Byron Starr - Doppelgänger

“She thinks it’s Bill,” James answered. He had seen this before, but from a different viewpoint.

“Sheriff Oates, I have some questions I’d like to ask you about the unsolved killings that have been going on in your county.” Jana asked the approaching beast. A few seconds passed then she asked, “Do you think it is a person doing these killings, and if so do you have any suspects?”

The beast was picking up speed toward her but still not hurrying.

“That’s not very comforting, Sheriff Oates. Don’t you think that it’s your job t…”

“Dear God,” Emilio said when the beast brutally tore into Jana. Even though James had seen this happen through the beast’s eyes the night before, he grimaced and turned his eyes away from the screen. The brutality of Jana’s death apparently even got to Sam and Bill. Sam uttered, “Jesus,” at the same time Bill said, “Damn,” in a barely audible voice.

When the beast pounced on Bob, the camera dropped to the ground. They were treated to a staticky upside-down shot of the back of the gas station accompanied by gross, wet sounds as the beast took savage bites out of its newest prey.

When the scene was over, they rewound it to the picture of the beast when it first stepped out of the shadows. This was the best shot of the beast. Sam hit pause.

At first no one spoke. They all sat in silence, staring at the horrible beast on the screen before them.

James broke the silence. In a dream-like voice, he said, “It goes in their mind… it goes in their mind and makes them see someone or something they’re comfortable with. Then it walks right up and kills them. But the changing is all done in its victim’s mind.”

“In other words, it doesn’t change itself,” Sam helped out. “It changes how you perceive it.”

“Yeah,” James said, still dreamily staring at the vile-looking creature on the TV screen.

“Well, how’s this going to help us?” Emilio asked. “I mean, does it really matter how it disguises itself.”

Sam now had his eyes closed and was rubbing his temples. “At least we now have concrete proof that something is out there that’s not exactly normal,” he said, “It’s up to you, Bill, but I say it’s time to let the boys know what they’re dealing with. I know it risks an information leak, but I think it’s a risk we’ve got to take.”

“I agree,” Bill said. “But, I don’t think we should tell them about James' dreams just yet.”

“Why not?” Sam asked.

“Well, this tape is gonna be hard enough for them to believe. If we try to tell them that we’ve got ourselves some sorta psychic helpin’ us out, it may be too much for them to swallow. Besides, I don’t see where letting them know about James would help us any.”

“Sounds good to me,” Sam said.

“And I think James needs to start stayin’ up here with us. That way the next time he has one of his dreams there will be less of a delay before we can act on it.” Bill looked at James. “And, son, you may turn out to be too much of an asset not to have under protection.”

James couldn’t help but wonder if he was under protection or under observation.

It was one o’clock in the afternoon before everyone from the various law enforcement branches operating in Newton County were assembled in the squad room of the Newton County Law Enforcement Center. Bill was the only law enforcement personnel not present. He was on patrol, so all of his deputies could be present. The squad room would have been small for a meeting with just the original deputies, police officers, and game wardens. But now that the current crisis had almost doubled the law enforcement personnel operating in the county, it was practically shoulder-to-shoulder. To make sure everyone could see the small TV screen, Sam resorted to a technique that would be quite familiar to elementary teachers who had shown films to crowded classes: Sam had the first few rows of officers sit on the floor, the intermediate rows sit in chairs, and the last few rows stand.

Sam stood with one arm propped on top of the television, his big fingers slowly drumming on the top of the TV. He waited until everyone was settled. When he finally spoke, there was a stern seriousness in his voice. It was the voice of a hardened United States Marine Corps officer. “Before we get started I want to get one thing absolutely clear: nothing that is seen or heard in this room today is to leave this room. No exceptions. You are not to talk to your wives about it, you are not to talk to your parents about it, you are not to talk to your children about it, and you certainly will not talk to the media about it.”

Sam stopped to let what he had said sink in. Then he restarted in the same tone. “You’ve all been aware that something out of the ordinary has been going on in the area. All of you have — or should have — read the case reports, and most of you have been to one or more of the crime scenes. As you are aware, the strange tracks around the bodies and the half-eaten condition of the bodies has led us to believe that we were dealing with some sort of animal. However, this animal has all too often made its way into houses through locked doors. Stranger yet, many of these killings took place right in the front doorway, as if the animal had somehow convinced its victims to open the door and let it in.”

Sam reached and pulled a small cup of water from behind the TV and took a drink. He then replaced the cup and continued. “As you already know, last night our killer struck again, killing a reporter and her cameraman. As it turns out, the cameraman was filming when the creature attacked.”

Sam flicked the light-switch and pressed play on the VCR. “I think the video will speak for itself.”

The gathered officers watched as Current Edition reporter, Jana Parish, slowly walked around the corner of the building. They then watched as Jana and Bob approached the garbage cans beside the storage building. When the black cat made its hasty exit from one of the garbage cans, about half of the officers jumped, causing a small round of laughter that quickly tapered off when Sam put a finger to his lips. They continued to watch as Jana and Bob walked back to the building.

Then the beast stepped from around the corner. A startled murmur passed through the audience. When the beast stepped from the shadows, the murmur grew louder, almost drowning out Jana’s one-sided interview with the approaching beast. But when the beast made its gruesome assault on the reporter a hush fell on the room, one could’ve heard a pin drop. This silence continued on until Sam pressed stop, right after the beast attacked Bob.

Sam started rewinding the tape.

“Captain Jones, do you… ” one of the highway patrol officers started, but was interrupted by Sam.

“I’m not finished. I’ll answer questions when I’m through.”

Sam rewound the tape to the clear picture of the beast when it stepped out from the shadows.

“Notice that Mrs. Parish, as well as her cameraman, thought they were being approached by Sheriff Oates. Apparently, this beast makes people believe it’s something that it’s not. That way it can take its prey off guard. It also explains why so many of the victims seemed to have unlocked their doors to let this beast in. But that’s not the most disturbing thing about this video. Pay close attention is what Mrs. Parish says to say this creature. Watch and listen.”

Sam pressed play and the audience sat in silent wonder as Jana calmly interviewed the approaching beast. Sam pressed pause just as the beast started its swing.

Sam started up again in his lecture hall/marine officer combination voice. “The first thing she says to the creature she seems to think is Sheriff Oates sounds like a typical opening for a reporter, and the next thing she says also sounds like a canned question. But, the third question is different.”