The Beast of 1977 (Book 1)

The 5th Dimension's, 'Up, Up and Away', rang out triumphantly throughout the glorious, blue sky as Isaac sat calmly in the Indian style upon a huge rock.

Surrounding the rock were ten children of varying races, all seated Indian style as well. The little girls were wearing pink dresses while the boys were adorned in black and white tuxedos.Isaac was wearing a black and white tuxedo himself, the same one that Lynn noticed in the window at Clancy's.

Upon his face, in the warm mountaintop, Isaac wore a peaceful smile, one that perhaps he wore long before he and Lynnette ever had a falling out. A serene smile that he took with him everywhere before ever meeting Karyn.

All ten children that sat below Isaac were all holding hands while rocking back and forth to the melodious tune that just would not stop playing.

For Isaac, it was a song that he hadn't heard since his youth, and yet adored with all his heart.The young man sat with his hands folded as his normal looking eyes took in all the spacious and wondrous surroundings that were the mountains; mountains that he had never once visited in his entire life.The man pondered on and on until he heard the soft pattering's of what resembled feet creep up behind him on the rock he was sitting on. Isaac subtly turned around to see a ragged looking German Shepherd trot up beside him.

The animal stood for a moment before turning to Isaac and saying in a male's human voice, "I see you made it this far."

Unfazed by the uncanny creature, Isaac, with his head still pointed at the beauteous mountains ahead of him simply replied, "I guess so."

"I can't say that I'm surprised, you were always a trooper. Your mother even knew that."

Smiling ever greater, Isaac said, "Yeah...I remember her saying that, too."

The dog looked down at the children below before turning back to Isaac. "How long do you think it'll be before you fucking die?"

Still smiling, Isaac dropped his head and exhaled, "Oh, I don't know. I figure I have at least another week or so. How long do you think I have?"

The dog began to pant before saying, "It is unknown, my friend."

Isaac wrapped his left arm around the dog's body and patted it on the side while humming the song that he loved ever so much.

The two enjoyed each other's company for as long as the intruder that was creeping up behind them both would allow. It was the naked phantom, and unbeknownst to both Isaac and his canine companion, its ghastly presence was lurking closer than expected.

"Don't look at him, Isaac." The dog warned.

But all the animal's warning seem to do was incite curiosity inside the young man. Without thinking, Isaac gradually turned to see the phantom's face, a face that he had never managed to see in times past.The man had red eyes and fangs that were drooling blood all over the rock that it had ascended. Isaac looked over to see the dog gone. He then glanced back to see the phantom's hands.

With the same hands, the phantom grabbed Isaac by the throat and proceeded to strangle the life out of him.Isaac tried with all his might to pull away from the slathering demon, but no matter how hard he tried, the phantom was entirely too strong to withstand.

Suddenly, and without warning, both the music and children all vanished. With every passing second, Isaac was finding it more difficult to grasp even a single breath.

"I don't know where Isaac is!" Isaac unexpectedly heard Lynnette's hysterical voice scream out loud.In fact, the sound of her voice was so clear and audible that it sounded as if she were right behind him, or at least very near.

Isaac shut his eyes and re-opened them to see nothing but total darkness all around him. Gasping and spitting for air, the man looked up to see the phantom pull away and sink into the wall behind it until it vanished away completely.

Isaac couldn't tell if he was asleep or even alive at that point, all he wanted was to breathe again. Hearing Lynnette and Isaiah scream and cry caused Isaac to fight even harder to regain his breath.

Unexpectedly, he decided to hurl himself off of the soft foundation that he found himself lying on. Once his body connected with something hard, Lynn's screaming ceased, and a series of footsteps slowly began to creep towards his direction.

Isaac wallowed about on the ground like a wounded animal, unable to even let out a simple grunt, let alone a word. He coughed and panted while listening to his helpless son cry out for his mother to return.

Isaac heard what sounded like something twisting. He held his fleeting breath and waited until the sound ended. Like an explosion, stinging light from an opened door blasted into his eyes. Isaac covered his face for a second or two before removing his hand to see Lynn standing at a doorway with a baseball bat in hand.

"Who the fuck is in here," she shouted out.

Without hesitation, Isaac opened his mouth and muttered, "It's me, Lynn. It's me."

Lynnette cut on a light. Isaac covered his face all over again and only removed two fingers to see that he was inside the warm confines of Lynn's bedroom. He himself was completely naked.

"Isaac!" Lynn hollered wildly as she dropped her bat to the floor and ran to Isaac's aid.

Feeling as though his arms weighed fifty pounds each, Isaac lifted his right hand to touch not only Lynn's hair that was wrapped in pink curlers, but also his own sore jaw.

Weeping uncontrollably, Lynn screamed, "Isaac, did you just get here?"

Too stunned and disoriented to reply, Isaac rubbed his mouth and nose and listened as his stomach rumbled and churned. "I...don't know." He pitifully wept, sounding as if his mouth was full of cotton.

her face and asked, "Isaac, where were you last night? The

don't...remember." He mumbled, holding his throbbing jaw. "I don't remember

you get here?" She tossed up her hands. "I was just in

question, Isaac slowly got up from off the floor and staggered his way out of

end of the hallway to the other like a pinball, until he found himself face to face with the toilet. Isaac

still got any of that Ben-Gay?" Isaac sobbed, wiping excess

medicine cabinet next to her and took out a half empty container of Ben-Gay before handing

the cream away from her hand and squeezed out the remainder. He lathered his entire sore face with what was left

"This is it?" Isaac raged before tossing the empty container

"You used the rest

"Then fuckin' get me some

Terrified, Lynnette stumbled backwards into the sink, holding her hands up in defense. Just seeing the fear in her eyes, Isaac quickly reclaimed what was left of his

crying. "I don't know what happened. It's like every

the matter, Lynnette took Isaac into her bosom

"I don't know how to help you, Isaac. You have to tell me what happened

Isaac held on tight to Lynnette's arms. "One moment I

Lynnette said as she aided Isaac out of the bathroom and back to the bedroom where she gently laid

"Who's

"I don't know." Lynnette answered. "Just lie down and I'll

listened as what sounded like two men entered and conversed back and forth.In Isaac's ears, the discussion from Lynn's point of view sounded tense and jittery. He could tell that she was searching for words to say to the men, words that she had no business trying to conjure on her

body. From there, he hobbled his way out of

"Here I am, officers." Isaac miserably mumbled as he

and Alan stared at Isaac as though they were viewing a miracle right before their stunned

"Isaac...Isaac Mercer?"

me, sir." Isaac replied with his head shamefully

"Uh...Mr. Mercer,

"Yeah, I just feel real tired." Isaac

this morning that

up to see Lynnette's eyes connect with his in a manner

you seemed to be having car trouble and that you hitched a ride with one, Leroy Cummins." Linus explained. "Mr. Mercer, Leroy Cummins was the

baby along the way. Fitzpatrick attempted to

went over to your father's house. He told us to come here

"What about

it towed back to Cypress as we speak." Linus stated. "Mr. Mercer, we'd love to know just how you were able to escape Cummins' house.

When I woke up a few minutes ago, I was

on to the wall that he was seemingly attached to with all his might.Isaac then noticed Detective Bruin gawking at him from top

"Mr. Mercer, how

I don't know, six one or

procedure, sir,"

Fitzpatrick pressed

fine." Isaac sighed.

more quick stare before heading out the door. "If it's not too much to ask, Mr. Mercer, we would like

was pulled shut, Lynnette gathered herself and gingerly got up from off the floor. From there,

"Lynn, I really need some more Ben-Gay for my mouth

nearly pressing it against his face. "Something isn't adding up. Both the news and those cops said that kidnapper was found in Cuyahoga Falls. Isaac, Cuyahoga Falls is an hour from here. What, you couldn't find a job here in Cypress? What were you doing all the

what had occurred the day before, much like in past instances was a dark haze. He was aware that the small fragments of what he could recall would only get him into even

With a shaking body and red eyes, Lynnette hollered, "I'm

Isaac slurred before dragging his heavy body back

From the bathroom, Isaac could hear Lynnette slamming cabinet doors and dishes

way over to the medicine cabinet mirror.He had seen

hurt a lot more at that instant than it did back in November. It was hard for him to make a simple fist, let alone lift his arms that felt as if they were on fire. It felt as

and listened to his rumbling stomach gurgle like a boiling cauldron. He truly didn't remember what had taken place after accepting the ride from the so called kind stranger, but unlike the occurrence three months earlier,

had never experienced before in his life. It overwhelmed him to the point where tears

turned around only to see the entire bathroom floor flooded from one corner to the other in nothing but blood.Like a cat, the man jumped backwards into the mirror, nearly cracking it in half. His startled face grew a tone lighter. He had hoped