literally doesn’t stop until the end’.
‘Taps right into your nightmare gene’.
‘So heinous I had trouble sleeping’.
‘Brutal, disturbing and horrific’.
‘So visceral it’s harrowing’.
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HRK2D5G
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HRK2D5G
Flesh Harvest
‘A high-octane, high-energy gorefest’.
‘Rayne can craft a riveting and macabre scene with such alacrity that it plays out as if you’re watching a movie’.
‘Enough to leave you terrified of barns for the rest of your life. Seriously chilling’.
‘Creepy and gut wrenching’.
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HRJ35A4
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HRJ35A4
Walk in the Park
‘Pure horror at its finest’.
‘This author delivers fast paced horrendous fiction to fuel the darkest imaginations’.
‘Gives you chills because it COULD happen’.
‘Jacob Rayne managed once again to wring out of me so many emotions while reading this book’.
‘This is another enjoyable, blood-soaked short story by this promising horror writer’.
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JU7LAVM
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JU7LAVM
Digital Children
‘I couldn’t manage to put it down until it was finished’.
‘A truly macabre tale which will disturb you on many levels’.
‘Absolutely terrifying’.
‘The concept presented in this eerie tale is beyond belief’.
‘Rayne's deft foreshadowing sends chills up and down the reader's spine’.
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00IPK6E9I
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IPK6E9I
Perpetual Darkness – A collection of four pulse-pounding horror novellas. Includes: Sunshine, Flesh Harvest, Walk in the Park and Digital Children.
‘All four stories, though very different, spare the reader nothing and deliver majestically on the traditional fare expected by horror enthusiasts. Whether it's homicidal gore, psychologically tense situations that have you saying to yourself, "Don't do it", or simple, good old fashioned, mortal dread, Jacob Rayne serves it up on all fronts.’
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KC0QYC6
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KC0QYC6