Leaving Level Five

by L. S. O'Dea

  “In a second. They ain’t woke yet.” The Guard plunged the needle into the Original’s arm.

  “Louis, forget it. Come on.”

  Two of the smallest Brush-Men sat up, their eyes cloudy from the gas.

  “Charlie will never forgive me if we can’t save his friend.” Louis pocketed the needle and stood, hurrying toward McBrid.

  The Brush-Men’s eyes cleared as their gazes were drawn to the movement.

  “Run.” McBrid staggered backward, no longer able to keep his body from retreating.

  Louis took off as the Brush-Men jumped to their feet and began to chatter. Charlie pounded on the glass. The other Brush-Men started to stir, woken by the sounds.

  “Oh, this isn’t good.” McBrid managed to make himself stop, but his body clenched in fear and his legs almost vibrated with nerves. “Hurry up.”

  “Go,” shouted Louis as he charged forward, no longer caring how many Brush-Men he stomped in the process. “I’m right behind you.”

  Louis was only a few feet away. That was enough. McBrid ran. He hadn’t taken three steps when something hit the side of his calf, clinging to him like a vine covered in stickers. McBrid shook his leg, trying to dislodge the creature and his foot hit a larger Brush-Man. He stumbled over it, righting himself before he fell. Pain shot through his leg. The little shit had bit him. He slapped at it with the bag but didn’t shake his leg again. If he fell, it’d be all over for him. The pain from the monster biting into his flesh, drove him to run even faster. As soon as he was out of there, he was squishing the little bastard.

  A scream ripped through the air and McBrid’s legs flew over the ground. That noise would come from him next if he didn’t get out of there, but he couldn’t leave Louis. The Guard in his DNA wouldn’t let him. He spun around. Louis staggered forward, three decent sized Brush-Men clinging to his back and legs.

  “Hang on. I’m coming.” He bent, yanking the Brush-Man from his thigh and throwing it to the side. He grabbed the knife, slashing at the waking Brush-Men as he made his way back into the midst of death.

  Louis was screaming and cursing, the sound giving McBrid guidance as he focused on making his way across the cage. It was only a few feet but every minute seemed like an hour as he kicked and shoved, cutting at anything that even twitched.

  Louis staggered toward him, almost covered with clinging Brush-Men. “Help me.”

  The Guard was losing strength with every bite and the Brush-Men knew it. They clamored in front of him, trying to trip him. If the Guard went down...McBrid couldn’t let that happen. He yanked a Brush-Man from Louis’ back, stabbing it in the gut before throwing it into a group of smaller Brush-Men. They immediately swarmed their injured companion.

  “Keep moving.” He pulled another creature from the Guard’s leg, tossing it to its death like the other. “We’ve got to keep going.” He dropped the bag and grabbed Louis’ arm, tugging the struggling Guard forward. Their only hope was the door.

  He jabbed his knife into one of the Brush-Men who clung to Louis’ leg, hindering his movements. The creature screeched but didn’t fall off. The sound stirring more of the sleeping monsters.

  They would never make it if more woke. They might not make it now, but he staggered forward, his arm twisted around Louis’. The Brush-Men jumped on them, grabbing their feet and ankles, trying to knock them down.

  “Almost there.” He slashed at the creatures, ignoring the pain from their bites as he staggered forward.

  More Brush-Men clamored to their feet, joining the attack. They were barely moving through the pack, each step only inches.

  Another swarm hit Louis and the Guard fell, pulling McBrid with him to the floor. It was the opening the Brush-Men had been trying to make.

  “We have to get up.” McBrid struggled to his knees.

  “Come on.” Louis grabbed his hand and began crawling toward the door.

  “Hurry up,” yelled Charlie, apparently having figured out the intercom.

  McBrid’s head spun and his vision blurred. He’d lost a lot of blood. He fought the darkness but it was no use. The last thing he saw was Charlie’s face, white with fear through the glass.

  CHAPTER 26: McBrid

  McBrid hurt. Every breath sent pain shooting through his body. His eyes fluttered open. Even that hurt. He was on the floor, the bright lights of the lab glaring down at him.

  “Louis.” His voice was like sandpaper on skin.

  “You’re awake.” Charlie crouched by him. “Drink this.” The Guard helped him to sit up and handed him a glass.

  “Louis.” They’d both been in the cage. The Brush-Men.

  “He’s fine.”

  “Fine? I wouldn’t say that.” Louis walked over to them. His clothes were torn beyond repair and splattered with blood.

  “You’re alive.”

  “I am that. Thanks to you and Charlie.” Louis grinned at his brother.

  “Wh-what happened?” He took the glass and drank. The liquid like salvation to his dry throat.

  “Charlie saved us. Gassed them all.” Louis’ smile grew even wider. “Us too, but that’s okay. I’ll take a little gas over death any day.”

  “Gas.” That explained the headache and the dry mouth. “Smart.”

  “Thanks. It was Glassick’s idea.” Charlie glanced at the Brush-Man on his shoulder.

  “Really? And how did he manage to turn the gas on with his little hands?” Louis’ pride had been replaced by disgust.

  “I did that, but he told me to.” Charlie frowned. “Well, not exactly told me, but he kept chirping and tugging on my ear and he pointed to the button. Didn’t you?”

  Glassick stuck both hands up in the air.

  “Come on. You pointed at the lever that turns on the gas. You saved them.” Charlie’s eyes darted to his brother. “Both of them.”

  Glassick put up his left hand.

  “Seems the little guy isn’t one for taking credit he doesn’t deserve.” Louis bent, peering at the Brush-Man. “Takes a strong Guar...Almi...creature to do that.”

  Glassick’s chest puffed out.

  “You did good.” Louis slapped Charlie’s back. “Thank you. I owe you my life. Again.”

  McBrid stood. “Yes, thank you. We both owe you again, Charlie. That was quick thinking and brave.” His eyes locked with the young Guard’s. “Very brave to go inside the enclosure and drag us out.”

  Charlie shrugged. “Had no choice.”

  “But you did. You could’ve done nothing and we both would’ve died.”

  “Yeah. I guess.” Charlie’s face was red. The kid was uncomfortable with compliments but he deserved them.

  “Thank you, again.” He turned to Louis. “Did the sample in your pocket survive?”

  “Yeah. I put it on the table by the bag.”

  “The bag? You went back for the bag?” He turned toward the young Guard. “That was more than brave.”

  “Couldn’t leave it in there,” said Charlie. “You need it to make Glassick better.”

  CHAPTER 27: Glick

  Glick stared at the Brush-Man in the container. It was the smaller one that McBrid and Louis had captured before they’d gone into the enclosure with the larger Brush-Men.

  It’d been in the cage for days now and it was sad. Glick tapped on the glass but it didn’t even look at him. At first, it’d tried to attack him, hitting the glass over and over. Eventually, it’d learned that it wasn’t getting out and Glick wasn’t coming inside.

  The poor thing spent most of the day staring at the enclosure that had once been Glick’s home. It was lonely and Glick could relate. He liked Charlie and McBrid. Even Louis had been nicer to him since he’d refused to take credit for saving them, but while all three of those guys were great, they weren’t the same as Bumpers, Flea and Speckles.

  “Hey, McBrid.” He turned toward the scientist who was studying the samples from the larger Brush-Men. “When are you going to let this guy go back with his friends?”

 
The caged Brush-Man shifted, watching him. Its unblinking stare was unnerving and he still hated these creatures, kind of. They had killed Bumpers but this one may not have been involved. Plus, it was like him—a prisoner—forced to live and survive in a cage. Things might’ve been different if they’d been born free.

  “McBrid!” The scientist was ignoring him. He ran across the desk and onto the Almighty’s hand.

  “Hey Glassick, what’s up?” McBrid stopped working. “Are you hungry?”

  He shook his head and at McBrid’s frown, he raised his left hand.

  “Okay. You miss Charlie? He’ll be back soon.”

  He raised his left hand again.

  “Then, what do you want?”

  “I want you to turn him loose.” He pointed at the other Brush-Man.

  “You know I can’t understand your words.”

  He wanted to scream. Communicating with these guys was a nightmare. He pointed to the cage that held the Brush-Man and then pointed to the large enclosure.

  “Is that Brush-Man bothering you?”

  “Please. It’s locked in a cage. How much bother can it be?” He shook his left hand.

  “Hmm. Okay.”

  He pointed at the Brush-Man again and then at the other cages.

  “It’s about that Brush-Man, correct?”

  He raised his right hand.

  “Okay. Good. Now, what? Is he hungry?”

  “No.” Glick raised his left hand.

  “You sure?” McBrid studied the Brush-Man. “They’re always hungry.”

  He slapped McBrid’s knuckle. “I don’t care if he’s hungry.”

  “Okay. Okay.” McBrid laughed. “I was joking.” His face grew serious. “You also pointed to the other cage. You want me to put him back with the others, don’t you?”

  He nodded, his right hand waving in the air.

  “Is he bothering you at night when we leave?”

  He hesitated, not wanting to lie. McBrid didn’t know that Charlie snuck him out every night.

  “I can put him in a drawer when I leave.”

  He shook his head, lifting his left hand.

  “No? You sure?”

  He raised his right hand. Yes, he was sure. Being locked in the dark and alone was a punishment that only Scottsmoor and the Brush-Man who’d killed Bumpers deserved.

  “Okay.” McBrid stood, lifting his hand and putting Glick on his shoulder. “I have all the samples that I need from him. I guess, I can set him loose with his friends.”

  Glick nodded.

  “You sure? You’ll be all alone in here once he’s back with the others because we aren’t going in there again. Ever.”

  Was that why the Almighty had left the Brush-Man in the cage? To keep him company? He touched McBrid’s cheek and then moved down his shirt, pointing to the large cage. It’d been nice of the Almighty to worry about him, but McBrid didn’t understand that he and the other Brush-Man would never be friends.

  “Okay. If that’s what you want.” McBrid lifted the small container.

  “I do. He should be with his friends. His kind.” Glick swore there was a spark of something besides hatred or sadness in the other Brush-Man’s eyes, something like gratitude.

  CHAPTER 28: Glick

  Glick was enjoying life. He still missed Bumpers, Flea and Speckles but he’d come to accept that they were gone and he was alive. He had food, a warm, safe place to live and friends. They weren’t like him but they were his friends. During the day, he loved riding on Charlie’s shoulder, and at night, he felt safe for once in his life, tucked in Charlie’s pocket.

  He also enjoyed working with McBrid. When the Almighty wasn’t busy, he’d help Charlie teach Glick the alphabet. They said that if he could learn to spell, they could communicate better. He’d love that, raising his arms all the time was exhausting. Actually, a nap sounded like a good idea. His back hurt and the pain in his leg never completely went away. He slipped inside Charlie’s collar and closed his eyes.

  Someone knocked on the door. Charlie spun around, his eyes meeting McBrid’s. Louis was the only other one who ever came to the lab and he had no reason to knock. Both Guards had their own keys. Glick ducked down, leaving only his eyes and the top of his head peeking from the cloth, but they were mostly concealed by Charlie’s hair.

  “Glassick?” mouthed McBrid.

  Charlie grabbed the Brush-Man and dropped him into his pocket.

  There was another knock.

  “If anything goes bad, I want you to run. Get your brother if you can and go.”

  Glick trembled in the dark pocket. The only time he’d seen these two scared was when they’d entered the Brush-Men enclosure.

  McBrid’s footsteps moved to the door. “Scottsmoor? What are you doing...Professor Conguise.”

  Glick’s fear roiled in his gut, turning to rage. Scottsmoor had killed his friends. Scottsmoor needed to die.

  As Charlie moved farther away from the door, the voices grew muffled. He climbed to the top of the pocket and peeked out. There was nothing but the wall to see as Charlie swept his way across the room, but Glick could hear everything.

  “It was brought to my attention that you haven’t started the eradication yet.”

  “Professor, I explained in our meeting that I want to get the smaller ones used to me before putting them all together again,” said McBrid.

  “And you’ve run out of time,” said Scottsmoor.

  Hatred filled his veins like the poison that had burnt off his finger—hot, fluid and all consuming. He was supposed to stay hidden but he had to see Scottsmoor again. He’d become comfortable with Charlie and McBrid. He needed to remember his rage and hatred. He couldn’t forget his revenge. Charlie’s ears were tipped toward the conversation and his movements were jerky with tension. The Guard wasn’t paying a bit of attention to anything but the Almightys. Glick scurried up Charlie’s shirt and over his shoulder to his neck. He darted into the Guard’s hair and peered through the short, dark tresses.

  Scottsmoor. His lips curled, exposing his sharp teeth. If only he were bigger, he’d attack. He’d tear every shred of skin from the Almighty.

  “This is my project, not yours.” McBrid’s voice was smooth but his shoulders were tense with anger.

  “And they are all my projects,” said the professor.

  McBrid tipped his head in acquiescence. “I’ll poison the enclosure today.”

  Glick slapped his hand over his mouth to stop his chirps of protest. The poison would kill the eggs. All the hatchlings. Some might survive like he had, but they’d never be accepted by the others.

  “You’ll poison it now. Bring in the food.” Conguise moved to the cage.

  Topper and Stink, along with two other Guards, dragged in two House Servants. Glick knew what was going to happen. He tried to look away but he couldn’t. Part of him yearned to be in there—to work with the others to hunt, kill, and feast. Charlie must’ve felt the same because he turned away from the wall, making Glick scurry around to the side of the Guard’s neck.

  The Servants pleaded and fought as they were carried to the top of the enclosure. Glick’s heart thudded against his chest. Flea had fought to escape. Bumpers had pleaded. There was no mercy here—not from the Almightys, the Guards nor the Brush-Men.

  Conguise pressed two buttons. The door above the cage slid open as well as the doors between the enclosures.

  “In you go.” Topper pushed a Servant forward, but the creature was agile and managed to catch himself before he fell, teetering on the edge. The Brush-Men swarmed to the center, waiting. Some of the larger ones even jumped toward the Servant.

  “Let me help.” Stink shoved his Servant who toppled into the other one. Their eyes widened as they clung to each other, screaming as they fell.

  The screams increased for one quick second before the Brush-Men covered them, muffling the sounds until all that was left was the tearing of flesh.

  McBrid’s jaw was clenched but he remained silent, staring i
nto the cage. Glick grabbed Charlie’s hair as the Brush-Men fed. He hated them too, but he didn’t. He’d be like them if it weren’t for the poison. They didn’t deserve to be prisoners any more than he did.

  Conguise pressed both levers and the doors closed. “Now, spray the enclosure.”

  McBrid nodded.

  Conguise waited, his brow raised.

  McBrid’s lips twitched but his voice was calm as he said, “Charlie, go get your brother—”

  “No reason for that,” said Conguise. “We have more than enough Guards here.”

  “Topper and Stink, get the chemicals from the utility room and show young Charlie how to correctly eradicate the Brush-Men hatchlings.” Scottsmoor’s smug expression was enough to make Glick reconsider attacking. He may not be able to kill the Almighty but he was pretty sure he could chew those lips off Scottsmoor’s face before he was stopped.

  “No need.” McBrid nodded toward the back of the room where jugs of chemicals sat, waiting to kill. “As I said, I was getting ready to eradicate the eggs myself. There’s plenty of the poison right here.”

  “We decided to use something stronger,” said Scottsmoor.

  Stronger? The last stuff had been more than potent enough to ruin them all. Glick’s fist twisted in Charlie’s hair.

  “Ouch,” whispered Charlie.

  “Sorry,” he chirped as he loosened his hold.

  “Charlie, put the broom away before you go with Stink and Topper.” McBrid looked directly at Charlie before turning back to the others. “Teaching a Guard to be cleanly isn’t easy.”

  “No, it’s not,” said Conguise. “Too bad most Servants can read. They’re definitely tidier than Guards.”

  Charlie hurried to the closet. As soon as the door closed behind him, the Guard’s big hand searched through his hair, plucking Glick gently by the back and sitting him on a shelf. “Stay.”

  He couldn’t wait in here. He needed to do something to stop this. He shook his head, raising his left hand before jumping onto Charlie’s arm. He scurried up the Guard and slipped back into his hair.