Tales of Terror #2: '13 Vultures'

Happy Halloween everybody!! I decided earlier this year that Halloween would bring a new short story to your eyes, one with a terrifying/supernatural theme. Today, I share with you a tale of 13 Vultures...

For those of you who missed out on last year's story, here is a link to 'Losing Control.' http://randomramblings-wilkem.blogspot.com/2012/10/a-werewolf-transformation-storyhappy.html

Otherwise, read on:

13 VULTURES by W

For as long as he could remember, Jackson Smith had seen the vultures in the tree. The tree had been dead for years, serving as a corner post for the calf pasture. Since its death, vultures would often congregate in the tree, but only Jackson could see them. The vultures were his…

Jackson is eight years old. He is waiting for the bus with his grandpa when he sees the vultures in the tree.

“Grandpa,” he asks. “What kind of birds are those in the tree?”

“There ain’t no birds in the tree,” he responds, looking at the dead tree where his grandson points.

“Yes, there is! I count 13 of them.” Grandpa laughs. The imagination of an eight year old knows no bounds. “Well, you’re eyes must be better than mine.”

The bus stops and Jackson climbs on, waving goodbye. One vulture in the top of the tree grins menacingly at Jackson, while the other twelve keep their eyes focused on grandpa.

Jackson attends his grandpa’s funeral two days later…

Jackson is 22. He is off at college when a tornado rips through his parent’s farm. He rushes home when he hears that they are in the hospital.

Their injuries don’t seem to be too serious. Jackson’s father urges him to check on the cattle, so Jackson leaves the hospital to do so.

The farm is in ruins, but that long dead tree still stands in the corner of the pasture. Jackson looks up at the tree and sees 13 vultures roosting in its branches. One lone vulture looks down from the highest branch and grins menacingly at him, while the other twelve have their heads turned towards the direction of town.

Five minutes later, Jackson receives a call from the hospital. His parents are dead…

Jackson has just gotten married to a girl he met in college. They have a home in the city, many miles away from the farm of his childhood. One day while he is at work, he receives a call from a hospital. His wife has been in a car accident.

Jackson rushes to the hospital, relieved that he is many miles away from the farm. He has grown to think of the vultures as a bad omen. He always saw them before someone close to him died. His Grandfather. His parents. At least three dogs. All lost mere minutes after he saw the vultures.

He stopped at a red light and nearly screamed. There, roosting on a light pole on the corner, stood a vulture. It stared down the street towards the hospital. When the light went green, Jackson sped away, but all along the street were vultures. They sat on light poles, in trees, and some were even on cars. As Jackson pulled into the hospital lot, his count had come to twelve.

Vulture number 13 was waiting on the roof of the hospital. It looked down on him and grinned menacingly. Jackson rushed in the hospital, but it was too late. His young wife was already gone…

We do weird things when we are filled with grief. For Jackson, that weird thing was going home. He had it strong in his mind that getting rid of the tree would get rid of the vultures.

The farm sat abandoned, the for-sale sign still resting at the end of the lane. Jackson pulled in and got out of the car. He grabbed a chainsaw from the trunk; this wouldn’t take long.

The vultures were all sitting in the tree as he approached. He started the saw and went at cutting…

And was immediately attacked by vultures. He swung the saw high, cutting into the bony, feathered bodies, but it seemed to make no difference. Every time one fell, another seemed to take its place. Soon, the vultures overpowered him and pulled him to the ground. They ripped his flesh from his body, and chewed greedily while he lay screaming, until there was nothing left of him.

From the top of the tree, one lone vulture looked down and grinned menacingly…

The End...

Anyways, there's that. Happy Halloween!!!

Until Next Time...:)

W.