Dave Jenkins, Flayed

Brian Barnett

The art museum night guardsman, Dave Jenkins, flashed his light down the dark corridor. Something fell in the new “Madman Marcus” exhibit. Madman Marcus was the trendy new painter who seemingly captured the final moments of supposed murdered victims in his paintings.

          The shadows danced along the walls as the flashlight shook in Jenkins’ sweaty fist. The paintings were unnerving to say the least.

          “Hey, friend.” a voice whispered in his ear.

          The light exploded in a blue flash when it hit the floor.

          The next day, a new exquisite painting titled Dave Jenkins, Flayed was displayed in the gallery.

Brian Barnett is the author of the middle grade novellas Graveyard Scavenger Hunt and Chaos at the Carnival. He has over three hundred publishing credits in dozens of magazines and anthologies such as the Lovecraft eZine, Spaceports & Spidersilk, Blood Bound Books, and Scifaikuest.