Asunder

by Tonnie Johnson

  Hazel sat up almost alert yet there was no danger. However, the fact that they were alone in this setting became more and more apparent. She straightened her torn dress and looked about the room listening to the sounds outside and the click of the lighter. She felt uneasy as her eyes fell on the man seated in the chair near her. He was lean and well-toned and tall. Dangerous and alluring, and so strong.

  "What should we do if the owners come?"

  Varick smiled deviously. "They won’t kick us out that’s for damn sure."

  "Will you kill them?"

  "Maybe."

  "Well, we should at least try to talk to them first. If they pose a danger, then we can handle it."

  "We don't have time for your wholesomeness right now."

  There was an undercurrent of mockery there that Hazel couldn’t ignore. She looked at the symbol of hatred on his chest, laid bare by the missing buttons of his shirt. Varick sat quiet, waiting, for whatever she might do and expected nothing.

  "When I see that, I know I’m supposed to get as far away from it as possible. Because it says the person wearing it is not a good person, at least not to me. But what do you do when you're also not a good person?"

  "You think you're not a good person?"

  "When my mother died, when I saw her body as I was being wheeled away. I wasn't sad to see her go."

  "Damn. Was she abusive?"

  "No, I mean she went overboard on the whippings from time to time, she didn't really know how to talk to me, just hit whenever she was mad, but I think she was venting her frustrations more than anything. Then when I turned sixteen, she became extremely attached. She used to peek through a crack in my doorway almost every day. I would hear the floorboards creek near my door and that long awkward pause before she walked away. Or when she would press her face against my door to peek in and ask me if I’m awake or asleep and would not leave until I reported my status to her. When she found out I was going to move in with Luc, she suddenly became ill and needed me at home all the time. She pretended like she was sick and losing her memory." Hazel sat back on the sofa like a patient of a psychotherapist. The rage bubbled. "She knocked on my door All. Fucking. Day. Long. Every five to ten minutes she knocked on my door asking me to help her with the pettiest shit! Acting like she misplaced everything, talking like a fucking six-year-old child. When I tried to catch her by seeing how far she would take it, I told her I’ll call an ambulance to take her to the hospital. Oh, she must have thought her fucking lie was working cause she suddenly pretended as though she didn’t understand what I was asking. So, I went to my room, and she kept knocking more and more and more calling my name over and over and over again!" She shouted. "I put a pillow over my head to drown her out, I didn’t get any sleep that night at all cause she wouldn’t stop knocking at my door! I swear I felt like I was in a fucking Edgar Allen Poe novel." Hazel breathed deep. "So, I got dressed and climbed out the window and I walked the streets hoping someone would attack me so I could beat their ass!" She gritted her teeth. "I picked fights all over the place but no one would fight me. I guess they thought I was some crazy person." She laughed. "So, I wanted to do something crazy. I found these motorcycles outside this bar…"

  Varick sat up at the familiar direction of the story and watched the woman with shock and awe.

  She continued. "… and I wheeled one away making sure they saw me through the window. It turned out to be these two Nazi guys who came out. I made them chase me to this alley, and I beat the hell out of them! I felt terrible afterwards and left them two hundred bucks and ran like hell."

  The rich laughter confused her, and she looked at Varick for the first time since her story began. "Riddick."

  "Huh?"

  "That’s his name. The name of that guy… mutant… that's so hell bent on killing me. He was the leader of a local gang. They were selling drugs to the white kids at our schools. So, we’ve been going toe-to-toe with them since. That night, we assumed it was Riddick that beat them… I knew something wasn’t right with their story. I mean what black guy is gonna beat up some guys and not take their money?... I mean... You know…"

  Her brow furrowed in confusion. "I understand. I think."

  "Yeah, well, when I saw the money the red flag went up, not to mention that Tommy was always broke so him holding on to two hundred bucks was just not happening. But still… We went after them… We found Riddick’s hideout and we trashed the place." After a beat. "His brother was there, hiding in a corner. Just this scared crying kid only sixteen. We took him to our place and beat him to death… actually I delivered the killing blow."

  "That’s why he’s been chasing us."

  "Yeah. My so called Aryan brothers set me up. His brother’s bloody shirt ended up in his hands and he knew I did it. When you found me, he was gonna kill me. So, what do you think about that?" He breath hitched waiting for a response and expecting the worse. 'Monster. Bastard. Asshole! It should have been you!' and the one that made him flinch. 'I never wish to see you again.'

  "It’s my fault…" She replied instead. "Don’t get me wrong. I’m not taking responsibility for you killing some kid but it began with me. Because I was angry and wanted to take it out on someone and I used violence to do it. And because of that it created this cycle that lead to someone’s death." The tears welled up in her eyes threatening to lose herself. "Maybe deep down I’m just a violent or mean person. What if this virus targets people with a certain disposition, I've never been a nice person, I look down on others, I use them, just like I used you and how I thought I was better than you, the dumb Nazi whose brute force I would use to get home. It's why I had no other friends besides Luc."

  "Hey." Varick got off chair and sat on the couch beside her wrapping his arms around her allowing her to lean on him and she did.

  "I’m so fucked up. I was happy my own mother died cause I didn’t want her clinging to me."

  "If being a violent asshole makes you fucked up, then I'm the most fucked up person here."

  "Yeah, but... even when you found out your mother probably wasn't, and that she may have even committed a crime against you, you still buried her. You still felt something. I can’t muster up enough emotion to cry for my mother. When I cried to Luc, I did it for myself. To look good for him. It’s not that I hate her cause I know I don’t... I just feel nothing when I think of her. That scares me. When I saw her lying there, it was like a weight off my shoulders." Hazel sat up no longer wanting to be comforted.

  "And I thought my family was dysfunctional, no wonder you’re weird." He laughed.

  "I was always weird. That's why people stayed away from me."

  "You can’t be much of an outcast. You met that Luc guy, and he seems like a real… good friend." Varick’s voice carried a tinge of jealously, he had nothing against the man in particular but… the fawning and doting… not even he could explain it.

  "Luc’s mother was friends with my mother. He’s like an older brother to me. He protected me and used to take me to school almost every day and came to pick me up and walk me home. When another kid would pick on me, he was right there to beat them up. He got into a lot of fights because of me."

  Her eyes were distant as though recalling long ago memories. "Whenever I met one of his old friends, they always talked about how he used to beat up the bullies for all the nerds and how everyone hated it when he graduated cause it was open season. But that’s Luc… sometimes he forgets about the future consequences, if there is a problem he’ll fix it now. When he dropped out of college to become a cop, I supported him. He taught me how to fight, how to use a gun and a sword. Most of the moves I do are just copies of his."

  Varick eyed her vehemently for a moment. “You’re in love with him." He said it as though it was just a natural fact.

  "Well I don’t know, I’ve never been in love before. If it was love, there should be something more there than admiration."

  Their eyes lock unable to pull away, pulling them closer until he turned fast, shoc
k upon his face, unbelieving that he... truly wanted to kiss her.

  She was weak and her breathing heavy. "It's probably a good idea not to kiss me, anyway."

  "I wasn't going to--"

  "Riiiight." She chuckled which made her cough and she felt the thick phlegm in the back of her throat, and she shook and shivered, the cold sweat drenched her body and her clothes. She peeled the dress from her body until she wore nothing but her bra and panties. Varick got up and turned on the fireplace, a vain effort to keep her from catching a cold. She laid back down and he inspected her skin, it was turning a dark translucent color and small slits appeared hiding a scaly interior.

  "What do I do, what do I do." Fear and panic griped him. He pulled off his own jacket and shirt, his own skin was a darkened scaly texture, small ridges formed a small pattern on his flesh. "Fuck!"

  He felt her forehead, burning hot! He searched around the makeshift kitchen and grabbed a small towel and ran it under cold water and placed it on her head, then grabbed the nearby blanket from the small room wrapping her and placing her small body on his lap. He pressed the cold towel to her head, running it down her neck.

  "I’m sorry mother."

  "Hey now. Save that shit for when you really die cause it’s not happening tonight."

  She reached up grabbing him by the neck crashing her lips into his. "I don’t know what’s wrong. I’m so scared." She sat up as though filled with a new burst of life pressing him against the sofa straddling him before he could react and assaulting him with her lips. "I don’t behave this way."

  Varick felt her hair grow long. She gyrated her hips against him, feeling him grow hard under her, the need rising as fast and as hard as his chest, the urgency, he grabbed her hard gripping her tight against him, overwhelmed by her, her scent, her heat, all of her.

  He grabbed her, kissing her hard as she tore at his remaining clothes until they were flesh to flesh and intertwined in each other's arms. Soft flesh squeezed and tore giving way for hard moist scales. She opened for him with talons to latch on and he entered fast much to his pleasure and regret—his roar echoed on the mountains.

  Several people rushed to the small cabin and was met with a horror. Two scaly creatures chitinous and reptilian yet humanoid was lost in reckless passion. The scent of humans engulfed them and the woman hissed at the intruders who barged open the door. The male, about six three and muscular charged at the unwitting invaders, Grabbing them fast, breaking bone and crushing skulls. A charging force barreled through the fleeing survivors and crashing the male back inside the cabin knocking him out and back into human form. Hazel screamed, powerless to stop what came next.

  ***

  'What the hell happened?' Michael opened his eyes to find his best friend staring at him looking none too pleased. Now he remembered, that creature that called itself his partner, fighting Luc, and he didn't remember what happened next or where he was.

  "Welcome to the land of the living." Luc said still on edge. "Mike, we gotta talk."

  "Shane..." Michael covered his face in his hands. Shock and disbelief took hold. "He's dead." He lamented.

  Luc wanted to correct him, to say he was very much still alive. However, he wasn't sure if Michael wanted to hear that, actually he was certain of it. If anyone told him eight years ago that Jona was something like that creature they saw in that room he would never believe it. But then again, he had witnessed nothing like he had before. He wondered how best to explain their current situation and yet he couldn't find the right words to say it except to be blunt. "Jona is alive and here with us."

  "Not this shit again." Michael groaned. "I told you it wasn't her."

  "It was." Jona approached from behind, she thought it was best to keep her distance a judgment call that proved to be right when Michael searched himself for his side arm only to find himself empty-handed.

  It was Luc who held him in place telling him to calm down and that they weren't alone. He then thought it best to focus his mind on something he could do. Save Jonathan.

  "I don't want her anywhere near me, she’s not my sister she just isn't!"

  "Fine." She held her hands up giving up.

  Michael closed himself off to both Luc and Jona, the only thought on his mind is saving his son and getting him to safety.

  Luc sighed. "The same people who took Jona also took Jonathan. You're punishing her for something she had no control of!"

  "I..." Michael looked over at the woman who now occupied the next seat over.

  Jona stood ready to embrace him. "I really am back, Mike."

  Michael almost stood to embrace her but sat back down. "Let's get this over with."

  "As you wish." Jona walked toward the hatch and lifted it open. "Let's go."

  The small group exited the plane with Luc explaining everything he could about their plan to attack and Jonathan's possible location.

  "This is where we part." David said ready to hop into the truck with Anne. "I'm not a combat person but I will scout about for any signs of your sister."

  "Appreciated." Luc nodded.

  Anne poked her head out the window. "Remember, your first priority is killing Reiniger, he should be in his office."

  They watched the two teams head out leaving them a four-door sedan waiting for them. Windsor seemed like a different world compared to Detroit, people were out shopping and heading out to lunch with friends. Living life as though the troubles across the bridge were nonexistent. Jona pressed on until they were away from the traffic of the city and the buildings became just as sparse as the vehicles on the road.

  A tall gleaming white jewel stood alone in the distance, four limbs intertwining in the sky.

  "That's it." Jona looked ahead. "The Monolith for this country. Reiniger and Jonathan should be there and if we're lucky, Hazel too."

  The waning sun formed an orange halo around her dark red hair, Luc couldn't take his eyes off her even if he tried, and he didn't want to. 'She's here and breathing... alive... and as beautiful as I last saw her...' he lingered on her flat belly. That changed since the last time, he wanted to say something but decided not to.

  "Luc. I know." she said as if reading his thoughts. She reached out with her free hand and held his in her hands, he allowed the touch gripping her tighter as though confirming that her flesh was real.

  "When this is over, I want us to go far away. You, me, and Hazel. Just somewhere safe."

  "I want that too. Once Reiniger is gone, then we can all get some measure of peace."

  She veered off-road into the grassy field and parked across from the building. They trekked up a hill to a small perch and Luc rummaged through his vest pocket and take out a small set of binoculars.

  "Looks like a party is going on." Luc sneered at the well-dressed men and women entering the building across the way.

  "Not all are Eurlians, some are just powerful humans looking for immortality."

  "They'll die with them." Michael spat.

  "Some of these people may be what we need to clean up this mess." Jona argued.

  "Not when they're the ones making the mess, fuck'em." Luc said eager to get on with the plan.

  "Finally, we agree on something." Michael smirked.

  Jona sighed, they were always two peas in a pod and she didn't want to waste their window of opportunity by arguing about a future none of them knew they could have. "Back to Reiniger. That's the reason we're here."

  "And to save Hazel and Jonathan." Luc reminded.

  "Yes, that too." She watched the two for a moment. "I'm on your side... we're on the same side."

  "We'll see." Michael spat.

  "I know." Luc replied without a doubt.

  Both men spoke at the same time and glanced at each other once it was clear they weren't on the same page about the auburn-haired woman beside them.

  She grazed Luc's hand feeling his rough skin in hers, Luc leaned closer smelling her perfume, yes, the same scent he had remembered for so many years. They pulled away.
<
br />   "I know Reiniger." Jona said gathering her strength and composure. "Once the detonations go off, he'll try to secure his research and son before heading out."

  "Hopefully Hazel is with him."

  "Sounds like you got everything sorted. And if she's one of them?" Michael dropped the million-dollar question.

  "What?" Luc tore his eyes from Jona to glare at his friend who was getting on his last nerves.

  "C'mon. Don't tell me you never considered the possibility of her joining them of her own free will?"

  Luc remained silent, the thought sinking in.

  "You are naïve."

  "If she is then I'll accept her." Luc argued hating the thought of Hazel becoming one of them.

  "You say that now."

  "Look at Jona. She's still herself."

  "And Shane was eating a person! Just because she can hide it well doesn't mean she isn't the same." Michael argued back.

  "Shane has no guidance." Jona pleaded. "He can control himself. I feel bad about leaving him but I'm sure we'll find him again and teach him."

  "What is an Eurlian anyway?" Luc needed to know the agent in him was crying out for information.

  "I don't know, maybe some kind of Vampire? I know we hunger for blood and flesh."

  "Humans." Michael sneered.

  "This is difficult to process, I won't lie. Maybe I'm so caught up in having you nearby I'm not thinking straight. But I've lost so much already, I don't want to lose more and for that reason, yeah, maybe I'm being naïve. I won't give up on Hazel or Jona." Luc declared his intent leaving no room for doubt.

  "Do whatever the fuck you want. When I find my son, I'm taking him far away from this shit. You worry about your family."

  "Jonathan is my family too. You don't mean this."

  "Mike, don't let your pig headedness ruin your life." Jona chimed in.

  "My sister is dead, stop talking to me like you are her."

  "Fine, we all know where we stand." Luc sighed wanting this to be over. "How do we get in?"

  "There's a tunnel over there." She pointed across the field to what looked like a small path ahead. "It'll take us directly to the lower labs, it where they transport projects Reiniger doesn't want his backers to know about."