PROLOGUE

You know me. You might not have seen me yet, but you know me. I see you staring into the TV and you happen to be looking right at me, except you don't know it yet. I see your dull face, your glazed eyes hypnotized by the screen. Yes, you see me . . . but you don't know I see you. I watch you from inside the TV. I know all about you as I watch you gazing dumbly at the TV.

You're looking right at me and you don't even realize I'm here! But I am . . . I'm watching you....

Who am I? Don't worry-you'll find out soon enough. And when you do, you'll shriek with fear.

I'm waiting for you.

Oh, I have plenty of time to wait. After all, I can always depend on you to return to the TV . . . to plunk your soft little coach-potato body in front of the TV screen. Go ahead, change channels all you want. You won't leave the TV until your eyeballs are almost falling out.

And I'll continue to watch you....

Maybe you know about this kid.... Ah!--If by some odd chance you don't know that story about him . . . well, then, I'll tell you. You see, he was just like you. His name is Charley, and he hasn't ever been quite the same after our little encounter. And his friend-Otto is his name. Well, let's just say that Otto was always a little bit "off," but ask the local townspeople and they'll tell you it was the Creep who got to Otto, too. I kind of pushed him over the edge, if you know what I mean!

Oh, did I give myself away? Heavens!--You don't really believe in the Creep . . . now do you?

You don't really believe something dead lives in your TV, I mean? Sure, you've seen the screen flicker and the burst of white light when you suddenly shut off the TV in the dark. You don't think that flash of light is me, now do you? Or that odd noise that screeches a little too loud when you try to adjust the volume? I mean, why would you think that's me calling you from within the TV ... watching you.... that is, unless you, too, have a Creep TV....

Oh, and did I tell you that I can control your mind . . . howl in your brain? Well, maybe I forgot to mention those things, too....

At this moment you are probably wondering what I look like, am I right, my dear friend? Well, I think I will soon be coming to see you. Then you can take a look-that is, if you can stand it! Just don't run away too quickly when I come for you. I promise to come slowly at first . . . after all, little parts of me keep drop ping off. You see, I'm not quite the young dead corpse I used to be!

So, my TV friend, continue to stare into the screen . . . into my bloody red eyes. Or turn this page and read what happened to those two young fellas--Charley and Otto--when they finally made my acquaintance. I mean, what happened to those guys can happen to you. And, oh yes . . . don't be shy: At any time during the story you can feel free to screeeeaaam!

Copyright by Jim Simon. All Rights Reserved