Fire And Blood: final 2 chapters. (Long) (527 hits)
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Submitted by Grin (View user info) at 2005-02-04 13:52:30 EST
Chapter Five: An Interlude
Grin cursed his rotten luck. He had made a date with Candice after his performance this evening, and couldn't think of an excuse for his burnt hand. Worse yet, some psycho KKK member who claims to have made a pact with the Devil was still on the loose. Grin got lucky by stumbling across him at the University, but doubted that luck would happen again.
"Wish I had some kind of crazy comic author with a knack for willing suspension of disbelief." He joked as he got dressed for the club. He decided to wear his costume under his street clothes, even if it did get warm under the spotlight. He tucked his mask and staff into a pocket, ready for anything in case he ran into trouble. Grabbing his jacket and car keys, he set out the door to head to the club.
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Candice was still reeling from her night with Roger. He had some baggage to be sure, as he admitted when he opened up to her after a few too many drinks, but with some gentle coaxing she was sure she could bring him out of it. Aside from his sensitive side, looks, and sense of humor, there was a certain something about Roger that made Candice like him. It was too soon to get all that attached, sure, but she definitely sensed chemistry. Almost as if they were kindred spirits.
She snapped out of her little daydream and continued dressing, wearing similar clothes to the night before. The club where she worked was closed for renovations, so she had a few nights off. Dressing in a red blouse, jeans, and her trusty leather jacket, she applied just a little foundation and decided to let her hair down. Winking and smiling to herself, she set out the door to meet Roger at the club.
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Cletus was fuming, literally and figuratively. He had picked up a setback with the demon once more pursuing him. His hellfire seemed to damage the unholy creation, but it was still an obstacle in his path of righteousness. he had to eliminate it before he carried on. He decided it was best to lure the demon out into the open. Surely he would come to the aid of any blasphemer he chose to attack, and then he would have him.
"At least that demon ain't affiliated with those misguided fools in The Guildsmen." He drawled. "A magic wielding Negro, a kid with bug powers, even some kind of crazy girl and a man who claims there's other worlds out there and not Heaven." He shook his head at the blasphemy of those sinners. Couldn't that Yankee hero see how un-American they were behaving? He corrected himself when he realized that National Guard was, in fact, a Yankee, and therefore foolish and blind.
"Concentrate on the Demon, Cletus," he reminded himself, "ya ain't powerful enough to take them on yet."
************************************************************
"This is garbage!" Benjamin Miller remarked, slapping the artists rendering down on the desk. "I'm not having this in my article!"
Steve Maday, editor in chief of the Crown City Herald shook his head. "We don't have an actual picture, Ben. It's this or nothing."
Ben balled his hands into fists. "Where in any of the reports does it say he has three heads and wings?" He gestured at the artists rendering again, depicting a smiling monster that did, in fact, have three heads and wings, in addition to heat vision and a tail.
"I know they went overboard, Ben," The Editor retorted, trying to remain calm, "but there are no photos of the Grinning Ghoul. Besides, it sells papers."
"Why do we even call him 'the Grinning Ghoul'? The reports say he just leaves a card that says 'Grin'! We should call him Grin!"
"'Grin' doesn't sell papers!" Steve shot back, almost losing his cool. He collected himself and eased back into his chair. "I'll allow you to hold off on publishing the article," he continued, running a finger through the extremely sparse hair on his head, "IF you get me a picture or a coherent interview by the end of the week."
The chubby young reporter's eyes went wide open and his jaw dropped. "But that's just three days away!"
"Look, Ben!" Steve shouted, rearing to his full six foot seven and slamming his meaty hands on the desk, "You may be my star reporter, but you're skating on thin ice right now. If you don't want us to print that picture, you get me a real one and/or a decent interview. End of story!"
Ben walked out of the office without another word, his normally flush face going redder than usual. "You'll get a photo, Steve," He rasped, "mark my words."
*************************************************************
Name's Alicia, cheerleader in high school, sings jazz (that might be fun), strict Catholic upbringing, only surviving relatives are her mother and younger brother
Jimmy smirked as the model's memory was wiped clean and restructured. A snap of his fingers and she was out on the streets. He turned to the associate in the corner.
"You say you can bring this guy down?"
"I know I can." The young man replied in a Dutch accent, twirling his long blonde hair and stretching a boney claw from the finger of her other hand to the floor. "You know my expenses."
"Yes." Jimmy replied, barely acknowledging the question. "$50,000 up-front and again after. Anything else?"
"His heart."
Jimmy snapped to curious attention. "What for?"
"Dinner."
Jimmy laughed and gestured to one of his men, a young Native fellow with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. "Pleasure doing business with you, Johnny Ripp." Jimmy Thirdleg remarked.
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Chapter Six: Imposter.
Later that evening, as Roger was finishing up his act, Candice sat with the other comics and learned some pretty interesting things indeed about her new love interest.
"Hell of a guy," C-Money said, "kicked out some bigoted cracker one night that was dissing me 'cause I'm black. Nice enough to make sure he threw him in the compost where it's soft."
"Yeah," Louie continued, "and he does charity work after the show."
"Oh that's wonderful!" Candice smiled. "Did he say what kind?"
"Not sure," Lance answered, "he likes his privacy. All we know is that it keeps him up late."
Candice pondered what kind of charity could possibly keep Roger up that late as he approached. A smile on his face and bandages on his fingers.
"Ready to go, cute stuff?"
"Sure," Candice replied, putting her trusty leather jacket back on her, "what happened to your hand?"
Roger's mind raced for an answer. "Spilled coffee."
"Quite a spill."
"It was a Mocha-Late Double Grande. Shall we?"
Candice laughed and gently grabbed his hand as they left the club.
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Meanwhile, in the same neighborhood, a lone figure was skulking across rooftops, swinging a quarterstaff like a baseball bat. He was clad in red, with a leering golden face, and an ass with it's own congressman.
The man in the mask panted. "How the hell does he breath in this thing?" Benjamin Miller pulled off his mask to breath more clearly. The camera he had set up clicked just then.
"Damn!" He cursed. He'd been trying all night to get a decent shot of himself dressed as Grin, and no luck so far. He set the timer once more, realizing he had only two shots left, and set up for another action shot.
As he set up to do another action sequence, attempting to do a high kick he saw once in a Jackie Chan movie, this time without falling, he saw before he heard the explosion of the building down the street. He stood there, jaw gaping under his crudely made mask, and the camera clicked once more.
"Damn!"
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"So what kind of charity work do you do?"
Roger froze. "Pardon?"
Candice laughed. "Your friends say you do charity work at night."
"Oh, right," Roger stumbled, "It's a 'take back the night' kind of thing."
A sultry smile crossed Candice's lips. "You ever get hit on by the old ladies you walk home, then?"
They both laughed and continued walking to a rave Candice knew of, when the building two doors down exploded in flames. Roger threw himself in front of Candice to shield her from the heat, and the oncoming debris that never came.
"That's the synagogue!" Candice screamed.
Roger knew immediately who was responsible. He turned to Candice. "You go call the fire department. I'll wait here!"
Candice, knowing she had forgotten her Nightstick costume at home, agreed, and fled the scene. Roger, however, ducked into a nearby alley, and shed his clothes. He tugged on his mask and extended his quarterstaff. He put it to his lips over his mask and kissed it. "Time to go to work, girl."
Cletus was sure he had captured the demon's attention by devastating this place of blasphemous worship. He made the flames dance as a cruel joke, and waited. He did not have to wait long.
"Alright, now I'm mad!" Came the voice of the demon, not bothering with the laugh and sweeping at Cleanser's abdomen. The wind was knocked out of Cleanser, but he grabbed the staff before Grin could deliver a second blow. With a twist and shove, he had Grin pinned against the walls of the burning building, the staff holding him by the neck.
"Now I'm going to purge the land of you, monster!" The metal staff became searing hot to the touch, and the blisters on Grin's fingers grew worse.
"No!" He screamed, struggling to be free, when the flash of light came. They both turned and saw a shorter, pudgier, twin of Grin holding a camera. Grin was confused, but relieved as Cleanser released him and approached the twin.
"Another demon, huh? Well too bad I ain't got a soul to steal with your little machine."
Ben was horrified. All he wanted was to get a picture. He stammered and backed away. Cleanser raised his fiery fists preparing to unleash a raging fireball when he felt the pain in his back from Grin's boot.
Cleaner turned his gaze from one Grin to the other. He felt surrounded and soared into the air. "We'll continue this another time, one on one!"
Grin cursed and turned his gaze to the fat twin. "I don't remember authorizing Grin jammies."
Ben stammered. "Uh...I'm a reporter. I was hoping for a photograph?"
Grin laughed and picked up his staff, cooling slightly. "You want me to pose?"
"Uh, that'd be great!" Grin complied and stood action ready as Ben raised his camera and readied to press the trigger.
click SMASH!
Ben looked up from the ruins of his camera, the quarter staff protruding from it.
"Cheese."
User Reviews
Submitted by Grin (user info) at 2005-02-04 14:37:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Don't worry, Captain Thorns. Plenty more where this came from.
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2005-02-04 14:21:16 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Final two chapters?! WHAT?!
I need closure, damnit!
Nice work.
Submitted by WhatTheHell (user info) at 2005-02-04 14:08:27 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
http://www.ubersite.com/m/58650
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