The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

Patient Zero  
by Kendra Smart  

The screampark was alive as haunt by haunt the lights were flickering with pops and buzzes. The outdoor haunts had thuds and clanks as the relay were activating and bringing the mechanisms to life. All of the string lights over the path lit the ways to fear, and the Main Stage. Little pumpkins littered along the path were carved handsomely and LED lights were placed inside to help guide the way. 

The colors of the sky were transitioning fast as the sun was fast retreating from the sky. Vivid pinks and oranges were giving way to a dusty blue that only enhanced the glow of the lights the deeper it became. 

Sounds of chills and EDM filled the air as the park became its own entity, so many noises bubbling to the surface. A chorus of clown laughter joined harmonies with the shrieks from the various rides, or unexpected shouts and shrill screams as scare actors made their presence known. Only too happy to do their jobs. 

Jen Jacobi was not happy to be at the Carne Villa Screampark. In fact, it was the last place she would have picked for herself. The last because it would never have been her choice. But it hadn’t been her idea. Her boyfriend Roger, was a Psychologist and made it a mission to help her “break out of her box.” 

“You need to stand up for yourself Jenny Benny. That coworker that has been pranking you won’t be able to scare you if you just face your fears! This place has six different attractions that are themed, surely that can do the trick.”

It was something that had crossed her mind more than once, sticking to her like the feeling of webs long since walked through but the sensation still tickling along the hairs of her arms.  But Jen had often wondered just how much of Roger was saying was support and how much was him trying to exert control. 

She would have been fine to try other methods, scary movies even. There were so many other things and places she would have rather been than here. In this forced social situation with literally everyone on the payroll overjoyed at the prospect of scaring her. 

Not just Katarina. 

But it wasn’t so different, one scare for another. At least in this case she knew where the scares would be coming from and for the most part could predict what to expect. So Roger’s line of thinking hadn’t been too off kilter.  Maybe this would break the three year streak of her no good sleep habits. 

Every Halloween season. 

Jenny would make jokes through her discomfort, but each year like clockwork the feelings crept in. When nothing and nowhere was safe. 

Unavoidable. Inevitable. 

Katarina would scare the bejeezus out of her. 

There in the center stage a gong sounded and the EDM faded to soft, low noise. Attention was being commanded. The haunts were sending their ambassadors out on parade. Each haunt sent their best to join the fellowship of diverse spirits rallying to start the thrills and chills off right. To give a glimpse of just what to expect once you entered their domain. 

The first to hobble out stiltedly was heard well before seen. Unearthly moans emitted from the darkness before the ashen skinned terror limped into the lights enough for Jen’s eyes to connect with her ears and tell her brain just what she was seeing. 

Clumps of matted, long hair hung partially over the grey, sickly green face that looked festering and putrid. Between rips in the fabric, Jen could see skin that was torn, sheared and sloughing off. If it was makeup, the pus oozing into the fabric was exquisitely done. Especially against scrubs. 

The parade went on, and each member surely was a master of their craft but, even when distracted by a new Court Jester to the Damned or Doctor to the Demented, her eyes went back to the Zombie Medical Professional. But each time she found her gaze matched with the same amount of unyielding need to find one another’s gaze.

It had taken time for her mind to process the pieces but there she was. Patient Zero. 

Jen could feel her heart racing, her hands going clammy. The smell wafting on the air smelled sweet and sour, and Jen was not about to taste like chicken. Something was off. It was wrong, the movements were too fluid. Too organic to be learned or tempered by dedication and practice. 

If her heart could, it would have already separated from her body. Left and abandoned her like the fragile traitor it had been all her life. To be fair though her heart wasn’t alone, the air rushing out of her lungs was actively leaving her as the scent grew stronger. 

No longer settling for her eyes, the creature lurched closer. With true horror reaching her eyes Jen saw that yes, that really was an ankle being dragged with flesh barely holding it to the proper place. Muscles, nerves…even spots of bone could be seen. 

She had time to clock the name on the identification badge before things went from fear to pain. That damn name. 

Katarina.

Fiction © Copyright Kendra Smart
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

More from author Kendra Smart:

Just Emotions:
A Gothic Bite Magazine Anthology

A collection of poetry.

‘Just Emotions‘ is exactly as it states, a group of writers who had feelings they wanted to express in poem form. Inside, there are a range of emotions to explore. Each writer has given a bit of themselves to you, each in their own way.

We hope that you enjoy these writings and that among the poems you may find some thing you can identify with or relate to. Thank you for giving us this chance to open the catacombs and share with you.

Available on Amazon!