A World Split In Two

Chapter 22: Optical Illusions, But I Swear There's No Green Curtain Or Old Guy!

It didn't take long for Zack to figure out that the man didn't want to talk anymore after that. He only had to say 'shut up,' and 'I think I hear a RipJaw,' like twenty more times.

* * *

They arrived at the town at six twelve A.M., when the sun was just starting to peek over some of the smallest of trees.

It was then that the man finally said, "There are a few things you should know about this beast before you fight it."

"And you're choosing to tell me this now?" Zack asked, sounding fairly annoyed as he stared at the rather quaint little town. Which, aside from the fact that a monster had besieged it, looked relatively unharmed. "Couldn't you have maybe mentioned this a bit sooner. Like--oh, I don't know--maybe during the mind killing waltz here."

"Just listen, the thing is immune to all the gases I tried chucking at it, which really isn't anything more than my knock out stuff at all different levels of strength, but still. It can fly, and is big and scary."

"Wow. Your description is not much different than that of your kid's."

"You know that if this thing eats you, it would save me a big headache."

"Right back at you." And with that Zack silently ran into town, well as silent as you could be with a bunch of crisp leaves littering the ground.

Now when I say town I don't mean your new fancy towns with a population of seventy-thousand people. I mean a nice little town like the ones you see in a western... ok maybe a little bit bigger. Zack, who carefully tried not to step on too many leaves, crept onto the road that led into the quaint town.

Yes, there still were roads, even if Zack preferred not to use them, it's just he was up north, where Michigan and Wisconsin would be. Although with the huge war, the entire idea of states, and even countries, went straight out the window. Along with big roads and what not, most towns like this one were more like just evolved outposts. The only actually well established city for the next few hundred miles was, believe it or not, Zack's home town, A.K.A. Bones Topia, and a town known for its great museum, he visited on a field trip once, called Welkinhimher.

As he approached the town, he quickly flipped up his pocket sword, and was greeted by a nice friendly sign welcoming him to Dayham. Population? Unincorporated. The town was as you would expect. Very quiet and quite empty for a town terrorized by a flying canine. Then again the town was unincorporated and this was probably just an average Saturday morning.

Silently Zack passed a few small abandoned white washed houses, whose doors were flung open and just swung eerily in the wind, occasionally producing a rather disturbing creaking. As if to add to the creepy effect, the day was quickly darkening and a few drops of rain fell on Zack's head every now and then. Great. The last thing he needed was another soaked outfit.

Now, being that it was such a small town, it was not hard for Zack to make his way to the town square. Why would he be heading to the small town's probably not very exciting square? Probably because the beast would most likely be chained to a gazebo there? Or possibly a water tower?

Quietly he passed a few more random shops, all of which had broken windows or smashed doors. Zack had no idea if they were smashed by Bones' gang or the forest kids, either way he didn't have time to care. He continued on creeping through the city for a few more minutes.

Finally he saw it. At least a one ton monstrosity, and as promised it had the body of a pug, and huge purple feathery wings. Thankfully though the beast was fast asleep, chained to a... metal stake in the ground? Hmm... guess everything couldn't be exciting, and original.