by Dean Floyd
As we exited the restaurant I instinctively grabbed Charice’s hand. “Oh,” she said, caught off guard. It was still one of the first times we actually held hands. “So we’re doing that now?” she asked.
“Let’s just walk quickly to the car and get out of here,” I said.
My tone and face must have clued her in that I wasn’t trying to be romantic. “You really want that frozen yogurt, huh?” she said with puzzled look on her face.
I picked up the pace as we headed for my car. My senses were nauseating. The thing was really close. And then I heard it, the piercing screech. Charice tried to stop and turn, because she was startled.
“Get in the car,” I said sharply. I glanced around the parking lot. There were a lot of empty cars, most people were still inside Pho and the surrounding restaurants. Except for one lady. Her face was aglow with smart phone light. She chatted with someone on speaker like the rest of the world needed to hear everything they said.
Another screech sounded much closer this time and I looked skyward. Against the starlight I could see the black silhouette of another massive bird. Goosebumps trailed down my neck and arms. “There’s more than one,” I murmured.
“What was that sound?” asked Charice.
Instead of dodging the question I pointed to the sky. No need to hide it now. We were in danger.
“What are you pointing at?”
“That massive bird, right there” I said as I opened the passenger door for her. “It attacked me earlier.”
“I don’t see anything,” said Charice.
I ran over to my side and opened my door before I remembered the lady on her cell phone. I waved my arms frantically and barked, “Hey! Hey lady.” But she was too engrossed in her conversation to notice. Quicker than I expected the Sluagh dove like a black dart hurled straight down. I was yelling, screaming now.
Like the jogger earlier, the Sluagh grasped her by her shoulders and took to the skies. She was in such shock she couldn’t even scream.
“Shoot!” I slammed my door shut as I watched the Sluagh fly west over the fenced-off former Kmart lot.
The car shot forward and I saw a gap in the fence where someone had cut a hole. The Mustang tore through the gate and I winced knowing that my paint job would be scratched now.
“That lady just flew in the air...,” said Charice.
“Yeah, the bird snatched her,” I said. I dodged potholes, weeds, and old light poles. The tires squealed as I weaved around the obstacles.
Charice’s face was pale and she looked like she might hurl. Which would suck because I paid for that dinner. “There was no bird,” she said.
I glared at her. What is she smoking? There is no way she could miss a bird that massive. But then my conversation with Rob echoed in my mind. "You can see through my Glamour?” said Rob. “But you're just a human. That means you've been..."
"To the Otherside," I finished.
Charice couldn’t see the Sluagh because it was masked in Glamour. My magic had just awakened when I fought the Banshee, and I myself had seen glimpses of what she really was during our first fight. I’d been to the Otherside, Tir na nOg. Charice hadn’t.
My thoughts were interrupted as Charice caught sight of the lady again. “She’s floating in the air,” she said, pointing.
The Sluagh hadn’t gotten very high yet, and I had to give it to the lady, she was fighting back. She was fighting back too well actually because the bird dropped her. Charice gasped and my heart leapt into my throat.
But thank goodness she landed in a large pile of weeds and not straight-up asphalt. The car skidded to a halt. As I was getting out I said, “Stay here.”
Charice’s eyes were wide, too shocked for words. I popped the trunk and retrieved my katana. The metal sang as the blade leapt from its sheath. As I ran to defend the woman I saw Charice matching my pace stride for stride. “What are you doing?” I yelled.
“We’ve got to help her,” she countered.
We reached the woman who was moaning and cradling her left arm. Tears scored the shoulders of her shirt and small amounts of blood were leaking through where the talons had punctured the skin.
“Are you alright?” asked Charice, her face a wrinkled with concern.
The woman’s eyes were closed tight. “It hurts,” she said.
“Her arm’s broken,” Charice said.
But I wasn’t really paying attention because the Sluagh was circling back around to gather its prey. I raised my sword high and spread my legs shoulder width apart, grounding my stance on the cracked asphalt. I reached within trying to find my power, my Luck Magic. But it eluded me yet again. Why won’t you work? I just used you to defeat the last bird. So when the Sluagh came at me, I simply stood there dumbly. What was I going to do? Let it collide with the women?
It hit me full force and knocked the wind out of me. To my credit I stabbed it, which was why my katana was ripped from my hands as I was knocked to the ground. I rolled to my feet, but the pain was undeniable. The Sluagh crash landed a stone’s throw away. Behind me Charice called out, “Sean, what’s happening?” Out of my peripheral I could see her trying to help the woman to her feet.
“Get her to my car,” I said, then ran towards the Sluagh as fast I could. I reached for my katana and ripped it free of the bird who was a flurry of feathers trying to get off the ground. Black blood ran down my blade. “Come on,” I yelled. “Let’s do this!”
I went in for a stab again but the bird brought its sharp talons up and blocked my attack. It flapped its wings and rose onto its legs. Quick as a flash it pecked at me over and over. I managed to block it’s beak twice with my sword, but it got me good several times. Sharp pain laced my right forearm. Hot wet blood ran down my arm under my plaid button up. Our eyes connected and the beast knew that it had me. I danced around a nearby rusty light pole, trying to keep something between us. The Sluagh screeched in frustration as I moved about the light pole in circles, eluding further attacks.
Then I heard another screech from the sky and my heart almost stopped.
“Sean,” Charice cried in dismay.
I stole a glance back and saw the familiar silhouette of a massive bird swooping towards Charice and the injured woman. No, I thought. Not more!
In a blur of shadow and feathers it descended and ripped the injured woman free from Charice’s helping hands before they could make it into the safety of my ‘Stang. The woman was lifted higher again and being carried away to her grave. But I was distracted for too long. I felt a sharp pain in my side as the Sluagh I was fighting landed a good peck, stabbing me with its beak.
I stumbled back losing my footing. It had the force of a punch but the sting of a stab. I fell to one knee and only had one hand on my katana, my other hand flailing for balance.
Charice was at my side in a flash, trying to help me to the car.
“What are you doing? You should have stayed in the car,” I grunted.
“I’m helping you of course,” she said. In the process her cell phone fell out of her pocket. She reached down to get it.
The Sluagh beat its wings and came in for another attack.
“Leave it,” I said.
I tried to raise my sword in time but the thing grabbed Charice by the shoulders and took flight with her. I reached out to grab her outstretched hand but our fingers only brushed each other as she was taken into the night sky. “No!” I yelled.
I grabbed her phone and got in the ‘Stang, and took off like a charging bull. I pursued the Sluagh but it rose higher and higher. Both birds were heading west, past the empty Kmart lot and out into the marshes. I slammed on the breaks as I came to the natural end of the property, the marshes themselves.
I whipped the car around and headed for the South end of the property. The ‘Stang blasted through the chain link fence and drifted off of the curb onto the street. It’s heading West, I thought, out over the Highway 37 marshes. My mind’s eye raced ahead of me, thinking of the fastest path to keep u
p with the Sluagh on the streets. I needed to get to the overpass that went over the Napa River, then I would be on the two lane Highway 37 .
In less than two minutes I was on Highway 37 and approaching the Napa River overpass. On my left was the last block of houses in Vallejo, and on my right were the Marshes that ended by the old Kmart.
I have to cross the water. I began my way up the steep incline over the overpass . By this time I lost sight of the Sluagh. My stomach was getting queasy and my hands were cold as I gripped the steering wheel. Don’t think about the water. It was crazy dark now and my only chance of seeing them was getting over the horizon of the overpass.
It seemed like forever but I finally cleared the crest of the overpass. Without knowing it, I had been holding my breath and let out the air. But halfway down the overpass was a big rig. At the bottom of the overpass the highway would merge from two lanes to one lane for about five miles as it cut across the marshes. If I got behind a slow driver I wouldn't be able to pass them up because the center divide was a tall concrete wall and on my right would be a drop off into the marshes, and a slow murky death by drowning. I mashed on the gas "I have to make this, otherwise I will never catch up to her in time."
The engine roared as I sped off down the overpass, glad to have any excuse to get out from over the water. I was catching up to the big rig and managed to pull alongside it and slightly cut him off just as the lanes merged into one. He showed me one of his ten fingers and blinded me with high beams as well. I wanted to flash the shotgun at him but I didn’t have it. Plus he probably had one too. I sped up hoping to catch up to the Sluagh.
Scanning the night sky I caught movement on my right, more North West. Two birds were beating their wings, heading deeper into the center of the Marshes, Skaggs Island. Yes, I’m gaining on them!
A Vallejo veteran, I knew that there was only one exit in the middle of the marshes, and that was a road that lead to the lonely and forgotten Skaggs Island. The Island used to house a secret military base back in the 1940s, but sometime during my childhood the place had been boarded up by the government. The Sluagh would probably be nesting there. There would be plenty of abandoned buildings they could dwell in or nest on where no one would even know they existed. If I drive out to Skaggs Island I can cut them off.
There were no cars in front of the ‘Stang, so I was flying, ninety miles per hour in a sixty-five zone. The turn off to Skaggs Island came quicker than I expected. I can catch up!
But as soon as I made the turn my headlights beamed on a large security gate that was reinforced with huge metal bars that were buried deep in the concrete. It was reinforced for people just like me, who wanted to barrel through the gate. And on either side of the little dirt road were the waters of the marsh. No!
I slammed on the breaks, hopped out of the car and ran up to the massive fence, my fingers interlocking between the chain link. No! NO! NO!
Chapter 13
Long Time No See
I watched the beating wings of the birds until they disappeared over the horizon. I shook the gate with all of my strength. I screamed dumbly. No words even came to mind. It was just raw pain. I balled my hands into fists and beat the top of my car until my hands were numb.
In my pocket, Charice’s phone vibrated as a text came through. I held her phone in my hand, the last remnant of her, a girl that I’d failed to protect. My fingers tightened around it. I gritted my teeth and got back inside the ‘Stang. I kept the phone in my pocket so I could return it to her after I saved her.
IT TOOK THE LONGEST, painstaking forty minutes to get back home.
Because Highway 37 was only a one lane highway for five miles with a cement wall as a middle divider, it meant I had to drive to the far side of the marsh, only to make it to the intersection and bust a U-turn and drive the same five miles all the way back home. And of course I got stuck behind some slow drivers.
I stormed into my apartment nearly taking out the door.
I bared my teeth and ran past the kitchen into the living room. Tain was on his back enjoying a belly rub from Rob but they both jumped when I entered.
"Gee wiz! You scared us," said Rob.
"Yeah," I said ignoring the two of them, rushing to my bedside. Once on my knees I pulled out the shotgun case and threw that on the bed.
Rob hovered in front of my face. "Was the date that bad?"
I stuck out my pointer finger and nudged him a little further away from me. "Don't you understand personal space?" I unzipped the shotgun bag, pulled it out, then proceeded to load seven shots into it."You don't have to be so snappy with me," said Rob. "I just want to know what's wrong."
I let out a long sigh, not even sure where to begin. I grabbed another handful of shotshells and stuffed them into the slots provided on the shoulder holster. "I thought we killed it," I said, raising my voice."But after Charice and I had dinner—”
"Then this happened?" said Rob holding up Liam Neeson's Taken.
"This isn't a joke you idiot!" I snatched the DVD out of his hand and hurled it. The black box spun through the air until it splintered against the wall sending shards of black plastic everywhere. I fell to my knees and ran my fingers through my hair. “I thought you said there was only one Sluagh.”
Rob bit his lip and looked up, trying to remember. “Did I say that? I think I meant the one you were dealing with.”
I sighed. "If only I knew where to find Nehemiah. I could really use the wizard's help right now."
"Black wizard?"
I nodded. "Yeah Nehemiah."
The little Hob gasped then giggled, flipping through the air. "This Nehemiah is the wizard?"
"One in the same," I grunted.
“About this tall?” said Rob, hovering to the appropriate height. “Looks like if Luke Cage went and borrowed Gambit’s clothes and staff?”
“YES!” I said. “That’s the guy.”
Rob clapped his hands together. "Why didn't you say so? I know where to find him."
NEHEMIAH'S HOUSE WAS a modest two-story home in Somerset Highlands, which was the nicer side of Northeast Vallejo.
I left Tain in the car as Rob and I walked up to the doorstep, me on two legs and him on four orange ones.
"Are you sure this is the place?" I asked Rob. It didn’t seem like the place a powerful wizard would live. “I don’t see his pickup truck.”
"Meow," answered Rob. “It’s probably in the garage. Duh.”
I took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. When I didn’t hear anything I knocked on the door firmly until I heard the sound of feet shuffling. I also heard a familiar voice say, "It’s late. This better be good."
When Nehemiah answered the door I wasn't exactly surprised. But he was.
He was wearing a purple sweatshirt and dark blue jeans with white socks. It was weird to see him in normal clothes and not a trenchcoat. His face looked a little scruffy like he hadn't shaved in a few days.
His eyes however were the most striking, which were glazed over, and the flicker of a magenta flame showing for only a moment. He had a look on his face when you know you recognize somebody but you see them completely out of their element, and there’s a surreal space in time as the brain pieces together who they are and what they mean to you.
"Hi Nehemiah. It’s me Sean from the Banshee thing last week," I said. “Something bad has happened. Really bad.”
His eyes quickly looked past me, narrowing and darting left to right like we were being watched. He stepped on the porch and closed the door behind him. He opened his mouth to say something then stopped.
I tried to put myself in his shoes. A white kid who he had helped defeat a Banshee showed up a week later on his porch uninvited, bloodstained, asking for help at a late hour of the night. He’s got to help me.
His lips pursed together and his eyebrows slanted downward almost touching the bridge of his nose. "How the hail did you find out where I live?"
I pointed to the cat. "He led the way, honest. I swear I didn'
t stalk you or look you up online. Okay well, I did try to look you up online but I couldn't find anything." I was so flustered I was rambling.
Nehemiah looked from me to the cat then back to me. "Boy, you lost your mind? Coming here? You’re putting my family at risk." He leaned in and grabbed my shoulder. "How did you really find my house?"
I pointed to the cat. When he didn't do anything I kicked him.
"Ouch. Stoppit Sean," said Rob.
I shrugged. "Nehemiah, this is Rob Swellfellow, the Hobgoblin."
Nehemiah put his hand to his chin."Oh, the annoying homeless leprechaun?"
“I’m not homeless anymore,” hissed Rob. “And I’m not a leprechaun.”
"Who you fooling? You’re more of a carrot top than Sean is," said Nehemiah.
The cat hissed.
I butted in. “Look. We can talk about how we got here later. The point is some women have been taken by a massive bird monster and they need help.”
Nehemiah's eyes darted again looking around his neighborhood. "Keep your voice down. The neighbors are going to hear you talking all fanatic like that.” He opened the door and ushered us inside. “Plus I don’t need them seeing me talking to a cat."
Chapter 14
There is No Game Plan
There were two weird things about Nehemiah’s house. The first was a distinct lack of occult stuff. The second was all of the family pictures lining the walls.
I could see that he had two kids, a boy and a girl and a beautiful wife who looked a lot younger than he did. His kids were pre-teens. There was also a picture of a young man by himself next to the family photos on the walls. This kid was a late teen, possibly even in his early twenties. He looked a lot like Nehemiah but not like his other kids in the slightest.
The house was immaculately clean, and if one had a nice camera I could imagine the home being featured on a decorating blog or house magazine.