Two
A red rooster woke the inhabitants of the Quarry at some unearthly hour. Samis woke with a start, pulling out a pistol and pointing it at the darkness of his room. His hand shook with force and he stiffly grabbed his hand to settle his aim, something was wrong. He turned on his lamp, which illuminated the room in a thin layer of light. Sweat was pouring off him. It was hot, very hot. He rose to his feet and drew a pistol. He checked the ammunition. "Damn it" he said quietly, the case showed only three shots. He reached into his pocket and drew two bullets and quietly put them into the case. He rattled the pistol and cocked it. He heard the crunch and he raised his pistol to the corner of his small room. His breath hung on his tongue; he made sure he was quiet. The pistol shook in his hand quietly. He held his breath as he slowly rose to his feet. The sound of breathing entered his mind. Then he heard the snarling. He grabbed a flashlight a turned it on. To his horror standing at the corner of his room was something of a nightmare. What had used to be a dog stood in front of him, the dog had a third hind leg which was made of pure mutated pus, each leg of the dog had slight boils that popped and spewed blood down its leg. Its mouth was that of a mongrel, pieces of flesh had been torn from its muzzle, blood drenched eyes of yellow stared at Samis. Each time it breathed it let loose a horrible gag and it spit pieces of chewed flesh and some pieces of regurgitated vomit. Its shoulders had long saber blades, almost looking like a clear glass. Its spines on its back twitched. He stared in amazement; the dog snarled more, spiting more vomit and blood. Samis fired the pistol at the dogs left kneecap, it squealed and flinched but it did not fall. Samis fired again at its shoulder blade. It snarled and charged at Samis. He ducked and fired at it until his pistol was out of ammo. He took out his other pistol, but lost it as the dog landed on his chest, spiting and snarling. He hit it in the head with the butt of his used pistol and it rolled off him. It charged again, Samis grabbed his loaded pistol and fired at the dog's head. The bullet tore through the dog's brain exploding the nearest wall with blood, the dog fell limp and it snarled one last time before melting itself down into a red liquid, which vanished from sight. Samis stood, white faced and breathing heavy. Then he lost consciousness and faded from thought
When Samis regained consciousness Amy and Acron were hovering over him. He propped himself up and took the glass of water Amy had in her hand. He drank deeply and wiped his lips,
"What happened?"
"I was hoping you could tell me, and you could explain this", Acron said as he pointed to the bloodstained wall. Samis spent the next hour explaining what had happened the previous night. Amy shook her head.
"That's horrible Samis". Acron had a concerned look on his face
"I didn't hear anything that woke me up".
"Well what happened before you went to sleep?"
Samis thought about the cube but decided not to reveal it,
"I was reading" he simply replied. Acron looked at him puzzled, "Reading?" Samis nodded and rose to his feet. Amy took the pistols out of their holsters.
"Their empty" she exclaimed. Acron took them and twisted the barrel of each weapon.
"She's right, and they were loaded fully when you came back from The Forest?" he asked as he observed the guns.
"Yes they were, fully loaded" Samis lied. Amy smiled and hugged him.
"I'm just glad your okay". Samis hugged her back and kissed her tenderly.
"Yeah so am I". Acron looked away as the committed their moment of intimacy.
"Oi! This isn't a make out session, Samis we have some work to do". Samis shrugged Amy off him and got dressed in his usual clothes. Acron put some platinum in his purse and tied it tightly on his waist, just to make sure no criminals were lurking about. "It's still early, but I think we can hit Merchants Isle by eight" he said. Samis went into the ceiling room and loaded his pistols; he drew a hunting rifle from its glass case and loaded it as well. Acron came up and loaded a clip into his modern day Glock. Samis slung his rifle,
"Are we in for some trouble at MI?" Acron turned as he was loading his M16 with a fresh magazine,
"Aye, folk say that some scavengers and looters are attacking the merchants caravans, so we need to get up there before all of them sales go dry". He cocked his M16 and smiled at it.
"Gloria has never let me down. Be sure to lock up the place when we leave"
he said as he threw the keys at Samis. They ran to the jeep that was parked outside and they got in. Samis pushed the driving stick into reverse and the jeep roared into life. Samis drove to the fuel depot.
"We need fuel," he said. Samis and Acron got out of the jeep and filled its tank with fuel. As they waited a flurry of bullets rained on the depot.
"It's the Chinese!" exclaimed Acron as he dove for cover. Samis pulled out his hunting rifle and ducked behind a brick wall. A small biplane raiding party flew over the Quarry. Armed people ran out and started shooting at the raiders. Samis cocked his rifle and aimed. A biplane shot at one of the fuel tankards and it went up in flames. "Shit!" exclaimed Samis, as he slung his rife and got out his pistols. He turned the corner of his cover and simultaneously fired his pistols at the biplane. His bullets struck the plane dead on and the plane reeled out of control. It burst into a roar of fire in midair. Acron took out his M16 and fired at another plane, clipping its fuel reserve and destroying it on contact. A pair of planes attacked the depot from the rear, obliterating the housing establishment. Acron and Samis took cover behind another wall, this time made of solid steel. Acron pointed at the jeep,
"Get the turret ready!" he roared. Samis waited for the correct moment before jolting from his cover and sprinting toward their vehicle. He dived into the drivers seat and twisted the key to the motor, which roared into life. He drove to Acron and his brother took up the turret, cocking it.
"Drive into the city center" he shouted. Samis floored the engine and the pulled away just as the entire stock of fuel erupted sending balls of flame towards them. Acron aimed the turret at a biplane and opened fire. The caliber rounds fired by Acron's modified turret tore off the biplane's wing. Samis turned a sharp left and headed straight out of town. The biplanes followed, Acron looked sharp and saw only 4 biplanes. He fired the rest of his shots and the biplane raiding party was destroyed. They drove out into the fog of the Forest. Samis felt the hair on the back of his neck twinge. He had never been to this part. It was haunting. Acron sat himself down in the side seat of the jeep.
"Good Driving Samis, dad would be proud," He said with a smile. Samis laughed,
"Dear old dad wouldn't give a rats ass".
"Aye, but he never did like England. Besides the fact that he was Scottish, a good man".
"Perhaps he knew what was coming". Acron did not reply, he only stared as they came to a cliff pass that looked down at Merchants Isle. Samis looked down as well, though only for a second the scent of blood and bowels engulfed his nose. He ran out of the car and emptied his stomach on the cliff side. Acron only sat in the jeep and stared down at the horrors below. There were lances, with human body parts placed on them. The once green and lush landscape was now dark ruby red. No longer could Samis smell the flowers. Only death was upon the valley. Acron finally walked toward the edge, and threw up everything. Samis could see the faces of the dead upon the lances blades. He quietly walked towards Acron.
"What…what could have done this?" Acron wiped his mouth clean with his coat sleeve.
"I don't know nothing human could do this. Even a raiding party couldn't do this". They journeyed downward off the Cliffside. Samis jumped and a splash occurred as his feet touched the ground.
"It's wet, soggy" he said with a bandana over his mouth. Acron gagged
"Whatever did this is more then insane, and may they rot in the deepest pits of hell". Samis's eyes started to water. Acron and Samis sloshed through the town; everything was red and filled with stains. The fuel depot was obliterated. The town bank, ransacked and floorless. Acron and Samis entered the pub, and was frightened to see the pit of bodies that lay in a burrowed hole. A crash and Acron and Samis both drew their weaponry, Acron lifted the bar latch and opened the gate. A man lay there, weeping and rambling endlessly. Acron moved a hand towards him. He lashed out and grabbed his arm, looking deep into Acron's eyes.
"They…Horror…Nightmare" he rambled. Samis pointed his pistol at the man, and then shot him in the head. Acron rose "He was crazed, I am glad you ended his pain". Samis shook his head and holstered his pistols.
"No one could have survived mentally if he actually saw what happened here". Acron nodded then looked at Samis.
"This might be a good time to get some things we might need, they certainly don't have use for them anymore".
The two of them walked throughout the streets of MI, searching for goods, or survivors. Samis walked into the gun shop. He was surprised at how many weapons were still on the walls and in the glass tubs. Samis scanned the room, and then he picked up what he could and went up the Cliffside to grab the jeep. Acron was traveling by the food tents when Samis rode up to meet him in the jeep. Acron hopped in and they drove out of the bloodbath that was Merchants Isle.
They returned to the Quarry around two in the morning, the crowds of people went quiet once they saw Samis and Acron riding up the street. Samis looked upon the people. He eyed a young boy who had a long trail of blood down his cheek, and a pistol cocked and loaded in his hands. The boy threw the gun at Samis. He caught it and observed the fine etchings on the handle. He stopped the jeep and got out. He walked and knelt by the boy he held the pistol in his hands. He smiled a dry unconvincing smile.
"This is a good pistol, very beautiful. Who was its maker?" The boy shied away and started to weep silently. He bucked his cheeks, trying to be brave
"It twas my father's before he was killed at Merchants Isle". Samis touched the boys shoulder,
"I am truly sorry".
"Do not fear boy, we will find out who did this brutal deed, and we will slaughter him, like he slaughtered our own."
The boy nodded, his eyes now brimming with tears. Acron and Samis drove back to their home. Acron put down his weapons and sat against the wall. Samis threw his pistols up in the ceiling room and sat against the opposite wall. Acron scoffed
"What will we do Samis?" Samis ruffled his hair.
"How the hell should I know"? Acron looked at him,
"Samis we need to find out who…rather what did this. I don't care if it takes us thirty years. It must be done".
Samis looked at his bag and he pulled out the ruby and pearl and silver cube, and then looked at an etching on the bottom. Acron scooted over to him
"eh, what is that then?" Samis shook his head,
"I'm not sure, I found it with Rubens bag when I killed him." Acron took the cube from Samis's hands. He observed it and chipped it with his fingernail.
"Well it looks to be slim, muddy." Acron observed. The sky suddenly turned black and Acron and Samis both jumped to their feet. Acron took out his utility flashlight and turned it on. "What the hell…" he said frightened.
"This seems strangely familiar", said Samis. Acron started to panic.
"What the hell is that?" Samis turned on his own flashlight and pointed it at the rooms opposite wall. There was a solid pile of flesh lying at the bottom of the wall. Acron pulled out his pistol and cocked it. Samis reached out to him.
"Stay away from it, this was what happened the last time". Acron looked at him suspiciously.
"What do you by last time Samis…" he never finished his sentence, a slimy tentacle had wrapped around his leg as he was talking. He fell with a dull thud and was dragged toward the pile of flesh. "Acron!" Samis shouted as he raced to free his brother. The pile of flesh opened a slit in the middle of the pile, it opened and a large set of four-inch long teeth spread out.