Chapter 14
Marcus kept his head low as he made his way to the wall. He summoned a low flame and pressed his head to the lower half of the concrete. When he pressed through, the power generators failed and the lights went dead. The only light on him was his own flame and the smaller street lights spread around the area. His head was partway through when the guns started firing. Bullets deflected off his eyes and head. He let his anger show, but did not attack. He knew that these men had families of their own and they were defending them. When they stopped firing, Marcus pulled his head out.
There were three soldiers with a hundred workers holding guns. Liz climbed off his back and walked through the hole. She said to the men, “Drop your weapons. Walk to the far side of the road and kneel looking away. NOW!!”
The men moved in unison to place their guns on the ground and walk to the far side of the road. She had them go so far away because Marcus wanted to go all the way through the wall so they could see his entire body. He pressed on the rest of the wall and Liz realized that he grew again, but not by much. Marcus moved close to the men. He wanted them to feel his presence and his fire. He listened to their silent prayers, their curses, and their crying. He moved his head from man to man for a full thirty seconds before one of the soldiers pulled out a handgun and started firing at his eye. The sparks died quickly, and Marcus said to him when his ammo was gone, “Do you not care for the ones you were sworn to protect? The women, the children, the elders; would you really place their lives in jeopardy in a sad attempt to save your own sorry hide?”
“I was paid to keep them in here; I could care less about their safety. I don’t- I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
The man screamed as Marcus picked him up with his jaws, placed him in the side of his mouth, and bit down until the man was a paste. His blood spilled into Marcus’s lower jaw, just how Marcus wanted it to. He went over the men again, but this time blood started to drip from his lips onto the men’s heads. Liz spoke again, “Do any of you know what was happening on the other side of these walls? Do any of you know how many of your daughters these men pleased themselves upon?”
Marcus could hear the soldiers breathe harder than they were before. The other men turned to look at them and he could smell their hatred. Anger released an enzyme that could lower the IQ, and Marcus could actually smell it in the men. He said, “Your wives, your daughters, your sisters, and your friends were held prisoner over on the other side. They were held in cages by day and by night, the soldiers would-” Marcus stopped as the remaining soldiers made a break for freedom. Marcus burned them alive like so many others and watched them flail around until their burned blood reached their brains and killed them.
For a brief moment, the only sounds were Marcus’s breathing and the fires on the other side of the wall. Liz told the men to stand and turn. One of the men caused Marcus’s heart to skip a beat. It was his father.
Marcus would have continued his speech, but a young girl cried out her father’s name and Marcus had to pull himself to the side so he was out of the stampede’s path.
The corrupt soldiers imprisoned a hundred and fifty women on the other side. The women were all happy to be free, and none of them were afraid of Marcus as he expected them to be. The men lost their care for him as well and ran to their daughters, wives, sisters, and friends. They showed great joy at seeing their families, and Marcus felt proud to finally justify his actions. They were happy because of him. Liz walked up to Marcus, and he lowered his head. She leaned up against him and said, “Did any of those men stand out to you?”
“You know the answer to that question.”
“Fuck! I should have run to him when I had the chance.”
“Patience, little one. Another chance will present itself soon enough.”
“When?”
“Soon.”
Marcus lifted his head and Liz fell backwards onto his open claw. Marcus looked at the crowd and the crowd turned its attention to him. He said, “I will give you advice that will stay with you for the rest of the night. Go home.”
The crowd did as he commanded and dispersed. All but one man remained; their father. Liz ran away from Marcus and hugged their father. He hugged back and paid no heed to the attentive giant but a few yards away. Liz embraced him for a full minute before either of them had the will to speak. The father said, “I knew it! I just knew you were alive! They told me otherwise, but I knew it! You were alive all along! But where’s Marcus…” he trailed off as Marcus approached them. His feet made small craters in the blacktop. His wings scratched nearby buildings and cracked their cement walls as if it were paper. Smoke still trailed from his nostrils. Human blood coated his lower jaw in a thick red paint.
His father started to breath quickly and he fell to his knees in fear. Liz told Marcus, “Go back to the front gate and make sure nobody gets in or out.”
Marcus said, “Yes, my child. Visit me before the night is over; there is something we need to discuss.”
Marcus turned and walked away. He wondered why she had spoken to him in such a strange tone. He realized that she did not use his name. Was she going to tell his father the fate of their son? Did they already know? Would she lie and say he was dead? As Marcus pondered on the thought, he walked back to the gate. He leapt into the air and glided over it. When he landed, a large group of men stood before him. He said to them, “This area is off limits for now. Go away.”
One of the men in the back of the group asked him, “Hey asshole, still hungry?”
There were three soldiers with a hundred workers holding guns. Liz climbed off his back and walked through the hole. She said to the men, “Drop your weapons. Walk to the far side of the road and kneel looking away. NOW!!”
The men moved in unison to place their guns on the ground and walk to the far side of the road. She had them go so far away because Marcus wanted to go all the way through the wall so they could see his entire body. He pressed on the rest of the wall and Liz realized that he grew again, but not by much. Marcus moved close to the men. He wanted them to feel his presence and his fire. He listened to their silent prayers, their curses, and their crying. He moved his head from man to man for a full thirty seconds before one of the soldiers pulled out a handgun and started firing at his eye. The sparks died quickly, and Marcus said to him when his ammo was gone, “Do you not care for the ones you were sworn to protect? The women, the children, the elders; would you really place their lives in jeopardy in a sad attempt to save your own sorry hide?”
“I was paid to keep them in here; I could care less about their safety. I don’t- I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
The man screamed as Marcus picked him up with his jaws, placed him in the side of his mouth, and bit down until the man was a paste. His blood spilled into Marcus’s lower jaw, just how Marcus wanted it to. He went over the men again, but this time blood started to drip from his lips onto the men’s heads. Liz spoke again, “Do any of you know what was happening on the other side of these walls? Do any of you know how many of your daughters these men pleased themselves upon?”
Marcus could hear the soldiers breathe harder than they were before. The other men turned to look at them and he could smell their hatred. Anger released an enzyme that could lower the IQ, and Marcus could actually smell it in the men. He said, “Your wives, your daughters, your sisters, and your friends were held prisoner over on the other side. They were held in cages by day and by night, the soldiers would-” Marcus stopped as the remaining soldiers made a break for freedom. Marcus burned them alive like so many others and watched them flail around until their burned blood reached their brains and killed them.
For a brief moment, the only sounds were Marcus’s breathing and the fires on the other side of the wall. Liz told the men to stand and turn. One of the men caused Marcus’s heart to skip a beat. It was his father.
Marcus would have continued his speech, but a young girl cried out her father’s name and Marcus had to pull himself to the side so he was out of the stampede’s path.
The corrupt soldiers imprisoned a hundred and fifty women on the other side. The women were all happy to be free, and none of them were afraid of Marcus as he expected them to be. The men lost their care for him as well and ran to their daughters, wives, sisters, and friends. They showed great joy at seeing their families, and Marcus felt proud to finally justify his actions. They were happy because of him. Liz walked up to Marcus, and he lowered his head. She leaned up against him and said, “Did any of those men stand out to you?”
“You know the answer to that question.”
“Fuck! I should have run to him when I had the chance.”
“Patience, little one. Another chance will present itself soon enough.”
“When?”
“Soon.”
Marcus lifted his head and Liz fell backwards onto his open claw. Marcus looked at the crowd and the crowd turned its attention to him. He said, “I will give you advice that will stay with you for the rest of the night. Go home.”
The crowd did as he commanded and dispersed. All but one man remained; their father. Liz ran away from Marcus and hugged their father. He hugged back and paid no heed to the attentive giant but a few yards away. Liz embraced him for a full minute before either of them had the will to speak. The father said, “I knew it! I just knew you were alive! They told me otherwise, but I knew it! You were alive all along! But where’s Marcus…” he trailed off as Marcus approached them. His feet made small craters in the blacktop. His wings scratched nearby buildings and cracked their cement walls as if it were paper. Smoke still trailed from his nostrils. Human blood coated his lower jaw in a thick red paint.
His father started to breath quickly and he fell to his knees in fear. Liz told Marcus, “Go back to the front gate and make sure nobody gets in or out.”
Marcus said, “Yes, my child. Visit me before the night is over; there is something we need to discuss.”
Marcus turned and walked away. He wondered why she had spoken to him in such a strange tone. He realized that she did not use his name. Was she going to tell his father the fate of their son? Did they already know? Would she lie and say he was dead? As Marcus pondered on the thought, he walked back to the gate. He leapt into the air and glided over it. When he landed, a large group of men stood before him. He said to them, “This area is off limits for now. Go away.”
One of the men in the back of the group asked him, “Hey asshole, still hungry?”