RB 01 Through Flesh & Bone

by Frederick S dela Cruz

  His quivering fingers drop the pistol.

  Now her control is complete.

  Gradually, Crystal pulls Aaron close. His upside-down body moves to her as if floating weightlessly in the air.

  She turns him so that he can face her. As Aaron’s free hand flails and tries to reach for the gun, she stares down at the large arteries pulsating red in his neck and face.

  Suddenly, Aaron’s phone drops from his pocket.

  Crystal quickly jerks her head down to it and glares at the object. But then, becoming disinterested, she fixes her gaze slowly back at Aaron’s neck. She pulls him closer and simultaneously releases his wrist. Gently, she kneels in front of him, close enough to smell his sweat, but far enough to stay away from his reach.

  She smiles at him, in satisfaction of her absolute control over him.

  Then, inch-by-inch, the tentacles that released the gun begin to move from Aaron’s arm to the base of his neck. Upon reaching it, the tips of the three appendages reveal their razor-sharp siphons. Then, the siphons cleanly pierce his neck and patiently glide their way to his heart.

  Crystal savors each groan and grunt of pain coming from her prey.

  Aaron’s hands grab the tentacles, trying to pull them out. But there is power in their movement, and his hands merely slide away.

  He yells and cries for help.

  The siphons travel in, and then bore into his lungs. A moment later, they pierce his panicked, beating heart.

  Crystal begins to drain Aaron’s lifeblood.

  With each drop of blood entering her and mingling with her essence, she can taste the Nephilim richness. She feels the power within her swell.

  The blood flows, and her feeding proceeds, unimpeded.

  A short time later, Aaron’s lifeless body lies on the hallway floor, released from Crystal’s grip.

  She is bent over at his side.

  The skin of his forearm is torn away, and Crystal’s wide-open mouth completely covers the jagged opening.

  Her long, black hair, streaked with blood, scatters over his arm. Her head vigorously moves to and fro, and in circular motions, in order to position the more slender tentacles from her tongue further into and throughout Aaron’s body.

  Crystal ravenously and zealously feeds.

  Beside her, Aaron’s phone begins to ring.

  The ringtone is once again Iz Kamakawiwo’ole’s Somewhere Over the Rainbow, the song of dreams and hope that Aaron reserves for one and only one person. It is the song for the daughter who has given him his life’s laughter and joy.

  As Crystal gorges on Aaron’s blood like a starving hungry beast, the display on the phone shows the caller’s name: “Dancy.”

  * * * * * * *

  Gemini scales the heights of the sky above the Mediterranean shoreline. Far below him, the armies of Tyre and Nebuchadnezzar watch in awe of his power.

  L’girra, recovering on the dry dirt ground from a strike his brother has dealt, searches up into the starry night.

  From the hiding sun at the other side of the earth, Gemini begins to draw from it raw scorching plasma. A thick, unending line of a glowing mass of fire streaks across the sky. High above the island city of Tyre, Gemini causes the plasma to gather and build upon itself, in order to form a tremendous hovering ball of flame. When complete, it will be an object the size of a gigantic comet, burning hot in the cold sky, that Gemini intends to hurl down on the island.

  L’girra stands to his feet, and then leaps into the air. Reaching his brother, he collides into Gemini.

  The electric golden sphere surrounds them, producing a display of light that enthralls the people below.

  The twins lose their abilities, and they begin to fall.

  Gemini loses control over the comet-sized ball of plasma, and it immediately starts to descend over Tyre.

  L’girra strikes Gemini, and the two briefly separate. But again they grasp each other and fight once more. As the brothers release and grasp each other - regaining and then losing their powers - the ball of plasma stops its descent, and then falls once again. To Gemini, this is merely a game. If L’girra interferes, then the huge mass of fiery flame would crash, on its own, upon Tyre; otherwise, Gemini himself would hurl it down to the city.

  L’girra powerfully strikes Gemini, making him lose control. Once again the brothers separate, as Gemini is sent careening down to the earth. L’girra uses his mind to cast the ball of plasma away into the direction of the sea.

  But without warning, Gemini rams into his brother from behind.

  Suddenly and unexpectedly, L’girra is pulled out of the past and thrust into the present. As L’girra materializes, he tumbles onto the expansive green grass field of Champ de Mars, adjacent to the Eiffel Tower.

  L’girra sees a crowd growing around the base of the tower, huddling both in horror and in curiosity. Arriving on foot, with the buzz of excitement, people funnel through the bridges and streets. The vehicles on the roads are at a standstill. Boats in the Seine River are packed together, motionless above the waves. The police start to arrive, flashing their lights and sounding their sirens. Everyone’s eyes gaze up to see the bent and broken iconic historic structure.

  Heavier rain begins to fall throughout Paris.

  L’girra rises.

  Facing up the Eiffel Tower, he sees the once elegant and beautiful structure now crippled, a product of Gemini’s deeds. The frantic voices of the terrified people in the third level reach his ears. As he watches, L’girra’s thoughts reflect back on the battles he fought against his brother, and how, over the centuries, he has tried to stop Gemini’s destructive and malicious nature. Then, Gul’s words come to L’girra’s mind. Inside the apartment, before Gul read the second inscription upon the other side of his blade, Gul said:

  “Remember, there is evil in the world. And its fruits abound when good does not oppose it and uproot it.”

  Gul looked straight into L’girra’s eyes and added, “So now, my friend, your brother has beaten you several times in the past, stretching many centuries. And he continues living, learning, and remembering. You however, have died, lost your skills, and lost your memories. He, of course, knows you and you are predictable to him. But trust this: God may not give you what you want, but He will give you what you need.”

  Standing under the dark night and the falling rain, L’girra believes that Gul’s words of God’s assistance are fulfilled. He remembers what Gemini himself has said and acknowledged: God sent the brothers back in time, to relive one battle after the other, for L’girra’s sake.

  Now, L’girra decides to act to undo one of Gemini’s evil deeds, before he reappears. Quickly his mind scans the roads, bridges, and ports and focuses on the vehicles, ships, boats, and shops.

  Not only will the previous hours make this night astounding and memorable, but also, the following brief moments will leave the city marveling in the wonder and the mystery.

  Instantly, every light everywhere vanishes into darkness.

  A cloud high above waxes gigantic, absorbing the moon’s light and obscuring the half-moon’s form from the earth below.

  Every vehicle, boat, and building shuts down, drained of energy.

  The buzz and hum of electricity is absent throughout the city.

  People gasp in shock, becoming nervous and dumbfounded.

  All eyes strain in order to see into the pitch-black darkness.

  Silence completely overcomes the night.

  But suddenly, the silence is broken by the thundering sound of metal groaning, grinding, and stretching. From the vicinity of the tower’s second level, the heaving, popping, and crunching of huge iron beams reverberates down below against both the tower’s concrete base and the surrounding asphalt streets.

  Feeling the bellowing sounds in their bones, people under the tower and on the streets become frightened and awestruck and hurriedly run away. They can hear the distinct cries from those high above, in the tower’s third level.

  The deafening and
agonizing sounds continue a few more seconds, and then abruptly, the noise and echoes stop.

  In another instant, lights everywhere and in every place flicker and pulsate to life.

  The gigantic and massive cloud that once cloaked the moon dissipates and vanishes, revealing the distant moonlight.

  Everyone’s eyes adjust to the surrounding light. They begin to realize that the Eiffel Tower’s form is no longer damaged and crippled; it is restored, as if the structure has never been compromised.

  A second later, Gemini materializes from the sky and falls on the grass, a short distance away from L’girra. With the tower behind him, he rises to his feet.

  Then Gemini casually glances behind. He senses what is different with the tower but doesn’t care.

  L’girra is first to speak. “You still need to give me Paige.”

  Gemini replies, “And you still need to tell me more about that vial.”

  “Even if I remembered more, I still wouldn’t tell you. I know your mind, and I know whatever it is you’re looking for, you’ll use it for destruction.”

  Gemini steps closer. “Brother, there are events of which you have no knowledge. At this moment, they are progressing into a stage in which the players are positioned to turn your world inside-out. The flame to ignite what you called the sixth explosion is moving closer to the wick. And this you cannot stop.” Gemini pauses to let the words sink in his brother’s mind. “However,” he continues, “with that vial, the balance will be tipped.”

  L’girra scoffs, “So, you and I find it, and you and I can save the world? Is that it? I’m not buyin’ your sudden care about my world and all of what you call the parasite human beings in it.”

  “Well…I didn’t specify that the balance would be tipped in your favor.” Gemini chooses his words more precisely, “Stated more clearly, the balance will be tipped in the favor of the party that properly leverages the power within that vial.” Gemini casually paces to one side and proposes, “Nevertheless, if you and I were to finally come together and act as true brothers, simultaneously birthed of one divine womb, the things we could achieve would be so wonderful and awe-inspiring. We could cast this world to any mold we desired.” Gemini’s steps halt. Keenly eying L’girra, he adds, “You do not remember, but long ago when you and I were so very alike, but so very different than what we are today, we made a pact. We honored each other’s word to act as one, in order to attain this vial against all others. I’m trying to change how we are, brother…trying to bring us together again. However, it’s a shame that you would hold such a bias against me.”

  L’girra is quick to respond, “It’s a shame that you have such a ruthless, merciless, and tyrannical past. And this pact, it must be you that’s become different, because the way you are now, I would never have agreed to it.”

  Gemini glances aside. His thoughts are not on his brother’s reply but elsewhere in the world. He then turns his attention back to L’girra and says in quiet dismissiveness, “Alright…well, about Paige then. She is currently quite detained. And the longer it takes me to convince you to tell me more of what you know - I assure you, Lugalgirra - the greater the danger she’s in.”

  “I’m not going to budge, Gemini. It’s clear neither of us will give ground. So then, you know I have only one option remaining: we settle this in the same way we’ve done many times before.” L’girra readies himself to fight.

  “I personally have another option. It’s a parallel path I can pursue in order to persuade you.” Gemini almost grins, “I’m going to change our venue now. I won’t need to ask you to follow me, do I? If you still want to have this duel to the death, you’ll have to follow me nonetheless.”

  Under the cover of the dark night, Gemini flies up and into the rain.

  L’girra follows.

  Southeast through Paris, they skim over the buildings and under the clouds.

  Swerving and circling above Montparnasse Train Station, Gemini begins to fly lower to the ground and to the northeast.

  A short distance ahead is a small restaurant, with a dark brown awning displaying the words “Creperie Josselin.” They fly over it.

  Next to the creperie is an apartment building with a big, dark, solid wooden door. They swoop down on the roof of the apartment building, like two circling black birds.

  Inside the building and several floors up, a bald man, in his sixties or possibly seventies, walks to his kitchen table in his modest apartment. He wears a dark bathrobe, and in his hand, he carries a cup of hot tea. On his nose rests thin, silver-rimmed, oval-shaped glasses. Before reaching his table, a bone in his lower leg snaps with a loud pop, and then breaks in two. With a sudden cry and groan, he staggers and falls immediately to the floor. His hand releases the cup into the air, splashing the hot liquid out in front of him. The cup shatters into pieces, upon crashing on the tiled floor.

  Across the kitchen, in the man’s living room, Gemini appears, and behind him is L’girra.

  Gemini speeds to the man in a swift motion, appearing like a blur. From behind, he grabs the man by the neck and tugs him to his feet.

  Choking, the man struggles to breathe, as his broken leg painfully dangles in the air.

  “Stop this!” L’girra urgently commands. Quickly, he senses the man’s broken bone and heals it.

  Released from the pain, the surprised man cautiously touches the toes of his once broken leg onto the floor, and then begins to stand on his own.

  Speaking his intent, Gemini’s words are soft and low, but his tone is harsh and demeaning, “This sad old man is someone I want you to meet. As you’ve already seen, I’ve just made my own personal introduction to him.” Gemini tightens his chokehold, and the man arches backward. Gemini adds, “Pain is such an effective instrument.”

  L’girra recognizes his brother’s captive. Then, with a slight turn of his head, he scans the apartment. His mind focuses on the old white front door. On the outside, he reads the apartment number. The brass number hangs upside-down by one nail: L1. But when righted, the number is 17.

  It is the door in his dream, and the man in Gemini’s grasp used to be the concierge from the hotel where his family stayed, during their visit to Paris, many years ago.

  Speaking French, Gemini calls the man by his name, “Jean Luc, do you know who this man is? This man in front of you?”

  Frightened and struggling to breathe, Jean Luc doesn’t know what to say.

  “My brother standing in front of you? Do you know him?” asks Gemini.

  Jean Luc gasps, “I do not know.”

  Gemini presses his mouth closer, over Jean Luc’s ear, whispering, “Oh, but you do know.”

  Still speaking in French, Gemini raises his eyes and talks to his brother, “This sad old man…he grew up without a father.”

  L’girra begins to instinctively understand the language, as though, in his mind, it was brought forward from a long-ago memory.

  Gemini goes on, “You see, his father was quite absent. Absent because he had a peculiar desire to save the parasites roaming this earth, instead of taking his position above them as a god.”

  Gemini’s words shock L’girra’s core.

  Gemini continues in his quiet, measured, yet condescending tone, “His father died for the worthless organisms that pollute this earth. Tell him old man. Who was your father? Tell him old man. Who is your father?”

  Jean Luc feels the arm around his neck squeezing him tighter. His head begins to painfully throb. His body weakens. Finally, he reveals in gasping words, “He…he is my father.”

  L’girra is stunned and frozen.

  Gemini’s arm loosens.

  Jean Luc fixes his pleading frightened eyes on L’girra. He whispers, “Vous etes…tu est mon pere.” You are my father. Tears start to gather in his eyes, and then slowly flow down his cheek.

  L’girra is struck by the truth in Jean Luc’s words. With an accepting heart, but eyes still questioning, he says, “Mon fils? My son?”

  In a quiver
ing voice, Jean Luc informs his father, “When I was a concierge at the hotel, I first saw you many years ago. And I did not know what to do. Could it have been you? You had another family, a beautiful wife, a young boy.” Anguished, Jean Luc slowly shakes his head. “A long time ago, before you left for the war, you explained to me what you are, and even though you may be gone for a very long time, we will still see each other again.” Jean Luc woefully raises his eyes to the heavens. “But what little boy can understand that his father is…is immortal? What is immortality to a very little boy?”

  L’girra listens, moved.

  Gemini again tightens his hold, coaxing the old man to go on.

  “When mother received word of your death. I was not sure what to believe,” Jean Luc continues, “But strangely, years later she left for America. And when she came back, she told me that I would see you again, one day.” His emotions start to overwhelm him, and he struggles to keep his composure. “I did not believe her, and I was so angry with her. You were dead - how could she tell me you would return?!” Jean Luc begins to weep. Realizing he has been so very wrong for so many years, he mournfully says, “…and now you are here.”

  L’girra slowly turns to face Gemini. His heart quickens its pace. His strong, innate paternal instincts start to guide his heart and mind. Sternly, he commands his brother, “Let him go.”

  Gemini sighs, as if out of boredom. With an almost noticeable shake of his head, he responds, “Brother, we are now quite evenly matched - now that our Father has intervened. Thus, there’s no use for us to attempt to overcome one another either by sheer power or by brutal combat. Nevertheless, I am far superior to you in one particular thing…”

  Gemini’s arm squeezes tightly once again around Jean Luc’s neck. Grabbing Jean Luc’s wrist, Gemini pulls and twists the old man’s arm behind his back, applying great tension to his arm and shoulder.

  Jean Luc groans loudly in pain.

  Gemini, the master torturer, begins his work.

  With the force of his own hand, Gemini cleanly breaks Jean Luc’s forearm. The bones snap into a sickening angle.