Forever vow

Adam quickened his pace up the alley behind his work. He just got done with his shift and his coworker Carl was charging up the alley to his favorite bar.

“Come on” Carl yells as he opens the back door of the bar and heads in. Adam followed and as soon as he got inside, he was sorry. A little group of full of themselves college boys in one corner and his buddy Carl at the bar already wrapped around his new girlfriend while she was gushing on him. He got his round and then headed to the table just in time to hear Carl’s girlfriend squeal about how she can’t believe it’s been two weeks since they’ve been together. Adam rolled his eyes and slammed his Jack Daniels thinking if he was ever with a girl like that, he’d cut his own dick off.

It was well past closing when they staggered back out into the alley (Carl’s girlfriend left over an hour ago). Once again Carl was in the lead, stumbling into a dumpster. He turned and gave Adam a drunken grin and then was gone.

It was so fast that Adam didn’t fully realize what happened except that Carl was gone.

“Carl”? No answer. Adam called out again – no answer. He started walking to where his friend was standing and then froze in his tracks as a small object came flying out from behind the dumpster and landed on the ground. Adam slowly walked up to where it was and as he looked down, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Carl’s ring was lying there covered in blood! He stood there staring at it and when he looked up, he saw it. The thing that came out of the shadows was nothing like Adam had ever seen. It was huge – at least 8 feet – its hair was long, black and stringy and Adam couldn’t even see its eyes. They almost looked like two hollow sockets! It rushed towards him and grabbed him with unbelievable strength. Adam looked up into the face of the creature. It looked ancient and scarred with what looked like burns. Even though he was held up close to the face Adam still couldn’t make out the eyes – as if they weren’t even there! Adam was shaking uncontrollably convinced he was going to die the same horrible way his friend did. The creature lifted him up and held him closer as if it were studying him. ‘Oh shit!’ he thought ‘this is it! This is really fucking it!’ Tears were pouring down his cheek and all Adam could do is sob out. “Please” he pleaded “just don’t hurt me! “I won’t tell anyone you killed my friend – I promise! I swear to fucking God!”

That was when the creature spoke. “You swear?” It set him down and bent down close and cocked its head as if it were making a bargain. “Promise you will never tell what you’ve seen, and I will let you live – a promise… FOREVER!” it roared. Adam nodded, still shaking and almost in shock at this point.

“Yes, yes! I swear! Forever!”

At this point Adam closed his eyes, frightened to the point of madness. He opened them and looked up at the creature that was still holding him and looking down at him in a way that looked to Adam that it was grinning.

The creature flung Adam backwards against the ally wall and was gone. Adam sat there on the ground for what felt like hours. What the fuck just happened? How the fuck did that just happen?!? He’d never believed in monsters before – even as a kid. But now…

Adam finally got up – still shaking and bruised from being thrown against the wall. He looked up and down the alley sure that thing would still be lurking around but there was no sight of it. He darted to the

corner of ally – just wanting to get home safe – when he rounded the corneSr and crashed into the girl.

She was walking at the same speed he was (practically running) so when he crashed into her, they both almost fell. “Shit! Sorry – I wasn’t watching where I was going” he said, trying not to show the panic that was still rushing through him.

“that’s ok” she smiled “I wasn’t either – I thought I heard someone following me.”

or something Adam thought. “It’s really late – after 2 – do you want me to walk with you, make sure you get where you’re going safely?”

She hesitated. Of course, she would – why the fuck would she want a stranger walking with her after 2am after she thought she was being followed. Way to scare her Adam, he thought. But then she smiled and tilted her head to one side and said, “Let me ask you one thing first.”

“Ask away” She was still smiling, clearly starting to enjoy this.

“Are you weird?”

Adam couldn’t believe this! Was this hot girl he just ran into (literally) hitting on him? “Oh yeah” he replied, trying his best to smile back, which was difficult since moments ago he was almost eaten alive. “I’m as weird as they get. Unless that is, you’re weirder than me.” He extended his hand. “I’m Adam”.

She shook his hand, holding on to it “Alice” she replied.

************

It was two years later – two of the best years of Adam’s life! He rolled over on the bed and gazed at his sleeping lover – God she was beautiful! He couldn’t believe how fast the past couple of years went since the night they first met. They seemed to fall in love right away. Alice went home with him that night and practically never left. She had moved in permanently within months – and now here she was sleeping beside him – the love of his life. Tonight, was the night! He had made reservations earlier for one of the most expensive restaurants in town and after dinner (with a toast of champagne) he would propose. Alice stirred in her sleep. He wanted so badly to kiss her but didn’t want to wake her up. No better to let her sleep in, he thought, she deserves it. He carefully got out of bed so he wouldn’t wake her. Before he left the room, he thought of how much he loved her and smiled at the thought of how soon they would be married.

It was almost midnight when they got home. With a bit too much drinking Alice insisted she drove – but that was the extent of the conversation. “Just tell me why” he asked when they got inside. “I’m in love with you and I know you’re in love with me.” A long pause. “Alice?... Alice is it because you’re not?... Well?!?”

“Adam..”

“What? Just answer me, Alice. Please.”

She turned away with her head down as though she were in shame. “Yes, I love you and yes I am in love with you but…”

“But what?!?”h

“But… it’s complicated. I just can’t marry you.”

Adam struggled with something to say – something – anything! “I can tell you anything Alice! That’s how much I love you _ that’s why I want to marry you!” He knew what he was going to do next. He knew he was about to betray his secret for his love. The secret he’d been bound to all this time. “Alice, to prove this I’ll tell you something I’ve never told anyone.” Alice looked up and directly in his eyes almost studying him. “The night we met” he continued “my friend died! He was killed!” Adam was in panic mode now and on the verge of tears. “This… this thing… uh creature killed him in that same ally just before we met!” Now Adam was truly crying. “It told me it would only let me go if I made a promise – that I would promise to never tell anyone about it or what happened to my friend. So, I did, and I’ve never told anyone…until now.”

Alice continued looking him dead in the eyes for a moment longer then turned away. “Why?” she asked.

“I told you because I don’t want there to be any secrets between us”. Adam realized now she was crying too.

“You promised you’d NEVER TELL!”

Adam took a step forward. “Alice?”

When she turned around Adam saw it was no longer Alice. No longer the woman he loved and wanted to share his life with. No – now what stood before him was the creature. Adam couldn’t believe what he was seeing! How was this possible? How?!?

“YOU LIED TO ME!!!” it screamed.

“Alice, no please! It can’t be you! Oh God no!!!”

That was all he had time to say before the c

reature rushed towards him.