Matthew

Dr. Claudia Ann was a world renowned brain surgeon, respected by her peers, her community and most of all her patients. On February 14, valentines day she discovered she was pregnant. Not with one baby but two babies. She was so excited for the news, especially since her husband and she had been trying for the past 4 years.

Claudia treated each of her patients as if they were her own special children. Each one with a unique malfunction within their brain. It was her job as well as her duty to figure out what was wrong with her patients and the safest way to fix the problem. Her newest patient was Albert Redding. It was around 8 years ago Albert met his wife Roxanne. She was a waitress at a diner that Albert frequently visited. One day he worked up the nerve to talk to Roxanne beside ordering the morning special. His quick wit and charm quickly seduced this single mother of one. They dated for nearly a year until Albert was finally allowed to meet Roxanne's son. Upon meeting the 10 year old he was laying on the living room floor reading a little black book. Albert looked over the child's shoulder to see what sort of book it was. When he was able to clearly see the words, they looked like it was in another language. Looking up from his little black book the first thing Matthew told Albert was,

"It won't last long."

Albert felt hurt. He had supplied Roxanne with all the love and attention he had within him. He helped her pay for bills and even had helped buy little Matthews birthday present when Roxanne was short on cash. Albert closed his eyes in sadness feeling this may all have been a mistake. Roxanne assured Albert that Matthew would warm up to him. Desperately needing a family and love he asked Roxanne to marry him. Although the words of Matthew still echoed his head, and how he would creepily carry the little black book everywhere with him. As the years went on Albert and Roxanne relationship was perfect. It seemed as if the honeymoon phase would never go away. Matthew on the other hand grew only to despise Albert. He felt like Albert was more of a contusion in the small family then an asset. Albert continued to try to win Matthew over with love as well as gifts. Soon Matthew began becoming violent. Hitting Albert when his mother was not around or looking, putting feces in Albert's shoes or clothes drawer, and always telling him the words he said when he first met Albert,

"It won't last long."

On the night of February 14 was when life changed for this broken family. After a day filled with love, chocolates and fun, the couple returned home. They couldn't wait to let Matthew know that they had been so lucky that night and won $20,000 at the casino. It would mean moving out of their small house into something better. Their lives were going to be changing for the better. Roxanne called to Emily the babysitter. Emily didn't respond. Roxanne figured the young girl most likely was wearing her head phones making it impossible to hear her calls. Albert set the strawberry cake onto the kitchen counter as Roxanne searched the house for Emily. Albert opened the refrigerator to grab a bottle of water when he froze in terror at the horror before him. The head of the babysitter on a platter. Albert stood eyes wide, mouth dropped until a scream from Roxanne broke his stare. Leaving the refrigerator open he ran into the living room to find the rest of Emily. Her remaining body parts now made into a chair which

sat in the middle of the living room with a big red bow tied around it. As the couple stood in complete shock, Matthew came from around the corner dressed in a suit holding a box. His little black book tucked into his blazer pocket.

"Happy valentines day," he smiled happily at the couple.

Roxanne's eyes filled with tears as she slowly turned to see her son holding the box. Fear engulfed her as she forced a smile. Albert turned to look at his stepson gripping Roxanne's hand, his eyes drifting from the box in Matthews hands to the small child's face. Trying very hard not to let the young child see the disgust he had for the acts committed this evening, Albert moved towards Matthew to retrieve the box. Thanking the boy with a forced smile he pulled off the bow, pushing the lid off peering into the white box. Albert's eyes welled up with tears as he sat the box onto the table. On the table was a candle stick holder made of silver. As Albert thanked Matthew for the gift his hands slowly moved towards the candlestick holder. Matthew laughed asking the couple for a hug. Roxanne quickly moved towards her son hugging him tightly kissing his face. Matthew instructed his mother to look into the box.

Giving him a fearful smile and a nod she moved towards the table, looking into the box she covered her mouth closing her eyes shut. Inside the box lay Emily's heart coated in chocolate, adorned with lace and roses. Matthew giggled whispering to his parents,

"You may want to eat it now, it won't last long."

Anger boiled in Albert's belly as he picked up the candlestick holder to hit Matthew. Roxanne jumped in front of Albert's swinging arm taking the blow to her own skull. As she fell crashing into the table which sat next to the couch. Her body lay limp, lifeless at the feet of her son. Matthew looked down at his mothers body and began to laugh hysterically. Albert could only stand in disbelief as the love of his life lay dead. Rage took over Albert like nothing he ever felt before. The lamp, which fell from the table Roxanne collapsed onto, flickered giving Albert a sinister expression as his eyes floated towards Matthew. The child only stood staring Albert dead in the eyes, daring him to continue. Albert rose his arm into the air gripping the candlestick holder tightly, his knuckles white as his grip tightened his arm coming down towards Matthews head just before it did, blackness.

Albert awoke tied to a chair with duct tape. His eyes slowly blinking open he scanned the room in a drowsy state. The scent of cooking meat filled the room which caused his eyes to shoot open. The spot where Roxanne body lay was now a large puddle of blood, bones and various organs. Albert began to sob hanging his head down. Matthew skipped into the living room smiling, he patted Albert on the head and pointed towards the dining room. There, a dark figure could be seen moving about. The figure came into the living room, Albert instantly began to shiver in fear. A creature which stood 8 feet tall stood over him grinning. The flesh black as night, long bony fingers, with silver claws, hollow eyes, with jagged teeth, it seemed to have body parts sewn into it that had looked as if they had began to rot. As he took in the grotesque form of this creature he noticed one of the arms it had stitched into itself was Roxanne's, the ring finger baring the ring he had just given her that night to replace the old ring. Albert sobbed for it all to just end. As he did so the creature poked its finger into the top of Albert's head. Matthew began to clap with a happy giggle. The creatures finger pushed into Albert's skull. The last thing Albert focused on was the black book in Matthews pocket. Matthew moved closed to Albert's face looking deeply into his eyes he whispered,

"It won't last long..."

Claudia walked into the room Albert and his sister were waiting. The night before the doctor had read Albert's file. Oddly along with his file was a little black book. The scribbles seemed to be in another language. His previous doctor said when they found him he was clutching onto the book for dear life. They thought perhaps it was special to him. She had felt sorry for the man and was willing to see if she could help Albert to become somewhat normal again. She spoke with his sister explaining the procedure on how the surgery would take place. Papers were signed and appointments set. The afternoon of the surgery Claudia was having unusual cramping, she was now 7 months along and Albert would be her last surgery until after she had her babies. As Claudia made the first incision into Albert's scalp he began to whisper. The nurse moved close to Albert's face to listen to what he was mumbling. Pulling back the flap of skin the skull became exposed. Cleaning the area with water the area in which the hole made by the creature was exposed. Confused for a moment Claudia continued, it was a simple surgery she had done plenty of times with great results. The buzzing of the bone saw filled the operating room as the grinding of the blade vibrating Albert's words. Once the piece of skull was removed a black foul smelling ooze spilled from Albert's head. Jumping back in disgust Claudia fell onto the floor as Albert began to scream repeatedly,

"It won't last long."

Claudia covered her ears closing her eyes as the onyx colored fluid continued pouring from Albert's skull. As the goo poured from the rambling man, it took on the shape of hands grabbing at the 2 nurses in the room. The nurses became engulfed in the black fluid, their bodies swallowed into the darkness. The screams of the two women clawing at Claudia's ear drums even with her hand clasping at them tightly, along with Albert's chanting. Then silence. Claudia slowly removed her hands from her ears. Her fingers trembling as her eyelids lifted only to have Albert sitting right in front of her, his hand reaching for her pocket to remove the little ebony colored book. His blood shot eyes digging into her frightened pupils. Black liquid dripped onto her hand causing her eyes to break from Albert's to the being standing above them both. Albert opened the book and began to read it in a low hissing whisper. The creatures finger pushed into Claudia's head as she yelled out in pain, Albert kissed her cheek, smiled and whispered into her ear,

"It won't last long."

A few days later Claudia returned to work, yet she was not the same. She entered a room where her patient was waiting for her. As she spoke with the patient, she held her hand in her pocket, rubbing the black bond book. The patient stared in a confused manner at her name badge. When she looked down at her last name which was Munder, the "n" was scraped away causing it to say "murder". She looked up at her patient with black eyes whispering,

"It won't last long."