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The Ritual P-II
#ramckinnley #theritual #series #shortstory #horror #scarystory
*CRACK* A monstrous thunder clap slapped the earth and visibly resonated deep within the bodies of everyone who had ventured into the cavern beneath Heathborough Manor. Lit torches flickered and danced like a stripper the day before rent was due. Margaret, John, Abigail and William had gone on just ahead of me toward the main hall, but I had to take a moment to appreciate the ancient carvings that littered the passageways like graffiti in a subway.
Odd drawings and what I assume to be a language, one that I had never seen before in my 30 years as an anthropologist. Enthralled by the beauty of it, I brushed up against the macabre etchings gently with the tips of my fingers and instantly felt the weight of a thousand moons bearing down on me. In an instant that felt like the entire existence of the universe, divulged its secrets to me. Images swirled in my mind like whirlpool, draining its essence into me as if it had been waiting for me its whole existence. I understood the secrets of reality and was able to read the codex scribed on the cave wall before me.
"Yrhem n'ker drunmbac v'er X'lendr un Nehim Oosa tr'nkernak un kaolaus paraman yrhem sal ret'k". The old wall read. "For the man knows not the will of X'lendr and Nehim, twin Gods of Life and Death until the man resides within them."
A chill danced up and down my spine as I entered the main hall, a grand altar stand staring at me like the eyes of a hungry wolf. Margaret was laid out on the altar head, naked as the day she was born. her long blond locks caressed her pale skin as if to invite you in. John, Will and Abby stood around her in a trance like state.
"Nehim bral'k." They called out in unison, in almost a zombie-like tone. "Nehim, rise."
Over and over, louder and louder they chanted as Johnathan approached Margaret. Slowly he moved to embrace her, sweat beading down his neck and a slight quiver in his step. Was this his own will, or an act of some ancient, inconceivable force using our group for its own twisted purpose. As John made his final steps to the altar, his body contorted. His feet planted to the ground and in a swift, deliberate motion he swung his torso backward...folding himself in the wrong direction. His eyes a pale gray, milky yet bloodshot locked on to mine and a shrill shriek erupted from him.
"Do you understand now, Sek'r?" A voice called from inside my head as the room seemingly froze in time. "Do you have the wisdom you sought?"
"What the fuck is happening?" I bellowed.
"Sek'r, you forget yourself." The voice echoed in my skull. "I will be reborn unto this world and you will bear witness."
Instantly my head began to throb, a pain so indescribable that my very being felt as if i was about to crack like and old porcelain doll. Blood started flowing from my eyes as time slowly regained pace. What had just happened to me? Had I been touched by a putrid devine force or was I simply losing my mind?
John spun back around and hopped on the altar. Margaret's naked body lay nearly still, save for the shallow breaths she was taking in anticipation of what was about to come. Crouched above her like a bird of prey, John ran his hand over her body, caressing her gently like lovers in the morning glow.
"Er ret Nehim." He shouted, plunging the ceremonial dagger he had concealed until just this moment into her abdomen. "For Nehim."
Margaret's face lit up in ecstasy as not blood but a thick black sludge crept out of her gapping wound. Her back arched and quivered harder and faster with each passing second in a disturbed orgasmic death. It seemed like an eternity for her body to fall but finally she lay back flat on the altar, oozing steadily into a hollow in the floor. My head turned slowly, following the steaming trail of dark, filth along the grooved floor. The lights seemed to dim as the drainage made its way to its destination...a collection pool. It rapidly filled with the rancid excrement still evacuating from the altar. Johnathan and Margaret had vanished, seemingly into thin air.
Back and forth my head snapped around, trying desperately to gain some kind of logic or reasoning on what I had just seen. I was sick to my stomach, and the stench of decay, puss and viscera was not helping. I peered back to the pool in fearful desperation over what I may encounter next.
Will and Abby were standing ankle deep in the sludge...
"Half the Rite complete Sek'r." The voice in my mind commanded.
Just as the speaking stopped, Abby mechanically turned to Will and began tearing into his clothing. cotton and denim flew into the air as William replied in turn. Before a moment had past the two were nude and aggressively engaging in the most violent sex I had ever witnessed. Will laid between Abby's thighs, thrusting with enough force to leave welts and marks where flesh met flesh, all the while choking her and trying mercilessly to hold her head under the black, rotting fluid. This didn't seem to phase her as she gripped Will and pulled herself close to him, her nails digging and tearing into his back so far as to expose the bone of his ribs. The two went back and forth for mere moments until both bodies were torn nearly to shreds; Will was missing an arm and Abby had no skin left on her face. The sickening display was ended in a postmortem ejaculation that shook the cavern. I stood there...my mouth gapping. I had just witnessed what I can only describe as Hell.
"Come to me Sek'r." An all too familiar voice called to me from the shadows beyond the corpses. "Come see the future."
Unwillingly my body began moving toward the dark...
© 2020 R.A. McKinnley
*CRACK* A monstrous thunder clap slapped the earth and visibly resonated deep within the bodies of everyone who had ventured into the cavern beneath Heathborough Manor. Lit torches flickered and danced like a stripper the day before rent was due. Margaret, John, Abigail and William had gone on just ahead of me toward the main hall, but I had to take a moment to appreciate the ancient carvings that littered the passageways like graffiti in a subway.
Odd drawings and what I assume to be a language, one that I had never seen before in my 30 years as an anthropologist. Enthralled by the beauty of it, I brushed up against the macabre etchings gently with the tips of my fingers and instantly felt the weight of a thousand moons bearing down on me. In an instant that felt like the entire existence of the universe, divulged its secrets to me. Images swirled in my mind like whirlpool, draining its essence into me as if it had been waiting for me its whole existence. I understood the secrets of reality and was able to read the codex scribed on the cave wall before me.
"Yrhem n'ker drunmbac v'er X'lendr un Nehim Oosa tr'nkernak un kaolaus paraman yrhem sal ret'k". The old wall read. "For the man knows not the will of X'lendr and Nehim, twin Gods of Life and Death until the man resides within them."
A chill danced up and down my spine as I entered the main hall, a grand altar stand staring at me like the eyes of a hungry wolf. Margaret was laid out on the altar head, naked as the day she was born. her long blond locks caressed her pale skin as if to invite you in. John, Will and Abby stood around her in a trance like state.
"Nehim bral'k." They called out in unison, in almost a zombie-like tone. "Nehim, rise."
Over and over, louder and louder they chanted as Johnathan approached Margaret. Slowly he moved to embrace her, sweat beading down his neck and a slight quiver in his step. Was this his own will, or an act of some ancient, inconceivable force using our group for its own twisted purpose. As John made his final steps to the altar, his body contorted. His feet planted to the ground and in a swift, deliberate motion he swung his torso backward...folding himself in the wrong direction. His eyes a pale gray, milky yet bloodshot locked on to mine and a shrill shriek erupted from him.
"Do you understand now, Sek'r?" A voice called from inside my head as the room seemingly froze in time. "Do you have the wisdom you sought?"
"What the fuck is happening?" I bellowed.
"Sek'r, you forget yourself." The voice echoed in my skull. "I will be reborn unto this world and you will bear witness."
Instantly my head began to throb, a pain so indescribable that my very being felt as if i was about to crack like and old porcelain doll. Blood started flowing from my eyes as time slowly regained pace. What had just happened to me? Had I been touched by a putrid devine force or was I simply losing my mind?
John spun back around and hopped on the altar. Margaret's naked body lay nearly still, save for the shallow breaths she was taking in anticipation of what was about to come. Crouched above her like a bird of prey, John ran his hand over her body, caressing her gently like lovers in the morning glow.
"Er ret Nehim." He shouted, plunging the ceremonial dagger he had concealed until just this moment into her abdomen. "For Nehim."
Margaret's face lit up in ecstasy as not blood but a thick black sludge crept out of her gapping wound. Her back arched and quivered harder and faster with each passing second in a disturbed orgasmic death. It seemed like an eternity for her body to fall but finally she lay back flat on the altar, oozing steadily into a hollow in the floor. My head turned slowly, following the steaming trail of dark, filth along the grooved floor. The lights seemed to dim as the drainage made its way to its destination...a collection pool. It rapidly filled with the rancid excrement still evacuating from the altar. Johnathan and Margaret had vanished, seemingly into thin air.
Back and forth my head snapped around, trying desperately to gain some kind of logic or reasoning on what I had just seen. I was sick to my stomach, and the stench of decay, puss and viscera was not helping. I peered back to the pool in fearful desperation over what I may encounter next.
Will and Abby were standing ankle deep in the sludge...
"Half the Rite complete Sek'r." The voice in my mind commanded.
Just as the speaking stopped, Abby mechanically turned to Will and began tearing into his clothing. cotton and denim flew into the air as William replied in turn. Before a moment had past the two were nude and aggressively engaging in the most violent sex I had ever witnessed. Will laid between Abby's thighs, thrusting with enough force to leave welts and marks where flesh met flesh, all the while choking her and trying mercilessly to hold her head under the black, rotting fluid. This didn't seem to phase her as she gripped Will and pulled herself close to him, her nails digging and tearing into his back so far as to expose the bone of his ribs. The two went back and forth for mere moments until both bodies were torn nearly to shreds; Will was missing an arm and Abby had no skin left on her face. The sickening display was ended in a postmortem ejaculation that shook the cavern. I stood there...my mouth gapping. I had just witnessed what I can only describe as Hell.
"Come to me Sek'r." An all too familiar voice called to me from the shadows beyond the corpses. "Come see the future."
Unwillingly my body began moving toward the dark...
© 2020 R.A. McKinnley
