DEAD THINGS IN DARK PLACES-DAVID VIERGUTZ
DISCOVERY
Two men, archeologists, Matthew and an unnamed Bolivian went looking for an undiscovered structure in the jungle. They were also looking for gold that was rumored to be there too. There was another well-known archeologist going to join them in a few days named Tiana. They made it to the edge of the jungle and the Bolivian made his goodbye with agreeing to meet Matthew again in a month’s time. Matthew continued his 9-mile trek to the supposed site he was looking for.
Matthew made it and discovered a platform with a ladder leading down into the earth. He encountered a strange beast that grabbed him and started mothering him as if Matthew was a baby. As he was feeding Matthew, Matthews mouth was filling with gold. Neither his Bolivian friend or his architectural friend ever showed up. As he scaled to the bottom of the ladder, he discovered Tiana and all that had come before him. He embraced them all and smiled in perpetuity.
CHARCOAL MEMORIES
As we continue further into the book, we come across Maile and Leilani. These 2 are clerks in an Oahu, Hawaii gift shop catering to the tourists.
It was inventory week, and the 2 ladies were checking and cataloguing the bookshelves. Maile got interested in one of the books entitled La’au! There was a picture of a creature no one had ever seen before, Maile was an 80-year-old lady, and she had a teenager, Lailani, as her pretty assistant. Lailani wanted Maile to read it to her and she agreed she would. After going through some of the book they decided to take a walk to Diamond Head Mountain where it was said the creatures would be found. They encountered one such creature that perched on Lailani shoulders and in the process exorcized here terrible childhood memories.
TIPTOES
Michael and Piper were all crossing these metal beams with the intent of reaching a room in an old hospital they were wanting to explore. As they had started there appeared another man that joined them. This in fact was called a game named Tip Toes. The current player was named Raphael, and he was the one that had the key to the so-called door. After much jumping, tumbling and close calls to falling they arrived at the door they were seeking. It wasn’t at all like their surroundings, which were dusty and dirty and smelly. It looked new and used. Once inside the door things quickly turned unbelievably horrible. Seeing Raphael tied down on a bed.
NOW SHE’S PERFECT
Flip the next page and we meet Temperance. On her way home her friend Thomas met her in his new/old truck he had just bought. As Temperance had been called home from school for an unknown emergency, he offered her a ride home. Coming up to her house they found lots of police cars and an ambulance. She jumped out of the truck and ran the rest of the way home. She tried to get a look at what happened but the police tried to keep her away.
A MEAL TO DIE FOR
Further along in the book we go, and we run into Paul and Isaac. Here they were heading to enjoy an invitation for the grand opening of a restaurant of their friend Gabriel. The restaurant was named Mi-Mi Lowes’ and was situated in a town mall. His 2 friends knew he didn’t have much money and were wondering where he could have gotten such a sum for such a large purchase. The restaurant wasn’t totally ready for opening and there were some items not there at all. But he promised his friends the best of ingredients and quality preparation. They ordered coffee, water and a hamburger, and it was prepared and presented to Paul and Isaac. Isaac couldn’t eat his hamburger fast enough and was licking the juices off the plate. Then he noticed Gabriel and couldn’t believe the nightmare he was seeing.
UN CERCUEIL MAJESTUEUX
And now on to the last story in the book. This one is called a majestic coffin in English.
A pearl white Aston Martin DBX707 with 16 miles on it.It is said to be in the Louvre in France in a secret garage. There is a gentleman being interviewed here about the said automobile. How it got there, it’s value and other details. Story about the owner and wife. This really had me at the end. I am not spilling anything here but it was a great ending! I actually laughed instead of screaming in horror.
This book was worth every penny i used to buy it!! I love these short stories as I can read just what I want before sleep time so I don’t lie there and wonder what happened at the end! Definitely a 5!!
Dawn Campbell.