In Laymon's Terms

If you had asked me five years ago what a collaboration between David Cronenberg and Aaron Spelling would be like in novel form, I couldn’t have told you. After reading The Beast House series, I think I have a pretty damn good idea. And that knowledge has made me happier than I ever would have imagined.

Steve Gerlach

ICHARD LAYMON CARRIED my business cards around in his wallet.

He told me the whole family did.

And that made me proud.

Here was a guy who was willing to help out others, even while he was out and about every day, promoting his own works. Sure, I ran his official website, but that doesn’t matter. Dick was proud of what I’d achieved and he didn’t stop telling people about it.

I shipped hundreds of the cards over to Dick. And he kept running out of them.

Here’s a guy who took time out from his busy schedule to email his latest news, to talk to his fans or reply on his message board. Here’s a guy who told me if I needed anything, ANYTHING to help with RLK!, just let him know. Here’s a guy who took time to read my own novels and provide cover quotes for them.

Here was a guy, a true and honest guy, who always had a laugh, a smile and a joke for whoever he met.

Here was a real guy. The best darn guy on the planet.

I hope some day to be like him. I hope to follow his lead. And if I learn to practice just 10% of what Richard Laymon taught me, that will be a fine effort indeed.

This story is dedicated to Richard Laymon.

Steve Gerlach

ID YOU SEE THAT?”

“What?”

“Out there, in the bushes?”

“Out where?”

“I’m not sure, I thought I saw something.”

Andrew sat back in the driver’s seat and looked through the windshield, out into the dark night.

“There’s nothing out there,” he said.

“I’m sure I saw something,” Fiona whispered as she pointed out in front of them.

Andrew narrowed his eyes and focused outside the car. It was so dark he was only just able to make out the bushes and trees that surrounded the car park. He turned to look out the side window, but he could see no one at all. The car park was empty—exactly why he chose it—and secluded as well. He didn’t think they would be disturbed here, halfway up a mountain in the middle of the night.

“It’s just your imagination,” he said as he turned and leaned back over to Fiona. His eyes dropped back down to her exposed breasts. Even in the half-light, he could make out the beautiful white skin and the dark dollops in the middle of each.

He ran his tongue across her left nipple, which was colder now, having lost the warmth from his mouth. But the nipple was rigid. She was scared, he could tell, but maybe that was part of the fun.

Andrew could hear the wind blowing through the trees outside in a slow ebb and flow, like deep breathing.

This place is perfect, he thought to himself. Just right.

He noticed then that Fiona was still and unmoving, her hands no longer danced along his naked back or ran through his hair. He took one last lick of her nipple and then pulled away, his eyes rising to face hers.

She looked scared.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I’m telling you I saw someone out there.” Her eyes locked on his.

“There’s no one out there!”

“There is!”

“I just checked, honey,” he said in a quiet voice. He smiled at her and his hand reached up to brush the blonde locks away from her forehead. “There’s no one out there. There never is this time of night.”

“I know what I saw.” Her voice became cold and hard.

Like her body, he thought.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said as he reached forward to kiss her.

Fiona pushed him away. “No!”

“Come on,” he continued, fighting with her.

“NO!” she yelled, pushing harder.

Shit.

Andrew gave in and let her have her way. He slumped back into the driver’s seat and sighed deeply.

Fiona covered up her breasts with both hands.

Together, they sat in silence, staring out into the night.

Andrew watched the trees and bushes directly in front of the car. There was very little distance between the hood of the car and the tree line, and no one in their right mind would be out there at this time of night.

She’s imagined it, he thought. It’s that simple. Imagined it all. And now we’re sitting here doing nothing.

The silence stretched.

Come on, he thought. Do something!

The wind rustled through the trees and the limbs danced together in one fluid movement.

Andrew turned to stare out the driver’s window. His eyes darted in the night, checking out the empty car park, looking for anything that might be out of the ordinary.

No one.

Nothing.

He looked up into the sky and watched the heavy clouds move overhead, skirting across the moon and obscuring the moonlight.

We can’t sit here all night, he thought. Although it would serve her right if we did!