DAVE:
Can we come in?
DOUG:
No!
SOUND:
The door slamming shut.
DAVE:
You know, big guy, his mouth said “no”, but his eyes said “yes”! Break down the door.
SOUND:
The door splintering as The Dark Enforcer breaks through it.
DAVE:
(cheerfully) Knock knock!
DOUG:
Oh my god! Who are you?
DAVE:
The muscle here is The Dark Enforcer. Me?. . . (with great meaning) I’m just a guy with a really long memory.
ENFORCER:
Shall I eliminate your enemy?
DAVE:
Go for it, big guy.
DOUG:
Wait! All that stuff we did in high school. . .my friends and I—we were just kids trying to have some harmless fun. I didn’t think it would hurt you this much. Don’t do this, man! It’s been a rough year. . .things are finally going good for me. . .I got too much to live for!
DAVE:
What can I tell you, Dougie? Payback’s a bitch. (a beat. . .then, with menace) Do it.
SOUNDS:
The Dark Enforcer snarls, Doug screams, and we hear the tearing of flesh and snapping of bones.
MUSIC:
Transition.
NARRATOR:
And so it goes, as each night, Dave and The Dark Enforcer visit all of his old tormenters.
SOUND:
Fade up the comic book shop in full swing.
NARRATOR:
Then, each morning, he returns to his day job as mild-mannered Dave Chersky, proprietor of Dave’s Dungeon of Comics. Dave revels in the subterfuge, fancying himself a sort of Clark Kent during the day and a malevolent version of Superman at night.
SOUND:
The sounds of the comic book shop diminish until the store is quiet.
NARRATOR:
On this particular day, as closing time approaches and the store clears out, Dave attends to his last customer—a client who appears a bit older than the usual crowd.
NICK:
Dave Chersky?
DAVE:
Yes?
NICK:
Detective Nick Monaghan, Chicago Police Department.
DAVE:
Uh. . .what can I do for you?
NICK:
You mind if I ask you a few questions?
DAVE:
I guess not.
SOUND:
Nick’s footsteps walking around a bit.
NICK:
You’ve got a nice shop here.
DAVE:
Thanks.
NICK:
My son’s a big comic book fan. I enjoyed them in my younger days. Batman mostly. Guess I grew out of them. No offense.
DAVE:
I was just about to close up, detective. What is it that I can help you with?
NICK:
Sorry—don’t mean to keep you. Anyone ever come in here and offer you money to protect your business?
DAVE:
(a beat) No.
NICK:
Really? That surprises me. Just about every store up and down this block is paying protection.
DAVE:
This is a pretty small shop. Probably figured I wasn’t worth the bother.
NICK:
Could be. They usually hit everybody on a single block, though. See, a few nights ago, the mob enforcer who works this neighborhood went missing.
DAVE:
And you’re worried about him?
NICK:
(chuckles, then. . .) I’m worried about what it could mean.
SOUND:
Nick pulling out a large photo.
NICK:
Here’s a picture of him. It’s from a security camera—not too clear. His name’s Leon Keller. . .medium build, dark brown hair, brown eyes. . .you’d remember him. He’s an arrogant bastard.
DAVE:
(a little too quickly) I’ve never seen him. (trying to recover) I mean, uh, my hours aren’t as long as the other businesses. . .maybe I’m just flying under his radar.
NICK:
Maybe. (a beat) Say. . .I hope you don’t mind my asking. . .where’d you get that black eye? Looks like someone got their licks in.
DAVE:
Oh. . .I was, uh, doing inventory in the back and a stack of comics fell off the top shelf.
NICK:
Comic books are that heavy, eh?
DAVE:
A stack of them, yeah.
NICK:
I guess.
DAVE:
(after an awkward pause) Was there anything else, detective?
NICK:
Now that you mention it, yeah. . .just one more thing. The woman who runs the cleaners next door said she heard a lot of noise coming from over here last Wednesday.
DAVE:
Noise?
NICK:
Yeah. You know what that might have been?
DAVE:
Probably just all the customers in here. It gets pretty loud on delivery day.
NICK:
No, she said it sounded like someone was tearing up the joint. . .after hours. Lots of yelling, stuff being thrown around. After about five minutes it got quiet. She peeked out her front door to
NICK (cont’d):
see what was going on and she saw someone leaving.
DAVE:
Oh?
NICK:
Yeah. . .someone who perfectly fits the description of Leon Keller.
DAVE:
(nervously) She was mistaken. He must have been coming from up the street.
NICK:
She specifically witnessed him walking out of this store. Is it possible you made a mistake, Mr. Chersky?. . .that you do know Leon Keller?
DAVE:
No. . .of course not!
NICK:
Still, I’m afraid you’ve become a person of interest. I’d appreciate if you’d come down to the station house with me.
DAVE:
(panicked) No! This is harassment! I didn’t do anything!
SOUND:
A low rumbling begins and builds.
NICK:
Then you have nothing to worry about. But the thing is, Mr. Chersky, we know how Keller operated. I figure all the noise was him roughing you up because you couldn’t pay him his protection
NICK (cont’d):
money. He probably gave you a day to come up with the cash. You couldn’t do it and, knowing he was going to beat you again—or worse—you killed him when he came back. Is that what happened, Mr. Chersky?
DAVE:
(losing it) No! You don’t know what you’re talking about! You’re just another bully pushing me around!
NICK:
That’s why you got that black eye—it wasn’t from comic books falling on you, it was from a scuffle with Keller. . . What the hell is that noise?
SOUND:
The rumbling, now deafening, is followed by the sudden sound of flames roaring. When the flames stop, we hear the familiar wet, slobbery breathing.
NICK:
Dear God!
DAVE:
You can’t accuse me of killing Keller. . .or anyone else! I didn’t do it!
ENFORCER:
My master is in distress. You must pay!
SOUND:
The Dark Enforcer snarling as he yanks Nick off his feet.
NICK:
Whoa. . .put me down!!
DAVE:
Wait! What are you doing? Detective, I didn’t tell him to do this—I swear!
ENFORCER:
I must avenge my master!
NICK:
No! Stop!!
SOUND:
Nick screaming, and the sound of The Dark Enforcer snarling and ripping the detective apart.
NARRATOR:
To Dave’s surprise, The Dark Enforcer proceeds to tear the detective apart. When he is finished, he tosses the remai
ns on the floor at Dave’s feet.
SOUND:
Monaghan’s body being thrown to the ground with a sickening thump. We then hear only The Dark Enforcer’s slightly labored wet, slobbery breathing.
DAVE:
Why did you do that?!
ENFORCER:
Thou art the maltreated, the subjugated, the oppressed. . .
DAVE:
Yeah, yeah. . .I’m the underdog, I get that!
ENFORCER:
I must kill all enemies of the underdog!
DAVE:
But you must wait for my command.
ENFORCER:
I need not wait once I know who your enemies are. It is the bidding of Balthazar.
DAVE:
(the name is familiar) Balthazar, Balthazar. . . (remembering) Oh my god—Balthazar became the second Dark Lord of the underworld in issue number 47. He gave you the ability to identify enemies of your master and kill them at your own will. It’s like you’re learning. . .becoming more intuitive as time goes on—just like in the comic. (almost in tears) This has gotten out of control! We need to take care of this mess. You get rid of the body. I’ll clean up. . .I hope I have enough bleach left. Then, we have to figure out our next move.
ANNOUNCER:
We’ll return to Fangoria’s Dreadtime Stories – after these words.
ANNOUNCER:
Now back to Fangoria’s Dreadtime Stories and “The Dark Enforcer.”
NARRATOR:
Having disposed of Detective Monaghan’s body, The Dark Enforcer has returned to
NARRATOR (cont’d):
whatever demonic lair he calls home. Dave now sits on a chair in the back room, his head in his hands, the very picture of dejection.
DAVE:
(at the end of his rope) I can’t do this anymore. Things have gotten out of control. I should never have summoned The Dark Enforcer. . .should never have had him murder all those people. Now he can destroy whoever he thinks is my enemy without my command. Anyone who so much as frowns at me could get killed. I have to figure out a way to stop it!
SOUND:
A creak and Dave’s footsteps as he gets up from the chair and walks to a box of comics.
DAVE:
There’s only one thing I can do: find the issue of The Dark Enforcer that tells how to reverse the summoning command.
NARRATOR:
Dave spends an hour searching through his archive of back issues, but comes up empty.
DAVE:
I’d have sworn up and down I had a copy here, but I guess not. I know I have it at home. I’ll have to go home and get it.
SOUND:
Knocking at the door.
DAN:
(muffled) Dave?
DAVE:
Dan!
SOUND:
Dave’s footsteps walking to door. The door opening and jingling.
DAN:
Sorry to bother you. I know you’re closed now. . .
DAVE:
It’s fine. Come on in.
SOUND:
The door closing.
DAN:
What’s up? You look like you had a rough day.
DAVE:
You have no idea. You ever feel like the world is collapsing all around you?
DAN:
Funny you should mention that. . .I had a job interview this afternoon. I just stopped by to tell you how badly it went.
DAVE:
I wish my problems were that simple. I’m thinking about closing up the shop and leaving town.
DAN:
Really? Things can’t be that bad.
DAVE:
Trust me. . .they are.
DAN:
My shoulder’s pretty good for crying on. . .if you’re comfortable doing that. . .you know, in a manly way. (they both laugh.)
DAVE:
(tentatively) Maybe you would understand. You’re a fellow Dark Enforcer fan, after all. I’ve been keeping this to myself for so long; a little confession might be good for the soul. . .although I think mine may be beyond redemption. (coming to a decision) Ah hell, I’m in trouble anyway—I guess at this point I’ve got nothing to lose.
DAN:
Sounds serious. What is it?
DAVE:
Well, it started a week ago. (his voice gradually fading out) This guy came into the shop after closing time. See, I’d been paying him protection money. . .
NARRATOR:
(overlapping slightly with Dave’s last line) And so, as the morning light
NARRATOR (cont’d):
spills into this unlikely confessional, Dave spills his guts. While relating the gruesome story, Dave questions whether he’s doing the right thing. . .he even thinks about stopping once or twice. But once the words start tumbling out, he realizes it feels good to unload—especially with Dan. He’s an ally, a comrade. . .a kindred spirit willing to sit and listen to his horrific story. Dan reacts with the appropriate amount of shock at all the right moments, but as Dave gets to the end of his story—concluding with the killing of Detective Monaghan that morning—Dan gets very quiet.
DAVE:
(fading up) The good news is, I don’t think there’s anyone left who has ever bullied me or pushed me around. The bad news is, the police are on to me. . .plus, I think I’ve sacrificed my soul somewhere along the way.
DAN:
(in shock, almost emotionless) That’s quite a story.
DAVE:
Yeah. So now you see my dilemma. I don’t want The Dark Enforcer to kill anyone else. I was in back trying to find that issue where Roderick The Enchanter reversed the summoning command. I don’t suppose you remember it?
DAN:
I’ll do you one better.
DAVE:
Really? How?
SOUND:
Dan’s footsteps, under.
NARRATOR:
As if in a trance, Dan suddenly stands up, moves to the center of the store, and raises his arms dramatically.
DAN:
(loudly) Defender of the persecuted, I summon thee! Arise from the underworld!
SOUND:
A low rumbling begins and gradually gets louder, under.
DAVE:
What are you doing?
DAN:
(coldly) I’ve never told you my full name have I?
DAVE:
No. . .now that I think of it, I guess not. But what does that matter right now?
DAN:
Because I think you’ll find it rings a bell. My name is Monaghan. Daniel Monaghan.
DAVE:
Monaghan. . .oh my god. . .
DAN:
(his anger building) My father was Detective Nick Monaghan of the Chicago Police Department.
DAVE:
Dan, I had no idea!
SOUND:
The rumbling, now deafening, is followed by the sound of flames roaring. The rumbling and flames then stop abruptly and we hear the wet, slobbery breathing.
DAN:
Welcome, demon, to the upper world.
ENFORCER:
I have heeded thy call.
DAVE:
Wait a minute—you’re supposed to answer to me!
DAN:
To whom do you pledge your allegiance?
ENFORCER:
Art thou the maltreated, the subjugated, the oppressed. . .the underdog?
DAN:
I am.
ENFORCER:
Then I pledge my allegiance to thee. . .master.
DAVE:
But. . .but I’m your master!
DAN:
Not any more. You said it yourself; everyone who has ever bullied you or pushed you around has been killed. And if there’s no one left who thinks they’re better than you, you can’t be the underdog anymore, now can you?
ENFORCER:
Show me thine enemies and I shall defend thee.
DAN:
Him. That guy right there. Dave Chersky.
DAVE:
Wait.
. .let’s think about this logically! I didn’t kill your father—The Dark Enforcer did!
DAN:
Come on, Dave. . .we both know how it works in the comic. The Dark Enforcer can only follow the orders of his master!
DAVE:
But I didn’t order him to kill your dad! He invoked the bidding of Balthazar!
DAN:
It doesn’t matter. You still wanted my dad dead, didn’t you? Otherwise, The
DAN (cont’d):
Dark Enforcer wouldn’t have killed him!
Am I right? Am I?
DAVE:
(defeated) Yes.
DAN:
Then we’re done talking.
ENFORCER:
Shall I eliminate your enemy?
The Dark Enforcer Page 3
