Ernest, or Ernie to his close friends, was a banker. It all started when a tattoo appeared inexplicably on his left forearm. It read 9304. He had a gut instinct that this represented a date. If it was a date, it was in 2 months, but Ernie disregarded the tattoo completely. It was then that Anthony Carlov's book hit the shelves.
As Ernie read the summary of the book in the Times, he gave a shriek of horror. The man in the book had a tattoo. 9304. He immediately sought out the author. When he found him in his small apartment, Ernie consulted him about his tattoo. The author took an unusual interest in his predicament, seeing as Ernie could have had the tattoo done at any of the local parlors. Ernie was surprised at the lack of distrust, but he didn't question Anthony any further.
"A threatening letter arrived at Josh's door," read Ernie. He checked his mail and ripped open a suspicious letter.
YOU WILL BE TAUGHT A LESSON AT THAT TIME
It was written with magazine cutouts just like those in horror movies. Ernie chuckled silently to himself at the notion of being in a horror movie.
Weeks went by and Ernie got wrapped up in his work. He had taken three days off since his encounter with the tattoo and Anthony, and he had a lofty pile of work built up for him. He didn't dare tell any of his coworkers about his paranoia. He didn't have enough time to be investigating strange tattoos. Until one Saturday, when the book caught his eye.
"And Josh saw the assailant," Ernie drank in. It was a typical Monday, and Ernie made his daily walk to work. At the cross walk, all were wearing black. Except one, in a torn up white shirt. "He had an ax raised over his head, yet nobody even raised an eyebrow to him. It was strange. I never saw him move, but he seemed to be everywhere. Even the security guard at work found no problem with his ax."
Ernie went home scared and alone. It was one week before the assumed date. Ernie decided it was time for another chat with the author.
"So, what happens to Josh in the end of your book, Anthony?" queried Ernie.
"You will just have to read to the end, won't you Ernest?" Anthony had never given straight answers to Ernie, but this was the worst.
"Three days until 9304" Ernie muttered to himself. He started reading again.
"'The second contact,' thought Josh." Ernie got another letter, in the same fashion as the first. It read "There is no escape". Ernie started to panic. This book had proved its veracity and he read the next chapter with fear.
"Meet me where men once passed, where none dare trespass." Ernie had one day to solve this mystery, and figure out a way to stop the threat. The old arcade building was the first place about no trespassing that came to Ernie's mind, but how did men pass there? The video games! People died in the video games! There are constantly police officers around that area, so that could play to Ernie's advantage.
Ernie arrived there, and apparently at the right time. There in front of him, on 9304, stood the ax man. He did not move until Ernie gave a desperate call for the police. None came and the ax man's face broke into a hideous smile from the confines of his stringy, greasy hair. He slowly advanced on Ernie, his devilish grin widening. There was nothing in the scarred face but pure malice. This man knew nothing but hate. Ernie gave a whimper of fear when the raspy line escaped the chapped lips of the hideous creature.
"The time has finally come," said the chorus of screeching violins that was his voice. As he approached, Ernie shrank into the shadows. He then hit solid wall. He went into a panic, expecting the worst. He was so scared that his feet had seemingly melted into the cement of the floor. He wouldn't have been able to run, even if his petrified mind had given the command. Ernie yelled at the ax man.
"What did I ever do to deserve this treatment? What have I done to you? What do you want from me? Do you want money? I can pay you!" To the ax man this was but a jumble of words. His only response was the return of the horrid smile that made the hairs stick up on the back of Ernie's neck. Nothing, not even his bribes, would stop the man from performing his task now. This hit Ernie like a bullet to the heart. He suddenly knew that his words were but distractions to the ax man.
The ax man's smile continued to widen, grotesquely so. This continued in an eerie silence for a few minutes, until the he decided that Ernie had had enough time. There was nothing to stop him now. He raised his deathly blade over his head, slicing cleanly through Ernie's left arm, at the elbow. Ernie was so panic-stricken that he didn't even scream. Blood poured freely from Ernie's wound, and he began to become lightheaded. The last thing he heard before fainting both with fear and blood loss was the ax mans indescribable voice. "It is done." This preceded the ax man's sudden disappearance.
Ernie awoke in a hospital bed, and immediately demanded of the closest nurse a copy of Anthony Carlov's book. She had never heard of it. Typical youth, no interest in literature, he thought. He then thought of his assailant, and the possible capture of him.
"Where is the man who did this to me?" he asked.
"Sir," she replied in a measured voice. "You did this to yourself."