Jack Townsend

In this second installment of Tales from the Gas Station, Jack finds himself, again, in the crosshairs of the unexplainable. There’s a noise coming from one of the coolers. Jerry has built a “Russian radio,” which is transmitting facts (maybe) about the town and its inhabitants. New hire Rosa can’t seem to get day one as a gas station clerk under her belt, and when she finally does, a flesh-stripping monster-God descends and she ends up with her mind erased. Jack endures not one but two traumatic amputations, and repeat assaults from one determined Spencer Middleton. Weirdly (even for this series), there are clown things at the school.

If Volume 1 was over-the-top, Volume 2 takes a tamer, less witty approach to the whole dark army thing. A little more horror, a little less far-fetched, I honestly didn’t like this one as much. What can I say? I’m a sucker for razor-sharp wit and total insanity. I definitely plan to complete the series, but I feel like I need a hiatus. An overall fun ride that ends on a high note. Recommended!


… (mere)

Jack is back in another fun tale from the gas station that features fan favorites Jerry, the hand plants, and maybe a Kiefer?

When the gas station owners die, Jack inherits something he’s not prepared to manage. The supernatural events aren’t a problem, per se, but taxes, profitability, and a parade of Benja-mimics complicate things.

Add to all that Jack’s delusions, a potential change in diagnosis—maybe even prognosis—a prosthetic leg, and some complicated friendships, and what’s a guy supposed to do who keeps having to save his town and maybe the world?

The Russian radio broadcasts the names of townspeople who are slated for replacement or who have been replaced making things less “as they seem” than usual for Jack, which is kind of an accomplishment.

Who is pulling the strings?
Can Jack defeat them?
And what’s with this guy insisting on buying the gas station?

What I really want to know is, what happened to poor Rita? Hopefully, she’ll come back in volume four. You know what I wish, though? More than anything? That Jerry’s departing final words were “Casper Van Dien.”… (mere)

My rating for this is highly personal. This is my second time around with this collection of stories. I listened to all of it on YouTube with the same narrator, MrCreepyPasta and loved it. Loved it the second time around. It basically has every urban legend packed into one gas station and a main character who isn't much concerned with the over the top weirdness unless it threatens his employment at the gas station at the edge of town. Plus, he has a fantastic sense of really dark humor that happens to match mine.

I can't imagine anyone but MrCreepyPasta reading it. I'm a big fan of narrated creepy pastas, so this edited story and audible produced story is a treat for me.… (mere)