Read Online Final Reckonings by Robert Bloch - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Robert Bloch
Tags: Horror Anthology
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succeeded beyond my wildest dreams!"
Jerome was very glad Barsac had called out. It enable him to locate Barsac's body in the darkness.
Now he glided forward and brought his cold hands up to Barsac's neck. Sudden shock, a fright —
But Barsac did not scream with fear. He screamed with anger. "Jerome, it's you!" he shouted.
So he knew. Knew Jerome meant to kill him. Therefore he must die. Jeromes hands, which had risen merely to frighten, now remained to strangle.
He tightened his grip about Barsac's throat. Barsac tried to claw him off, but he could not see, and his gestures were pitifully weak.
Now Barsac did not cry out. He merely gurgled as Doctor Jerome pressed his windpipe and then dragged him back along the corridor. He dragged him swiftly, purposefully, and with his own feet he felt for the edge of the great staircase.
Then he thrust Barsac forward. There was a single shriek as Sebastian Barsac reeled in the darkness, and then only a dreadful series of rubbery thumps as he plunged down the black well of the spiral staircase.
Doctor Jerome stood there as the thunder came again. When its muttering reverberation died away, the thumping had ended.
Barsac was at the bottom of the stairs.
Cautiously, Doctor Jerome descended the staircase. His feet groped for the next stair, and groped for the feel of Barsac's body. But it was not until he reached the bottom that his shoes met the resistant flesh of Barsac.
Jerome knelt and passed his hands over that flesh, finding it quite cold. As cold as death.
So it was done. Barsac was dead. Long live the new ruler of Castle Barsac!
Doctor Jerome straightened up with a grin. It was easy, after all. "Gentlemen, it was an unavoidable accident. Sebastian Barsac was at work in his laboratory when the lights went out. He came out into the hall, evidently with the purpose of descending the stairs. In the dark he must have made a misstep and fallen down the staircase."
He whispered the words aloud, just the way he meant to repeat them at the inquest. He heard their echoes rustle and die away.
And then he heard the other rustling.
It came from far overhead, from a room at the top of the stairs. A room at the top of the stairs — a rustling from the laboratory! Jerome bounded up the stairs.
The animals were loose. He'd better lock the laboratory door, at once.
He heard the shrill squeaking as he made the second landing and turned to climb the last flight to the tower level.
Then he paused. For there was a drumming from the floor above — a padding and a scraping as small bodies moved down the hall. They had already left the laboratory.
For the first time he detected the ominous note in the squeaking sounds. Shrill little cries of anger resounded from the head of the stairs. They were angry, as Barsac had been angry when he had died. Barsac, who had come out, crowing in triumph that his experiments were successful beyond his wildest dreams.
His experiments were successful !
"I will transfer the physical attributes of myself, and also the mental attributes."
Jerome knew the meaning of fear, then.
The creatures of Barsac's experiments were loose. The creatures whose bodies he had changed. Whose minds were a part of Barsac's mind.
They knew and they were loose. Loose and coming after him to seek revenge!
Jerome heard them creeping down the stairway. They were after him. They knew he was there — they could see in the dark! He turned in blind panic down the hallway. He'd hide in his room. That was it, his room. He stumbled through the pitch-black corridor, and heard them at his heels.
The beasts were swift. He reached the door, groped for his key. He fumbled in his pockets, cursing. The key wasn't on his ring. And the door was locked.
Perhaps he'd dropped it now, dropped it on the floor. He stooped to feel around.
And his hand encountered the warmth of flesh. Flesh that was furry, but not furry enough. Flesh that wriggled through his fingers. The creatures had
Jerome was very glad Barsac had called out. It enable him to locate Barsac's body in the darkness.
Now he glided forward and brought his cold hands up to Barsac's neck. Sudden shock, a fright —
But Barsac did not scream with fear. He screamed with anger. "Jerome, it's you!" he shouted.
So he knew. Knew Jerome meant to kill him. Therefore he must die. Jeromes hands, which had risen merely to frighten, now remained to strangle.
He tightened his grip about Barsac's throat. Barsac tried to claw him off, but he could not see, and his gestures were pitifully weak.
Now Barsac did not cry out. He merely gurgled as Doctor Jerome pressed his windpipe and then dragged him back along the corridor. He dragged him swiftly, purposefully, and with his own feet he felt for the edge of the great staircase.
Then he thrust Barsac forward. There was a single shriek as Sebastian Barsac reeled in the darkness, and then only a dreadful series of rubbery thumps as he plunged down the black well of the spiral staircase.
Doctor Jerome stood there as the thunder came again. When its muttering reverberation died away, the thumping had ended.
Barsac was at the bottom of the stairs.
Cautiously, Doctor Jerome descended the staircase. His feet groped for the next stair, and groped for the feel of Barsac's body. But it was not until he reached the bottom that his shoes met the resistant flesh of Barsac.
Jerome knelt and passed his hands over that flesh, finding it quite cold. As cold as death.
So it was done. Barsac was dead. Long live the new ruler of Castle Barsac!
Doctor Jerome straightened up with a grin. It was easy, after all. "Gentlemen, it was an unavoidable accident. Sebastian Barsac was at work in his laboratory when the lights went out. He came out into the hall, evidently with the purpose of descending the stairs. In the dark he must have made a misstep and fallen down the staircase."
He whispered the words aloud, just the way he meant to repeat them at the inquest. He heard their echoes rustle and die away.
And then he heard the other rustling.
It came from far overhead, from a room at the top of the stairs. A room at the top of the stairs — a rustling from the laboratory! Jerome bounded up the stairs.
The animals were loose. He'd better lock the laboratory door, at once.
He heard the shrill squeaking as he made the second landing and turned to climb the last flight to the tower level.
Then he paused. For there was a drumming from the floor above — a padding and a scraping as small bodies moved down the hall. They had already left the laboratory.
For the first time he detected the ominous note in the squeaking sounds. Shrill little cries of anger resounded from the head of the stairs. They were angry, as Barsac had been angry when he had died. Barsac, who had come out, crowing in triumph that his experiments were successful beyond his wildest dreams.
His experiments were successful !
"I will transfer the physical attributes of myself, and also the mental attributes."
Jerome knew the meaning of fear, then.
The creatures of Barsac's experiments were loose. The creatures whose bodies he had changed. Whose minds were a part of Barsac's mind.
They knew and they were loose. Loose and coming after him to seek revenge!
Jerome heard them creeping down the stairway. They were after him. They knew he was there — they could see in the dark! He turned in blind panic down the hallway. He'd hide in his room. That was it, his room. He stumbled through the pitch-black corridor, and heard them at his heels.
The beasts were swift. He reached the door, groped for his key. He fumbled in his pockets, cursing. The key wasn't on his ring. And the door was locked.
Perhaps he'd dropped it now, dropped it on the floor. He stooped to feel around.
And his hand encountered the warmth of flesh. Flesh that was furry, but not furry enough. Flesh that wriggled through his fingers. The creatures had
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