Tabloid
Issue #1
by Tom Zjaba
Chapter One: Blood and Shadows
Madeline stares at the typewriter.
The paper sticking out of the top had the following words typed on it "Alien
Gives Birth to Elvis' Love Child". It was the same words that were written on
the dozen other crumpled pieces of paper that are scattered across the floor.
Madeline is experiencing writer's block, something she's never encountered
before. Words always seemed to flow easily for her. All she needed was a subject
and she was ready to go. But that was in college where she did papers on the
Magna Carta and the Supreme Court. But now she is experiencing her first
writer's block and it is driving her crazy. Her cultured mind hasn't been
prepared for the agony she is putting it through. No college course ever taught
her to write this kind of trash. She always hated tabloids and never bothered
with them in college. Here friends did read some of them. They mostly read them
for the gossip on celebrities, but they also liked the ridiculous stories. As an
honor student, she had more important things to worry about. As the editor of
the school paper, she had responsibilities to report the news in a professional
manner. How she missed those days when she was on top and the world was her
oyster. But that was a small college in the middle of the country and this is
New York City. This is the place where lots of talented writers come from all
over the country. This is where they come to make their mark. Every interview
she went to was full of former school newspaper editors and honor students.
Instead of being special as she was back home, she is just another face. Just
another resume in a imposingly large pile of resumes. She can still remember
when she first came to the Big Apple. She was sure that she could get a job with
the New York Times. It was a dream of hers. But when they never responded to the
resume she left, all ten time times she left it, the dream was crushed. But she
knew it was a one town paper and soon she had resumes sent out to all the
newspapers. Still no replies came. Her next step was the magazines. New York
City was the home of many magazines and surely she could land a job with one of
them. No such luck. How can someone as talented as her not land a job? Her next
step was television. Maybe she could write for a news show. But that avenue
yielded the same results. Soon her money ran out and she had to either find work
or head home with her tail between her legs. Well, she wasn't ready to admit
failure. So she took a crummy job for a third rate tabloid magazine and wrote
articles on Bigfoot, Siamese twins and other made up stuff. She didn't get the
job on talent. Her flawless resume didn't land the job. She got the job because
she could write fast. Since it was a weekly rag, they needed fresh stories out
on a constant basis. The pay wasn't great, but it kept a roof over her head and
food in her belly. So she kept pouring out the stories, even if they made her
sick. She was sick with disgust because she has been forced to sell herself out.
She felt dirty, like a whore. But the thought of going back to her family and
admit she was a failure was a greater shame and something she couldn't even
think about.
She looked around the tiny room and tried to find
inspiration. She had her posters and awards on the wall. She looked over at her
cat poster and smiled. Something about the poor little kitty hanging there with
the words "Just Hang In There" always made her smile. It was a silly poster and
one she has had since junior high, but it inspired her in the darkest times. She
then looked at her poster of New York City at night that she bought at a gift
shop when she visited here in high school. She remembers how she fell in love
with the city. The buildings, the hustle and the bustle, the endless
possibilities enchanted her. It was back in high school that she first decided
that she wanted to move to New York City and become a writer. She then looked at
the mirror on her door. She took a look at herself and wondered what happened.
She is only twenty four years old, but she looks much older. She pulls aside her
dark hair and looks at her blue eyes. Were those wrinkles? It couldn't be. She
was too young for wrinkles. But with all the stress she has since the move to
the big city, anything is possible. She pulls her long hair back and put it up.
She keeps meaning to get her hair cut short. She thinks about most of the most
successive women and they have short hair. Her hair is in dire need of being
cut. At least her makeup is still holding up. She always put on makeup before
she went out and with the interviews she went to this afternoon, she had to look
her best. She was still wearing the suit top and dress that she wore to her
interviews. She should have changed to her pajamas when she got home, but she
wanted to get this story done first. She stands up and turns to the side. She
looks at her figure and how her once tight stomach is now a little bigger. She
is by no means fat, but she is upset at herself for not exercising and for
eating too much fast food. She used to eat so healthy in college. There wasn't a
day that went by without at least one salad. And she would drink water at all
meals. Now she finds herself grabbing a quick burger or a hot dog from one of
the carts. And she is drinking more and more pop and energy drinks. She always
had larger hips and a fuller bust than her friends, but she still was able to
have a small waist. It took more work to stay thin than some of her friends. She
remembers how jealous she was of her friend Rebecca. That was one girl who could
eat whatever she wanted and never gained an ounce. While everyone else was
drinking diet pop and eating salads, Rebecca would be eating double
cheeseburgers and cheese covered fries. It was so unfair.
Since the article was getting nowhere, she decided to take a
break from it and get a quick snack. Her cupboards were bare as she hasn't been
to the grocery store in weeks. She has spent every free moment going to
interviews and trying to land a better job. So she grabbed her coat and headed
out of her apartment. She walked down the hall and listened to the different
sounds that came out of the apartments. The walls were pretty thin in this
building and she was forced to listen to a variety of music that she did not
like as well as all the fights that went on. And on the weekends, there were the
parties that shook the whole building. She still remembers when she first moved
in and there was a party going on. The noise was so loud that her walls shook.
She tried calling the landlord to complain, but all she got was an answering
machine. That was all she ever got when she called. She even tried calling the
police but they said they would send someone, but they never did. Knowing the
police in this area, they probably came and joined the party. Tonight, it was
pretty quiet. She could hear a television in apartment. The man always watched
horror movies and he must be hard of hearing as the television is always so
loud. At first it scared her, but now she knew it was just a movie and not some
crazy murderer loose in the building. She is now headed down the stairs. She
always hated the stairs. With the door closed, it was the ideal place for
someone to attack her. She did see people on the stairs that scared her. One day
some young men were on the stairs and she was sure that she smelled drugs. She
never did drugs, so she really does not know what they smell like but she knows
what cigarettes smell like and the smell wasn't cigarettes. So she just assumed
it was drugs. Why else would a group of men smoke on the stairs and pass around
a cigarette. What was worse than the smell was the raunchy things they said to
her. While none of them tried anything, it was very upsetting. She came from a
small town where that kind of behavior was not tolerated. In high school, there
were boys who would say some rude things, but it was tame compared to what she
heard. As she reached the bottom of the stairs and headed out the door, she
decided to check out the deli down the street. She had avoided it because she
always chose to do her shopping at a grocery store. Back home you only used
convenience stores, as they were called for emergencies. They were always more
expensive and the service was less than memorable. But it was late and any
grocery store would be closed. But this place was open twenty four hours and
would have the basics she was looking for. So she quickly made her way to the
deli, knowing that the neighborhood always transformed at night. While things
were innocent enough during the day, it was a different story at night. She had
always stayed in at night because of the reports of the attacks in the area. But
tonight she put caution to the wind and hoped it wasn't something she would live
to regret.
The night was cold as the moon shone down on the street. It
was a typical fall day in the New York with a sharp breeze that chilled to the
bone. Her coat did a good job of keeping her warm, but she forgot to wear a hat.
And her head was bearing the full brunt of the brisk breeze. She was alone on
the street or at least she did not see anyone else. She kept looking back and
forth to make sure there was no one lurking in the shadows. She had looked out
the windows from her room at night and saw some less than reputable characters
on the street. Groups of men that she assumed were a gang. Scantily clad women
who she guessed were hookers. And she saw men exchanging money and goods on
corner. While she cannot be certain it was drug deals, she was pretty sure they
weren't selling magazine subscriptions. She walked with a brisk pace, not fast
enough to garner attention but quick enough to get back to her safe apartment
before anyone saw her. She knew it was a bad idea to be out at night alone, but
she had no boyfriend or any friends for that matter. She was all alone in this
big city and right now she was feeling very scared. Each little sound from a dog
barking in the distance to the sound of a car driving by, made her jump. Back
home in the small town, she went out at night quite often with no fear. No one
bothered to lock their doors and everyone felt safe. But here it was a big
mistake to not lock your doors. Quite often at night, she would hear someone
checking her door to see if it was locked. The first time it happened, she went
out and bought two dead bolts and installed them. She also bought a aluminum
baseball bat. She figured it was a weapon she could own and not be scared of.
Guns always frightened her. She was thinking that she should have brought the
bat with her.
After walking a few blocks, she reached the deli. As she
walked in, she looked at the clerk behind the counter. She usually didn't make a
habit of staring at people, but she couldn't help it. This man looked hauntingly
familiar. As she moved closer, the guy looked up from his magazine and looked
directly at her. This guy was a spitting image of a young Elvis Presley.
Suddenly all kind of crazy thoughts ran through her mind, mostly due to the
amount of time she had spent writing about Elvis in the rags. "I know, I know, I
look like Elvis Presley. Everyone tells me that" he says to her as she suddenly
realizes how rude she has been. "It's uncanny how much you look like him, must
make your life interesting" she says as she begins to step backwards as to get
away from him. She quickly grabbed a bag of chips and one of the premade turkey
sandwiches and drops them on the counter. As he rings up the sale, he responds
"I get off in an hour if you want to go back to my personal Graceland." This was
enough to break her out of the spell and she politely refused as she grabbed up
her stuff and quickly made her way towards the door. As she left, he took a look
at her as she exited the door and mumbled to himself "Decent looking, but a few
too many pounds for my taste." Madeline is not what would be considered a
stunner. She has a cute face and a curvy body. While there was a time when round
thighs and a full bosom would be considered attractive, it was not so in today's
skinny world. While she was not fat, she did have a few more pounds than she
wanted on her figure. But her dark hair and pouty lips did make her pleasant to
look at. But she hid her body in long dresses and suit coats. She always seemed
to dress like she was heading to a job interview, which wasn't too far from the
truth. While she would be at home in an office, it made her stand out in the
rougher neighborhood she lived in. She looked like a good target for a robbery.
"That was like so weird" she kept telling herself as she
moved down the street. "He was a little too creepy for me. Wonder how many women
that line worked on? Probably none if they're smart." she mumbled as she tried
to bury her face into the coat. On the way to the deli, her back was to the wind
and it was the back of her head and her ears that were getting cold. But now it
was hitting her right in the face. Her desire to get back home quickly, made her
let down her guard or she would have paid more attention to the man standing
against the wall up ahead. From a distance, he does not look like anything
special, but what she does not see is that he is playing with a knife that is in
his coat pocket. With his dark coat, he almost blends in the wall that he is
leaning on. He stands motionless and with no street light near, it is darker.
And with the moon behind some clouds, it is suddenly darker. But when your head
is buried in a coat, you hardly notices stuff like that. All Madeline knows is
the wind is stinging her face and the sooner she gets home, the better. As she
moves past him, he turns and grabs her and quickly gets his arms around her. She
is first stunned by the attack. She figured he was another of the homeless
people and not some attacker. But when he puts a knife to her throat, she knows
things are going to get bad. Real bad. "Don't fight it or I will slit your
throat so fast you won't have time to scream" he says as he pulls her into a
nearby alley. Part of her wants to scream. She always learned that the best
thing to do in a rape was to scream and hope for help. Or at least that is what
she thought she remembered from high school. None of the girls really took the
advice seriously when the police came in and talked to them about it. They lived
in a safe little town and no one was raped. They heard of date rape at the local
college, but they figured it was just some guy who didn't know that no means no.
But this was different. This was some stranger with a knife who was going to
rape or kill her. It wasn't some oversexed football player who most likely would
apologize profusely afterwards and buy all kinds of gifts to make up for it.
Mixed thoughts begin to flow through her mind. How could she be so stupid to be
out after dark. Will she get out this alive? Is he going to rape her or just rob
her? Should she try to break free or just give in and hope for the best? As she
grapples with the overflow of emotions, he quickly answers her questions. As
they pull into the dark of the alley, another guy steps out of the shadows and
punches her in the stomach. The pain sears through her abdomen as she falls to
her knees. Before she can do anything, she is pulled back up by her hair until
she is face to face with the original attacker. As she looks at him, he is a
pretty rough looking guy. He has a big scar over his left eye and is missing a
few teeth. His eyes are cold. There is no emotion in them at all. And his breath
stinks of cigarettes and cheap booze. "We were feeling a little lonely tonight
before you came here, but now it looks like our night is complete" he says as he
begins to kiss her. If she is going to get raped, she won't give in without a
fight. So she forces her knee into his groin and he immediately screams out and
lets go of her. "You bitch, I'll kill you for that" he mutters as he tries to
regain his composure. His legs are a little wobbly, but it only stuns him for a
moment. As she tries to get away, his partner hits her with a well placed punch,
right in the face. The hit dazes her as everything goes black for a second. The
force of the blow knocks her back. As she falls back, blood pours out of her
mouth. She is headed right for a shadow covered brick wall when instead of
hitting it, she falls right through it. The men watch as she is engulfed in the
darkness. They look at each other wondering what happened. They go over and
start checking the wall, looking for some kind of opening.
Madeline's temporary blackout is over or at least she thinks
it is.. But unlike any fall she has ever experienced, this one seems to go on
forever. Instead of hitting the wall, she has went right past it, into a portal
of sorts and now she if falling at an alarming rate. But instead of being in the
alley or even on Earth, she looks around only to see all kinds of stars and
planets zooming past her. But this makes no sense. How can she be falling in
space? Wouldn't she need to breath and there is no oxygen in space. She must be
dreaming. Or maybe she is dead and on her way to the afterlife. But she has
little time to contemplate her present situation. As she continues her plummet,
she sees something zooming towards her. It seems to be running parallel with her
but headed in towards her. She cannot make out what it is at first or even if it
will run into her or go pass her. With the blackness of space and the rapid
speed she is traveling, she has no bearings. Within seconds, the object is
within view. As it passes her, she sees what looks like a very tall and very
scary monster. It has glowing red eyes, a large mouth full of teeth, long dagger
like claws and a hairless, almost reptilian body. The creature stares right at
her and while she cannot be sure, it almost looks like it is smiling. The eyes
of the creature bore into her very soul and it feels like the creature is almost
studying her. But it is just a second that they pass before the creature off
into the void of space. She tries to look back at the creature but she finds it
nearly impossible to turn her head. The force of the speed makes it too hard to
move more than an inch. As she focuses her eyes back forward, she sees a light
in the distance. Is this the fabled light you go towards when you are dead? Will
she be judged on the other side? She is headed right at it, with no control over
her destination. As she reaches the light, she goes through it like thread
through a needle. As she emerges on the other side, she hits the ground and
rolls. She rolls for a few seconds and hits a wall that abruptly stops her
momentum. Whatever happened to her is beyond her comprehension. She squints as
she struggles to get back to her feet. Instead of night time, it is daytime. She
looks and sees that she is in the alley where she was only seconds ago. The
buildings look like New York, but as she is soon to find out, she is not in New
York City anymore.
Back in the alley, the two attackers are searching the wall
for a hole or trap door. The only sign that she was there at all is some blood
that is splattered on the wall. But before they can solve the riddle, the blood
expands and turns into a hole. Suddenly, there is what looks like a whirlpool of
blood in the wall. They take a step back as they shocked. They are unsure what
is happening. Then they see something coming out of the wall. Instead of the
girl that went in, a very large monster comes flying out. It shoots out of the
hole and with one quick move is able to roll and land on its feet. The men turn
to look at the creature. It peers right at them and stands up to show all eight
feet of its very slender but very strong body. It lifts its hand and shows it
very long claws. A smiles comes over its face as it shows all its teeth, which
are quite sharp and shark like. Before the men can run off, it leaps at them and
within seconds it tears them to shreds. The long claws rip through them with
ease and within seconds, they are nothing more than two mutilated corpses. The
monster then smiles at the kills. While it is still night, the men's screams
draws attention. Lights on nearby apartments goes on. Before anyone sees what
happens, the monster changes shape. Instead of being an eight foot tall,
reptilian monster, it is now Madeline. Only this Madeline is covered in blood.
The creature goes over and picks up a knife that is laying on the ground from
one of the assailants and takes it and sticks it into each of the bodies. It
then makes sure to get blood all over its hands. In the distance, there are
sirens as the police have been alerted. The monster sits down and waits for the
coming police with a smile on its face.
Tabloid © Tom Zjaba 1994 - 2007