Story: The Holder of Psychedelia

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The following is an original short story written as an entry to the now-dead 'Holders' Series, a 2007 horror web-project consisting of publicly submitted short stories. Most stories are structured as detailed instructions to obtain all-powerful 'Objects'. The overall premise is this:

In any city, in any country, there's a mental institution or halfway house you can try any of these in. There were 2538 of these Objects, but 2000 were lost.

The remaining 538 must never come together. Ever.

Enjoy! 

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 "The Holder of Psychedelia"

In any country, in any city, go to any lonely alleyway, where no natural or city lights can penetrate the dark shadows. Walk in. After a while, you would be met with a large concrete wall; a dead end, where a hooded figure casually rests. It seems completely indifferent to the world, looking down at the ground, as smoke escapes its mouth.

Go up to the figure and ask them to take you to the one who calls himself “The Holder of Psychedelia”. They will not react at all initially, acting as if they heard nothing. Then, wait. Wait in front of the figure, until it is 4:20 A.M. You may have to wait until the next day, but do not move from where you stand. Finally, when your watch strikes 4:20, the hooded figure will stand up straight, and take one final puff of the blunt in its hand. If it does not do so, RUN. Run as fast as you can, and don’t look back, for you would rather prefer death than seeing the hideous form that the being behind you has taken. Never come back.

If not, the smoke emanating from the being will completely engulf you. You will find yourself in a white, empty, infinite void, floating weightlessly. You will feel euphoria intense enough to make you forget your goal, but your focus mustn’t waver. The most guttural screams and coughs will fill your ears, coming from all directions, but you won’t see anyone.

Soon, a cloud of smoke will appear, faintly glowing in the distance. Try to reach this cloud as soon as possible. It may seem as if you are not going anywhere, but you must remain determined. If your pace or sense of judgment falters even in the slightest, you will spend the rest of eternity in this void, never to experience emotion again, hoping that death is merciful enough to eventually embrace you.

If you are successful in reaching this cloud, you will see a transient figure in the form of a man. Middle-aged, bald, wearing a tattered black jacket, and a black hat on his head. Constant coughing has reduced his once-healthy body to a miserable one, and his rasping breaths send a chill down your spine. All his teeth have rotted, and black tar seems to come out of his mouth constantly.

Walk close to him, and put your hand on his shoulder. Pray that he does not take his hat off, and if he does, know that your quest was destined to fail. All you can do then is pray for a swift and painless death.

If not, consider yourself lucky. In your softest tone, ask him the only question he responds to.

“Why can’t they overcome?”

He will look up at you, and you will feel the effect of every drug in existence, all at once. Your veins will flow with every narcotic known to man, in amounts no mortal can handle. You will feel every emotion that these drugs send you through – euphoria, anger, sadness, depression, pity, suicidal tendencies – but your brain won’t go numb and let you get away from it. You will feel the arteries in your heart stop, every organ in your body degrade with cancer, your blood slowly turn darker and darker until your veins appear black, and your limbs begin to necrose. You will feel the pain of every mortal who lost their lives to drugs in recorded history. But you won’t die.

If you are one of strong will, and are somehow able to maintain your sanity, all this torture will soon stop. You will open your eyes to find yourself back in the alleyway where you were. In your hand is a small transparent plastic bag, with the most exquisite blue crystals inside, shining like diamonds. Strangely, it will never run out.

This bag of methamphetamine crystals is Object 546 of 538. Do you dare to join them?

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