Aftertaste & Other Stories: Horror That Lingers by Brett OReilly

Author:Brett OReilly [OReilly, Brett]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-05-29T16:00:00+00:00

The third tunnel was much longer than the second, though not quite as lengthy as the two-hundred-plus yards of the first. At the farther end, light filtered through a large opening in the rock wall on the right, what Jaime recalled from the second historical marker as being called ‘the window’. As the group drew closer, a chain-link fence came into view, spanning the length of the window and barring access to the gorge beyond. Brass and silver gleamed under their flashlights; padlocks were scattered among the chain links, left by unknown tourists.

“Why do people put these locks here?” Christine wondered aloud, bending down for a closer look. Unnoticed behind her, Jaime motioned dramatically to the others to move on. Which they did quietly, their faces lit with knowing grins.

Jaime stooped down beside Christine. “Well apparently, the idea is that couples put a lock on the fence together, then throw the keys into the gorge. The lock symbolizes their eternal love, while throwing away the keys is their commitment to each other.”

“Ohhh…” Christine crooned. “That’s so romantic!” She paused. “Wait a second. Did you bring a lock?” She eyed him suspiciously.

“No,” he said, fishing in his jeans pocket, past the key for his Yamaha. “But I did bring a key…” He pulled out a small brass key and held it under his flashlight beam, enjoying Christine’s confusion. Moving the beam to the fence, he sought and found his marker—a set of rusting handcuffs left by someone a little more adventurous perhaps, or someone with a sardonic sense of humor.

Three rows of chain link directly below, he found the small brass and nickel Masterlock exactly where he’d left it hours earlier. Slipping the key into the lock and twisting, he removed the lock from the fence and the diamond ring from the lock’s shackle.

“Christine?” Jaime took a knee before his stunned girlfriend, “Will you marry me?”

Christine gaped at him in the dim starlight filtering through the rock window, her flashlight forgotten. “Oh. My. God. Oh My God. OhmyGod. Yes. Yes. Yes!” She squealed and threw her arms around Jaime’s neck.

“So that’s a yes?”

Her eyes sought his in the faint light, fixing him with her famous, “You’re kidding me, right?” look. He smiled at her. “I love you, Christine.”

She smiled back. “I love you, Jaime.” They kissed deeply.

Jaime gently pushed her back. “Hold on. I haven’t put it on your finger yet.”

Christine made a strange high-pitched squeal that made Jaime want to take her in arms again. Summoning his will, he instead focused on not letting her see how much his hands were shaking as he slid the ring down the length of her finger. The gem managed to catch stray threads of starlight, making it sparkle. “Just like your eyes,” he said.

“Oh Jaime,” Christine teared up, as she studied the stone on her hand, “I love you so much.”

From the darkness, a slow clap began, and a shadow emerged. Jaime shone his flashlight over to reveal Blake, his face lit by a giant smile as he applauded.

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