Work Text:
The Magnus Institute
Official Statement File
To be stored in the Archives
Statement of: Amanda Poole
Regarding: A strange encounter outside of a Grifter's Bone Concert
Location: The Achoron
Date of Incident: July 15th 2014
Statement Given: July 18th 2014
Contact Information;
Phone Number: xxx-xxx-xxxx
Email: [email protected]
My younger brother, Tom, has always searched for adventure wherever he could find it. When he was a child he would constantly watch movies and plays, finding his adventures from the characters on the screen. As he grew older he began to find a large part of his joy and adventure through concerts. He would go to any concert he could find, the less people that knew about the band the more excited he seemed to be about the concert.
I was always his chauffeur, even as he got older, his ride to the concerts and home again. He would enjoy the concert and fill his endless need for adventure while I sat outside in my car reading a book, or drawing.
There was this pub that he loved to go to when searching for new bands, called The Achoron. It held weekly open mic nights where bands could play their sets for a nice crowd. He was probably the pub’s best customer with how often he went for the concerts.
I took Tom to see the concerts there almost every Friday. This past Friday was no different, I took him to the concert and waited outside for it to finish.
I couldn't hear the music from where I sat in my car, though that wasn't abnormal.
I watched as people entered, excited for the weekly concert as always.
My brother texted me as the band started and told me the band playing was “Grifter's Bone”. He sounded excited, I faintly remember our grandfather telling us of a legend of Grifter's Bone when we were younger, though the story seemed to change constantly. One day Grifter's Bone was a single man and a few weeks later he had a band with him.
I never put too much faith in the story, just assuming he was mixing up his concerts, or legends. He was old, it wouldn't have surprised me if most of his stories were misremembered.
I told him to enjoy the concert and got to reading my book.
Once I finished my book I checked the time, almost two hours had passed. I looked up at the doors to The Achoron and around the parking lot, however the doors were still closed and no one had left yet.
I watched the doors for people leaving. You never knew how long these concerts would go so it wasn't all too strange that it was still on going. Even if it had been finished and people had been leaving, the lack of Tom wouldn't be too strange, as he had a tendency to stay back and chat to people for ages before he left. I don't know why I kept such a keen watch of the doors, usually if I finished my book early I would switch to drawing something in my sketchbook while I waited for Tom to emerge.
I don't know how long I spent watching the doors for Tom’s exit, or anyone's exit really.
I do however know that the person I saw leave the pub was wrong. He was absolutely covered in blood. His hair seemed to be brown under the blood that soaked it.
His eyes were the worst.
They weren't there.
They were bloodied sockets, empty sockets filled with and oozing blood.
The blood seemed endless.
His clothes were soaked in blood, it was as if he had bathed in it.
He seemed to walk with purpose, though he stumbled a bit over unseen obstacles.
He turned towards me and I swear if he had eyes he would have been looking right at me.
Despite his lack of eyes and the blood that soaked his being he was smiling.
I stared into his eyeless sockets for a moment, watching as the blood poured from them before he began to walk away.
I wanted to help him. I did. However, there was some part of me, a large and loud part of me screaming danger as I looked at him and his eyeless sockets stared back at me. I was frozen in my seat, I couldn't move, couldn't force myself to get out and offer him help.
As he left I grabbed my sketchbook. I don't know why but I felt it was important that I drew the man I saw. I’ll leave the drawing here with you. It seems to stare at me as he did, even without eyes. It's terrifying.
I left as soon as I finished the base sketch.
Tom still hadn't left.
I think I knew what happened to him without having to see it.
Tom died in that pub at that concert.
He died listening to the band of legend.
He died after one final adventure.
I didn't look in the Achoron to see if he was there. I couldn't. With how much blood had soaked the man's body I knew the chances that Tom had lived through the concerts were low.
He hasn't returned home.
I don't think he ever will.
My brother is dead.
He died at a concert experiencing one final adventure while I did as I always did and sat outside in my car. I can't help but be glad that I turned down his offer to join him. He always offered to save me a seat. I always declined.
I wish I had gone on one of his adventures with him, however I am glad that this isn't one I attended.
Maybe I’m selfish for saying that.
I’m sure that the blood soaked man survived. He may be the only one who can answer the questions about Grifter's Bone and the legend that surrounds it.
I won't be the one to ask him what's true and what isn't.
There is something wild and wrong about that man. I pity whoever runs into him next, they won’t survive, not against something as wild as him.