Coming Year

Hello Everyone,

           I wanted to take a moment to express my thanks for your patronage of my site and stories. To that end, I wanted to let everyone know that there are new stories coming very soon. I am trying many new things in order to grow my writing in different genres. This slog story site, however, will continue to be a place for my weird and bizarre stories to call home.  That being said, thank you all for a great 2017 and I look forward to your ongoing thoughts towards my stories and writing.

Thank You each and Everyone, 
Roger 

The Devil Dog of Port Saint John

The Devil Dog of Port Saint John

By: Roger Alderman

Shelby stood shaking defiant in the earthy smelling rain holding a length of tree branch between her and the ghoulish beast just feet away from her. Both the beast's and her breath showed in that cold Halloween night air. The demonic mastiff looking beast snarled at the girl as in circled and sized up the last child to take its challenge.

Shelby screamed at the Port Saint John Devil Dog on that desolate old dirt country road in hopes someone would come to her rescue, “Leave me alone. I didn’t knock and run. I don’t want any wishes. They forced us too.” The great green and translucent creature almost seemed to laugh. Shelby was shocked to hear a guttural almost human voice come from the creature, “Doesn’t matter.”

Shelby turned to keep the Devil dog at bay with her branch, “You can talk?” The beast chuckled and leaped left then right seeking an opening, “Of course child, but let us keep this brief. After all damn approaches and I refuse to give anything away.” Shelby stayed defiant and turned to match the monsters gait and facing, “Keep the wish I just want to live.”

It laughs again green bile dripping from its maw and sizzling with each drop to hit the ground, “Knock on the door. Survive until dawn. Get a wish. That’s the game. Loose and I take you screaming to hell with me and your fallen friends.” Shelby cried in the rain, “They made us do it.” The beast jumped and snapped, but she kept the branch between them.

This time the weight of the beast was too much for her and its mass drug her to the ground. She held the branch with all her might. She screamed out with it atop her, “No, get off!” She pressed the branch against its neck. Its demonic maw inches from her face and neck. It drove the air from the raven-haired fourteen-year-old girl’s body, as it pressed down against her stomach with a single massive clawed paw.

 “Jesse and the others made us do it. They forced us into the car and took us to your house. We just wanted to go trick or treating,” she begged. The devil dog sneered at her as it pressed down against the branch, “They’re all dead you’re all that remains. After you, I rest until the next fool tries.” Shelby struggled under its weight, “why do you do this, to people?”

Shelby shifts quickly side to side offsetting its balance and slipping free from under it. The devil dog hits the ground with a thud and turns to face the girl, “Loyalty the Master was hurt. I submitted to save him. If I don’t he hurts the master.” Shelby sits crouched and panting on one knee, “What?”

The Demonic Hound looks to the ground its furrowed brow shows the intensity of the memory, “I loved my mast my boy, but his father was cruel. He hurt my boy and then I hurt him, but I was young and dumb. He took my life instead of the masters that day.” Shelby’s lower jaw quivers as sorrow for the monster grew. “That’s when the man in white found me. He asked me why should he fix me. I said to protect my boy.”

“Then what?” Shelby asked as she struggled back to her feet. The beast shook in the rain in a failed attempt to dry itself, “He fixed me and said if I do as I’m told he will let me live and protect my boy.” Shelby nods in understanding, “So all year long you live as a ghost dog with your dead boy.” The beast nods and continues, “but should anyone knock three times on the old house door I have to kill them.”

“Why?” Shelby demands. “If I fail the man in white takes my boy. I will not let that happen,” its massive head levels at Shelby. She sees its eyes narrow just as it had always done before each of its vicious attacks. She sidesteps the attack and hammers down with all her might, but her branch breaks as it hits the Devil Dogs head.

“Good there’s still some fight left in you. Most usually tire by now or quit,” the demonic hound sneers. Shelby smiles, “There’s plenty of fight left in me.” She throws the broken half of her branch at the beast and runs as it flinches from the branches impact, “and not more than a few minutes till dawn.”  It glares at the girl as she flees south along Curtis Blvd towards Fay.

The hellish hound bolts after the girl at full speed. Shelby can hear the sound of the heavy beast paws and waits until there is no sound. She then feints left and leaps right. The beast misses its pounce and slams hard against the ground. She never stopped her flight from the beast.

It only takes seconds as the beast reclaims the distance between them. It bites at the girl who again barely dodges the attack. The lights from the railroad tracks near the intersection of Fay Blvd and Curtis Blvd can be seen and gives the girl new hope of survival.

Shelby pushes herself to stay just beyond the beasts next attacks. She smiles seeing the sun morning rays starting to rise off the Indian River Lagoon. The beast fakes its next attack and trips Shelby. She lands hard and exhales loudly on impact.

She tries to get back on her feet, but hope escapes without her as the beast’s massive paw slams her back to the ground. Shelby begins to cry, “No, please.” She feels the demon’s maw at the back of her throat, “fear not child. With your death, my boy and I are allowed to stay together for one more year.” Shelby cries and cries out, “Someone please help me!”

Shelby felt the pressure build in her neck, but then she heard the snapping and crunching of the vertebrae in her neck. She felt he limbs and body go limp, but was very much still alive. She tried to scream, but no sound was uttered.

She could feel the beast talons rending her abdomen. She knew her body had been laid open, but could do nothing. The pain was intense as the beast took mouthful after mouthful of her insides and shook them free from their fleshy tethers. She could feel her organs slowly sliding down the monster's throat.

The creature shook her whole body again she felt her body land hard again this time on her face. She had managed to land with her head turned to witness the horror of her consumption. She watched it devour what she knew was once inside her now laid stretched across that old dirt road.

Shelby’s anger turned to sadness as she thought of all the promises broken and the family she would leave behind. The worst part of her death was the thought that no one would find her and her family would live out their days not knowing what had happened to her or her friends that night.

As the last breath rose into the cold rainy night air Shelby watched as a wall of ghostly children walked from the woods, where each had fallen previously, and welcomed her into the realm of the lost but never forgotten. As the sun rose that next day families sat broken at the knowledge their children never returned from the previous night’s Trick or treating.

There is one thing that everyone does know; never knock three times on the door to that old house on Mayflower Street on Halloween night, as you will summon the Devil Dog of Port Saint John. Then you must run, run for your life.

Buck the Atomic Ranger - Chapter Four

Buck the Atomic Ranger

Chapter Four

By: Roger Alderman

The staff and residents of the Olympus Mons Retirement Center find themselves in awe at the arrival of their hero, The Atomic Ranger. What starts out as a few random people clapping quickly turns to the roar of applause from hundreds of people saved by Buck’s Father and Grandfather. The Atomic Ranger has saved each of these people time and time again, as the great defender of mankind.

Under his helmet, Buck smiles at the adulation he had been missing since donning the outfit of the Atomic Ranger. He pauses realizing the attention was not truly his rather for the memory of far better men. A doctor with a smile on his face approaches, “Atomic Ranger, tell me what do we owe the honor of your visit?”

“Thank You,” Buck begins, “I am here to see Mrs. Stephanie Tinker.” The doctor cocks his head at an odd angle, “Why?” “It’s a personal visit,” Buck offers. The doctor shrugs and motions for Buck to follow, “Okay? This way Ranger.”

The Doctor and Buck make their way through the long sterile corridors of the Retirement Center. The smell of the cleaning chemical does little to cover up the overpowering odor of death and defecation that wafts from each room they pass.

Buck stops outside of a room watching as medical staff prepares a recently deceased retiree. The doctor turns to Buck, “Sorry I know the odor is rough if you’re not used to it. But I assure you we do our best to clean and sterilize each room. For every human that passes there are two sent here.” “Hard to keep up with demand. Trust me I get it,” Buck gestures for the doctor to continue Mrs. Tinker’s room.

Stephanie Tinker sits in her vintage wooden rocking chair knitting a sweater for one of her numerous cats, “you’ll love this one Ya-Ya.” A black and white short-haired cat nuzzles against her cheek. Ya-Ya turns and hisses at the entrance door to her room.

The doctor and Buck reach the entrance door, “This is her room here.” Buck reaches out to open the door but is startled when a voice echoes from inside. “Come in,” Stephanie’s voice surprises both men in the hallway. The doctor touches the keypad and the room slides open.

Stephanie looks to the entrance door, “It can’t be. Is that you Ranger?” Buck nods and Stephanie slowly walks towards him. Buck puffs out his chest and tried to strike a heroic pose, “Yes, it is me The Atomic Ranger.” “Buck! What are you doing in that? Your dad’s gonna tan your hide,” Stephanie smiles. Buck quickly turns and closes the sliding door on the doctor, “STEPHANIE!” He shushes her.

Stephanie smiles and settles back in her chair and cats. She motions for Buck to sit nearby. Buck does as he is asked and makes his way into a high backed solid dark wood chair, “It seems like it’s been a lifetime, Mrs. Tinker.”

Stephanie nods and cuddles with her black and white cat. “I missed you at the funeral, Buck removes his helmet and sits it on a small end table. Stephanie chokes back her tears, “Buck, I’m sorry but I just couldn’t deal with it. Truth be told I’m still having a problem with it even now.” “I understand,” Buck nods at her response.

Buck reaches out and takes Stephanie’s hand in his gloved hand, “You and dad were always so close.” She nods, but interrupts, “not as close as I would have liked.” Buck chuckles, “I was at Goodfellah’s and he mentioned you helped both create and maintain the Atomic Ranger’s weapons and gear.” Stephanie sits her cat on the floor, “Yes, why?”

Stephanie looks down to her aged hands and exhales, “that was a long time ago. These hands are not what the once were.” Buck stands and gestures to the badly damaged helmet, “I have no idea how to fix any of this. For all, I knew dad made and fixed all this stuff.” Stephanie laughs, “he had the brawn and I had the brains. He would have blown himself up even thinking about working on this stuff.”

Buck lifts the helmet and shakes his head in disappointment, “Well If I can’t do It and you…” Stephanie interrupts, “Jessie.” Buck looks confused. “She’s my daughter and just like me she loved to tinker with things,” Stephanie smiles and pets her demanding black and white cat.

“It’ll be just like my dad and you back in the day,” Buck states enthusiastically. Stephanie raises the controller to her communicator, “Jessie.” The screen flashes and a young woman in coveralls with welding goggles on answers the call, as she takes off her gloves, “Grandma? What’s up.”

Buck steps into the adjoining kitchen area giving Stephanie and her Granddaughter, Jessie, time to speak. Buck looks at a series of old photographs resting near the sink on along her marble countertop. The photos show images of Stephanie and his father together throughout the years they worked as a team. Buck smiles when Stephanie’s voice bellows from the next room, “Buck she’s in she’ll meet you in about ten minutes.”

“While we wait you can help an old lady feed her cats,” Stephanie smirks. Buck grins and nods in agreement. Stephanie joins him in the kitchen and they prepare numerous cat food bowls with fresh kibble and wet food combinations.

Stephanie’s doorbell rings just as She and buck finish feeding the last of her feline companions, “I bet that’s her.” “No, shit,” Buck whispers impatiently. “It’s open,” Stephanie calls out, “Come in Jessie.”

The door slides open revealing the steampunk tinker queen known as Jessie, “Hiya, grandma!” Buck steps forward offering a handshake, but Jessie walks around him. She snatches up the Atomic Ranger Helmet and flops down next to Stephanie on her love seat. Stephanie hugs Jessie, “It really has been too long.”

Jessie examines the helmet and then scowls at Buck, “What have you done to this? This will take hours to fix. Sheesh, you need to take it easy this stuff is antiques.” Buck tries to interrupt but gets cut off quickly by Jessie, “If we’re gonna do this whole fighting evil thing. You’re gonna need all new gear.” Buck stares at her mouth agape.

Buck laughs, as both women glare at him, “we don’t have the time. I still need to find a way inside Doctor Chaos’s organization to get a sample of that Public Pustule Poison. Then get it back to Goodfellah to make a cure or thousands more will die.” Stephanie smiles and looks to Jessie. Buck looks more confused than normal.

Stephanie motions for Jessie to leave the room. Jessie stands and walks into the bedroom of Stephanie’s apartment. Buck starts to say something but is shushed by Stephanie. She motions for him to wait a moment.  Buck shrugs and sits back into the chair he has chosen to sit on.

A moment passes and Jessie walks back into the room carrying an odd-looking watch. She offers it to Buck, “Put it on.” “What is it?” Buck ask in a distrustful and sarcastic tone. Stephanie smirks, “just like old times.” Jessie looks offended at her grandmother’s remark, “it is a portal to my lab where you will send the suit after each use to me to fix it. I can even send you new gear through the portal to test as I create them.” 

Buck seems happy and hugs both woman, “okay now I just need to find some way to get into his organization.” Jessie raises her hand and Buck snicker, “I know where to start.” Buck looks intrigued by Jessie’s potential idea. “There is a place just out past Neptune that is a secret watering hole for bad guys of all kinds. They literally call it the Watering Hole.”

Buck gets very excited. “great so let’s get out there and start busting heads.” Jessie shakes her head, “not so fast hero. The exact location is only known to those who frequent the place.” “So, we need to get hold of one of Doctor Chaos’s men and lean on him,” Buck’s expression turns to worry. Jessie and Stephanie look stumped as well.

Buck’s wrist communicator lights up. He raises it next to his cheek, “Atomic Ranger here.” The voice of Captain McIrish of the planetary Police Patrol blasts, “Atomic we need you we discovered one of Doctor Chaos’s airships. We thought they would be dead or it would be empty, but we were wrong. They got us pinned down. We need you, Ranger.” “I’m on my way,” Buck responds, as his communicator loses the signal.

Jessie stands and hugs Buck, “Perfect time you can try out the new gear grandma and I have been working on for your father.” Buck looks shocked by the revelation, “You guys had already created a backup.” Jessie and Stephanie shake their head at the response, “No this is a whole new suit and gear. All improvements to every aspect of the Atomic Ranger.”

Buck smiles and looks at the new watch, “What do I do?” “One-half spin of the dial clockwise and the uniform will be summoned directly onto your body. One-half spin counter-clockwise enables a new Turbo Mode that will increase your reflexes and fighting skills. Also, that will enable a "faster than light mode" for the new flight pack,” Jessie instructs. Buck looks astonished at all that the new gear can do, “Well no time like the present to test it out.”

Buck raises the watch high above his head and turns the face clockwise, “Atomic Ranger!” A thunderous boom shakes the entire retirement center, as The Atomic Ranger Blast of at the speed of light towards Earth.

“Take care of that boy, Jessie,” Stephanie hugs her granddaughter. “I will grandma. I will,” Jessie respectfully replies. “We got a lot of hurts to undo in him and his worst hurt was our fault,” Stephanie looks at one of the pictures of her and Buck’s father holding each other.