THE SOUL EATER

Chapter 1: 10 years earlier Ten years earlier as I’m driving home from my nephew’s 5th birthday party while  partially drunk, I happen to notice that it’s getting close to 9 pm and it is completely dark out.  “Wow, where has the day gone?”  I murmur under my breath, before turning on the radio and settling on one of my favorite classic rock stations.   The whole time I can’t help but to think that this feels wrong.  It’s too dark, the moon is nowhere to be found.  A little further down the road, while I stare out over the dark highway and watch the shadows move, I see someone alongside the road walking and I immediately slow down. She is a young woman walking alone.  I look her up and down and notice right away that she looks like she has been traveling like this for quite some time.  Stopping to help her, I realize that she must be homeless.  Her clothes are all wet, stained, and tattered.  Her amazin

"Jason, wake up!  Tara shakes me and I can barely open my eyes.  "You were having a bad nightmare and I have to go home to get the kids ready for school.  Are you feeling better?"  She asks as she puts her purse on the table and grabs her jacket. Sitting up, I lie to her, "Yes, now go home and get them to school before I start feeling bad that you stayed the night."  Just as she starts to open the door I comment, "Tara, you are the best.  I mean it, I don't know what I would have done without you all these years." She turns back to me and walks over to give me a hug, putting her arms around my neck.  Hugging me tight, she kisses my cheek and I smell her favorite perfume when she straightens up.  "Little brother, for the longest time I thought you would turn out to be a complete asshole, but then there are times like this that make me think there is hope for you."  She laughs and walks to the door.   Watch

"Hey, little bro.  What are you doing here?  I thought you wanted to stay in the hotel for the night?"  She says as she opens the door and I stare at her because something feels off.  Welcoming me in from the dark dreary night, she hugs me before I enter and smiles a sort of half smile. After he dropped me off, I hesitated to knock on her door but realized that she was the only one who didn't think I was completely nuts.  Besides, hopefully "She" doesn't like to be seen by others and being around a group of people will actually be to my advantage, not sitting out here in the dark all by myself.  However, when I see Max and Tara together and how happy they are, I won't do this to them. I can't be the one who ends up bringing it here.  So, after visiting with Max and my sister for a little while, I leave.  Taking Tara to the side, I ask, "Do you mind driving me back to my house briefly so I can pick up my Jeep?  I am going t

"What are you doing?"  A woman yells, bringing me out of my trance.  I gaze at the gory scene in front of me and smell the acrid scent of blood overloading my senses.  Before I turn around, I notice the bloody machete in my hand and try to hide it under my shirt.  The woman behind me, points at me and screams, "He killed her." Scanning the crowd around me, I catch a glimpse of red and look closer.  There she stands, the soul eater with her black soulless eyes just smiling at me with that smile that still creeps me out.  You would think that it wouldn't after all this time, but it still gives me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Seeing her, makes my fight or flight instinct kick in and I run.  Running as fast as I can, I keep going till I can't hear the woman screaming anymore and I have put enough distance between us.  I consider throwing the machete into the water, but instead I lift the lid to the dumpster and throw it

"Hey Mr., are you O.K.?"  I turn around and a little boy of about 5 with bib overalls on, stands in front of me and stares.  Focusing on him, I answer calmly and smile.  "Yes.  I am.  Thank you for asking." Trying to decipher exactly where I am, I scan the area for any landmarks but all I come up with is a townhall and what looks to be the post office.  As of the moment, all I know is that I am in a very small town and it looks like there are mountains all around us.  Perhaps even a national park by the way hikers are walking down the street.  I can tell they are hikers, because they all have those seemingly standard hiking boots and backpacks.  Not to mention, they are carrying their phones around and taking pictures in front of the old time townhall.  Wondering how on earth I got here, I try to jog my memory but fail hopelessly. Chucking this up to another one of the soul eater's games, I wait for th