The Curator - Issue #1 - The Aztec Death Whistle

The first in a series of comic book stories

My name is Vincent Vesper, and for years, I have curated weird and wonderful objects from all over the world. Some of them may be familiar to you, while others, well, not so much. I have kept these precious objects far from prying eyes, but I feel it’s time to share the stories behind a few of the. Today, I will tell you of how the cursed Aztec death whistle came into my hands.

Several years ago, a group of scientists and explorers undertook an expedition into the depths of the Mexican jungle, hoping to find artifacts left behind by the Aztecs. What they got was more than they bargained for.

The expedition leader, Michael Chalmers, was the first to spot a trove of relics poking out of the undergrowth. Pottery and other pieces were interesting, but the whistle, which bore the shape of a skull, called to him. Ignoring the dirt attached to the whistle, he felt the urge to raise it to his lips and blow.

The sound that escaped was that of a scream that tore through jungle, sending birds and creatures scurrying to escape the wailing. The most savage of all Earth’s animals, man, reacted differently, with each of the members of the group going made and launching savage attacks on one another. They fought to the death, leaving a trail of destruction and a blood sacrifice that seeped into the soil.

One man survived. He did so because of a birth defect. You see, Kyle Banks was born deaf. The sound did not reach him, so all he could do was watch in horror as the other men in his group turned feral. When it was all said and done, he took the whistle and brought it to me.

It now sits in a protective glass case on my desk. I am not tempted to put the damnable thing to my lips, but my fear is that it may choose to call out on its own, to scream for the attention it seeks.