by Sasha Satori
"Boss, when ye done wit the comely wench, itta boost crew moral if we had a couple nights of fun wit her. Ye know we all been workin' hard." I hear tweedle dum's obnoxious voice, as my eyes are still shut. Looks like the cannibals scored a point for the element of surprise. My mouth is parched, my head is throbbing. My inner voice is yelling at me that a strawberry mojito and a cute cabaña man fanning me while I sunbathe will make everything better. While reality is bitch slapping me that my rescue plan has gone to shit, I’m a captive in a hungry, actively 'recycling' cannibals' home base. "You work hard, or you get fuckin' recycled. I don't motherfuckin' care what the crew moral is. Obey or die. Work or die. Shut the fuck up or die! You volunteering to be recycled, Willy? Since you care so much about 'crew moral'." An unknown voice, which must be the 'Boss' says to tweedle dum. "I…I…Boss, I meant ye no disrespect. I best be checkin' patrol. 'Scuse me." I hear footsteps, then a door shut. "You can open your eyes now. Your respiratory rate increased as well as your eye fluttering." Shit. Gigs up. I slowly open my eyes and see a middle-aged man with a scruffy beard and gluttonous beer belly, that most definitely is not because of beer but a more nefarious source of caloric intake. "What a treat it was when Johnny saw you skulking about on the surrounding surveillance cameras we have set up around base. I hope you can excuse ol' Willy, the menfolk round' here aint' seen a pretty thang like you, I reckon ever." He licks his lips as his gaze travels at a sedate pace down my body then up again as he ogles my breasts. If looks could kill, this creep would be dead a thousand times over, I level my bitchiest imperious look at him as I say In a haughty voice, "I am supposing the 'what a treat' part is to be taken quite literally, because you’re looking at me like I have BBQ sauce lathered on my body. Tell me do you always play with your food?" A loud grating cackle sounds, "I reckon' you'd be lots of fun to play with. What would you do to survive? To not be served with mashed potatoes and gravy?" A sinister evil twinkles in his eyes. This guy is evil incarnate, and he also won the starring role as number one on my hit list. This kind of evil I will take great joy in ridding from this world. My magic begins throbbing inside me, begging me to end him now. The logical part of my brain is telling me to not show my Ace just yet. I need to wait for the right moment. A pounding knock at the door sounds. "Boss! Several Z-landers are showing on zone A and B cameras!" The door opens, as a man with a panicked look on his face scurries in. "What the fuck they doin' here! Did you morons put bleach at the perimeter once you returned from scouting and brought her in? I bet ya fuckin' didn’t! Lock her with the others and get Jared and Bill to bleach the surrounding areas from the top of the wall. Hurry the fuck up!" 'Boss' yells with his beady eyes narrowing in a rage. "Y-yes sir." The guy at the door hastily grabs my arm and drags me up from the floor. I amend my hit list to have him as a close second. As we exit, the idiot jostles me about as he is screaming orders to bleach the perimeter. A pungent pore-permeating smell of smoked barbeque meat saturates the air in thick plumes. I swallow back the vomit that’s begging to be released. I know what these fuckers eat, a strong wave of nausea followed by vertigo overcomes me. We reach a commercial metal shipping crate which has a heavy-duty padlock securing the door, he fiddles with keys at his waist and after a few tries he finally unlocks it. The door loudly creaks open, the crate is pitch black inside, except for sporadic sun light filtering in through various bullet holes which double as ventilation holes. The man roughly pushes me inside and slams the door shut behind me. The humidity and heat in here immediately suffocates me, the thick pungent smell of sweat and fear is tangible.
I hear several peoples panted breathing, who knows how long they’ve been in this hot metal crate. "How many people are here?" I say into the darkness. After a moment I hear, "Three as of this morning. My name is Charlie. My buddies, Oliver and Shawn are also here. We've been here for four days. There is a bucket in the back corner if you need to relieve yourself. They throw in dried bread and a tub of water every morning for drinking." Four days? I've been in here for four minutes and I am desperate to get the hell out. "How many were there when you guys got here?" I ask, half hoping for them to tell me pretty little lies. "There were three men, they've been taking one person each day. Just like they will take one of us today, although you shouldn’t worry just yet, they seem to take oldest to newest arrival." The heat and putrid smell is causing my panic to rise which is making my head swirl and nausea tighten my throat. "How did they get you guys?" I ask Charlie. "I got captured first, my buddies here saw them take me and got caught trying to help me escape. They have tranquilizer guns and are heavily armed. Not to be a depressing asshole, but they have perfected their system and escape is next to impossible." I'm not ready to roll over just yet. I came here on a rescue mission and dang nabbit if I will let these backward 'hills have eyes' hillbillies eff up my plans. "Charlie, you sound about thirteen or fourteen, which is way too young to be a pessimist. Listen up boys, my name is Valentina, and this place is going to burn baby burn. They took my weapons I had, but they didn’t take my magic or my nasty ass attitude that is a mile wide right now. I need to get to the 'the bosses' office. I'm pretty sure that fuck tart has my weapons and bombs. You all down to Yippee Ki Yay these motherfuckers?" Heavy silence fills the air, I don't hear any breathing. "Fuck yeah!" "Hell yes!" "Count us in!" A chorus of various expletive laced 'yes' sound loudly and echo in the small space. A moment later a cacophony of terror filled screams sound loudly from outside the crate. A panicked voice sounds a few feet from our metal crate, "Bloody hell! Z-landers have breached the wall! Z-landers are her-" The voice cuts of in a gurgled scream as a Z-lander snarl is followed by moist ripping flesh sounds. The horde is here, no need to bomb the wall. Z-lander snarls and short vocal calls are coming from all around the crate and are partially drowned out by the screams of men. Charlie begins talking, "Maybe we sh-" I quickly interrupt, "Shh! Come here." I finish in a barely audible whisper. I grab Charlie, Oliver and Shawn outstretched hands through the darkness, "Z-landers have excellent hearing, we need to wait them out in here. I don’t know how to take down a horde of them with my magic. I'm going to ward the crate; nobody will be able to pass the ward." I say in a soft whisper. Charlie answers back in matching soft whisper, "My crew and I owe you a debt." I can’t help but to grin, "Charlie dear, 'Candy is dandy, liquor is quicker.' I plan on lighting the match that brings these evil ass tarts down, no debt is owed." Charlie doesn’t reply right away, "That was a quote from a golden year’s movie called Willy Wonka, it had a boy named Charlie about your age. I promise I'm not-not-not crazy." I finish with a little giggle.
We've been sitting in a solemn quite with only screams of terror and flesh ripping sounds muffle through the thick metal crate walls for what feels like a day, but probably has only been a couple hours. Now the sound of a ravenous newly risen Z-lander sniffing against our metal crate wall is setting us all on edge. The bullet holes that riddle the crate are all mostly on top but I spot one relatively low. With quiet steps I slowly walk to the hole and step on my tippy toes to look through the peep hole, blood and gore cover the sandy asphalt. Several Z-landers are hunched over a prone body making horribly juicy sounds that accompany their feral growls they level at each other. When the sun sets, visibility will be next to nothing, and spending a night in this crate is close to 'hell on earth' as one can get. I test a small smack against the metal wall, the soft clang sound doesn’t rouse and attention from the occupied Z-landers. I walk back to the boys and hunch down to whisper, "I need you boys to wait here. I am going to retrace my steps to the boss dude’s office, once I have my weapons, I'll come back to get you fellas. We need to get the fuck out of here before the sun sets, as visibility will be next to none. Do not under any circumstances step foot outside of this crate, my ward is bullet proof for anyone trying to come in. You will be able to leave but not re-enter the ward. Do you understand?" I say trying to portray the seriousness of my words. Axel was griping about turning his place into an old folks’ home, I wonder what he is goi
ng to say when I tell him the kids are moving in too. Charlie, Oliver and Shawn all mumble their understanding.
Making my way to the crate’s door, I place my palm against the door, with a focused thought of the bolt opening, I hear it drop to the floor outside. As I push the rusted metal crate door open, I turn back to the kids, "Remember, do not leave this crate." I whisper. I don’t wait for a response as I slide my body through the small door opening. I make sure to close it as much as possible behind me. Snaking against the crates wall in the opposite direction of the feeding Z-landers, I run across and open area to a dark hallway which I remember the guy leading me through. This darken alley is giving me major heebie jeebies. I hear Z-lander feeding sounds coming from an open door to my left. With a bated breath I cross the doors threshold as quietly as possible. Continuing on I see the familiar door that was the boss’ office, I turn the doorknob to find it locked. My dark magic vines snake through the door lock, the door pushes open with a click. Fully aware that someone is most likely on the other side of the door, I throw a personal ward around myself. Not the strongest since it didn’t have a droplet of my blood, but it should do for the moment. The door creaks open slowly, several loud staccato bullets wiz past my face as I throw my body to the side of the door. Facing the darken alley I just walked through I see several Z-landers running over each other while turning their heads back in forth in a frantic searching motion, as if they have some sort of bat sound echolocation radar to direct them to the noise. I stay perfectly still, and wish I had ruby red slippers to click together to take me away from here. Another two more bullets splinter through the half open door to the side of me. The Z-landers heads snap as one to look right at me. The sound of their stampede to get to me is all the prompting I need. With a muttered curse, I barge through the door dodging bullets as the Z-landers tear down the door I just came through behind me. I slap myself against the wall and with both hands erect a stronger ward. They are sizzling off it like a tide of locust attacking a fresh green basil leaf. Other incoming Z-landers head straight to the dumbass who thought shooting a gun would be a swell idea with a horde of Z-landers everywhere. I glance over at the 'boss' who has a panicked expression of absolute horror on his face as he empties the guns he had in each hand. "Girl, help me! I'll give you anything you want, pleas-" His pleas are cut off as a Z-lander lunges and begins tearing at his throat ripping flesh bits and cartilage out. I command myself to breath slowly, to shut my racing thoughts up and think. Panic and fear will cause me to make stupid mistakes that can render me Z-lander chow in the blink of an eye. Strategy, I need to strategize, I remind myself.
Chapter 7
Valentina
Seemingly forgotten by the Z-landers currently feasting like the rabid beasts they are, I take small tentative steps towards the boss' desk, trying my best to not draw attention to myself with any sudden movements or noise. Only several feet and a hastily erected ward are separating me from the vile creatures. I tug open the top drawer. Inside I see my harness packed with my LF, silver knives, a few military grade bombs and a full side pouch of my silver ammo. With a quick happy dance inside, I lift it out. As I am about to turn away, I spot a worn map with circles sporadically drawn on it. It has scribbled various 'camp names'. Shit, how stupid of me to think this was a 'one and done' cannibal settlement. There are so many. I hastily grab the map and tuck it in my waist band. Slowly I make my way back to the door and through the darken alley. With the crate in view, and no Z-landers in sight, I run to the crate and open the door wide. Inside the three boys abruptly stand, "Let’s go kids. Who’s a good shot?" I ask them, Charlie answers with a quick. "Me." I toss my LF at him and dig into my pouch to give him extra ammo. "Only shoot Z-landers that are intent on attacking. I don’t have that much ammo, but I have a few wicked bombs I'm going to suffuse with magic. Shadow my every step. The bombs will have a time delay, but we'll have to haul ass out of here faster than people run to buy the last roll of toilet paper at the market vendor stall." I snap my fingers to spur them to attention, as I exit the crate and go to position the explosives. Holding the three bombs, I focus my magic to multiply the impact detonation ferocity, murky green orbs flare and then disappear. Grabbing one I pull the pin out and throw it down the dark alley I just walked through. Turning in the opposite direction, I run towards the wall, turning to make sure the kids are keeping up. They’re on me like white on rice, I feel a tinge of warmth that these kids barely know me but trust me enough to follow my lead. Continuing to the wall, I pull the pin on the second one and toss it into the crevice of the car stacked wall. With one more left to deploy, we run full speed towards the exit door, no guards remain, just gory blood splatter and intestinal entrails. From what I was told the Z-landers prefer the dark but can withstand the sunlight. Still several hours before sunset, the sun is blazing hot, which would explain why I haven't seen many Z-landers out in the open. With my legs burning from exertion, we finally reach the exit door, pulling the pin on the last bomb I toss it a several feet from me. I've been mentally counting and know we are down to fifteen seconds before the first bomb detonates. As if the Z-landers can sense their imminent death the nasty pests start running in fast but jerky movements towards us like automatons that just escaped the fiery pits of hell. “Run!" I yell as I grab Shawn and Oliver's shirt and hastily shove them out of the door in front of me. Charlie has both hands gripping my gun and is firing shots at the Z-landers. My hummingbird heartbeat is riding a doozy of an adrenaline wave. "Five seconds until detonation! Fucking run, Charlie!" I grab him by the shirt and drag him out as he is determined to keep shooting the pursuing Z-landers. Three seconds. As we exit, I see Oliver and Shawn are specks down the street. Two seconds. I make Charlie jump on my back-piggyback style, as I suffuse my legs with a heavy dose of magic. One.
I'm already running as the snarls of the Z-landers sound terrifyingly close behind us. Boom! The explosion violently shakes the ground. The Z-landers that were poised at the exit door tumble and fall on themselves. Boom! The second detonation brings down most of the car wall. Shrapnel from the car stacked metal wall are hitting nearby buildings with loud metallic clangs. Boom! The final explosion sends a massive heat wave and an ear drum puncturing popping sound causes a throbbing pain to bloom in my ears. Shrapnel is whizzing by as I rotate Charlie to my front and throw him on the floor as I cover him with my body. Before I can erect a ward, I feel a sharp metal stab beneath my left rib cage. The stabbing pain has my mind instantly falling into a dark hole, I just barely gather every atom of concentration to erect a ward. Shrapnel is violently ricocheting off it with tremendous force and velocity. I force my breathing to stay even, even as I feel warm blood seeping through my shirt from my torso. With the worst of the explosion past, all I hear is the crackling of the raging fire behind us. I tumble over landing on my side. The piercing pain feels like I was just stabbed again. A blood curdling scream of pain escapes me, my consciousness begins blinking in and out, like a dying star’s molecules separating into sweet nothingness, becoming abstract floating atoms in the dark abyss. "Yippee ki yay, motherfucker." I gurgle out, as a metallic taste coats my tongue. I always wanted to say that after blowing some shit up, at least that will be crossed off my bucket list before I croak. Charlie rushes by my side with eyes as wide as saucers. "Your bleeding! Shit! Shit! Shit! What do I do?" He says in a panic. Oliver and Shawn are at his side in the next moment. Shawn drops on his knees behind me, "If we pull the metal shrapnel out without a healer or some way of cauterizing the wound she will bleed out in seconds. It looks like it hit her in her stomach area, she obviously has significant internal bleeding. We have to take her to the Enchantress down on west side." Oliver scoffs, "The enchantress as in the most powerful witch possibly in the world?" Oliver huffs in disbelief, "No way would she even consider helping three street urchins, even if we all pledge our souls to her." Charlie grips my hand. "She saved my life twice today. That shrapnel was meant for me. If you guys don’t want to come, then I'll go alone. If t
he Enchantress wants to enslave me as her servant for the rest of my days, then so be it. This is Valentina's only chance for survival." Charlie finishes in a determined voice. Shawn leans in my ear, "Charlie and I are taking you to a strong witch who can heal you, hang in there." Oliver huffs irritated, "Me too ya dumb bloke. Give me a moment I'll go find something to use as a gurney for we can carry her on it."
Two hours of being jostled on a metal plank while fading in and out of consciousness pass. I almost think I'm hallucinating when I hear Charlie announce, "We're here." Oliver chimes in, "She looks so pale, look at her shirt its soaking wet with her blood." Shawn leans in, "Shit her breathing is coming in fast, her body is working overtime to keep her alive. We gotta hurry." Shawn finishes. "Bloody hell, let’s hope the Enchantress doesn’t turn us all into toads. The door is through here, follow me." Charlie hastily says. His voice sounds like a faraway tunnel. I mentally bitch slap myself to wake the hell up. I feel like death warmed over. Each breath is becoming shallower and I fear the next time I lose consciousness I won’t be waking up. I wish I hugged Fabio and Gemma a little harder the last time I saw them. In a savage dystopian world like today, now is all your ever promised. As for Axel, let’s just say I'll be pissed as hell if I die a virgin. We suddenly stop, as I attempt to crane my neck to the side, I see a large arched wooden door. The Enchantress house is quite beautiful, it’s a cobblestone brick cottage with lovely colorful herbs and flowers lining the front yard. Before Charlie has a chance to knock, the door opens. Standing at the door is a ethereally beautiful women, strikingly black onyx hair hangs down in gentle waves down to her thin waist, shorter strands frame her delicate heart shaped face. Her skin is golden tan and her eyes have a striking resemblance to my bright verdant green ones. Wow, I was totally expecting an old hag to be the witch. "Howdy partners, when my wards chimed to let me know I had visitors, I almost didn’t believe what I was seeing in my looking glass." The kids are struck dumb apparently, so I moisten my lips to speak, "Hello Enchantress, we just needed to borrow some sugar." I say as I cough and quickly cover my mouth, as I remove my hand, I see a large red blood splotch on it. Charlie makes an incoherent sound, "M-miss Enchantress, my name is Charlie. This is Oliver and Shawn." Charlie gestures to his friends and then to me, "And this is Valentina. We carried her here over two hours, she was struck in the stomach with a sheet of metal shrapnel. Pl-please we beg you, heal her." Charlie pleas with a nervous stutter. The Enchantress looks me up and down, "She is already halfway to the ether. I don’t know if my magic will help. I will need to put a huge strain on myself and my magic to bring her back from this. Tell me, why should I care if she lives?" Charlie answers immediately, "Well you see Miss. Enchantress, Valentina saved us from the human trafficking cannibals' gang, then she risked her life to make sure their camp was permanently dismantled by bombing their camp. A Z-lander horde invaded their camp at the same time and was chasing us as the last bomb detonated. Shrapnel went flying everywhere, she saved my life a second time by throwing me to the ground and covering me with her body. She's a good person, and in a shit world like this you hold on to the good ones." The enchantress eyes go vacant as a cloudy white glaze sheen covers her eyes, "She is of the night and the spring. Her darkness a cloak that always trails behind her, the spring is the beautiful light filled posies that fill her heart which she leads with." Her eyes slowly clear back to bright verdant green. "My. My. My. That would explain the dragon sightings. He is here for you, my pretty. Perhaps if I do this for you, you will speak with your dragon familiar and ask if he would be kind enough to gift me a few of his talon trimmings?" Oh, good heavens, my only chance of survival lies with a gorgeous but coo-coo witch. "I have never spoken to a dragon, it will be more likely to barbeque me then let me give it a pedicure and then keep its nail trimmings." The Enchantress giggles, it sounds like dainty musical bells, "Aren't you a peachy delight. Get inside my pretties. Her thread of life is thinning as we speak." Shawn and Oliver maneuver me inside on the bulky metal plank that I'm still lying sideways on. Her home is cozy and surprisingly uncluttered. Beautiful mahogany antiques compliment her soft sky-blue walls and white velvet couches that have pretty coral throw pillows strewn on them. Very cozy coastal cottage vibes. "Lay her on the floor." The enchantress says, as she comes into view with various white and black candles, white hand towels, a jar of long wooden match sticks and an empty bowl filled with herbs and what looks like feathers and a dry dissected chicken heart. "Sweet Giuseppe, please tell me you’re not a voodoo witch who sacrifices cute little chickens." I say in breathless voice. Sweat has beaded around my forehead, my heart is thumping violently against my chest. Vertigo overcomes me. Shit, I think I'm dying.