Chapter 19: The Edge of Tartarus
Daze struggled with Jack to carry Holly's body back to the door they had entered through and out into the open.
"You sure the rest of the locust are dead?" Daze asked Clara over the radio.
"Pretty sure," Her voice came back through the earpiece, "And I have you covered if any decide to pop up."
"Thanks." Daze looked down at Holly's body as he and Jack carried her carefully towards the door. A wave of guilt flooded over him as he watched her pale face gently bob up and down.
Why? Daze thought to himself, Why did it have to happen? Why couldn't we have gotten lucky? Why did someone have to die!
Jet came running from the house with a worried look on his face.
"Sis!" He shouted as he ran up and grabbed her hand, "Sis? Tell me you're alive!"
Jet looked up despondently into Jack's eyes. Jack merely nodded and let out a large sigh. Daze noticed the extremely worn look that was already taking over his features.
Susan came running out of the house and pulled up next to Daze. Jet pushed in and took his sister from Daze's arms. Jordan came out and relieved Jack as they neared the house.
"Daze," Susan said quietly, "We have the mattress set up downstairs, but we need to get everyone down there."
"Why?"
"The Brumak is almost here," She looked out towards the strip mall as if trying to see through it, "and Daze, it's the same one."
"How?" Daze asked incredulously, "How did it survive?"
"Clara seems to think that the explosion might have worked to cauterize the wound," Susan looked at Daze's angered expression and placed a hand on his arm, "Don't try it Daze, the best thing we can do is hide out where it can't reach."
"And what if it destroys the whole orphanage?" Daze asked with a slight edge to his voice, "What if the monster brings the whole thing down on our heads?"
"What if it doesn't?" Susan asked calmly, "We can always relocate."
"Not with Holly the way she is!" Daze tried to calm his voice as the others made their way into the house and down the steps, "We're here for tonight for sure, so what if the Brumak destroys the generator? What then?"
"But Daze!" Susan pulled him aside and held him firmly by the shoulders, "We can't risk loosing anybody else. We might as well die together then survive broken."
"She's not dead yet." Daze looked sullen as he pushed past Susan and walked into the house. "Why don't you, Jordan, Clara and Justin get out of here and I'll stay with Holly."
"No!" Susan called vehemently from behind him, "We wont abandon you!"
"I'm not asking you to abandon me!" Daze exclaimed, "I'm telling you to go live happy lives! To do what you can and take comfort in each other!"
"Thank you Daze," Susan said resolve firm in her voice, "But we won't do it."
"Then you know why I have to try something." Daze looked out the door as the Brumak's roar echoed through the streets.
Susan sighed as she walked down the stairs. She turned back and looked at Daze, "We'll help how we can."
"Thank you." Daze turned toward the stairs and ascended two at a time. He broke out onto the roof and saw Clara sighting down her scope at the Brumak in the distance.
"It's gonna be here soon Daze," She said without taking her eye from the scope, "Is everyone downstairs?"
"More or less, but they're just helping with Holly." Daze walked to the edge and gazed at the huge locust.
"Will she be okay?" Clara pulled her eye from the scope and looked up at Daze.
Daze tried to look emotionless and strong, but when he looked into Clara's soft, loving eyes he sighed and his face contorted into a look of sorrow. "No, probably not."
"Oh," Clara leaned her rifle against the wall and gave Daze a hug, "It'll be okay."
"We can only hope so." Daze turned and walked back to the door that led downstairs, "Is there anyway of taking out that cannon on it's back?"
"There should be," Clara said as she looked down her scope again, "The tank shot loosened it, a couple of boomshot rounds might be enough to put it out of commission."
"I'll get Jack and Susan up here to try and take it out."
Daze heard a distant boom, then a massive explosion shook the orphanage.
"What was that?" He shouted as a ball of flame and smoke rose into the sky.
"It just fired at us!" Clara fired a shot from her rifle then reloaded quickly, "The cannon is loose so it's aim must be off, it still destroyed one of the houses though! Hurry up!"
Daze ran down the stairs and was met by Susan.
"Is Holly taken care of?" Daze asked.
"Yes, now what are we doing?" Susan waited, boomshot in hand.
"Head up to the roof and try and take out the heavy cannon," Daze started running down the stairs again, "I'll get Jack to help you!"
Daze ran to the stairway that led down into the basement. "Jack! I need you're help. We got a Brumak to kill!"
Jack came bounding up the steps.
"Head up stairs and wait till the right moment. Try and take out anything that's holding the cannon on it's back."
"Got it!" Jack said as he ran up the steps.
Daze hurried down the stairs and into the basement.
"Is she alright?" He asked as he walked up to the mattress.
"As alright as she's ever gonna be tonight." Justin rose from the wooden crate he was seated on and walked to Daze and laid a hand on his shoulder.
Daze looked at her, lying on her back, face calm yet deathly white. "Did you stop the bleeding?"
"Susan did," Justin looked his friend in the eye and tried to comfort him, "She told me not to disturb her unless we had to run, otherwise the bleeding might start up again."
Daze gave a final look to the motionless form on the mattress and walked to the stairs.
He turned and dashed up the steps as fast as he could.
"Daze!" Susan's voice rang out from the third floor.
Daze stopped and ran back down the stairs then over to where Susan and the others were waiting. Even Clara had come down from her lookout.
"What's going on?" Daze asked.
"We're going to wait till it gets close enough then try and take out the cannon." Susan told him as he walked up.
They were all gathered in Daze and the other guys old room. Dust fell from the ceiling as the house shook with the heavy steps of the approaching locust. Clara was waiting at one of the windows with Jack. The shutters were closed but they could still see through the cracks between the slats.
"Where is Jet?" Daze asked looking around the room.
"I think he said he was on the second floor somewhere," Jack said, looking from the window, "said he had a surprise."
"Hope it's good." Daze said as he watched the closed windows.
"Shh!" Clara whispered as the orphanage ceased to shake. "It's here!"
Daze waited in silence. Susan moved to the unoccupied window and peeked out through an opening.
"Clara!" Daze whispered to her as she retreated from the window, "Hand me your knife!"
Clara immediately slipped the sheath from her back and handed it to Daze, a questioning look in her eye.
Daze brushed her question aside with a shake of his head and secured the knife on his belt.
"Now!" Jack shouted as he kicked the shutter away and fired the boomshot at the locust. Susan followed his lead and also fired a shot.
Jack's rocket had been aimed for the cannon itself, and now it exploded sending pieces of metal and flesh flying. Susan had aimed for the large harness on the locust's torso and the explosion ripped apart the leather and metal bindings so that the only thing holding the cannon was a single, large chain. The cannon swung loosely, though it still held on.
"Look out!" Susan screamed as the Brumak brought it's arm mounted machinegun swinging across the house, tearing through the wall and sending wood onto the teens.
"Follow me!" Daze shouted as he ran to the steps. The others jumped up to follow when they heard a wild yell from just below them.
"Suck on this ugly!" Jet shouted as a the sound of a heavy machinegun roared to life. Daze jumped down the stairs and turned the corner to see Jet firing the Boomer's chain gun at the Brumak.
"Jet!" Daze shouted, "Let's go!"
"One second!" Jet yelled as he swung the gun back and forth, "Ha ha! Yes!"
Daze heard a clanking noise and then a thud as the cannon fell off the locust's back.
"Oh crap!" Jet yelled and jumped back from the gun just as the Brumak's huge arm crashed through the wall and ripped the machinegun away. "Okay let's go!"
"Daze!" Clara hopped out of the stairway and pulled at his arm as Jet rushed past, "The others are already down, lets go!"
"Get down there!" Daze shouted as he took off running for the opening left by the locust. He pulled off his carbine and his lancer and tossed them aside.
"Daze!" Clara shrieked in alarm, "You'll get yourself killed!"
"I'll be fine, now go!"
Daze secured his revolver then drew both knives as he took a running leap for the Brumak's body.
The knives bit deep into the Brumak as Daze slid down it's back. The Brumak let out a roar of pain and spun around to see what had attacked it.
Daze struggled to hold on as the great beast turned. It finally stopped and Daze was able readjust his grip. He pulled one knife out of it's back and stabbed it up higher as he struggled to climb up the locust's back.
It roared again and turned it's back to the house. Daze looked over his shoulder and saw the house come rushing to meet him. He jerked the knives out of the locust's flesh and fell to the ground. He heard a crash of glass and wood as he landed and rolled away from the falling debris…right into the Brumak's gaze.
Lying still on the ground, Daze slowly sheathed his knife and drew his revolver. The beast stared at him. The right half of it's mask had been blown away by Dio's shot from the tank revealing thick, fleshy skin and a small beady eye. Suddenly the Brumak roared and raised a giant foot into the air. Daze rolled over twice and aimed his pistol at the Brumak's face. He fired three shots at the beast as it's foot came crashing down next to him and saw them dent the surface of it's large metal mask. He fired one last shot as he scrambled to his feet and made a break from the monster.
It roared in pain as it's fist slammed into the ground where Daze had just been. He turned to look at it and saw with delight that the last bullet had shattered the orange glass shield in front if it's eye and that blood was now pouring from the hole in the mask.
He stopped to fire another shot but thought better of it as the Brumak's wrist machinegun roared to life. Daze ran towards the strip mall, weaving back and forth. He dove into it as bullets shattered brick and stone around him.
"Daze!" Clara's frantic voice came through the earpiece, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Daze panted heavily, "But I could use some help, all we have to do is take out it's eyes!"
"We're kinda out of commission right now Daze, there was a cave in on the steps. We can't even get upstairs."
"Aw crap!" Daze sighed, "Well I'll tell you when its…"
Daze heard the Brumak roar right behind him and jumped forward as it's huge arm came crashing through the building. The Brumak looked down through the hole and roared as if in defiance of him.
Daze secured his pistol and grabbed his knife from his belt. He ran at the beast and jumped for it's arm as it raised the machinegun and fired.
Daze stabbed into the Brumak's arm and hung on as it jerked it's arm out of the building and back into the sunlight. He raised Clara's diamond tipped knife and stabbed it into the gun. It punctured the metal but did nothing to stop the roar of the gun. He looked for any kind of clasp or strap or chain that might hold the gun on it's arm. Suddenly the locust shook its arm and Daze slipped from on top of it and frantically stabbed Clara's knife in the other side of it's arm for more grip.
Then he saw it.
Underneath the arm was a large metal plate that was strapped to the gun tightly with a thick, leather-like hide. Daze swung his legs up around the arm and held on as he pulled Clara's knife out of it's arm and thrust it up into the leather. He pulled it out and stabbed it in again as the Brumak raised it's arm along with Daze and swung it down towards the ground. Suddenly the leather snapped and the gun went sailing through the air. It broke the chains that helped to hold it and shattered into the ground
Daze jammed Clara's knife back into it and held on for dear life. The Brumak stopped swinging it's arm around randomly and swung it straight back into it's body. Daze pulled the knives out and fell from the locust just as it's arm impacted. He tried to get his legs under him but was unable and slammed into the ground, shoulder first.
Daze gasped trying to get the air back in his lungs when a grip of steel closed around his legs. He stabbed Clara's knife into the concrete in desperation but had to let go as the Brumak picked him up and swung him around.
Daze could feel the blood rushing to his head when suddenly he was free, sailing through the air with nothing holding him.
He looked up and saw the orphanage flying towards him in time to curl into a ball and brace his body for the impact.
Daze heard a sickly cracking noise among the shattering glass as he sailed through a window and landed against the opposite wall and fell down onto a bed, Justin's bed. He laid there, ears ringing with world seeming to spin around him. His shoulder ached and so did his back as well as the numerous places on his arms and legs where the glass had cut him. Daze groaned and checked his bones for any breaks.
None. He was lucky.
Daze looked out the window he had just entered through and saw the Brumak approaching.
"Can't you just go away?" Daze groaned.
The house shook as the Brumak crashed into it with it's shoulder.
Daze fell out of the bed and hobbled towards the stairs. He made his way up them slowly and finally found the door that led to the roof.
Daze shook off the lethargy that was dragging at his limbs and walked to the side of the roof. Even though the orphanage was large, the top of the Brumak's head peaked over the railing's edge. He pulled out his pistol and fired at the Brumak.
It roared with rage as it looked and found Daze standing there, knife in one hand and pistol in the other, staring straight back at it with a look of resolve and defiance in his eye.
Daze backed up as it swung it's arm for him, crashing through the railing and tearing a large gap in the roof.
The Brumak stood and growled. It watched Daze with it's small, savage eye and waited for him to make his move.
Daze backed up a little further then stopped. He hesitated a split-second then ran straight for the edge.
The Brumak opened it's huge maw and roared as Daze leapt from the roof and flew through the air towards it. He sailed just over it's head and caught his knife in the exposed flesh of it's forehead. He swung around behind it's head, stuck the pistol's barrel against the back of it's neck and started to squeeze the trigger. Suddenly the Brumak dipped it's head and brushed Daze with it's arm as it tried to knock him off.
Daze slipped from it's neck and swung around in front of it's head, dangling by his left arm just above the razor sharp teeth. The mouth snapped as it tried to get at his legs. Daze stuck one leg against it's nostrils and the other against the cheek bone as he steadied himself with the knife and looked the Brumak in the eye.
"I want Dio back you son of a Btch!" Daze muttered bitterly as he drew back his right arm and, with all his might, punched the barrel of his fathers revolver through the Brumak's eye socket, "Now go to Hell."
Daze pulled the trigger.
He watched and listened as the roar of the pistol put an end to the monsters life. Daze withdrew the knife and leapt from the beast's face through the hole in the wall and landed on the floor. He turned and watched as the Brumak stumbled backwards and went crashing to the ground.
Daze leaned back against the wall and sighed.
After retrieving his weapons Daze descended the steps and walked around the orphanage to an odd slope in the ground leading down to a door. The driveway came up to the front of the orphanage and split to make a circle so a person could drive around and not have to back up. But at one point the driveway split off and ran around to the side of the orphanage and then down below the main level to a sort of basement Garage.
Daze walked up to the small garage door and knocked. It was immediately opened by Justin and Clara, who rushed out to hug him.
"Are you okay?" She said as she frantically searched him for any wounds, "How did you do that? How did you kill a Brumak with a pistol? It is dead right?"
"Yeah, and I don't really know how I killed it." Daze said confusedly as he stumbled into the entrance of the garage and sat down. "How is Holly?"
"Same," Justin said as he squatted down next to Daze and gave him a rub on the shoulder, "Which is better than worse."
"Yeah," Daze looked dejected, "But I'd really like some good news right about now."
There was a whizzing noise and a thud in the house above them. Daze looked up and saw a strange metal arrow sticking from the side of the house. He lazily rolled backwards into the garage as it exploded.
"Well Frick!" Daze sighed as he looked away in the distance. "Reavers."
His face was enveloped in shadow as Clara and Justin scrambled to close the door.