Silence.
Blissful, unbroken silence.
For a long moment, he stood there, eyes closed, letting the near deafening waves of quiet wash over him.
It didn't matter that he was covered with blood and gore.
It didn't matter that he'd attacked and mutilated those nearest and dearest to him.
All that mattered was the silence.
Then he heard it. It was soft, close to that of a kitten's purr. He opened his eyes and saw it standing there, its maw slick and wet with moisture.
"You said you would leave me alone if I did it." He didn't dare look down, not that there was anything recognizable left of his family. "Well, leave me alone."
The head shook from side to side.
"I've done what you asked!" His throat was raw from screaming, so his protest was hoarse.
Another head shake.
"What more do you want?"
A skeletal finger rose and pointed at him.
"No!"
The creature nodded.
"I can't!"
The creature opened its mouth and began with howl.
With a scream, he turned to gun on himself. Anything that would silence that terrible noise.
The creature waited until the man's body stopped twitching. Then, with the closest thing it could produce that was smile like, It sat down and began to eat.
ALL IRREGULARITIES WILL BE HANDLED BY THE FORCES CONTROLLING EACH DIMENSION; TRANSURANIC HEAVY METAL MAY NOT BY USED WHERRE THERE IS LIFE. MEDIUM ATOMIC WEIGHTS ARE AVAILABLE: GOLD, LEAD, COPPER, JET, DIAMOND, RADIUM, SAPPHIRE, SILVER AND STEEL. SAPPHIRE AND STEEL HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED.
Steel walked hurried down the corridor. To the uninitiated, these halls were a maze leading from nowhere to nowhere. It took experience, practice and a certain arrogance to stride through them with a sense of purpose.
Steel had plenty of all of it. He was weary and there was nothing he wanted more than to step into the relative peace and quiet of his own quarters.
He turned a corner and nearly collided with a very animated Gold. The man's entire being seemed to shimmer and reflect light, even when there was little to be had.
"It's bad business, Steel. They want you… and Sapphire."
"What's bad business?"
"The Howlers are back. They've already devastated three villages in France and two in England. They are afraid of another infestation, just like what happened in C quadrant."
"It doesn't take much. They breed like…" Steel paused. "Nothing else, I suppose," he finished somewhat lamely. Howlers simply ate and reproduced. They never stopped until the food supply was gone. "I thought they had been eradicated. By you, Radium, and Diamond. Why send us?"
"It's Earth. That's your specialty."
Steel sighed and nodded. It really was beginning to look that way. While other Elements were sent to deal with Time in other parts of the corridor, they were repeated sent back to Earth. "Very well. I will inform Sapphire."
Gold looked relieved and grinned. "Thanks! That would be great. I'm off to tackle my quadrant!"
What an odd reaction, Steel thought as Gold hurried away. He and Sapphire were good friends. He'd even been taking care of Astra while Steel and Sapphire were on assignment.
It only took ten seconds for Steel to realize what the problem was. He hit the wall of sound as he entered their living quarters. Astra was in the middle of a temper tantrum… again.
Sapphire?
Steel, thank the stars.
What is it this time?
She wants more bananas.
"Mo nanna!" Astra's voice was shrill.
It's amazing the mirrors have not shattered. We are wanted on assignment.
He sensed a wave of relief. Much of the child rearing duties had fallen to her as Steel was frequently sent out on solo missions. A child born of two Elements was a precious commodity to Them and Astra was furiously safeguarded. Often that mean keeping her under Sapphire's watchful eye. However, lately, even Sapphire's maternal patience were stretched taut.
Sapphire came from an inner room and the door slid shut, effectively cutting off Astra's screams and wails. "Does it make me a bad mother to say hurrah?"
"There are Howlers loose."
Sapphire smiled wearily. "Oh, good, I could use the peace and quiet."
Steel caught her hand and kissed the back of it. "You deserve a medal."
Sapphire reached up to stroke his face. "I already have a metal and that's enough for me. I just didn't realize that the Terrible Twos would be so…"
"Terrible?"
"Yes."
They walked quickly through the streets of the town. It was emptied of life. Signs of violence were everywhere.
Sapphire kept her gaze directly on the ground in front of her, pointedly ignoring the shattered bits of bones and half consumed fragments of bodies.
"Why don't they eat everything?"
"Howlers have no teeth. They need to have things… chopped up for them."
"How, Steel? How do you convince a loving father or mother to kill their own child or mate?"
The Howlers' screams drive them mad and the only way to stop the screams is to do their bidding."
"How terrible."
Steel nodded. "They are without remorse and without cessation. They eat to reproduce and reproduce endlessly. The only way to stop them is to kill them and we must be as free of pity as they. To leave one alive would be to doom mankind and for some reason the tribe has congregated here. This is our best chance to stamp them out."
"How do we kill them?"
Steel smiled grimly then and held up a hand. "The fastest and best way to kill a Howler is with steel."
A noise pulled his focus and they turned. Sapphire gasped as Steel pushed her behind him. The Howler was nothing more than skin pulled taut over bone. There was nothing kind or approachable to any aspect of him. The eyes burned with hunger even as a young one dropped from its birth canal. Instantly it started to crawl towards a half consumed body. They were born hungry.
How many?
At the moment I am sensing forty two. Why aren't they attacking us?
They know we aren't flesh and blood. Our composite couldn't sustain them, so we are to them as furniture is to an animal.
Steel moved forward quickly, catching the young Howler and snapping its neck cleanly. Its parent watched him with dead eyes.
Steel, don't they care?
No, as it means more food for them.
"But, Steel… that makes no sense.
I know. He quickly dispatched the adult and tried to shake the blood from his hands. He ended up wiping them clean on the grass of a nearby yard.
I don't understand why they needed me at all.
"I can't sense them, not like you. They will learn to hide from me eventually and we need to make sure they are all gone."
A shrill scream split the air and Sapphire's hands went to her ears. Steel swung around to glare at the Howler. It was taller than the others and carried itself with an air of authority. He resisting flinching or even giving any indication that the noise bothered him.
"Steel," Sapphire gasped as she collapsed.
The Howler watched her fall and stopped his howl. "Kill or drive you… mad."
Steel was impressed that one of the creatures had learned to articulate, but it made sense. There had to be something that had elevated it to the role of leader. "I can't do that."
"Love her?"
"I do."
"Kill her."
"No, that is not an option."
The creature started to howl again and Steel took a deep breath. In a matter of a few strides, he closed the distance between them and he grabbed the creature's throat. "Don't even bother. I have a two year old at home that makes you sound like you are sucking lemons." He squeezed and there was only quiet again.
He knelt by Sapphire and gathered her up. "Steel," she murmured.
"Do a sweep, Sapphire, and let get out of here."
They walked quietly to their quarters. Neither had said much during the debriefing, before or afterwards, as if savoring the silence.
Steel reached out, his hand hesitating over the panel. "Are you ready?"
"I am."
The door slid open and Astra looked up, a smile on her face. "Mama… Daddy…" She got to her feet and ran to them.
Steel caught and lifted her up in the arm. "Did you miss us?"
She giggled as he twisted her gently back and forth. "Mum…"
Steel passed her to Sapphire, who cuddled her child. He glanced over at the Element, Radium. The agent looked happy enough. "Was there any trouble?"
"Nope. Fed and bathed her, then we had a nap and a story and played."
"Sapphire?"
"Yes?"
"Check and make sure we are in the right place. This cannot be our wilful child."
"Or perhaps you should admit that I am exceptional with children."
"You should have one of your own," Sapphire said, setting Astra down.
"Not in a million lifetimes. I'm good, but I'm not crazy."
"Mo nanna?" Astra asked and Steel sighed.
"Then it's a good thing we are both."