Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-25901297-20141221131514

Allan Jones was a good man. He lived in a modest house in an upper-middle class neighborhood in Florida. He had married a beautiful wife and together they had two beautiful children. He worked as a psychologist in a state penitentiary where he cared for the mental health of the inmates. After a long days work, he would drive the forty minutes back home to his loving family before repeating the cycle again.

Occasionally he and his wife would go out to enjoy their favorite past time, Theater. As someone who had spent years studying the human brain and it's many emotions, he particularly enjoyed the comedies. He believed that they were the best representations of life. Although it has it's fair share of conflicts, it can all be worked through and a happy ending can be attained. This had always been his philosophy, much to his wife's amusement. She had always been a fan of the tragedy. "It's the only sort of play that is true to life." She would argue. "The world is a miserable place, and happy endings only happen in fairly tales". She always found it amazing that someone who's job it was to work around the worst of society could have so much hope. "Life is a tragedy," She would say "There are no happy endings, no heroes, only cowards and villains." Although she was a stay at home mother, she had a degree in philosophy and she and Allen would find themselves in long debates over the nature of life, which he always enjoyed. It was three days before their anniversary when Allan's boss, Mr. Garrison, came into his small clinic, in the west wing of the prison. "We have received a new patient from Florida State Hospital." He said. "I want you to work with him. He's in for three counts of first-degree murder, and assault." He stated frankly. "Why does it have to be me?" Allan asked. He was already seeing twice as many patients as anyone else in the clinic, and now they wanted to add another one. "Because, I think that you have the best chance of getting through to this man. You're the best person for the job. We can even take some of your cases and give me over to someone else, as long as you're working with this guy.". Allan thought it over before agreeing to take on the new patient. "Thanks Allan, I really hope you can help this guy because if the court doesn't see any change in him soon..." Mr. Garrison motions his thumb across his neck to symbolize a throat being cut. Allen knew that this meant the inmate was possibly going to be put on death row. Garrison threw the file on Allen's desk before leaving.

Allen began flipping through the file. Patient Name: Colton West Ethn: White/Caucasian DoB: 3/18/1981 Patient West was charged with the murders of his mother, father, and brother as well as the vicious assault of a neighbor. Patient claims to have been serving "Lord Lucifer" Offers no further explanation when questioned. Patient is highly volatile, and can become dangerous when provoked. Allan skimmed the rest of the file, since he had already decided how to handle this patient. Allan was considered one of the best psychologists in the state, and for good reason. He had seen many cases and helped many people reform in his short career. Being only 26 years old, he had been in practice for two years, but they had been a very interesting two years.

He wrapped up his work for the day then headed home. He watched a movie with his family that night and he beamed with pride. He had done this. He had had these two beautiful children and his smart, amazing wife. He had his happy ending. That night he slept a peaceful slumber, to prepare for the work ahead. The following morning was usual, he woke up, kissed his wife and children goodbye, and headed out to work. Today would be his first day working with Patient West and he was excited. He always loved getting an opportunity to help someone else. After getting through prison security, he made his way to the office. Colton sat in a chair with armed guards on either side of him, as he stared blankly ahead, whispering to himself. "Hello Mr. West" Allan began "I'm Doctor Allan Jones. Your new psychologist.". Colton just stared. His shaggy blonde hair, which had red streaks of dye, hanging in front of his eyes. "He will get to you.." He mumbles. "Who will?" Allan asks. "Lucifer!" Colton shrieks, jumping out of his seat. Allan takes a small step back, but remains expressionless. Allan, being 6'11, 7 if he stood tall and straight, wasn't afraid of much and could handle himself an nearly any physical encounter. The armed guards yank Colton back down into the chair.

"And by Lucifer you mean Satan, the devil?" Allan asks, as if nothing had happened. Colton's eyes seem to widen with fright. "I..I can't anymore. I won't!" He shouts, anger filling his eyes. Allan decides that Colton won't answer this, so he decides to press him for information later. They continue the session for hours, before Allan decides he's getting no where. "We will continue this tomorrow" he says, feeling frustrated. As he drives home he tries to remind himself to be happy, tomorrow was his five year wedding anniversary. He pushes the though of Colton out of his mind. That night he has a lovely meal with his family, then goes to bed. For the first time in months...he has a nightmare.

He was standing alone in the darkness, when something walks in front of him. It looks like...him. It was him. The same height, same brown skin and curly hair. But on its face there was a mask. Allan recognizes it as the Tragedy mask from his wife's prized set. It's white, with black around the eyes and lips, wearing a permanent frown. The other Allan also wore his leather jacket, which he had received from his father before his death, and a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. Two things were odd about this however, besides the mask. One, was that the clothes were covered in, what seemed to be, blood. And two, the other Allan was dragging around a large axe, also a gift from his father, specifically the axe that he had about the mantle of his fireplace. The figure faded into mist and was replaced by a creature. Alan's heart filled with terror as he saw something that appeared to be a demon of sorts. The creature just smiled at him, before reaching out and touch his head. "Soon..." It says, in a hideous, raspy voice.

Allan awoke from the nightmare covered in sweat. He gets out of bed and stares at the clock,which reads 6:47 A.M. He knew he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep at this point, so he put on his clothes, ate breakfast, then headed to work; not realizing that he was wearing the same outfit from the dream.

He arrived to work to see everyone in a panic. The prison was in lockdown. "He grabbed the arm of a guard rushing past. "What's going on?" He asked. "One of the inmates escaped. A guy called Colton West." The guard replies. Allan's jaw drops. Suddenly, the guard begins to eye Allan suspiciously. "Are you Allan Jones?" He asks. It strikes Allan as a silly question. Seriously,how many other 6'9 black guys worked here? He nods slowly. "Get home!" The guard begins to shout "Before escaping, he managed to access the employee files but he only looked at yours!". Allan's heart dropped. The employee files had all of the personal information. Their numbers. Birthdays. Addresses....

Faster than he had ever moved before, Allan ran into the parking lot and back to his car. He frantically calls his wife. "Hi. This is Olivia. I'm not available right now but please leave your name and number and I'll.." The voice mail blares. "Damn it!" Allan yells in frustration, punching the steering wheel. "Listen," he begins yelling into the phone "I need you to get the kids and leave the house! Don't answer the door for anyone! I'm on my way!" He throws his phone down, as he speeds down the highway. After a long and agonizing drive, he arrives to his house. His heart stops when he sees the front door open...and his wife's car still sitting in the drive way. He dashes from the car to his house, not even removing the keys. He slowly opens the door, eyes clamped shut, hoping not to see what he is already sure he will. As he opens his eyes, he feels the vomit climbing up his throat, and pure dread fills every inch of his body."no..." Is all he can stutter out as he stares at the bodies of his children, mangled and cut open, on the ground.

His eyes fill with tears as he sobs over there bodies. "Ohh...God..." He cries before a laugh from behind cuts him off. "I'm sorry for your loss", Colton says sarcastically. Allan turns to see him, his wife's corpse under his feet being used as a foot rest. "Now she.." He says motioning to her body "She was a fighter. You should be proud." He says snickering. "...why...?" is all Allan was able to ask. Colton stares at him coldly. "Because I was commanded to. It is what "He" told me to do. To awaken you." He responds. Allan feels something in his mind....snap. His sanity begins to trickle away like sand in an hour glass, as he begins shaking with pure rage. "NO!" He shouts.

He suddenly rises to his feet and rushes at Colton who is taken by surprise. He wraps his large hands around the smaller mans neck, then with little to no effort, throws him across the room into the small glass table....under the fireplace. The table shatters from the impact, and blood begins to spill from Colton's body. He begins trying to scramble to his feet, trips, then begins crawling backwards. "W..wait...stop!" He pleads "This is for the best! He wants you to serve him...as a servant on earth to kill for him. Collect souls!". He stares into the eyes of Allan, which at one point had been full of love and understanding, where now full of hatred, rage...and evil. Allan grabs the axe from above the fireplace and raises it above his head. "Wait...No! He wants you! Lord Lucifer wants you!" He screams before Allan brings the axe down. It lands dead center in the middle of Colton's forehead, penetrating the skull, but not killing him. Colton shrieks in agony, as Allan pulls the axe out and begins smashing it into Colton's skull. Again. And again. And again, until there is nothing left of it except for blood and tissue. He stopped and stared at himself covered in blood, before collapsing on to the ground and sobbing.

"Our happy ending...gone." He sobs. He begins remembering the happy argument between he and his wife about Comedy and Tragedy. "Life...is Tragedy." He begins, as he rises to his feet, axe in hand, and walks across the room "There are no happy endings. No heroes, just cowards.." He says as he grabs the Tragedy mask from its position on the wall, using Colton's blood to trace tear streaks on it. "And villains."He finishes, as the mask slips over his face, erasing all that was left of Allan Jones.

Later that night, Erik Garrison was driving home from work. There had been an escape at the prison he was warden of, and an inmate had taken a staff members personal information. He was called and told that the house of Doctor Allan Jones was a murder scene. The bodies of his family and the escapee littering the floor, although Allan himself wasn't found. "Damn it..." Her murmured "GOD DAMN IT!" He shouted, his face red with fury. He swore to himself he would make sure nothing like this ever happened again. As he pulled into his driveway, he began to feel uneasy. The door to his house was slightly open, which he knew his wife wouldn't do; neither would his son.

He slowly entered the house..and let out a scream. The entire living room was covered in blood. The blood of his wife and son who were scattered around the house in pieces. The words I am Tragedy where written all over the walls in blood. In his grief, he was distracted. So distracted that he didn't notice the tall, masked figure behind him. Even after he lifted his axe....and swung it into his skull. The man called Allan Rich was gone...only Tragedy remained. And he would show everybody the secret of life. " I come to show you the truth." He says to the man twitching on the ground, bleeding out. It's life's big joke...and I've found the punch line. It is that there are no happy endings. No heroes. Only cowards and villains." He says as he pulls the axe from the mans head. "And I will show you...show everyone that there is no happiness in life. Only Tragedy." As he say this final word, the final bit of life drains from his victim. Somewhere in Hell, the devil smiles. 