A SHATTER SOUL 1

Gun fire interrupts this quiet street, a boy run’s from a liquor store, unaware, there is more

than just the police following him, “fate” also has plans for this wounded predator, he’s lucky to be alive, out of four shot’s fired only one doe’s find it’s way to his left shoulder, just above his arm .

There is no real damage, but the wound is bleeding badly, his running isn’t helping it, damn I’ve got to find a place to hide, they sound close, Gregg stops to look for a place to conceal himself, but the choices, just aren’t there .

He knows he must keep moving, Gregg, looks at his arm, an notices the blood on the ground, that’s not going to work, where ever I go, the blood trail will lead them right to my position .

“He takes his outer shirt off, wipes the blood from where it has run down his arm, then does his best to wrap it around the wound, this has cost him time he doesn’t have, he now hears someone .

“Ted!!, you look over there, I’ll take this area, this guy is not getting away from me, not on my watch…. “good here some more blood… from the amount this **** is losing, I’m wondering if I’ll find him alive .

“What was that!!, Travis turns, looking right to left, sees nothing, but there it is again, this is a very intense moment for this young an inexperienced officer, it’s his first real brush with danger, come out of there… .

2

“I’m a cop, show your self, Travis shouts a couple of more times, he really sweating his first real life bad guy, he wonders if he has the stuff, for such a moment .

I can’t let fear cripple me… I can do this… he moves forward, arm’s out in front of him service revolver in hand, his heart is beating so hard, he can hear, every one of them…

But still he moves in, he throws some boxes aside, the unthinkable happens!!, he’s attacked by a big dog .

While this cop is busy fighting off the canine, Gregg makes good his escape, he does makes it out of harms way, but getting weaker by the minute, his search for cover still eludes him, he stops to rest .

Gregg while leaning against a fence, scans the area, his strength, slowly fading, he has no

clue as what to do next, his arm hurt’s so, it’s hard for him to think, he’s lost a lot of that life

sustaining fluid .

I’ve got to keep moving… after about a hundred feet, he stop’s to rest a moment, an then

keeps at it, he rounds a corner, stops, there in front of him, about thirty feet away is an open

door, to an old building, the bottom half, built into the side of hill, it looks like it might be the

basement .

From what he can tell, it’s abandon, he doesn’t really care one way or the other, he just

wants to rest an worry about it later .

Gregg makes his way there, enters the open door, it looks like the place is deserted . There’s

not much of anything in the place, just some old junk, a few boxes, some broken furniture, an

old mattress standing up right against a far wall, a blanket of some sort covers it .

Gregg, moves over to the thing, with one arm, grabs the covering off it .

3

He pushes the mattress to the floor, then slides it up to the wall, he goes to sit down, loses

his balance, and fall’s the wrong way, on to his injured arm, the pain is mind numbing… as he

goes to get himself upright once more, the pain tears at him, he comes close to passing out .

But does manage to stay conscience, he’s now resting in a sitting position with his back to

the wall his agony is still there an working over time on mind and body .

He thinks now of the trouble he’s in, an how do I explain to the cops, I didn’t try an rob

that liquor store .

I was only trying to help the man behind the counter, from being shot at one more time, but

the woman only seen me with gun in hand, an her husband hiding, on the floor, I had just taken

it away from the robber, an was going to lay it on the same counter away from him .

I’m glad of one thing, she was no good with it, or I’d have more than a wound in my

Shoulder… I’d more likely be dead, for trying to help someone in need .

“Damn!... it’s getting harder to keep my eyes open, he closes them for just a few moment,

but immediately wakes himself, an does it a couple more time’s, but loses his battle to stay

awake .

His slumber isn’t a good one, the dream’s turn into terrible memory, of his child hood, and

of his parents death, and the aunt he had to go live with, she treated him like he was a terrible

burden on her, always telling him he was no good, slapping him around, at the slightest

opportunity, not letting him eat when he was hungry .

Locking this boy of eight, in one of the closets in her big old house while she ran around

doing stuff, he couldn’t go out an play like other kids, an one awful night, she made him get in

a closet an left him there all night .

4

“Gregory soon found out, there was!!... something in that closet with him, he kept

screaming for her to let him out, beating on the door, as he did so… but no one came .

When his aunt finally did open the door, it was like being freed, from a long nightmare,

after letting him out, she tried to grab him, but Gregory wasn’t going to let that happen .

He had to get as far away from heras he could, he wasn’t going back in any closet ever

again, he ran to the front door, it was locked, he thought of the back entrance, but new it

would be locked to.

The kitchen, he could hide in one of the cabinet… as he enters the room, he stopped, “no!, she would find me, an lock me in it an not let me out ever again .

Gregory had to find a place to hide an quickly, she’s going to walk through that door at any moment… he then sees something better .

“That wooden paddle!, she’s always threatening me with it, now it’s my turn, he waited for her to come looking for him .

The door swung open, hoping the youngster, would be there, when she seen nothing, her anger grew more intense… he has to be here, she’d already looked every where else, she walked to the center of the room, screaming for him to come to her .

Gregory, was behind the door she just came in, he pushed it slowly away from him, an stood there looking at his aunt screaming his name, Gregory did as she asked .

But she wasn’t going to like it, little Gregory, wasn’t going to let her hurt him anymore, not this time, he swung the wooden paddle up over his shoulder, without a sound walked up behind her, his thoughts, full of all the things she’d done to him, that, fueled the force of the blow that landed at her right knee .

5

She went down like a fallen tree, from a lumber jacks axe, that didn’t stop this little man, his stay in the closet, set in motion all the rage he’d felt, since his parents death, “why did they leave me, “Why!!. he just kept swinging that paddle, not caring where it landed, and hearing her scream, was like, candy to a sweet tooth, that also was denied him all these many months, but like all nightmares, they can turn on you, the woman stood up, and went to grab him .

Gregg immediately awoke from that horrible moment, screaming as he raised up from his make shift bed, he’d forgotten, all that’s happen to him, but only for a instant .

The reality of the mess he was in, came flooding back, he turned to look at his wound, it was nicely dressed, an all cleaned up an to his surprise, there was no pain .

What the hell… am I still dreaming… he quickly looked around the room, it still had that same empty look, like no had been there .

How could I have done this to myself… he seen something to his left, it was a little table, an on it was a sandwich, wrapped in clear plastic, and a bottle of grape juice, an a note that read .

Drink this, it will build your strength up, everything is going to be all right son, Gregg, stares at the note, this is really weird, who’s been here, the questions many, the answers none he again looked at the food and drink, he was hungry, an thirsty .

He moved over to the side of the mattress, where the little table was, grabbed the sandwich

an drink, finished both, then stood up, to go see if he could find out who lived here an thank them for there kindness, he had only taken a couple of step .

“Stop!!, “don’t move!!. Gregg didn’t, to his surprise, in front of him were two cops, one at the foot of some stairs, the other in the doorway where he came in .

6

Gregg, just stood there, while they cuffed him, then lead him out of the old building to a waiting patrol cars… Gregg wondered, why help him, then turn him over to the law, he looked once more at the open door to the basement .

A woman was standing there just watching what was happening, officer who is that woman at the basement door .

The officer looked, “what woman!. The one in the doorway!. You’re losing it kid, there’s no one there, now shut up, I’m not in the mood for your games .

Gregg was now more confused than he was before, what the hell is going on . It wasn’t long, before they arrived at the police station, Gregg was processed an lead off to a cell, he found himself a place to sit down, well he thought, here I am again, trouble seems to follow me, like a shadow, every where I go .

Why!!… can’t I get it right, is trouble, all I have to look forward to, is it . Hey kid, got any smokes . Gregg acted like he didn’t hear this loser .

“Hey!!, kid, I said, you got any smokes . “Look!, I don’t smoke, “Ok!!. Gregg new this thing, that resembled a human being, wasn’t going to let it go at that .

Well kid, it’s your lucky day, I’m going to smoke your ****… . “Hey!!, leave the kid alone this hulk of a man gets up, after he said it, the toothless wonder, with a hatred for soap an water, turned to the one, who spoke the words, seen what was facing him .

“Ok Mister!, I was just mess in with the boy, both men sat back down . Gregg, was grateful for the man’s help, but I can take care of himself… three hours have passed, an officer came to the cell, Gregory Morrison, front an center .

7

He opened the cell door, come with me . Where am I going now . I have no idea boy, I just do what I’m told . I was turned over to a man with a suit on, he said his name was detective wash burn, I was to follow him .

We walked down several hallway’s, he then stopped, opened a door, I walked in, the detective followed after me… is this the one you told me about mister Lancaster .

Lancaster, looked me over, yes, he’s the one… son, I can’t begin to thank you, for what you did, a thank you, just doesn’t seem to be enough, I feel in all probability, I wouldn’t be here talking to you right now, if you hadn’t been there today .

Did my wife do that to you . It’s nothing, I’m all right . “No!!, it isn’t, please, there has to be something I can do to make it up to you .

Detective wash burn spoke up, son I need to get some paper work started, so you can get out of here, he then left .

Son, they didn’t tell me your name . Gregg Morrison sir . It’s a real pleasure to meet you Mister Morrison, Gregg, my wife didn’t know you saved my life, after telling her what really happened, she felt real bad, we’d like to help, in anyway can, please .

Gregg, could see the man really did want to help… I could use a job . “You got it!, I’ve been looking for someone to help me in the store, you can start tomorrow morning, is eight o’clock good for you .

“That’ll work . Do you have a place to stay . I’ve been staying with this guy I know .

“Well!, if that doesn’t work out for you, I have a small apartment, above the store, you can live there, it’ll be perfect for you .

8

There conversation continued…. Detective wash burn returned with some paper work for Gregg to sign, when it was all over with, Gregg was free to go, but, before he left, something kept bothering him, he then turned back to detective wash burns .

“Detective… “Wash burn, stops what he’s doing, yeah kid!. “Well!… how did you know where to find me . We got a call, they didn’t give there name .

“Oh!!... just one more thing . “Ok!. “Who lives in that house you found me at . Detective wash burn, gave it some thought… “Gregg!, I don’t think there is anyone living there, in fact, if my memory serve me right, there hasn’t been anyone in that house in over twenty years, why do you ask .

“Just curious… thought there might be, well, thanks again for all your help sir, by . Gregg, yes sir . I’d watch that hero stuff if I were you, you may not be as lucky next time .

Yes sir, I will…. Gregg, leaves the station house . Once out outside, Gregg is really troubled by the passed few hour…. I’ve got to go back to that house .

He makes it back, stops… an stare at the trance door, Gregg’s feeling all kinds of different things about returning here, but, he feels he must go inside, Gregg’s kind of spooked by every thing that’s happened, he enters the doorway, looks around, the mattress he was a sleep on, is not the one he remembers, this one was battered and torn, an most of the springs were showing, the little table, was no where to be seen .

This is really getting weird, an thoughts of leaving here, were heavy on his mind, but there’s this strong feeling he really needed to be here .

What am I missing in all this… it’ll be dark in a little while, I’ll look around a little more, I don’t care to be here then .

After looking the place over good, Gregg stops at the bottom of the stairs to the basement, where it all happened… Mom… Mom… “Mom!, if you can hear me, thanks… I love you .

“What am I doing, I am losing it, Gregg glances, at the room once more, an decides to leaves, he gets about twenty feet from the doorway, something told him to stop an turn around

He did, there in the doorway was the woman he saw earlier, she stood there with a raised open hand, with this smile on her face an slowly disappeared, Gregg also had his hand raised, as if to say those word she couldn’t .

By mother, I do miss you, with tears running down his face, he turns once more an wonders if he’ll ever see his mother again, he now feel’s much better about his life, an begins his walk back the way he came, back to a new an better life . THE END