Phantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of Flesh (1996 Video Game)

Burt Bulos: The Hecatomb

Quotes 

• [Curtis arrives at Dr. Harburg's office and knocks on the door. No answer] 

  Curtis Craig : Dr. Harburg?

  [Curtis enters the office. The room is a mess. Curtis realizes that foul play is afoot. The telephone receiver hangs from the table, from it Dr. Harburg's groans of pain are heard. Curtis picks up the receiver, and is horrified to hear Dr. Harburg screaming. Curtis hangs the receiver back and looks behind the desk: a pile of slime, in it what was left from Dr. Harburg's face. Curtis turns aside, feels sick] 

  The Hecatomb : Beautiful work, Curtis. Just spectacular.

  [Curtis looks around and sees the Hecatomb taunting him] 

  The Hecatomb : The good doctor is totally your masterpiece!

  Curtis Craig : I didn't do it! I couldn't have! I wasn't even here!

  The Hecatomb : You didn't use your hands, Curtis. You don't have to. You used your mind. Your diseased, twisted, murderous mind.

  [the security guard enters] 

  Curtis Craig : [gestures toward the Hecamob]  Get it! Just get it!

  [the guard looks at that direction, but sees nothing of the Hecatomb] 

  Dr. Rikki's Security Guard : Oh, boy...

  [the guard draws a gun, and gestures Curtis to move aside. As the guard bends to look behind the desk, Curtis shoves him to the floor and runs away. The guard falls and is shocked to see what was left of Dr. Harburg] 

  Dr. Rikki's Security Guard : Jesus, Doc...

• [Curtis enters the lab. He activates the desk computer, and voice comes out of it:] 

  Voice : Hello, Paul Warner. We have not been successful in attempt to synthesize compounds requested. Small living materials'd be useful. Larger ones are better. More, please.

  [Paul Warner sneaks into the room behind Curtis, closes the door. Curtis turns around, sees Warner points a gun at him] 

  Paul Alen Warner : Don't move, Curtis. Oh, how I wish it wouldn't have come to this.

  [Warner chuckles] 

  Curtis Craig : What the hell I was just talking to, Paul?

  Paul Alen Warner : Creatures from dimension X, of course.

  Curtis Craig : You killed my father, didn't you?

  Paul Alen Warner : He became a liability. Not everyone is strong enough to handle the sacrifice of human subjects for research.

  Curtis Craig : [spits]  You son of a bitch!

  Paul Alen Warner : You know, it's a good thing your dear old dad never knew he didn't really get his little boy back. He'd have lost his nerves much sooner.

  Curtis Craig : What are you talking about?

  Paul Alen Warner : Don't you remember? I threw poor little Curtis in there...

  [flashback: Warner grabs little Curtis, carrying him to the Threshold. Little Curtis desperately yells "Dad! Dad! Help!"] 

  Paul Alen Warner : ...but he never came out. You did. You're a replica, you're some kind of imitation human those things on the other side put together out of slime and dead rats and a little bit of Curtis' brain tissue. Oh, I told your father it was you, that it had been a terrible accident, and he believed me, because he wanted to.

  Curtis Craig : [desperately]  No!

  Paul Alen Warner : Yes. I'm afraid so. You started remembering a year ago, that's why we put you in the hospital, to observe you. I should say to observe you more closely.

  [Warner snickers nastily] 

  Paul Alen Warner : You see, we've been watching you like a bug in a jar even since those things spit you out of Threshold.

  Curtis Craig : Where am I? Where is HE?

  [the Hecatomb appears and knocks Warner unconscious. Curtis watches in horror] 

  The Hecatomb : Do allow me to introduce myself. Curtis Craig, at your service.

  Curtis Craig : [shakes his head, shocked and frightened]  Oh, my god... no, no, it can't be...

  The Hecatomb : What you see now is an electrical projection. A manifestation of my hatred toward you. My body, my human body, is in there.

  [the Hecatomb gestures toward the doorway to the alien dimension] 

  The Hecatomb : It is a twisted mess. Combining, decombining... they never even touch me!

  Curtis Craig : [shakes his head, whimpering]  Oh, god, I'm so sorry...

  The Hecatomb : Are you? Are you sorry that my body is a sickening operation? Are you sorry that I haven't slept for twenty years? I've been awake, Curtis, watching you, building my towers so that I can smash you, destroy you, take you life the way you took mine!

  Curtis Craig : [pleading]  It wasn't my fault. I didn't do it to you. I... I'm a victim too.

  The Hecatomb : [teasing]  Oh, baby... your pain will stop very soon, once your mind and your body will be mine. I almost got you, you know, when you were in the asylum. Almost.

  Curtis Craig : No... no! Don't!

  The Hecatomb : It's time to go now, Curtis. Say goodbye to your sanity!

  [the Hecatomb holds the severed head of Curtis' mother. Bolts of energy are shot out of her eyes and mouth, hitting Curtis' chest, making him fall on his knees, writhing in agony. Curtis manages to press a switch on the Threshold control panel, opening the doorway to the alien dimension - wide circle of swirling green mass. Curtis jumps through it] 

• [wandering at the alien dimension, Curtis sees strange human-shaped thing covered with layers of alien material, only one eye is visible. Curtis realizes that this is the real Curtis, the one who Paul Warner threw into the alien world twenty years ago - his secret enemy who is responsible to the murders of Bob, Tom, Therese, Dr. Harburg and Trevor, as well as to the hallucinations Curtis has been experiencing recently. As Curtis approaches the thing, its eye opens, staring at him in horror. It yells:] 

  Voice : Don't look at me!

  [the Hecatomb appears] 

  The Hecatomb : Go rot your own pestering brain!

  [bolt of energy emerges from the Hecatomb, hitting Curtis. It makes Curtis experience series of psychotic episodes. The surrounding changes: Curtis finds himself at operating room in Greenwood sanitarium, lying on operating table. Dr. Marek, the sadistic sanitarium manager, stands near him. Curtis lifts his head, but Dr. Marek pushes him back. Dr. Marek picks a scalpel and examines it at the light] 

  Dr. Terrance Marek : Now then... let's see what little mutant boy is made of.

  Curtis Craig : Let me go, please. Please, I haven't done anything!

  Dr. Terrance Marek : Your very existence is abomination.

  [Curtis grabs a syringe from the surgical tray near him and thrusts it into the side of Dr. Marek's head. Dr. Marek recoils, gasping in pain. The surrounding changes again: Curtis finds himself at the Dreaming Tree cafe, sitting with Jocilyn] 

  Jocilyn Rowan : I love you, Curtis... even though you've been cheating on me with Therese. I love you.

  Curtis Craig : Joce...

  [Jocilyn kisses Curtis passionately. She presses a gun under his chin] 

  Jocilyn Rowan : I love you too much to ever let you go.

  [Curtis grabs the gun and pushes it away. The surrounding changes for the third time: Curtis finds himself in a messy room, its floor covered with water puddles and gore, torn piped hang from the ceiling, dripping water and smoke. The dead body of Trevor appears, his neck broken and bloody in the same condition as he died] 

  Trevor Barnes : I was wondering when you plan dragging your lazy ass in here.

  Curtis Craig : Trev?

  [as Trevor advances, Curtis steps back. His foot slips on puddle, and he falls. Next to him, the dead body of Bob comes to life - also in the same condition he was killed, his mouth stapled] 

  Bob Arnold : Before you forget, big boy!

  [Curtis crawls back. From his pocket falls keycard. The dead body of Tom appears and approaches, dragging a sledgehammer] 

  Curtis Craig : [to Bob]  Get away from me!

  Bob Arnold : Come a little closer, ratboy.

  [Bob shows Curtis a bloody letter opener, one of the tools which were used to kill Bob] 

  Bob Arnold : You got something in your eye.

  Curtis Craig : [to Tom]  Tom... Tom, I swear to god, it wasn't my fault. Tom, it wasn't my fault!

  Curtis Craig : [to Trevor]  Trev, please... oh, god. Trev, please don't hurt me.

  Trevor Barnes : Curtis, I only want to kill us.

  [as the three zombies get closer, Curtis grabs the keycard. Rushing to the elevator, he narrowly evades Tom's sledgehammer. The blow bashes Bob's head instead. Curtis passes the keycard at the elevator sensor. Nothing happens. Curtis watches in horror at Trevor and Tom getting closer] 

  Curtis Craig : Shit!

  [Curtis passes the keycard again. The elevator door opens, and he jumps inside. The door closes at the last moment before Tom and Trevor can reach Curtis. The surrounding changes for the fourth time: Curtis finds himself at the Borderline club, strapped by leather cuffs to bed. Therese sits astride on his waist, dressed provocatively in black leather] 

  Therese Banning : [moans in pleasure]  That was hot, baby. That was really, really hot.

  [as Curtis strains to free himself, Therese's body glows and she shoots from her palms bolts of electricity at him. Gasping in pain, Curtis manages to free his right hand, and he pulls a handle. The upper side of the bed rises, Therese loses balance and falls backwards on the floor, writhing in agony. The surrounding changes for the fifth time: Curtis finds himself as little boy at his parents' house, playing with toys at the yard. His lunatic mother comes outside] 

  Marianne Craig : Curtis... come here, Curtis sweetheart. I have something for you.

  [Curtis' insane mother approaches him, holding gardening shears behind her back, murder intent on her mind. Little Curtis stands. Instead of running away, he walks to his mother] 

  Little Curtis : I love you, mom.

  [little Curtis hugs his mother. This gesture of affection calms her down. She lets go of the shears, all murder thoughts disappear from her disturbed mind. Bursting into tears, she gently hugs and kisses her son. The surrounding changes back to the alien world. As Curtis has passed successfully throughout all the psychotic episodes, the Hecatomb is weakened. It still shoots at Curtis, but harmlessly. Its head drops, liquid oozes from its mouth. It fades and disappears as Curtis passes through it harmlessly. Curtis approaches the real Curtis and tears piece of the material covering it, revealing its face - identical to Curtis', staring at him in horror. It tries to hit Curtis, but Curtis easily grabs its wrist, pushing its hand back. Curtis pulls the plug on the real Curtis and walks away]