Free The Cage by Brian Keene Page B

Inside the static, deep within the center of the screens, something moved—a roiling, writhing tubular mass, also composed of static but distinguishable from the specks around it in the manner of a 3D image. It was difficult for Jeff to make out its shape, but it reminded him of a sun with tentacles sprouting from it. Orbs of white light revolved around the shape and darted across the screens, dancing amidst the snow.
    “Isn’t it beautiful?” Simon sounded absolutely ecstatic, even as he shouted above the roar.
    Jeff tried to respond, but found that he couldn’t. His breath caught in his throat. His lungs ached. His pulse began to throb in his temples, keeping time with the steady, monotonous throb pouring from everywhere around him. All that he could do was slowly shake his head back and forth. His gaze darted around the store. Bill and Alan’s bodies still lay where they’d fallen. The front door was still closed and presumably locked. The parking lot was still empty.
    “Rejoice,” Simon hollered. “He is coming! This is his hour and I have opened the doorway. Shtar is coming through.”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
    “You sell this stuff,” Simon yelled, guiding Jeff across the store. They had to step over Alan’s corpse. “You know all about the switch to digital television. I’m sure you sold plenty of converter boxes and answered plenty of customer’s questions.”
    In truth, Jeff hadn’t. The majority of residents in York County, Pennsylvania, were either on cable or satellite television hook-ups. The only people impacted by the digital conversion had been those living in the rural parts of the county who still used television antennas, and those folks were more likely to shop at Wal-Mart than they were a high-end store like Big Bill’s Home Electronics.
    “Didn’t you ever wonder,” Simon continued, “what would happen to all of those old broadcast channels once they stopped transmitting? Didn’t you ever think about it? Yes, the government told us that some of the frequencies were being used by emergency services, but how many channels do your local fire department need? What about all those empty channels? The obsolete ones?”
    Jeff turned to face him, no longer caring if Simon shot him or not. At least in death, he’d be able to escape the sound.
    “That is Shtar’s domain,” Simon continued. “That was where he lurked. He waited inside the empty signals, yearning to be freed. All he needed was someone to open the door for him. That’s what we’re doing tonight. We’re opening a door. Once it is open, he will spread.”
    “But why us?”
    “I needed six. Six to prepare the opening. You and your friends have taken part in a great work. You should be proud.”
    Blinking, Jeff licked his lips. His mouth was dry, and he tried to work up enough spit to speak. The pressure in his ears and nose increased, making it hard to focus on anything, let alone a clever response.
    “You’re fucking crazy. You know that, right? You’re a god-damned fucking loon.”
    Simon cocked his head. His jaw twitched. Jeff noticed his finger tighten around the trigger.
    “You’re not proud?” The gunman sounded astonished and confused. “I bestowed an honor on you.”
    “No! No, I’m not fucking proud. Where the hell are my friends?”
    Simon shook his head sadly. Jeff had to strain to hear him.
    “You should be proud. You should be very proud. All those years of study and preparation. All that time spent scouting this location, making sure it was right. Making sure you and your co-workers were right. But here we are, and the moment is at hand, and you have no appreciation for the work.”
    Jeff balled his hands into fists. “I asked you where my friends are.”
    “I’ll take you to them.”
    He gestured with the handgun toward the home theatre section of the store. That area was a specially designed enclosed room, complete with a big-screen television, top-of-the line home