Back to GatefoldIssue #1 by Justin Jeffery
Featuring the Ghost Rider! |
Dan Ketch sat in the living room of his new apartment, watching the news. He had moved back to Cypress Hills from the Bronx in an attempt to coax the entity that existed within him to come out. The Ghost Rider had made very few appearances since rebonding with Danny*, and that bothered him.
( *In Marvel's Peter Parker: Spider-Man #93 - Dino )
Dan was never overly fond of sharing his body with the Ghost Rider, but he did serve a purpose. Dan would have much rathered the Ghost Rider serving that purpose than lingering within him.
The news anchor interupted Dan's thaughts with a late breaking story. Dan grabbed the remote and turned up the volume. Something was giving him a funny feeling.
"It appears the serial killer known only as 'Sin' has taken his third victim. Twenty-three year old Lisa Hayes was raped and murdered last night...."
"Lisa?!" Dan sat up straight. Lisa was a high school friend of his sister's. Once again, as with Barb, death has struck to close to home. Dan made up his mind then and there. If Ghost Rider would not come out Dan would force him out. A problem occured to him though, how would Ghost Rider know why Dan called upon him? Dan had some thinking to do.
# # # # # #
Later that night Dan entered his bathroom. The late edition of the news was coming on, and he had to get Ghost Rider out in time to catch it. Turning on the hot water at the sink, Dan thought about all the good Ghost Rider had done in the past. He may have been an inconvenience, but he was a hero. Dan keeped the positive thoughts in his mind as he wrote on the steamed up mirror: Ghost Rider turn on the television. He then focused, using all his concentration to call Ghost Rider out.
Moments later the flesh on Dans face began to drip, melting from the skull. Sparks of flame spewed from the melted skin and soon a great flash of flaming light eurupted. When it faded Dan was no longer there. In his place stood the leather clad figure of the Ghost Rider.
Ghost Rider silently turned his flaming skull to the mirror and read Dan's message.
"Why have you forced me out Dan." Ghost Rider spoke, as he turned and made his way to the living room.
I cannot serve vengeance as I am. Too many questions elude me, distract me. Ghost Rider thought to himself as he turned on the television. He watched as a newscaster spoke.
"Once again, the serial killer known as 'Sin' has raped and murdered his third victim."
Something about this statement brought a familiar feeling back to Ghost Rider. He stared at the television, at the picture of the young lady who's innocent blood had been spilled. He spoke one word.
"Vengeance."
# # # # # #
Ghost Rider's flaming motorcycle was waiting for him as he exited the building. He was deep in thought as he slid on the bike, and began to ride the streets of Brooklyn.
Blackheart, Mephisto, lords of the lie. I thought I knew who I was. I thought I knew where I came from.* They were lies. All lies.
( *Marvel's Ghost Rider #77-80 & #90-93 - Dino )
I must stop. It does not matter who I was before. I am the Spirit Of Vengeance now. That is all that matters. The spilling of innocent blood must be avenged.
With his mind made up, Ghost Rider sped off into the night in search of the one called Sin.
# # # # # #
Jessica Bates was lonely. She had been living in a one bedroom apartment, and working at a dead end job for the past two years. She had nobody to share her life with. It wasn't that she was ugly, quite the opposite, she was a beautiful young woman. The reason was she had no life to share. Go to work, come home, go to sleep and repeat. It seemed to her no matter what she did she couldn't come out on top. It seemed you truly had to be rich to have a life, if you weren't rich you were struggling just to live.
These thoughts and more ran through her head as she unlocked the door to her apartment. She entered, and made her way directly to her bedroom to grab some clothes to put on after her shower.
"Lovely," a voice spoke.
Jessica gasped, "Who's there?"
"Don't be afraid," the voice spoke from the shadows. "You will not be lonely any longer."
"What? What do you know, I'm calling the police. " Jessica quickly snatched the phone from her night stand, but before she could dial 911 a hand snatched it from her.
She looked into the grey eyes of a tall man. He had scars all over his face, as if he had been clawed recently. His long black hair flowed behind his back with a life of it's own as he spoke. "I know many things. I know I need you."
"No!" Jessica exclaimed, as tears dripped down her cheek. "Let go of me!"
The man reached up and tore away her blouse. "You will be released after I am done. Released from your sorrow, released from this world."
"No! Help!!!" Jessica screamed.
Something in the living room shattered, and the glow of flames appeared outside Jessica's bedroom.
The man let go of her to look in time to see the Ghost Rider appear in the doorway.
Ghost Rider spoke, "Sin."
"You!" the man called Sin exclaimed, "Your that thing that used to be all over the news."
"I am Ghost Rider, I demand vengeance."
Ghost Rider charged at Sin, who had no way to defend himself against a creature of this sort. He grabbed Sin by the throat and slammed him up against the wall. Looking deep into Sin's eyes, Ghost Rider prepared to give him the penance stare. Something inside him made him stop. Instead Ghost Rider flung him across the room, into the wall.
Sin fell next to Jessica, who was now curled up in the corner. He reached out for her, but was stopped short as Ghost Rider's gloved hand wrapped around his wrist.
Ghost Rider picked Sin up by the wrist, and slammed his fist into Sin's ribs. Bones cracked. Twisting Sin's arm behind his back Ghost Rider continued by breaking his arm.
Jessica was now covering her ears from Sin's screams, but could not look away from the horrer that played out before her.
Ghost Rider continued to pummel Sin until the man could no longer move. Then he looked back into Sin's eyes and gave him the penance stare. All of the pain, all of the hurt that Sin had ever caused washed over him. The feeling was so horrific Sin pleaded for death in his mind. Ghost Rider sensed this and wrapped his hands around Sin's head. A quick jerk and his neck would be broken. He would never harm an innocent again. One quick jerk.
"NO!" Ghost Rider screamed. He dropped Sin to the ground and exited the apartment.
As he made his way back to Dan's apartment Ghost Rider was faced with more questions. What is happening to me? he thought. I do not kill. He did not need to be punished that way. The penance stare would have been enough. What is it that came over me? Could it have been hate?
# # # # # #
The next day Dan Ketch caught the news. The reporter announced that Sin had been apprehended at the home of his intended next victim. Ghost Rider had stopped him, and put him in the hospital to boot.
What is going on? That doesn't sound like Ghost Rider, Dan thought. Why did he beat him so badly. This isn't right. This isn't right at all.
END
( *In Marvel's Peter Parker: Spider-Man #93 - Dino )
Dan was never overly fond of sharing his body with the Ghost Rider, but he did serve a purpose. Dan would have much rathered the Ghost Rider serving that purpose than lingering within him.
The news anchor interupted Dan's thaughts with a late breaking story. Dan grabbed the remote and turned up the volume. Something was giving him a funny feeling.
"It appears the serial killer known only as 'Sin' has taken his third victim. Twenty-three year old Lisa Hayes was raped and murdered last night...."
"Lisa?!" Dan sat up straight. Lisa was a high school friend of his sister's. Once again, as with Barb, death has struck to close to home. Dan made up his mind then and there. If Ghost Rider would not come out Dan would force him out. A problem occured to him though, how would Ghost Rider know why Dan called upon him? Dan had some thinking to do.
# # # # # #
Later that night Dan entered his bathroom. The late edition of the news was coming on, and he had to get Ghost Rider out in time to catch it. Turning on the hot water at the sink, Dan thought about all the good Ghost Rider had done in the past. He may have been an inconvenience, but he was a hero. Dan keeped the positive thoughts in his mind as he wrote on the steamed up mirror: Ghost Rider turn on the television. He then focused, using all his concentration to call Ghost Rider out.
Moments later the flesh on Dans face began to drip, melting from the skull. Sparks of flame spewed from the melted skin and soon a great flash of flaming light eurupted. When it faded Dan was no longer there. In his place stood the leather clad figure of the Ghost Rider.
Ghost Rider silently turned his flaming skull to the mirror and read Dan's message.
"Why have you forced me out Dan." Ghost Rider spoke, as he turned and made his way to the living room.
I cannot serve vengeance as I am. Too many questions elude me, distract me. Ghost Rider thought to himself as he turned on the television. He watched as a newscaster spoke.
"Once again, the serial killer known as 'Sin' has raped and murdered his third victim."
Something about this statement brought a familiar feeling back to Ghost Rider. He stared at the television, at the picture of the young lady who's innocent blood had been spilled. He spoke one word.
"Vengeance."
# # # # # #
Ghost Rider's flaming motorcycle was waiting for him as he exited the building. He was deep in thought as he slid on the bike, and began to ride the streets of Brooklyn.
Blackheart, Mephisto, lords of the lie. I thought I knew who I was. I thought I knew where I came from.* They were lies. All lies.
( *Marvel's Ghost Rider #77-80 & #90-93 - Dino )
I must stop. It does not matter who I was before. I am the Spirit Of Vengeance now. That is all that matters. The spilling of innocent blood must be avenged.
With his mind made up, Ghost Rider sped off into the night in search of the one called Sin.
# # # # # #
Jessica Bates was lonely. She had been living in a one bedroom apartment, and working at a dead end job for the past two years. She had nobody to share her life with. It wasn't that she was ugly, quite the opposite, she was a beautiful young woman. The reason was she had no life to share. Go to work, come home, go to sleep and repeat. It seemed to her no matter what she did she couldn't come out on top. It seemed you truly had to be rich to have a life, if you weren't rich you were struggling just to live.
These thoughts and more ran through her head as she unlocked the door to her apartment. She entered, and made her way directly to her bedroom to grab some clothes to put on after her shower.
"Lovely," a voice spoke.
Jessica gasped, "Who's there?"
"Don't be afraid," the voice spoke from the shadows. "You will not be lonely any longer."
"What? What do you know, I'm calling the police. " Jessica quickly snatched the phone from her night stand, but before she could dial 911 a hand snatched it from her.
She looked into the grey eyes of a tall man. He had scars all over his face, as if he had been clawed recently. His long black hair flowed behind his back with a life of it's own as he spoke. "I know many things. I know I need you."
"No!" Jessica exclaimed, as tears dripped down her cheek. "Let go of me!"
The man reached up and tore away her blouse. "You will be released after I am done. Released from your sorrow, released from this world."
"No! Help!!!" Jessica screamed.
Something in the living room shattered, and the glow of flames appeared outside Jessica's bedroom.
The man let go of her to look in time to see the Ghost Rider appear in the doorway.
Ghost Rider spoke, "Sin."
"You!" the man called Sin exclaimed, "Your that thing that used to be all over the news."
"I am Ghost Rider, I demand vengeance."
Ghost Rider charged at Sin, who had no way to defend himself against a creature of this sort. He grabbed Sin by the throat and slammed him up against the wall. Looking deep into Sin's eyes, Ghost Rider prepared to give him the penance stare. Something inside him made him stop. Instead Ghost Rider flung him across the room, into the wall.
Sin fell next to Jessica, who was now curled up in the corner. He reached out for her, but was stopped short as Ghost Rider's gloved hand wrapped around his wrist.
Ghost Rider picked Sin up by the wrist, and slammed his fist into Sin's ribs. Bones cracked. Twisting Sin's arm behind his back Ghost Rider continued by breaking his arm.
Jessica was now covering her ears from Sin's screams, but could not look away from the horrer that played out before her.
Ghost Rider continued to pummel Sin until the man could no longer move. Then he looked back into Sin's eyes and gave him the penance stare. All of the pain, all of the hurt that Sin had ever caused washed over him. The feeling was so horrific Sin pleaded for death in his mind. Ghost Rider sensed this and wrapped his hands around Sin's head. A quick jerk and his neck would be broken. He would never harm an innocent again. One quick jerk.
"NO!" Ghost Rider screamed. He dropped Sin to the ground and exited the apartment.
As he made his way back to Dan's apartment Ghost Rider was faced with more questions. What is happening to me? he thought. I do not kill. He did not need to be punished that way. The penance stare would have been enough. What is it that came over me? Could it have been hate?
# # # # # #
The next day Dan Ketch caught the news. The reporter announced that Sin had been apprehended at the home of his intended next victim. Ghost Rider had stopped him, and put him in the hospital to boot.
What is going on? That doesn't sound like Ghost Rider, Dan thought. Why did he beat him so badly. This isn't right. This isn't right at all.
END