The Vinch

As I sat down to eat my sandwich I could hear two of the secretaries, Anita and Rhonda, gossiping at their table. Anita, the more animated of the two, was flipping her hair back in an exaggerated manner, squeezing her breasts together and batting her eyes. They both began to laugh just as Sam walked up the table where I was sitting.

"Hey Danny boy, mind if I join you?"

"Whatever," I responded jokingly, rolling my eyes. "You don't have that lunch meeting?"

"Nope, got canceled." He sat down and continued, "This client is a nut job." He quickly pulled out a sandwich and took a big bite. A fellow accountant at the firm, Sam usually had some of the best advice around. He was somewhat of the ladies man too, which worked especially well in an office full of such average and gossipy people. Needless to say, the women started looking over at us with those devilish grins that spoke volumes of their desperation. Sure Sam was a good-looking guy, but truly no Adonis. When I'm the next best looking guy in the office there has to be something wrong with the place. Sam finished chewing and continued, "You know... he claims to be some psychic."

Half interested I responded, "Who, your client... really?"

"Yeah, yeah," he responded eyes widened as if trying to tell me how serious he really is. He creeps me out man. He's constantly talking about weird crap I don't understand... or want to hear about."

"Doesn't sound boring," I said.

"Yeah, but it's eerie. I had to tell him not say anything that didn't pertain to work. I don't want to be told something I shouldn't know... you know?" He looked at me awaiting a response.

"Yeah, definitely," I said. "I wouldn't want to know anything either. I'd always rather be surprised." I continued to eat my lunch and so did Sam. We didn't speak again until we were done. As I was getting up from my seat to go back to work he stopped me one last time.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot the best part," he beckoned me with his hand. "When he called me to cancel he told me something weird."

"What did he say?"

"He started by saying he had important information that didn't directly pertain to me." Sam looked around the room then back to me. "He said to tell my friends not to be alone this weekend because he thinks one of them is in trouble."

"That's weird, why the hell would he say that?"

"I don't know, but it freaked me out!" Sam looked obviously concerned. "I think I'm going to talk to Andrew about changing clients. I don't want to talk to that guy anymore."

"Yeah, I hear you man." I paused for a second, "Do you consider me a friend?"

"Yeah, of course," seeming surprised I would ask.

"Then, uh oh," I laughed. "See you after work on the train."

"Yeah, see you then," he said staring off, distracted. I walked back to my office. Six o' clock came more quickly than I expected. I waited by the entrance of the train for Sam as usual, but he didn't show. Rhonda walked by as I entered the station and turned to look at me.

"Were you waiting for Sam?" She asked.

"Yeah, I think he had to stay late though."

"No, he left at about three I think. He said he wasn't feeling well."

"Huh, that's weird," I said with slight concern. "Anyway, have a good weekend."

"Yeah, you too," she said walking away toward her train.

I wondered what happened to Sam as I stood at the platform. The approaching rumble alerted people to the train's arrival, causing them to crowd in and fight for a place near the door. I stood my ground as businessmen and old ladies alike pushed and shoved, elbowing their way to the front of the crowd. Home couldn't seem any further away.

Walking in the door I felt that final sense of relief, now I could relax and forget about work. I hadn't a care in the world for two days. Taking off the tie that had been slowly cutting off circulation I began to think about Sam again. I walked over to the window and stared out at the last sputter of sunset left on the horizon. I turned back just as the phone rang, it felt strange that I did that. I picked it up.

"Hello," I said. It was Sam. He sounded anxious.

"Hey Danny, you're home?"

"Obviously," I said laughing. "Are you doing alright? I saw Rhonda in the subway and she said you left sick."

"Yeah, I'm alright, I just really had to get out of there, you know?"

"Sure, I know," I said.

"Anyway, the reason I called is that, um, this might sound weird, but I just got a message from that client of mine and, well... he said something really strange."

"What did he say?" I suddenly felt worried.

"He said... he said to tell Danny not to say the name. Just tell him whatever he does, DO NOT say the name. Danny, I don't know what he was talking about, but it freaked me out and I thought I should call you. I've never talked to him about you. There's no way he knew we were friends!"

Just then I felt something, or heard something... I wasn't sure what. I turned around and saw the writing, so large on the wall it was the only thing I noticed. I couldn't help but udder the words glaring back at me 10 feet tall in thick, black smudges.

"The Vinch," I exhaled as Danny rambled in the background.

Suddenly the phone went silent and the room went cold. At first just a whisper then the smell... sulfur I think, and then the whisper became a scream. As the phone dropped from my hand and the darkness began to engulf the room I saw it, briefly. With the face of a hairless baboon and jaws like an arachnid, its fleshy gray body swayed forward from the shadows. Sharply-clawed limbs were thrusting the hideous beast forward, its big black eyes staring at me while the grotesque mouth was forming what looked like a smile. It was now pitch black. Faster than I could inhale I felt the cold claws gripping my waist, cutting as the limbs crawled around to my chest, trapping my arms. Like a baby antelope caught hiding in the grass by a hungry lion I succumbed to my fate, standing paralyzed. The large fangs scraped and antagonized the skin on my neck. These were the last words I was to hear before going unconscious...

"I have come through time and space

to feast upon your guts and face.

You curse yourself, to say my name,

an invitation to my game.

My hunger will not stray for long,

then I'll repeat my dinner song.

Crawling closer inch by inch,

I beckon you to call the Vinch."