Macabre ! (standard:horror, 1414 words)
Author: Michael Lance Kersting	Added: Mar 28 2006	Views/Reads: 3611/2327	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
I hadn’t heard from my wife in a forthnight , and I became worried, very worried, for it was out of character for her not to write weekly. She was a member of an Anthropological Society in the States , and was on an expedition in the Amazon to study the c

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I went downstairs to meet him . He was a short ,hispanic, middle aged ,
man in his fifties . He introduced himself as Pedro Amerez,of the 
Ministry of the Interior. We shook hands , and sat down in one of the 
booths in the lobby. 

I offered him a drink, but he refused, saying that he was still on duty,
that, maybe, some other time. 

“I think that I may be able to locate your wife.” he said pleasantly,
with a heavy Spanish accent . 

My hopes began to rise. 

“Yes?” I said excitedly. 

"Two weeks ago ,a trader reported having seen a red hair woman among the
tribe.“ 

My hopes sprang, maybe she was still alive! 

“Can you take me there?”I asked hopefully. 

He began shifting in his seat. 

“No !, no!, Senhor, you must not venture there. It will be very unwise,
and very dangerous, going into that area,these people,they are still 
primitive, and it's very risky, they trust but a few outsiders and hate 
the whites.” 

“So I understand, “ I said, “ I will pay anything to get her back” 

He raised his hands, “No! no ! senhor, no payment is necessary. I heard
of your plight , and thought that maybeI can be of help.”. 

He looked at his watch ,got up, and said “Well, senhor, I must be
going,I shall inform you of any new developments." 

We shook hands , and I told him I would appreciate his help very
much,that I was extremely worried about her safety,of course. 

He nodded and said” “I understand , Senhor, I love my wife, too.” 

I gave him my room number to call anytime. He turned, and left the
lobby, 

*** 

A week later, I got a call from Amerez. 

“I have some news for you, senhor , could you please come to my office
tomorrow?” 

I told him I would, and he gave me the address and hang up. 

Somehow I didn't like the tone of his voice. It sounded grave, ominous. 

*** 

Bright and early the next morning ,I arrived at the office and spoke to
the receptionist . She was a blonde in her forties, with an expression 
that would have frozen an Eskimo. Her green eyes were hard as glass and 
just as expressionless. 

I told her who I was . 

She told me in a surprisingly pleasant voice that Mr. Amerez was
expecting me. 

She got up and led me down a long corridor lined on either side by
polished mahogany doors. She stopped at a door marked with a brass 
plate“ P.AMEREZ, DISTRICT COMMISSIONER” in bold , gold letters. She 
knock,'A voice said to come in . She opened the door and waved me in . 

Amerez got up from his desk looking grave and solemn . He shook my hand
and beckoned me to sit in a straight back chair opposite him across the 
desk. 

"Mr. Matthews,I am afraid I have some bad news for you,'he said
solemnly. 

He pulled out a desk drawer, and placed a pearl necklace on the desk. 

'Do you recognise it?" He asked." I figured it was hers. She was wearing
it from the photograph posted" 

I gasped. Indeed, It was June's necklace that I gave her on our
twentieth anniversary. My heart skipped a beat as a cold chill ran 
through me. 

“Yes.” I replied, quite shaken, " Where did you find them?" I replied,
shocked and feeling a little numb. 

“ We found it ,among others , at a trading post , in the Amazon River,”
he explained. “ I am sorry, but I am afraid, she's dead, Mr Matthews,” 
He said ,avoiding my eyes. 

"But, but " I stammered, "Surely she could have misplaced it?" 

"No! no !,Senhor,I am afraid she is dead. We have positive proof, but I
think you should let that suffice, Mr. Matthews.” 

“Please,” I begged ," I must know," I felt tears welling up in my eyes
“If there is anything else, show me.” 

He hesitated for a moment, and said,” I rather not, Mr Matthews,” 

I insisted, becoming a bit angry at his reluctance. 

He sighed, and said, “If you insist.” 

He slowly took out another object from the drawer. It was wrapped in
black cloth. 

"It was found along with the necklace".He said quietly. 

He set the bundle down on the desk, got up, and left the room . 

"I will be in the hallway, be brave," He said, closing the door behind
him. I wondered what he meantby that? 

However,with trembling hands, I reached out, and began unwrapping the
bundle, a series of confused thoughts racing through my mind. 

I finally unwrapped it, and recoiled in horror, shock and disbelief, for
there before me, was a shrunken head, the size of a man's fist, with 
sewn-up lips and flaming red hair. 


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