Chapter 9
Beowulf
Beowulf stood at the edge of the rocky cliff overlooking the raging river below. Behind him, tied up, were Jack's boys. He had called the entire island of Spauldingopolis to watch this.
"It seems I do not have your allegiance yet!" Beowulf said. "Have I not proven myself to be your leader? Has not your Lord and Savior choose me above all others? And yet you continue to go against my rule!"
He gestured to the boys behind him. "I called you here today to witness the executions of these infidels. They will be made a lesson of." He grabbed one boy, a scrawny one of ten or so, and held him above him. "God's justice is merciful and swift." And with that, he threw the boy screaming over the edge.
The crowd gasped. A baby from the audience began to cry.
Someone threw a rock at Beowulf from the audience. "You goddam piece of crap! You phony!" The rock bounced off Beowulf's head.
"Who did that?" Beowulf demanded. He meant sound menacing and intimidating, but instead it came out sounding shrill and whining. "Who did that? Come out and answer for your sins!"
Beowulf ran into the crowd and began shoving people to find the culprit. He didn't notice Jack sneak in behind him and begin to untie the ropes that imprisoned his friends.
An old lady hit Beowulf on the head with her cane. "Shame on you!"
"Foul wretch!" Beowulf screamed. He grabbed her and snapped her neck with his hands. She fell to the ground, her head lying askew.
Beowulf pushed through the crowd some more and turned around. The boys were missing. He had been set up. (Iago had paid the boy that lived next to Scout to start a riot.) He had been humiliated. The crowd began laughing.
Jack and Iago ran out of their hiding spots. Beowulf was so frenzied with rage he didn't notice them. That is, until Jack jammed his spear right into Beowulf's leg. It went in one side and came out the other. Beowulf screeched in pain. He grabbed it, but all he did was succeed in snapping off a small half of it and burrowing the other part deeper in.
"You're going to pay for your sin." Beowulf snarled. He grabbed Jack and held him close as if trying to hug him.
"No!" Iago cried.
There were no final words for Jack Merridew, no poignant soliloquies. Just a bitter crack as Beowulf snapped his back. Beowulf dropped him on the ground with a sickening thud.
"You monster." Iago snarled. "You filthy, disgusting monster."
Beowulf turned around. "I am no monster." He said, sounding offended. "I am the right hand of the Lord. I carry out His will."
Before Iago could move or unsheathe his sword, Beowulf grabbed him and held him high over his head. Then he threw him over the cliff.
Beowulf turned around. He limped on account of Jack's spear wedged deep inside his leg. "You see?" He said. "You all plot against me, yet it is still not enough."
The trees tore open. Beowulf turned around. His eyes widened in surprise. "You." He whispered.
"Me." Grendel agreed.