Three Dead Hands
Horror Novella
Part of the 'Society of Guardians' Series
Written By Luke M. Charles
Copyright 2016
Jack Reese makes a living cleaning up the gruesome remains of corpses and is hired for a job in a remote mechanic shop at the dead of night. But something in the darkness that surrounds Jack and his work crew is stalking them. Jack also has visions of memories he swears are not his own. Are they real or is he imagining them? The answers lie hidden in the darkness but the darkness always lies.
Chapter 1
Birch trees swayed back and forth in the howling wind like tall slender giants that passed secrets between themselves. Reaching toward the full moon that adorned the starry night sky, their leaf filled branches tried to catch as much of it's light before what remained peppered the road down below.
Speeding by was a large white work van with 'Reese's Carcass Cleaning' written on it's side in dark red. Chunks of dry mud clung to the bottom edges of the van and scratch marks blemished the peeling paint. Years of use had taken their toll. Stored in the back of the van were large steel tanks along with other cleaning gear used to dispose corpses.
Sitting in the driver's seat was Jack Reese, the owner of the business. A few decades ago a coworker was accidentally crushed to death in an auto shop, helping Jack discover his ability to view grisly scenes no one else dared. Crushed skulls, severed arms, and mangled flesh splattered across the floor didn't bother Jack all that much, and from that his business was born.
Sitting in the passenger seat was Loyd, a recent hire and a youthful teenager excited to have a job outside his home. Secretly hopeful to pick up a few gruesome work stories to brag about to his friends, Loyd's fingers quietly tapped the top of his knee anticipating the work night.
Behind the two front seats was Mekel, sitting on top a pile of old auto magazines and crammed between a large tool box and a tank of pressurized air. He was a journalist by trade and observed every detail; the creak of the steering wheel whenever it turned left, the scuff marks near the door handles and the cigarette burns on the edges of the cup holders. Resting on top his knees was a notepad and pencil.
A sudden gust of wind pushed against the van, slightly tipping it.
“Whoa, the wind is gonna knock us over.” Loyd said, gripping the safety handle above his window.
“The wind is pretty bad.” Jack tightened his hands around the wheel. “But I have this, don't worry. Are you okay back there Mekel?”
“Yeah, I'm fine.” Mekel said. “It's a bit cramped, but I'm okay. As long as it's not too far.”
“Just a little bit longer, I think.” Loyd said with a youthful smile, his teeth straight and white. “Where did you say we were going?”
“It's an automotive shop.” Jack said. “Someone got mauled there by a wild animal and that's why we have to work so late. The owners need it cleaned up before business tomorrow so they're paying extra. Gotta work when there's work, no matter when or where.”
“I know, you called me during my bath time.” Loyd chuckled. “My mom walked in and handed me the phone!”
“Did you already graduate high school, or are you going into your final year?” Mekel jotted something down in his notebook.
“Just graduated.” Loyd brushed his hand through his short blonde hair. “Yep, I'm done with all that, finally.”
“Loyd here is thinking about college, aren't you?” Jack said.
“I'm thinking about it, just thinking.” Loyd gazed into the dark wilderness.
“College is a good move, but get a good degree, something you can use.” Jack said.
“College is good for sure, but expensive.” Mekel added. “You'll probably have to hold off marriage.”
“Marriage!” Loyd scrunched his nose. “My girl has mentioned something about that, but I don't know.”
Mekel held the notepad firmly on his knees as the Van tilted again. His black pants were new and clean, and the sleeve to his white button shirt was rolled up on his forearm. Mekel looked up at Jack, “What about you Jack, are you married?”
“Me? No, never been married. I haven't really even been close to getting hitched, I guess I never found anyone.”
The van hit a bump and some metal barrels rattled against each other in the back. Mekel continued scribbling into the notepad that was bound in a light brown leather cover which matched his skin.
“So, Mekel Danger was it?” Jack asked.
“Yes.” Mekel smiled. “Mekel Jane Danger is my full name. It's an altered French name, from my father's side. My mother's side is from India.”
“Danger, that's such a cool name. If I become a rock star, I'll change mine to that.” Loyd said. “So, are you like a reporter? Jack mentioned something about that.”
“Yes, I'm a reporter by trade, but I'm expanding my horizons and want to write a book. I thought tagging along with people who clean up corpses for a living would be a great place to start.”
“Well, if I end up in one of your stories,” Jack said, “You'd better make me tall, handsome, and smart.”
“Don't worry, neither of you will end up in my stories.” Mekel put away his notepad and pencil, stuffing them into his shirt pocket. “I'm mostly here to soak in the atmosphere, to take in the essence of the place where someone died, the place of their final moments. Ambiance in stories is very important and it's hard to get right.”
The howling wind pushed against the side of the van again, turning it a little to the left. Jack quickly straightened the van out again and the wheels let out a small screech. Piercing through the darkness in the distance, a small red light flashed.
“Wait a minute, what is this?” Jack leaned closer to the windshield and peered down the road.
“What?” Loyd shook off his gaze from the dark woods.
“There's a traffic stop up ahead. You see it?” Jack said frustrated.
“What's the matter?” Mekel asked.
“Dang it, I think I went too far.” Jack said. “But we'll see.”
Coming up to the flashing red traffic light, Jack stopped the van. Small buildings were further up the road with 'closed' signs hanging in their windows.
“Oh, there's a town here?” Mekel asked.
“Yeah, there's not, I mean, not where we're going.” Jack said. “I must have missed the turn off. My stupid GPS isn't working, hasn't been for about a week. I should have gotten a new one. I don't know why I didn't.”
Flashing police lights appeared behind them.
“What now?” Jack put the van into park.
“Cops?” Loyd tilted his head to the side to try to get a clear view in his mirror.
Pulling up behind them, the police car stopped and the officer stepped out. Jack rolled down his window.
Walking up, the officer pushed his hat down onto his head while his uniform whipped in the wind. Standing at the window, the officer looked sternly into the van. His face was fattened and wrinkled with age. His eyes were a light blue and hanging beneath his nose was a bushy gray mustache.
“Are you Jack Reese?” He asked with a rough and commanding voice.
“Yes?”
“Great, you missed a turn a few miles back.” He said.
“Yeah, I think I was just noticing that.”
“I'm Doug Latternly.” Doug held out his hand. “I'm here to help you guys with the disposal.”
“Really?” Jack reached out and they shook. “Usually the main body is gone by now, taken by the cops, or the family, and we just clean up what's left.”
“Well, the body is gone, but,” The officer paused, “It's a rather sensitive matter, I just need to be here in case you boys find anything during your cleanup.”
; “Okay, no problem.”
“Good, I'll show you the way.” The officer smiled.
Chapter 2
After following Doug back down the road for a few miles they saw a single metal post that jutted from the ground with a red square reflector attached on it's top, which indicated an elusive dirt road's existence. Turning onto it, they slowly went down the hidden path.
Meandering, the road turned left and right and lead them further and deeper into the woods. Swaying over them, the tree branches almost covered up the stars, an attempt to horde those pinpoints of light all for themselves. The wind picked up some dirt and it lingered in front of the van for a moment, swirling in a spiral, but as soon as it appeared, the dirt drifted into the woods and was swallowed by the encroaching darkness.
“Oh man, no body.” Loyd moaned.
“No, no. You won't see a body this time.” Jack said. “Well – maybe you'll see parts of one.”
“Oh, you've never seen a dead body before?” Mekel asked.
“Loyd has not. He's only been working with me for almost one month now. This kind of thing doesn't happen very often, at least not around here. Most of my business comes from picking up road kill.”
“Right, right.” Mekel nodded his head.
“That's why I gave you two a call tonight. This is actual human remains. Hope you two can handle it. If not, I got bags for you to catapult your dinner into. Do not, I repeat, do not throw up on the scene. Trust me, we don't want to clean up more than we have to.”
“I'll be fine,” Mekel said, “I've done some reporting at crime scenes. I'll just stay out of your way, you won't even know I'm there.”
“Loyd?” Jack looked sternly at his young employee.
“Uh, yeah, I'll be fine too. Don't worry.”
They came to a clearing in the trees and two buildings came into view, one smaller and one bigger. Their dull metal roof panels glinted softly in the moon light. Many roof panels were bent and dented from age with rust running along their edges. Grimy stains dotted all around the old plastic side paneling along with a few holes punched into it here and there. Snaking up one of the back corners, an over grown vine reached as high as the roof.
The larger building had several garage doors spaced out evenly on it's side. One of the doors was bent slightly inward at the bottom and the thin, horizontal window on top had a crack running through it.
The smaller building was attached in front of the larger one. Planks of wood were nailed over it's window frames that sealed them shut. It's large, metal front doors had a chain tightly wrapped around their handles that rattled in the wind.
The police car pulled over next to a small wooden shack on the right. It's shingles flapped in the wind, worn out from years of neglect. Jack parked the van in front of the main building near the large, metal front doors.
“Okay, here we are!” Jack slapped his hands against the wheel.
Loyd got out of the van and opened the back sliding door, revealing two steel barrels inside, one painted green and the other red. Mekel stretched his legs and reached into the air, sighing with relief. His white shirt and pants whipped in the harsh wind. Reaching into the van, near the side of the barrels, Loyd pulled out a light yellow jump suit, unzipped it and opened it up.
“What are the different barrel colors for?” Mekel asked while inspecting the contents of the van.
“Those are for the different types of carcasses.” Loyd said as he stepped into the full body suit and zipped up, being careful that the wind didn't knock him over. “Green is for regular road kill stuff, and red is for human.”
“It's best to wear these waterproof suits, face masks, goggles, and, of course, gloves.” Jack handed Mekel a stack of the items.
“Oh, I was just going to stay out of the way. Let you guys do your thing.” Mekel lifted his hands up to reject the gear.
“You said you wanted to soak up the atmosphere, and what better way to do that than by soaking up some blood?”
Mekel welcomed the suggestion with a nod and took the items.
“Now suit up, this is always messy and blood doesn't wash out easy if it does at all.” Jack turned on a flashlight and attached it to the front chest pocket on his work suit.
Officer Doug walked up to the three as they finished putting on their outfits. Another man, who had been in the police car, walked alongside Doug. The other man was slim and short, his tight jeans were tattered at the ankles and his black jacket hanged loosely over a brown, oil stained t-shirt. He casually waved towards Jack and the others, “Hi, I'm Renkley, but Ren for short. I'm here to help in case of any wild animals.”
Jack nodded at Ren but some wind gusts picked up for a moment that kicked up loose pieces of grass and dirt. Doug held firmly on to his officer's hat and closed his eyes.
“I don't think I remember seeing wind like this in a long while.” Doug said as he opened his eyes and brushed off some dirt from his shoulders.
“Looks like there's a storm coming.” Mekel pointed into the horizon. “You can see the dark clouds moving in.”
“It should pass us quickly, we're just on the edge of it.” Doug said. He then motioned towards the double metal doors. “The remains are in there. The majority of the body has been removed, but be careful, it is grisly.”
“What do you think did it?” Asked Mekel.
“Probably a bear, maybe a wolf, we don't know.” Doug said. “But don't concern yourself about that, I've secured the perimeter against wild animals so you'll be safe. Just do a thorough job cleaning up.”
They turned to leave, but Doug stopped them by putting his hand up. “Oh yeah, one more thing.” He said. “If you find anything out of the ordinary, tell me as soon as possible.”
“Like what?” Jack asked.
“You'll know it when you see it.” Doug tilted his head forward showing that his eyes, surrounded by wrinkled skin, were serious and grave. “Like I said before it's a sensitive matter.”
Jack and Loyd picked up their buckets, sponges, and disinfectant spray and went to the chained doors. Loyd slumped over in further disappointment from not getting to see a body.
Chapter 3
After removing the padlock, Doug unwrapped the chain and tossed it to the side. He pushed on the metal doors which let out a screech as they opened. Wind entered the small building and pushed aside the stale, dusty air. Jack's flashlight revealed a pool of blood in the middle of the floor with drag marks extending out from it, going in different directions. Sheet metal, dry wall, and wood planks leaned up against the walls. Rusty metal barrels sat in various places, filled with broken pieces of drywall, bits of pipes, and other trash. The floor was a bare, unfinished plywood, with sections of old carpeting laid out in a few places. They walked in and the doors closed behind them, stopping the gusting wind. On the wall, Doug reached for the light switch, flipped it on, but no response.
“Oh, right,” Doug tapped his forehead. “I forgot, there's a generator in the shack where I parked. I'll be just a minute.”
Opening the doors, Doug walked out and his officer's uniform whipped violently in the wind. The doors slammed shut behind him from a sudden gust which rattled the planks of wood nailed over the windows. Echoing around the group was a clanking sound that came from outside, from a loose metal roof panel shaken from the harsh wind.
“This is really weird.” Jack waved his flashlight around. “I mean, this place looks abandoned but they are paying extra to get it done tonight before the work week.”
“I can't imagine that anyone has worked here in a while.” Loyd said.
Standing near the doors Ren sighed. “This place is still in business. It used to be a strip club, but years ago it was converted to a mechanic shop. They mostly work on big rigs that come from a nearby distribution center.”
The lights suddenly flipped on, dim and yellow. The room had a warped, unfinished wood counter in the middle, behind which there was a door with a small label stuck on it tha
t read 'office'. To their right was a wide hallway with stacks of buckets and other building materials littering it. At the end of this wide hallway was a tall metal door which opened into the larger building with the garages. To their left was another door covered with old red paint, peeled and cracked with age, but it was blocked off by layers of sheet metal, plywood, and an over-sized cinder block resting in front of it.
Doug opened the door behind the group and stood at the entrance with the wind gusting around him. “There's some light for you guys.” He said smiling. “ I'll be in my patrol car if you need me for anything, and if you find anything out of the ordinary.” Doug closed the doors once again and they clanked against the frame.
Jack put down the buckets, spacing them out evenly across the floor just outside the edges of the blood. Mekel went into the wide hallway on the right side and helped by scrubbing the floor slowly. Often getting out his pencil and paper by carefully removing his gloves, so as to not get blood anywhere, and frantically scribbled down notes, recording every detail that he could. Jack and Loyd worked together on the larger pool of blood in front of the entrance doors.
“Are you doing okay?” Jack asked as the blood dripped from his sponge.
“Yeah, actually, this isn't that bad.” Loyd chuckled. “I've seen scarier movies than this!”
“But this isn't a movie, this is real.”
“I know, I know.” Loyd said. “I just thought I was going to see a body or something.” Loyd glanced at the space between some pieces of wood near his knees. “Hey, what's this?” He carefully picked something up and brought it up to his face to inspect it in the dim light. “Oh no!” Loyd dropped it and stood up quickly. “Ah! It's a finger.”
“Let me see it.” Jack picked it up and rotated it in front of his face. “Yep, that's a finger.”
Loyd closed his eyes and breathed heavy.
“And it looks like the ring finger to me, but I could be wrong.” Jack said. “We'll put it in the special bucket for now and then into the barrel in the van when we're done.”
Loyd paced back and forth in front of Ren, who was calmly leaning up against the wall, near the doors.
“Are you sure you're alright?” Jack said, laughing under his breath.