"Orphans Beloved: "The Clone Bride…II"
Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.
Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…
(A slightly different version…I might play round with a full story later…)
The ranch of the utterly extreme fringe of the extremist Proleithians…Main family building…
Where on a platform, bound to poles and surrounded by very traditional, Helena noted, stakes of wood piled, the captured Art Bell and Helena stood side by side…As Dr. Johannsen ranted on at them, his assembled "family" of wives, offspring, and assorted cultists in eager attendance.
"Helena, I'm truly sorry we couldn't save your soul from the darkness. But your killing of ten of us during your attempted escape with this black man here…" Hendrik frowned.
Yep, when they call you … "this black man here…" it can't be good, Art thought.
"You must let Arthur go…He is good man…" Helena twisting feebly against her restraints. "He came to save me, for my seestra Beth's sake. Well…" she paused, wan smile… "He came thinking to save my seestra Sarah…Not me. But he is good. You crazy peoples must not hurt him… Be sensible, crazy peoples. He is police, you will pay."
Right…The bound Art eyed her…
Helena lecturing a group on their need for sanity…
"He tried to take you from us…" Hendrik shook head. "And we don't cotton to his kind anyway. Not that I harbor any racist leanings against the Negro despite his lack of a soul."
Right…Helena glared…
"Sorry about this…" Art sighed to Helena.
"I'm one to be sorry, nice detective." She shrugged. "I apologize for racist, crazy persons."
"First the Abomination, now a black man as enforcer of laws…" one of Hendrik's crazier young wives noted, trembling. "Oh, Jesus, when will the devil be defeated?!"
Hok, now I'm gettin' mad, I think…Helena thought.
Is one thing to be religious fanatic disturbed to insane crazy by evil and inhumane science experiments. Quite a long step to being Nazi racist while claiming to be on side of angels and holy Jesus.
Is embarrassing to have even Tomas' extremist fringe of Orthodox faith associated with such…Tomas, what were you thinking making to ally with such ultra-fringe 700 Club crazies?
"Know the punishment that awaits those who will not know God and His Divine Will!" Hendrik fumed. "Begin, boy…" he turned to Mark, who with stupid leer, struck the helpless Art with a metal pole, moving to Helena…
"Hurts, don't it, you freak?!" he sneered, smashing at her ribs. "I owed your boy some pain, but you double!"
"You piss off, dirty preverted one!" she spat at him as he raged…
"You go, girl…" Art grinned wanly.
Others following him in a line, smashing at the groaning Art first, then Helena…
"Enough…" Henrik commanded as the last of the group finished her beating…Rather less severe than others'…
Sorry, but these rapist freaks'll kill me if I don't do what they say…Her anxious eyes finding Art's.
Johannsen waving for the group to stand aside, he went to eye Art, then Helena…
Good, still alive…Barely…He stepped away and faced his "family"…Some leering wildly, others a bit more reserved…
Shouldn't we be thinkin' about leavin' before the other abominations send in the cops and the feds?
"Let us pray to Jesus that these demons burn slowly…" Henrik demanded in loud voice, bowing head. "Lord, show the proper spirit by melting the impure flesh from their bones, let them suffer forever." He stepped down from the platform, signaling for the first in the line now formed to go up…
"Burn out the evil, cleanse with fire!" the group chanted…Various members throwing pieces of flaming wood onto the pile of stakes about Art and Helena…
Smoke rising, beginning to choke them a bit…
"It won't be the smoke, I've seen to that!" Henrik leered. "You'll suffer the full agony!"
"Forgive me, Arthur…" Helena twisted to look at his broken body… "God and His angels will welcome you, you good man! You will be with seestra Beth!"
"They are going to their kingdom! They are going to their abominable imitation of God! They will be with him now!" Johannsen shrieked, wringing hands.
"Oh, Lord…Curse this abomination and her dark partner!" various wives, including his daughter, howled.
Art opening eyes, trying to free hands… "Helena…"
"I love you, Arthur…" Helena told him, simply. "I know you still love me seestra Beth, but I love you…And you have saved me, my immortal soul. Whatever torment I must endure…I know Mama has forgiven me in sending you to save me."
"Holy Virgin, open the gates of Heaven for my friend Arthur…Holy Virgin, open the gates of Heaven for this good man…" she prayed. "Pray for him, Mama…Help my friend. Punish me, God but take this noble soul to Your Mercy. Seestra Beth, take him to you. He is all that is worthy, love him as he deserves."
"Both of us…" Art whispered. "God, take us both…Together…And let me help this poor tormented girl." Wan smile at her… "If she wants to come with me…"
She stared at him…Tears running…
Oh…Mama…Hear…
I am so happy…At last…
And I'm even properly dressed…She looked down at the white dress…
For this, my wedding day…
"I do…" she beamed…
"They are going to their foul God!" Johannsen screamed,red faced…Shaking fist.
"Holy shit!" his jaw dropped as he saw the radio control timer triumphantly held up by Art. Terror overcoming anger in the last instant, shoving his daughter to the ground as he tried to get to the main door…
Mark dumbly staring…
Gee, that looks like the timer to the gas tanks for sending this place to…
Holy!...He turned to flee…
Screams from the group as all tried to rush for the way out…
Explosion…