Hello once again.
I honestly don't know what's more surprising, the fact I haven't updated in so long or the fact that so much time has gone by since I last updated. But things have been a little crazy in my life as of late, what with moving into a new apartment, looking for a job, family matters, etc. But regardless, here's a new chapter for your viewing pleasure. Thanks so much for your patience!
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Raccoons
Nightmares part 14
It sounded like a colony of voices had invaded her ears.
What started out as a sort of quiet murmur soon evolved into the sounds of various conversations taking place.
Vanessa opened her eyes and the world slowly came into focus.
Colourful lanterns bathed the area in a dim glow, decorative paintings hung on every wall and floors covered entirely in wood.
As if her other senses had been activated, Vanessa could soon vaguely smell the scents of tobacco, alcohol and cologne. For a while, she simply stared in confusion before coming to a sudden realization.
"It's Foxy's...the bar I used to work at. I haven't been here in ages. But how did..."
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of loud, boisterous laughter coming from the back of the bar. Unsure of what to do, Vanessa took a few steps forward. Despite the many furs sitting at tables or in booths, none of them glanced her way. It was as if she were a ghost in the presence of non-believers.
For what seemed like an eternity Vanessa continued walking, uncertain of what she was looking for. Eventually, she came upon a small bar with about six people sitting on the adjacent stools. When Vanessa stepped closer, she saw a tall, slender falcon standing behind the wooden table. She possessed purple feathers, a golden beak and dark green eyes. The girl also wore a white buttoned-up shirt, with the sleeves rolled up, a black vest and a matching black bow-tie.
Vanessa felt the air rush out of her lungs and her eyes widened. "It's...me."
She watched herself effortlessly grab liquor bottles off the shelves, mentally adding the right ingredients for a cocktail and preparing them in special glasses. All the while, her sunny expression never leaving her face.
She continued viewing the various patrons coming up to the bar. Some offered compliments about her service while others placed a few coins in the nearby tip jar. Some of them even tried to woo her over.
A smile found its way onto her face as she remembered all the various guys that thought they were Casanova incarnated. It never got too out of hand though. Any patron that tried to be too forceful with her would be thrown out of the place faster than you could say 'Lawsuit'. But for the most part, she didn't mind the extra attention. It often made her feel good about herself and/or her skills at bar-tending
Currently, a brown bear was sat in front of her bar-tending counterpart. Judging by each other's body language, Vanessa presumed it was yet another guy trying to get into her pants. True to her nature, her double simply smiled and performed her duties as if nothing happened. The bear continued the charade for a while before his eyes caught an attractive lioness waitress walking by. With his drink in hand he left the bar, no doubt trying the same tactic on another unsuspecting victim. The bartender simply shrugged and turned her back as she was cleaning a glass.
No sooner had the bear left the bar, another customer took his place. The customer in question was a badger, somewhere in his late 20's. His dark blue suit, along with his matching hat, gave off a sort of bright hue under the light of the lanterns. His eyes remained hidden due to the brim of his hat.
Considering that her counterpart hadn't turned around at his presence, Vanessa mustered that the badger's movements were almost ghostly in nature.
After some time, the bartender turned around and gave a gasp of surprise.
"Oh sorry fella, I didn't hear you sit down! What can I get for ya?"
The badger tipped his hat up slightly, showcasing his dark eyes. "Scotch, on the rocks."
After preparing the beverage as usual, the badger took a slow sip of the amber liquid and set his glass back down on the counter. He looked into the young avian's eyes
"So...you like working here?" The badger remarked after a brief, awkward silence.
"Can't complain, pays the bills and the tips aren't bad either."
The badger raised his left eyebrow. "You have something else you wouldn't mind doing?"
The falcon gave a little smile. "Well actually I'm just...oh you probably don't want me boring you to death with my life story or anything."
The badger simply shook his head. "I've got more than enough time. Please, continue."
"Well...I was just hoping to save enough money to do a little travelling," She continued.
"Anywhere in particular?" The badger asked while taking another sip of his beverage.
"Well my bucket list is pretty long. Paris, Machu Picchu and London just to name a few. But I think the first place I want to go is the Evergreen Forest. You ever heard of it?"
The badger's right eye slightly twitched. "It rings a bell. What draws you out there?"
Vanessa shifted slightly. "Well…my friend Lisa used to live out there. I don't know if she's still there now but...I'd just like to see her anyway."
The badger merely nodded before Vanessa laughed. "Geez, I feel like I'm just hogging the conversation. I've gone on and on about myself and haven't heard a thing about you. Tell me about yourself."
The badger looked into Vanessa's eyes and slowly grinned, his sharp, white teeth glowed in the dim lighting.
"Well for starters my name's Bix, Bix Badger, and I've definitely been around. But perhaps if you care to accommodate me somewhere else," Bix rubbed his finger against Vanessa's. "I would be more than happy to...open up about myself."
The smile vanished from Vanessa's face as she jerked her hand away. Normally she wouldn't mind the occasional guy trying to flirt with her, but there was something about the look in his eyes that made her feel uneasy.
"Well...uh...excuse me," Vanessa stuttered as she walked away from the badger and attended to some other patrons. But no matter how hard she tried to bury herself in her work, the badger's gaze seemed to have anchored itself within her brain.
After what seemed like an eternity, Bix finally finished his drink and disappeared in the crowd. Vanessa breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at her watch. 11:30 pm. Just a few more hours and she could go.
No sooner had the scene played out in front of her; Vanessa was suddenly struck by a blinding, white light. It was so intense; she had to shut her eyes to prevent them from getting scorched.
When she finally dared to open them, Vanessa found herself on a quiet street in the middle of the night. The only illumination came from the barely functioning lampposts above. Looking around, Vanessa could see abandoned, burnt-out cars and rundown houses that had possibly seen better days.
Once again, a flash of recognition came over her. "My apartment was just beyond here."
She had walked through this part of the city multiple times before, knowing full well of the risks involved. But it was the fastest route to work and she always remembered to carry triple duty pepper spray in her purse.
Vanessa was broken out of her trip down memory lane when she saw her counterpart turning a corner and walking down the aforementioned street. All seemed normal at first until a sudden bang came from somewhere behind her. It sounded like a pile of trash cans had been thrown against a wall. The purple falcon jumped slightly and started to quicken her pace, when another loud bang echoed into the night. Vanessa's jog transformed into a full on sprint.
When she stopped to catch her breath, Vanessa noticed that the banging sounds had completely ceased. But just before she could continue running, a pair of dark, bulky arms wrapped their arms around her. The gloved hands covered her mouth before even a syllable could leave her lips.
After glancing around a few times, the mysterious figure dragged Vanessa down a nearby alleyway. A minute later, a black car with tinted windows raced out of the same alleyway and disappeared down the street.
Vanessa had barely enough time to process everything she had just seen, when another bright flash overcame her senses.
After the flash had disappeared, Vanessa found herself in a small, dark space similar to a basement. The only illumination came from the lone light bulb hanging from the ceiling. Just below it, a figure sat motionless in a metal chair, their arms and feet were bound by rope and their head was rolled off to one side.
Vanessa stepped closer and gasped out loud when she saw herself sitting in the chair.
Before she could step back in fright, Vanessa heard what sounded like a heavy iron door opening and closing. The sound of footsteps followed soon after.
Before long, Bix Badger stepped out from the shadows. He was wearing the same clothes as before, sans his blue suit jacket.
"Comfortable Miss..." Bix grabbed a wallet from his pocket and pulled out a driver's license. "Gillis?"
The figure in the chair didn't answer.
Bix scowled and smacked Vanessa across the face with his backhand. It was so violent, it nearly knocked her over.
With a low groan Vanessa slowly opened her eyes and Bix's slasher smile slowly came into focus.
"Y-y-you..." Vanessa mumbled as her glazed expression turned into a look of shock.
"Aw, don't tell me you forget about me already," Bix replied, making a faux pout.
Vanessa tried to make a move but quickly found that she was tied down to the chair.
"Now then..." Bix took a cigarette out from a carton. "I suppose you're curious as to why you're here."
Vanessa scowled. "No shit Sherlock."
"I'll just pretend I didn't hear that," Bix replied as he lit the cigarette. "As I've mentioned my dear...I've definitely been around. I was once the leader of my own bike gang in fact...at least I was. My own team betrayed me, ratted me out and got me sent to jail for five years. FIVE YEARS!"
Bix's sudden scream made Vanessa wince back. Bix took a short drag of his cigarette before circling around Vanessa, like a shark to a bleeding fish.
"At least it would've been five years had I'd not escaped. And since I was incarcerated out west, I figured it would only make sense to head out east. And here I've remained ever since. But I'm sure as you know...living out here isn't cheap. So I thought that a few...odd jobs here and there could help supply my income."
Vanessa waited for Bix to be finished with his mini monologue. "So what does that have to do with me?!"
Bix smiled before he ruffled the top of Vanessa's head. "I do love a chick that gets right to the point. You see...as fun as my line of work has been, I've found it can be quite overwhelming, difficult dare I say lonesome to work alone?"
"And let me guess...you wanted me to work for you?"
"Ah...beauty and brains," Bix chuckled. "Rare commodities in a woman. I think you'll do just fine."
"You're kidding right?" Vanessa glared. "What in hell makes you think I'd work for you?"
Bix took a long drag of his cigarette before giving a menacing grin. The cigarette smoke pouring through his sharp teeth.
"What makes you think you won't?"
She couldn't tell if it was the utter confidence in his words, or the way his malicious smile looked under the hanging light bulb, but Vanessa felt her heart drop.
"W-well everyone w-w-working at the bar will notice I'm g-gone," Vanessa tried to state confidently despite her obvious stutter. "Once they know I'm m-missing they'll find you!"
"Really?" Bix amusingly asked. "Tell me, was there anyone around when I grabbed you off the street?"
The cold reality of Bix's words started to sink in. "N-no."
"And isn't it true that in a city like Toronto, that has such a high crime rate, that your disappearance could easily fall through the cracks? Meaning that the police might not be able to spend time looking for you?"
Vanessa's felt like her heart was bouncing around in her rib cage. "Sh-shut up! You're just saying that to make me feel like there's no other choice but to join you in...whatever the hell you're up to!"
A deafening silence fell between the two. The only sounds were the slight squeakiness of the light bulb swinging overhead and the low drumming of what Vanessa assumed to be a heating unit.
Bix spat out his cigarette and roughly stomped it into the ground. "I had a feeling you'd be unwilling to join me. I mean after all...what right-minded individual would want to join forces with a common criminal like myself?"
Before Vanessa could reply, Bix stepped out of the light and seemingly vanished into the shadows. Soon, the sound of wheels turning found their way into Vanessa's ears. Before long, Bix wheeled in what looked to be a car battery on top of a small cart. He then turned aand dragged in a set of jumper cables.
"But like any great salesman," Bix quietly spoke as he attached the jumper cables to the battery. "I don't take no for an answer."
"P-p-please just l-l-let me go," Vanessa whimpered as Bix attached the other end of the cables to the back of her chair. "My parents are rich! They'll give you all the money you want! You d-don't need me!"
Bix went back to the battery. "Oh but I think you might become quite useful to me." Bix's eyes traveled up and down Vanessa's body. "In more ways than one."
Hot tears began streaming down Vanessa's face as Bix's hand made its way to the controls. "Oh and feel free to scream. Where we are...no one will ever hear you."
Three things happened simultaneously for the Vanessa watching the scene, the sound of a button being pushed, a blood-curdling scream filling the air and another flash of bright light.
Immediately after the flash, Vanessa began witnessing a series of montages play out before her. Two masked figures, in all black leather attire, entering a bank. The same figures shooting several bullets into the ceiling and ordering everyone on the ground. The looting of an armed car with several dead officers nearby. Several newspaper articles being taped to a wall about said robberies and killings, with one even stating: 'The New Bonnie and Clyde'. There were also several flashes of news programs running stories about the disappearance of Vanessa Gillis. The programs contained clips of her parents crying out for justice and asking for information that could help locate their beloved daughter.
Vanessa had barely a fraction of a second to process all this information, before the dreaded white flash invaded her vision.
When she opened her eyes again, Vanessa found herself in what looked to be a living room. The little bit of sunlight squeezing through the cracks of the boarded up windows was the only source of illumination. The wallpaper was an ugly, peeling mess of a colour that looked like it had once been yellow and the floor was a landscape of garbage and beer bottles. The room itself was bare except for a lone maroon coloured couch and a wooden coffee table with a mountain of money on top.
The couch in question currently contained a lone figure sitting right in the middle. Vanessa narrowed her eyes to get a better view of the person's face, but an indescribable fuzziness blocked out any significant features.
Suddenly, as if someone had adjusted the focus on a camera, the figure's features became crystal clear. Vanessa's face dropped once again when she saw herself sitting on the couch and smoking a cigarette, something she hadn't done since she was 17.
This new Vanessa sported faded, ripped jeans, a pair of black steel toe boots and a long black cloak that covered the rest of her body. Despite the cloak hiding most of her body, Vanessa could still tell that her arms and legs appeared much more muscular than before.
Just then, Bix entered the room carrying a bottle of champagne and two wine glasses. The new Vanessa turned her head and smiled.
"Hey handsome devil!"
"Hey babe. How much money we got now?" Bix asked as he placed the glasses on the table.
"Think I lost count after the fifth robbery," Vanessa replied as she flicked the remains of her cigarette on the floor. "But I'd say we got enough here to retire to the Bahamas for the rest of our days."
Bix flashed a toothy grin as he uncorked the bottle and filled both glasses. "Well then, I guess this calls for a toast."
Bix sat down next to Vanessa and picked up his glass. "To three years of your devoted loyalty and of the good fortune that came with it!"
"Likewise." The two clinked their glasses and took a swig of the golden, bubbly liquid.
"So...what's the plan now?" Vanessa asked after a brief silence.
Bix looked at her in annoyance. "Didn't you just say we could retire to the Bahamas?"
Vanessa shrugged, having grown accustomed to Bix's attitude. "Yeah, but we still need passports to get across the border and my last one expired a year ago."
Bix nodded. "Touché.
"I think our best plan now is to just lay low somewhere and figure this out," Vanessa commented.
Bix nodded. "Do you have any idea where we could hide low for a while?"
"Well...there's this place that's been appearing in my dreams a lot lately. I mean...you've probably never heard of it but I think it's called the Evergreen Forest."
Bix's left eye twitched. "You've mentioned it before."
Vanessa raised an eyebrow. "Really? When was that? I can't remember."
Bix waved his hand. "Forget it. Yes, I'm familiar with that place." Bix took a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it with his lighter. "That's where my gang betrayed me after I set Cyril Sneer's garage on fire. I should've blocked the door with something heavy after I ran out of there. After all...no witnesses...no crime."
"Oh baby there's no use dwelling on the past," Vanessa replied as she began rubbing Bix's back. "After all, we have everything here to make a bright and shiny future."
Bix smiled and held Vanessa's hand.
"So you're familiar with the Evergreen Forest," Vanessa surmised. "Do you know this area in the forest called Deadman's Cliff?"
Bix took another swig of champagne. "Deadman's what?"
"Deadman's Cliff," Vanessa replied as she too took a swig of champagne. "I haven't been there in...15 years I believe."
"And what give it such a pretty name?" Bix sarcastically asked.
Vanessa shrugged. "I think its cause of some rumours about bungee jumpers and one of them died trying to jump off it or some bullshit like that."
Bix laughed. "So you're saying that nobody goes near it?"
"Well I can't be certain, but yeah I'm pretty sure. And if someone does come up, there's plenty of dense forest around to hide in."
Bix nodded slowly. "Or we can take care of them in our own way. I think you're on to something toots. From where we are that's about a five days ride on my motorbike."
"Well then," Vanessa raised her glass. "Here's to a brand new start in the Evergreen Forest."
Bix raised his glass. "Here's to crime."
Watching the scene from afar, Vanessa began to piece together just what all these scenes meant. As the tears of desperation and fear fell from her eyes, a series of voices assaulted her ears.
So, how do you like the old Evergreen Forest?
VANESSA HELP!
I definitely want to head back to the Evergreen Forest again.
Was there anyone around when I grabbed you off the street?
Feel free to scream.
EVERYBODY ON THE FLOOR NOW!
Here's to crime.
Vanessa began to feel lightheaded as her vision faded into darkness. She felt herself falling to the ground, but strangely never felt the impact of the old, stained floorboards she had been standing on. Vanessa felt herself plunging for an eternity, with the voices now being the only thoughts in her head.
Deadman's Cliff, I haven't been there in...15 years I believe.
Hello Lisa. Welcome to your execution
Bix Badger. He used to be the leader of a motorcycle club.
I know about your past, your family. I even know why you've stayed away from this place for so long.
Bix, please just let us go. You can trust us.
Pathetic
Did you really think you could outrun us?
No witnesses...no crime
Lisa get the gun!
Vanessa?!
Vanessa?
Vanessa
"Vanessa..."
"Vanessa..."
"Vanessa!"
"VANESSA!"
A sudden kick in the ribs ejected Vanessa into the waking world. She rolled onto her back and slowly opened her eyes. Her blurred vision cleared into the sight of millions of stars above her. Gaining movement in her hands registered the cool grass beneath her.
Glancing to her left, Vanessa saw the bodies of Bert, Lisa, Cedric and Bentley lying side by side. Her mind immediately raced with the possibility that they were dead but was relieved to see their chests slowly moving up and down.
Vanessa quickly got to her feet. She immediately regretted this decision though as a sudden rush of dizziness overcame her. As she gained equilibrium, Vanessa saw that they were back on top of Deadman's cliff.
"Ah...what happened?" Vanessa asked as she rubbed her head
"Good question."
Vanessa snapped her read to the right. Bix was standing close to the cliff's edge as he stomped out his cigarette.
"In fact, I was hoping you could fill me in on why you were helping those...things."
"What are you talking about?" Vanessa asked, trying to keep her cool.
"Oh just the fact that you were with all of them, while your gun and bullets were thrown away. And the fact that you sounded pretty worried when I heard your voice on the walkie-talkie."
Vanessa's heart started to race as she felt Bix's eyes pierce her soul.
"Well..." She replied, trying to get the coldness back in her eyes. "I did manage to catch up to them like you asked. But they ambushed me and threw my gun and bullets away. I...suddenly thought about pretending to be on their side so I could take them out when they least suspected it. If I yelled into the walkie-talkie that I was happy to see you it would have blown my cover!"
Vanessa paused for a moment before folding her arms over her chest.
"And it was working well until you suddenly showed up and knocked us out!"
Bix pulled back his left sleeve and glanced at his watch. "We better get this over with. It took longer than expected to move everyone over here and the sun's gonna be rising in about an hour."
Not knowing if Bix believed her story, Vanessa simply nodded and walked over to the rest of the group. She sat down next to Lisa and lightly pinched the end of her right ear, an old pet peeve of hers, which Vanessa remembered, from back in the day.
Lisa winced before she slowly opened her eyes. Her weary expression turned into confusion as she saw Vanessa raising a finger to her lips. Vanessa leaned over and whispered, "Don't freak out. Bix dragged us back to Deadman's cliff and he's planning to kill you all in the next hour."
Vanessa felt around her belt. "Shit!" She swore under her breath. "My gun's still over in the clearing! I'll have to think of something else. Can you fill the others in when they come too?"
Lisa simply nodded. She slowly sat up, reached over and shook Bert, Bentley and Cedric awake. They all groaned and opened their eyes to see Lisa beckoning them to come closer.
"What are we going to do?" Bentley cried after Lisa had explained everything.
Bert sighed. "I wish I knew how to get out of this mess but the idea well has run dry."
Vanessa paused before an idea shot into her mind. "I think I might know how to get out of here but you all have to follow my lead."
"Are you sure?" Lisa asked, almost in a pleading manner.
Vanessa simply stared down at the ground while Lisa sighed.
"Now then," Bix began, a black pistol in his hand. "Who's first?"
Bert glanced at Lisa and gulped before getting on his feet. Bert could feel Lisa's hand reach for his own as he stood, but knew he would rather die at Bix's hands than allow anything to happen to her or his friends.
Before he could step forward, Vanessa jumped to her feet.
"Baby, I think I know a way we can get the most out of this!"
"You do?" Bix asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah! We get them all together at the edge of the cliff. Then, while we stand behind them we force them to jump off one by one. If they don't cooperate, we just blow them away."
Bix stayed quiet for a minute. "Hmm, that's sadistic, cruel and completely savage." Bix grabbed the sides of Vanessa's face and planted his lips on her beak. "I knew there was a reason I love having you around!"
Lisa swore she saw a hint of malice in Vanessa's eyes as Bix kissed her. It made her smile a little, happy to know that her friend was at least no longer supporting Bix and his malicious intent.
"You heard her let's go!" Bix yelled as he stormed over to the others.
The group stood up and walked past Bix towards the edge of the cliff. Bentley grabbed Lisa's hand for dear life, not caring about what he had said in the past of being too old for it. Lisa glanced down at Bentley and tried giving him a warm smile.
When the group reached the very edge of the cliff, their eyes witnessed the multiple, jagged rocks at the bottom. Bert's foot kicked a small pebble over the edge. A full ten seconds passed before he heard the rock hit the bottom.
Bert took the biggest gulp of his life as he looked at Cedric, whose face was losing more and more color by the second.
When he looked at Lisa and Bentley, Bert saw that the latter had wrapped his arms around Lisa's leg and hid slightly behind it. Lisa's eyes were as wide as dinner plates as she glanced back to see Bix's malicious gaze along with Vanessa's emotionless stare, save for her right eye winking.
"Well I equally hate all of you right now," Bix stated, his gun still drawn in his right hand. "So figuring out which one of you dies first is going to be quite a challenge. Oh what the hell! Let's get your former best friend to take the plunge first, eh Vanessa?"
With lightening like instinct, Vanessa ran into Bix's outstretched arm. The badger's utter surprise caused his finger to squeeze down on the trigger. Bert could almost hear the bullet narrowly miss his ear as he ducked down into the grass, the others following suite.
As Vanessa wrestled with Bix's gun, her knee flew up and collided with his family jewels. Bix screamed as his other hand went to cradle his crotch. Vanessa twisted Bix's arm hard enough to hear a slight cracking sound. Bix cried out in agony once again as Vanessa finally managed to wrestle the gun out of the badger's hands. Vanessa raised the gun and backhanded Bix across the face. Trails of blood escaped his mouth as he fell to the ground in a daze.
Vanessa planted her right foot on Bix's chest and aimed the gun at his head. After a few seconds, Bix glanced up at Vanessa with a look that Satan himself would fear.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Bix roared.
"Something I should've done years ago," Vanessa quietly replied.
Bix tilted his head. "What are you..."
"I remember everything Bix! I remember the night you first met me at the bar. I remember when you abducted me off the streets. I remember the way you tortured me till I actually thought you were doing the right thing! I know about everything now! And you're staying right here until the cops show up and make you rot in prison for the rest of your life!"
Vanessa's tirade made her hold the gun with an almost death like grip. Although her eyes flared with hatred and intensity, a few lone tears began falling down her face. She didn't know exactly why she was crying but figured it was her soul's way of communicating the joy she felt, knowing that it was finally over.
But after she tried to blink her tears away, she noticed Bix's wide smile, as if he were just presented with his newborn child. It made Vanessa a little uneasy. But before she could understand exactly what was going through his brain, Bix started to snicker before escalating into full blown laughter.
"What's so funny Bix?" Vanessa asked, still trying to look and sound confident.
"Oh I don't know," Bix replied as he spat out a wad of blood. "The fact that you decided to remember all this at an inconvenient time or the fact that you've completely forgotten one of the things I told you a long time ago."
Without warning, Bix sharply raised his left foot and hit Vanessa in the back. Vanessa cried out in pain and stumbled forward in complete surprise. Bix used this distraction to deliver a swift punch to Vanessa's gut before knocking her down with an uppercut. The gun fell out of her hands.
"Never take your eyes of the enemy."
Vanessa groaned as she tried to reclaim her breath. She turned her head and saw the gun lying no more than a couple feet from her. But when she tried to reach for it, Bix's boot came crashing down on her hand. Bix then grabbed Vanessa's shirt and pulled her close to his face.
"It's a pity you've decided to betray me dear. I had such wonderful plans for you and me. But now you'll just have to be executed along with everyone else."
With a might swing, Bix threw Vanessa towards the others. Her fall was somewhat broken by Lisa's outstretched arms. Bix was just about to get the gun, when he noticed something that made him snarl.
"Where's Bert?"
"Did someone say my name?" Bix heard the distinct, nasally voice directly behind him.
As he turned, he saw Bert twirling the gun with a big smirk on his face.
"Since you were so distracted with your girlfriend, sorry, ex-girlfriend I figured I'd just help myself. I believe it was you who said that you should never 'take your eyes off the enemy'".
Bert threw the gun towards Vanessa who caught it with ease. Bix looked back at the group and saw Vanessa smile ear-to-ear as she threw the weapon over the edge.
Bix stayed quiet for a minute before an indescribable rage took over his mind, body and soul.
"YOU FUCKING BITCH!"
Bix charged towards Vanessa at a frightening pace. But before he could reach her, he suddenly fell hard onto the ground. Bix turned his head and realized that Bert was bear hugging his legs with all of his might. Bert was so distracted by this that he failed to notice the fist coming towards the side of his head.
Bert cried out as the impact made him roll sharply to the right. He had barely a second to gather his bearings when he felt Bix grab the back of his head and force it into the ground. Bert tried in vain to move his head, arms or anything else to get some air. But having Bix's entire body weight pressed against him made these attempts obsolete.
Up until now, Lisa had watched the scene unfold before her in complete shock. She tried desperately to put one foot in front of the other, but they felt rooted into the very soil beneath her. But when she saw Bix suffocating the raccoon, an indescribable rage completely engulf her body and released her legs from the ground. Bix was so preoccupied with Bert that he failed to notice the pink tennis shoe rushing towards his face.
Bix cried in agony as he flew backwards. Lisa immediately rushed to Bert's side and helped him back to his feet.
"Oh my god, Bert! Are you ok?"
Bert tried to clear his vision. "Yeah, I think so."
The two raccoons soon heard a low groan of pain come from behind them. Bix slowly rolled onto his stomach and swat out a wad of blood containing a couple of teeth. Bix's eyes filled with the fires of hell as he slowly got to his feet.
Without warning, he charged again, this time towards Lisa. Lisa was so shocked at his speed, she had barely a second to react before Bix slammed her to the ground. Bix punched Lisa across the face; the copper tasting blood filled her taste buds. Bix was about to lay a second punch when he felt a great weight slam him from the left.
Bert wrapped his hands around Bix's forearms, hoping to pin him down. But Bix had been expecting this and wrapped his hands around Bert's forearms. Bix's grip was so tight that Bert would have cried out in pain, had it not been for the adrenaline fuelling his system. Both of them tried in vain to push the other off, but they only succeeded at rolling each other over and over, closer to the edge of the cliff.
"Bert get back! You're getting too close to the edge!" Lisa cried out.
Unfortunately, Lisa's pleas fell on deaf ears as the two mammals rolled closer and closer to the edge. Both of them seemed oblivious to their fates. It was as if the world around them had ceased to exist and the only thing that mattered was burying the other six feet under.
When the two males were less than a foot away from the edge, Lisa sprang into action. She rushed forward, faster than she thought possible.
Lisa grabbed the back of Bert's sweater and pulled with all of her might before three things happened in succession. Bert released Bix and reached for Lisa's hand, Bix jerked his hand forward and roughly grabbed Lisa's arm and all three of them fell over the edge of the cliff.
The whole sequence of events happened so fast, that Lisa had barely enough time to scream before she felt someone grab hold of her arm. Lisa closed her eyes and took several, shaky breaths.
When she finally opened her eyes, Lisa found herself facing the jagged slopes of Deadman's Cliff. She looked up and saw Vanessa clutching her arm in a death grip. Bentley and Cedric were standing nearby, scared beyond belief. Looking down, Lisa saw Bert holding onto her other hand with both of his. Just below him, Bix was holding onto the edge of Bert's sweater with his left hand. But unlike the others, Bix's eyes harboured the madness and bloodlust that had finally possessed his mind.
Bix reached back with his other hand and pulled out a small knife from his side pocket before thrusting it upwards towards Bert's chest. Luckily, Bert had been keeping his eye on the murderous badger and managed to swerve slightly out of the way. But not before the blade cut a huge hole in his sweater and lightly scraped the skin underneath his fur.
Bix was about to make a repeat performance when he felt a jagged rock slam into his hand. Bix was so startled that he instantly released his grip on the knife and shook his hand in agony. He glanced up to see Cedric holding another stone in his hand.
"Don't try anything else Bix," Cedric warned. "I don't want to kill you and you don't want to be dead."
Bix placed his other hand on Bert's sweater, and was about to say something to the aardvark, when a loud ripping sound filled the air. The hole in Bert's sweater was becoming bigger and bigger. The murderous fire in Bix's eyes turned into a look of pure terror.
Just when Bix was about to reach up and grab an undamaged area of the fabric, the shredded threads of cotton snapped away from the rest of the sweater.
The rest of the group looked on in complete horror before closing their eyes and hearing the badger's haunting screams continuing on and on.
After what seemed like hours of bloodcurdling screams, an inevitable thud echoed into the night. When the group opened their eyes and looked down, they immediately recoiled in horror.
The back of Bix's head was shattered like an egg. A steady stream of blood flowed out of his mouth. His legs were twisted at an awkward angle and his arms had seemingly been impaled by several of the stone's jagged edges. The look of horror and desperation was forever frozen on his face.
Vanessa took several deep breaths and closed her eyes. The man who had kidnapped her, tortured her, and did God knows what to her, was gone. Although she normally valued human life, and had an utter disdain for capital punishment, she couldn't help but feel relieved. Bix could never hurt her, her family or her friends ever again.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew over the cliff. Bentley and Cedric shielded their eyes from the grass and dirt blown into the air, while Vanessa briefly lost her balance. Lisa and Bert felt themselves sway violently.
"VANESSA HELP!" Lisa yelled, louder than she had ever done in her life.
Vanessa quickly regained her bearings. "Cedric! Bentley! Get behind me! Wrap your arms around each other's waists and pull like you've never pulled before!"
The two mammals wasted no time in following the avian's instructions. Cedric stepped behind Vanessa and wrapped his arms around her waist, Bentley soon followed behind Cedric. The three of them pulled with all of their might. Lisa and Bert felt themselves move up only slightly.
Lisa could feel Vanessa's grip slipping. Hot tears escaped from her eyes as she saw her nightmare, the one that had haunted her for so long, was now becoming reality.
"Vanessa!" Lisa sobbed. "I'm slipping! I don't know how much longer I can hang on! Take care of Bentley for me!"
"NO!" Vanessa screamed in desperation. "I'm not letting you go! Not...this...TIME!"
With an act that could only be described as superhuman, Vanessa wrenched Lisa and Bert up to their level. Bentley and Cedric nearly fell over at the avian's sudden power.
"Bentley! Cedric! Pull Bert up, I got Lisa!"
The two ran past Vanessa, reached down underneath Bert's arms and pulled him forward onto solid ground.
Upon they felt their feet touch the ground, the two raccoons fell back onto the grass. The entire experience had filled them with so much adrenaline; they felt as if their hearts were going to explode.
"It's okay Lisa," Vanessa soothed as she placed a feathered hand on Lisa's chest. "You're safe now. Just breathe."
"Bert!" Bentley and Cedric cried as they got down on their knees. "Are you ok?"
"I've...never...felt more...relived...in my life" Bert replied, taking several deep breaths in between.
While Cedric helped Bert to sit up, Bentley rushed over towards his sister.
"Lisa! Sis, are you okay?"
Now that her heart had slowed down considerably, Lisa sat up and smiled. "I'm alright. But most of all, I'm glad you're safe."
"Hey," Bentley spoke after a brief pause. "I just wanted to say...that was so cool the way you ran up and kicked Bix away like that! It was like something out of a kung-fu movie or something! You're the greatest sister ever!"
Lisa couldn't help but blush. "Well you know what...I also have the greatest brother ever." Lisa wrapped her arms around Bentley's small frame. "One that I thank God is still with me. I love you Bentley."
"I love you too Lisa," Bentley replied, happy tears coming out of his eyes.
"Hey, thanks for saving me back there Cedric," Bert said. "Didn't know you had it in you."
"I guess all that time playing baseball paid off," Cedric grinned sheepishly.
After breaking off from the hug, Lisa turned towards Vanessa, who by now had brought her knees up to her chest, looking dejected.
"I remembered everything Lisa."
"What?" Lisa raised an eyebrow.
"After Bix knocked us out, everything suddenly came back to me. Bix kidnapped me after my shift at the bar. He tortured me until I started to appreciate him and all his actions. I think it was probably something like Stockholm syndrome or something. But the worst thing was...I saw what a monster I'd become and...I'm so, so sorry."
Tears fell down Vanessa's cheek and her body began to shake. Lisa's eyes widened as the true horror of Vanessa's ordeal was made clear to her. She sat down next to Vanessa and wrapped her arms around her.
"Shh. It's okay Vanessa. Everything's going to be okay."
"But I tried to kill you, your family and your friends!" Vanessa cried out. "How can you even look at me the same way?"
Lisa turned Vanessa's head so that she was looking straight into her eyes. "Because the Vanessa I know would never try anything like that! Bix was the one who made you act that way, not you! The Vanessa I saw hours ago was just a shell that Bix created. But somewhere underneath that shell was the loyal, caring friend that I grew up with. And...I'm just glad that side of you managed to break through and save all of us. You're not a monster Vanessa, you're one of my best friends and nothing's going to change that."
Vanessa glanced over at Bert, Bentley and Cedric who all smiled and nodded in agreement. Vanessa felt a smile, a real, genuine one she hadn't felt in a long time, come over her face. She threw her arms around Lisa and gave her a big hug.
By now the sky had turned into a mosaic of pink and purple. The sun would soon be rising over the horizon. The gang took a moment to simply enjoy the beautiful sight, happy to know that they had been given another chance to enjoy life.
Suddenly, a low roar could be heard in the distance.
"You guys hear that?" Bert asked.
"Yeah, sounds like a helicopter," Vanessa replied as she got to her feet.
Cedric glanced to his right. "Over there!"
Off in the distance, a small red and black helicopter could be seen flying closer and closer. When the helicopter was overtop the group it stopped to hover. The large door slid open and Cyril Sneer, along with Sophia leaned out slightly.
"There they are!" Cyril shouted with glee.
"Cedric!" Sophia cried.
Just then, George, Nicole, Ralph and Melissa Raccoon poked their heads out of the helicopter.
"MOM! DAD!" Bentley and Lisa cried happily.
Ralph! Melissa!" Bert shouted.
"Pop! You came!" Cedric cried out.
"Oh thank God you're all okay!" George shouted over the sound of the helicopter. "We're going to send down some rescuers to pull you back up!"
True to his word, two rescue workers were lowered down to the top of the cliff with each of them carrying a harness.
Bert allowed Lisa, Bentley and Vanessa to be carried first. When the rescuers returned for them, Cedric turned to Bert and smiled ear to ear.
"Bert, remind me to tell Sophia that she's the greatest."
Honestly, this was probably my favorite chapter to write. :)
Well as I've mentioned before this story will be 15 chapters in total. So the next chapter will be the final one, a sort of epilogue to wrap things off.
I'm not entirely sure when I'll be able to get it up. There are some other story ideas I wanted to get out of my head and onto the page and the holiday season is on the horizon. But I'm hoping to get it up sometime in the next few months or so.
But regardless, thanks again for all your support/reviews. They really mean a lot to me and give me the inspiration to keep writing!
Peace!