Page 38 of Sicken of the Calm
“Oh God. That is so fuckingfucked-up,” Ezra whispers as the flickering flashlight I’m holding reveals aseries of strung-up, more-than-dead bodies. I glance at Ezra. The white lightof the screen casts shadows on the open horror on his expression as he staresintently at the morbid scene.
I force my character to walkbetween the dripping bodies. The visuals are disturbingly realistic; thebloated faces of the upside-down bodies, eyes bloodshot and staring into thedark. I feel Ezra shift closer to me, and don’t comment when he clutches at myshirt.
“Joaquin,” he whispers. I look athim, but he’s still staring at the screen, engrossed. “Can you hear something?There’s something there with you,” he says. I turn back to the screen, but it’stoo late. Some grotesque being jumps out at me with an inhuman scream. I jump,almost throwing the controller across the room. Ezra, though, shrieks like achoir boy, latching on to me. I don’t know if it’s the commotion or if it’sjust a coincidence, but at that exact moment, my shelf breaks. The plankresting on the two hanging legs tips over, and so does everything it washolding, clattering to the ground with an unholy crash. I startle again, eyeswide, as Ezrascreamslike I’ve never heard anybody outside a horrorfilm scream, spasming wildly with his whole body.
“Holy shit! Oh my God!” heshouts, practically panting as he presses against me. He turns to look at me,eyes wide in terror, and I can’t help it. I laugh. Ezra stares at meincredulously.
“Joaquin! This is no laughingmatter!” he shrieks, which only makes me laugh harder. He jumps up only toscuttle away from where the collapsed shelf lies, tripping over the pillows inhis haste. I’m doubled over, the sound of my choked laughs filling the room.
“I can’t fucking believe you’relaughing right now. Did you not see what justhappened!” he says,running his hands through his hair in agitation.
“I can’t breathe,” I pant,clutching my stomach.
“Joaquin. Dude. I don’t wanna bea drama queen, but your room is haunted and we’re gonna die,” he says,completely serious, and I collapse on the floor, arm over my stomach as I gaspfor breath between laughs.
“Oh God, please stop, I seriouslycan’t breathe,” I say, trying to calm down, but the terrified look on his faceis priceless.
“Joaquin. Seriously. That was notnormal.”
“Ezra, that shelf falls like oncea month.”
“But at thatexact moment!?”
“Maybe it was blown off by thesound of your shriek.”
“I did notshriek. It wasa manly yell. And I manly-yelledafterit fell so your stupid point isstupid.”
“I’m seriously gonna pass out ifyou keep talking.”
“And we’re seriously gonna die ifwe stay in this room with theevil spirit!”
“Oh God,” I laugh.
“We need to, like, purify thespace. We need to burn some fucking sage in here. Do you have sage?”
“No, Ezra, I do not have sage,” Isay, still laughing.
“Well, we need to get some. I’mnot getting naked in front of an evil spirit.”
“Maybe the spirit doesn’t want toseeyounaked. Maybe it just likes me. I’m ok with the Ouija peep-show.”
“That’s even worse! I’m notletting – no! Joaquin, let’s go.”
“Are you actually serious rightnow?”
“Yes, I’m actually serious rightnow!”
“Ezra, it’s like one in themorning! There’s nothing open at-”
“There’s a 24-hour supermarket,like, twenty minutes walking from here.”
“Twenty minutes! It’s cold!”
“Then bundle up. Let’s go!”
I don’t even know how it happens,but ten minutes later finds me standing outside, wrapped in multiple layers Iwas manhandled into. Ezra looks determined as he starts striding forward, hairhidden in a beanie and his hands in a borrowed pair of gloves.
“This is crazy. You’re crazy,” Isay, watching the words turn to vapour on my lips on the particularly coldnight.
