Antone’s Place, Part 24
by Martin H Slusser

Benny pushed through the doorway tossing the meat at the table. A flick of the light switch showed the power was off for the night. All good little citizens had to get some rest.

He struck a light on the wick of a tallow candle. A small pot was on the stove. He lifted the lid. Chicory coffee. A cup sat upside down on the lid. He poured with care. A few grounds found their way in, but that was not a problem.

The house was cold enough to keep the meat from spoiling, but already he could see a pair of red eyes staring from the floor. Benny grabbed the bag, shoving it in the refrigerator. Much of the food was gone.

Frowning, he peered in. A few eggs remained.

Ama? She had needle tracks up one arm and down the other, plenty of them fresh. A user that old didn’t just quit. It would kill her.

He closed the door and made certain the refrigerator was latched, but he didn’t bother locking it. Around the bottom were a lot of chew marks, but the steel plates were still solid for all a layer of rust covered most of it.

He pinched out the candle and put it in a case made for it to stop rats from eating it. Hobbling a little, he walked with care through the house. His feet were ice and numb from standing on the cobbles playing with ol’ Mikey-boy, but it was cool. He had been colder too often for a lot less.

Scowling at his back, Two Swords said, “Yeah. Cool. Dumb moronic twit, that’s what you are.”

In her harness on his back, ‘Heart slapped him on the back of the head and he yelped, grabbing the haft to stop her from hitting him again.

“Geez, what’s with you?”

In shrill tones she informed him Benny was all right, just a little young yet. And what about Two Swords? How many times did Ma-Creator have to punish him for certain indiscretions?

“OK, OK,” he said, releasing the sword. “He’s still nuts, though. Teenagers, bah.”

The heart couldn’t disagree with that, so she remained silent.

Benny slipped into Sue’s room. He eased to the bed, then down on the edge. She murmured in her sleep.

One hand fumbled out to touch him. It found Benny’s hand. Grinning, he lay down with an exaggerated care to watch her in the dark and drink the coffee.

When the kids were finally asleep and the cup hanging from Benny’s finger, Two Swords took it and sat it on the dresser. He winked at Shorty. Sue’s guardian rolled her eyes, but at least she didn’t smack him for it.

They amused themselves through the night by sneaking up on hungry rats and scaring the bejabbers out of them.

On instinct alone the Carl/shon:gili nosed through the ruins of what had been a farmhouse or perhaps a church. Not much remained but the basement and a small part of the floor that had fallen in, creating a shelter that stank of bear.

It sniffed, but the bear was gone, fled from a winter nap by the presence of the demon and the demoniac.

It lay nose under the stubby tail and the shaking started. The sun was coming. The enemy, and it was helpless. It jumped to its feet only to collapse and scream.

Then Carl lay there panting and vomiting what remained of the raw venison. He was propped on his arm and heaving when the sun arose and dropped, floundering, as the tormenters came.

Snake-like, a charcoal black, they slid from the ground, winding around trash and wind-blown debris to slip under Carl’s body. As one, they speared through it, snatching the kicking, screaming spirit from it.

Carl shrieked. Hot coals and frozen air. He was dragged down into the earth and dropped again in an endless pit of black, seething flames to echo the cries of the damned. Somewhere, Leda Melancowski twisted and shuddered, her cries going on and on forever. Anna saw to that, but Anna could not save Carl from himself, and he wept with a shame that was worse than the fires.

Anna! Anna, I’m sorry for not loving you enough.

Benny awoke with a start. Half expecting to see and smell the screaming remains of Carl, he slid from the bed to peer out the window. The cow was there, glaring at him for interrupting her morning. It was just past dawn. Shivering in the cold, he dragged on a pair of JJ’s socks and then the shoes.

Sue sighed and opened an eye.

“Hey,” she said, and gave him a wane smile.

“’Mornin’.”

“Grumpy.”

Benny leered at her. “And that’s one of my few good qualities.”

©2004 StoriesByEmail.com

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