Author: Adrienne

Death by Proxy

If you didn’t see my short story for the Halloween writing contest, I’ve posted it here for your enjoyment. 🙂

 

It was pitch black. Cory couldn’t see a thing. But she could smell the dirt, and feel the biting chill. She didn’t know where she was, but it was definitely cold.
Her clothes were gone. She wished that she could move, but the ropes around her wrists and ankles kept her prostrate on the ground. A cloth was stuck in her mouth with duct tape keeping it in place. Her attacker had given her some kind of sedative. She had no idea how long she’d been out.
There were no sounds to indicate her abductor in the vicinity.
As if to contradict her thoughts, there came a sliding movement near her leg. Cory held still, not wanting to alert the other presence that she was awake. Suddenly, another movement came from the other side, this time brushing up against her hip.
She recoiled at the sensation of cool, reptilian skin brushing against hers. Cory hoped it wasn’t what she thought. A small hiss by her head confirmed the fear. Snakes were with her. Breathing rapidly through her nose, she closed her eyes and tried to get herself under control.
The snakes would be attracted to her body heat, but she hadn’t done anything to antagonize them, so they shouldn’t bite her. As long as she held perfectly still, they would simply absorb her body heat and leave her be… right?
A heavy, leathery sensation of snake covered her bare stomach and Cory couldn’t keep herself from jerking. Snakes seemed to slide over her from every direction. She wasn’t sure how many were on her, but she felt their considerable weight on top of her chest and both arms. There had to be at least three slithering over her legs.
Tears leaked down the sides of her face and soft whimpers escaped her mouth.
A sudden, sharp pain exploded in her right thigh. She grunted through her gag. Another bite in the soft flesh of her upper arm made her scream, though it was muffled.
Then the biting was everywhere. Needle points of pain hit her on her toes, her chest, even her neck. Cory could feel her body start to swell as the venom worked its way into her system.

“Trish.” It was Detective Holdman’s voice.
Large, warm hands were on her shoulders, gently shaking her. Trish blinked, but everything looked blurry. The light was blinding after the vision she’d just experienced. Swaying her head from side to side, her eyes were able to focus on the blonde man with the concerned face.
“Sna-“ Trish coughed before she could get her words out. Detective Holdman had a glass of water ready for her.
With trembling hands, she accepted the drink and sipped at it while glancing around the conference table. Valerie Clemmings, an FBI profiler, was studying her with interest while Holdman and Crandle sat comfortably. They were used to Trish’s visions, as she’d been working for the local police department for five years now.
Taking a fortifying breath, Trish cleared her throat. “The latest victim was in some kind of pit with a bunch of snakes.”
Holdman grimaced and his blue eyes looked at her with sympathy. “Is she still alive?”
Licking her lips, Trish shook her head and rolled her office chair closer to the table. “I didn’t get much from the vision, except that she was tied up and stuck with those snakes. They had venom that caused a burning pain as soon as their fangs made contact.” She took a moment for some more water before continuing. “And the victim couldn’t see anything. No stars, no shadows, nothing.”
Everyone at the table seemed to mull over her words and were taking down notes.
Trish’s heart rate was coming down as she waited. The visions were always so intense, so vivid. It was the only time she experienced such strong emotions. Sometimes it was hard to believe that she had been sitting in the fluorescently lit room at the police station that whole time.
Valerie broke the silence. “So, if Miss Pyper is correct with her vision-“
“She is,” both detectives said in unison.
Trish pulled some of her dark hair over her shoulder to hide a smile. The FBI agent could check the records for all the cases she had helped close. The only one they hadn’t caught so far was the Ghost.
“Anyway,” Valerie waved a hand. “Her vision would prove that Cory Miller is another fatality of this serial killer.” The profiler picked up the missing person report of Cory Miller. “That would make ten victims that we know of.”
Detective Holdman glanced at Valerie. “And we’ve got nothing on our UNSUB.”
Frowning, Valerie shrugged. “I’m still working on it. All I can say now is the typical – we’re looking for a white male, age could be anywhere between twenty to thirty five. Obviously, this guy has some issues with brunettes with a similar build. My guess is some kind of hang up about his mom.” Her eyes narrowed in thought. “I’m thinking this guy isn’t the average serial killer, though. There’s something I can’t seem to pinpoint.”
“I still say the UNSUB is a sexual predator,” said Crandle. He was sitting across from Trish, picking at his yellowed teeth. He always did that when he was craving a cigarette. “We can probably find him through those kinky chat rooms.”
Shaking her head, Valerie said, “I disagree. I don’t get any sexual vibes from these crime scenes.”
Frowning, Crandle flipped through some files until he found the one he was looking for. “What about this one. The victim was stabbed five times in her vagina.”
Closing her legs, Trish was glad no one could see her movement. The memory of that vision was still fresh. She continued to have nightmares about it even though the vision happened months ago.
“No, I don’t think that was sexual.” When Crandle scoffed, the profiler explained. “My bet is that it has something to do with power. All of these murders are different. It seems to me that the UNSUB is… exploring different ways to kill a woman.”
Nodding, Holdman looked at the other man. “She’s right. If the victims didn’t all look similar, we probably wouldn’t even be able to link these killings.”
“Let’s move on.” Valerie pulled another folder from her briefcase. “This is the last missing persons case we’re going to have you look at tonight, Trish.” She pulled out a clear baggie holding a small wallet. “This was found in Debora Helstrome’s car. She was reported missing a week ago.”
Trish stared at the bag that Valerie pushed in front of her. The last vision had been more than unsettling. She wasn’t mentally prepared for another.
“We can push this off till tomorrow,” Holdman said, watching her.
Blowing out softly, Trish shook her head and pulled out the cloth. She felt the soft texture of leather between her fingers…
Debbie’s eyelids felt heavy. She didn’t want to open them, but knew there was something wrong. She needed to wake up. Forcing herself to open her eyes, she saw a single light bulb hanging from a string on the ceiling. It didn’t produce much illumination.
Debbie was lying on a bare mattress on the floor. Only wearing underwear, her skin felt a little sticky and it gave off a strange, sweet smell.
Then her memory clicked into place. She’d been kidnapped. Scanning the bare, windowless walls, she spotted a door and noted that the doorknob had been removed. Getting up slowly, she walked over to inspect it. The place where the knob should have been was filled with cement.
Debbie tried to push it open, but it wouldn’t budge. The hinges were on the other side, and getting out looked impossible.
A sob escaped from her and the brunette stepped back. A sickly crunch echoed throughout the empty room as she felt something squish under her foot.
Debbie squealed and hopped onto her other foot. Glancing down, she saw the large brown spider that she’d killed. Realizing that the poor lighting didn’t allow her to see into the corners of the small space, she swallowed and moved closer to the light.
Rubbing her arms, tears began to pour down her cheeks.
Wiping away some tears to clear her vision, Debbie saw four large spiders crawling by her feet. Giving a small screech, she ran over to the mattress that was against the wall. When she felt little butterfly caresses on both her shoulders, she screamed and brushed the spiders off.
Turning to look at the wall she’d backed up against, she saw that it was covered with all different kinds of arachnids. The smallest was the size of a nickel and they varied in colors. They were pouring out of a vent from the ceiling.
Panic seized her. Small feet pattered over her ears and neck. Debbie frantically smacked at her face and ran over to the door, stepping on several spiders in the process.
She kicked and clawed at the door. “Please let me out! Please! I’ll do anything!”
Spiders were crawling up her legs now. Through her terror, she could feel some of them biting her. One spot at her inner thigh particularly burned.
Never had Debbie thought she would die in such a terrible manner.


Trish came to and realized that she’d been screaming. She was lying on the floor with both Holdman and Crandle holding her down. Glancing between them, she surmised that she’d been flaying enough to give them a workout.
Holdman helped her sit up. “Crandle, get her water.” The other detective complied and had a glass for her in a few seconds.
Trish tried to take it, but her hand was trembling too hard. Finally Holdman grabbed the glass and held it to her lips. After a few sips, she was able to get her breathing under control.
The detectives helped her into her seat and Trish tried to appear professional as she relayed the details to her team, but was certain her face was too pale to pull it off. Two visions in one night was unusual. She felt over stimulated from such intense emotions that had flowed through the victims.
“It was probably a basement,” Crandle said. “I’ll see if we can find any homes with basements in the vicinity.”
Valerie nodded. “As far as I’m aware, there aren’t too many in this part of California. Report back to me if you find anything. I don’t care how late it is.”
They all stood and Holdman turned to Trish. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
Nodding, she followed him out into the hall after Trish said goodbye to Crandle and Valerie.
Once they were in the parking lot behind the station, Holdman asked, “Are you going to be alright? That last one looked like it really got to you.”
Forcing a smile, Trish pulled her keys out of her purse and spotted her car through the darkness. “’It was probably just because I had two visions so close together. I was pushing myself.”
They reached her car, but the detective looked like he had something to say. “Have you thought about my offer?”
Sighing, Trish looked up at Holdman. “You’re very sweet, but I don’t think it would be a good idea to stay with you.”
Color rose to his cheeks. “It doesn’t have to be me. But I think it’s a bad idea for you to live alone right now.”
“I’ll be fine.” She opened her door.
The detective held it open as she got in. “But you’re a perfect victim for our UNSUB. Dark hair, medium build, light eyes.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’m worried.”
Biting her lip and looking into his blue eyes, Trish felt a tingle of emotion. She quickly pushed it away and looked down. “If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll see if I can stay with my dad for a while.”
Squeezing her shoulder before letting go, Holdman nodded and closed the door.
Driving out of the parking lot, Trish berated herself for being so soft toward the detective. Whenever she had strong emotions, it sparked too many visions that would eventually make her lose her mind. She’d almost lost sight of reality when her mom died. Since then, she hadn’t allowed herself to get close to anyone, or feel anything, if she could help it.
The only time she felt anything at all these days were when the visions came upon her.
Pulling into a grocery store, Trish got out and entered to grab some dinner for the night. As she walked down the frozen food section, she passed a woman who looked similar to her. As well as all the other victims of the Ghost. Could she be looking at the next victim?
Shaking her head, Trish went back to picking out frozen dinners and hurried to the register to pay for them.
In the deserted parking lot, Trish saw the brunette again. The woman was just about to finish loading her groceries. Trish’s heart rate went up a notch when she noticed that her hair was almost the exact same length as Trish’s.
Clenching her jaw, Trish went to her car and put her bag in the back seat. Glancing over, she saw that the woman was closing her trunk and heading to the driver’s side. A compulsion forced Trish’s steps in the stranger’s direction.
“Excuse me,” Trish said as she approached. “I think you dropped your credit card.”
The woman looked down at her feet where Trish pointed.
Trish took that moment to pull a syringe out of her purse. Moving quickly, she plunged the needle into the woman’s neck. The brunette instantly sagged and Trish picked her up with a practiced strength.
Trish moved mechanically as she deposited the body into her trunk and drove to the next place she’d scoped out last week. This time, she wanted to see what it would be like to die from hundreds of shallow cuts made by a drill bit.
There was no one around as Trish moved the girl into the abandoned warehouse. This area was deserted with no bystanders to hear what they’d be doing.
Trish was in her full gear, complete with a head visor, coveralls, and gloves, when her victim began to stir.
“Don’t worry,” Trish cooed. “It will be over soon.” She went over to the table and picked up the drill. “Actually, I don’t really know that, but we’ll soon find out.”
Walking over to her victim, Trish saw that the woman was still unconscious.
“If you’re thinking, why me, I’m sorry to tell you that it really has nothing to do with you.” The sound of the drill whirred loudly when she pushed the trigger. “I’m not really killing you, you see.” She pushed the tip into the tender flesh of the woman’s right foot. “I’m killing myself.”
The woman’s screams were the loudest that Trish had heard yet.

The Return of the Penguin

Burgess Meredith

DC Comics’ super villain the Penguin was first played on screen by Burgess Meredith in the 1960’s Batman television series. His portrayal stays faithful to the original Penguin of the comic books, a short, well rounded, gentleman villain in a tuxedo with a love of birds and umbrellas. Meredith’s slightly camp performances will be most remembered for his iconic squawky laugh.

Batman Returns

After several reincarnations on screen the Penguin memorably reappears in Tim Burton’s 1992 movie Batman Returns. Burton’s vision of the Penguin was much darker and more grotesque. He imagined a repulsive and deformed figure with a sharp intellect and a rabid craving for revenge. This Penguin came into the world as a reviled and hideous blob as opposed to the DC original who was merely shunned as a child for his short stature, rounded build and beaky nose.

Believable Villain

Burton felt that the Penguin was, of all the Batman villains, the character who made the least sense. ”I mean, what is the Penguin supposed to be anyway? I felt that if somebody was going to be called ‘The Penguin’, there should be a reason for that.” He then set about creating a new history for the villain from an unfortunate birth to freak show performer carrying an enormous chip on his shoulder, seeking revenge against the glitterati of Gotham. The new characterisation retained the prominent nose, umbrellas and monocle of the original Penguin but now had webbed hands and Gothic clothing. This Penguin even had an appetite for fish !

Danny DeVito

Burton chose Danny DeVito to play his Penguin. Devito was excited by the new take on Batman’s old rival. Before he could throw himself into the role a physical transformation was required. Using concept art by Mark McCreery, Stan Winston, who had worked with Burton on Edward Scissorhands, designed the make-up to create a typically outlandish Burtonesque look. The make-up was applied by Ve Neill and Ronnie Spector, the trio winning an Oscar nomination for their work.

Still Danny

DeVito’s own features were not entirely lost under the prosthetics, crooked teeth and white skin but the overall effect was so intimidating that Burton recalled “No one would talk to Danny on the set because he scared everybody”. In fact DeVito himself recalls that when in make-up and costume, a look that included a fat-suit and webbed flippers, he could not communicate with anybody as he was so absorbed in the part that real-life conversation seemed ridiculous. DeVito altered his voice, without electronic intervention, to give the Penguin a rasping sound as if always struggling to breathe.

So Sad

In Batman Returns the Penguin is a truly sad character. A Hideous monster literally thrown away by his parents who rises from the sewers of Gotham to wreak revenge on the city that shuns him. He fails in each and every endeavour and moves inexorably towards his own demise. It is odd to think that we may be able to empathise with a character so utterly monstrous, as opposed to laughing at a comic book creation, but I think we actually do !

Attached Images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Burgess_Meredith_The_Penguin_Batman_1966.JPG

Dave F writes on a large range of subjects, from travel, music and technology to popular culture.  Dave is a fan of the original penguin as played by Burgess meredith as well as retro comics of all types.

Halloween Candy Facts

While I realize Halloween is over, I still thought this would be an interesting post for today. I don’t know about you guys, but I now feel completely sugared out! My kids’ trick or treat candy has turned from temptation to revulsion. These statistics can easily explain why. So, if you like to learn random trivia, read on and enjoy this guest post.

As the holiday that blissfully celebrates the consumption of sugar and chocolate, Halloween remains one of the all-time favorites among both children and adults. From handing out candy to consuming each morsel, people cannot get enough of the Halloween sugar high, and the following facts back this statement. For example, did you know that the average American east 24 pounds of candy per year, with a large amount devoured around Halloween?

Anyway, let’s get right down to talking about the ever-popular act of eating Halloween candy:

  • The average American household spends approximately $44 year on Halloween candy. Think about that: $44 of Halloween candy. That’s a big heaping mound of candy.
  • Out of all the months of the year, October holds the record for most candy sold, which really makes sense. However, the one day of the year with the most candy sales is October 28, proving that many individuals really do wait until the last minute to make candy purchases.
  • According to Google’s search data, more individuals search for “gluten-free candy” than “sugar-free candy,” the difference being approximately 20%. You can take the gluten out of candy, I suppose, but people want to keep that sweet, sweet sugar.
  • Glancing at Google’s national search data, the state that searched most for “organic candy” is Colorado, while Oregon searched most for “gluten-free candy” and Kentucky ranked highest for “sugar-free candy” searches.
  • Which state loves candy corn the most? Well, that’s be Alabama, the state that searched for “candy corn” more times than any of the other states.
  • Speaking of candy corn, this delicious morsel is the most search-for candy phrase in Google, beating out gummy worms, candy pumpkins and even candy apples. Also, candy corn is consistently the top-selling candy in America, with over 20 million pounds sold per year.
  • As for the top chocolate sellers, the crown is worn by Snickers, Reese’s, Kit Kat, and M&M’s. Moreover, of the $1.9 billion spent on Halloween candy sold each year, $1.2 billion is spent on chocolate candy.
  • Approximately 10% of the year’s candy sales happen the week leading up to Halloween, translating to roughly $2 billion in sales.
  • During the week leading up to Halloween, an incredible 90 million pounds of chocolate candy is sold, exceeding the 65 million pounds sold during the week of Easter and 48 million during the week preceding Valentine’s Day.
  • Lastly, Americans purchase around 600 million pounds of candy per year, much of it for Halloween. That’s a ton of candy.

Obviously, these statistics change each year, the numbers growing as America’s hunger for sweets continues growing. At least now you can join a Halloween conversation with an interesting bit of information regarding the holiday.

Attached Images:
  •  License: Image author owned

Check out Fright Catalog for more Halloween candy facts and costumes on the web!

Strange Laws You May Not Have Heard Of

In 1965, the UK sought to update its outdated legal system to repeal the thousands of obsolete laws that were on its books. However, many strange laws are still in existence today.

Armour Wearing

MPs are not allowed to wear suits of armour while they are in the House of Commons. This is because it hinders their ability to duel. It is also illegal for anyone to die while in the Houses of Parliament, as this entitles the individual to a state funeral.

Scots within City Walls

In the York, a city in England, you can legally murder a Scotsman within the city walls, but only if he is in possession of a crossbow. It is, however, illegal to murder a crossbow-carrying Scotsman on a Sunday.

Stranded Whales

If you discover a whale stranded on the British Coast, you must offer it to the Crown. You should offer the head to the King and the tail to the Queen.

Cow Driving

It is illegal to drive a cow after having drunk copious amounts of alcohol. The Licensing Act of 1872 states that if you are caught driving a cow while intoxicated, you could face a ÂŁ200 fine or a prison sentence.

Pelican Touching

Touching a pelican is forbidden under the London, Royal and Other Parks & Gardens Regulations of 1977 (Section 23). However, you are free to perform this act if you have obtained written permission from the park.

Chelsea Pensioner Impersonating

It is illegal to dress up as a Chelsea Pensioner, due to their acclaimed status.

Stamp Sticking

If you stick a stamp featuring the British Monarch upside down or tear it, you will be committing an act of treason.

Mince Pie Eating

A law from the 17th century states that it is illegal to consume mince pies on December the 25th.

Animal Baiting

Under the Metropolitan Police Act of 1839, you cannot use a house, room or pit for the purpose of baiting lions, bears or other types of animals. If you are found to flout this law, you could face a fine.

Welshmen Outside of Wales

In Chester, a city in England, it is legal to kill a Welsh person using a crossbow, so long as the killing occurs within the city walls and is carried out after midnight. Furthermore, Welsh people are forbidden from entering into Chester’s grounds before sunrise. Once they have entered the city, they must not remain there once the sun has set.

Unlicensed Alien Invasions

According to The Outer Space Act 1986 (Section 9), magistrates are allowed to exert “reasonable force” to stop aliens from invading the UK, so long as the aliens have not been granted a licence to invade the country.

Pet Partnership Choices

When George I reigned the country, a law was passed that stated that commoners who permitted their pets to mate with pets from the Royal household would incur a severe penalty.

Hanging Washing

Under the Town Police Causes Act of 1847, you cannot hang your washing across the street, or beat or shake carpets, mats or rugs. You can beat doormats, but only after eight o’clock in the morning.

This post was written in collaberation with BlanchardsLaw.co.uk , providing expert family law advice including seperation and finicial issues.

5 Famous Fictional Weapons

From 1966 to 1994, the Klingons and Romulans, with their cloaking devices and disruptors, held the spot of being famous fictional weapons makers the longest. Action and science fiction movies used to be the playground for writers and directors to showcase powerful weapons that only exist in the imagination. The first famous fictional weapon in US history is the ray gun used by Flash Gordon. The interesting thing is that lasers ended up being invented. This makes one wonder what the future will hold for the other forays into the realm of weapons used in the fiction genres.

1. Weapons of Star Trek

Phasers and Photon torpedoes follow both the Captain Kirk and Captain Picard eras. The Federation had ship mounted as well as rifle and hand held Phaser weapons. They were used for everything from stunning an aggressor to completely vaporizing them. They were used in more than one episode to heat rocks for warmth or light. Klingons and Romulans used disrupter weapons. The Varon-T disruptor was banned by the Federation because of the terrible slow disintegration death it caused.

2. Empire Weapons of Star Wars

The Death Star was being made by the Empire to fight the Rebel Alliance. There were two of them. The Death Stars were supposed to be the size of some planet’s moons and were capable of completely obliterating entire planets. Even though that would be considered an ultimate weapon, it was the lowly Lightsaber that took hold of the imaginations of audience members. The Lightsaber emitted a plasma beam that was the length of a sword. It could cut a person in half with a single swipe.

3. Weapons of Halo

Halo is probably the biggest first-person shooter game in video game history. The multi-billion dollar franchise has spawned lucrative sequels. In the Halo universe, a weapon called “Halo rings” was made to protect people from the “Flood” of parasites that were consuming everything in the Milky Way galaxy. When the Halos were activated, they were designed to destroy all living things that the parasites could use as food. They were superstructures 5,000 miles in diameter with several of them making up an array.

4. Weapons of Umbrella Corp

The Umbrella Corporation is from the Resident Evil series of video games. The franchise’s real fame came when Mila Jovovich starred in the feature films based on the video game plot. Umbrella Corp is a fictional evil corporation driven by profit. Their claim to fame with weapons was using genetics to create powerful soldiers. Jovovich played the role of Alice. She was engineered by the evil corporation but turned on them to become a defender of the remnant of human beings left after a weapons experiment went bad. The T-virus made by the corporation ended up turning most of the human race into zombies.

5. The Martian Tripod

The “War of the Worlds” was written in 1898 by author H.G. Wells. Back then, speculation abounded about whether Mars was inhabited or not. The “little green men” in H.G. Wells novel turned out to be more malevolent than other forays into the genre. The Martian Tripods were large weapons that walked on three legs. They were cited in the book written by Wells as being “higher than many houses.” In the 2005 movie adaptation starring Tom Cruise, the Tripods could fire beams that could disintegrate vehicles or buildings as well as being able to emit a poison gas. The Tripods would then pick up the humans to extract their blood.

There are many famous fictional weapons. This is just one version of the Top 5 of all time. Honorable mentions go to Robocop from Omni Consumer Products, and the alien of the Alien movie franchises. Technically, the Alien was not manufactured but was implied to just be an alien species. Some versions of the back story imply it was a manufactured race of biological weapon. There are so many fictional weapons in the history of literature, TV and movies that it would take an encyclopedia to cover them all.

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Sam Hester is a gunsmith and guest author at BecomeGunSmith.org, a site with information on how to become a gunsmith.