White. Barren. Hot.
The last castle of the freedom fighters streaked through the endless desert that now encompassed the Earth. With a sigh, Reggie awoke from a feverish slumber and searched his pockets for that pair of shades he'd obtained from the fat ass who stole his car, but found none there. Probably dropped them off in another dimension, he thought, rolling his eyes. But the sarcasm was only there to conceal Reggie's fears. A while back now, he'd lost track of reality. All except one thing.
The Tall Man.
A monster in the shape of a scowling old undertaker, who robbed the living from their lives and the dead from their rightful rest. First he took China Grove, the humble town where Reggie had lived all his life, and thereafter everything else. Nobody knew why, not really. But in revenge, Reggie and his friends had pursued The Tall Man only to find that his existence was a world unto itself. A world they could never begin to understand. All they could do was go with the flow and hope that things would go right. They never did.
And now, everything was in ruins, and the Earth's last five defenders were cramped into a battered 1971 Barracuda, lost, with no clue where exactly to go, what to do and how. If there was a cold spot left on the globe, they figured they could have an advantage over The Tall Man. It was their only shot to at least slow the old bastard down a bit and get some breathing space.
Just five of them now, all dressed in rags. In the front, the brothers Pearson. The younger one, Mike, was the oldest enemy of The Tall Man, and his favourite prey. The alien mortician saw some kind of potential in him. The elder brother, Jody, was a wild card. The Tall Man had made him his servant for years, but Mike had brought him back. Still, the others couldn't help, but feel uneasy about their old friend. In the back sat Reggie, Rocky and Chunk. Reggie was an ice cream man by trade, and loyal to a fault. He hardly recognised Mike and Jody after so many years, but knew they would always need him by their side. He was their friend. Rocky was an ally. She'd suffered from The Tall Man like all the rest, but tried to break away from his path of destruction, fruitlessly. With little choice now, she'd rejoined the gang and her old pal Reggie. At last, there was Chunk. Small in stature, but big on wisecracks and grenades. And that's about all anyone knew about him. He didn't like questions.
Mike peeked out of the window of the front passenger side, frowning. ''Is it just me or is that an airplane?'' He asked in disbelief, staring at the sky.
''What the hell.'' Jody mumbled and rubbed his eyes whilst holding a firm grip on the wheel. Mike turned to his brother. ''Stop the car. Do it now!''
The 'Cuda grinded to a halt, and all five passengers stepped out. Surprisingly, the air was a lot fresher than the last time they had been outside. Had they driven that far? Reggie felt his head clear a little, which was nice. ''Maybe he hasn't been to here.'' He suggested, looking at the cloud trail left behind what seemed to be a big commercial flight, moving completely unhindered by any spiky spheres of death or the like.
Chunk rolled his eyes. ''Baldy, if you don't know whatcha talking about, don't open that mouth. The Tall Man's been to everywhere. ''
''Before they got all wiped out, the scientists figured that he was terraforming the part of the Earth he'd conquered at the time. No airplane could manage whatever shit he threw up there.'' Rocky said
Mike grimaced. ''Oh no.'' He began loading his revolver. ''I just had an idea. We're all tired as hell. Everybody was half-asleep. How easy would it have been for him to plant a chrome pole on each side of the road and have us drive through without noticing?''
''Aw shit.'' Reggie said, and scanned the landscape for any sign of killer spheres zooming around. Mike turned to the others. ''We better go back. If I'm right, the passageway might still be open.''
Reggie grabbed his arm. ''Now wait a minute, Mike. I mean, does it really matter if we go back or not? He's got everything covered. We're walking into a trap no matter what.''
Meanwhile, Jody looked around more effectively with a pair of binoculars. ''Guys, I think we're staying. Check this out.'' He handed the binoculars to Mike and pointed him right in front of the Cuda. ''You see it?''
The younger man chuckled involuntarily. ''Yeah. Yeah, I do.'' He passed the binoculars to the others. They all saw it – just an old, rusty water tank. But to Mike, Reggie and Jody, it was much more than that. It was home.
''Okay, so there's a big pile of metal junk. So what?'' Chunk said with scorn.
''That's not any old water tank. It's China Grove. The very first town The Tall Man took. Our town.'' Mike explained.
Reggie scratched his head. From his fragmented mind, a memory drifted to the surface. Maybe a recent one, he didn't know. Time was a jigsaw puzzle for him, and his head was the scrappy old box where all the pieces were carelessly thrown in. He saw The Tall Man's ugly mug, leering at him from above in... some place. No place. There seemed to be nothing at all, but him and the villain. Nothing at all.
He looked around in a mixture of fear and awe. ''You've... got me in some kind of trap here, don't you? Where the hell is this?'' Reggie asked, hoping the answer would make a lick of sense.
The Tall Man's prominent lips curved upward in a slight, condescending smile. ''Not where, when. The year is 1979, the funeral home where first we met. You called it Morningside. In three days, your younger self will attend a funeral here... and events will be set in motion.''
Okay, maybe not.
''Reggie!'' A slap on the head swiftly brought the man back into the present. The others all stared at him. Jody put a comforting hand on his shoulder. ''You okay, man? You kinda zoned out.''
Reggie coughed to relieve the tension. ''Uh, yeah. I just... I just remembered something.'' He turned towards Mike. ''Back when I was looking for you, I ran into The Tall Man, and he... he said something about Morningside. Something about it being 1979 again. Is that possible? I mean... the planes!'' He gestured at the sky.
Rocky shook her head. ''If there's one thing I've learned, it's that that fucker can do anything.''
''That would make no goddamn sense.'' Chunk interjected and placed his hands on his hips. ''Why the hell would he take us from a time where he's got all the aces, to when he's at his weakest?''
Mike scowled knowingly. ''He loves a good game.'' He ran his hand through his rough, prickly hair and opened the car door. ''Well, I can think of worse things than a trip down memory lane.''
The Barracuda rolled into town, where, as Reggie had predicted, the 70s had made a comeback. Everywhere that he looked, he saw reminders of the distant, carefree past of denim and beer. The town practically perspired happiness in a way any of them had ever felt before, even back then.
''This is fucking weird.'' Jody whispered under his breath.
Instinctively, he stopped the car at their old gathering place (named Dune's Cantina after some dusty old novel) and turned to Mike. ''We should do some scouting before we get to the mausoleum. Plus, I'm kinda hungry.''
Mike raised his eyebrows. ''We're fighting interdimensional evil in the past, and you wanna go for pancakes?''
''Man's gotta eat, Mike.'' Jody said, and Reggie nodded. ''We're no good half-starved. Let's take a break, pull ourselves together, then we go and stomp the shit out of him like we should've done back then.''
Mike wasn't convinced. Lowering their guard in The Tall Man's domain wasn't an option. ''But wait – we're back, in 1979. Our younger selves are gonna be running loose here. Heck, they could be in that cantina right now! What if we change something important?''
Rocky grinned. ''Who cares? No one's gonna think we're from the fucking future. Anybody ask any questions, we tell 'em to mind their own business.'' Confidently, she left the car and led the way to the cantina, with Chunk on her tail and the older trio shuffling after uncertainly, wrestling with their nostalgia.
The bar was just as dingy and dark and comfortable as they remembered. A lazy techno tune was playing from the jukebox. Pudgy old Charlie was scrubbing the glasses. He looked up to see the new costumers. ''Hey, what are we having here, a party? Let me guess, a pint of the good stuff for Jody and Reg, and a tall mug of juice for the kid.''
Chunk pointed at the man accusingly. ''Hey, fuck you!'' He was an unsubtle person, and didn't care much for the advantage of being underestimated due to his size.
''I think he's talking about me.'' Mike mumbled, shocked by the man who seemed to have walked in from his own memories.
Completely relaxed and seemingly unaware of the decades that had passed for his customers, Charlie leaned on the counter. ''And what'll the lady and the big chap over there have?'' He asked.
Jody mustered a smile and stood in front of the group. ''We're all having pancakes and beer. Been a long night.''
Charlie chuckled. ''You know the rules. Can't sell it to the kid.'' He distinctly pointed at Mike, who smiled, realising that this entire dimension was nothing, but an inhuman deception based on their past. Charlie couldn't see who he was, because he was nothing other than a glorified recording. But the Tall Man's motive still eluded Mike, even more than usual.
He waved the comment away. ''Never mind about me. Let's just sit down.'' The group made themselves comfortable at a corner table, and soon enjoyed what seemed like genuine pancakes and beer. After a short while, Reggie soon found himself in the position of storyteller.
''... so there I was, sweating like a pig. And I know what you're saying, hottest time of the year, best time to be an ice cream man, yeah? Wrong. Why? Because you're sweating like a goddamn pig, that's why. So I figured I'd take one little break, you know, just one. Just an hour. I ain't gonna lose that much business in an hour. So I ride up to Jody's, he offers me a cool glass of lemon and before I know it, I'm out like a lightbulb. Next thing I know, kids everywhere. Turns out..." Reggie pointed dramatically at an indignant Mike. ''this little critter helped himself to a pop. And once the lock was busted, so did the next one. And the next one. And the next one. The whole goddamn neighbourhood helped itself to my ice cream. And then he had the nerve to say it was my fault for sleeping on the job!''
The table erupted with raucous laughter. ''I had to make Mike mow five lawns before he was satisfied!'' Jody cackled and gulped beer. Chunk rubbed his eyes and yawned. ''Christ, I'm tired.''
''Yeah.'' Reggie agreed and cooled his forehead with a bottle. ''Yeah, our sleeping schedule could definitely use some improvement.''
Mike splashed some beer at him. ''What the fuck, Mike?'' Reggie snapped.
''This is what he wants.'' The younger man said, scowling. ''For us to lower our guard, feel at home. This place is like cheese on a mouse trap. The moment we slip up, the trap shuts. I know it. I don't care how tired we are. We're going to Morningside. Now.'' He stood up, wobbling slightly and motioned for the others to follow him outside, which they did with great sadness.
Mike was dismayed to notice that they'd lost track of time... or maybe The Tall Man was just fucking around, because all of a sudden it was midnight and the stars blinked brightly above their heads.
''North star.'' Rocky mumbled and pointed up at the shiniest jewel in the sky. ''Where would that lead us?''
''Where we always go.'' Jody said. ''The cemetery.''
Reggie scowled as they stopped right outside the mausoleum and stared at a spot about a hundred meters away from it.
As he struggled against the unnatural wind blowing about him, Reggie noticed a hapless woman lying on the ground before him. Another of The Tall Man's victims? She was wrapped in nothing more than a velvety lavender dress. Reggie turned her to the side to check up on her when the lady sprung to life and stabbed Reggie straight in the chest. The cold blade seared through him, cutting off his breath and vision.
''What's the matter, Reggie?'' Rocky asked, frowning at his expression. He merely shook his head and pulled his favored quadruple-barrelled shotgun out of the trunk. They were here on business.
Without bothering to check whether the door was unlocked or not, Reggie blew it up open with the gun. Jody raised an eyebrow.
''Yes, that is how I will be opening every door in this place, thank you.'' Reggie snarked and moved in, keeping a tight check for any flying spheres or gasmask zombies. The marble corridors were as bright and spotless as ever. Everyone pulled out a variety of weapons, from daggers to automatic rifles.
Chunk whistled. ''Anybody home?!'' His voice echoed down the corridors, but got no response. Mike nudged Reggie and pointed at a polished black wooden door at the end of one of the corridors. The last time they were here, the door contained The Tall Man's doorway to his home dimension, as well as the most recent shipment of slaves.
''Yeah, I see it.'' Reggie said. He fired the gun, blasting the door to smithereens. Burnt janitorial equipment fell out. Jody frowned. ''That's new.'' He said. ''This is definitely it, right?''
Mike nodded. ''This is it. This is where he kept them, the midgets. And the fork. It was definitely here.''
For good measure, Reggie fired another round into the room. As the fire began to die down, he bit his lip in anger and was about to suggest they torch the whole place, when the sound of distant clatter reached his ears.
Instantly, the group cocked their guns and readied their blades in the direction of the noise. After a few seconds of silence, a silent whine pierced the air. Wheels on the ground. A shadow emerged from a nearby corridor. Somebody was pushing something around. Or somebody else.
But it was nothing more than an inconspicuous old lady dressed in a floral pattern dress, pushing a trolley with buckets, mops and a broom. She smiled a toothy grin at them. ''What are you boys doing lurking about this dreadful place?''
Chunk dropped his pistol and gaped. ''Mom?''
The woman smiled even wider. ''Oh, Chunk, there you are! It's about time we go home, isn't it?''
''I don't... I don't understand.''
Mike put a comforting hand on Chunk's shoulder. ''She's not real.''
''But she was never here! I grew up in Canada!'' Chunk hissed. ''She was never here.'' The woman beckoned at Chunk to join her. ''Come on now, dear! Supper's ready, and your father's so excited to see you!''
Chunk twitched. ''Mother?'' He took a tentative step forward and felt the weight of the years melt from his shoulders. His stubble vanished, his hair took on a lighter hue. He took another step.
''What's happening to him?'' Reggie whispered. Chunk turned around and the group gasped. He was now a happy five-year old boy in overalls. The baby Chunk waved at them obliviously, as a child would to his sandbox friends and ran to his mother, who promptly picked him up on the janitorial trolley and moved past the remaining four into the burning closet. There, she left the trolley, picked baby Chunk up again and headed for the doors. Reggie stood in her way, but the woman and Chunk passed through him as if he was a ghost and left.
''Don't bother, Reggie. He's gone.'' Mike said solemnly, scowling. ''He belongs to The Tall Man now.''
Reggie scoffed. ''Yeah? Well, where the hell is he? He's never taken this long to show up.''
Mike's gaze passed over the marble corridors and little doors that hid coffins in them. His own parents had been there somewhere... and Jody. ''He's everywhere. We're in his domain.''
''What?'' Reggie asked.
Lifted by an invisible force, the cross bound itself around its owner's neck like a noose. Leering at the priest like a vulture, The Tall Man stepped closer. ''You think when you die, you go to Heaven? You... come... to... us!''
''We're in his domain, Reggie. We've lost.'' Mike admitted, forlorn. ''I think this is just some kind of twisted simulation... a memory to keep us happy whilst our bodies do the killing for him.''
Rocky touched a wall. ''It can't be, it's too real.''
''Our brains make it real.'' Jody said, his face an implacable mask as always. ''It's only too obvious now. We were never going to win. Not against that. Memories are all we've left. The sooner we accept that, the sooner we can move on.''
Mike's gaze hardened. ''Move on to what? What is it that you know and we don't, brother?''
Jody frowned. ''I don't know what you're talking about.''
Without warning, Mike grabbed Jody by his lapels and shoved him against the wall. ''This is all your doing, isn't it?! You drove us here!''
Jody appeared calm as ever. ''I'd never hurt you, Mike.'' The younger Pearson gripped him harder, on the verge of breaking down. ''I'm sorry.'' Suddenly, Mike's hands were only holding air, as the image of Jody compressed into that of a floating metal sphere. Reggie and Rocky simultaneously aimed their guns at it. The sphere flew off, and they ran after it, leaving a defeated Mike behind.
The sphere burst out of what was left of the doors, but not to the Morningside Cemetery. The world around the mausoleum had shifted into a neverending desert. The sky was blazing orange, and all they could see were waves of sand until the horizon. A blast of heat hit them both and they backed away. Rocky went down on her knees and took a handful of sand from the floor where the wind had blown it.
''Is that all that's left? Of everything? Reggie?'' Rocky asked.
In denial, Reggie just walked back into the mausoleum and sat down on the floor next to Mike. An awkward silence fell on the two friends.
Mike was the first to break it. ''How'd I bring him back, Reggie?''
''What?''
''Jody. He died in that car crash, remember?''
Reggie shifted, uncomfortable. ''Kinda hard to forget.''
''So... how'd I bring him back?'' Mike asked. ''Don't ask, just humor me.''
''Uh... well... The Tall Man turned him into a sphere and... you went and turned him back. With your powers. Right?''
Mike shook his head with a smile. ''I don't have any powers, Reggie. I don't have a sphere in my head and my blood...'' he pricked his thumb with his dagger and a red droplet popped up immediately. ''I know I saved Jody. But how? When did we start having such bad memories?'' Reggie stared at Mike's bleeding thumb and then sunk into the wall with a sigh.
''Mike, what... what is happening to us?'' He asked, desperately. ''I mean, fighting The Tall Man is one thing... I can kick midget ass and show those spheres who's boss... but I can't deal with this... reality shit. Where the fuck are we? Are we dead or are we alive? What do we fight for?''
Mike held Reggie's hand. ''We don't have to fight for anything. We fight... because we're not pussies. I don't care if we're destined to lose or not. But we have the right to face what's ahead on our own terms.''
''It won't make a difference.'' Reggie mumbled. ''Jody's right. We've got nothing on the inevitable.''
''Which is exactly why we should fight. To make ourselves count. Otherwise... what's the point of anything? Mike asked.
''Hey, you looking for a fight?'' Rocky interjected. Neither of the men had noticed her arrival. ''Because we're about to be slaughtered.''
Following Rocky, Reggie and Mike hurried back to the doors. An armada of misfits clambering over the dunes approached the mausoleum from every side. Midgets, zombies, men in undertaker uniforms, awful little critters... an army of darkness.
''Wow, is that it? Thought there'd be more.'' Reggie quipped and now wished he hadn't destroyed the doors. ''Plan?''
Mike pulled them back. ''We go downstairs, barricade every entrance. And go out in a blaze of glory, I guess.''
''Now hold on a second!'' Rocky said and grabbed Mike's arm. ''Didn't you say we're already dead and mothballed?''
''I said... we're in his domain. He's playing with us, like lab rats. What happens to lab rats who don't follow the rules? Zap! They get punished, til they learn.'' Mike explained.
Rocky snarled. ''Fucking asshole.''
The trio made their way to the basement and used every coffin and mannequin and desk and shelf they could get their hands to stuff every window and doorway surrounding them. Finally they stood, back to back, with everything they had left.
''By my reckoning, it should take them at least an hour to get in here.'' Reggie said. ''Any clue what's next?''
Mike shrugged. ''Maybe he'll just keep torturing us forever. Teasing us with victory and then... pulling us through the looking glass. Or maybe we'll wake up and brush our teeth and go on with our boring, usual lives. Maybe I'm a car mechanic and you're still an ice cream man.''
Rocky snorted. ''I don't even remember the taste of ice cream. Should've bought some before we came down here. I would've liked to see young Reg. Especially the hair.''
Mike laughed and Reggie rolled his eyes.
After a few more minutes of standing around waiting, he couldn't bear it anymore. ''Oh fuck this. He's fucking with us.'' Reggie said. ''I ain't gonna give him that.'' He began tearing apart their defences.
''Reggie? What the hell are you doing?'' Rocky asked. The older man turned around in fury and pointed at her.
''He... is fucking with us, okay? He's fucking with us! Why the hell are we hiding down here when all he's doing, all he's ever done... is fuck with us? You know what? I'm sick of it.'' He pushed the last table out of the way and ran upstairs. Mike and Rocky followed him.
Outside, Reggie saw the army was very nearly there and discarded his shotgun. ''You want a piece of me?!'' He shouted. ''Come and get it. Make a lovely fucking barbecue!''
''Reggie!'' Mike screamed and tried to pull him inside, but Reggie shook him off.
''No, Mike! Enough's enough! Either they're gonna kill us or they won't. I'm gonna find out.'' He turned back to the army. ''Yeah, you heard me!''
Mike raised his revolver and shot down the first mutants to reach Reggie. Once he ran out of bullets, the man jumped down the stairs and tried to grab Reggie's taped-together shotgun. However, the army got to him first, and Mike collapsed under the weight of the mutants. ''Reggie!'' He shouted pathetically.
Reggie stood there, unsure for the first time in his life over whether or not to save him. Not because he didn't care, but because he didn't know if it would even help. Cause and effect no longer made sense the way it used to. Perhaps Mike was just better off down there?
And that's when he saw him. The Tall Man... standing on a particularly elevated dune, where he could perceive all of the action. Reggie stared straight into his undead eyes and saw nothing, but bitter amusement. Amusement over his success at turning Reggie docile, so tired of convoluted conflict that he wouldn't even raise a finger to help... ''MIKE!''
Reggie leaped off of the stairs directly into the mass of mutants and started dragging Mike out with raw force. With one hand, he pulled Mike's collar. With the other, he took hold of his shotgun and used it to bludgeon the attacking creatures.
Behind him, Rocky unleashed a barrage of gunfire at the enemy, mowing them down all around Reggie and Mike. The former dragged his badly bruised friend into the mausoleum and Rocky kept firing until they were all in the relative safety of the basement once again.
''Mike? Mike, you still with me?'' To Reggie's torment, the younger man was bashed in from all sides and practically sweated blood. He turned to Rocky and barked: ''Get me some water, towels, anything to stop the bleeding! Oh yeah, and needles and string if you can find any! We gotta stitch him up!'' He fumbled, trying to tear all of the ammunition and rags off of Mike and discovered massive bruises on his chest. Internal injuries. ''Oh, shit. I'm sorry, man. This shouldn't have happened.''
Mike only responded by coughing up blood. Way too much blood. ''ROCKY!'' Reggie shrieked, desperate for help. Any kind of help. Mike began to choke. ''Mike, please! No-no-no-no-no-no-no...''
He had no medical expertise, no idea what to make Mike better aside from turning him to the side so the blood wouldn't fall back into his mouth. Rocky grabbed some blankets from a nearby cupboard and turned around to hurry back only to freeze. Her entire body turned stiff as a spear tossed from a small gap between the desk and the basement window pierced her stomach. ''Reggie...'' She collapsed ignominiously and Reggie scurried over to her. ''Don't give up... take that fucker down for me.'' She gasped before her eyes turned glassy.
Reggie looked at his hands, drenched in his friends' blood. Complete and utter despair fell upon him. He was alone now. The last human. It was The Tall Man's most cruel joke yet and he'd fallen straight in. He even let The Tall Man's minions kill Mike. That was a fact. He'd betrayed Mike. And himself. And now the game was finished. Now it was time to die.
Mike breathed out and became silent.
With truly nothing left, Reggie took his quadruple-barrelled shotgun and made his way out of the basement and back into the morbid marble maze. ''Hey, you. Yeah. I know you can hear me. I know you're always watching. So listen up. For once in your freakish life, show some respect and come and face me, man to man. It's just the two of us now. You and me. So let's get this over with. ''
''Sure, man. Whatever you say.''
Reggie spun around. Jody stood in the corridor, hands in his pockets, wearing a disarming, casual smile.
''Oh, for Christ's sake, Jody. Where is he? I saw him before! There's no point in prolonging this any further.'' Reggie said.
Jody nodded. ''Well, I'm glad we can agree on something. But he's busy dealing with Mike. Mike's a big fish and you're... not so big. So I'm left cleaning you up.''
Reggie chuckled bitterly. ''Right. Well. What does that mean?'' Without answering, Jody pulled out a tuning fork and tapped it against Reggie's head, sending his mind into a dark, wet pit.
It took Reggie quite a few moments to realise that his body had somehow changed position. He was sitting down now... he was fairly sure his head was resting on something... something wet. Something smelling familiar... beer?
With incredible difficulty, Reggie was able to prise his eyes open. He was slumped over a table. His head pounded as if it was judgment day. Oh yeah, it was. Great. Somehow, Reggie was able to rise from the table. He rubbed his eyes until his bleary vision cleared and he saw the ugly mug of Charlie the bartender.
''Ready to pay the bill, son?'' He asked, chuckling darkly. Reggie groaned and reached for his wallet. Fortune was with him, and he had just enough left to pay Charlie. Nobody else was left in the pub, just him.
Hearing the strum of a guitar, Reggie left the pub, shielded his eyes from the glare of a warm morning sun and found Jody sitting on a bench outside. Not the tired Jody enslaved to the Tall Man, but the young man itching to explore the world around him. ''Hey Reggie.'' Jody said chirpily.
''Jody.''
''Little too much to drink last night?'' Jody asked.
Reggie sat down next to him wearily and rested his elbows on his knees. ''Man, I could drink all of the alcohol in the world right now and it wouldn't be too much.''
''Preach. Tommy's out of town to see his aunt, so Mike's booked me for the whole evening. He still gets fussy when I leave him alone for too long.'' Jody complained.
Reggie frowned. There was no way he could begin to explain the value of family and friends over meaningless nights out. It would take forever. Around 30 years, to be exact. ''He loves ya, Jody.''
''And I love him, but come on, a whole evening? As if I didn't have better things to do than play Scrabble.'' Jody shook his head. ''Sometimes I wonder how he'll cope without me.''
''You're planning to leave.'' Reggie said matter-of-factly. ''Leave him all alone.''
Jody looked defensive. ''Not all alone! And... yeah, I don't know. I was thinking of sending him to live his aunt, I mean... Reggie, I'm... I'm not ready to be responsible for a kid. I need time. I need to live my own life. I just hope he can understand that.''
''Yeah. I hope so too.'' Reggie said, his gaze wandering around the street. ''Jody.''
''Hmm?
Reggie took a deep breath. ''Suppose... suppose something happened to Mike. Like, a kidnapping or something. You'd go after him, right?''
''Yeah, of course.'' Jody said.
''How long would you look? Years, if necessary? How long until you'd give up?''
Jody frowned. ''Reggie, what's this about? Did Mike put you up to this?''
Reggie shook his head. ''Just humor me. It's important. I know you don't understand, but... just work with me here, okay?''
''Okay. Well, if somebody did take Mike... I'd keep looking til I found him. Years, if necessary. He's my brother.''
Reggie nodded and motioned for him to listen extra carefully. ''Now, suppose you did find him. After a lot of time... and then he died. Right as you found him. What would you do then?''
Jody clearly resented the question. ''Be really depressed.'' He said coldly.
Reggie groaned. ''You're not working with me, Jody! I mean it! What would you do?! Give me an answer, cause I really need one right now, pal!''
''I'd give up. What else is there to do? Now what is this about?''
Finally, Reggie seemed satisfied, in a way. He nodded, stood up, shook Jody off and walked down the street til he came up to his old home, and concealed himself behind a fence. Somehow he knew that if he walked into that house, he'd be saying goodbye to the Pearsons forever. A comforting, velvety voice in his mind told him that it was all over... after all, he'd seen Mike die with his own eyes.
Then again, Jody had also died and that hadn't stopped him from coming back.
But weren't they all dead and lost already?
As Reggie hesitated, a hand fell on his shoulder, making him jolt upright. ''Jesus, Rocky! You're worser than the dwarves.'' He hugged her. ''I thought they gotcha.''
Rocky smiled. ''Yeah, me too. I woke up behind the bar... damn good beer. Then I saw you wandering around. What the hell's going on? What're we doing?''
''Well, I was about to give up and die, but I guess that ain't happening anymore.''
''It ain't.''
Reggie chuckled. ''Well, the Tall Man has Mike. Jody's off doing fuck knows what. And we're here.''
''So what else is new? Let's go find them and blast some dwarf ass.'' Rocky said irreverently. ''You can't give up now. We're a team.''
Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in Reggie's mind. ''Hey-hey-hey! That portal we came through... the one on the road. It might still be there!''
''We could escape. Go somewhere where he ain't running the whole show. And come back with big guns.'' Rocky suggested.
''Now you're talking!''
Reggie looked back towards the small Cantina. Right there, in front of the side porch, the beloved 1971 Barracuda dutifully awaited. ''Let's dash.'' He said. Within minutes, the car was rolling back on the road and Reggie drove it out of town. To their immense fortune, it was as if the battle at the mausoleum had never happened and all of their weapons and ammo were still in the luggage compartment, including Mike's old flame thrower and Reggie's prized four-barrelled shotgun. Reggie took it, and Rocky took an automatic with a number of cartridges with her into the car, just to be safe.
Reggie crushed the pedal and the 'Cuda gracefully flew back the way they came from. However, a bizarre silver fog manifested ahead of them at the horizon and grew bigger and bigger, fast.
''What the hell is that?'' Rocky asked.
Reggie scowled as he stared at the shifting, glinting cloud. ''Fuuuuuck. Spheres. Hundreds of them.''
''They're gonna block our way to the portal!'' Rocky exclaimed.
''And if we go off the road, they'll follow us. Our only chance is to break through.'' Reggie said. He glanced at the guns that Mike's resistance had affixed to the 'Cuda, and his heart warmed. ''God bless Jody, he reloaded them.''
''What?'' Rocky asked.
''We might have enough firepower to get through. I'll focus on the driving, you blast them with everything you got.'' Reggie said. Rocky bit her lip and loaded her rifle. By now, the swarm of spheres was clear... and all of them had their blades extended and ready to turn them into mincemeat. The wasp-like whine pierced their ears.
Reggie's heart pounded as the swarm drew closer and closer until finally...
Screaming, Rocky pulled the trigger and blew apart the front window, as well as knocking aside the spheres that were about to fly through it. Dozens of the things flopped down onto them both, beside them both and to the floor. Meanwhile, Reggie turned on the car's own powerful automatics and took care of most of the spheres Rocky missed. Nevertheless, quite a few escaped and burst in from the other windows. So Reggie pulled out a 9mm from his breast pocket and blasted everything behind them.
Despite their best efforts, the car eventually tripped on the damaged spheres and spun into the air before crashing spectacularly on the tarmac. Disoriented, Reggie groaned and spat blood. He felt an immense pain in his right leg. For a moment, he wondered if some part of the car had broken off and stabbed him before realising a sphere was stuck to his leg like a stubborn tick and was spewing out his own life force. ''Oh, fuck you.'' He mumbled. Screaming in pain, he tore the little fucker out and crushed it against the metal frame of the car, sticking it to where it couldn't do any harm.
Ignoring the searing pain of glass cutting through his hand, Reggie pulled himself out of his chair with one hand and crawled through the front window. The remaining spheres surrounded the car, but did not attack him. ''Rocky?'' Reggie whispered. He tore her unconscious body out of the seat and and checked her for injuries. Fortunately, all he could find were a few cuts and bruises, and a nasty bump on her head.
Reggie tore part of his shirt off and tied his leg up. He wished he had anything to eat or drink, given the blood he'd lost. But of course, before he could get any of that, he had to deal with the chrome balls. And the impeccably dressed old man who commanded them. The spheres made way for The Tall Man, who casually sauntered down the road to Reggie's car until he stood right in front of him and smirked.
''You cannot escape, ice cream man. You have nowhere to go. All you are now, is a servant of my plan.''
Reggie chuckled and stood up defiantly, using his shotgun as a crutch. ''If that was true, you wouldn't waste all these shiny balls trying to stop me.''
''I never waste anything.'' The Tall Man growled. ''They're not real. You're not real. But a master director can make profound use of fictions for his audience. You want to see Michael again? Then you must play the game.''
''I saw him die!'' Reggie snarled.
A flicker of annoyance went through The Tall Man's eyes, as if he was astounded by Reggie's stupidity. ''Do you think death is the endgame? Death is but another dimension, for both of us.'' He raised his eyebrow, and Rocky sputtered and coughed back into awareness.
Reggie fell to his knees and cradled her. ''Rocky! Hey, hey, you're alright. You're okay.'' Rocky blinked and smiled as she saw Reggie above her.
''Hey, Reggie. Just like old times, eh?'' She said. ''You know, the time I spent with you and that kid was the last time I was happy. Before things stopped making sense. Before I was lost in that war...'' Her voice wavered and Reggie noticed the creases around her face seemed to disappear. ''We make a hell of a team, Reggie...''
''Rocky? Rocky, you with me?'' Reggie asked desperately, only to be shocked as Rocky suddenly jumped up. She was clearly back in her 20s again, and as snipy as she ever was. ''What the hell am I doing in the dirt?!'' She exclaimed. ''And why am I so far outta town? Did you put something in my drink?!''
Reggie's mouth moved, but nothing came out.
''Oh, for pete's sake!'' she shouted and walked off, heading back to town, completely blind to the presence of either the Tall Man or his spheres.
''Rocky! Rocky, wait!'' Reggie shouted and forced himself up again. He limped after her, but she ignored him.
The Tall Man's withered voice spoke behind him: ''She is beyond your help now.''
Shaking with fury, Reggie leaned on his left leg and aimed the shotgun at the Tall Man. ''Give her back to me. Now.''
The Tall Man shook his head patronisingly. ''Even if I wanted to, I could not.'' He said. ''She has surrendered herself. Removed herself from the equation.''
Reggie laughed out loud. ''You said... when we last met, you said you could give me back my family. Now you're telling me it's impossible?''
''Not impossible. Poorly phrased, perhaps. I can bring you together. If you choose to become a part of this world and move on, then you can be with those you've lost. But if you're still as... loyal... as always, then you will have to follow me.''
The Tall Man stepped aside to reveal two chrome poles behind him, humming. The dimensional fork. With an dispassionate look on his face, he stepped between the poles and disappeared. The spheres around Reggie all extended appliances with eyes attached to them, all staring at him, observing his every movement.
Reggie breathed heavily and rested his weight on his shotgun again. He was in pretty bad shape after that crash. And alone again. For a moment he looked back towards the town, but he knew he wasn't going there. Surrender was not an option, was never an option.
''I'm gonna take care of you.'' Reggie promised, cradling the young Mike next to a roaring fireplace. ''I can't replace Jody, but I sure as hell am gonna try.''
''Argh.'' He grumbled and limped through the fork.
Sensations.
For the moment, Mike didn't know anything. Not his terrible past, or anyone or anything. Not even his own name. He could just feel. Something cold, and wet, and yet gentle. And then in a flood, it all came back to him and panic gripped him. He was about to dash out of the bed he was in, but two firm hands pushed him down.
''Michael, please! You're safe. You're alive.'' A familiar young woman's voice said. Mike opened his eyes and found himself lying on a cot in a fairly dark room. He touched his face(when had it become so rough and old?) and rose to a sitting position. Beside him was a young blonde woman on her knees, with a friendly face that he could barely see in the candlelight. He knew her from somewhere, but couldn't quite place where.
''How are you feeling?'' The woman asked. ''Grandmother said you'd be quite frightened.''
And then it hit Mike like a brick. The Fortuneteller! It was her daughter... Terrie! Yes, Terrie was the name. Mike had had a minor crush on her when he was little, but she'd always been a bit too distant for him.
''Where is your grandmother?'' He asked. ''I hope she has some better answers for me this time.''
Terrie frowned. ''What do you mean?''
Mike bit his lip. ''She lied to me. Jody's left me. And now I lost Reggie too. I have no one. Except... him.''
''You should have more faith in Jebediah.'' Terrie chided. ''He's trying to show you your true path.''
Mike turned towards her. ''What do you know about him?''
''Jebediah? Oh, he's a worried soul. He fears your attachment to the material world is too strong for you to see through his eyes.''
''What if I don't want to see through his eyes? I never asked to be subject to his plans.'' Mike growled. ''Why can't he just leave us alone? And Earth?''
Terrie stood up. ''You can ask him yourself. He's waiting for you.'' She pulled the curtain aside to reveal The Fortuneteller's living room, the same room where the old woman had tested Mike to prove his ability to bypass fear. She was still sitting there, in the same chair at the same round table. And beside her, The Tall Man kneeled and held her hand. As Terrie entered the room and the view became clear to Mike, he stood up.
''Boy!'' The Tall Man said loudly.
Mike rose from the bed. ''Yeah, I'm here. You don't have to yell your head off.'' He walked into the living room. ''Terrie said you've been waiting for me.''
''For a long time.'' The Tall Man said. From the shadows, he produced a large, golden sphere. ''This... is your potential.'' The sphere rose from his hand and flew out of the room. A crashing sound told them it had broken through the door. ''Let's see where it leads.''
Without waiting for Mike, The Tall Man walked away. Looking nervously at The Fortuneteller and her granddaughter, he followed his nemesis. As he left, he thought he could hear some kind of a cackling sound, but he didn't turn around.
Outside, in the middle of the overgrown garden, Mike found a dimensional fork waiting for him, and stepped through to find himself at a beautiful, sandy beach glistening in sunset. The soothing song of seagulls drifted through the air, and the most wondrous sight awaited him. Parked in front of him was the old '71 Barracuda, now in pristine condition. Reggie and Jody were sitting on the hood of the car, both dressed in light summer shirts. Jody even had a cap on, turned backwards. They both jumped off as they saw Mike walking through.
''Mike!' Reggie tried to hug him, but Mike pulled back and pulled out a dagger, ready to defend himself.
''What the hell is this?'' He asked.
Jody waved at him. ''Don't worry, brother, we're real. The Tall Man brought us both here, to say goodbye to you.''
''Oh, cut that bullshit.'' Reggie barked and turned to Mike, apologetic. ''I'm so sorry, Mike. I don't have any excuse for what I did. I just lost all hope.''
Mike lowered the knife. ''You don't need to apologise for anything, my friend.'' He turned to Jody. ''Where is he?''
Jody shrugged. ''He'll come. He's promised to set me and Reggie free before he moves on with you.''
''And what will you do then, Jody? Run away?'' Mike asked, resentful. Jody shook his head and took a beer from the sixpack chilling on the hood. He opened it. ''No, I can't run away anymore.'' He took a swill from the bottle, and casually leaned on the 'Cuda. ''Not here anyway. I can't move on until I've found... some measure of peace. And the only way I can find peace is to try and make up for my failings.''
Mike felt the tears sting his eyes. ''We're not gonna get the years back, Jody. When you left, I was alone. And afraid. I spent years in an asylum, fighting bad dreams. Wishing for nothing more than just someone to be there, to guide me. Reggie's a good friend, but you were family. Nothing can fill that hole. How do you plan to do that now?''
Jody merely shook his head and drank more beer.
''And now... you work for him. Do you think you'll ever find peace, following him?''
Now it was Jody's turn to become angry. ''Do you think I had a choice? I was alone too, Mike! I was barely ready to take care of myself, let alone you! And then he came. And he took me to that Red World. He told me things about you, what you could accomplish with our help. Before I knew it, I was in his grasp. His slave. Sometimes it was easy... to just shut my mind off and follow his will. Other times... impossibly hard. The things that I did, I can never take back. But you are my little brother, and I will always love you.'' He confessed.
A gravelly voice interrupted their bonding. ''How touching.'' The Tall Man had appeared from the dimensional fork, a sly smile on his lips. ''The irony is palpable, isn't it, boy? Two protectors – one ready to rest, but undeservingly so. The other faithful, yet he denies himself his freedom.''
Mike scowled, furious and moved ahead of Jody and Reggie. ''I don't need anyone to protect me from you... Jebediah.''
The Tall Man, clearly pleased, strided closer as well. ''So... you've finally crossed that barrier of fear and opened your mind. Took you long enough.''
Mike smiled humorlessly. ''Yeah, well, trying to destroy my life and butcher my loved ones didn't exactly help your case.''
''You will need neither where you're going. '' The Tall Man said carelessly. ''Nor do they need you. That is why we're all here. Our conflict over the decades has prepared your mind for... incredible things. But before you can find out what I really want from you, you must sever your ties to these two.''
Mike turned around and gave Reggie and Jody a passing look. In a somewhat adorable gesture, Reggie subtly shaked his head in denial, apparently thinking The Tall Man wouldn't see it. Meanwhile, wracked with guilt, Jody refused to look Mike in the eyes.
The Tall Man continued: ''Do you understand, boy, that your physical forms have all perished?''
Jody gripped the wheel, but it was of no use. The car flipped out of control and he crashed onto the road, ripping his young body into pieces in the process.
Mike tried to fight back, but his body didn't respond. Without much effort, The Tall Man tore into his head and ripped the golden sphere out of it, leaving the organic husk behind to wither away dreaming... Reggie had never felt so alone in his life. In his mind's eye, he could see Mike and Jody by his bedside, crying for him. But no. He wasn't the first one to go, he was the last. He just wished he could be alongside them, fighting whatever came their way...
Mike glanced at the ball in The Tall Man's hand, and then at the old Barracuda. ''I have a choice as well. You said... my potential is in that sphere. But not my destiny. That's still up to me. What if I decide to go with my friends and leave you here to rot?''
The Tall Man made an unpleasant expression, as if smelling something foul. ''Then I shall start again.''
The threat clear in his mind, Mike turned away from The Tall Man and took Reggie and Jody with him far enough so they could talk in private.
''I can't let him ruin anyone else's life. So I'm going with him. But I won't be giving up.''
Reggie's eyes narrowed. ''You've got a plan?''
''Hell yea I've got a plan.'' Mike grinned. ''Just wait for me in the Cantina.''
Reggie chuckled, feeling a heavy burden lift from his shoulders. ''Cantina it is!'' He shook hands with Mike and patted him on the back. ''Good luck, old friend.'' He whispered into Mike's ear. The latter opened his hand to find a tuning fork there.
''You coming, Jody?'' Reggie asked. Jody shook his head.
''I still have a few things to sort out. '' He replied. ''But I'll... see you around.''
Reggie snorted. ''I'll be expecting you any minute then.'' He turned around and disappeared through the fork. Jody watched him leave wistfully.
''You don't really have any plan, do you?'' He asked Mike. The latter shrugged. ''You can't defeat him.''
''Probably not.'' Mike said. ''But whatever happens, I'll have done my best.''
Jody nodded. ''So what about me? Can you forgive me? Will you set me free?''
Mike scrutinised his brother for a long time, before finally admitting: ''I can't forgive you, brother. But I can understand. You're not a perfect being. I'm not a perfect being either. I'm just glad you came back to me. I love you, Jody. I always loved you.'' He hugged his older brother and held on tight. As he did, he felt his brother change. He became lighter, and his rough skin became soft and young. When Mike finally let him go, he was looking at his brother from around 40 years ago. His idol.
Jody winked at him. ''Party on, kid.'' He walked through the chrome poles and vanished.
Finally, only the two of them were left at the beach.
''BOOOOOOOOOOOOY!'' The Tall Man bellowed.
Mike couldn't bear to look at the smug satisfaction on his face as he returned to the car at the summons.
''Don't be so glum, boy! You've played a good game, but now the game is finished. Now our real work begins.''
''Not so fast.'' Mike said. ''If you want me to go anywhere with you, we'll stand on equal ground. I want back what's mine.'' He extended an arm and The Tall Man reluctantly gave him the golden sphere.
''Treat it well.'' The Tall Man grumbled and walked past Mike, to the dimensional fork. ''Follow me, boy.''
The Tall Man passed between the poles and vanished, only to find himself lying in bed, under blankets in a dark, dirty hospital room from the distant past. His body was feeble and weak, every movement made him shudder. ''What is this? What-?''
''What's the matter, Jebediah?'' Mike asked, standing at the foot of the bead. He was dressed in the typical undertaker's suit, down to the pin on his black tie. ''Have you forgotten how to dream?''
The Tall Man smirked defiantly. ''Is this what you propose? Using my own powers as a weapon for... what, revenge?'' He snorted. ''This is meaningless.''
Mike dragged a wheelchair out of the shadows and helped the old man into it. ''No. It's not.'' He said, and began wheeling The Tall Man down the deserted hospital corridors. ''As I open my eyes to your dimension, you will open them to mine.''
He wheeled The Tall Man out of the hospital's main door into the darkness of the night in the hospital's backyard. Bright lanterns cast stripes of light to mix in with the velvety shadows. Heavy rain splattered on them both and made The Tall Man cringe.
''You feel that?'' Mike asked loudly, to compensate for the sound of the rain. ''Do you remember the rain, Jebediah? Walking around on the grass barefoot?! Hugging your girlfriend in the thunder?''
''I remember.'' The Tall Man growled. Mike looked down at him.
''What?'' He asked.
With some effort, The Tall Man rose from the wheelchair and turned around, now once again dressed in his suit and having regained his strength. ''I said I remember!'' He knocked the wheelchair aside and made the rain stop with a wave of his hand. ''These human sensations. You are trying to appeal to something I discarded long ago.''
Mike glowered. ''Jebediah Morningside is still in there, and I need him now.''
A bitter amusement touched The Tall Man's lips. ''Even if you found him, what makes you think he'd want to help?'' He turned away from Mike and flicked at the air, making it shimmer like water and change the environment around them. A red haze overtook the sky and the garden around them became a sea of pebbles and sharp rocks. The only thing to interrupt the monotony was a line of barrels a few hundred meters away from the two, containing The Tall Man's slave army, ready to be dispersed to any dimension he saw fit.
''Welcome to Jebediah's world. '' The Tall Man said, admiring the view. ''This is where his great dream led him. From the living to the dead. You know where we are, boy.''
Mike nodded fearfully. ''The future.''
''Inevitably, we must all come here.'' The Tall Man picked up some of the rocks. ''The ignominious end of everything.'' It was then that Mike noticed that those weren't stones at all, but broken fossils. All frozen remnants of living things. The Tall Man's world was the greatest cemetery ever conceived in the universe.
''A long time ago, I was given the power to make this world happen. To take Earth to its final form.'' The Tall Man's eyes turned dreamy and he held his hand high as if delivering a monologue from an ancient play. Mike could see he'd waited centuries to be able to define his purpose to another being. ''It's my duty. To deliver the dead to their final resting place.''
Mike shook his head, his mind racing. ''You're trying to accelerate the Earth's development. Bring it all crashing down ahead of time.''
The Tall Man smiled. ''Does it not make me master of fate?''
''No. It does not.'' Mike said sadly, beginning to pity him. ''You've travelled through time and space, seen so many things, learned... so many things. And yet all you can think about is breaking it all down to satisfy your own ego. You could use those powers to bring utopia to Earth, but you won't. Because you know we will still end up here. So you just don't care anymore.'' He faced away from The Tall Man as another realisation hit him.
''Oh! But you do. You do care. You care enough to stalk after a child and force him through the same terrible path of destruction you went through because as much as you think you love this red, dead world... you still can't bear to be here alone.'' Mike laughed out loud. ''Now how human is that?''
The Tall Man's lips curved down and his face was a mixture of confusion and dread. ''Why... are you not like me?''
''I'm not alone. You see, what you don't get is... it's not the end that matters, it's the journey. And no matter what you tried to do me, I made mine count.'' Mike answered confidently. The morbid world around them melted and Mike and The Tall Man were standing in Morningside Cemetery, at midnight, in the midst of gravestones.
''It matters not.'' The Tall Man growled. ''I will find another child. And together, we will see this civilisation to its resting place.'' His eyes darted around the cemetery. ''Why have you brought us here?''
Mike gave him a wide smile. ''You're not going to harm anyone else.'' He pulled Reggie's tuning fork out of his sleeve and clanged it against his golden sphere, freezing The Tall Man in place. With only the slightest push, The Tall Man fell like a chopped tree... into his coffin. With reverence, Mike placed his arms on his chest in a cross symbol, and left the golden sphere on his forehead, where it magnetised against The Tall Man's own sphere.
He stood up. ''The funeral is about to begin!'' Mike announced to the shadows. A small group of nameless morticians walked out from the darkness and closed the casket. With Mike leading them, they carried it to an empty grave, with the stone bearing the name of Jebediah Morningside and an epitaph: 'IT'S NEVER OVER'
The casket was lowered into the grave. Mike took a handful of dirt and tossed it into the grave. ''Ashes to ashes... dust to dust.'' With a snap of his fingers, gasmask-wearing workers began spading the earth onto the casket.
It was a long walk from Morningside back to the Dune's Cantina, but Mike had always loved it, especially during the night. A sense of nostalgia overtook him as his crackling steps on the gravel road led him back to the quiet town.
The only other person awake at this time was a young 13-year old girl who often pedalled to and fro the neighbouring town, and had arrived home late. She hurried to put the bike away and ran over excuses in her mind to explain her lateness... again. And that's when she saw him.
The Tall Man. A being out of her world.
With purpose, The Tall Man strode down the road. His face was obscured by the shadows, but there was something about him that gave the girl the creeps. As he reached the black car parked outside of the cantina, the man froze, and so did the girl.
The Tall Man turned to the left, facing the girl. After a few seconds of it, the girl couldn't take it anymore and ran away to her house. Mike watched her run, and sighed before knocking on the 'Cuda window.
''Reggie! REGGIE!'' Mike said as loudly as he could without waking the town up. Eventually, the balding snoremeister pulled the window down.
''Mike?'' He mumbled and opened the door before crawling over to the driver's seat. ''Damn it, kid, I thought you were gone for good.'' Wiping the sleep out of his eyes, Reggie finally got a good look at Mike. ''What's with the getup?''
Mike rolled his eyes and strapped himself in. Reggie repeated the action. ''Oh, just got another offer to destroy the world. The usual. You know what, I think we need a vacation.''
Reggie smirked. ''That sounds like a plan. Got a destination in mind?''
''We'll figure it out when we get there.''
And so, the beloved 1971 Barracuda hit the road once again, and left China Grove behind. As the sky began to show the first signs of a beautiful dawn, Mike tore the tie from his neck and tossed the black suit to the back seat.
''Did you take care of him? The Tall Man?'' Reggie asked.
''No.'' Mike replied. ''We have to face him again someday. But not today. Today it's his turn to dream.''
As the darkness cleared, the 1971 Barracuda became easily visible on the road. Easily visible that is, to the hearse driving behind it.