50+ horror short stories (COMPLETED!)

Corrupted City

Dante collapsed into the booth across from Ash."You're late." Ash said, feigning more annoyance than he really felt. Dante looked tired. Dark circles and pale skin, he was fitting the stereotype of someone that should have been asleep. But he was also a poor twenty something, therefore he couldn't cancel free food."You weren't even sure you could make it." Dante countered, downing the soda that Ash had ordered for him. It was flat, but the caffeine had an immediate effect."Things might be getting easier. I have a new case that I can claim I'm working on. All I have to do is ask you if you've heard about missing people." Ash said, absently stirring his coffee."No missing people," Dante said, "Just missing drugs."

Ash stopped stirring "Since when are you in the drug trade?""Last week I guess. Val didn't know about it. It wasn't even protected by us.""Where it go missing?""Just outside town. The guy they found was stoned out of his mind, had no idea what happened. And now he's sleeping with the piggies.""Cause that has to be healthy for the pigs." Ash said, "How much are we talking?""Angel wouldn't give a number. I don't think he really knows.""Numbers aren't his thing, I guess.""They aren't."The food arrived, per usual, Ash had ordered for Dante before he arrived, and he dug in Ash crinkled his nose. 

There was a strange smell in the diner he noticed sometimes. It wasn't unpleasant, just... out of place. Dante never commented on it."So you'll tell me if drugs suddenly show up on the radar, right? I tell you about missing people, you tell me about drugs?""That's not how this is supposed to work.""They'll find out. They have plenty of contacts with the cops. But if I find first I get bonus points."Ash shook his head, "Am I helping you become my arch nemesis and just don't realize it?""Look, the only way we screw up is if I make a screw up. 

Val's too good for it to happen naturally. He sees things coming down the line that the rest of us never consider.""Does he know you're my CI?" a note of concern in Ash's voice. Dante shrugged noncommittally, "He knows I'm talking to someone on the force. And not someone already dirty because they'd have come to him.""He told you this?""Not in so many words. It's almost impossible to get something past him. I assume he wants it to work for him.""Like finding out where his missing drugs are.""Precisely." Dante said, already finished with his burger even with talking, "which is why I want any protection granted to me to also be granted to him. At least an offer."Ash sighed as they retreaded old ground, "Really? You think he'd take an offer?""I think he's pragmatic enough that if you have solid evidence he'll fold rather than go to prison.""He should go to prison. He's done terrible things. I could name a dozen murders off the top of my head.""Suspected.""We know he did them and even a single murder is a life sentence."

"Just think about it. He's not as bad as you think.""Dante, I know you don't have much in the way of family. I know Val has been one of the few people you've been willing to trust, but more likely or not, he's going down for everything. It's widely known that he's the real power behind the Cavaliers, that without him Angel would still be an enforcer for some other gang."Dante refused to meet his eyes, "I guess. But I just want it on the table. Maybe I won't have to watch my back forever if you set him up in a nice life.""I can't make any promises."

"I know that." Dante said, "you aren't working Cavalier cases any more.""Be careful though." Ash said, "I don't want you on my conscious.""It's nothing. The benefit of Val knowing is I can always say it was his idea."Ash laughed a little, that would be taking a page right out of Val's book, "True.""You're worried this all has been Val's idea, aren't you?""It's crossed my mind.""This is all me. Val said I need to figure out my own way to lead. And this is it." Dante said, finishing off his burger."Are you bleeding?" Ash asked.Dante followed his gaze and realized he was in fact bleeding from a cut on his hand. He stared at it with lack of comprehension for a moment."What did you cut yourself on? You aren't even using a knife."Dante shook his head, "There was broken glass at Leon's. Jack knocked something over. I must have cut myself then.""And you didn't notice until I told you?""I haven't slept yet." 

Dante replied, "I should go home and get on that.""I don't even have a car. It has a first aid kit." Ash said, waving down the waitress."It's fine. I've clearly been bleeding for awhile now and I haven't died yet.""Yeah, no. That's not how this works." Ash said.