by Lowry, C. L.
The full canisters were placed into the duffel bag with the ammo, and there was chatter about what they could do with that type of chemical weapon. Kyle was more focused on why the weapons were in the house and why things were left behind. Who the hell brought this shit up here, he thought as his eyes scanned the empty casings. The casings were directly under the window, and that was next to be scanned by the trained eyes of the former Marine. Bullet holes decorated the area around the window frame and shattered glass was hidden beneath the casings. Kyle pulled the curtain back slightly and peeked out the window, being careful not to expose himself too much. He scanned the exterior of the property, which was an alleyway that ran behind the home. Suddenly he raised his rifle and aimed directly outside, below the window.
CHAPTER 15
“Well, he needs to stop acting like a bitch and learn how to defend himself.”
“Why do you always put your son down Howard? He needs you right now, and as a man, you should teach him how to stand up to those bullies.”
Dannie sat on the steps and listened to his parents argue with each other. As usual, he was the topic of conversation. At the tender age of fifteen, he was going through an identity crisis. After his father found him prancing around in his mother’s high heels, he inflicted a beating on Dannie that teetered the thin line between discipline and abuse. Since then their relationship struggled, and his father kept his distance. He spent more time at the bar all of a sudden. Dannie knew that shame kept his father from coming home at night. His mother knew it as well but tried her best to make excuses as to the whereabouts of her husband. The current issue was a group of boys at Dannie’s school that made it their purpose to make his life a living hell. Each day the bullying became worse, receiving both physical and mental abuse at home and school.
“Get your ass up and out my house,” his father ordered. “Stop acting like a little girl and stand up for yourself.”
Those words replayed in Dannie’s mind throughout the entire morning. He did not want to go to school, but he really did not have a choice. With no friends, there was nowhere for him to go and no one to hang out with. He meandered around the neighborhood, attempting to waste time. Once his parents went to work, he would return home to relax and raid his mother’s closet. The high priced heels were simply irresistible. As time ticked by, he began working his way back home. Dannie walked with his head on a swivel, hoping to avoid danger at any cost. He pictured himself twirling around in his mother’s designer gowns and accessories that could compliment any outfit. Just those brief thoughts put a little joy in his heart.
“You fuckin’ fag.”
The words cut Dannie like a dagger. Sharp jabs to his midsection that was nothing short of agonizing. Unfortunately, he immediately recognized the voice and knew hatred like that could only come from one person. A silver Chevy Impala drove alongside him as he walked home. He never noticed the vehicle making a U-turn once the occupants spotted him. He was too caught up in fantasyland to realize the bullies he wanted to avoid in school were driving right next to him. Dannie suddenly had a little pep in his step as he tried to get to the house as soon as possible, no matter if there was the risk that his parents would spot him.
“Where you going you little faggot?” one of the bullies asked.
Dannie ignored the question and continued on. It was disappointing that people were witnessing the harassment, but no one did a thing about it. Simply telling the boys in the Chevy to leave Dannie alone would have been sufficient and sent the boys on their way. In his opinion, any adult watching a child being bullied is just as much of a problem as the offenders themselves. He was around the corner from his home, and the determination was evident as he was now in a soft sprint. His adrenaline was pumping, and the only sound he heard was that of his beating chest. Dannie never felt the first blow. It was a closed fist connecting with the side of his face, which knocked him off his feet. It was quickly followed up by more punches and kicks. Dannie did what he could to defend himself against the attackers, but there was not much to be done in a five-versus-one fight. Dannie kicked, scratched, and screamed as if his life depended on it and in a way, it did. The assault was brutal. Punch after punch, kick after kick. He literally felt his ribs cracking, body bruising and swelling start to form. His head bounced off the pavement as the attackers stomped on him as if he were a lit cigarette they were trying to put out. Blood leaking from his nose, mouth, and ears did not stop the attackers from introducing the sole of their Timberland boots to Dannie’s face.
“Hey, you kids knock it off.” The sound of an adult voice was calming. Although Dannie never had the opportunity to meet the person that interrupted the assault, he was thankful they intervened and saved his life. As he faded in and out of consciousness, he watched the Timberland boots slam on the concrete, with each step the attackers took as they fled.
Dannie stared at the pair of Timberlands that sat in the corner of the room. A slight burning smell, tickled his nostrils, as he seemed to be in a daze. He snapped back to reality and focused on the meal he was preparing. The open flame spread across the bottom of the can, and the contents came to a boil. “Star, are you ready for this? It’s tomato soup. Not as good as momma used to make, but still good?” He split the soup with his friend, and there were no complaints.
Dannie reached over and opened the beach bag that contained goods he stole from across the street. He smiled as he counted at least five more cans of soup, jewelry, and ammunition. Once he spotted the jeweled statement necklace, he wasted no time placing it around his neck. He stood in front of a mirror and admired himself. The sound of a revving engine interrupted Dannie’s brief moment of admiration. He crouched down and made his way over to the window. Just as he expected, the group had returned.
A small convoy pulled up, led by a tan Mercury Grand Marquis, and followed up by two U-Haul trucks and a red Jeep Liberty. When Dannie first saw the group, they arrived and left in a Ford Focus, the Mercury, and the Jeep. He looked up and down the block, but there was no sign of the Ford. The bright moon served as a spotlight on the arriving group. There was no question in Dannie’s mind that the group was here to retrieve the beasts they had left behind. A day prior, he watched the group chain up the two beasts in the middle of the street and drag each of them in two separate houses. For a week, the group stayed in the two houses, while Dannie took up shelter in an abandoned car. The eighteen-year old had no one to count on but himself at the time, and of course Star. She was with him since he ran away from home five years prior. Jumping around from shelter to shelter, he had to quickly learn how to defend himself. Every chance someone got, they tested him. It wasn’t until he met Adina Olusada, did he truly focus on finding himself and his purpose in life. Born of Ethiopian decent, Adina worked hard to please her parents who wanted nothing more than to see her become a doctor. She was on the right path until her sophomore year at the University of Pennsylvania when she was introduced to cocaine at a frat party she attended. The use of cocaine and a promiscuous lifestyle lead to her grades falling off and the loss of scholarships. Once her parents found out about her failing out of college, they cut off all ties to her and she was left on the streets. Navigating through the streets of Philadelphia wasn’t easy for Adina. Her drug addiction grew and she ended up in a relationship with a drug dealer that continued to feed her habit. Although their small drug business was lucrative, they became targets of the Philadelphia Police Department’s Narcotic Strike Force who raided their West Philadelphia home and found enough drug evidence to send them both away for years. After serving sixty-three months in the Riverside Correctional Facility, Adina bounced around shelters and met the boy that would eventually become a brother to her. Adina saw Dannie for what he truly was; a weak, lost soul that longed to be accepted. She helped him build character and self-esteem while finding his true self. He no longer had to hide behind masculinity and stopped caring about what others thought. Although Adina helped build him up mentally and emotionally, she
also corrupted him by introducing him to the world of robbery and petty theft. The two of them, with the assistance of Star, would hit corner stores, banks, and other local businesses. They were good at what they did, but also sloppy and arrogant. They never wore masks or attempted to conceal their identities in any way and once the chaos in Philadelphia began, they didn’t need to worry because crime became the norm.
Dannie spent a week watching the group go back and forth between the homes. He studied them and their movements. He counted a total of ten members, six men and four women. Every single one of them was armed. Gunfire erupted daily and carried over until the night hours. Occasionally he watched as they threw what appeared to be grenades in neighboring homes. Orange smoke would emanate from those same homes, and that is when Dannie discovered the creatures. During one of the group’s missions, a family of three was attacked in their home. He saw two of the men drag a woman from a house before they threw their smoke grenades inside. The woman’s screams could be heard for hours at a time, as the men rotated in and out one of the safe houses. Dannie wanted to do something to help, but realistically the machete he carried around would be no match for the group’s firepower. It hadn’t been until twenty-four hours after the attack on the family when Dannie saw them. The orange smoke inside the house was no longer visible, but something else emerged from the house. Dannie was in total disbelief and figured the summer heat was making him delirious. In his mind, being in the compact Honda Civic for a few days, during ninety-degree weather was no different than, attempting to cross the Sahara Desert. It felt like he was taking a hot, steamy shower as the warm sweat dripped down his face and soaked his dingy wife beater. The smell of sweat and onions had gone unnoticeable to Dannie, as the stench became the normal scent in his current environment.
Dannie wiped his eyes, believing his fatigued body and mind were playing tricks on him. Two beasts emerged from the house. One was large and slowly crept out the front doorway. It was like nothing Dannie had ever laid eyes on. Behind it, another smaller beast climbed out the window. The two beasts roamed around the street, like stray dogs. It was as if they were exploring new territory. The smaller beast did not linger far behind the larger, as cubs stay in close proximity to their mothers. For some odd reason, Dannie wasn’t terrified of the creatures. They were amazing and mysterious in his eyes. He thought about the millions he would have made in the old world, with the discovery of a new animal species. Little did he know, the beasts were products of the mutation of the human race. I wonder what they eat, he thought as he turned on his iPhone. Dannie hoped to get a picture of the beasts for his collection. He figured someone needed to add these troubling times to American history and there needed to be proof of it all. Photographs and videos would be more than enough to make Dannie rich and famous in the new world. He always enjoyed photography, but once the camera on his battery died, he decided to periodically turn off his iPhone to preserve its battery life. The phone turned on and displayed the forty-eight percent-battery life remaining. Dannie swiped to the camera application and took a few shots of the beasts. Star sat up in the passenger seat of the car and watched the beasts as well. “Aren’t they gorgeous?” he asked her.
BOOM!
The shot stunned Dannie and Star. They sank down in their seats, hoping they were not the intended marks. Seconds later, Dannie heard a shrieking howl. He was too scared to peek his head back up, so he stayed crouched down with Star. A thick quilt concealed them from any passing eyes but attracted so much heat from the sun. Dannie felt like he was sitting in a sauna and could not take the heat any longer. He pulled the quilt from over his face, risking exposure.
“Damn Dale, you actually hit it,” a voice yelled out.
Dannie sat up and peeked from behind one of the headrests. The group flooded out the two homes and approached the beasts, which were leaning against an SUV. As the group approached, the beasts howled but did not move. They had their guns drawn, but two of the men were carrying large control poles. Dannie could not get a good view of what was going on. Reaching down towards his lap, he patted the floor under him. His fingers landed on a hard rectangular object. He raised it and activated the video feature on the iPhone. Using the zoom feature, he would see a small trail of blood coming from the beasts. He stayed hidden in the car and used his phone as his eyes. As in the past, the new American History would be nothing but stories of violence and chaos.
CHAPTER 16
George pointed his shotgun at the beasts. He was ready to let off another shot if necessary. Blood trickled from the larger beast’s leg, which amused the gunman. The slug ate through the flesh, leaving a massive wound that left the beast unable to stand on all fours properly. Still hunched over from the blast, the beast appeared to be acquiescent.
“Hurry up and get these ugly monsters. You know they are strong,” Dale said. “Rob you’re gon’ get that little one and Benny you got the mom.”
Rob and Benny were the largest men in the group and the obvious choice as the handlers for the beasts. Rob was short but had a very athletic build. Benny was chunky and as a former college football lineman, had the strength of three men. The men slowly approached, the tension in Rob’s back traveled down to his feet as he inched forward. The smaller beast instinctively jumped in front of its wounded companion and growled at the approaching men. WHACK! The force of the control pole, driven against the top of its head knocked the beast to the hot concrete. Benny pulled it back for another swing. WHACK! The beast hit the ground hard. The larger beast let out a roar that rattled the windows of every home on the block. BANG! BANG! Two shots from a Hi-Point handgun tore through the beast’s previous wound. The beast dropped to the ground and whimpered in pain.
“Nice shot, Dana.” Dale complimented the thin woman as she readjusted her hands around the bulky weapon.
“Just doing my job boss,” she replied proudly.
Stepping over the smaller fallen body, Dale stared at the hairy beast and smiled as he pressed the barrel of his rifle against the top of its head. “When it comes to the battle between man and beast, man will always win. We have seen how powerful these creatures can be and now we witness how powerful we can be. Our former government created these monsters, and our new government will ensure we slaughter each and every one of them. You all will go down in history as pioneers, as warriors and as saviors of the human race.” Dale reached into one of the pockets of his camo cargo pants and pulled out one of the gas canisters. “We have witnessed the effects of this weapon, courtesy of that weak government and together we will find a cure for the terrible disease that turned some of our loved ones into these,” he announced, digging his rifle deeper into the beast’s head. “Rob, take this piece of shit over there, and string it up,” he ordered, pointing to one of the houses.
Rob pulled the wire of the control pole, constricting it around the beast’s neck. It began to squirm out of control, almost causing Rob to lose his grip. He gave the wire another tug, which left the beast no other option but to save its energy and focus solely on breathing. It panted uncontrollably as Rob drug it down the street, up the steps and into the house. Dana and one other member of the group assisted him. Her finger danced around the trigger as she begged the beast to give her a reason to put every bullet she had left into its skull.
“Damn can I get a little help?” Rob asked as he struggled to drag the hundred and twenty-pound beast up the steps. Lifting that much weight at the gym was nothing, but it was much heavier at the end of a six-foot pole.
“There is no way in hell I’m putting my gun away to help you,” Dana replied.
“Me either,” Sam agreed. “The first chance that monster gets, it will kill all three of us and I ain't dying today.”
“I’m going to kill you if you don’t help me get this thing upstairs,” Rob barked.
Dana chuckled as she watched the two man square off face to face. She knew all about Rob’s temper and knew he would rip the rifle out of Sam’s hand and beat him to death with
it. Typical man shit, she thought, realizing neither man was backing down. “Let me go tell Dale we need some help since you two idiots want to play around. I’m sure he would appreciate your hard work,” she threatened knowing just how to get the men to back down.
“How ‘bout you get Dale’s dick out your mouth,” Rob said knowing the consequences would be deadly if Dale had to be summoned. Both men grabbed the pole and worked their way up the flight of stairs and into one of the bedrooms. A metal chain dangled from a post in the closet, which had been prepared in advance. The men loosened the control pole wire from around the beast’s neck and replaced it with the thick chain.
“Be a good girl and keep an eye on your twin,” Rob said as he walked by Dana and smacked her ass.
BANG! BANG!
Dana’s finger slammed back on the trigger, as another bullet released from the gun. This time her target was not the beast, she had aimed at Rob.
“If you ever fuckin’ touch me again, the next ones won’t be at that wall.”
Rob smirked, knowing just how to get under her skin. He knew two things pissed Dana off, questioning her loyalty to Dale and disrespecting her in any way. He cut his eye over at the two precise shots that were just inches from his head. That bitch is crazy.
“I know you motherfuckers didn’t shoot that damn creature,” Dale shouted, watching Rob and Sam exit the home. He stood on the step across the street as the other members of the group struggled to pull the three hundred pound beast up the steps.
“Hell no, your little girlfriend tried to shoot me,” Rob responded.
Dale laughed because he knew how defensive Dana got when someone tested her. She could easily hold her own, and that is exactly what attracted him to her. He grabbed the control pole from Rob and wrapped it around the neck of the large beast. Now with two poles and all six men pulling, they were able to get the beast into the house. Dale looked at the beast that appeared to be submissive to his will. He could almost see its human traits resurfacing because an animal its size would have fought until the end. The group spent months hunting and studying the beasts. During the studies, they observed some of the beasts display superhuman strength, as well as each one become submissive once it was injured. It was during those studies when they learned what the beasts’ weakness was. They were not sure what caused that reaction, but he was definitely using it to his advantage. Dale’s job was to conduct a field study and bring back more specimens for more advanced testing. That was the only thing keeping the two beasts alive. Dale delivered a strong thrust kick, which sent the beast rolling down the basement stairs. Four members of the group chained it up in the basement as they were ordered.