The Raw End

Part 3: Like a Bat Outta Hell

I dropped Eliot’s body inside the ring of lit candles at the end of the hall. The church was like any other, divided by the center pathway and chairs on both sides containing the numerous faceless expressions and dull chants. Beside me Shetler read from his podium, a sermon he’d prepared for the occasion, I assume. He ignored me as he droned on, speaking in a tongue I couldn’t begin to make sense of. I looked over his frizzled hair and sly smile in disgust, “You won’t even acknowledge our brother…?” I grunted.

I watched as Shetler’s dark brown eyes rolled over to me and the red veins grow thicker. I looked to Eliot’s body to see his leg twitch for a split second. Before I could pull out Lucile I jumped back as Shetler pulled out his revolver, and let fire at least a dozen times. His nostrils flared up and all around me the shades hiding within their shells escaped into the air, turning the harshly lit room into a horror house of despair.

A spirit rushed through me and I fell backward, losing my focus and composure as I tumbled out the door. My wings sprung out and ripped through the back of my suit, and a halo appeared over my head. I groaned, rubbing my head as I listened to Shetler shriek, “It’s all your fault! You ruined EVERYTHING! YOU ALWAYS RUIN EVERYTHING!” Followed by two gunshots.

Spikes of pain pelted my stomach and I clutched it, digging my fingers into the wounds and pulling the shells out. I gritted my teeth and growled harshly, glaring at my attacker as I pointed Lucile at him. I aimed for his shoulder and let a single shot break through the air, my pristine bullet swirling through his in mere seconds.

He fell to his knee, holding his shoulder and I stood up before dusting myself off. I aimed at his head, my hand shaking a little, but from above I heard, “You son of a bitch!” Immediately, I was grabbed by the shoulders and thrown through a wall and rolled onto the gravel beside the road. I grunted a little and groaned, shrugging of the pain and forcing myself to get up. I looked to my left to see a woman with ridiculously long hair covering her face rushing toward me.

“Fucking bitch,” I grunted. Quickly, I held my hands up just as she made contact with me, catching her mid tackle. I shifted her weight and jumped to the side of her, forcing her to slam the ground with her face. Gleefully, I took a full hand of her dirty blonde hair and began to mercilessly bash her face into the concrete repeatedly. She flailed her arms and struggled for only a few seconds, I’m sure cursing me with every ounce of her foul spirit.

I checked the black and red mush that used to be her face and smiled, dropping her head and leaving it there. I looked upward at the stars and to the moon, taking a deep breath to clear my mind. Slowly I closed my eyes, returning to the darkness.