Bound

by Lee Taylor

  Sniffing the air, I traced a fresh breeze untainted by the hellish ochre, and thought about my next action. In desperate times they say it’s good to use your head... I weighed the option of leaving the agent behind, and literally making a break for it, I paused, placing him on the littered floor. Slowly I licked my snout; he tasted like Christmas morning with all the presents. I struggled to keep my passenger at bay; the images that were being played in my head from my asshole of a dark passenger was willing me to think of the caribou. My mouth began to salivate as I seriously considered chomping down. If his remains were charred surely they wouldn’t be able to recognize the cause of death. Hell if the carbon monoxide wasn’t enough to do him in first... I wearily shook the thoughts away, picking agent Christian back up. I broke back into a desperate sprint, gliding through the collapsing corridors as fast as I could at what I thought was the thinnest part of the wall. I tucked my head into my chest, Agent Christian's lifeless body was being hugged to my sternum; with a grunt I leapt into the air, it was my best attempt as a colossal, lumbering-creature to be graceful. To my relief, the wall gave way under my sheer bulk as soon as I connected, showering the car park in front with an explosion of fractured concrete. I flew into the open, and the inertia took me further forward than I had hoped. Tumbling across the asphalt, I crashed into another object that felt similar to falling on a cardboard box. Beads of glass were spread around the lot like confetti; they glowed with the reflection of the stations blaze, flickering tendrils out, snaking up towards the sky. They seeped from the building like an open wound.

  I looked back in astonishment, admiring the flames for a moment or two. Something about it was drawing me to it... almost familiar and comforting as destructive as it was. I set Agent Christian on the cold asphalt. I was still caped in dust, and smoke that was ebbing forth from the compound was wrapping itself around me, shrouding me from passers-by. I looked down at the fading agent, slowly licking my teeth as I recalled the rich, thick taste that he left in my mouth. I dug my claws into the concrete, scraping into the fragile tarmac beneath.

  It’s okay, Ursine; what you don’t eat, you can put back in the blaze. No one will ever know...

  Chapter 12

  I paused, wrinkling my nose as I looked up through the smoke screen at the noisy civilians that had gathered around regarding the flames with shock and awe.

  There was another loud explosion from the ruined station, part of the roof collapsed in, folding in on itself like a deck of cards. More dust and flaming debris swept through the lot, the hot embers were swallowed deep into my lungs, scorching the back of my throat on the way. For a moment I choked and coughed, heaving out a lungful of filth. Looking up I could see a large shard of one-way glass from the interrogation room. A souvenir perhaps; I contemplated, looking into it for what seemed like a long while. It revealed to me my monstrous reflection... I didn’t recognize what I saw. I looked so angry and so hideous... but, I felt so good, so right. Instantly I shattered my reflection; seven years bad luck was better than a lifetime of regret. My fur drifted away with the swaths of ash... I had to get the agent away before I changed my mind. I had already known deep down that saving Christian from the inferno was the right thing to do; otherwise, I would have just eaten him then and there in the blistering hallway... I could control myself... If I tried hard enough, I could be my own master.

  I looked down at the incapacitated Agent Christian. He still wasn't moving; his lungs wheezed and struggled with the intake of smoke that he had enveloped. If he didn't get some medical help he would die. My vision shifted again, readjusting in the light. I could see his aura diminishing. Great. I closed my eyes, and my ears twitched with the sound of the crackling fire across the lot. I sheepishly looked at the agent strewn at my feet. I had to check him for any other serious injuries that I could easily spot, before picking him up and moving him to the crowd of people that had been gathering. A breeze whipped through the car park, and I was suddenly all too aware that I was standing in the nude. Slowly, I removed his blazer, unbuttoning his shirt, he was covered in bruises. In fact, there was an intricate pattern that matched my rows of teeth... oops. Not open lacerations though, so that was a bonus. Partly because it meant he wasn’t too badly maimed externally, and the other part... Well I was pretty sure that if I got a whiff of his plasma, I would have changed back and devoured him in seconds. Will power only got me so far. I re-buttoned his shirt, tying his blazer around my waste. I didn’t imagine he would appreciate that, seeing as from the feel of the textures it was pretty freaking expensive, but right now, I needed it more than him. I hoisted him up onto my shoulder and carried him clear of the smoke exhuming from the crackling ruins of the once neat and tidy police station. I still had no clue as to what had started the occurrence. Surely, if it were my friends they would have been calling out for me. I looked back at the blaze, flinching as my bare foot crunched on some of the glass I had aided in decorating the car park... another point my mom and teachers always brought up. I really was short sighted, not looking at the bigger picture. I sighed and continued forth.

  My dark passenger was surprisingly silent; he must have been pacified, sufficiently calmed with the scene before me.

  I could hear the murmured voices of the crowd; they all made up their own theories as to what was going on. Some thought it was a botched escape attempt; a few claimed it had to be terrorists, and I swear I even heard one guy say it was the same aliens that had robbed him of his dignity and probed him repeatedly. I choked after hearing the last one. I wasn’t too sure about leaving the fading Agent Christian in their capable hands. I grimaced.

  As I came into view there was an odd outburst, it was one of those “oh my god” moments.

  “Hey can any of you guys help me? My friend here is in a really bad way, and I need you to see that he gets some medical care.” My tone of authority was loud and clear. A couple stepped forward I could tell what they were thinking from the way they looked at my bare body, aside from the jacket that blocked part of their view. They took hold of Agent Christian and tried waking him; some guy in a black Led Zeppelin tee-shirt spoke out amongst the bunch.

  “We’ve already had someone call the fire department and ambulance; they are coming over from one town over, and they are going to be here in the next five to ten minutes. Are... are you alright?” His tone was husky, and he nodded towards me.

  “Don’t worry about me. It’s my friend here that needs looking at. He got knocked out in there from some falling debris, and he has inhaled a lot of smoke. If you could tell that to the EMT's, that would be great; I've gotta go. Thanks.” I turned on my heels. I could hear the Zeppelin fan call out something else as I ran back into smoke, something about clothes.

  I paced back to the main doors; the panes of glass were littering the surrounding area. Smoke was escaping from where they had once stood. I could feel the intensity of the fire rolling forwards in waves, flicking out like the tongue of a rattlesnake, scenting the air. Warily I approached, stepping through the doors. The main reception's decor had slightly changed since the last time I was there... about forty minutes ago. There was an oaky smell of burning fat which was thick in the air, and several other repugnant odours twisted eagerly into the broil. Every now and then there was a fierce crack and pop! As bullets heated to the point where they set off... It was like Cinco de Mayo. Each whistle and fizzle that sounded put me more on edge, ducking and praying that I wasn’t hit by a ricochet. Barbs of rubble stuck into the soles of my feet; it was agonizing. The heat was relentless, and it was almost happy to see me, jumping out from everywhere like a puppy eager to play with its master. I couldn’t do anything or see anything. With a frustrated groan and an internal snarl from my dark passenger, I decided it would be smarter and safer to come back later when the flames had gone... and the sound of sirens weren’t drawing ever nearer.

  I departed with great haste; streaking across the lot I headed toward the nearest wall and clambered up it, rolling over the ba
rbed wire that topped it with the help of Christian’s blazer. More sirens were whirring in the distance, and I managed to slip away from the chaos unnoticed, on my retreat at least. I turned back to face the wall as I paced on. The barbed wire made me shudder, and I was grateful that I hadn’t noticed it before hoisting myself onto it. The twisted metal replayed a memory of Kaitlyn's Angel's trap. It rocked my head. I began to pant as the feeling of constraint and utter uselessness washed through me. I struggled to break free. Every time I flinched the barbs dug in deeper. Goose flesh broke out all over, and I could remember the sound, and the smell of all of it. Tristan; his face in his final moments... My livid passenger growled in annoyance. It wasn’t a fan of recollecting the thought of Kaitlyn besting us.

  “Okay, Ursine, come on, focus. What’s your next step?” I asked myself. I was sick of feeling sorry for myself, but that didn’t stop the obvious thought from creeping into the recesses of my mind. I couldn’t even say it was a coincidence, not with how avidly Kaitlyn had been pursuing me.

  By not wanting to hurt anyone I ended up getting even more hurt. Great idea, Ursine, really... I might have well of let my passenger loose in there, slaying all that I could get hold of for all the good I did. I rubbed my head; the smell of smoke was stuck to my skin, and the soot hugged my clammy body. I decided on my plan of action: I was going to need clothes, shelter, a wash, and if possible I would need to figure out how I would get in contact with my group.

  ***

  It was after dark now; I could still see plumes of smoke from the police station in the distance rising into the night, bunching together with the clouds that already reached across the heavens. I had managed to break into a store to grab some clothes; there was no one around with the fear that had gripped the town. Most of the businesses had shut early, with hushed rumours of gang and terrorist related attacks. I walked the streets until I found a sign on a building stating it was free to let. I walked in creeping through a window and washed in its facilities, I was caped from head to toe in crappy soot. Feeling more human than I had for a while, I left, and I couldn't tell what the time was, but by the looks of it, the bar at the end of the block was still open. I knew it was risky... stupid even to walk in there and expect a warm reception, but hey, I was always taught that when lost you should go to the last place you were together and sooner or later they would be back... The bar was just as I left it: crowded with locals speculating on the blaze and naked Samaritans and escaped convicts. The familiar aroma of urine and stagnant beer greeted my entrance. Tobacco smoke wafted in the air, and I wasn't sure which was worse, inside with the bar full of the second hand smoke, or outside with the wind blowing ash from the police station through town.

  Fortunately for me, the bartender had changed; she looked way more welcoming with her blonde hair tied into a pony tail, and a white top covered with a blue shirt, open with rolled up sleeves. She looked up at me as she was pulling a pump, filling a glass to the brim. At a guess, I would say she was early twenties easily. Her scent fought its way through the bars atmosphere. Without realising, my eyes flashed at her, and for a moment everything flickered red... Just long enough for me to see her aura; it shone a brilliant, light blue. It was a few shades lighter than her shirt. I had to get control of that sight thing. I thought that it only occurred when I was in a violent situation, but maybe it was just excitement in general. If I managed to see Lycaon again, I was going to have to talk to him about it.

  She smiled at me and nodded, and I felt butterflies jolt in my stomach before morphing into bats. I sloped towards the bar, a few of the patrons turned slightly, looking at me out of the corner of their eyes... now that was familiar. I guess this bar always had a friendly atmosphere.

  “Hey, um, can I have a drink?” She brushed her hands on her thighs and then reached for a towel on the bar, rubbing them again. The whole time she didn't speak a word, a ginger smile predominant on her face, her eyes seemed to flutter while she decided what to say. She eyed the selection at the bar, and cocked her head at an acute angle.

  “Well, sugar, are you going to say what type of drink? We serve pretty much everything, apart from clean water.” Her voice was a few octaves higher than I was used to. With a bemused shake of my head, I sheepishly grinned and mouthed to her that I had no money to speak of.

  “Well, then maybe coming to a bar was a little silly don't cha think?” Again her voice had me enthralled. Sombrely I nodded; I knew she was right. I was enjoying the friendly conversation, that was, until a deep husky voice interrupted.

  “It's okay, Jenny, he isn't going to be here long enough to drink.” I turned and looked over my shoulder to view my new found fan. There stood a tall, muscular man; he wore a white tank top that hugged his muscular figure. His skin was dark by the looks of it, and he had spent too much time in the sunlight. He was about my height, maybe slightly taller; his biceps looked like tree trunks, probably what mine would have looked like if I ever finished god-damned puberty. A blond crop of hair that was covered with a black and white truckers hat, and his eyes were an entrancing emerald green, similar to my left one. I looked into them, and an eerie chill broke over me. It was like I was looking into death's face. I hadn’t felt that scared since the first time I had laid my eyes on the Winters. I looked him up and down then smiled coyly. He snickered and revealed a set of pearly whites that stood out against his tanned face. He looked like he spent all of his spare time in sun beds... well, there and weight lifting. He was a hulky guy. His long neck fixed into his solid angular jaw, this dude was a lady killer.

  “I really... really am not looking for any trouble, seriously,” I said, none of my words faltered. He tensed, folding his muscular arms across his chest and chortled again. Some of the patrons got up from where they were sitting and callously shuffled away coddling their beers. That wasn’t a good sign...

  “What makes you think you’re going to be any trouble?” He had an odd accent in his tone, the way his husky voice seemed to heighten when he asked the question. Walking up to me, he turned to stand, and wrapped his tree sized arm around my head, lightly placing his hand on my shoulder.

  “Now you see, mate, I don't think you’re from around here. I say this because I ain't either. But I hear tell rumours that you beat the sense out of a defenceless drunk, and that doesn't sit best with me.” His voice was impossible to place, mainly because he was speaking what almost sounded Cajun, but with a twist that sounded Australian or English. It was frustrating to try and figure out.

  Great I thought to myself.

  “Come on, Leon. He was just asking for a drink; just let him be.” Jenny's voice was lower than before, and I was grateful for the reprieve. I had to learn how to stop annoying people. He looked around at the bar maid, broadened his smile again, and sat down next to me.

  “Okay then, Jenny, you can get him a drink on me.” His sudden change of heart was welcomed, but that didn’t mean I trusted him even for a second. Something about him, the way he looked at me knowingly. I was going to refuse and walk out before anything else dramatic happened, but he patted the stool next to him, daring me to sit down... So not to seem terrified like I was, I accepted and put on a brave face. The whole not knowing was putting me even more on edge. I could feel my heart begin to thump harder. I was so nervous at this point that if someone dropped a pin, I would have made an Ursine-sized whole in the nearest wall. I looked at him and nodded, not knowing what to say. My vision triggered, and the room was bathed in the lambent red light, igniting all the patron’s auras in the area. They sparkled colours of the spectrum, glistening and gleaming. Some shone brighter than others, except for his. He was devoid of one. Now what the hell was that about? The discovery had my stomach swish itself into a knot so that when Jenny was kind enough to put a beer down in front of me, thudding it onto the bar, I almost took off.

  “A shot of Jager for both of us. Nice one, Jenny.” He pulled out a note and slapped it on the bar.” When I looked up at his face again, my eyes probabl
y still gleamed their treacly amber. The corners of his mouth pulled up into a smooth smile; apparently he was unbothered by my mood ring eyes.

  “Hey, kid, you know you got some balls, right?” I fidgeted in my seat.

  “Yeah that would be the Y chromosome working its magic,” I retorted. Jenny had just cracked open my beer for me, the bottle perspired, condensation dripping down the neck. My God I was thirsty, the sweaty bottle was like a beacon of light amongst the dreary town, and so was Jenny for that matter.