The Rack & Cue

by Hughes, David Owain

  Yawning, he stretched his back and arms, before heading down to his motorbike. His bones creaked like the rigging of an old ship.

  Straddling his bike, he kicked the engine to life. It fired up with a low grumble. Smoke enveloped Venom as it filled the lower room.

  Keeping the engine ticking over, he got off and opened the garage door. Getting outside, the bike grumbled down the moon-splashed tarmac, as he drove along the main road. The cool breeze slashed at Venom’s face as he looked about him.

  Drunks and druggies shuffled along the streets, causing trouble and noise pollution. Just like those two bags of shit he had dealt with the previous night.

  The thought of not having to break in to another house tonight pushed to the surface, coming out in a gleeful sigh. “Thank God,” he said. The thought made riding tonight more pleasurable, his bike split the air as a scalpel would the skin.

  Coming to the end of the main road he turned left and found himself on a quaint little street. Venom was met by a huge house set on its own. It was like a manor, but missing its fields and open country.

  Bringing his bike to a stop, he admired the place. “What a beauty,” escaped him. He felt drawn to the place. Hypnotized by it. Switching the bike’s engine off, and kicking out the stand to rest the Chopper to one side, he dismounted.

  All the while he kept his eyes trained on the house.

  The old brickwork looked worn and weather abused. The four steps leading up to the front door had certainly seen better days. A ’For Sale’ sign was drilled to the wall beside a top window, which had spider-web cracks in it. The framework to all the windows looked decayed and worm-infested.

  “Just needs a bit of love,” Venom said, taking the four porch steps two at a

  time. He was now fully immersed in the property. He wanted to know all its secrets.

  But why?

  His mind worked overtime. His guts jolted.

  Spotting a window ajar on the lower floor, Venom eased his way over to it. Unable to see through the grime-encrusted pane, he raised it skyward, expecting it to jam halfway up. But it didn’t.

  Chunks of flaky white paint sprinkled the floor as the window was secured into place. Entering, he saw a single candle burning, which part-lit a staircase stretched out before him. It was held in a sconce shaped in the form of a goblin’s skull. Wax had spilt into its empty eye sockets.

  Portraits that covered the walls were plastered with dust and cobwebs. The smell inside was stale. The light cheerless and unsteady. A shag pile in the corner of the room was a tatty brown and holey. Bloody rats, Venom thought.

  The plaster on the ceiling was deteriorating fast. The wallpaper had unglued itself, exposing garish yellow stains.

  Venom was slightly confused by his infatuation with the house.

  Who had lit the candle, and why?

  The place was up for sale. All the furniture inside covered by dust sheets.

  He needed to know what was going on here. Had to know.

  The single candle was a beacon as he made his way over to the stairs and started to climb. It seemed never-ending.

  When he reached the top, Venom looked left and saw a closed door. Looking right, he was greeted by an intense snarling and a snapping of jaws. The formidable Doberman yelped to silence, and lay down, as his and Venom’s eyes met.

  Venom stormed in the dog’s direction.

  Stepping over the beast, he tried the handle to the door behind the mutt. It was unlocked. Slowly, he edged it open an inch at a time until there was enough gap to peer around.

  Not a stitch of furniture decorated the bedroom, just one massive mirror, which hung on one wall, the glass smashed to smithereens, which lay scattered on the carpet.

  He pushed the door wider.

  Then wider still.

  Nothing.

  But the dog had to…

  Venom’s thoughts were lost as his gaze fell upon a women sleeping on a dishevelled mattress.

  He threw the door fully open, and entered.

  A board creaked under his weight.

  Her eyes popped open.

  She sprang to her feet like an animal getting ready to attack. Her mouth opened exposing razor sharp teeth. Her once angelic-looking face was now corkscrewed into a veil of grotesqueness.

  She flew at him before he could speak and backhanded him across the face. She sent him crashing against what was left of the mirror. His head rebounded off the shattered object.

  Before he could regain his bearings as he lay on his back, she was on him. Her long dark hair covered his eyes, blinding him, as her talons scratched the skin from his face and tore through his T-shirt.

  Managing to block a few of her swipes, he gripped her by the waist, and tossed her flimsy frame off him giving him time to get to his feet.

  “You’re like me!” he yelled.

  But she either ignored him or didn’t hear him, as she charged and rammed him against the wall, sinking her teeth into his neck.

  “Aaargh! Get off,” Venom said, yanking her head back by her hair, and then chopping her throat. This sent her to ground as she fought for air. Blood poured from his neck as he gripped her by the throat and pinned her down. His face now contorted. “Listen to me!” he yelled at her.

  He watched the shock wash over her, as her face relaxed back to its normal state. “You…you…” she tried.

  “Yes, I know,” he said.

  “It’s not possible!” she spluttered.

  “Does it look like I’m out trick or treating? I can’t believe it any more than you. Who the hell are you?!” he demanded.

  “Toni,” she whispered, ignoring his sarcasm. “Who…Where…” she had a million questions, but didn’t know where to start. “Are you alone?”

  He looked at her, distracted momentarily as the dog padded into the room.

  “Yes, I am. It’s always been that way, too,” he said. “You?”

  “The same. Stay with me, please?!” she blurted

  “I…” he was taken aback.

  “It’s been…lonely,” she confided in him.

  “The sun is almost up, I…”

  “Please,” she said, catching hold of his right hand. “Don’t leave me.”

  All he could do was nod, thinking he would leave her when she had fallen asleep.

  The next day, they had hit the road together. Moving on to the next town, and then the next. Their exact misfortune had brought them together – bound them. Through this, their feelings for each other intensified as the days, weeks and months passed.

  ⃰ ⃰ ⃰

  “Shortly after this, I knew we were being followed. Traced,” Venom said.

  “You should have come back to the brotherhood,” Diesel said. “We’d have taken you in. Looked after you. You’re a patched member, Venom. It wouldn’t have mattered about your…the…” he didn’t know how to approach the subject.

  “Condition?” Venom offered, huffing out a laugh. “That’s a fucking joke. It’s a curse. A curse for all the bad shit.”

  “So this all happened after the great biker war in Cardiff?”

  “Yes,” Venom said, then proceeded to tell Diesel about The Huns and Hun himself.

  “Jesus. I thought it was just stories. The others used to talk about it all the time.”

  “Who?” Venom wanted to know.

  “Dutch. Ollie. They lead us now. How did you know you were being followed?”

  “Well, when you’ve been around as long as I have, you start getting a knack for shit like that,” Venom said, cryptically. “Also, the two shitheads who tried ‘mugging’ me were wearing gang colours.”

  “What gang?” Diesel asked.

  “Rhondda Rogues,” Venom said. They’re known associates of The Huns. “I spotted more of them, as Toni and I were leaving her home. I think they’d been staking out her house.”

  “Shit, I see,” Diesel said. “How about you,” he asked turning to Toni. “How did you…turn…?” he stepped very carefully.

&
nbsp; She smiled at him, “I don’t know, is the honest answer to that one. I’ve been like this for the best part of twenty years,” she said, lowering her eyes. “I can’t remember much about my past, except my family. My dad loathed me. It was his old house Venom found me in.”

  “Your dad disowned you?” Diesel asked.

  “Pretty much, yes. I don’t remember much about him, only bits and pieces. Stories my mother used to tell me, before she…”

  “Died?” Diesel asked.

  “Was murdered,” Toni said. “I heard it was my father who had her killed.”

  “Jesus,” Diesel said. “Didn’t you…”

  “Yes, I found out the truth. I searched for him for many years, but I could never find him. Our paths will cross again, of that I’m sure,” she said, looking at Venom and smirking. “I think it was my dad who was having my house watched,” she concluded.

  Diesel thought it best not to ask her any more questions.

  “We found each other, that’s all that matters,” Venom said.

  “Why come back here?” Diesel asked Venom. “Why now?”

  “Because I want to end this confrontation with Hun once and for all.”

  “You said he’s in prison. Why not just go there and take him out?”

  “That would be too easy. I want that fucker to rot inside. Once this is over, I’ll be sending him a message.”

  “What kind?”

  “Questions, questions, questions…” Venom mocked.

  “An inquisitive fellow, isn’t he?” Toni chided.

  “You’ll find out,” Venom said.

  “What about your nephew?”

  Venom turned on Diesel. “What about Richard?” he snapped.

  “You said he’s here?”

  Venom nodded.

  “But we are the only people…ones here,” he corrected himself.

  They found his skirting amusing.

  “Oh, he’s here all right. Locked away for safe keeping, no doubt.”

  “Is he the same as you?”

  “No. Worse,” Venom said, turning his back on Diesel. “We need to find him before sunup.”

  “Why – what happens then?” Diesel wanted to know.

  “Because I think we’ll have company, and I don’t think we’ll be able to take them all on without a little help.”

  “Okay,” Diesel said, some of his steel finding its way back into his heart and guts. “Let’s get it done,” he finished. He was also eager to find his biker brother’s nephew. The whole fucked up situation had him hooked. Fascinated. He wasn’t scared any longer. Not now. Not after seeing what Venom and Toni had done to The Champ, he thought, letting his eyes slide over the carnage on the pool table.

  “Good lad. I was beginning to think you didn’t own a set of nuts,” Venom said.

  Diesel smiled a weak smile.

  “This edge of yours also tells me you’re loyal. A good ‘brother’. You more than likely earned that patch. Earned it the hard way, too.”

  Diesel nodded.

  “Right, let’s go hunting,” Venom said. “Grab a torch, you’ll probably need it,” he told Diesel.

  Toni handed Diesel the torch she had in her hand in readiness. “I’ll keep my eyes and ears open,” she said, “Just in case we have any unwanted guests this evening.” She winked at Diesel. “Look after yourself, beaut,” she told him. “You wouldn’t want those rugged good-looks of your spoiled, now would you?” she laughed, along with Venom, as she watched them leave the room via a door in the far corner.

  Exiting the door Diesel and all the other losers of the pool tournament had gone through; he felt a thrill of excitement fill him. He’d always liked adventures as a child. The danger, the chills, the unknown. Venom and Toni’s appearance may have thrown him off-kilter to begin with, but now he was immersed in it. He wanted to know all there was to know about Venom and his family.

  He was starting to regret having to kill Porky and the others.

  “If those fucking truckers, along with your help, hadn’t killed my kin, especially Baby, then we’d be safe. I came here expecting a safe heaven. Not a fucking abattoir,” Venom said.

  “I told you…”

  “I know what you told me. I would have fought for my life too. But it’s still my family, no matter what.”

  “Agreed,” Diesel said. “I’m willing to do anything to repay my debt to you, brother.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  “Even if it means my life,” Diesel said.

  “How noble,” Venom sneered.

  Diesel let it go. He wasn’t about to argue with a man who could tear him limb from limb. He knew all about picking battles. He was just going to have to prove Venom wrong.

  These thoughts filled Diesel’s mind as they walked the long corridor which lead to the dead and their pickled remnants. “There’s nothing down here, just that room where they carved the dead,” Diesel said.

  Venom huffed. “Fuck,” he said, thumping the wall with his fist repeatedly. “I know you’re right. But there must be something here. Another room. A door.”

  “Why must there?”

  “Because I’ve searched every other nook and cranny of this place.”

  “And there’s nothing on the upper floors?” Diesel offered.

  “That’s just one section of the top floors. There’s another part to it.”

  “How fucking big is…”

  A creaking floorboard from above sent a snaking chill down Diesel’s back, cutting his words short.

  Venom looked up, and smiled. “So you are up there,” he whispered at the ceiling. Not breaking his gaze, Venom told Diesel to start looking for a switch or button that would activate a door or panel – something which would expose a secret passageway.

  After taking far too long to locate the activation switch, Venom joined Diesel in the search. Together, they managed to find what they were looking for, as the passageway filled with the sound of metal snick-snacking. A section of the wall slid to one side, revealing a stairway. It led upwards.

  Footprints could be seen in the dust.

  “Someone’s been up there recently,” Venom pointed out.

  “Shall I go first?” Diesel asked.

  Venom looked at him for a moment, before answering. “No. Richard will kill you on sight.”

  “Fine,” Diesel said, stepping aside and allowing Venom to take the lead. He watched as Venom ascended the first section, and then rounded a corner, before starting the climb himself.

  Cobwebs filled his face and mouth, causing him to spit and cough. The boards below him creaked and protested against his weight as he went. By the time he reached the top, Venom was disappearing again. He quickened his pace, determined to catch up. When he did, he saw Venom standing in a doorway to a large room.

  “You may need your flashlight now,” he told Diesel. Then, he started to whisper into the darkness. “Richard? Are you in here? Richard? It’s me. Venom. Your uncle?”

  As he followed Venom into the gloom he had to bite his breath down. The single beam of light fluttered as Diesel failed to keep his arm from shaking.

  “Richard, it’s me. I’m not going to harm you. Please, show yourself. I need you. Richard. Please!”

  “I really don’t think there’s anyone up here,” Diesel said.

  “Shut up. Just fucking shut up…”

  Something moved behind Venom. A large silhouette appeared in the gloom. Diesel would have yelled had his throat not been so dry and tight.

  Venom turned to see his nephew standing behind him.

  Diesel stepped back, tripped, and then landed on his arse. He scooted backwards as fast as he could when the beast moved forward.

  The hairy bulk outweighed and outsized Venom in every way. Richard was twice the height of any normal man. He had to bend slightly to keep his head from touching the ceiling. His weight made the floor below him bow with effort.

  His back, chest, arms and legs rippled with muscle. His form completely naked, ba
r a few rags which clung to him. Shackles, chains and cuffs also graced his powerful-looking wrists and ankles.

  The length of its claws matched his sizable teeth, which there were plenty of. Richard looked as though his DNA had been mixed with that of an ape’s and a wolf’s. The thing which loomed over himself and Venom was indescribable.

  Unspeakable.

  Saliva dripped from its wet chin as it watched them.

  Waited.

  “Don’t!” Diesel screamed, watching Venom reach his hand out. “It’ll kill you!” he warned.

  Venom ignored the biker’s pleas and smiled at Richard, as Richard put out his own hand and touched Venom’s. It had been the first meeting in a long time.

  “It’s good to be home,” Venom said, looking into his nephew’s eyes. “I’ve missed you,” he continued, then threw his arms around the colossal man, if that’s what it could be described as.

  Chapter 26

  Teeth rattled free from the bitch’s jaw as he delivered yet another powerful blow to her face. He was pleasantly surprised at how tough she was. For a woman, that is. Circling her, he looked at his blood-stained gloves and clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

  Johnson was getting tired.

  Tired and pissed off.

  They’d been on the road for hours and yet nothing had turned up. They’d passed through more than five towns since their stop in the woods and nothing had been discovered.

  It had been time to play the ace he had up his sleeve.

  On passing through the latest town, Johnson had thought it time to visit the man’s family. This, hopefully, would help weed out Venom’s whereabouts, or at least give them something more to go on.

  A scout had been posted in the town of Slough weeks ago. The scout’s job had been to keep tabs on the bitch Johnson now had tied to a chair. The woman was a distant relative of Venom’s. She might not even know about Venom, but it was the risk he was willing to take. They had nothing else to go on. The trail had gone cold.

  “You better start talking, Gail, or my associate here,” he said, pointing at Max, “Will bite your fingers and toes off. Now, you wouldn’t want that, would you? Surely not?”