The three henchmen continued to eat the flesh from the bones on Walter’s arms legs and ribs. Albert seems to be examining what was left of Walter’s head. Walter’s lower jaw was crushed completely. The upper portion of his head sort of popped off when Albert pushed it in. Walter is very dead, but one of his eyes remains open, blood shot and seemingly staring right into Albert black visage. Albert takes his left index finger and thumb and pushes them into Walter’s eye sockets as though fitting his hand into the perfect bowling ball. Albert stands and takes the top portion of Walter’s head with him.
A sound can be heard from somewhere on the second floor of this warehouse. Albert can somehow sense the vibrations. Albert can’t smell or see anything. If his tongue was still there he wouldn’t be able to taste anything either. Somehow Albert can still hear. Out in the hallway Albert begins to move towards the sounds. Direction is the only interpretation he can make. At the balcony over looking the rest of the warehouse Albert stops for a moment, turns left and continues towards Mel’s office. Albert is still wearing a steel chair arm tied to his right arm, and the top of Walter’s head on his left hand. The vibrations grow more and more.
* * * * *
“THIS IS NOT YOUR CITY ANYMORE,” The Commissioner screamed into the phone. “IT BELONGS TO THEM.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Mel threateningly enquired to panic-stricken voice on the other end of Albert’s cellphone.
“We’ve been… judged.” The Commissioner whimpered and then the line went dead. NO SIGNAL
Mel could hear an explosion in the distance followed by the frightened screams of an old man coming from one of the rooms just down the balcony and around the corner from where he is now. Not fazed by the scream a little boy he heard earlier, this old man however sounded very unsettling. That coupled with what the commissioner had had the balls to say made Mel made him feel uneasy.
As Mel got up from his chair he could hear the tiny footsteps of someone hurrying across the warehouse floor. Mel stepped out onto the balcony over looking the floor level of the large warehouse. At the sight of what was left Mel’s skin turned white. There was blood everywhere but it didn’t belong to the girl or her boy. Mel knew this because he was watching that very girl search the pockets of a headless corpse while her son stood by. Mel was more shocked at the sight of the headless corpse. Despite the fact that Joe’s suit was similar in style and color to everyone else’s Mel somehow new that he was looking at the dead body of his only heir.
“Joe?” Mel whimpered aloud. Where is everybody?
A clanging sound from down the hall does not stop Mel. He goes back into his office grabs his 9mm gun and gets back to the balcony. But now there are two people on the balcony. With every intention of shooting the girl and her son from above Mel steps with purpose until he sees him. Albert is standing on the balcony as well. The girl and her son are gone. At the sight of Albert standing in front of the only exit there is, Mel is gripped by a feeling he hasn’t felt since… forever, fear.
Dear God! What is happening here.
Mel was standing there when Albert was killed. Fuck! I gave the order. But now Albert stands overlooking the balcony as well. Dead and somehow alive at the same time. How can this be? What the hell is going on here? Mel slowly steps back through the door of his office. He shuts the door and locks it. Stepping backwards towards his desk Mel’s eyes shrink on the frightening sight. A shadow slowly passes behind the faded windows and stops at the door. Mel takes aim at the head of the shadow and fires.
BANG!
The shot goes through the glass and just pass the head of Albert. Albert doesn’t move. Mel aims again, this time using the little sight of his 9mm and fires again.
BANG! Ting!
The bullet hits its mark. The shot goes through glass and straight towards the centre of Albert’s forehead. Mel lowers his smoking gun. The glass window shatters and falls to reveal Albert’s new form to Mel. Albert stumbles back and forth like a college student the day after St. Patrick’s Day. Then Albert falls forward taking out the wooden door and colliding on top of it on to the office floor. Mel stands over Albert feeling slightly victorious and very confused. But then Mel sees what Albert had brought with him. In Albert’s left hand is the top portion of Walter’s head. Mel drops his gun beside Albert’s head.
* * * * *
Behind the wheel of Joe’s car the mother managed to calm her son down. Andy couldn’t stop rubbing his right eye. It felt like the spoon was still there. The mother turned the car out of the former industrial area towards the city. She was hurt a little but her son needs to get his eye checked.
Then it hits her like a ton of bricks.
What happened back there? The logic and reason that she has grown up and known all her years has become a lie. In this life she has known many things to be false except one thing: Death. But now that is untrue as well. What’s next? She cries behind the wheel, but tries to compose herself for her son’s sake. Foolishly she thinks to herself, I need to get Andy to a Hospital.
* * * * *
A tear swells in Mel’s right eye as the room starts to spin. The loss of Mel’s power and influence is beginning to sink in. He sits back behind his desk and begins to mourn his empire. There suddenly in the doorway are Albert’s other fallen comrades. The former Casper, Wolf and Raptor all with mouths hanging open and flesh on their breath.
“Oh, fuck me!” Mel says aloud. They’re all dead men for as far as appearances go.
Mel stands to give it one last shot. He races around his desk to get his gun. But another dead man stops him. Albert rises to his feet and towers before Mel. Mel stares in disbelief and loses control of his bodily functions. Mel retreats backwards towards his desk chair and sits down. His lower lip quivers as he let out a frightened squeal like that of a pig being gutted alive.
“Fuck me!” Mel says aloud, “I s-suppose your g-g-going to… kill me, r-r-right Al?” The question is not answered by anyone in the room. The sight of Albert’s dismembered face and subsequent silence sends a chill like a jug of ice water down Melvin’s back. The voice of the panic-stricken Commissioner, This city belongs to them, plays in Mel’s head.
Mel looks at the other three former employee’s.
This city belongs to them, Echoes of truth.
Mel looks at the head dangling from Albert’s left hand and instantly begins to sob like a baby.
“D-d-d-daddy?” Mel cries towards the head.
Albert does not react to Mel’s sudden fit of mourning. Mel looks up at Albert.
“You limey fucker,” Mel stands one step from Albert with anger burning through tearful eyes, “I’m g-g-going... to... f-fuck... fucking kill you!”
In one last foolish effort Mel tries to dive over the desk towards the gun. But Casper and Wolf each grab one of his wrists and Albert pins him to the desk by his shoulders. The diamonds cut into his stomach. With his feet still on the ground but his body pressed against the desk Mel watches in horror as Casper moves his mouth towards Mel’s left wrist and Wolf takes a bite out of his right wrist.
“No! FUCK, NOOOAAAAAGGGHHHHHHHH!, Mel screams in agony so loud it sends a rash down his throat. The cartilage and bone breaks apart with every bite and twist that is made. Finally the two henchmen pull Mel’s hands right off almost at the same time.
The pain of having both hands severed at the wrist causes Mel’s legs to go weak. Casper and Wolf both stand and continue to eat the flesh off of their hand sandwich’s while Raptor looks on and groans to their victory. Albert brings his head down towards the back of Mel’s head, but Mel slumps down on his knees behind the desk. Both the bloody wrist stumps rest a top the desk and Mel hangs his head down between his arms. Albert steps around the desk and looks down towards his old boss. The chair has been pushed back to the wall shelf behind the desk. A man slumped on the floor, both hands severed…
“Oh God, just kill me.” Mel cries.
Albert kneels down and takes Mel into his arms in a reverse bear-hug. Just as he had to Joe, Albert pins Mel’s head to his chest and bites down with his upper jaw. Albert’s teeth sink into the left side of Mel’s head while Albert pushes down on Mel’s shoulders with one hand. Mel grits his teeth so tight that they break and four of them going flying out of his mouth. Mel’s head separates completely from his body. The body quakes and jitters for a moment and then falls dead to the floor.
Albert stands with Mel’s head in his mouth. He shakes his left hand and Walters head falls by the neck of Mel’s body. Albert lifts his head and Mel’s head falls under the desk. There is no noise. No rhythms to indicate there is anything more to be done in this warehouse.
Slowly Albert and other three henchmen wander out of the warehouse. An explosion is heard in the distance. It came from the city again. The other three groan and Albert begins to walk towards the city, the direction the explosion sound came from. It is late afternoon. The four henchmen will reach the city of South Lake Gardens by nightfall. By then the city will belong to them. It won’t be long before the rest of the world does too.
THE END
A teaser peek at another book in the I, Undead series is on it's way.
ReplyDeleteThanks everybody, stay undead.