Tales of Horror, Fantasy, and Science Fiction, by Richard H. Williams, is a collection of twenty-three speculative short stories. The following stories would be subsumed under Horror: Naked Prey; Revenge; Repose; The Bees: A Parable; The Gambler; and The Card Game. Shades of Edgar Allan Poe, A Freudian Interpretation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and The Horror of Being A Poet relate to respectable, traditional literature. Three of the tales which bare a strong sensuous theme are: Black Demon, Man’s Best Friend, and Nick Meets A Redhead. Sherlock Holmes and His Followers relate to fictional brainpower. A Trip to the Past and its sequel display time travel within the genre of Science Fiction. The last six stories fall in the Fantasy genre.
Naked Prey
The clothing-optional beach at Haulover, just north of Miami Beach, was a popular place. Swimmers and other
sunbathers were attracted to it because it was a nude beach, and because it was known as such and was acceptable to the police and
other officials, so those going there knew they would not be hassled.
Bela Isogul, who was from Transylvania, was there for
the first time. He had exotic, dark good looks. His eyes were black and his hair, which was also black, was combed straight back.
Bela was somewhat tall with a well-developed body. This darkly handsome man emitted a smoldering sensuality and some women, including
those at the University of Miami where he was a graduate student, became magnetized to him. A few men were jealous of Bela, perhaps
considering him to be effeminate. It had been said by some that he was a modern day Rudolph Valentino. Bela had brought a textbook
with him, Elements of Archeology, and was trying to study, but he found the young woman on a nearby multicolored beach towel displaying
the flag of Puerto Rico, distracting.
This lovely 18-year-old tan skinned beauty was from Puerto Rico and her name was Angela
Ondena. She too was also visiting Haulover Beach for the first time. She had curly, raven black hair and deep brown eyes, which contrasted
nicely with her tan gold skin. Angela set up the materials she was carrying and stripped off her bathing suit. Her alluring hourglass
figure was so striking that several men and even a few women held their breath when they saw her nude figure, and some of the bolder
whistled at her. She gave them a polite smile, acknowledging their presence.
Some of the older folks on the beach weren’t very
attractive to her, especially those carrying flab on their bellies. Nevertheless, by and large she found the group of bathers, most
of whom were young, physically attractive.
Bela’s gaze captured hers, almost hypnotically. He smiled and said,"Do you have the
time?" Angela reached down and extracted from her purse a wristwatch.
"My watch says 4:30, but it is always fast." She opened
a silver trimmed cigarette case and produced a long, thin, brown cigarillo.
"Do you have a light?"
He moved over near her,
flipped open his lighter, spun the little wheel, and reached over and ignited her smoke. Angela noticed that there was the image of
a wolf on the side of his lighter, but she didn’t comment on it.
"Would you like to try one of my cigarillos?"
"I don’t
smoke."
"They give quite a kick. They are made in Transylvania."
"Then let me try one. I, too, am from Transylvania. My
ancestral home is near the Borgo Pass," he added."I hope to fly home for the holidays."
"My name is Angela Ondena, and I am from
Puerto Rico. I would guess you are a tourist and are visiting Haulover Beach for the first time."
"My name is Bela Isogul. I
am a graduate student at the University of Miami. My major is Archaeology. Yes, I have wished to come to this beach for a long time.
I enjoy looking at all of the bodies." He reclined, lying on his back, and she saw her nearness was exciting him.
"I am not a
college student but I am a student of the Afro-Cuban Religion Santeria. Possibly you have heard of this religion. Although it is African
in origin, it was transported to Cuba, where it was further developed. It is therefore viewed as an Afro-Caribbean religion. An essential
part of the Santeria rituals involves the use of herbs, roots, flowers, and plants. Five of its features are: psychical healing, trance
dancing, spiritual possession, mythic story telling, and animal sacrifice."
"How do they get away with this sacrificing of animals?
That
strikes me as being gross and archaic."
"Although it is thought that animal sacrifice is against the law, and many people would
sympathize with that view, it was ruled constitutional by the Supreme Court in 1993. I started learning about Santeria when I paid
a visit to a Botanica on Calle Ocho in Miami. That type of store sells charms, herbs, soaps, incense, beads, and other spiritual items,
as well as books and pamphlets."
Angela added,"I first read about Santeria on the Internet. By searching in Google or ask.com,
or some other search mechanism, for ‘Spells and Rituals,’ I located sites such as ‘Powerful Spells That Work,’ ‘Love Spells,’ ‘Magic
Rituals and Casting,’ ‘Magic Spells,’ and Spells and Rituals.’"
"If you are so inclined, you can learn about these matters by
typing in: www.lovespells-magicspells.com."
She continued,"My first visit to the Botanica I purchased several items including
a book titled Introduction to Santeria. My second visit was most interesting, for I met Hal Word."
"Who is Hal Word?"
"Hal
is a Santeria Priest. He has the dark good looks of an Italian male model, not dissimilar from you. He was dressed in a white robe.
He fell in love with me and I with him at once and he soon became my teacher and advisor. We dated for an entire semester while I
was taking classes in religion and philosophy at Miami Dade Community College."
"Among other things, Hal told me about the training
he was introduced to in order to become a Santeria Priest. There is a lot to it. Sometimes he would continue the tutorial sessions
with me after the Botanica was closed and he had turned off the lights of the store."
"Really?" Bella said.
Angela said,"He
talked about hexes and rituals, indicating that there are a great variety of each. For example, there are hexes for breaking up relationships,
sending others away, getting revenge, and getting your way. And there are rituals for inducing or removing hexes, protection, success,
and love drawing. If we had time I would tell you about candle magic. If I wanted you to fall in love with me, I would employ love
drawing."
"I might fall in love with you without the need for such occult stimulation. Are you still in love with Hal?"
"Yes,
I am."
"Is his vocation that of being a Santeria Priest?" Bela asked.
"Yes, it is. He owns the Botanica on Calle Ocho near
fifty-seventh Avenue in Miami."
"Notions of religion, including ideas of good and evil, have always interested me. Bela said,"He
is a lucky man to have you. Would you like to take a stroll along the beach?"
"Good idea." As they stood up, she
took his hand. Although the eyes of the lifeguards had seen a lot, when Angela and Bela walked past their tower, displaying their
eye-catching figures, the lifeguards fixated on this attractive pair with all of their eyes. As the two of them walked along the beach,
they drew much attention and whispering could be heard. It was as though those on the beach were seeing a nude male and female model
for the first time. Women and men became transfixed, holding their breath.
They stopped walking and gazed out at the waters,
noticing that the tide was out. A sandbar fifty yards from the shore could be seen. Angela walked into the water until it was
up to her waist, closely followed by Bela. She then executed a perfect Australian crawl, swimming back and forth parallel to the shore,
while Bela floated on his back, executing a slow backstroke. Leaving the water, they returned to her towel.
Angela whispered
in Bela’s ear,"Let’s swim out to the sandbar."
They swam through the blue green waters out to the sandbar and as they emerged
from the water. Angela said,"Let’s lie down on the ocean side of the sandbar. The lifeguards will not be able to see us."
Bela
smiled knowingly, put his arm around her waist, and they settled down on the far side.
They were not alone, however, as there
were four college students nearby. One was African-American and the other three were Latin. Bela and Angela could hear what they were
saying. Apparently they were discussing their class schedules and the nature of their professors.
It was December twenty-fourth
and the sky was a clear blue. Both the water and the air temperatures were eighty degrees, humidity was low, and a gentle breeze played
through the palm trees---typical tourist season south Florida weather. Angela and Bela were enjoying each other’s company. As they
kissed and caressed each other, the college students looked on. All four of them wished they were in Bela’s place.
After a while
the two were near bringing their love making to fruition.
The college students crept closer to get a bird’s eye view. Perhaps
they felt they were watching an adult film.
Just them a loud, hollow sounding voice cried out a warning. This startled all of
them on the sandbar, and Bela and Angela lost their ardor. The loud voice was not because of their erotic love making, but it was
to alert swimmers that sharks had been sighted.
A half hour later the same lifeguard cried out in a Rudy Valley type megaphone,"Warning
is lifted. The sharks have headed out to sea."
Bela and Angela swam back to the beach and again occupied her beach towel. Bela
said,"What are you thinking of doing for Christmas eve?"
Angela replied,"I have nothing special planned."
"I have an idea
of what we could do together."
"Tell me about it."
"Do you know there is an interesting graveyard not far from here?"
Angela
told him that she wasn’t aware of that.
"What we might do this evening is go to the Forge Restaurant on South Beach for
a first class meal, have a drink or two, move on to the Club Mansion to watch the crowd and dance a little, and then visit the graveyard.
It is an old cemetery, not well kept. The large tufts of grass make it obvious it hasn’t been trimmed for ages. And the tombstones
are tilted in all directions. I find it most interesting. A relative of mine is buried there."
"Yes," Angela said."Let’s do
it!"
They climbed into Bela Isogul’s fire engine red Porsche convertible and drove along Miami Beach to The Forge. This restaurant
was said to be romantic, lavish, elegant, and refined. It lived up to these advance notices.
"This restaurant is the Miami’s
best. It is replete with dark wood and stained glass motifs. It has maintained its excellence since 1969, which is like light years
for a city that shows a great deal of instability. Sought-after celebrities and well-known faces are attracted to its venue," said
Bella.
Angela and Bela had a mixed drink before the main course. She ordered first, saying,"I would like Scottish Salmon and
a Caesar Salad Forge Style."
Bela ordered,"Please bring me the Forge Tuscany Sirloin and Forge Wedge." They both had iced tea
with their meal. Needless to say the food was tasty and filling. For dessert Angela had cheesecake and Bela had Key Lime Pie.
When the valet brought around Bela’s porsche, Bela gave him a hefty tip, saying"Don’t spend it all in one place." Then they
went on to the Club Mansion, which they really liked, although it was quite expensive. It was fifty dollars for a bottle of Grey Goose.
The DJ at the Club Mansion played an excellent mix of musical genres and kept things lively. Bela said,"Some say Mansion is
the hottest club in Miami. To be acceptable at Club Mansion, it is important to dress up and be willing to wait in line. The club
décor is very nice."
Bela and Angela danced to the pleasant music. They found the waitresses and bouncers and valets friendly.
The huge room was filled with dancers, sometimes singles, sometimes mixed couples.
After the meal and the visit to Club Mansion,
they headed north on highway A1A. Angela was surprised to learn that the graveyard was just one mile north of Haulover Beach.
They
parked outside the gate to the graveyard. Pushing their way through the deep grass they attempted to read the inscriptions, although
many of the aged writings on the stones were indescribable. They held each other and kissed, laughing. They rolled around in the grass,
stroking each other. Bela undressed Angela and she reciprocated. They hugged and kissed, tumbling down onto the large tufts of grass.
Their lovemaking intensified and they enjoyed an exciting climax.
Angela said,"I felt as though you and I were as one. We floated
up into the sky, landing on a white fluffy cloud. Then the cloud split in two and we slowly drifted back down to the earth."
"I
enjoyed myself too."
Walking around naked in the graveyard they again attempted to read the inscriptions. Angela said,"You said
that one of your relatives is buried in this graveyard."
He replied,"Yes, I think it is close to where we are standing."
They
squatted down, squinting their eyes, and soon found it. The carved letters on the stone said,
BELA ISOGUL-BORN DECEMBER 25,
1950-DIED DECEMBER 25, 2009.
Angela was shocked---trembling with fear. When she looked at Bela Isogul she saw that his
eyes were a gold color and his fanglike teeth were gleaming in the moonlight. She said,"It’s you! And it is Christmas eve. I thought
you said it was one of your relatives that was buried here? You didn’t say it was you."
He said,"You were unlucky, Angela. We
did have some fun though."
From a distance they heard a bell tolling midnight. It was Christmas. Angela suddenly realized Isogul
spelled backwards was Lugosi. Angela was naked and vulnerable. She faced Bela, trembling, as hair grew on his body and his finger
mails and toenails lengthened. She was a naked prey.
Bela reared up on his hairy wolf’s legs and looked at the full moon. He
gave forth a chilling howl, and then he was upon her, tearing out her throat.