Paradise Falls

by Jim Spencer

  ‘Will do.’ Without an argument, Cordell left him there to wait.

  Chapter 21

  Alexander ran like the wind. Cordell could feel his heart pumping hard. He had to close his eyes and hold his breath to maintain the beats, otherwise it would be too fast for him to handle. This man was inhuman in his strength and agility. Although he would never admit it, he was scared. But finally, they arrived at a scene of terror. There were three fully grown Nargus, standing tall with their one solid tentacle and the other seven attacking the walrus. The trailer hadn’t even been noticed yet.

  ‘Kill them!’ Cordell screamed at Alexander. Alexander laid him on the ground and went running towards the Nargus. There tentacles seemed to stop in mid-reach of one of the walrus’s as they spotted him. Two went for Alexander as the third continued its onslaught of the helpless walrus.

  They stood one hundred feet tall, but Alexander was still defiant in his stance. He moved with such agility and speed, it felt like they were trying to catch a mouse. This gave him a minor advantage. As they hit him, the tentacles shrouded around his waist trying to squeeze the life out of him. He screamed as he felt the piercing pain, but was able to stand himself up and force his way forward. Maybe it was his warrior spirit, but he managed to free himself enough to slice at some of the tentacles holding onto him. The blue blood splattered, and he heard screams from the Nargus.

  As the second one attempted to engulf him, he fell on top of the one that had tangled him and its clutch was tampered. Alexander pulled away from the tentacles and the second Nargus temporarily got in the way of the first one. It took a moment as Cordell watched the two Nargus get out of each other’s way. It was as if he was watching many snakes getting away from a fire.

  Alexander stood himself up in the meantime and began to slice away with such ferociousness that the initial tentacle was beginning to loosen up. As he composed himself again, the snake like Nargus separated and went directly for Alexander again. He ran to both of them and grabbed two tentacles in each hand. Then using their own bodies as support, pulled back as hard as possible.

  The Nargus attempted to grab hold of Alexander and finish him off in one blow, but he was manic in his attack. Simply inhuman as he sliced away and sometimes bit into the beasts. It didn’t matter if one tentacle hit him square in the face or he had a disadvantage of height. He wasn’t about to let that get in the way. Their snakelike tried to wrap themselves around alexander, but he simply bit one off whilst he pointed the sword at the other one. Before he knew it, Cordell heard an unusual shriek.

  It was an extremely loud and damning shriek. It took him a moment to realise that the Nargus were shrieking in pain. He was holding them so tight that tissue was tearing apart. He could actually see the Nargus bleeding, he had never seen that before. Only when they died did he ever seen the blue blood of the Nargus.

  But here it was gushing out of there, for want of a better word, veins. Alexander loosened his grip then suddenly sliced again. It was now as if he was preparing a meal. He had found loose points and was slicing and pointing his sword directly into weak parts of the body.

  ‘Even Nargus have a limit,’ he could hear himself saying.

  As the two Nargus shrieked in pain, the third one was forced to abandon its meal and join the others to protect them. But before it could, Alexander threw himself at the first one and ripped apart its tentacles. It was like looking at someone ripping fabric apart. Once you found a weak spot, the rest came off easily.

  As the blood splattered, raining blue water, Cordell ran back into the trailer, which was on the move. He ordered the others to get out of here and they did. The final two Nargus stood together on their strong tentacles. Alexander snapped at the first one and the second one attempted to attack him from the side.

  As he tumbled across the floor, the two attacked on both sides. He concentrated on the one Nargus and let the other one attack as it stabbed into him many times. He ripped apart another two tentacles from the weaker one and, as the first one shrieked in pain, he used the other two tentacles. Moving aside, he swayed them and locked into position, trapping the animal to one spot. The one who seemed to be the leader was suddenly stuck on the spot.

  As they rumbled and tumbled, the first Nargus got up on its tentacle and attacked as much as it could. The strength of this last Nargus was equal to that of Alexander. As he struck it, its tentacle came off. Once that was the case, he simply grabbed inside of its weak point and used the sword to slice away at its insides. He let go of one and the next came forth. Finally, he grabbed one tentacle and bit into it. After a moment or two, he was able to rip apart the tentacle and the third one screamed as it lost one of its limbs.

  As Alexander stood there, resting and eating the tentacle, the two Nargus stood together. The first Nargus lay on the floor and loosened its grip on the floor. Its tentacle became limp. The second Nargus opened its mouth piece and took in a part of the head of the Nargus. They seemed to be fusing, even though this didn’t seem to be possible.

  As Alexander finally caught his breath and energy, the Nargus got up, formed into one and resting on one tentacle. It had a major crease in the middle of its face and seemed like a two-faced squid. Alexander knew that was because they were both looking directly at him, but it still disconcerting to see ten tentacles throwing themselves at a person.

  It gave him an idea though. If they were fused as one, then they should be slower, which makes them easier to defeat. He tumbled across the floor as they chased after him. Using a piece of rock, which was in fact the size of a pebble to them, he threw it at the two. His aim was so accurate, it disentangled the two and trapped the stronger at the bottom.

  As he came towards the piece of rock, the Nargus was slowly getting itself out of the trap. Alexander used his sword to slice it in place. As it was stuck, he grabbed a piece of rock and sharpened it. Then he took his time and sliced away each tentacle until there were no more and it was simply a shell. Once this was the case, he took the beast out of its hiding place and held it up like a trophy.

  As the creature writhed and screeched, he stabbed his hands into its eyes and took out the brain, finally killing this one. He then went to the last one and dismantled the pieces of its flesh. When it was down to the last piece, he stopped for a moment as he looked into its eyes. It had changed colour and was enchanting all of a sudden.

  He couldn’t explain what it was about them, but something made him want to keep looking into those eyes. It was like being back at the garden of spring again. Oh, how he longed to stay there. This earth was just some grinding, horrible place. The true beauty was in these eyes and that garden. Before he knew it, the last tentacle was around his neck. The Nargus had finally found his weak spot.

  As he choked for life and felt it go away from him, a sudden chill went around him. It didn’t affect him, but he could feel it nonetheless. Looking slightly around, he saw Cordell with a gun. The tentacle had become lifeless. Alexander took this opportunity to snap back into this reality and rip apart its final limb.

  Then, purposefully not looking at the Nargus, he gushed his hands into the eyes of the creature and took out its brain, crushing the life and with that, any hope of returning back to that garden in the immediate future.

  *

  Arion sat there in total for two hours. But it was long enough to feel like a lifetime. He finally had the time he needed to reflect on what had happened to him. His father had died, his life was turned upside down with all his belongings not being his anymore. He had become a married man with probably the most beautiful and resourceful woman he had ever met in his life. Literally an impossible thing to achieve where he came from as women did not do the work, at least not the same type. And lastly, his entire belief system had been challenged briefly by Ruto.

  He tried to sit there and think, ‘What is my belief? Do I really think there is a God?’ Well with all the things he had done, there was no denying it anymore. If there was any God, then he would literally be
the entity between all entities, hence the same of his element, the God Particle. But then, if he was only harnessing a small waterdrop of His true power, then how powerful were humans really? The answer had to be, not really powerful at all. Even the weapons could not make this particle powerful, as it absorbed it and neutralised it. This was ultimate power, this was God.

  Now that that was out of the way, he had to ask ‘What do I do about father?’ he had sat here for over half an hour thinking over this as small rumbles had begun to happen below him. He could bring him back to life and although he would be alive, he would maybe not want to be here. There was no denying that looking at Alexander showed him the disappointment of his predicament. Alexander was clearly not happy about being alive. Although he was simply going with the flow.

  Would his father feel the same? Would he simply turn around to him and say ‘My time had already been done, what the hell am I doing here?’

  ‘That sounds like dad.’ Arion said to no one in particular. His father was not a perfect man, not by a long stretch of the imagination. But he was honest, that part of him never went, no matter how weak he became. Deep down Arion knew that his father would feel his time was up. He was simply going to have to let go of him. He tried to calm himself as much as he could. He could feel his eyes swell with tears as he sat there in the starlight looking down at the floor.

  He decided to close his eyes and breathed in as deeply as he could. He simply had to let go, he couldn’t think of his feelings anymore. He had lost many things, but he had a wife to look after now. And soon, who knew. Maybe he would be a father also. Life had to continue, at least for her sake. If nothing else, he had to live for her. His happiness would come in time. He breathed out and back in several times as deeply as he could.

  His eyes were closed at all times as the trembles became louder. He could feel the water streaming down his eyes and onto his cheeks and yet it was not raining. Not anymore. He could feel his tension leaving, a tension he had hidden for so long. There was nothing else to it. His time had come, it was my time to move on. For a few moments, his tears continued to flow but he kept breathing, until at last there was no more and he opened his eyes.

  His vision was blurry for a moment whilst he wiped his eyes with a cloth. And then, his vision was clearer than it had been in a long time. He didn’t know when he had done it, but he was smiling as he finally looked away from the floor and looked up to the heavens. Yes, the heavens. And why should he not call it that. That was what all matter would eventually become anyway. A bunch of molecules in an ever-expanding universe. What a small speck of light they were in a vast ocean of pure wilderness.

  But they were not lonely. God was with them. Literally between them. In every sense and feeling. He breathed the air as a newborn baby as the thought of this flooded his mind. Within him and around him was that. And even below the rumblings, it was there. He finally got up as he began to look at the ground shaking. He looked up one final time and said,

  ‘Thank you for letting me see,’ and left it at that, without the need of wanting to explain it. The ground finally parted as another hand, slightly smaller than Alexander’s came out of the ground and eventually formed into the rest of the humungous being that was a man who stood in front of him. He asked him his name,

  ‘Genghis,’ he answered.

  After a few minutes, the rest of the clan came out. They seemed to be different people of different nations. One called himself Naameh and the other one said something along the lines of Aad. The last one to come out, who was the same height as Alexander, said his name was Uj.

  ‘Your name is Uj?’ he asked, almost expecting more. The last one nodded his head. He went to tell them what he had done and how they could meet one of their own. After a few moments, they accepted to go see Alexander, though Genghis was reluctant. Eventually, after some persuasion, they agreed and Arion directed them to where they had to go.

  *

  They arrived at a moment where everyone was sat on the hard floor eating a walrus. Apparently, Alexander had sorted out a campfire. It seemed more like an entire house was on fire, but to him it was a simple campfire. The rest of them came, greeting Alexander as if he was some long-lost friend, with the exception of Genghis, who seemed to be uncomfortable in his presence. Alexander greeted him, but didn’t say anything else.

  The clan sat down and split the meat evenly. The smaller folk got the last remains, but in all honesty, this would probably last them a couple of days.

  ‘I guess they’re still not used to having us around,’ Nicholas commented.

  ‘I know. Did you see the way they greeted each other? Practically stamped over us like we weren’t there,’ Marcel commented.

  ‘Let’s be honest. We’re the weird ones to them.’ Sana commented, which everyone seemed to agree upon.

  ‘Still, they know respect,’ Cordell said.

  ‘Just because he nodded at you’ Patrick teased.

  ‘Look, I saved his life. Something I’m sure he would have done as well.’

  ‘What makes you so sure?’ Terence asked.

  ‘I can tell.’ Cordell kept it at that, and no one questioned him further. Arion changed the subject.

  ‘I never knew walrus was this tasty.’

  ‘Yeah, it’s like eating fish with lamb. Interesting combination,’ Sana commented, clearly liking the different taste. Arion sat next to her and put his hand around her waist. She seemed a little puzzled,

  ‘Are you showing me affection?’ she asked.

  ‘You are my wife. Why wouldn’t I?’ he answered. She seemed even more puzzled.

  ‘I’ve never seen you like this before. You ok? I’m not complaining, just curious. I mean, your hand does feel good there.’

  As the rest seemed to have stopped mid meal, Arion simply said to her,

  ‘I’ll tell you later.’

  *

  ‘So go on then. What’s up?’ she asked. They were sat in a makeshift tent. Tonight they decided to rest and tomorrow they would act and send Alexander and the rest south to tribe country. They had already agreed to do so. Although Alexander’s comment to Genghis was interesting, but Arion figured that would be the case and left it at that.

  ‘I’ve decided to turn a new leaf.’

  ‘Le, is that it?’ she responded, disappointed.

  ‘What the heck is ‘Le’?’ he asked.

  ‘It’s an expression. It means ‘what the heck’.’

  ‘Ok then.’

  They were silent for a few moments, until Sana asked,

  ‘So what made you turn a leaf?’

  ‘I finally decided to let go.’

  Sana nodded her head and didn’t ask any further.

  ‘So now that your attention is on me, what should we do?’

  ‘It’s up to you. I’m at your mercy from now on.’

  ‘You’ve already done quite a bit for the tribe.’

  ‘I help anyone who is being oppressed.’

  ‘That wasn’t your opinion a few months back.’

  ‘No, it wasn’t. But I didn’t know then what I know now.’

  ‘Well I’m glad I met you. You’re probably the nicest guy I’ve met.’

  ‘You’re just saying that because I’m your husband.’

  ‘We take marriage a little more seriously. It’s like a duty of life. And if I can make the effort a little more, then that will stop you from wanting to go elsewhere.’

  ‘Jealous of other people already.’

  ‘No not that. Just…practical.’

  ‘Just out of curiosity, what got you to that conclusion?’

  ‘Men are low by nature.’

  ‘Ouch, a bit direct.’

  ‘But very true.’

  ‘Ok, so if I’m low by nature. Then what am I thinking right now?’

  She looked at him for a moment with her light brown eyes and simply undid her cleavage... Arion could feel himself going red in the face.

  ‘Like I said, ‘Low by nature’,’ though she
was smiling.

  ‘Well what the hell. Let’s just get to it then…practically speaking.’

  *

  He awoke late on in the night, with Sana wrapped around him. He could hear a large screeching noise and after a moment the commotion got louder. He would find out later that Alexander and Genghis were fighting one another. He lay on the ground and held Sana, mostly to stop her from running out.

  ‘I can handle it,’ she told him.

  ‘I know, but I need you right now. Let them worry about that for tonight.’ She resisted for a moment and then sat back down. She wrapped her left leg around his, which felt good to him. He couldn’t help but smile as she lay in front of him. Her perfect figure covering him in one sheet of skin. They listened to the roars until finally a massive thud and quake was heard. It was then followed by a large cheer.

  ‘See, not needed,’ Arion reminded her.

  ‘Ok, Romeo, I get it. You wanna be with me.’

  ‘Is that a bad thing?’

  ‘No,’ and she wrapped herself around him again.

  *

  ‘What was that anyway?’ she asked in the morning, when they got up. He almost didn’t want her to get dressed.

  ‘What’s up?’ she finally asked, when she noticed he hadn’t moved yet.

  ‘You realise this could be the last moment we get together.’

  ‘I guess it is. Time well spent,’ she came up to him and grabbed his hand.

  ‘Now get up,’ and she pulled him up with a surprisingly strong hand. They made their way outside and found a huge animal on the ground, half cooked. The other folks had eaten the rest.

  ‘I guess breakfast is served.’ She said.

  *

  Once they finished eating, Alexander and the others went south, bidding one last farewell to the others. Although Arion did have one question for him,

  ‘Did you see creatures like this when you were around?’ He was of course referring to the animal they had eaten.

  ‘There were many creatures when I lived, but none like this one,’ he answered, which Arion understood to mean no. They bid farewell and sent a message to Ruto. If civil country hadn’t made it there already, then they might still have a chance.