18 KiB
Chapter 51
“It’s taking too long.” Katie hissed, playing with her fingers. “The alarm should’ve sounded! We need to go!” “Jus’ be a bit patient.” Alexander smirked. “Yer way too jumpy.” “I was in that building! I know what it’s like in there! Of course I’m jumpy!” “…Sorry. But give’m some time. If we don’t hear noth’n in a few minutes, we’ll go in.” Alexander sighed, not wanting to start an argument with her. Annie was on the ground, playing dice with Calypso and David, who were all trying to hide their anxiety. Jelly was sipping a bottle of water while watching them play. She had tried to play earlier, but she kept dirtying the dice with her slimy body. “This is too nerve racking! How long have they been in there?” “Five minutes.” David answered nonchalantly. “…You don’t act worried at all.” “If Christina was in any danger, she’d just rip off those toy ropes on her wrists and hypnotize everyone in her way. She’s kind of sick sometimes.” David explained. “No one is in any danger.” “MY FRIENDS….my friends are in danger!” Katie snapped. “Katie, calm down.” Calypso urged. “We will save them. We’ll save Asher and Michelle!” “And what about Abraham and Sarah? We’re gonna save them too?” “Of course we are.” Annie squeaked, rolling the dice again, though she was trying hard to hide the tremble in her voice. “…We have to.” “You’re damned right about that.” “Language! She’s a kid.” Alexander remarked. “Plus, Jelly has a habit of repeating new words other people say.” “I’LL SAY DAMN IF I WANNA SAY DAMN!” Katie shrieked. “Damn?” Jelly asked. “No, don’t repeat that, Jelly.” Alexander grumbled. “What ‘damn?’” Jelly asked. “Now look what you’ve done.” David smirked. Katie hissed furiously and turned away to look up at Tori who was still circling the sky, looking for any sign of trouble inside. She then slithered next to Tamil, who was sitting, leaning against the rocks they hid behind, starring off into nothingness. “How can everyone be so damned calm…” “We all scared.” He answered. “They don’t act like it.” “What acting like it fix?” Tamil growled. It was uncharacteristic for him to be so grouchy and gruff. Tamil always smiled…had a laugh waiting…wanted to joke around. What was going on with him? Katie crossed her arms and glared at Tamil. “Since when are you all mature and straight forward.” “…Club is broken.” He sighed. “I wanting everyone back together badly.” “We all do.” “…Can’t lose family again.” He snapped. Katie frowned and wrapped an arm around Tamil, trying not to let either of them think of such an outcome to this evenings mission.
“Look! Tori’s coming!” Everyone paused what they were doing to look up and see the harpy, floating down to them quickly. She landed next to Alexander, beaming brightly. “I saw ‘em! Sarah stuck her head out a window to signal me! They broke free and they want us to get ready!” “How’d they get away from the Dawn Bringers?” “Christina probably ‘suggested’ they should…GOD that power gives me the creeps.” David shivered. “Shut it! C’mon, we gotta get ready to blow a hole in that wall! JELLY! You ready to rock their world!?” “Jelly still not sure what ‘damn’ means.” Jelly replied. “I’ll explain later.” Alexander sighed. “Just c’mon!”
They rushed to the side of the building, amidst frightened and alarmed men, darting left and right inside the building. Annie stopped about 15 yards from the wall and held out her hands. Alexander threw himself in front of her so that she wouldn’t get hit by the shrapnel and knelt down. “Do it!” “POGBAL!” She cried. With a massive bang, the wall in front of them blew to pieces with a fierce explosion. The size of the hole was large, and at least three Dawn Bringer agents lay unconscious on the floor from the obliterated wall. Alexander brushed off the debris from his back and turned to see about 5 or 6 men running to check on the hole. “JELLY! GETTEM!” Alexander shouted. “WHAT THE FU-“ The Dawnbringer never finished his cry of shock as suddenly a mass of pink goo threw itself at him and knocked him to the ground. He fired his gun and swung his fist, but the bullets just passed harmlessly through the fluid body, and the punches did little more than get stuck in her. Another soldier ran to remove her, but Jelly was faster, throwing out her arm like a whip and snaring his head, trapping his mouth and nose in her liquid arm. Unable to breathe he tried to pull away, only for her arm to stretch with him. Jelly was a force of nature! They couldn’t touch her…but she was able to destroy them. “You bad men let friends go!” Jelly growled. “That a girl!” Alexander shouted, running in and giving her assistance as he slugged a Dawn Bringer across the check, sending him sprawling across the room. “DAVID, TAKE THE MERMAID AN THE MUMMY TO THEIR FRIENDS. PEN’LL BE HOVER’N WHERE THEY ARE!” “Right, hang on you two!” David shouted as Calypso and Tamil clamored onto his back. With a powerful gallop, David ran into the asylum, leaving Alexander, Katie, and Jelly behind to fight the struggling Dawn Bringers. Annie remained hidden behind the rubble, not wanting to be in the line of fire. “Jelly, you an I’ll hold ‘em here! Katie, ya can go find your friends.” “…No. These bastards got this com’n!” “What a basta-” “NOT NOW JELLY!” Alexander cried. “Fine, just stay low and don’t make yerself a target!” As he spoke, he threw the weight of his body into a soldier, armed with a pistol, smashing him into the wall before he could fire a shot. “I hope the others are okay…” Annie whispered.
When David finally found Sarah and Christine, he slowed down recognizing the look of fear and tears in their eyes. Calypso climbed off of David’s back and ran to Sarah. They stood outside of a door and Sarah was covering her watery eyes with her hands. “What’s wrong?” She cried. “Who is it?” Calypso didn’t need an answer when she heard the roar of anger coming from inside the room. She turned to see the massive werewolf form of Michelle inside, chained like a dog to the wall. She thrashed and tugged against her bonds, but couldn’t free herself. “She’s….she’s” “Lunar lighting.” Christine explained. “They kept her under constant lights that imitate the moon. She’s…been like this for days most likely.” “Then we need turn them off. NOW!!” Tamil cried. Christina nodded. “The switch is in there…behind her.” She pointed. “But going close to her means risking getting mauled.” The realization of this brought a serious silence over the group. “Jelly’s a machine, but she can’t hold back the Dawn Bringers forever. We need to act!” David hissed. “Any thoughts?” “…Maybe…I could try hypnotizing her with my eyes. But I’ve never tried it on a werewolf. I don’t know how it’ll work.” Christine muttered. “Besides, while I hold her, someone else needs to flip the switch.” “I’ll do it.” Sarah cried, wipping the tears from her eyes. Christina nodded slowly and walked inside, taking off her shades and glaring at Michelle. There was a moment of fear as everyone waited to see what Michelle would do. She roared loudly at Christina and started to lunge, but Christina never faultered, her eyes boring into Michelle, and her snake hair slithering and squirming dangerously. David gripped his arm in fear…if she got too close….if she took one false step. An angry werewolf could easily rip a chain if food was nearby. “I don’t think it’s working!” David shouted. “Just give it a sec!” Christina shouted back. Sarah stayed close behind Christina, waiting for Michelle to stop. “Look at me you mutt…” Christina hissed. Michelle did finally turn and snarl at her, her eyes finally meeting Christina.
“G-GET….LOST!”
Everyone froze in horror. Even Christina gasped. That demand had come from the maw of the snarling and drooling Michelle. She’d SPOKEN! “D-Did you just…” “MICHLLE! MICHELLE IT’S US!” Sarah screamed, running dangerously close. “SARAH DON’T!” Christina cried, grabbing her arm to pull her away. “MICHELLE IT’S ME! SARAH! WE’RE HERE TO SAVE YOU! JUST LE-AAAAAAAAAAH!” Christina yanked Sarah back hard, just as Michelle threw her body at Sarah in a snarling biting rage. Sarah fell over as Christina now glared deep into Michelle’s eyes. “Stay….DOWN!” Christina hissed at Michelle. Michelle blinked and tried to look away, but found it difficult…she was being trapped in the glare. “Turn the damned switch already!” Sarah finally seemed to snap from her stupor as she jumped up and scurried over to the wall and threw the switch, shutting off the moon lights and turning on the normal overhead lights. The wolf before them let out a howl of shock and slowly, but surely, began to shrink again, falling back to the ground and the chains falling off of her smaller naked body. “Michelle?” Tamil called, hobbling into the room, feeling the ground with his hands as he tried to crawl to her. “Michelle, you are okay!?” Calypso ran past him into the room to check on Michelle, falling beside her and rolling her over to see her injuries. “Look away David!” Christine called. “Oh shove off, I’ve seen a naked girl before.” “So I guess I know who to blame for the peep hole in the bathroom.” Christina grumbled. “Is now really the time for that?” Sarah asked angrily. “Calypso, how is she!?” Calypso looked her over, pressing her ear to Michelle’s chest and frowning. “Her heart is beating…but it’s weak. I think she’s exhausted. Being a wolf must be tiring….and for that long.” “Y-yeah…I don’t recommend it.” Michelle groaned, her eyes slowly opening, little by little. “MICHELLE!?” Sarah cried. “How?! You never wake up so quickly after transforming!” Calypso asked. “Guess I ‘overslept.’” Michelle mumbled, weakly trying to sit up. She then noticed Christina and David not far off. “Who’re…” “They’re friends. Abraham brought them to help.” Sarah said. “Abraham….Abraham!? Where is he!?” She asked. “Wait, where’s Asher!? WHAT HAPPENED TO-” “Calm down! We’re looking for him.” David added. “Um…who’s Asher?” “Vampire friend.” Tamil replied, finally reaching Michelle. Overcome by the feel of her leg, he threw himself onto her and hugged her tightly. “MICHELLE! I MISS YOU! CLUB NOT SAME WITHOUT MICHELLE.” “H-hey you big dummy, I’m okay. Get off me! I’m worn out.” Michelle grunted, shoving Tamil off to sit up and breathe. “Michelle…there was a moment in your wolf form that you spoke. Did you…did you see us?” Sarah asked. Michelle looked down a moment, as if thinking on the question. “There were moments…where the fog almost lifted. I could see things…like…shapes and figures. They were never clear. Sometimes I’d try to focus on it but…but then it’d vanish again. And I heard this voice call me a ‘mutt.’ And…and I saw you.” She pointed to Christina. “I didn’t recognize you so I thought you were a Dawn Bringer…so I told you to get lost.” “YES!” Sarah cried. “You did! Michelle you almost gained control!” “Look, this isn’t the time!” Michelle groaned, climbing to her knees. “Asher is in danger! We can’t stay here! We have to help him!” “Asher’s in trouble!? What’re they doing to him?” Calypso nearly screamed, her blue tinted body turning unusually pale. “They’re starving him of blood! I heard them saying…if he lasted another 5 days, they’d let Drake kill him!” “A starved vampire? Oh joy…” Christina grumbled. “And what’s worse, I don’t think my eyes will work on a vampire. How’re we gonna fix this?” “How the hell should I know!? All I know is we have to get to him! He’s in the mess hall!” Michelle climbed to her feet, leaning on Sarah and David for support. “Which way?” Calypso asked. “Turn right and run till you get to the stairs!” Michelle shouted. “We’re right behind you.” Calypso was already booking it out of the room to get to Asher…to find the vampire who needed her.
“Let me go check out the situation.” Drake growled to Molly who was just pacing in frustration. “No need, I’m sure the men can handle it. We need to deal with the immediate issue first.” Molly growled. “The Singer brat.” Abraham looked up from the ground, crawling away from Drake and Molly. “He knows I’m a witch, and if he spills that can of beans, there’s no cleaning up the mess. The Dawn Bringers will kill us both.” “I’d love to see them try. But fine…you’re the boss.” He reached down to grab Abraham, how kicked angrily. “GET BACK!” “Oh, feisty.” He laughed. “You’re a goddamn coward!” Abraham cried. “Asher would still be a normal guy if not for you!” “No. He’d be dead.” Drake answered. “I thought I’d killed him before…making him a vampire was a mistake I’ll fix in a minute. After I kill you of course.” “Now Drake, we agreed…we’re experimenting to see how long a vampire can go without blood.” “Yeah, that WAS the arrangement. But I’m a bit sick of seeing that waste of flesh every time I come in here. Just a reminder of what I left behind. Find another vampire for your experiments. I’m killing the brat.” “So impatient.” She groaned. “But there’s no point arguing with you.” She threw a key at Drake, who caught it without even looking. “Fine, unlock him and kill him if it’s that big a deal to you.” “First, the human.” He smiled, revealing his fangs. “I’ll enjoy this.”
KABOOM
Abraham and Drake turned to see the door behind them blew open with a frantic mermaid run in, followed closely by Christina the gorgon, David and Sarah supporting an exhausted Michelle, and behind them was a blind Mummy led by Annie the little witch. Alexander, Jelly, and Katie, who had all finished their business out front were now bringing up the rear. “ABRAHAM!” Katie cried, upon seeing him on the ground. “JELLY!” Alexander shouted. Jelly sprinted around the group and threw herself at Drake. The ball of slime and the vampire were knocked to the ground and the two began to struggle against each other, thrashing and suffocating the other with angry screams and hisses. In the struggle, the clatter of a key falling on the floor rang out and Abraham saw it, leaping for it. “HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET IN HERE!?” With a scream, Molly threw out her hand to cast a spell. But Annie ran out first and held up both hands “INCENERATE!” “BANGPAE!” From Molly’s hand a tongue of flame rushed to consume the club. From Annie’s a giant wall of glitter which the flames licked but could not get around. The look of surprise on Molly’s face was one of shock and disgust. Another witch was in her presence. However, Annie’s face was mixed with fear. She knew what everyone else did just by looking. Annie was not on the level of this witch. Katie and Alexander moved in the same second and rushed Molly. Molly used a spell and tossed Alexander aside, but Katie got by and knocked her to the ground. Now the fight had begun. The Club rushed the room to attack Molly, but none went near Drake and Jelly who were now fighting like a pair of angry cats. Somehow, Drake was able to keep her off of him. Was it just his vampire strength or more than that? But Abraham didn’t have time to think on that. He had a key and a door to open. “ASHER!” Abraham shouted, running to the door and pressing the key into it. He turned the lock and opened the door to see the shriveled up and shaking body of the white haired pruny Asher. “Asher it-” “DON’T GO NEAR HIM!” Calypso cried. “He’ll…he’ll bite you.” Calypso, the only one who didn’t rush on the attack, was now walking around Abraham to Asher. She knelt down next to him. “Calypso don’t he’ll-” “I’ll be okay…I will.” Calypso whispered, She reached over and turned Asher over to see her. His sunken eyes noticed her and for a brief moment, he froze, like a wolf that just spotted prey. His mouth opened in hunger, but he snapped it shut, turning away. “C-Caly-ypso…don’t….s-stay…away fr-from me…” “Asher, it’s okay.” She leaned close and smiled. “Take my blood.” “It’s not human blood…it won’t…save me…” He whispered. “I don’t want…to kill you…” “You won’t. But I need you to drink it. You need your strength. I need you…we need you.” Abraham was confused. Asher had said once that human blood was the only thing that could satisfy a vampire’s thirst. All Calypso’s blood would do is give him strength, but not satisfy. Why would she offer it, knowing that? “P-p-please…” Asher hissed, struggling with himself. Calypso finally leaned down and pulled out something from her dress…a beautiful shell necklace. The same one that Abraham had seen her making so many days ago. She’d made it for Asher…but never given it to him. She held the shell to her neck…and stabbed it. “CALYPSO!” “Aaah!” She cried, clutching the wound as a small stream of blood rolled out. “It’s not deep…but…but it could…get infected…Asher please…fix it?” Asher looked at her in surprise…then in loving disbelief. But all the same, he took her in his worn out arms and clasped his mouth over her wound…and began to feed. Abrahm could only watch in awe as the transformation took place. The white hair of Asher began to turn black. His shriveled body regained life and testure, and his eyes, still sunken in, but now glowing with red fire. And yet, there was something inhuman…a rage…a fury. As Calypso lay back, her eyes opened wide in ecstasy as her blood brought Asher back from the brink, Abraham saw what she was doing…why she offered her nonhuman blood. It wasn’t meant to satisfy. She needed Asher thirsty….and angry. Abraham lept to his feet and ran out of the destructive path Calypso was about to unleash. “RUN!” He screamed. “ASHER’S ABOUT TO GO INTO A BLOOD RAGE!” The next sound that shook the asylum was the bellow of a very pissed off vampire.