by Alex Dire
Norman nodded in agreement.
Rufus looked around the scene. “Where’s Ian? We need him most.”
Seamus began to speak. “I saw…” His words cut short when his head erupted in an explosion of blood and brains, as a shotgun blast rang out. Seamus crumpled to the ground. As he fell, Norman saw a figure behind him cock a sawed-off shotgun and point it at Rufus.
Before he could react, a second blast took off the top of Rufus’ head, leaving only his right eye and part of his nose attached. He fell beside Seamus.
Norman knew they’d rise again in short order. However, their temporary incapacitation made them easy targets and every second they weren’t saving members of their group, more of them would perish. Norman heard the terrible screams from all around. He couldn’t tell whose side was screaming. However, he felt it was probably his.
The shotgunner threw down his weapon and drew a homemade stake from his belt. “Your big bad friends can’t save you now. I’m going to stake the shit out of them. But first, you. It’s so much more satisfying killing the wiggling ones.” He tossed the stake from hand to hand and took a step toward Norman.
Norman ran at the crazy-eyed vampire and leapt at him, feet-first. The vampire caught Norman’s leg with one hand and slammed him to the ground on his back. With his other hand, the nimble Corps. V attacker plunged the stake down into Norman. Norman screeched as he felt the wood pierce and splinter its way through his shoulder. It completely penetrated Norman through to his back. The enemy vampire leapt back to his feet.
“Yeahhhhooowwww!” he shouted with a sadistic laugh. He looked at his hand covered in Norman’s blood and licked a finger. “You’ve been drinking, haven’t you?” He flashed a naughty smile. “Tsk, tsk. At a time like this?”
At the edge of his vision, Norman saw Rufus’ hand twitch. He hoped his spastic attacker didn’t notice as well. Norman needed to buy a few more seconds. If Rufus healed enough, he stood a chance of surviving this encounter.
Norman attempted to wriggle free. The motions sent pain radiating like poisoned lightning from the stake firmly lodged in his shoulder and the ground. He couldn’t budge the weapon. He coughed out a grunt accompanied by mucus, saliva, and blood. Rufus’ whole arm moved. More time.
Norman tensed for a mighty heave. He tried to hold back his scream, but it exploded from his lungs. He couldn’t recognize the sounds that came from his own mouth.
“You can’t break free, you know,” mocked the vampire. “I’m so enjoying watching you try, though.” He knelt down, his face an inch from Norman’s. “You still think your pathetic friends can win?”
He looked to the side. Norman did as well. Many of his group lay motionless, scattered about the scrap yard. The few who remained hopelessly battled large numbers of Corps. V.
The vampire then looked back at Norman and made a faux sympathetic frown. “Why don’t you give it one last try? You never know. You might make it this time.”
Rage gurgled up into Norman’s chest. He spat in the vampire’s face and, with all the force he could muster, attempted to lunge at his opponent. But he remained pegged to the ground and the crazed vampire easily avoided his attack. A pathetic whimper escaped his lips.
“Nothing like a good piece of wood, eh?” The Corps. V pulled another weapon from his belt. It was a pistol of some kind. He flicked open the cylinder and looked down the chambers. “Might as well make this a little fun. What do you think?” He looked at Norman as if he expected an answer. “Are you a lefty or a righty?”
Dear god. He was going to torture him before he killed him. Time. A little more time.
“You have no chance. You might as well play along.”
Norman tightened his lips into words. “Fuck you.”
“Ooohh. Not nice.”
Any moment now.
The vampire shook his head. “I guess we’ll have to do this the hard way.” He pointed the gun at Norman’s head.
Norman betrayed the tiniest hint of a smile. Surprise!
His opponent returned the gesture in kind. The instant before the pistol’s hammer sprang, the sociopathic vampire whirred his arm almost all the way around his body. The blast discharged away from Norman in the direction of Rufus and Seamus.
Rufus’ head re-splattered, undoing the healing that had begun.
A second shot rang out almost instantly, entering Seamus’ head through his mouth. Fragments of bone and brain erupted through the exit wound in the top of his freshly reformed head.
The last of Norman’s hope evaporated from his body. The faces of Felicia, Declan, Keon and the others flashed through his mind. I’m sorry.
The vampire let out a loud laugh from his gut. “That was awesome! You should have seen your face. Truly priceless. I should have taken a picture.”
Norman’s despair turned to resignation and he began to shut out the world. But then something new entered it. Norman heard a high pitched ringing sound. Something electronic had flicked on nearby. Norman opened his eyes. The gun-wielding vampire wiped tears from his eyes as he shook off his laughter.
Norman peered around to see where the sound came from. Then he heard a loud crack from behind the Corps. V who stood over him. It reminded Norman of a small caliber weapon firing.
The vampire stopped laughing. He turned around to face the direction of the sound. Norman saw a small hole in his back. It seemed to be an entrance wound. But instead of being filled with blood, it was filled with light. This was something new, indeed.
The glowing hole in the vampire’s back brightened. It began to illuminate the surroundings like a car’s headlight. The vampire seemed to leak light from his joints, his ears, his fingertips. The light shining on Norman made his skin feel hot, almost burning. This was no headlight.
Suddenly, the vampire screamed. The scream merged with the sound of roaring flames. Fire exploded from inside his body, consuming him in an instant. He collapsed in a heap of burning ash and ember.
What the hell was that?
A short distance away, the quickly dying flames illuminated a small cubby in the trash where Naseem sat with a device that looked similar to a small rifle. It had a light that blinked red. Naseem flicked a switch and the electronic sound ceased.
Bag of tricks, indeed.
30
Fly, You Fools
Naseem threw his pack over his shoulder, and ran over to Norman. “Are you OK?”
“Never better,” replied Norman. “What did you…”
“No time.” Naseem grabbed the end of the stake sticking out of Norman’s shoulder and yanked. The wood tore it’s way out. Norman roared in pain and relief.
Naseem grabbed Norman’s chin and shook his head. “Norman. Are you with me?”
Norman rose to a sitting position.
“We need to get Ian. He’ll tell us our next move.” Naseem took a quick look around the scene.
“What about them?” Norman pointed at Rufus and Seamus, their heads still oozing viscous fluids.
“They’ll be up in a bit…or they won’t. We’ve got to move, now.” Naseem kept looking around the scrap yard. “Do you see him?”
Norman scanned the area with his superior, vampire vision. He zeroed in on Ian across the yard. He was holding Skeete off the ground by her collar.
“Keep up if you can,” said Norman as he dashed across the yard.
“I thought this moment would bring me no joy,” said Ian.
Skeete’s lips curled into a smile.
“But I have to admit, it does.” Ian hurled her against a wall of crushed metal cars where she slumped to the ground. He stepped toward her for another attack.
“Ian!” Norman exclaimed as he reached the de facto leader.
Ian paused mid-stride. A berserk look drained from his blood-spattered face as he recognized Norman. “You’re alive!”
“For now,” replied Norman.
“What’s our new exit strategy?” asked Naseem, finally catching up to them.
“Rufus
and Seamus?” asked Ian.
“Down for now,” said Naseem.
Ian looked down at the bizarre weapon in Naseem’s hands. “I see you’ve brought one of your toys.”
“I thought it might come in handy,” replied Naseem.
“Can we save the banter for another time, please?” said Norman
Ian’s face grew serious.
“We need to get out of here, now. In a few minutes, this will be over,” said Norman.
Ian looked around the yard to take in what had transpired. “Gentlemen, we have few options. Here’s my suggestion. We—”
His words stopped abruptly as blood trickled down the corner of his mouth. The trickle suddenly erupted into a spray that covered Norman and Naseem. In slow motion, a wooden point pushed through Ian’s chest from behind, its tip covered in blood.
Skeete reached her arm around Ian’s neck from behind and twisted the stake. She spoke into his ear. “You’re right, Ian. This does feel good. I suppose I should miss you.” She pushed and twisted the stake. “But I won’t.”
Ian screamed at an inhuman volume, clutching at the point of the stake protruding from his chest, before falling to the ground. As he fell, Skeete pulled the stake out from behind. Ian’s life blood spurted from the hole in his chest.
“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for that.” She held her stake, the tip pointing menacingly at Norman. “You’re next” she said as gashes on her face stitched themselves back together. Then she wrinkled her nose and sniffed. “What have we here?” She turned her eyes to Naseem. “You brought me a meal. How nice.”
She jabbed the stake at Norman, who dodged to the side. He grabbed the end of the stake as it thrust past him. Norman twisted the wood, trying to pry it from Skeete’s hands.
Skeete, however, shoved into Norman with all her weight, knocking him back. Norman’s grip on the stake slipped. As he fell, Norman heard a click and that high-pitched, electronic ringing sound he’d heard before.
He hit the ground, his back thumping against the dry earth. Skeete moved over him and placed the point of the stake to Norman’s chest.
“That wasn’t much fun at all,” she said. “I’d invite you for dinner, but...” The smile drained from her face. “I don’t like you.”
“Now or never, Naseem!” shouted Norman.
Skeete looked over and saw Naseem’s weapon. “Oh, how cute.”
The weapon fired. A clang rang out from behind Skeete as the projectile missed its target and impacted harmlessly against the metallic debris behind her.
Damn it, Naseem.
“When will you people learn?” Skeete raised her stake high above her head. She looked down into Norman’s eyes as she paused for a fraction of a second, about to deliver the deathblow.
A fizzing sound radiated from the debris pile. A bright light surged from inside the wreckage. A startled Skeete dropped her stake.
Norman felt the light shining on him, like the sun. His skin began to scorch.
Skeete turned to face the light.
Norman dragged himself over to Naseem. Every inch he crawled from the light reduced its effect.
Naseem flicked his device back off. “I’ll explain later.” The mysterious human stared down at Ian’s body. He kissed his hand and placed it on the slain vampire’s forehead. “Good night old friend.”
With a crack, something smashed the side of Norman’s head. He reeled to the ground. His vision blurred and his skull rang like a bell.
Norman gripped the side of his head and felt blood ooze. His vision cleared. Skeete stood over him holding his long stake. Norman’s blood was smeared on the end.
Healed from her burns. So soon.
Skeete flicked her eyes toward Naseem. “I’m not sure how you did that, mortal, but I’m sure you’ll tell me if I ask nicely…before I eat you.”
She spun the stake around and pointed the sharp end at Norman. “And you. Why don’t you say hello to Ian for me?” She pulled the stake back and shoved it at Norman’s chest.
Norman twisted, moving his heart away from the bull’s eye. The stake pierced the side of his neck. He felt his blood flow in rhythm with his heartbeat. The pounding felt as if it would blow Norman’s head apart and the ringing became deafening. His vision blurred again. Skeete twirled the stake, orienting it for another thrust.
Norman’s sense of time slowed. He jerked his body to dodge again, only to see that the stake hadn’t come down on him. How could he defend himself? He curled into a ball?
The stake seemed to hang there in the air. Had time stopped? Was he dead? Dying? Trapped in an infinite instant at the moment of death?
Then the ringing faded and time sped back up. He saw why Skeete hadn’t completed the fatal stab. Rufus also gripped the stake held above their heads.
The soldier grunted through his raw, pink lips. His whole face looked wet and throbbing like a fresh wound. However, Norman knew it was healing.
Skeete struggled to wrestle the stake from the soldier. Rufus kicked her in the gut and she flew through the air smashing into a pile of twisted metal across the yard.
“Naseem, go. Get to the exit.” Rufus tossed the stake to Norman. “You.” He reached to his belt, and withdrew two small wooden blades: one in each hand. “Come with me.”
Naseem dashed toward the gate.
Three Corps. V sprinted their way. Rufus rushed them. Norman followed close behind. Rufus leapt and spun in the air, landing behind the charging opponents. Two of them stopped and screamed. As they fell, Rufus pulled the knives from their backs, blood dripping from the wooden points.
The third hesitated. That would be enough. Norman charged into him, stake-first. His thrust to the chest sent the vampire backwards. Norman pinned him through the chest to the ground. The enemy breathed his final breath as a wretched scream.
Another vampire flew at them from across the yard. Rufus spun and pointed his blades. The form tumbled into a lifeless lump next to the other bodies. Seamus approached them, dusting off his hands.
Several more Corps. V advanced on them with slow cautious steps, stakes at the ready. Norman peered around the yard. He could only make out four of his original group still fighting.
“You two round up the survivors,” said Rufus. “I’ll hold off these scum.”
There were at least thirty Corps. V left. Rufus and Seamus had proven to be savage fighters, but they wouldn’t beat those odds.
“We need you. Run with us,” said Norman.
“No time.” Rufus charged, screaming, into the oncoming horde.
Norman and Seamus dashed along the perimeter of the scrap yard toward the first of their friends desperately fighting off two Corps. V henchmen. Seamus reached them first. He grabbed one from behind, lifted him over his head, and brought him down onto his knee. His spine broke with a crack. The Corps. V fell to the ground, bent backwards at a grotesque angle.
The other enemy vampire turned and lunged at Seamus. Too late. Norman rammed the tip of his pole into the vampire just below his armpit. The momentum of Norman’s rush drove it straight through the body, the point just poking out under the opposite arm. The vampire’s black life force evaporated in a deafening, wretched scream as he keeled over to the side.
Seamus immediately looked to the next survivor a few yards away. “Clean this up,” he shouted to Norman as he sprinted off. Every second would count, now. They needed to save what remained of their group.
Norman looked to the survivor they’d just saved. He nodded. “Norman.”
“I know,” she replied. “Rae.”
Her straightened afro had become a massive tangle dangling off the back of her head. A few patches of skin showed through the smears of blood on her face. The olive-green canvas jacket she wore showed tears and bloodstains.
A cracking sound came from the bent vampire a few feet away. His back began to straighten.
“You gonna do this?” said Rae.
“Hmm?”
“Clean-up.” Rae put her
foot against the skewered vampire and pulled hard at the stake. It slid out with a sickening slurp. Blood drained out of the unplugged holes.
The bent vampire grunted as his back cracked and twisted.
Rae tossed the stake to Norman.
Clean-up indeed.
Norman scanned the yard. A newly liberated survivor ran up to meet them. Seamus worked fast. The new survivor bent down, hands on knees, breathing rapidly.
“We need to go,” he said. His hands were covered in blood. When he stood back up, Norman could see he had a tear in his cheek that went all the way through. He wore horn-rimmed glasses that made him resemble Buddy Holly. “What’s the plan, teacher?” he said between breaths.
Norman detected a hint of disdain in his voice. He imagined this vampire, who’d put faith in Norman and his plan, must not be too happy with him right now.
Across the yard, Seamus drove knives into a Corps. V vampire, freeing another survivor from hopeless combat. Blood ran down Seamus’ neck. He’d taken his lumps.
Rufus fought spastically with the main horde of Corps. V. Two dead vampires lay on the ground, stabbed through the hearts. Two others writhed and grasped at gashes in their necks as blood spurted through their fingers. Rufus kicked and slashed, twisting with the precision and speed of centuries of training. What made his acrobatics more amazing was the fact that he had a long stake driven clear through his body, just above his right hip.
A vampire grabbed the stake sticking out of Rufus and tugged. Rufus screamed in pain.
“Get to the gate. Go along the edge. The way is clear. I’ll meet you there,” Norman said.
“Nice plan,” said the newcomer.
“Shut up and run, Saul” said Rae, grabbing him by the arm. They scrambled away along the periphery of the yard, hiding in the moon shadows when they could.
With a quick and confident jerk, Norman raised the stake over his head. His enemy’sback was nearly healed. Norman paused. In a moment, he would charge in to give Rufus what help he could. It would go much better if he had and ally.
Norman bent to his knees and placed the stake on the ground at his side. He looked into the eyes of the vampire whose nervous system had healed enough to allow him to breathe again. Norman honed his focus. The world sparked into differentiated detail. He zeroed in on the orb of this vampire’s will. Norman hadn’t been able to glamor a room full of vampires down in the catacombs, but he’d gotten a scintilla of traction. Perhaps one vampire would prove less difficult.