Scary Realty

prologue

The kid stared into the murky green water surrounding. It had been a long, uneventful day. Just him and his Dad. The two of them took the old fishing boat out in the early morning, hoping to get even the slightest nibble. They had casted their rods hours ago. Not even a nibble.

The kid did not like the water. No, in the swamp the water had many things with teeth and fangs. Who knew what waited below the surface, waiting to snap at him.

” Dad, I feel hot,” the kid complained. He wondered how long his Dad would continue this uneventful adventure. Knowing his dad's stubborn streak, they could be out here for hours before heading home. There was no way the kid planned on being out here for that long. His only option was to complain until his Dad agreed to take him home.

” Than go take a dip in the water,” was all Dad said. He didn't take his eyes off his rod. The kid looked at the water. There where two water bugs swimming in circles. The kid squinted his eyes, trying to see through the water. No, he would not be getting in.

” Come on Dad, can we go now? It is getting hotter out here by the minute," the kid continued to complain.

” Not until we catch something. If it is so hot why don’t you take a swim," His Dad quickly reeled in his line, and casted for what felt like the hundredth time.

” I don’t want to swim in the water?” The kid whined.

” Why not?”

” Because there are snakes, gators, and snapping turtles in the water.”

Dad turned and looked at his son. ” I swam in these waters when I was your age. Look at me. I never once got bitten by anything. Go on and dip your toes in. I won’t let anything happen to you."

The kid took one look at the water, and reluctantly dipped one toe in. He withdrew his foot when his tows touched the water. The Dad rolled his eyes. He sat his rod down, and stood up. The boy grabbed onto the edge of the boat as it rocked back and fourth. Without consideration, the dad grabbed the boy by his armpits, and hoisted him over the side of the boat. The boy screamed as he plunged into the waters. When the boy broke the surface, his dad said ” See, now do you feel anything biting at you?” The boy glared at his father, annoyed with what he had done.

” Have a nice swim,” the dad waved. and returned his attention back to fishing. The boy sighed, sometimes his dad could be what his mom described as a sore bottom. The boy dunked his head beneath the water. He made sure there were no alligators swimming beneath his feet. All he saw was more murkiness. He floated there for a bit. He imagined he was a spaceman on the moon. Zero gravity allowed him to float in mid air like a superhero. The water wasn't so bad after all.

Something sharp bit into the kid’s shoulder. The kid tried to scream, but all that came out of his mouth were air bubbles. Something started to drag him deeper into the water. The kid flailed around, waving his right arm and legs everywhere until he hit something. Whatever he hit released his arm. The kid turned his head, and stared into the yellow, reptile-like eyes of something that should not be real.

Without even thinking, the kid hit the creature right in the snout. The kid immediately swam to the surface. A misty trail of blood followed behind him. The creature came after him. It reached out it's claws to grab the kid ankle. The kid made one final shove to the surface. His foot kicked the creature right in the face.

” Dad!” the kid screamed when he got to the surface. Blood mixed with the water, turning into a muddy brown. When the Dad saw all the blood, he immediately dropped his pole, started up the boat, and hauled the kid out of the water. He immediately rushed the kid to the hospital. The kid kept on crying ” The Gatorman attacked me!

Chapter 1

Gina Roberts licked her finger as she turned the page of GLAM magazine that she was reading. She had been assigned to night monitor duty at the hospital. Nothing ever happened during her shift. She usually found herself either watching tv or flipping through magazines. Occasionally, she would check the security monitors to make sure everything was ok. It was nothing but uneventful. The only interesting about the nightshift was you got to see if any of the ghost stories the other guards told where true. Some of the older guards told her that if you listened closely you could hear the crying of former patients in the hallways. Other told the story of a deceased nurse that had been murdered by one of the doctors in the hospital, and still haunted the hallways to this day. Gina, for her first couple of nights, had expected to hear or see something. Overtime, the only thing she had to worry about was falling asleep on the job.

It looked like it was going to the usual uneventful night. Gina flipped the page in the magazine, and checked out the female bikini models. One in particular. Luna, a tall, tan, curvy beauty with black hair. That was when she heard something. Gina stopped and listen, but heard nothing. She turned her attention back to her magazine. Suddenly, she heard noise. It sounded like a faint crying sound coming from down the hallway. Gina listened some more, but whatever was making the noise went silent. Gina attempted to go back to reading the magazine when all of a sudden she heard a loud slam! coming from down the hallway. She immediately got out of her chair, and took a look around. The hallway was deathly quite. She heard nothing else.

The crying started again, this time more clearer. It sounded like a little girl crying, and it was coming from down the hallway. Gina nervously glanced around. This all had to be some sort of joke. Maybe it was something the other guards where playing on her.

While she could still hear the crying, Gina swiftly went back to the monitor to check the cameras. She checked the cameras. There was nothing. If there was nothing on the cameras, than where was the crying coming from? Curious about the source of the noise, Gina opened a drawer that held a flashlight and a gun. Gina grabbed the flashlight, but decided to leave the gun. The only time she ever held a gun was when she trained for this job, and she had no desire to use it. Besides, all she was doing was investigating a noise.

Gina walked down the hallway and through the double doors. She heard the crying coming from her left. It was tempting to ask if anyone needed help, but she knew it would be foolish. She kept on reminding herself that if anyone was in the building , they would have shown up on camera. Gina headed left, toward the crying. She followed the noise up a flight of stairs until she reached the third floor. That was when the mysterious crying died . Gina looked around. The dark hallways where a little creepy at night. During her college years she had help host a haunted house in an actual haunted house. They had set up decorations such as ghost, fake bodies, and used red paint for blood. The hospital did not need any decorations. It had its own creepy atmosphere.

The crying was replaced by the sound of footsteps. This time the sound came from the first level of the building, and it sounded like they where coming her way. Gina looked over the rail, and shone her flashlight down the staircase. Something walked into the light. A lone figure with long, straggling black hair and pale grey skin wearing an old timey nurse outfit stood in the flashlight beam. Suddenly, the figure turned its head and stared at Gina with vengeful, red eyes. The figure let out a hideous scream, and started making its way toward Gina. The thing was sprinting toward her. Gina let out a scream that nobody but her would hear.

That was when Harvey Artfield pressed the pause button.

“ Check that out guys. Check it out! You see what we got here is genuine, human fear because this person saw a real life ghost,” Harvey said enthusiastically. He gestured at the video. Before him sat three producers dressed like penguins. That is what the producers looked like in their black suit and ties.

“ That is what Scary Realty is all about. We take real life horrors and bring them right to people’s television. Unlike Ghost Adventures and all those other realty shows, we will make people feel real life terror as we document different legends from around the world. All the while, giving people a scare.” Harvey said as he spoke. Harvey already had one producer wanting to produce his show. All was needed to is a second member of the three to say yes if his show was to get renewed for a third season. The one he was hoping to convince was the one with slick back grey hair named Axol Broderick. Axol had been helping to produce the show since season one. His loyalty had faltered once the viewership started to decline halfway.

Axol held a toothpick between his two front teeth. His eyes furrowed. Harvey bit his lips as he waited for Axol’s verdict. He wished Axol was not wearing sunglasses. That way he might be able to tell what he was thinking.

Axol took the toothpick out of his mouth. “ Sorry Harvey, but I think this show has been on its last leg since season one ended, and things did not get better with the second season. It is done, finished. It is like rotting food that needs to be thrown out because you left it out for too long.”

Harvey’s shoulder sank as everyone got up to leave. This could not be happening. His is not like rotten food. It is a cake. You just needed to let it rise!"

“ Axol, wait!” Harvey said. He followed Axol out to the parking garage. He had to convince Axol to reconsider.

Axol turned to Harvey. “ Harvey, I have been endorsing your show for far too long. It was great on paper, but the viewers are not saying the same thing,” Axol explained to Harvey.

“ So what, great shows can have bad viewership. Doesn’t the CW have all kinds of shows with declining viewership that are still going,” Harvey pointed out.

“ The CW is not trying to fool anyone. Your show is. Lets get real, all the monsters and stuff you document are not real. Your show, at the core, is like all the other shows about monsters out there. You find a few footprints, and a few local yahoos who think they saw aliens when in fact it was just a helicopter or an airplane. Than you try and drum up a few scares and some drama. I think your show is ok. It is not original enough to catch people interest,” Axol pointed out.

“ Axol come on,” Harvey pleaded. He knew there was truth to what Axol said. All he needed was more time to really wow the viewers. Give them something they never heard of. As Axol got into his jaguar, Harvey wedged himself between the car and the door.

“ Axol, listen to me. My father was the one who recommended you for this show because your one of the great producers of our time. A great producer knows a failing show can make a comeback with a few tweaks."

“ A great producer also knows when to shut a show down,” Axol interjected.

“ That too, but what I came here to do today is beg you to give my show one last chance. Come on, I am only asking for one more season. The show is still in its fledgling years, and just needs a chance to find its footing. This year it will. I can feel it in my bones,” Harvey pleaded.

Axol mouth frowned, like he was going to regret what he was going to say next. He sighed, and looked at Harvey. “ Ok Harvey, you get one last chance to get this show moving. If the first episode of this next season does not impress me, than the show is done. You understand that.” He said, pointing a finger at Harvey.

“ You got it. I agree with you completely,” Harvey said as he gave Axol a firm, eagered handshake.

“ Great, now will you stop bugging me. I would like to go home and watch the big game in peace,” Axol said. He slammed his car door shut, and speed off. Leaving Harvey standing with a pleased grin on his face.

As soon as Axol car turned a corner, Harvey pumped his arms. Yes, Yes, he thought. All he needed to do was make sure that the first episode of season three of Scary Realty was a success. He was not going to blow his second chance.