XVI: Octopussy
It was yet another bright blue sky and a vast scene of endless desert. However, the horizon was interrupted by one thing. A seven-eleven, with two trucks parked by and nobody waiting for gas.
A bright blue pick up truck pulled up and rested underneath the metal canopy and four Agents hopped out of the bed.
Lilka walked to the driver and bowed to show her appreciation. The driver happened to be a young girl with long brown hair. She smiled and waved. "It's too bad we can't take you guys any further, but ol' Mr. Billy needs to get back in time for his medication."
A handicapped tall man sitting in the other seat smiled goofily at the mention of his name. "BILLAY!"
Lilka giggled. "It's no problem Merril. We can walk the rest of the way!"
"Ack! Someone help me!" Jack called as he was brought to the ground by a enormous dog that had been sitting in the truck with them.
"Rassyu! C'mon, you need to get going with your family." Marivel pulled the great big happy puppy off of Mr. VanBurace. Rassyu gave a big sloppy lick to Marivel's "pail" cheek before leaping abck into the flat bed.
"So you later." Gallows waved as the truck pulled off. Gallows then turned to the four and shrugged. "So… coffee anyone?"
** *
The four walked into the air-conditioned convenience store, letting the cool breeze blow across each of their faces and receiving odd looks from the two clerks, who (according to their name tags) were named Cheville and Nalice. Nalice was behind the hotdog rotary station, whilst Cheville manned the cash register. Besides, Lilka, Marivel, Gallows, and Jack, they were the only ones in the building.
"Hey lady." Marivel spoke up, stepping towards the hotdogs.
"It's Nalice." The blonde in a snowcap grinded her teeth.
"Yea, well get me a dog, extra bloody." Marivel snapped her fingers.
"Uh… we don't do that kind of thing." Nalice said.
"Well do it this time, kapeesh?" Marivel smiled, showing her fangs.
"I dunno, I'll have to talk to the manager." Nalice then walked out of the room via a back door.
That same door did open again not a minute later and in walked a tall, lanky fellow by the name of (according to his name tag) Datson. "The new shipment of "Jay Jay Sawada's Anthologies" are here."
Gallows eyes lit up and he dropped the bag of combos he was currently munching out of. He practically tackled Datson in an embrace of joy. "D-Did you say THE "JAY JAY SAWADA'S ANTHOLOGIES"?!
Datson reached into his apron pocket and flicked out a small book. 003 leaped off and fetched the book, instantly flipping through the pages.
"What's that Gallows? Does it have pictures?" Lilka asked, trying to see the pages.
"It's the latest compilement of Jay Jay Sawada's fan fiction! I'm so excited!" Gallows squeled.
"Ung. Fan fiction…" Marivel made a vomiting gesture.
"You're not going to read all of that here, are you?" Jack said as he munched on a doughnut.
"I can't wait! I have to read all of this now!" Gallows demanded.
"But what about the mission?" Lilka asked, concern in her green eyes.
"Don't care. Must read!" Gallows answered.
"We're going to be here a while…" Marivel sighed.
"Might as well buy some thing to drink." Jack sighed and turned to Cheville. "How much for a slurpee?"
"2.95." Cheville said, sounding rather bored.
"And how much for a night out with you?" Jack raised his eyebrows and grinned.
"Uhh… price check!" Cheville yelled and ran out the back door.
** *
That night, some 300 miles away from the Seven Eleven, outside Surf town…
A candle flickered in the desert night as two lovers gazed into each other's eyes passionately. A small, simple table had been set outside a large RV in the wilderness, and Tesla and Shalte were enjoying a vacation away from it all.
"What a wonderful night, huh?" Tesla asked his long time wife.
"Of course it is. A clear sky with all of the stars out in the dark sky. One couldn't ask for anything more romantic." Shalte replied.
"Of course there could be." Tesla ruffled his mustache in a smile. He got up out of the plastic lawn chair and picked up a box from underneath the table. He placed it atop and opened it to reveal a small turkey and empty wine glasses.
Shalte clasped her hands together, her smile growing ever larger. "Tesla, you've out done yourself again. I thought I knew you after forty years of serving you food."
"I have a few tricks up my sleeve." Tesla laughed. He discarded the box as he through it on the ground a bit of a ways away. However, what he failed to notice a rising in the sand where the box fell. "Ah, forgot the damn champagne." Tesla cursed.
"Don't worry about it dear, allow me to get it." Shalte got herself up and patted Tesla's shoulder before stepping into the RV and closing the door, using the excuse to freshen up a bit.
Tesla walked over to behind the RV, using his wife's absence as an excuse to use the restroom. Drizzle, drizzle, drizzle.
The sand pile under the discarded box vanished in an instant, and what seemed like a snake made of sand flew from the box, underneath the table, and under the RV before reaching Tesla. Before Tesla could react, the sand opened up and a high-pitched screech tore through the air. Tesla, shouting for help and tearing at the sand, was sucked under in an instant.
The RV headlights immediately turned on and Shalte opened the door on, still applying make up. "Was that you honey?" The old woman looked out at the dinner table and saw her husband absent. "Tesla?"
She stepped out of the RV and onto the sand, her heels touching the desert floor. She detected a vibration and heard an incredibly high-pitched scream. Fearing for her life, Shalte immediately leaped into the camper and locked the door. "What the hell was that?!" She cried. The screaming stopped after a few moments, as if whatever was lying under the sand had lost track of her. Still wary, Shalte checked the windows. Nothing but the night was out of her right, left, and front. Calm was coming over her. It was all just an illusion, nothing more. Shalte decided she should check behind just in case. Maybe she would find Tesla there, playing a trick on her. What a fool, playing a trick an old lady! However, it was quite different. Shalte fell down, screaming as she saw what appeared to be a bloody hand with Tesla's unmistakable watch lying in the sand. Screaming in a frenzy, Shalte rammed the keys in the ignition and started the enormous engine, which was louder than her screams could ever be.
The moment the engine came to life, the mysterious screeches came back. Shalte felt the RV shudder, as if being attacked. She shoved her foot on the gas with all of her might, but the RV went no where. Sand flew in all directions, and the RV was actually being pulled backwards. Despite all of Shalte's screaming and pressing of the gas, nothing could stop the RVs descent until nothing was left save the beams of the headlights, shooting off into the desert sky. And after a particularly loud screech, the lights went out.
** *
"Welcome to Perfection: Surf town…" Little Martina read the large bill board that stood out near the entrance to the small town. The town was really nothing more than a few wooden buildings and several rusty trailer homes sitting atop the warm sand reflecting the bright desert sun overhead. "Mom, why do they call it that?"
Miluex looked at the sign for an instant out of the mirror to their small car and shrugged. "Because it's a cozy little spot where all the people are nice and nothing ever happens…"
"I'll say… this place is so boring…" Martina mumbled.
"Don't be like that Martina." Mileux scolded. "We're back from vacation, so I want you to behave like you would anywhere else. Remember what old man Ricardo's cat did the last time you got bored?"
"It's not my fault that cats aren't good with electricity…" Martina continued to mumbled as she looked out the window. Strangely enough, there was a large gathering of people around the general store. "Wonder what's happening?"
"Well we'll find out. We have to pick up groceries." Miluex then pulled up near the bright red wooden General store and the two escaped the car and walked over. Most of the town, that being about six or seven folks, were out with Van, the local music nut, inspecting the rear end of his truck which was badly damaged.
"What's going on Gaspar?" Miluex asked the old white haired man who was also the keeper of the General store.
"Something beat up Van's truck." Gaspar answered.
"Woah…" Martina stared in awe at the damage.
"So what got your truck Van? A rock?" Brad, a large man with an incredible build, chuckled at the thought.
"Naw man, it was some kind of creature! I was driving along through the desert near Tesla's place so I could borrow an old record or two when all of a sudden, I feel something latch onto my bumper. It was a strong so of a bitch too-"
"Ahem!" Mileux looked rather angry. "Watch your language, young mister!"
Van blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry Ms. Miluex… Anyway, this monster had me going. I was pushing on the gas with a lead foot, but still going nowhere!"
"So how did you get away from it, or did it just eat you?" Dennis, a large fellow in a striped shirt, laughed.
"I took out my handgun and shot the mother fu-" Van stopped himself when receiving Miluex's dirty look. "The monster. Shot the monster square between the eyes, but the bullet reflected off the skin. He let go though, screaming real loud and stuff."
"Don't worry Van, We'll get the monster!" A young boy by the name of Tony grinned.
"In my humble opinion, we need some kind of proof." Scott, another young boy, stated.
"Proof would be nice." Gaspar nodded.
"Don't believe me huh?" Van looked around with a smirk. "Then check this out." He reached under the truck and pried loose what appeared to be an enormous tooth, of the carnivorous quality to say the least. The crowd looked on in silence.
"Well, maybe it's a good thing it got your truck. Your truck's so old, it's louder than anything in the valley." Brad suggested.
"Hah ha." Van was sarcastic. "But I need to pay for these damages, but I don't have any money…"
"I'll pay you six hundred Gella for the tooth!" Gaspar suddenly whipped out several paper bills.
"Sold!" Van smiled as he accepted the money and offered Gaspar the tooth.
"Is it a real tooth, Gaspar?" Martina asked, interested.
"This is not good! What if that thing comes into town, looking for children to eat?" Mileux was scared and clutched Martina's shoulders.
"Mom!" Martina writhed under her mother's weight.
"I wouldn't worry, it's most likely a fake tooth." Dennis shrugged. "Van here needs money for everything." Dennis then gave Van the noogie of his life.
"Still… I don't like this one bit…" Mileux shook her head as the crowd walked into the store.
** *
Not far out of town, two men were walking across the desert, doing Filgaia's favorite hobby: treasure hunting. An old man was walking around, carrying a metal detector, as a much younger man who was blonde and dressed in white robes for some reason escorted him.
"We'll strike it rich today, my boy, Malik! We'll find one of them ancient ruins and sell everything inside it. Then I can buy me a new cat!" The old man cheered happily as he walked in random circles with the machine that was constantly sending sound waves into the ground and receiving them back.
"C'mon Ricardo. Just give it up. Haven't you ever heard of living in the now?" Malik sighed. He was definitely bored.
"Where's your sense of adventure Malik? All you ever do is obsess over your late mother, rest her soul. Boy, I'll teach you everything a man should know in life. Beer, football, and treasure hunting!" Ricardo smiled, revealing his toothless gums.
"Yea yea…" Malik sighed.
"Woah!" Ricardo jumped.
"What is it Ricardo?! Did you find something?!" Malik asked, suddenly excited.
"I'll say! It's off the charts! It has to be huge!" Ricardo laughed.
"Could it be that ruin you've spent your whole life looking for?!" Malik asked eagerly.
"Now now, we should not get our hopes high. A healthy sense of skepticism never killed anyone." Ricardo warned. "It should be right here." Ricardo pointed to right below him.
"Huh, wonder why no one's ever found it before? It's not that far away from town…" Malik explained.
"That's it my boy, a healthy sense of skepticism." Ricardo nodded. "Now let's get digging."
Malik reached into the pack on his back and pulled out a shovel and placed it into the ground. However, it wasn't even a centimeter before the shovel could go no further. Malik looked to Ricardo and shrugged.
Ricardo squatted and took off the earphones for his metal detector and gently wiped some sand off the surface of whatever anomaly they were standing on.
"A license plate?" Malik asked, disgusted. "I thought you said the readings were off the charts."
"I thought so too…" Ricardo said, disappointed. As he lifted his foot, he found a bit more metal underneath it. "I think we found an entire bumper.
"Suspicious…" Malik walked a few feet and wiped away the sand. He leaped back, dearly afraid. "Ricardo?! Take a look!"
Ricardo stepped over and his eyes widened. "Oh dear lord…"
They both were standing on a windshield of an RV, and a suffocated woman lie in the seat, staring up at them.
"We got to tell somebody." Malik said quietly.
"I don't remember any sandstorms last night. The Maxwell's only left last night!" Ricardo was desperately thinking.
"I don't think you can drive into the ground like that, no matter what kind of traction you have…" Malik stated.
"You're absolutely right. Let's get back to town…" Ricardo deduced. The two took a few steps before realizing that something in the sand was following them.
"RUN!" Malik shouted. The two ran as fast as they could towards the old man's jeep, but Ricardo proved not fast enough. The sand fell away beneath him and a pair of large white teeth closed in.
Malik turned around to see an enormous white serpent with the head of a fish and large purple fins slide back into the sand. "The diobarg!"
** *
"I say we call it the "Van Monster" after moi, who discovered it." Van said as he chit chatted with Gaspar at the counter.
"That's just stupid Van." Brad said. "Call it the terror of Evans."
"After you?! You didn't even believe me at first!" Van argued.
"But it's mine now," Gaspar grinned. "The Gasparian."
"They already exist." Martina interrupted. "Try playing Wild ARMs 2."
"Martina!" Mileux scolded her daughter. "I'm terribly sorry."
Gaspar smiled and shook his head. "It's no problem ma'am. Kids will be kids."
Mileux handed Gaspar the bread and eggs as Martina wandered off to see what Tony and Scott were doing. The kids were, well, being kids as Tony was "the mystery of Surf town" and Scott was a poor innocent victim.
"RAR! I'm gonna eatcha!" Tony yelled.
"In my honest opinion, I'd prefer it if you didn't." Scott said as he was chased in circles.
Martina shook her head. They were still little boys, not preteen adolescents like herself. She walked to the window and stared out at the sheep pen across the way next to Dennis' trailer. Martina stepped back in fright, as she saw a trail of blood fly into the air as the death cries of several sheep escaped into the air. Dennis ran outside the trailer, gun in hand, only to see the last sheep disappear below the sand. Martina ran to her mother at the check out line, screaming. "SOMETHING GOT MR. DENNIS' SHEEP!"
"Martina! It isn't nice to play games like that." Mileux narrowed her soft eyes.
Dennis burst through the double swinging doors, panting for breath. "Something just ate all my sheep!"
** *
The usual crowd of Gaspar, Brad, Van, Mileux, Martina, Tony, Scott, and Dennis gathered around the chicken fence and peered in to what looked like a lions den after meal time. Blood, wool, and bones littered the sandy spot and the culprit was nowhere to be seen.
"What the hell is going on?" Brad asked, confused.
"I saw the whole thing!" Martina jumped up and down, waving her arms. After receiving everyone's attention, she calmed down. "Something came out of the ground and ate them!"
"The ground?" Gaspar asked.
"I felt something funny moving under the trailer…" Dennis put a hand to his chin.
Van looked to Gaspar. "Could it have been that monster?"
"What do we do?!" Mileux asked, desperately seeking an answer.
"Aw man…" Tony made a face as he stared at the bones. "Awesome…"
"In my humble opinion, you are one sick individual…" Scott shook his head.
"Maybe we should get Werner for this…" Gaspar rubbed his hands together.
"Let's call in the sheriff. They can handle it." Mileux suggested.
"Both good ideas." Dennis nodded.
** *
"Phones dead…" Gaspar told everyone standing in the general store.
"How can the phones be dead?! All the phones are-" Mileux started.
"Underground…" Brad finished in an eerie voice.
Van gulped. "Maybe it's just your phone, Gaspar…"
"Nah, all the phones connect into one wire that runs out to the telepath tower." Gaspar clued him in.
"We could try driving out to the next town…" Dennis thought.
"They caught Van here, and we all know how fast he drives." Brad looked to Van, who was flushed with embarrassment. "Our trucks don't stand a chance…"
"Maybe there's only one. We've only heard of this thing this morning." Mileux said, clutching Martina once more.
Suddenly the doors opened and Malik ran in, panting for breath. "IT GOT HIM! IT GOT RICARDO!"
Brad ran over and caught Malik before he fell to the ground and Gaspar fetched some water. "What happened son?" Gaspar asked.
Malik eagerly took the water and swallowed. "A monster, a Diobarg, got Ricardo, Tesla, and Shalte by dragging them underground!"
Mileux immediately set to hugging all the children and making sure that they were all right. Dennis shook his head. "Are you sure Malik?! Them geezers can't be dead!"
"I-I saw Ricardo go down with my own eyes…" Malik looked to the wooden floor.
"Shit." Brad slammed the front desk where the cash register sat. "Where the hell did these things come from?"
"I don't know… but they can hear things stepping on the ground…" Malik explained. "They have some kind of sonar…"
"How do you know this?" Van asked.
"Because I'm a scientist… it's what I do." Malik coughed.
"Great, so what do we do now?" Bras looked around.
"We get high…" Malik stated.
"Now is not the time for weed man!" Van grabbed at his curly hair. "We're all gonna die!"
"Get a hold of yourself kid! Dennis shouted. "We all need to get to the roof! Brad, you get some food, Gaspar, get some kind of shade."
The two nodded and set to work.
** *
The mid afternoon sun sat lazily in the air, radiating its horrid heat to the desert town of Surf below it. The townspeople sat below several umbrellas, not daring to speak. Below, in the dusty street, they could easily make out two Diobargs tunneling in their search for game.
Van lied down on the roof, staring at the design of an umbrella above him. "What do we do now?"
"We wait til they go away…" Mileux answered, looking out across the flat horizon.
"What if they never go away?" Martina asked, looking at her mom.
"They're not that smart, are they?" Dennis asked. "I mean they're just dumb animals."
"One would hope so…" Malik sighed while looking at the street.
"So what about Werner?" Gaspar asked.
"Ah shit. Forgot about him." Brad cursed. He looked over to Gaspar. "You think he's O.K?"
"I hope so…" Tony said as he drew on the wooden planks with a crayon.
"In my humble opinion, it would be best if we contacted him…" Scott shrugged.
Dennis looked to Van. "Where the hell did this kid come from? The Einsteins?"
"He's got a point though…" Mileux stated. "We just can't leave Werner out there by himself."
Brad stood up. "I'll get him."
"Don't go and be a hero." Malik eyed him. "Gaspar, you have that truckers radio, right?"
Gaspar nodded and then got the picture. He stood up, smiling. "Yea! Werner's always on one of those stations, trying to find that alien channel!"
"Yea! We'll just call him up!" Mileux smiled.
"Where's the radio?" Brad asked.
"It's in the store! Don't worry though, I know my store well enough to get through without being caught!" Gaspar nodded.
"Hope you know what your doing…" Brad rubbed the back of his neck.
Gaspar crawled down the emergency ladder and onto a platform that was showcasing bananas. Gaspar could easily see the radio hanging on a wall just a bit yonder. Licking his lips, he leaped from the banana platform onto a shelf. The shelf began to rock forward, much to Gaspar's dislike. The old man with the white moustache climbed it ina hurry and grabbed the radio, but not before the shelf fell to the ground, creating as much noise as humanly possible. Gaspar stood up, bewildered by the mess.
"C"MON GASPAR!" Martina and the children shouted.
"Quiet! They're attracted by noise!" Malik harshly advised the group.
Gaspar, after collecting his marbles, started for the ladder. As he stepped, a wooden floorboard behind him lifted off the ground, as did the next one, and the next one.
"How the hell did you get into my store?!" Gaspar whispered to himself.
"Don't move Gaspar!" Mileux shouted in a hoarse whisper.
Gaspar stopped in his tracks and stared at the face above him through the fire escape. He could hear the growls of a creature beneath him. "Listen, I'm going to throw you the CB Radio!" Gaspar whispered loudly.
"Don't! If it falls, they'll find you!" Dennis replied as quietly as he could.
Gaspar shook his head. "Werner's our only way out of this mess. Just do it." Much against the scared lot of faces, Gaspar threw the radio box. Brad leaned out to catch it, but only got the wire, leaving the radio to hand from his hand, and with the momentum gained from the throw, the radio banged loudly against the wall, alerting the Diobarg.
"HURRY UP GASPAR!" Van shouted.
Gaspar did just so, quickly running towards the ladder. He leaped onto an icebox, accidentally turning it on and creating a very loud noise. Gaspar cursed his luck and tried to run along his displays, but the floor erupted in a shower of splinters and dust, and a high-pitched scream and a toothy maw dragged Gaspar under the earth.
Miluex immediately covered Tony's and Martina's eyes and she weeped softly. Brad pulled the radio up as Dennis and Van tried to recover from the shock.
"Damnit…" Brad whispered.
** *
"Werner! Werner Maxwell! Come in!" Dennis' voice ran in through the static on Wenrer's radio. Werner was in his basement, shoving as many shells as he could into what appeared to be a blue barrel. Surprised for a moment, the broad hated coat wearing man reached for the receiver. "Werner here, who's this?"
"This is Dennis! Listen, there's some real strange shit going on! These monsters are under the ground, attacking people! They already got Gaspar, Ricardo, Tesla, and Shalte!"
"What the hell are you talking about?! What monsters?!" Werner asked, confused.
"Gimme that!" Malik's voice could be heard before he took over the radio. "Listen Werner, you have to get off the ground! These monsters detect vibrations through the earth. We're all on top of Gaspar's store! Get off the ground!"
Werner chuckled. "Look, my basement is surrounded by three feet of concrete, there is no way in hell that any thing could get through there." Werner looked to the wall in which his gun rack was mounted. Huge rifles of every type rested in place and shelves and shelves of bullets sat underneath.
"Look Werner! Be serious! Just get over here right away, and try not to make any sound!" Malik advised.
Werner flipped the switch on the blue barrel, creating an enormously loud churning noise. "What, I can't hear you!"
"WERNER!" Malik shouted.
Unexpectedly, the gun racks fell off the wall as something big struck the wall on the other side. Werner stopped fiddling with the barrel and stared at the wall. "The hell?"
The fore struck again, and several cracks formed in the concrete wall. Werner slowly grabbed the elephant gun lying on the floor and loaded it with the most powerful type of bullet he could find. Malik's voice came threw again. "WERNER! GET OUT OF THERE!"
A white face dirtied by soil broke through the wall, screaming in a high-pitched cry. Werner was immediate to fired upon it, wincing, as the sounds of the gun were hideously loud. The Diobarg grunted in pain as the bullets penetrated the gleaming scales, but still pulled forward, trying to ensnare Werner in its jaws. Werner continued to fire until he ran out of bullets, reloading would take too much time, so he grabbed another rifle and set fire, relieving the gun of its only bullets, and picking up another rifle. Four rifles went through this process before the monster finally fell to the ground, its head shattered in a hundred places, dead.
Werner stepped back against the radio, chest heaving. He grabbed the radio. "I'll be right over!"
** *
Evening was drawing on as Werner finally arrived at the General store in his humvee, loaded with every weapon imaginable. Opening the door, Werner fired behind him, striking a moving sand pile and scaring it away for the moment. He looked up to see many happy faces. "I bring tidings of joy and good will towards men."
"Whatever Santa Clause. Just get up here." Brad smiled.
And so, using a human ladder of the men, Werner was able to get up to the top of the store with several rifles, which he generously handed to Dennis, Malik, and Brad.
"Well, where's mine?" Mileux asked, scorn in her voice.
"Well uh, you see, you're a woman, and I didn't think you'd want anything more powerful than, uh, this?" Werner meekly presented her with a small handgun. Saying nothing, Mileux reached behind him and grabbed an elephant gun. Sighing, Werner turned to the much too eager Van and handed him the handgun.
"Hey, this isn't fair!" Van complained.
"When you grow up, you'll find life's not fair." Werner nodded.
Brad aimed his along the ground. "So, what do we do now?"
"Since we have guns, we can make it to the next town, right?" Martina asked.
"Sorry, not enough bullets, for that." Werner explained. "These bastards take a lot of bullets before they die."
"Well how many of them are there?" Dennis asked.
"I calculate about two more." Malik explained. "They're large predators, so they're can only be so many in such a small place…"
"Still, it is awfully dangerous…" Mileux said.
"But what if they attack at night while we're asleep?!" Tony asked, scared.
"In my humble opinion, someone should be guard." Scott advised.
"Goes without saying kid." Werner adjusted a rifle to meet his standards. "But we can't stay here forever…"
"Goes without saying Werner." Brad stated. "I'll be first watch. Maybe it would be best if we slept on this."
"How can we sleep like this?!" Martina asked. "We could be eaten any minute!:
"Shhh! Don't talk like that honey. Just think of other things…" Mileux said, hugging her daughter.
"Right, well, I'll be on watch too…" Werner said as the others tried to get to sleep.
** *
Dawn came with a jolt. The townsfolk of Surf awoke with a great shake. Werner fired into the sand, but nothing seems to be stopping the shaking.
"What's going on?!" Tony cried aloud.
"They finally developed a brain and figured out where we were!" Malik said, aiming alongside Werner.
"Are they trying to bring the store down?!" Van shouted.
"If you want some fruit, break the tree, right Malik?" Bras asked.
"Exactly." Malik answered.
"The damn things got my tires." Werner cursed. The humvees tires had gone flat, as great teeth marks were clearly visible.
"We have to get out of here!" Miluex stated.
"But where!?" Dennis gasped.
"There!" Scott pointed out a large bulldozer. "We can get there!… In my humble opinion."
"The kids right." Brad said. "We can drive that thing to the next town. It must weigh a good ten tons."
Werner took a glance at it. It was across the street and beyond a trailer. "We'd never make it."
"We have to take a chance! If we don't we'll die here!" Dennis argued.
"I don't wanna die man!" Van bit his lip. "I don't wanna die!"
"No ones going to die!" Mileux shouted. "We just need someone to go get the bulldozer!"
"I'll go!" Brad volunteered.
"Me too!" Dennis stood up as well.
"We'll give you cover!" Werner said.
"Brad, Dennis, you sure?" Malik looked at them.
Brad nodded. "For the children.
"Yea." Dennis nodded as well.
** *
Brad leaped to the Humvee's silver top, causing the thing to wobble under his weight. Dennis joined him, causing the truck to send more vibrations through the ground. Not ten feet away and they were already attracting the Diobargs.
"If we go together, we'll both get caught. You go one way and I'll go another!" Brad decided.
Dennis nodded as they both leaped to the ground and started running full tilt. Dennis to the left and Brad to the right. The screams of the monsters were clearly identifiable as they took off, a purple fin rising out of the sand on the larger one.
"Werner! Fire!" Van shouted.
"I'm aiming damnit!" Werner spat as he fired.
Brad leaped over a barbwire fence just as the bullet struck the Diobarg chasing him, causing the monster to deter for a moment.
Mileux fired a bullet at the large one heading for Dennis, but nothing seemed to shake it off the striped man's tail. Van fired all of his bullets at the ground, not hitting anything. Tony and Martina couldn't stand to watch as Scott kept an analytical eye out on the situation.
"Left." Scott whispered to himself.
Brad rolled through some construction pipe before climbing aboard the bulldozer. "Dennis! C'mon!"
Dennis was only a few feet away when an enormous mouth broke from the sand and clamped onto his legs. Dennis shrieked in pain. Werner and the townsfolk fired upon the beast, causing it to pull faster at Dennis. Brad reached out to grab Dennis's hand, but just couldn't reach. With one last cry of pain, the Diobarg dived underground, bringing Dennis with it.
** *
The bulldozer proved too heavy for the remaining Diobarg. Despite it's many attempts to drag it into the ground, the machine would just continue to slowly pull through until it reach the storefront. Sadden but wary, the citizens of Surf made their way onto the thing as Werner fired upon the Diobarg's attempts to devour it. Werner was the last one on.
"They got Dennis too. Game over man! Game over!" Van said through his tear stained cheeks.
"We have to pull through." Miluex stated. "Dennis wouldn't want us to die here because we were too busy mourning for him."
Martina was proud of her mother. She was really keeping it together, like a real hero would. "That's my mom."
"At this rate, we'll be lucky to get to the next town in a week." Brad sighed.
"And I don't think the monsters are going to allow for that." Malik thought.
"We've got enough bullets to kill of off one." Werner said. If we're lucky."
"Then where to?" Tony asked, somewhat afraid to know.
"In my humble opinion, the large rocks outside town would be a good idea…" Scott said quietly.
"From there we'll stand a chance." Malik advised. "They can't burrow through solid rock."
Suddenly, the Diobarg unearthed itself, screaming. The children screamed as Van, Brad, Malik, Mileux, and Werner all fired there last bullets into it's gaping jaws. The huge, bubble like black eyes closed as the creature fell before the bulldozer. Knowingly, they all looked to each other. Guns would only slow them down without bullets, and so, the guns fell to the ground and the bulldozer crushed the head of the mighty beast.
"Only one left…" Werner said.
"Things are looking up…" Mileux said, trying to be optimistic.
"No food, no water, 300 miles, and no weaponry is hardly what I call looking up…" Malik sighed.
"…" Brad looked behind him to see a purple fin rise through the sand.
** *
About mid day, the bulldozer reached the flat rocks in the desert landscape. Enormous clusters of worn down smooth rock. The bulldozer stopped as the eight remaining villagers boarded the stones, their final refuge.
"Well, what now?" Brad asked as he looked about. The purple fin was following them still, and now was circling the rocks, trying to find its prey.
"We could stay here till it gives up." Mileux suggested.
"We'll be more likely to die of dehydration before that happens…" Malik said as he watched the sun.
"I've got one last card up my sleeve." Werner said, looking to the unhappy group. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a stick of dynamite.
Happiness in the form of hope was restored to the seven other faces. Martina giggled. "So all we have to do is get him to eat the dynamite?!"
"Sounds easy enough!" Tony and Scott said.
"Dynamite doesn't make enough noise if you just throw it." Malik said. "Someone would have to go out there and stomp around.
Malik, Werner, and Miluex sighed. Brad smirked. "I'll do it again. Lady luck seems to favor me today."
"That's not fair, we can't ask that of you." Mileux apologized.
"Hey, if someone doesn't, then we're all stuck here." Brad grabbed the stick. "This the only one?"
"Yea, so make it count." Werner said, tipping his hat to him.
Brad gulped and felt the collar around his neck, Geas. He narrowed his eyes and ran off the rocks and into the sand, shouting as loud as he could while lighting the dynamite. "HERE MONSTER MONSTER MONSTER! HERE MONSTER MONSTER!"
This immediately attracted the attention of the fin. The villagers stood up, holding hands in hope for their comrade. Brad continued to run. He didn't know why, but for some reason, the lighted fuse in his hand told him to run far away of the rocks. The fin grew as the Diobarg came out of the sand, revealing it's ugly fish like face and enormous teeth. The fuse wouldn't last much longer, so Brad stopped.
"You fool! You've run too far ahead!" Werner shouted.
The dynamite stick exploded in a fiery rage, sending sand flying in to the sky. But the Diobarg stopped before running into the flames and blinked its huge black eyes. A great vibration had occurred here, but now nothing but the fire remained. The Diobarg sank back into the sand and the fin turned for the rocks.
"Damnit!" Malik shouted.
"Brad…" Mileux looked on at the fire.
"Was that it?" Martina asked through sobs.
"Mr. Evans…" Tony looked at the ground.
"Werner narrowed his eyes and looked up. "How far are the Fiery Wreckage cliffs?"
"I'm doing this one." Malik said, interrupting his thought.
"Hell you are?! I'm killing this one!" Werner argued.
"No! Both of you can't go! You'll never make it to the cliffs!" Mileux objected.
"What are they talking about?!" Martina, Scott, and Tony were confused.
"GO!" Werner and Malik shouted. The fin turned from the fire towards the new source of vibrations, running feet.
Malik and Werner were running parallel to each other, trying to outrace the other towards the edge of the cliff, which was approaching.
"You didn't have to give up your life Werner, you've already done enough!" Malik said through breaths.
"Who says I'm going to die!" Werner replied. "You could have stayed and watched over Ms. Mileux!"
The approaching fun cut their conversation. The cliff was coming up and the creature was getting closer. The stopped as quick as they could coming millimeters from the end and pushed off each other, making way for the fin that ran right through and out of the cliff, sailing through the air. The glimmering ivory coils of the enormous serpent reflected in the sun that would make any fish jealous. A hint of beauty before death, as the Serpent was killed instantly upon hitting the rocks at the bottom.
Miluex, Martina, Tony and Scott stood up and cheered with all of their might, running out to embrace their heroes. Werner looked to Malik, who smiled back. "That was some crazy shit."
"Sure was…" Malik smiled.
But just as the eight embraced upon the cliff's edge, four agents appeared in the desert.
"Um, excuse me, but uh, some guys told us about a rocket ship around here…?" Gallows began but trailed off as they saw the battered, bruised, and victorious remnants of Perfection: Surf town.
** *
"Hey, what kind of chapter was this? We were in it for three seconds." Jack moaned as the four sat on the rock as they waited for the eight villagers to recover. "And it was called Octopussy and there were no vaginal jokes!"
"Maybe that's a good thing…" Lilka thought.
"It is a good thing." Marivel finished.
Gallows smiled "Oh I've got tons of them. O.K, so there's this bar…"