End Times, Inc. (A Great & Continuous Malignity)
Page 42
“You are afraid.” Matt’s voice hardly more than a whisper. Cursing, Zakara turned away, and in doing so the Trans holding the younger looked at each other. The shock and suspicion were easy to see. As Matt smiled at this, one of them struck him hard across the face and the world disappeared in the pain. There was more shouting as the world reformed and he could feel fresh phlegm running down his nose.
“Behind those trees.” Shea pronounced with confidence. Whatever it was seemed to be important.
“It’s here, Master.” One of the Trans called from the woods.
“Pick it up and let’s get out of here.” Botrous tried to yell, but the injury seemed to be weighing him down. The Trans came out of the woods with a Metal cage suspended between two poles. There was something—someone—inside of this that appeared to have been roused by the movement. There was some banging and rattling on the padlocked door when the scene disappeared into a series of explosions which overshot, and then undershot the group before establishing the range.
Several mortars exploded in their midst. A number of Trans were ripped open by shrapnel and a mortar landed just before the cage, killing those carrying it and knocked the box on his side. The door of this flew open with a powerful blow from within. Panic followed and there were Trans firing at the box while attempting to prevent being overrun by the pursuing Metas. Matt attempted to see around the bodies as they crowded the box. One, then two, then three of these flew backwards across the clearing; then there were strangled grunts from two more as they crumpled to their knees.
Matt was having trouble focusing again as his loss of blood was beginning to take its toll now that his adrenalin was fading. As he was attempting to see several Trans collected him and began, at Zakara’s anxious instruction, pulling him across the open space and toward the road which lay beyond. Feargal thought road because he could hear vehicles starting up and they sounded close. From the box, at this moment, there was a screech; this was a voice he recognised. “China!”
“Matteo?! Matteo!” The remaining Trans were knocked back and the woman stumbled from the box. Leaning against this, China Bob squinted into the light and toward Feargal’s still shouting voice.
“Halton killed Leonor!” He could only get the words out before he could not say more. The pain was too great; the shame was even worse.
“I know,” weeping and stepping forward, “but you killed him.” Not a question.
“Yes.” He choked. Doing so one of the Trans raised a weapon to shoot the woman and all the hate came back. Matt knocked them down. “Run—get out of here. Up the mountain—now! Run! Run!!”
“No, Matt.” The voice confused and panicked, at once.
“Find me later—now run!” Ripping the energy weapon from the Trans he shot his guards and turned to Zakara and the injured Shea as they back toward the road. Even as he fired he could hear China’s feet on the impacted earth; hear the Metas coming down the path.
At this time also the Blackhawks have returned, perhaps thinking better of their retreat. Even with this he was struck on the back of the head. Still mostly conscious, but unable to move or call out. He could still hear China screaming for him and pointing him out to the Metas. There was small arms fire mixed in with heavy calibre weapons, from the helicopters he supposed, and the sound of explosions that weren’t mortars—these were missiles. Following these explosions there was the sound of exploding fuel tanks and the screams of the injured—he’d become too familiar with those. With these the fragments of consciousness began to separate into discrete units of significance. Each particular essence of self drifted from one another and the last discernible sound was China’s voice. He supposed, rather than knew, Bob was telling him she’d find him.
Seemed that would all be down to her, because there was nothing left in him. All he wanted was that she would remain safe and he could find some way to end this and take his father with him.
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Acemoglu, Daron & James A. Robinson. Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. Crown Publishers, 2012.
Dickens, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities. 1859.
Guiley, Rosemary Ellen and Philip J. Imbrogno. The Vengeful Djinn: Unveiling the Hidden Agenda of Genies. Llewellyn Publications, 2011.
Hutson, Matthew. The 7 Laws of Magical Thinking. Oneworld Publications, 2012.
The author was born and raised in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. After leaving school they have lived, worked, and travelled in several countries. In between, the author acquired a BA and an MA (English Literature) from the University of Guelph. Presently they are an Assistant Professor in the Department of Liberal Education, at Keimyung University, Daegu, The Republic of Korea.
The Seurat Construct [Book I of The Burdened Air]
The Dog Particle [Book II of The Burdened Air]
When Dogs Could Talk
Fortuna’s Bastard [Book I of A Great & Continuous Malignity]
All books available on Amazon.com
Email: cryptobarker@gmail.com
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Table of Contents
Part 1–For What It’s Worth
Chapter 1-Flash Mob @ the Squat &Gobble
Chapter 2-Grist for the Mill
Chapter 3-Entfremdung
Chapter4-Cody
Chapter 5-You Don’t Get There From Here Alone
Chapter 6-Homo Ethicus
Chapter 7-Hey, I’ve been to this Party Before
Chapter 8-Northwest Interlude
Chapter 9-Pandora’s Passing
Part 2-Think of All the Hate
Chapter 10-Not Going to Plan and the Other Minutiae of Failure
Chapter 11-Sure You Want to Join the Party?
Chapter 12-Reunions and Betrayals
Chapter 13-Breaking Bread with Memento Mori
Chapter 14-Old Friends & the Axis of Convenience
Chapter 15-And They’re Off
Chapter 16-A Hard Man
Chapter 17-Surprise Guests @ Germantown Café
Chapter 18-The Sheraton Cotillion & Rampage
Part 3-End Times Dialectic
Chapter 19-Veiling Truth
Chapter 20-To Lawrence’s Dark Heart
Chapter 21-Re-imagining the Edenic Narrative
Chapter 22-The Zoology of Eden & Other Annoying Observations from a Karma Punk
Chapter 23-Townies
Chapter 24-Pater Familias
Chapter 25-What Ziggy Never Knew
Chapter 26-Ni!
Chapter 27-Cañón de la Huasteca
Thanks for Reading
Further Reading
About the Author
Also By the Author
Contact Information