by Adam Oster
“So, is that it?” Buddy asked. “You don't have any tricks up your sleeves, do you Alexa?”
“The absolute best thing I could possibly offer in a situation like this is to try to kick up enough wind to put the fire out,” she answered hesitantly.
“Okay, so, let's do--”
“I said in a situation like this. I've had zero luck in my attempts to douse Damon so far. Can’t imagine I’d do any better against two of him.”
“Damn,” Buddy scowled. “And neither of you would be any help inside of there either, would you?”
“Sorry, Buddy, my suit's registering temps of over one thousand degrees Celsius in there,” Ryan frowned. “There's no chance my armor would be able to survive that.”
“Whole helluva lot of use you two are,” Buddy frowned.
“Sorry,” Alexa shrugged.
“Alright,” Buddy said, reassuring himself. “No big deal, right? Just need to run into the sun, knock out a couple of all-powerful super-beings, and hope I don’t burst into flame in the process. Easy as cake.”
“And you had better do it quickly,” Ryan added. “At the rate that fireball’s growing, I’d say we’ve only got another half hour before it burns down all of Sun City. Even at the size it’s currently at, with the heat it’s putting off, I wouldn’t be surprised if the rest of town shoots up in flames anyways.”
“Great, just what I need. To be responsible, once again, for destroying the whole city.”
Without another word, Buddy walked determinedly toward the burning fire before him. The glow, blinding him even from his initial distance, made it that much more difficult to make out his surroundings as he made his approach. He wanted to look back, to turn around and return to his friends. The fear of the unknown filled his every nerve. Each step toward the brightened void required that much more determination, that much more willpower.
Thirty feet away from the event horizon, he felt his uniform burn away. Knowing that he was not only going forward to meet his own destruction, but he was going to do so naked, brought Buddy to laughter. Finally, he reached the edge of the flame, where ground gave way to pure heat and he stopped. He slowly turned his head to look at where he had been, his eyes incapable of seeing anything due to the intense light before him.
He turned back toward the fire and with a shrug of his shoulders, entered. The heat immediately outside of the blaze was already barely bearable; within the confines of the hellfire, Buddy felt as though every centimeter of himself burned separately. Five billion separate fires seared across his skin in unison. He was grimly amused by the fact that he was suffering intense pain, yet knew he was not being injured.
Buddy continued forward, cringing with each step. He could see nothing, could hear nothing. White was all he knew as he continued walking through the void.
Buddy questioned the intelligence of walking around without the use of his senses, not to mention clothes, in the middle of what was obviously a battle of epic proportions between two crazed individuals. Even though he was incapable of being injured, the pain coursing across each and every one of his nerve endings caused Buddy to fear he had put himself into a mortally dangerous situation. He had not felt fear like this since the last time he faced off against Dominion, before he understood how far his ability could take him. Of course, that time he was only battling one Damon Memphis, now there were two, or whatever else Jeff decided to be.
And what happened to everyone that had come in here to help Jeff? Maybe they had decided to give up at the same time as the rest of the Meta Army. It felt empty in here, lonely, and creepy.
He continued onward, uncertain what to do but walk forward. He reached his arms out in front of him, futilely hoping to find something to give his existence shape outside of the blank void.
Just as Buddy was about to give up, he heard the faint sound of someone screaming. Buddy ran in the direction of the sound.
Faster and faster Buddy ran, following the only sense still available to him, his hearing, until he finally tripped over something. Buddy landed on the hot slushy ground with a splash, quickly turning to determine what he had tripped over in this seemingly empty and infinite white.
“Who's there?” the voice screamed.
“Damon?”
“I don't know. What’s happening? Where am I?”
“Where's Jeff?” Buddy asked.
“I don't know. Who’s Jeff?”
“Can you stop the fire?”
“What fire?”
“This, this thing we're in. It's fire. It's you.”
“But, it can't be, can it? How could I possibly be the man capable of so much destruction?”
“Look, pal, we all hate ourselves from time to time, but right now, you're threatening to destroy most of Sun City, maybe the world, if you can't get a hold of yourself.”
“I can't control it. I can't control him. I don't--”
“Alright, Murphy, just relax,” Buddy grimaced. “Let me try something.”
Buddy felt around, trying to find Damon's body. His fingers stumbled upon the man's naked foot and white gave way to black.
*******
Buddy stood in the center of the white spotlight within the dark room he recognized as his subconscious mind. At his feet lay the naked form of Damon Memphis or Dennis Murphy. Buddy looked down at himself and saw that he too was naked. He closed his eyes and imagined clothing on the two of them, feeling that whatever was about to happen, would probably be less awkward when clothed.
“Murphy!” Buddy yelled, kicking the man at his feet. Murphy slowly awakened, his eyes turning upon Buddy as he jumped quickly to his feet.
“Where are we?” Murphy asked frightened.
“Don't worry about it. Right now, we've got to find your off switch.”
“My what?”
“Look, you've got some serious mental issues going on here, issues that will take a shrink ages to deal with. I don't have that kind of time. Right now we need to find a way to turn off Memphis so he doesn't manage to burn down the entire world, okay?”
“Are you talking about me?” a cackling voice came from behind them. Buddy turned and found the evil grin of Damon Memphis.
“Memphis!” Buddy growled.
“I...I don't understand,” Murphy stuttered.
“Why are you here?” Buddy asked.
“To finish what I started, of course. To complete the task I was given by God himself.”
“You know I can't let you do that,” Buddy said as he assumed an attack position.
“Is this how you intend to defeat me yet again, Buddy?” Damon asked. “Do you honestly believe that you can keep me from achieving my ends through your pathetic mental link?”
“Murphy,” Buddy shouted, “you can control this. You can control him.”
Murphy cackled wildly, joined soon thereafter by Damon. They began circling Buddy slowly. Buddy felt dizzy and quickly lost track of which was which.
“Don't you get it, Buddy?” one of the Damons said.
“Or are you too damned stupid to understand?”
“Murphy!” Buddy yelled again. “Fight back!”
“You always have been a little too trapped in your world of pop culture references, haven't you?”
“This isn't something that can be corrected simply by strength of will.”
“Oh, no, this is something much, much worse.”
“I removed you from this world once, Damon,” Buddy said, fear filling his voice. “I can definitely do it again.”
“Ah, but here's the trouble, Mr. Jackson,” the voice snarled. “Which one of us are you going to remove?”
“And how?”
“As long as I've got you here, you can't cause any more trouble out there. I'll stall you for all of eternity, if I have to,” Buddy felt small.
“Now that's where you're wrong, Buddy. Well, you're always wrong, but this is where you're wrong once again.”
“The burning fires of perdition are still raging within the rea
lm of the earth outside of this mental prison you've placed yourself in. Having us joined in mental combat with you won't do anything to delay the destruction of this wretched creation.”
“Hey, you don't even know what all I've got planned out there. You ever heard of the Cherufe? Because they're going to totally kick your--”
Both of the Damons laughed wildly in unison. “You think the mythical creatures of a long dead race of humans can truly pose any threat against us? I am the chosen one of God, the Creator of all that is. Do you honestly believe anything he has placed within this once green earth can destroy me?”
“You ever consider the idea that these things might not be of this earth?”
“Nonsense,” Damon laughed further. “God is the creator of all. Were these supposed beings of fire and metal truly alien in origin, they still would be of the same father. The father who sent me to destroy his creation once and for all in the purging fire.”
“Can you guys stop doing that? I'm really starting to get dizzy here,” Buddy stalled.
“What? Little old Buddy Jackson can't handle a little spinning? Are you too weak to manage turning on a pivot foot?”
“Wait a second,” Buddy exclaimed. “I know what's going on here.”
“Oh yeah?” one of the Damon's said indignantly.
Buddy locked his eyes on the one who had just spoken and shot him a giant grin. “You know what, Jeff? No matter how many times I get to do this, it never gets old.” The target's eyes widened as Buddy swung forward and landed his fist in the face of the offender. The fake-Damon's body fell to the ground and shifted into the form of Jeffrey Flores.
Buddy turned and glared at Damon, who was still spinning around him. They locked eyes. Damon's face turned into a dark grimace.
“You don't yet understand, do you, Buddy Hero?”
“Understand what? That you and Jeff were trying to fool me into thinking this was just a mind game? That you were linked in order to attempt to overwhelm me? Or that I'm ultimately winning once again?”
“No,” Damon grinned, “you don't understand that we have already won.” Damon laughed again. Jeff stood and joined in the laughter.
“Yeah, and how do you suppose that is?” Buddy asked, feeling indignant.
“Because, Buddy,” Jeff answered, “we're not actually here. We're just imprints left in your mind. Damon gave me the idea, based on how his memories were left in your head. When you touched me in the blaze, I did the same thing. We're ghosts.”
“Which means,” Damon laughed, “that we’ve now taken over the mind of the stalwart Buddy Hero, the man who would defeat us. Except, now that we’ve taken over, you’re no longer a threat to anyone.”
“You know what, Damon?” Buddy asked. “I think I finally understand you.”
“Oh, do you now?” Damon asked, his eyebrows rising. “And what is it that you understand?”
“That you're nothing but another of Arthur Flores' lackeys. You and Jeff both. You've both just done whatever that fat old man told you to do. Why is that? Are you both looking for a father to love you?”
“Shut up, Buddy!”
“So here you both are, throwing a tantrum that will end in the destruction of the world. It's quite brilliant that you two are pretending to be the same person. You are the same person. And after all that Arthur's put you through, after all of the games, the manipulations, and everything else, you still sit here looking for his approval. Well, I've got news for you, for the both of you.”
“Oh yeah?” Jeff asked.
“Arthur's dead, and he didn't give a shit about either of you.”
“Those words would possibly have purchased some time for you, Buddy Hero,” Damon began, “but as we've already told you, we're nothing more than figments of your imagination, items created based on the memories still residing within your feeble brain. The idiom of 'words will never hurt me' has never been so true.”
“Maybe not,” Buddy smiled, “but how do you feel about sticks and stones?” A baseball bat appeared in Buddy's hands and he swung it at Damon's head. The darkness fluttered momentarily.
Damon stumbled backwards a few steps. “Oh, Buddy,” Jeff laughed. “Don't you get it? You're barking up the wrong tree. Attacking us isn't going to do anything to get you out of here.”
“Oh yeah,” Buddy asked cockily, “seems like that knock to the noggin' did something. I'd be more than willing to try it a few more times on the two of you.”
Damon laughed.
“Besides, I don’t know if you two know this, but I’ve spent a fair amount of time unconscious during my life and if there’s one thing I know, it’s sure-fire ways to way up from a dream.”
“Oh yeah?” Jeff scowled.
Buddy's smile grew larger. “How do the two of you feel about heights?” The floor dropped out from beneath the trio and they all fell fast toward a dark empty nothingness.
“How the hell do you think falling is going to wake you up?” Jeff snarled.
“It's not the falling that does it,” Buddy answered as a flat surface appeared beneath them. “Let’s see if you can stick the landing.”
*******
Buddy jumped awake, breathing heavily into the hot air. He looked around and found himself still within the heated arena of Damon's flames, still that much more uncertain as to how to defeat the menace in front of him. Yet, he learned one additional item that he hadn't previously been aware of. Jeff and Damon were working together.
But first, Buddy realized, he needed to find a way to get out of this fiery hell and stop Damon and Jeff from burning the city to the ground. He stood, crouched down as low as he could, and jumped into the air. Within seconds he found himself above the blaze. Looking down at the city below him, he was quickly able to determine where the center of the fire was located. He landed roughly on the ground, still in the midst of the flames, the earth still melting around him, threatening to pull him under.
Buddy jumped again, lunging toward the area he had spotted earlier as the center of this now miles-wide burn-fest. Once his head got above the flames, he noticed several creatures walking toward the edge of the fire which were glowing like hot embers.
“The Cherufe!” Buddy thought to himself.
“Buddy, where are you?” came a voice in his head.
“Talmadge?” Buddy thought back.
“Yeah,” the voice said strongly. “I've found the Cherufe. They're on their way in. Have you found Damon yet?”
“On my way,” Buddy responded. “Can you direct them to my location?”
“I'm not sure. I wonder if,” Talmadge paused. “Okay, yeah, I think so.”
“Okay,” Buddy smiled. “Bring 'em in.”
CHAPTER 29
Buddy stood, knowing Damon was near. He walked around in growing concentric circles, finding it difficult to know if he was walking around a common center point or just aimlessly wandering in the blinding light. He heard shuffling nearby and moved toward the location of the sound.
“Damon!” Buddy yelled.
“Gruffle garn,” the deep voice said.
“What?” Buddy asked.
“Hey,” Talmadge's voice rang in Buddy's ear, “it's the Cherufe. They've found you.”
“Oh,” Buddy replied, “can't see a damned thing in this place.”
“Felg pord.”
“Okay,” Buddy said slowly. “So, since you boys, or whatever, are here, can you help me out? Any chance you can see?”
“They say yes, Buddy.”
“Perfect,” Buddy clapped his hands. “So, can you have them look for Damon? I thought I had a lead on where he would be, but I'm struggling in here.”
“No problem,” Talmadge answered. “They say he's just a few feet away from your current location. They're offering to give you a lift.”
“I'm hot enough in here already. I'm not sure a piggy-back ride on a pile of magma is really how I want to spend my time. Any chance you could have them, you know, like, smother Damon or something? We re
ally need to put this fire out.”
“And you think that dousing Damon will put the whole thing out?” Talmadge asked in incredulity.
“It's a start, isn't it? Maybe it will at least dim the lights a little so I can see what's going on around here and actually be of some use.”
“Okay,” Talmadge responded. “They say they're going to do whatever they can.”
“Let's hope it's enough.”
A loud sizzling noise was heard nearby as the flames dimmed in brightness. Buddy was still unable to make out his surroundings, but he felt the pain in his retinas decrease. He ran toward the continuing sound of sizzling that occurred nearby.
As he neared, he could make out the outlines of four boulders, the only things seeming to have somehow survived the blazing heat. The rocks were situated around a central point, so Buddy pushed his way to the center of them and found a fifth similarly-sized stone toppled over and glowing a bright reddish-orange.
“What's going on here?” Buddy asked out loud.
“The Cherufe have extinguished Damon,” Talmadge answered. “The one known as Mapu is lying on top of him, absorbing all of the heat energy being expelled. Pacha is currently doing the same with Jeff.”
“Wait, you're saying these rocks are the Cherufe?” Buddy asked, looking up at the one behind him and making out a face hidden within the glowing granite. He thought he saw the rock smile at him.
“What were you expecting? Lizard people?”
“Okay, so they've taken down Damon, for now. What do we do about the fire?”
“Alexa seems to think she can put it out.”
“Do it already,” Buddy said urgently.
The winds picked up around Buddy and he felt the cool air refreshing his skin. He sighed in relief as the light of the fire died down around him, revealing a flat and shiny landscape. Suddenly, Alexa was at his side with a big smile plastered across her face.
“Hey big boy,” she said, “miss me?”
“Of course I missed you,” Buddy responded.
“Like the new look,” she grinned.
Buddy looked down and remembered his clothes being vaporized in the fire. He sheepishly looked at her and asked, “Any chance you could nab me a change of clothes?”