Yes, I'm just full of updates today, I know…hopefully it'll last XD
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Legion or any of the characters or ideas associated with it. I DO, however, own Tristana and her family so please no stealing my characters.
Enjoy the story and please review with constructive criticism or helpful ideas to stave off any possibility of writer's block.
Fallen
A Legion Fanfic by xXShadow-Wolf13Xx (Formerly known as xXPsychoXx)
Chapter One
I stood outside the rundown diner in disdain. Of all the places for my foster parents' car to break down, it had to be in the middle of nowhere at some God-forsaken diner named Paradise Falls. I reluctantly followed my foster parents into the diner. The inside, I noticed, was just as rundown as the outside. The room was filled with a rhythmic thudding sound that echoed over the sound of cooking food and white noise. I followed the sound to one corner of the room where a man stood on a chair beating his hand against the side of an old TV. I assumed he was trying to uncover a decent picture on the snowy, staticky screen.
"I swear to God, Bob, one of these days that thing's gonna hit you back." The diner's cook said punctuated by the man whacking the TV, again. He was dark skinned with a silver hook instead of a right hand.
"Whaddya talkin' about? We got a special relationship here." The man, Bob, said, followed by yet another hard whack to the old TV.
"Yeah, yeah, they got names for that kinda relationship, Bob." The dark skinned cook shot back. I chuckled under my breath. They bantered like two guys who'd been together through the good and the bad. I glanced away to find where my foster parents sat. Three tables away from them, there was another couple talking in heated whispers. Occasionally they glanced at a girl who looked to be about my age standing not too far away from me. The girl had long black hair and was wearing a black corset and miniskirt. She stood, leaning seductively over the jukebox, and the thin strip of cotton that somehow passed as a skirt rode up, leaving little of her stunning figure to the imagination. With a sigh, I pushed myself from my spot leaning against the wall by the jukebox and walked over to the bar where the cook stood over a grill muttering about Bob and his TV. I glanced up at the menu on the wall.
"Can I get you anything?" He asked. I smiled slightly and nodded.
"Yeah, I'll have a cheeseburger and a Coke." I replied. He nodded. I watched as he grabbed a glass and half filled it with ice before grabbing a can of Coke and pouring it over the ice. He placed the glass and the half full can on the bar in front of me. I took a sip of my soda and watched as he began to make my burger. When my food was finished, he placed the plate before me on the bar and told me how much I owed. I paid him, including tip, before walking over to the table where my foster parents sat, a limp fry dangling from my lips. I sat on the bench across from them and began to eat.
"You want a fry?" I asked, holding a fry out to my foster father. He shook his head in the negative and I shrugged and retracted my outstretched arm. I looked around the diner as I chewed, noting when a very pregnant blonde walked in followed by a black guy who looked to be about twenty. I noticed the exchange of flirty looks between the dark haired girl who had moved to sit at the booth just behind ours, and the black guy who was now leaning against the bar buying a pack of cigs from the blonde waitress.
"Where ya been, Charlie?" Bob asked the blonde as he stepped down from his chair and approached the bar. "This ain't a resort you know, I got orders stacking up."
I scoffed, he'd be on his knees praising God if he had orders stacking up. He must just feel better about ragging the pregnant woman about taking a break if he says that. I tuned out most of the conversation as I finished my food, only catching bits and pieces about someone wanting to use a phone and someone complaining about slow car repair service. I bit back a groan at the thought of being here for several hours. I did not want to spend my eighteenth birthday in some desert shit-hole because my foster dad's suburban overheated. I heard the tinkling of bells over the door and looked up to see Bob storm out, presumably to check out the car situation with the mechanic. I glanced over to see the black guy sitting on a stool at the bar, delving into a steaming short stack drenched in syrup. Behind me the girl, Audrey I think was her name, was still staring at him with a glint in her eye. I took a long drink of my coke, barely glancing up when Bob walked back in with a reassuring comment to the guy who had asked about his car. I heard the black guy ask Bob about a phone, then, heard a rustle and a door as he walked back to where the phone was. The TV had long since returned to playing static, and Bob walked by grumbling about poor reception. Percy chuckled and shook his head as Bob resumed his abuse of the television.
"I told you to get the satellite TV, but no, you don't wanna listen." Percy said, pointing his spatula at Bob. Bob slapped the TV again.
"What do I need that crap for?" He asked, smashing his hand again into the TV.
"The History channel, man." Percy replied.
"I got all the history I can take." Bob shot back. Another resounding thud filled the room.
"Ain't that the truth." Charlie, the blonde waitress, said. Bob whacked the TV again.
"What's your problem? You don't need to be watchin' this anyway." He said. Charlie rolled her eyes and returned to cleaning up the remnants of the black guy's meal. With one final thud, the picture snapped into focus.
"There, clear as day." Bob said.
"Great Bob, now what the hell is that?" Percy asked.
"Oh, you know, it's one of them test things." He said, backing down off the stool. I scoffed, of course it was a test, just ignore the fact that it said quite clearly along the bottom of the screen that 'This is not a test.'
"Don't look like no test to me." Percy said, looking warily at the screen and the hollow tone it emanated, filling the diner.
"Aren't they supposed to give us information on something to do if it's a real emergency?" Asked the woman sitting two tables down from us, Audrey's mom. Charlie was standing there clearing away dishes, but her attention was riveted to the tiny TV screen.
"I'm sure it's just a mistake." The woman's husband said in a soothing tone.
"Hey, Percy, check that old radio of yours." Bob said, pointing towards Percy, "See if they got any news 'bout the TV."
Percy pulled down an old battery powered radio and switched it on, rolling through channels of static. Finally, he found a clear station. The same hollow emergency tone echoed from the small speakers. He tried another channel, and another. The same result. Every clear channel he came across was broadcasting nothing but that single, hollow tone. The diner was filled with its empty echo. I felt my veins turn to ice as a feeling of dread settled in the pit of my stomach like a ball of frozen lead.
"Maybe there was an earthquake?" Suggested Audrey's father. His wife looked at him, as did the rest of us. "They've been saying we're overdue for a big one."
"Lot a folks could be hurt." Percy said somberly.
"Not if it was centered in the desert." Bob said firmly.
"Exactly, could be nothing to worry about." Audrey's father said.
"Then, why is the TV out?" His wife asked.
"Maybe it took out the relay stations," He said, "aren't those usually in remote areas?"
"Yeah, 'cause the radiation they give off." Bob said.
"There ain't no radiation comin' off those things. Plus, that don't explain the radio being out to. Some of those stations broadcast over hundreds of miles. Quake that big and we woulda felt it." Percy retorted.
"Percy's right. I didn't feel nothing." Charlie said.
"Maybe it's a terrorist attack or something…" Audrey spoke up from her spot in the booth behind me. I turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow. Where the hell did that come from?
"Oh, God…" Her mother said, placing a trembling hand over her mouth. For a moment everyone was silent.
"Oh, for cryin' out loud! There ain't no use in speculating. I'll just call up my brother in Needles. He musta heard something." Bob said.
"I don't think so." The black guy said, walking out from the back office he had been in.
"Whaddya talkin 'bout?" Bob asked, turning to him.
"The phone's out. Just cut me off in the middle of my call. Tried to call back and there wasn't a dial tone." The guy replied.
"You gotta be shittin' me." Bob groaned. The guy just shook his head and took a seat at the bar.
"Well isn't this just great?" The woman said, she sounded near hysteric.
"Calm down Mrs. Anderson. Nothin' to get excited about, they're probably just workin' on the lines." Bob said, turning his attention to her, "Sides, Jeep'll have your truck fixed before you know it, then you'll be on your way."
Before anyone could reply, we heard the sound of a car, then, the door jingled as an old woman with a walker shuffled in and sat at one of the free standing tables not far from where the Andersons were sitting. Charlie walked over to hand her a menu.
"Oh, that won't be necessary, dear; I already know what I want." The woman said. She had a sweet old lady voice, the kind I remembered from old Christmas gatherings with my foster parents' parents.
"Alright, what'll it be?" Charlie asked, pencil and pad ready to take down the order.
"I'll have the steak, please." The woman said.
"How would you like that cooked?" Charlie asked as she scribbled something onto the pad.
"Rare if you would. And water, no ice." The woman answered. Charlie added that to the slip and nodded.
"I'll have that right out for you." Charlie said, turning and walking away.
"Charlie, was it?" The old lady called.
"Yeah." Charlie threw to comment over her shoulder as she continued over to Percy.
"What an unusual name for a girl."
"So they say, I'll be right back out with your water." Charlie said, handing the slip of paper to Percy and busying herself with the task of getting the woman's water. I watched as the old lady turned her attention to the Andersons as she waited for Charlie to return.
"Hello, I'm Gladys. Gladys Foster." The woman introduced herself.
"Nice to meet you Gladys, I'm Sandra, and this is my husband, Howard." Mrs. Anderson replied, gesturing first to herself, and then to her husband.
"What a nice young couple. What brings you out to these parts?" Gladys asked gesturing around and the rundown diner.
"We're moving out to Scottsdale with our daughter Audrey," Sandra began, gesturing behind me to her daughter, "But our car broke down, and now we're stuck here until it's repaired."
"Oh, what a nuisance." Gladys said, shaking her head.
"Hey, Gladys, it seems that all of the lines are down around here, you know the phone and TV. We were wondering if you had heard anything on your way up. Anything about what's going on?" Sandra said after a moment. I watched the old woman, a fly was buzzing around her head, and several were landing on the table around her, her clothes, and even her face. She didn't even twitch in response. She smiled strangely at Sandra.
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that, sweetheart; it'll all be over soon." She said in a sickly sweet voice. I held in a shudder. Sandra smiled awkwardly. The bell over the door jingled and the mechanic walked in, I think his name was Jeep. He headed straight for Bob and they began to talk in heated whispers. Occasionally they glanced at the Andersons, but I noticed that Jeep kept one eye trained on the creepy old lady. I didn't blame him. Charlie walked out and placed a bloody red steak in front of Gladys along with a glass of water. The flies immediately began buzzing toward the steak, and Charlie tried unsuccessfully to wave them off.
"Thank you, dear, how far along are you?" I heard Gladys say sweetly.
"Oh, almost there," Charlie said, patting her swollen belly.
"The father must be so proud." Gladys said.
"I wouldn't know." Charlie replied.
"You mean he's…"Gladys said, voice sad.
"Out of sight. Out of mind." Charlie said nonchalantly.
"I see. So, you're not married I take it." Gladys replied.
"Nope." Charlie said with a shake of her head. Gladys began to really dig into her steak. It was honestly surprising, the amount of ferociousness she put into it, despite the flies that were still landing on her and in her hair.
"That's too bad." She said.
"Nah, I prefer it that way. I don't need a man around tellin' me what to do." Charlie said, still trying to wave away the flies accumulating around Gladys.
"But what about the baby?" Gladys asked, her voice seeming concerned.
"Oh, I've got that under control." Charlie said, waving away the woman's concern.
"But it's gonna burn." Gladys said. Her voice hadn't changed from that sweet old lady voice, but the words that left her mouth nearly made me drop my drink. Charlie froze where she stood, and the Andersons and Kyle looked at her incredulous.
"What did you just say?" Charlie asked, voice laced with anger. Gladys smiled widely.
"I said your fucking baby is gonna burn." She said, just as sweetly. Charlie shook her head.
"Go to hell, lady." She said, slamming the check down on the table and quickly retreating from the lady's table.
"What happened?" I heard Bob ask as she passed.
"Total fucking Jesus freak!" Charlie ranted vehemently, retreating back into the kitchen. I watched as Gladys began to laugh innocently as she devoured her steak. The red juice dripped down her chin and the flies continued to swarm.
"All those babies are gonna burn." She said sweetly.
"Now, Gladys, come on. There's no need to-" Sandra began. Gladys cut her off.
"Shut up you stupid fucking cunt! All you do is complain, complain, complain!" Gladys yelled. Her voice had a creepy sort of echo like quality. It was unnatural. I shuddered. Howard stood, enraged, and began to walk towards her. Without a second thought, I was out of my seat and pulling him back.
"Something tells me you don't wanna get close to that bitch, mister." I said quietly, pulling him back towards his wife. I couldn't stop him from yelling.
"Who the hell do you think you are, lady?" He yelled as I pulled him back. "I'd like you to apologize to my wife!"
I forced him into the seat and turned to look at the old lady. She was staring at me strangely as if just seeing me for the first time. A sick grin twisted her face. Her mouth was much too big, and filled with tiny shark teeth. Her eyes were open too wide, showing nearly all of the white. I shuddered.
"You're all gonna fucking die!" She screamed, jaw opening wide. Percy was the first to react as she walked towards us. He threw a cast iron frying pan at her, hitting her square in the jaw and breaking her neck. She didn't fall. She didn't so much as twitch, she simply turned her head back to look first at him, then at me. With an inhuman scream, she charged across the diner, flipping chairs and tables in her wake. Bob pulled out a shot gun from behind the bar.
"Don't move." He growled, aiming at her. Gladys ignored him and ran up the fucking wall like some sort of deranged mutant spider. She rushed at him across the ceiling, upside down. Bob shot several times, leaving a path of holes in the ceiling, but missing her every time. She dropped down in front of him and gave him a sickening smile before smacking him. He flew clear across the room. The shotgun flew through the air and clattered to the floor at Jeep's feet. He snatched it up and aimed at Gladys who was still smiling sweetly. She turned to walk calmly towards him.
"Shoot her, Jeep!" Percy exclaimed. Jeep's hands were hesitant as he aimed at the woman. He was just about to fire when the lady got even freakier. Her eyes went completely white.
"You'll never save her." She said, still in that sickly sweet voice. Jeep began to shudder, eyes going wide and standing paralyzed by his gripping fear.
"Shoot the fucking bitch, Jeep!" Percy roared.
Gladys rocketed straight for him, and Jeep closed his eyes, bracing for the end. I jumped at the sound of gun fire and turned to stare at Kyle. Smoke was still rising from the barrel of his Western Arms 45. Gladys lay in a bloody heap at Jeep's feet, three bullet holes in her back. What the fuck the guy doing with a gun like that, I found really hard to care about at that particular moment. I turned to Howard, who was cowering in the booth next to where I still stood.
"Now, aren't you glad I didn't let you go over there?" I said, surprised by how calm I sounded. He only nodded dumbly at me. His wife looked at me in gratitude, and I turned to meet his daughter's grateful stare as well as the shocked looks on my foster parents' faces. I watched Charlie help a bruised and bleeding Bob to his feet.
"The fuck was that?" He exclaimed, "What the fuck was that?" Unsteadily, I walked back over to the booth where my parents were sitting and collapsed into the seat.
"Only God knows what the hell that was, Bob." I said tiredly.
I know that it is short compared to the chapters of my other stories, but I promise it will get better and have longer chapters.
As always, review with any comments, questions, or suggestions. And, I could always use characters, so if you would like to be in the story, shoot me a message with an idea and I'll see what I can do. Or, if you have an idea for something to happen in the story, do the same thing.
~Shadow Wolf (Formerly known as xXPsychoXx)