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Just Another Left handed Sagittarian with M.S.

Behold Nicolas; I Bring You the Shadow Monsters

My name is Nicolas Mackintosh from the Clan Mackintosh i.e. origin 1179ad. Scotland. I am 89 years old and have lived in the town of Cornish, New Hampshire my whole life. I have some difficulty remembering when and how it all began. To the best of my recollection, I was about 5 years old when I had my first near encounter. It was a stormy night with the wind howling and windows rattling. My head was submerged under the bed covers, as I was too frightened to look and see what was lurking within the walls and ceilings of my bedroom. Children have always heard of the monsters that reside in the closets, but what I was about to experience was far more frightening than an ordinary closet monster. Being a Mackintosh and remembering my father’s stories of the mighty Scottish warriors gave me some comfort knowing that I too had that bloodline within me. Therefore, I should be able to protect myself from any intruders who should attempt to enter my bedroom. The wind was still howling and the thunder was roaring. I thought it best to remain tightly secured under the covers for the night. A brave sole for a five year old. I was proud of myself for not calling out for Mom or Dad. Well the night passed and morning came with the sunshine beaming thru the windows and life was good!

In December of that same year, I had my first actual encounter and sighting. I went to bed around 8:00pm that night which was the usual time for me to retire set forth by my parents. Once again, it was a stormy night and memories came back of that previous storm which had frightened me. I was to be a brave highlander and could take anything that the unknown wanted to present to me. Well the evening did not have much to offer, so I fell asleep not having the bed covers pulled over my head. I awoke a few hours later and decided to check things out. I glanced at the ceiling and saw a strange shape looming in the far corner of the room. It was clear and cloudy looking. The shadow appeared to be fluttering around the corner, which made it quite mysterious and frightening. Nothing fear I told myself! I kept gazing at the shadow as it grew and covered the entire ceiling. At that point, it was time to resume the protection of the bed covers. I was wondering what the shadow was developing into and still a bit frightened to look. After spending more time, reflecting on the situation I decided to empower my inner strength, peer over the covers, and face the shadow no matter what the consequences might be! As I looked over the covers, I saw the serpent’s head with fangs projecting out its open mouth and coming right towards my head!

Panic set in and filled every inch of my body! Just as I was about to scream out for help another shadow monster appeared! This shadow went as fast as a lightening bolt and headed right at the shadow monster that was about to take my head off! Crashed into it full force and destroyed it. I was too frightened to call out or do anything but just watch the events unfold. This second mysterious creature saved me! When things settled down and to my amazement, I was no longer frightened or intimidated. It appeared that I had a new friend. Who was this shadow monster and why did he save me? I named the Shadow Monster Fear Liath after an old legendary monster living in the Scottish Highlands. Fear Liath would remain with me for a lifetime. For a child of 5 years old this turned out to be a true blessing!

The house I grew up in was built around 1759. It was an old colonial, two stories and many fond memories. My family had built it and generations had lived here and died here.

I am the last of the family Mackintoshes. My father was Charles Mackintosh and his wife was Carrie Bell Chase, they were married October 31, 1914. They had a lasting and loving relationship.

I was the only child and regret not having any brothers or sisters to help me battle with the shadow monsters in my younger years. With the help of Fear Liath, I was able to battle all the shadow monsters that tried to frighten me, harm me, disillusion me and install fear.

Things remained relatively calm until I reached my teenage years when all hell broke out! At age seventeen, I was relaxing on my bed in the early evening, dust was setting in and the shadows were starting to appear on the ceiling. I was old enough and use to them that fear was no longer an issue? A black spot appeared on the center of the ceiling which looked quite evil, something that I had not seen before! For the first time in quite awhile I was feeling nervous and somewhat scared. The black spot started pulsating rapidly with no sense of reason or logic. I remained fixated on it. As in the past cases of the shadow monsters, they started to grow and take shape. Into what? I would soon find out. When inexpertly it started falling from the ceiling! It was a tarantulas, big black ugly and coming toward my body not slowing down, just being aggressive and unrelenting. At that point, I took a pee in my pj’s and that was not any fun. Where was Fear Liath and why was he not protecting me from this creature? Had he deserted me in this crucial time of need!

What was I to do now? Just fight this creature or battle it but how? Fear Liath has always been by my side until now. I started waving my arms at this creature but that did not do anything except to further antagonize it. As I was convulsing with fear and retreating under the covers, my savior appeared with a force filled with that of lightening and thunder! They battled on the ceiling above me with relentless aggressions towards each other. The tarantula showing its fangs, gripping onto Fear Liath neck, and thrashing about. Blood was emerging from his neck but he did not stop, he battled on. It seemed that the encounter lasted for hours. There was not anything that I could have done. O, how so I wanted too! In one fast-unrelented movement, Fear Liath put his mouth around the tarantula’s neck and ripped its head off. More blood kept flowing and the battle had been won! The spider and Fear Liath both disappeared from the ceiling. I was not able to sleep for the rest of the night.

Many more encounters with the shadow monsters kept happening over the years. I started wondering why these events should be occurring. Why are they happening within this particular household and why directed at me?

My parents were quite protective never mentioning circumstances of events that might have a detrimental effect on me. They were not aware of my newfound friends or enemies. I thought that this would be the appropriate time to do my own investigation and I was not sure as where to start? The only thought that occurred to me was that if any documents or newspaper articles existed they would be in the attic.

My great grandfather was a bit of a historian as I was told. I went into the attic and started looking for any information whether good or bad to help I put this situation into perspective. It seemed that no one had been in the attic for many years. Dust covered furniture, clothing, and boxes of papers, newspaper clippings and an assortment of everything else that is in most attics. Nick vaguely remembered his grandfather. He was a man with a lot of family pride. He once mentioned that of his past deceased nephew Austin Chase who served and died in the civil war.

I recalled overhearing one conversation where my grandfather mentioned that Austin had been plagued by dreams and nightmares his whole life. He did not articulate on it but seemed bothered in what he had to say. I sensed that he was holding back! Could it be that I was not the only one who was experiencing this strange phenomena! After hours of searching thru newspaper clippings, I found what I was looking for. Old myth regarding shadows, demons and monsters? It seems that the shadows are cast back into the light every 150 years and remain dormant not to remerge into darkness until their time has once come again. Well it appeared that the time had come once again when Austin had turned 5 years old and his life was about to change! He was chosen, I believe because of his birthday, lunar sign, and alignment of the stars and time of birth. To my amazement, I had the same as Austin Chase!

Folklore tales of the shadow monsters go back to ancient times and before that! The Master Shadow Monsters are given the right to choose whom they will haunt. They can choose how they will befriend, torment or haunt their chosen victims! I felt a sense of relief, confusion, paranoia, and all the other effects one would feel if they just realized that they were in for the fight of their life! One thing was certain; the shadow monsters reign of terror would only get worse as time went by unless I could find out how to stop them! The master shadow monster rules all the others and his name is Hengeyokai a shapeshifter is a common theme in folklore. It is when a being undergoes a transformation. Commonly the transformation is purposeful, and can be a curse or spell. In some folklore once the shapeshifter has transformed, it began to get harder and harder to change back to ones original form. Most shapeshifters change into an animal; they were believed to only be able to change into an animal, or person that they had seen. Hengeyokai was since the beginning of time and before it has been written and so, it shall be. A major battle was about to take place!

Nicolas’s parents had no idea what he was going thru but that also was about to change. Nicolas had just turned eighteen years old and was enjoying just about every aspect of his life. He had not mentioned the shadow monsters to anyone including his best friends. Nick believed that his friends would not take him serious and just joke around which he would not find amusing!

Nicolas’s first physical encounter took place on a Saturday night. He had just come home from a party at his friend’s house. It was around 2:00am. He settled in for the night and was planning to get good nights sleep. Nick had slept for about 2 hours when he awoke and sensed that something was not right! He glanced at the ceiling and once again saw those cloudy shadows in the corner. As in the past, Nick knew that an encounter was about to take place. The shadow grew larger until it was above him looking like it was ready to strike! This time there were two shadow monsters a (werewolf) Aztar & (master of the werewolf) Zatinda. The next thing Nick realized was that he was being thrown violently thru the air and crashed head first into the wall. He slid down to the floor in a complete dazed state of mind. Nick’s parent hearing all this turmoil came rushing upstairs to see what the commotion was. Both creatures disappeared as they all had done in the past. No sightings by anyone other than Nick.

His parents entered the room to find their son sprawled out on the floor knocked out. They called for an ambulance and Nick was transported to the hospital. No sign of Fear Liath his protector… Nicolas was admitted into the hospital for observation. After the initial evaluation, the doctors felt that it would be in the best interest of Nick if he remained in the hospital for an undisclosed period. During his stay in the hospital, Nick would only babble about monsters that were trying to get him! The doctors had a difficult time getting anything out of him except for his repetition of the monsters. Due to the severity of his injuries both mental and physical, the medical staff thought it would be in his best interest to bring in the police and psychologist to evaluate and report on extent of his injuries and mind. Psychologists started evaluating Nick and found him to be obsessed with the Shadow Monsters and Fear Liath as Nicolas referred to them. The police investigated and found no wrongdoing by his parents and or anyone else!

According to Nick, it all started back when he was 5 years old and has not stopped since. His parent were not aware of Fear Liath whom no one has seen other than Nick. Well, Nick was relentless in his belief of the shadow monsters and that of the existence of Fear Liath. Nick explained the origin of Fear Liath to the hospital administration and the police, which did little to convince anyone of his existence other than a newspaper article from Scotland, but Nickolas knew that they were real and not just living within his mind. Time went by, approximately five years when he was released from the institution. Nick never really had to heal because there was not anything wrong with him! He had to prove it to the disbelievers! His mother and father were supportive of their son whether it was through patronization or love but they remained his main support system! Nick arrived home and was a bit anxious about returning to this room where everything had happened and what might happen if he did? Nick was twenty-three years old when he returned home. A young man in the mist of turmoil and a lot questions to find answers too! Nothing happened for the next 10 years possibly because Fear Laith could have been protecting him or Nicolas was just plain lucky! Nick felt that his protector had abandoned him when Aztar and Zatindo violently attacked him causing him to land up in the hospital and spent five long years in the institution going under extensive therapy. He was mad at Fear Liath but all that would soon be forgiven.

Nicolas spent a lot of time putting all things into perspective but it was time to venture back into the world regardless of what had happened. Nick lost contact with most of his friends and started spending time in chat rooms on line hoping to find new acquaintances, which he needed. He met many new people to chat with never mentioning the shadow monsters; he kept that to himself for now. He was particularly fond of Sarah who has lived in the Virgin Islands for many years. She was about the same age as Nick and they started having quite a good time relating to each other. Nick felt good with this newfound friendship. They kept in contact for about a year when they decided to get together for their first look at each other. Nick would be traveling to the Islands within the next year.

Saturday night and going to bed fairly early to get a good nights sleep, Nick was about to be engaged into an altercation with his worst nightmare! Sleeping quite soundly Nick was awoken by hammering sounds on the ceiling above him. He peered over the covers and came face to face with Aztar & Zatinda! Panic once again set in not knowing what to do! This was Nick’s second meeting with them. The first encounter put Nick into the hospital and institution for a long period and he vowed that would not happen again! This time Fear Liath appeared from the corner of the ceiling looked down at Nick with this reassuring, assertive, confident gesture and attacked the pair with an unrelenting fury that Nick had never seen before. A furious battle had begun with both parities showing no signs of letting up until one or all of them were destroyed. It seemed like the confrontation lasted for hours. Zatinda was the first to be defeated by Fear Liath and disappeared from the ceiling never to return. Aztar was a wild furious beast looking to destroy Fear Liath with unrelenting determination. Fear Liath arm was ripped off and blood was flowing everywhere, but that did not stop Fear Liath’s determination to protect Nicolas. Fear Liath summoned up all his remaining strength. Charged Aztar and grabbed him by the throat, thrashed him around until Aztar was motionless, threw him against the wall using his remaining arm. Fear Liath impaled his chest and ripped out his heart! Fear Liath took the heart and ate it thus resurrecting the strength of the werewolf into the being of Fear Liath! Aztar disappeared from the room never to return. Nicolas at this point was wondering what had just happened! Fear Liath gave Nicolas a reassuring look and disappeared. Fear Liath most certainly was Nicolas’ protector and had proven it without a doubt! He said a prayer for his protector and thanked him with all is heart. Saved again from the shadow monsters! Nick was wondering for the next few weeks as to the events of that evening and putting all things into perspective as well as could be. Nick did not see Fear Liath again for some time.

Nick continued his on line dating with Sarah but still never mentioned the shadow monsters. He would be leaving to visit her next month and looking forward to it. Nick spent more time with his parents with no mention of the shadow monsters to them. He was not sure if they ever believed him or just thought that son was crazy! With all the commotion and fighting his parents never heard a word! Strange that his parents had never heard anything since all the battles and confrontations were loud as hell in Nick’s opinion.

Nick arrived at the airport set to go to the Virgin Islands. Very excited for this trip and finally meeting Sarah. Nick had just turned 43 years old and this was his first major excursion that he had taken. Nicolas landed at the airport and was greeted by Sarah with open arms. She was just as beautiful as he imaged. They settled in at her house, which happened to be right on the beach. They spent the next several days getting too known one another and Nicolas still never mentioned the shadow monsters. You could say it was love at first sight seeing they were continually gazing in each other’s eyes and forming a true bond. Sarah was working at a local restaurant as a host where she had been employed for several years. Nicolas had to return home the following week to settle some personnel, financial affairs and Sarah thought it would be nice to tag along with him, see where he grew up, and meet his parents. Sarah took a short leave of absence from her job and they started the trip home to Cornish, New Hampshire. Sarah had never seen New England before so she was quite excited. Early winter was just beginning and the duo was greeted with a welcome home mild snowstorm. They arrived at Nick’s house that Saturday afternoon and were welcomed with open arms by his parents. They enjoyed a nice dinner and sat around the fireplace afterwards getting to know their new possible daughter in law something that his parents warmly accepted. Nick had spoken to them while in St. Croix and had indicated she could be the one! Nick proposed to Sarah that week and life was looking better all the time in the Mackintosh clan. Sarah flew back to St. Croix the following week to prepare for her move to New England.

Tuesday night and up to now no further contact with the shadow monsters and Fear Liath. The evening was chilly and Nick bundled under the covers to sleep and reflect on his newly found happiness. He hadn’t thought to much about his past experiences with the shadow monsters but that was once again about to change! Pattering on the ceiling above him, rattling on the floor below him something was not right once again. Nick looked at the ceiling above and focused on the same familiar cloudy mark that had appeared many times before. When all of a sudden he was face to face with Hengeyokai the Master Shadow Monster. Frightened from not having seen this one before and being just stared at with those illuminating bright evil red eyes indicated that Nick was about to come face to face with an incredibly wicked shadow monster more intimidating than all the others!

Hengeyokai just stared at Nick for a long period with this piercing evil glance and then just disappeared as he had appeared. Fear Liath was not present at this encounter; he felt that Nick was not going to be engaged with any aggressive behavior at this point from Hengeyokai. What evil lurked within the eyes of this monster? Nick and Fear Liath would soon find out!

Nick was making new contacts for employment, which he needed to pursue for oblivious reasons. Getting married and having a wife required certain responsibilities other than living off his parents. Nick’s past history somewhat prevented him from working a full time job but he still had always tried maybe not using the vigger that he should had used. Nick decided to go visit some old friends that were living in central Vermont. One of his friends was working at Hale Furniture Company in Arlington, Vermont as a supervisor. Peter Bath met Nicolas at Hale Furniture Company for an interview. They caught up on what had been happening in their lives but no mention of the shadow monsters. It turns out that Nicolas was hired working in the spindle department. He was set to start work the following week. He called Sarah and told her the good news. Life was looking better and better! Nick tried calling his parents to give them the good news but the phone just rang with no answer! Nick was a bit worried, decided to cut his trip short and return home. He thanked Peter for his help and told him he would see him the following week to start work.

While Nick was away searching for employment his parents thought it would be nice to get him a new computer since the one he was using was very outdated. Charles and Carrie Bell purchased the computer and went into Nick’s bedroom to set it up. They knew that Nick would be very impressed with the new computer system since the old one was a dial up and the new one included a new larger screen. They had completed the installation and were ready for a test run. All systems were a go and the two of them turned it on. Panic set in as the screen opened up with Hengeyokai staring the two directly at their faces as big as life itself. The image of Hengeyokai was set in the middle of the screen and giving the illusion of Hengeyokai coming out to attack them, red devil evil eyes glowing and shooting fire balls at both Charles and Carrie Bell. It was too much for them to handle and they both went into cardiac arrest!

Nick arrived home that evening to find the police and ambulances at his house. He entered his home and was greeted by the police and E.M.T doctors. They informed Nick that his parents had both died of cardiac arrest at approximately the same time. Nick went immediately up to his bedroom where it all happened. He saw his parents both sitting in chairs next to the new computer, their bodies frozen as if fear was the culprit, their hair white and a lit up computer screen! Nick had as suspicion as to what had happened! His gut told him it was Hengeyokai.

Nick grieved for many hours that evening. His parents had never hurt anyone and if someone deserved to die, it was he. Nicolas laid his parents to rest at the Cornish cemetery where other members of his family had been buried over the years. The police investigation and autopsy report concluded that the cause of death was from cardiac arrest cause undetermined!

Sarah immediately moved to New England to be with Nick upon hearing the news of his parents. They got married at Holyoke Episcopal Church by the Reverend David Evans in a quite but very joyous and loving ceremony attended by a few of Nicolas’s friends and relatives also attending were family and friends of Sarah. The couple settled into the house that Nick grew up in and started their union as man and wife.

Nicolas and Sarah had just retired to bed, it was a chilly night and the both of them smuggled under the covers for a good night’s sleep. Nick had not seen the shadow monsters for some time, but it was always in the back of his mind as to when they will appear again, hopefully never! Nick fell sound asleep and Sarah was just thinking about her new life as Mrs. Sarah Mackintosh and liked the sound of it. A cold chill came over her as she was looking up at the ceiling. Nick had never mentioned the shadow monsters but Sarah would be getting her first introduction to Hengeyokai the Master Shadow Monster. A small cloud appeared in the corner of the room as usual and Sarah focused on it. The cloudy image started to move to the center of the room and increase in size! As the image reached the center of the room, Sarah was nervous and frightened. She should have woken Nick but did not. Hengeyokai the Master Shadow Monster appeared with full fury and vindictiveness! He portrayed images of all the past shadow monsters from over the centuries and directed them at Sarah. At this point Sarah slipped into a comatose stage of pure shock. She lapsed into a semi-unconscious state of mind. Hengeyokai had done what he intended to do and then vanished as he had appeared. Nick awoke later in the morning and tried to wake up Sarah but he could not. He looked down at Sarah’s face and saw an empty blank look and no movement. Nick knew what had happened! Hengeyokai had paid Sarah a visit!

Nick stroked Sarah’s head for a long period time and then decided to bring her to the hospital. She was semi-conscience and able to barely walk. Nick and Sarah arrived at the hospital and she was admitted for observation. It was determined that she suffered from a seizure caused by unknown circumstances. Nick knew the cause and was mad at Fear Liath for not saving Sarah in her time of need! Sarah was released from the hospital two weeks later and went home with Nick caring for her and a visiting nurse. Sarah passed on the following week from complications related to the seizure. She was laid to rest with Nicolas’s parents Carrie Bell and Charles. Nick was extremely distraught and depressed, as he truly loved Sarah with all his heart.

A final battle was about to begin with Nicolas, Fear Liath and Hengeyokai the Master Shadow Monster as the main combatants in the final confrontation between good and evil. Nick had not seen Hengeyokai for some time but knew that it was lurking in the shadows waiting to inflict more evil and chaos. It was just a matter of time before he would appear! I am hopeful that Fear Liath will help in resolving the matter of the complete destruction of Hengeyoka! It was clear now that Fear Liath was only present for the protection and welfare of Nick. Sunday was a stormy night and Nicolas retired early hoping to get this confrontation started and finished! Nicolas prayed to the Lord and asked for some divine intervention, as he feared that his comrade Fear Liath would not be able to handle Hengeyokai by himself. Three o’clock in the morning and that cloudy shadow appeared as it had in the past full of evil. This time it was Hengeyokai and not his soldiers. Hengeyokai appeared with looks of pure evil and hell directed at Nicolas with intentions and nothing but devastation to Nicolas and any others that should stand in his way. A rumbling in the ceiling and the battle was about to begin! Fear Liath appeared looking more powerful than ever, more confidant as Nick had ever seem him! He said some final prayers to the Lord and hoped for the best. Nicolas remembered his mother, father, Sarah and wanted revenge for what Hengeyokai had done to them. Taken away the people he so cherished and loved.

They started at opposite corners of the room and flew at lighting speed and crashed into one another, grabbing on to each other and started ripping at all parts of their bodies. Biting, scratching onto necks, arms, throats, legs and any other area’s of the body that could cause destruction or death! The thrashing lasted for hours when Hengeyokai made a final contact to the head and body of Fear Liath and sent him to the floor. As Nicolas was watching, it looked as thought it was the end for Fear Liath. Nicolas said one last prayer to the Lord for help! Fear Liath was losing the battle when a brilliant beam of light came down from the ceiling and transcended into the body of Fear Liath making him stronger and mightier than ever. Fear Liath rose from the floor in a fury, grabbed Hengeyokai swung him round and round, ripped of his wings, head, arms and all other parts of Hengeyokai’s body that enabled it and threw him into the ceiling above. A radiant beam of light came down from the heavens and struck Hengeyokai blowing him into a million pieces of burning debris. Hengeyokai vanished from the ceiling! The battle has been won! Nicolas praised Fear Liath and the Lord.

Nicolas still sees the shadow monsters but they are no longer a threat to him since Fear Liath had destroyed Hengeyokai the Master Shadow Monster!

Nicolas celebrated his 92 birthday with his close friends. He reflected on his life and found that regardless of the Shadow Monsters and the turmoil they caused, Nicolas had no regrets. He experienced true love with Sarah. His parents Charles and Carrie Bell Mackintosh were everything that he could have wished for. Fear Liath was Nick’s true friend, comrade and protector throughout his lifetime. Nicolas died the following year and was buried in the family cemetery.

At time of Nicolas’s death, Fear Liath departs as his mission has been completed. He transforms into stream of brilliant lights shooting into the heavens above and bursting into a bright rainbow signaling a final farewell to Nicolas as they both pass over to the other side.

The End

Epilog – " Children even though you cannot see the Shadow Monsters they do exist, so caution should prevail as you star gaze at the ceilings above you!"

Special thanks to John Norman Collie for the character of the Scottish Monster Fear Liath

Just Another Left Handed Sagittarian with M.S

All Contributions / Donations can be sent to your local Multiple Sclerosis Chapter

**** All Rights Reserved - James W. Horne – October 20, 2009. ***

DER CONSTRUCTION