For Thee, Bands of Red
It's scratching, now, just outside the elevator door...45 total reviews
Comment from Narvik
The king of the horror story strikes again. And another runaway contest winner.
I pride myself at not being scared easily, but I actually felt a twinge of trepidation here.
I've never gotten into horror much, but your stories are actually getting me interested. It seems to take a whole different approach to writing than other genres.
Anyway, stellar write--one of the best I've seen here--and well worthy of the contest win.
~ Jack the Ripper
reply by the author on 22-Jun-2014
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The king of the horror story strikes again. And another runaway contest winner.
I pride myself at not being scared easily, but I actually felt a twinge of trepidation here.
I've never gotten into horror much, but your stories are actually getting me interested. It seems to take a whole different approach to writing than other genres.
Anyway, stellar write--one of the best I've seen here--and well worthy of the contest win.
~ Jack the Ripper
Comment Written 22-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 22-Jun-2014
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Thank you Rip, and I was wondering why this story was starting to receive reviews once again. After our correspondence, I now understand why.
I truly appreciate the excellent review and rating. And you're right, the horror genre requires an entirely different approach to writing stories. However, if we write about what scares us on a personal level, we can't go wrong. If we can somehow transfer those feelings of dread from our brain-pans, to the written word upon a page, then half the battle is already accomplished. The rest is up to those who care enough to read what we've written as to whether or not we've succeeded.
I'd love to see you try it sometime, Jack. I'd almost bet you money it would be a hit.
Thanks again, my friend.
Comment from thedreampeddler
Okay, there it is, my last six star. You are one excellent story teller, Mr Kuch. You have imagination, mad writing skills, and style. I am a fan.
thedreampeddler
reply by the author on 19-Jun-2014
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Okay, there it is, my last six star. You are one excellent story teller, Mr Kuch. You have imagination, mad writing skills, and style. I am a fan.
thedreampeddler
Comment Written 18-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 19-Jun-2014
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Well, thanks very much, thedreampeddler, that is very kind of you to say. I'd be honored to have you as a fan; on my twisted, roller coaster ride to the netherworld and beyond.
Thanks for your fantastic rating & review!
Comment from Muffins
Electrifying, terrifying that's making me go reek and I'm reading this in the middle of the day on crowded public transportation! Hello, Mr. King move over.
The slow dip, dip facts concerning the doctor's son and the true nature of the security guard put a yummy, oh, no point to the ending. For a minute, I thought this was going to be a happy ending then I remember, I'm reading a Dean Kuch's story. And this time I have a six star rating left. I'm doing my best to hold on to them until I come across unbelievable work like" For Thee, Bands of Red.
reply by the author on 04-Jun-2014
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Electrifying, terrifying that's making me go reek and I'm reading this in the middle of the day on crowded public transportation! Hello, Mr. King move over.
The slow dip, dip facts concerning the doctor's son and the true nature of the security guard put a yummy, oh, no point to the ending. For a minute, I thought this was going to be a happy ending then I remember, I'm reading a Dean Kuch's story. And this time I have a six star rating left. I'm doing my best to hold on to them until I come across unbelievable work like" For Thee, Bands of Red.
Comment Written 04-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 04-Jun-2014
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Thanks, Muffins, what a wonderfully complimentary review this is! You have me blushing here, but it's a nice, warm feeling, LOL.
Any time someone makes a reference to my favorite author, Stephen King, to my work, it makes writing that much more pleasurable, and I already enjoy doing it immensely.
Thanks so much again, Muffins, for your wonderful review, my friend. You've made my day!
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I'm so glad and have a great weekend.
Comment from Selina Stambi
Another very worthy win, oh, master of horror! You had me holding my breath from time to time, Dean.
Well done, sir! Congratulations!!
Sonali
man in a security guard(')s uniform he'd
wasn't making (its) way to that portion
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2014
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Another very worthy win, oh, master of horror! You had me holding my breath from time to time, Dean.
Well done, sir! Congratulations!!
Sonali
man in a security guard(')s uniform he'd
wasn't making (its) way to that portion
Comment Written 03-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2014
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Thanks a bunch, Reach. I really appreciate the review, and for pointing out those errors for me.
Comment from pafaust
Very well written with excellent description. I could feel how frustrated he was with his coworker and I could see the phone smashing. Sorry to hear Larry was to blame, but that was an interesting twist.
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2014
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Very well written with excellent description. I could feel how frustrated he was with his coworker and I could see the phone smashing. Sorry to hear Larry was to blame, but that was an interesting twist.
Comment Written 03-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2014
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Thanks so much for your kind and encouraging review, pafaust. Much obliged!
Comment from Michaelk
I have chills from reading this. Once again you have spun a wonder tale of horror. Your descriptions were great, details were entrancing, and the terror you've inflicted on my poor, innocent brain was intense. Excellent story.
reply by the author on 03-Jun-2014
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I have chills from reading this. Once again you have spun a wonder tale of horror. Your descriptions were great, details were entrancing, and the terror you've inflicted on my poor, innocent brain was intense. Excellent story.
Comment Written 03-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 03-Jun-2014
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Terror on the brain, that's what it's all about, Michalek. I'm really glad you enjoyed the story, but more than that, I'm happy it sent you shivering, heh-heh...
Thanks a bunch!
Comment from Writingfundimension
This is just superb, Dean. Wow, the psychological unraveling of Doctor Weisman's sanity was pitch perfect. Add to that the fact the ghosts were expecting him to fix the mess by begging and harassing him, makes it all the more horrific for me. I am not at all surprised this one won the contest... it's terrific. :) Bev
reply by the author on 03-Jun-2014
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This is just superb, Dean. Wow, the psychological unraveling of Doctor Weisman's sanity was pitch perfect. Add to that the fact the ghosts were expecting him to fix the mess by begging and harassing him, makes it all the more horrific for me. I am not at all surprised this one won the contest... it's terrific. :) Bev
Comment Written 02-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 03-Jun-2014
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Wow, coming form a fellow horror aficionado whose work I truly admire, I take this as the highest of compliments!
Thanks, Bev...you made my day!
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You're most welcome, Dean!
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:>}
Comment from acerisestory
Wow! This was a scary tale of horror. The smells, sounds, etc., all lent to make it a really good story. Was the final (removed) picture the clincher? I think someone asked if the doctor died. I wonder myself. Maybe you are saving that for the next chapter (?) Thanks for sharing. Alana
reply by the author on 02-Jun-2014
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Wow! This was a scary tale of horror. The smells, sounds, etc., all lent to make it a really good story. Was the final (removed) picture the clincher? I think someone asked if the doctor died. I wonder myself. Maybe you are saving that for the next chapter (?) Thanks for sharing. Alana
Comment Written 02-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 02-Jun-2014
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Oops! Sorry about that picture, acerisestroy. Somehow I inadvertently deleted it. It's back on now.
As for the good doctor, well, I'll leave that up to the readers to decide. In my mind, the real security guard came in that morning and found the doctor blubbering and drooling away, curled up in a fetal position in the elevator. And around his wrist is a single red band, the band with his son's name on it.
Thanks for the excellent review!
Comment from Dawn Munro
One of my assignments took me to a clinic that housed, among many other vital research experiments, a storage facility for expensive and rare equipment. That facility was located in the basement, and for a few months my shift was the graveyard shift. The Filipino technicians working that shift with me were always afraid to go to that storage area alone and I would accompany them (even though they went in twos) because I would talk them through it. *grin*
The clinic was an old children's hospital and they believed it was haunted by the ghosts of all the kids who'd passed away there. I never saw/heard or felt one thing out of place in all the time I worked there (and I was there over two years).
Mind you I always used to assure the Filipino girls I accompanied that - after all - I loved kids (so what was there to fear? Muuuhahaha!) LOL.
Your story resonates with me SO much - it's simply fabulous!!! I can't imagine what could have beat this one in this contest. Congratulations on a wonderfully entertaining tale. :)
One small edit - "...security guard(')s..." << apostrophe needed for possessive
reply by the author on 03-Jun-2014
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One of my assignments took me to a clinic that housed, among many other vital research experiments, a storage facility for expensive and rare equipment. That facility was located in the basement, and for a few months my shift was the graveyard shift. The Filipino technicians working that shift with me were always afraid to go to that storage area alone and I would accompany them (even though they went in twos) because I would talk them through it. *grin*
The clinic was an old children's hospital and they believed it was haunted by the ghosts of all the kids who'd passed away there. I never saw/heard or felt one thing out of place in all the time I worked there (and I was there over two years).
Mind you I always used to assure the Filipino girls I accompanied that - after all - I loved kids (so what was there to fear? Muuuhahaha!) LOL.
Your story resonates with me SO much - it's simply fabulous!!! I can't imagine what could have beat this one in this contest. Congratulations on a wonderfully entertaining tale. :)
One small edit - "...security guard(')s..." << apostrophe needed for possessive
Comment Written 02-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 03-Jun-2014
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Thanks, Dawn. That would give anybody the heebie-jeebies, I would think, whether something was heard or not. Just the thought of working in such a place during those hours makes my skin crawl! That's why I wrote about it. I always write about the things that terrify me the most.
Thanks for the very complimentary review, Dawn. Much obliged my dear friend...
Comment from Max Edon
I thought that this was a great story. Did the doctor die in the end or were they just playing a joke? This was such a scary story!
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2014
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I thought that this was a great story. Did the doctor die in the end or were they just playing a joke? This was such a scary story!
Comment Written 02-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2014
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Thanks, Max, and nope, no joke. In the Filipino urban legend I mentioned in my author's notes that this story is based on, it goes on to say that they found the woman (it was a woman in the myth, I changed it to a man) curled up in a fetal position in the corner of the elevator, sucking her thumb and babbling incoherently. She supposedly went insane.
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You are welcome
