Twisted Endings: 5 Disturbing Stories Read Online Free

they're on fire.”
    “Don't worry,” David said, “the soap chemicals can have that effect. Trust me, I know. The itching sensation shouldn’t last more than a couple of minutes.”
    Mark shook his head. “You still haven’t told me how you got started in this business,” he reminded Johnson.
    “Give me one more chance,” Johnson pleaded. “It will all come together.”
     
     
     
    “WHERE HAVE you been, Petey? I was afraid I’d to have to have some fun without you.” Joseph picked up a small stone and threw it at a beer bottle near the bottom of the sand hill, missing by several feet.
    Petey didn't answer at first. He climbed the hill like an eager ant and sat next to Joseph. “Do ya do bad things to people?”
    Joseph sat still. “What do you think?”
    “No.” Petey stared at his feet.
    “Okay then,” Joseph reassured him.
    “My Pa does, though.” He kicked the sand in front of him, then shielded his eyes when tiny specks flew back into his face.
    “I know.”
    “Ya know?”
    “Yes. But not for much longer.” Joseph picked up another stone and threw it as hard as he could.
    “But why were ya lookin’ at them papers?”
    Joseph stopped and put an arm around Petey. “There are a lot of people who do bad things. I'm here to try to fix that.”
    “But how?”
    Joseph gave him a thoughtful glance. He reached for his suitcase and placed it next to him. “By cleaning up the neighborhood.” He opened the suitcase, disappeared behind it, and pulled out a square object.
    Petey chuckled. “With soap?”
    “Can you think of a better way to get clean?”
    “I spose not.” Petey reached for the enticing bar in Joseph's hand.
    Joseph yanked his hand away. “No, Petey. You must never touch this soap. Not without gloves.”
    Petey slid a couple of inches away. “Sorry. Is it expensive?"
    “No, no, nothing like that. Listen, can you help me again tomorrow? It'll be the last time.”
    “You leavin’?”
    “Not for a few more days, but tomorrow I'll be going back to some of the places we’ve already been. Got some unfinished business to take care of.”
    Petey shrugged. “Okay.”
    Joseph smiled, picked up one last stone, threw it at the bottle below, and watched the glass shatter into a million pieces.
    Early the next morning, Joseph walked to Petey's house with a noisy suitcase. Several glass jars clanged against each other inside of it.
    Petey ran to him. “Mr. Walker! Somethin' s the matter with my pa! He don't look so good!”
    “I know.”
    “It’s his skin. Somethin’s wrong. I don’t know what to do. He's mad as a hornet's nest!”
    “It'll all be over soon. Wait here. I'll take care of him.”
    Joseph walked into the house to find Petey's father lying on the couch. He was covered in moist cloths from head to toe. “Good day, Sir.”
    He looked up. “What have ya done to me?” He tried to stand. The cloth covering his chest fell off. Drops of blood seeped through his skin and dripped like gooey slime to the floor.
    Joseph was silent.
    “Why don't ya answer me?!”
    Joseph waited a moment. “I know what you are. I know what you do to your child. To your neighbors' children. And God knows who else.” He paused for a moment then sat in the rocking chair across from the man.
    “What? What ya talkin’ ‘bout?”
    “I had a drink in Cone Valley a few days ago. Ran into an old friend of yours. Bob Daly. Funny thing, a drunk man will tell you everything you want to know.”
    “Good for ya! Gonna help me or not?”
    Joseph stared at him, deep in thought. “There is one thing. Have you heard the parable of bitter water?”
    The man shook his head.
    “Of course not. That would require reading.” The man opened his mouth but Joseph held out his hand. “A woman drinks this ‘bitter water’ when her husband suspects her of adultery. If the woman is innocent, she conceives a beautiful child from her husband. If not, her belly blows up and she dies. If the woman accepts a divorce,