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Kent
June 11, 2021
The kid tried to keep his cool, but Kent could tell he was still shaken up. His head was leaning against the window, eyes staring off into nothing. Traces of vomit from where he got sick were speckled around his shirt collar.
The attack had gone relatively smooth. They let the SUV idle as the zeta moved on down the sidewalk, dragging one leg behind it. It stopped less than a mile from them, its head cocked sideways and looking at the front doors of a First National Bank. “What’s it looking at?” asked Mercury.
“Beats me. C’mon.” He applied the liquid deoderizer on his skin, rubbing in the lotion everywhere. When he was finished he passed the bottle to Mercury. “We’re going to sneak up on it and kill it. Just like a lion that stalks its prey, we’ll be swift, quiet, and deadly. Don’t say anything once we’re outta the truck. Got it?”
Mercury nodded. “What about weapons?”
“We’re good on those. Take your pick.” He opened a crate and revealed a personal cache. Assault rifles. Shotguns. An axe with a pike on its end. Even some grenades. Varden Clark had supplied the expedition very well. Mercury looked the weapons over and pulled out a pistol, a .50 caliber desert eagle.
“You know how to use it?” Kent asked.
“What’s to know? Point and pull the trigger.”
“Uh-”
“Remember who my father is, Kent? Varden Clark. Of course I know how to use a gun.”
Sarcasm. Kent just couldn’t get enough of it. Mercury handed the deodorizer back to him. They quietly exited the SUV, leaving the doors open. They kept to the sidewalk, sticking close to facades and running between building faces. All the while, the zeta stood staring off at the abandoned bank.
They were close to the zeta now. Kent could smell its decayed flesh. He put a finger up in front of his lips and nodded to Mercury. He gripped the handle of his axe, feeling the familiar grooves beneath his fingers. Sure, it was a cliche to use one, but the thrill it gave him lopping off a head was worth it. His mouth was overrun with saliva, eager to be back in the kill.
The world around him faded. He sprang from the wall like a caged animal being set free. Dimly aware of Mercury behind him, he fought the urge to roar a battle cry. The boy was not his concern. Only the monstrosity in front of him mattered.
Murderer! He thought as he closed the distance. Demon! The zeta was starting to move, but it was as if it was drenched in syrup. Kent was faster. The axe was up, gripped in death-locked fists. Awareness was still blooming on its face when Kent swung the heavy blade, separating the head from the body in an easy swoop.
Before the corpse hit the ground he was swinging again. It didn’t matter what he hit. He felt bone and flesh breaking beneath him. He straddled the body and continued chopping, like a man splitting logs. Like Lizzie Borden having fun on a Thursday morning.
The thing that lay below him was barely recognizable when he finally stopped.
Mercury had a look of absolute terror. The gun was dangling loosely from his right hand, unused.
“You okay?” Kent asked, wiping the sweat from his face.
Mercury stared at him, mouth hanging open, eyes wide. And then he was retching. Pink and orange all over the manicured green lawn of the First National. Kent watched for a moment and then started cleaning his axe on the grass. When the kid was finished, they headed back to the SUV without a word.
Now, not even fifteen minutes after the attack, Kent’s actions were replaying in his mind. He’d completely lost himself back there. No wonder Mercury didn’t have anything to say to him. He didn’t have anything to say to himself. After seeing the zeta, it was like his mind was taken over by malice, bent on destruction and abandoning all reason.
Part of him was appalled at his anger. The rational part wanted to say that he’d been stupid. What if another had appeared? He’d been completely blinded by his anger towards the zeta. Yet, like all the times before, this reasonable voice was a whisper compared to the other part of him.
The part that longed to do it again.
The attack had gone relatively smooth. They let the SUV idle as the zeta moved on down the sidewalk, dragging one leg behind it. It stopped less than a mile from them, its head cocked sideways and looking at the front doors of a First National Bank. “What’s it looking at?” asked Mercury.
“Beats me. C’mon.” He applied the liquid deoderizer on his skin, rubbing in the lotion everywhere. When he was finished he passed the bottle to Mercury. “We’re going to sneak up on it and kill it. Just like a lion that stalks its prey, we’ll be swift, quiet, and deadly. Don’t say anything once we’re outta the truck. Got it?”
Mercury nodded. “What about weapons?”
“We’re good on those. Take your pick.” He opened a crate and revealed a personal cache. Assault rifles. Shotguns. An axe with a pike on its end. Even some grenades. Varden Clark had supplied the expedition very well. Mercury looked the weapons over and pulled out a pistol, a .50 caliber desert eagle.
“You know how to use it?” Kent asked.
“What’s to know? Point and pull the trigger.”
“Uh-”
“Remember who my father is, Kent? Varden Clark. Of course I know how to use a gun.”
Sarcasm. Kent just couldn’t get enough of it. Mercury handed the deodorizer back to him. They quietly exited the SUV, leaving the doors open. They kept to the sidewalk, sticking close to facades and running between building faces. All the while, the zeta stood staring off at the abandoned bank.
They were close to the zeta now. Kent could smell its decayed flesh. He put a finger up in front of his lips and nodded to Mercury. He gripped the handle of his axe, feeling the familiar grooves beneath his fingers. Sure, it was a cliche to use one, but the thrill it gave him lopping off a head was worth it. His mouth was overrun with saliva, eager to be back in the kill.
The world around him faded. He sprang from the wall like a caged animal being set free. Dimly aware of Mercury behind him, he fought the urge to roar a battle cry. The boy was not his concern. Only the monstrosity in front of him mattered.
Murderer! He thought as he closed the distance. Demon! The zeta was starting to move, but it was as if it was drenched in syrup. Kent was faster. The axe was up, gripped in death-locked fists. Awareness was still blooming on its face when Kent swung the heavy blade, separating the head from the body in an easy swoop.
Before the corpse hit the ground he was swinging again. It didn’t matter what he hit. He felt bone and flesh breaking beneath him. He straddled the body and continued chopping, like a man splitting logs. Like Lizzie Borden having fun on a Thursday morning.
The thing that lay below him was barely recognizable when he finally stopped.
Mercury had a look of absolute terror. The gun was dangling loosely from his right hand, unused.
“You okay?” Kent asked, wiping the sweat from his face.
Mercury stared at him, mouth hanging open, eyes wide. And then he was retching. Pink and orange all over the manicured green lawn of the First National. Kent watched for a moment and then started cleaning his axe on the grass. When the kid was finished, they headed back to the SUV without a word.
Now, not even fifteen minutes after the attack, Kent’s actions were replaying in his mind. He’d completely lost himself back there. No wonder Mercury didn’t have anything to say to him. He didn’t have anything to say to himself. After seeing the zeta, it was like his mind was taken over by malice, bent on destruction and abandoning all reason.
Part of him was appalled at his anger. The rational part wanted to say that he’d been stupid. What if another had appeared? He’d been completely blinded by his anger towards the zeta. Yet, like all the times before, this reasonable voice was a whisper compared to the other part of him.
The part that longed to do it again.
2 comments:
Nice. I love the complete loss of control while still coupled with a cool allusion (love the Lizzie Borden reference).
I enjoyed the reality of seeing Mercury go from cocky and over confident to a complete mess. And Kent's reaction to the situation is perfect. I love the turmoil...and the turmoil about the turmoil. :)
Thanks, Okie. This part was fun to write. I think Kent's an interesting character, and I look forward to seeing him develop. Glad you liked this.
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