Artificial Earth

                               

                                  10

       AN HOUR AND A HALF MORE BEFORE DAYLIGHT.  Inside the bar, Jenny and her friends were seated at a corner drinking vodka, a bowl of soup together with a bag of chips and a pitcher of ice cold water were on the table. A soft yellow light hung above their heads, country music's playing on the radio and the smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke filled in the air.   
      Over at the counter facing Tommy were the three men in black leather jackets, also enjoying their free bottle of vodka, while near the entrance the girl named Gina patiently sat and waited for her boyfriend Mick to return.
   Danver just got back from the basement. He looked around and saw Tommy over the counter talking with the men in black. Moving towards them,  he noticed the girl sitting alone near the entrance.
    "Hey Dad! We took the soldier upstairs where he'll be more comfortable. Dude's heavy, took all four of us to carry him there." Tommy said.
     "How's he doing?" Danver asked.
     "Still unconscious, I told Jenny to join her friends and take a break for a while." Tommy said.
       "Where's the young kid with the girl over there near the entrance?" Danver asked.
        "Huh? Uuumm, dunno.." Tommy replied.
         Danver felt uneasy, he quickly walked towards the girl.
          "Excuse me missy, saw ya earlier tonight, walked in with a friend, mind if I ask ya where yer friend is?" Danver asked.
          "I don't mind, he went out to get my teddy." she replied.
          "How long ago?" Danver asked, starting to worry.
          "That's the thing, He's been gone for at least a couple of minutes now..."
She said.
          Insticts born from years of experience kicked in, the feeling of dread, that disquieting sensation.
       "I'm sure he's fine. Why don't ya sit over there with Jenny and her friends while ya wait, so you'll have company." he offered.
       "Come on now, no need ta worry. I'll introduce ya, Jenny theres a nice gal, I'm sure ya'd like her." he pressed.
       "Ummm, okay, but only until Mick comes back." she said, looking at the group.
        "Sure, sure." he said, guiding her forward.
         "Jenny, I'd like ya ta meet....sorry.....what's ya name missy?" Danver asked.
         "Gina." she answered back.
        "Jenny, I'd like ya ta meet Gina. Gina... Jenny, Jenny...Gina...now I'll leave ya here with them for a while, got myself some stuff ta attend to." Danver excused himself.
       He headed straight towards the counter. "Somethin's not right, the kids been out too long, parking lot ain't that long a walk." he thought to himself. He didn't want to scare the young missy, but he believed that her boyfriend ain't coming back...somehow he just knew. The soldier upstairs brought something along with him, something evil, of that he was certain. He might not brought it on purpose, it simply might have followed him, he guessed. Now it was outside, waiting for the right moment. A chill ran up his spine. Still, he was considering that there might be this slim possibility that he may be wrong. Maybe he's just being paranoid, over thinking. Only one sure way to find out.
     "Guys, I think we have ourselves a problem. Girls boyfriend is missin', said he went out, never came back." Danver whispered.
      "Maybe he just left, you know teens nowadays,  they don't stick to their partners." Garth said.
      "Want us to check it out old man?" Jake asked.
       "Would ya? I certainly would feel better knowing nothing wrong's happened to the kid." Danver asked.
      Garth thought for a while... "Fine. Jake and I'll check it out."
       "Tommy, Ya go get me five of those riffles in the basement." Danver ordered.
      "What's with the riffles?" Garth asked.
      "Been having this bad feeling ever since the soldier came in, like something bad's coming our way." Danver explained. "Don't wanna scare those kids back there, besides, might be nothin'.....but just in case.."
      "Rob, You stay here with them, Jake and I will be back in a few minutes." Garth said, standing up. "You'll owe us plenty after this Dan."
  Tommy came back with the riffles. "Want me to go with them?" he asked.
"No, You stay here with your father, we'll find the kid." Garth said.
       The men in black were regular customers at Danvers. They're part of a group called "Stone Heads" , a tough crew of bikers and prefer the freedom of living on the outskirts of the city.
     
     A thick mist has already formed outside. The rain was falling at an angle and the wind was whirling, creating a symphony of voices, humming a mournful drone. Clusters of dark clouds covered the sky, illuminated momentarily by cracks of lightning. The single light on the lamp post located near the east side of the lot was flickering, flashes of light were briefly revealing lines of cars before returning them into darkness. An eerie silence enveloped the entire lot, and there was no sign of the kid.
     "You see anything?" Jake asked over the sound of the pouring rain.
      "Nothing, you?" Garth asked back.       "Nothing. He could be sleeping inside the car..." Jake said
         "We forgot to ask which car."
         "We're idiots."
            "Cumm on, let's just check all of them and get this over with." Garth said.

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    "Okay, This is the last one.." Garth said, opening the front seats door.
      "Mother of Mercy!!!" Garth exclaimed, looking at the body inside the car.
       "What the fuck!!?" Jake shouted.
         The body of the kid lay across the front seat. His eyes were gone and his organs were scattered all over. It was as if some kind of wild animal tore him into pieces. Blood was all over the place.
         Jake vomited. Garth aimed his riffle at nothing and used his arm to wipe water off his face.
     "Jake, We have to get back.."Now!" Garth insisted.
     "Okay...I'm okay....urgh...I'll need a minute....go....go!.."
     "If you see anything, shoot it!" Garth ordered, backing up slowly, riffle aimed in front of him.

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      Garth and Jake breathlessly got back inside the bar. They were both soaking wet from the rain and sweat.
     "What happened?" Danver asked, stepping towards them. Garth took a moment to catch his breath, "Kid's dead...torn to pieces..." he said.
       "How?"
       "We don't know."
        "Think it was an animal of some kind?"
         "Probably....can't say for sure.."
      Everyone inside the bar were listening in on the conversation, including Gina.
     "What do you mean Mick's dead?" Gina asked, her voice sounding shocked.
       Garth ignored her and turned to Danver. "We need to talk to that soldier." he said, a sense of urgency in his voice. "Now Dan."
        "You bastards! You killed Mick!" Gina accussed.
         "Whoow there miss, We were the ones who volunteered to go look for your boyfriend..." Jake explained.
          "I'll kill you both!" Gina cried, moving towards them.
           Jenny stood and grabbed Gina's arm, holding her back. Gina tried to break free from her grip..."Murderers!!!" she screamed.

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Authors Note
  
The story's growing on it's own now so I hope you stick around....
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