beyondtheline | Tornadoes and skeletons and nacho dogs, oh my

Tornadoes and skeletons and nacho dogs, oh my

[So this is how he gets away with it, then. Cruz, a skeleton, with a skeleton horse, lives in a skeleton of a house with a skeletal barn attached - and he remains unseen, his home apparently abandoned, all the way on the outskirts of this thing that's barely a town.

Well, you do what you gotta do, and Johnnie won't turn down a kind offer of a safe place to stay the night. He can't help but grin at Chrissy having such a good time riding that bony horse as he pulls the bike in through the barn door and parks it to the side, then hops off.]

Hey man, we owe ya for this. Here.

[See, this is yet another reason it's good to stock up on alcohol. He finds their most recent stolen bottle of tequila and pulls it out as he saunters over to their host and offers it in an outstretched hand.]

On us. Uh, if you drink, that is. You do drink, right?

[Normally that would be a dumb question to ask but the guy appears to be actual bones. But, bones that can smoke, without lungs, so he can probably drink without a mouth, right?

That earns a laugh from Cruz.]

I sure do, fella. You don't have to, though. I'm not looking for any kind of repayment, just helping out a couple folks in need.

[Johnnie shakes his head and waves that attempt off.]

Nah, it's all yours. Or if you really insist, we can all split it tomorrow, the three of us an' the rest of your crew. Can't wait to meet 'em. They all skeletons too?

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[He grins around his mouthful of chocolate and pours her a handful into her palm, then swallows and shrugs.]

Sure, why not? We ate great last night. They always say have a balanced breakfast, I figure this evens things out.

[That is and has never been the intent of that at all, but it makes him laugh. The rest of the M&Ms go quickly down the hatch and he chews as he helps her up with a hand onto the bike and then hops on himself.]

You want more? 'Cause there's a lot more, help yourself.

[He'll wait as long as he needs if she wants to eat something, because something about eating while at speed sounds hard. But once she's ready, he gets them on out before anyone can notice what happened, and soon he's weaving his way through city streets and up the interstate ramp at speeds well beyond what anyone else is doing.]

Must suck to be in a car, stuck behind all the other fuckin' cars! California, here we come!

[Both of her arms raise up in the air, and she gives out a holler of pure excitement. They're so close to California, and it's hard not to give in to that eagerness they're both feeling. The radio is what she focuses on as they drive, and she sings along as she's able as they move in and out of time and towns. All they have to do is stay on 10, but it turns out that's a pretty long road.

It feels like they drive for hours and hours, stopping once for more gas and a refill on snacks. Her stomach gets to growling and wanting real food after what feels like hours more, and it's only then that she runs the risk of distracting Johnnie by giving him a squeeze. He's so determined to make progress that she almost feels bad speaking up.]

I know you're really focused on driving through, but you think we can stop and get something to eat and stretch our legs for a while?

[She's starting to get crampy sitting down for this long.]

[Texas is a big damn state, but they're making good time, he thinks. The road mostly has held up, and that's the important part. With few stops and little to slow them down, it hasn't quite even hit eight pm when Chrissy asks to stop.]

Yeah, that's fine. I wouldn't mind a pit stop anyway. Get some real food in. Let's see, where the hell are we, anyway? Feels like it's been desert for years.

[Their path turned hypnotic and monotonous at some point in the last few hours, that's for sure, and now they're in some really desolate stretch of Texas where there's little more living here than cows and all kinds of strange, spiky desert plants that aren't cool like cacti are. As he slows down, he tries to take stock of the town that lies just ahead now that they're approaching something vaguely like civilization. There's some dinky airport or factory or something with big lights, and a whole lot of shuttered buildings and dated hotels as they roll through on in to town. Even the border patrol building up ahead looks like it's closed down for the night, as if that's the kind of thing that should operate on regular business hours.]

Slow night for la migra, I guess. Hey, there's a light on over there, though.

[Some tiny little restaurant that has a closed sign hung in the window - but a light in the back. Someone probably lives there and cooks out of it during the day. Fuck it, they've gotta have food they can raid if nothing else.]

Miss Toni's. Guess we could knock on the door, see if Miss Toni here is the type to take pity on travelers. Otherwise I'm breakin' in to the McDonald's up there an' we can take over their kitchen.

[There's something so charming about the idea of breaking into a McDonald's to cook food for themselves that she almost insists they do that. But there's a smell hanging heavy in the air of food. Good food, and it has to be coming from Miss Toni's up ahead.]

Let's go visit Miss Toni. It smells too good to pass up.

[Once they find somewhere on the street to stash the bike, she lets him help her off and takes hold of his hand as they head up to the door. While he knocks, she puts her hands on either side of her eyes and leans in close to look inside. She can see that light, and can see movement happening. But there's no sign of actual life for a minute or so, until the tiniest old woman she's ever seen comes hobbling toward the door.]

You better put on your best charming act, baby. Because here she -

[The door unlocks and opens then, and Chrissy hurries over to stand at Johnnie's side, smiling as sweetly as ever.]

Hi! We're on the road and were hoping you were still open?

[The woman, most likely Miss Toni herself, looks up at the two of them, a large spoon in one hand, and frowns.]

No. Come back tomorrow.

[Which Johnnie disregards completely as he pokes his head in over hers and just about cries at that smell. Good, home cooked food, full of garlic and chilies and oh, shit he's probably drooling.

Well, he takes stock of his current small and elderly audience and makes one quick decision.]

Si pero mañana la migra estará abierto y necesito ponerme en movimiento, me entiendes? Podemos pagar bien, y el olor de la comida esta bíen como el de mi mamá.

[He puts on his best puppy dog eyes, and he can see the mental calculus going on, meanwhile. His plea, her grandmotherly eyes, soft despite her insistence that they're closed, and meanwhile she's probably wondering why he is traveling with a white girl who clearly is from this side of the border judging by how she talks.

But enough of it seems to click where she shakes her head and gives a huff of a sigh as she waves them inside, then shuts the door again and goes back to stirring the large pot of simmering sauce in the back of the kitchen. Probably prepping for tomorrow's service, he can only figure.

But the kitchen is fully visible from the dining room here, separated only by a long tile-covered counter, so he goes to lean on that rather than sit at a table, and rests his elbows on the surface as he watches.]

Esperarán allí y obtendrán lo que obtengan. No tengo tiempo para hacer nada especial para ustedes. Uno de ustedes, venga remover esto.

[She looks over at the both of them and Johnnie laughs, then gives Chrissy a nudge.]

You wanna go help stir that so she can get somethin' together for us?

Why, because I'm a girl?

[She teases, laughing as she sticks out her tongue. But she gives him a quick kiss to show she's not actually bothered, and pulls away so she can head over to help stir. It's while she's in motion that something makes the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

She's filled with a sense of apprehension that she doesn't understand, and pauses as she glances back in the direction that they came from. It's hard to make out anything outside while they're in here, but it feels like someone's eyes are on her. And she isn't sure why, because it doesn't look like anyone's peeking in. Chrissy has to force herself to ignore that sense of unease and makes her way into the kitchen to take over stirring.

Miss Toni gives her a long look, like she's trying to determine if she can be trusted for such an important task. She must pass inspection, because the wooden spoon is passed to her and she guides Chrissy in close to work.]

I'm Chrissy. Thanks for feeding us. It's really kind of you to help us out!

[But Miss Toni has eyes for Johnnie, and approaches him like a grandmother might a rambunctious grandson they adore but have to be stern with. She seems much more inclined to want to talk to him, which Chrissy shrugs off. It's better for her to focus on having the willpower to resist tasting from the spoon she's stirring with.]

Are you going to make him help too?

[She does speak up, smirking back at Johnnie in amusement. It's hard to completely ignore that unsettled feeling, but she's trying her best to block it out.]

I should.

[Comes Miss Toni's reply, which makes Johnnie grin. He seeks out his lighter and cigarettes in his pockets, only to have his pack smacked out of his hand the moment he pulls it out.]

Not in here, chico. Tu mamá no te enseñó nada?

[He gives a hey of protest as he grabs those back up, and stuffs them back in his pockets. Fine, later, then.]

Don't bring my mama into this.

[But he's amused, not actually offended. Miss Toni turns to one of the big industrial refrigerators in the back of the kitchen and pulls the door open, but then points inside.]

Saque estos arroz y frijoles, boy, heat them up in the microwave.

[Well, he can see why he's being ordered around, the rice and beans are in big metal trays that she probably can't carry around easily. She must have help during the day. He shrugs and goes to help, getting food out and portioning it into smaller glass bowls for the microwave. Miss Toni, satisfied he can at least do that one simple thing, turns on the range next to Chrissy and gets a big iron griddle heating, then pulls a lump of rested dough from the fridge and retrieves a rolling pin and more flour, and Johnnie has to stop and watch as she masterfully starts turning that lump of dough into huge round buttered tortillas that puff up like magic on her griddle.

He's retrieving a bowl of garlicky black beans from the microwave to stir up when Johnnie notices Chrissy looking around again.]

You okay, babe?

I don't know.

[It's an honest answer, even if it probably isn't very helpful. There's a thoughtful frown set on her face as she tries to sort out what she's feeling.]

Do you ever feel like someone's watching you? Like stalking you? Like you're prey?

[Oh gosh, that sounds so weak and stupid. Her eyes avert downward to watch what she's stirring, and she tries to ignore the way Miss Toni looks over at her so curiously.]

You think you know that feeling?

[Chrissy can pick up that this sweet old woman is feeling her out, to see what kind of trouble she'll be in for helping them. When she glances toward her, she's shocked to see a look of sympathy on Miss Toni's face.]

He's helping you run from that.

[That makes Chrissy smile, even as that feeling of being watched grows in magnitude and she wants to shrink away and hide.]

I've only felt that feeling once before, when someone was trying to hurt me. But the thing is, I'm feeling that again. Right now. And I don't know why.

[Well, all this has him on high alert now. Chrissy seems almost embarrassed to admit what she's feeling, but rather than poke fun at her, Johnnie grows serious as he keeps an eye on the windows. He knows better than to take something like this lightly. Might be nothing, might be something far worse. Might be all that darkness outside is more than just the typical dark.

And Miss Toni is awfully perceptive, he's underestimated her. But he can only imagine the things she's seen and experienced, at her age and running a restaurant right near the border, here. She probably saw right through his story, then, didn't she? But she's helping them anyway. Maybe she thought they had another reason. Maybe she's just kind, down inside.

He steps away from the kitchen, toward the front door, and withdraws his pistol, more to comfort himself than out of an expectation it'll do much good.]

I'll go have a look outside. Anything happens in here, you better fuckin' yell an' throw shit at windows or whatever.

[Because as far as he knows some fucking death portal could just open up inside the restaurant, but barring that, if there's a real threat it's more likely to be one watching them from somewhere out there. After checking that his gun is loaded and ready, Johnnie pushes his way outside.]

[She's on edge enough that she wants to beg him to stay right there with her. But it would do them both some good to make sure no one is out there. It would do Miss Toni some good too, because Chrissy doesn't want anything happening to her either. She's too kind and good to let something bad happen to.

As Johnnie makes his way outside, Chrissy bites at her lip and stays acutely focused on stirring. It's right as he lets the door close behind him that a heavy wind sweeps through the area, rattling the windows. That makes her gasp, and she abandons the spoon on the side of the stove so she can run over to the front windows and peek outside. She can't see anything there, but she's so deeply focused on keeping an eye on Johnnie that Miss Toni calling out to her makes her flinch and jump.]

Get back here, now. Come stir and focus on this.

[Chrissy sighs and pushes her way out of the booth she's crouched in, and makes her way back to the kitchen to keep working. It's probably better that she's paying attention to the food.

Outside, there's absolutely nothing to be seen. There's a strong, hot breeze every few seconds. But no sign of a storm. Carried on the wind is the sound close to a snarl or a growl, but it's easy to assume it's just one of those tricks that nature can play on the ear. Whenever Johnnie turns to head back in, the breeze sounds remarkably close to heavy breathing. And it definitely will feel like there's hot breath on the back of his neck. But if he turns around, nothing's there at all.

Chrissy is quick to once again abandon her spoon when she hears him come inside. The feeling of being watched and stalked is only getting stronger, and she just wants him in close to her. But she doesn't get to walk over toward him, as her arm is grabbed by Miss Toni, and she's given the spoon and the pot she's stirring is pointed to once again.]

Stir.

[Good at being obedient, Chrissy does what she's told but still glances back so she can see Johnnie.]

Did you find anything?

[Fucking unnerving, all this, but there's nothing he can do about that. He really does his best to look around, but it's his other senses that seem better at detecting the problem - but not identifying it, and sure as hell they're not doing much when it comes to fixing it, either.

So he heads back inside, then, glancing over his shoulder as he goes, and squeezes through the gap in the door like he might let something in with him if he's not careful. He shuts it tight behind him, but stays there like him leaning against the door will keep whatever's out there away from them.]

Nothin' I could see, but there's something out there.

[Miss Toni takes over where he was, and assembles rice and beans onto plates, then deftly slices an avocado. She finally nudges Chrissy aside as she brings their makeshift dinners over, and spoons some of that richly-spiced red chile sauce over the food, then tops both plates off with lime and crema and sliced avocado. They get silverware, napkins, and a plate between them stacked with those big soft tortillas, still steaming, and once that's all set out for them to take to their table of choice, she finally switches the heat off on the big pot of sauce and covers it.]

There. Now eat. Whatever you two are on the run from, you'll need your energy. You, put that away.

[She says to Johnnie sternly, pointing at the gun. And reluctantly, he obliges. Maybe her intense abuelita energy will keep the fucking monsters at bay. Honestly, he'd believe it possible with how she completely takes command of her little space.

He takes a plate as well as the platter of tortillas to a table right near that counter, from where they can watch the windows and also bolt to that door if they have to. It's painful, really - even this quick meal mostly out of the things she has either prepped or leftover smells and looks outstanding, and he wants to be able to enjoy it without worrying about the things that lurk in the dark. But once he's satisfied that it's safe to look away from the windows for a moment, he tears off a chunk of tortilla and uses it as a spoon to shovel beans and sauce into his mouth.]

Mmmmph.

[That's heaven, right there.]

[It all smells so good that she really wants to enjoy it. She smiles a little as Johnnie digs in, and decides she might as well start eating too. The sound of delight that she makes at first bite puts a smile on Miss Toni's face, and rather than stand around any longer she returns to the kitchen to do her own thing. In some way, Chrissy's grateful for that. It means they can talk freely for the most part.]

We can't stay here for long. I know it sounds stupid, but I know something is out there watching us.

[Her first thought is maybe it's the woman from New Orleans, back for revenge for the fire they set as they headed out of town. But there's no way she'd be here. How would she even know what time they're in, much less manage to find them all the way here in this small town all the way across Texas? That doesn't make any sense.

But the more she thinks about it, the more unnerved she becomes. It's a couple of bites later, and Chrissy is leaving her side of the booth to go sit next to him in his.]

I wish we could drive all the way back to California tonight.

[He nods his agreement at that statement, then tries to picture their route. The bike's outside with all their stuff, and man, whatever's out there better not touch any of it. It's a shame he can't get to the map but he can imagine enough of it, since it's just one long stretch of road from here.]

Still a long way to go. Let's eat an' bail, though, maybe we can outpace this thing, whatever it is. We just gotta get far enough away to lose it, an' then we can plan from there. I'm good to drive a long time.

[Especially if they hit up a gas station for coffee. Or even better, if he can score something harder, but that would either take time or luck and he's not sure how much of either they have.

He wipes off his hands on his napkin, then settles a palm on Chrissy's leg next to his and gives her a light little squeeze.]

We'll get there in one piece, okay? You an' me. Nobody can stop us.

[One of her hands has hold of a tortilla that's drenched in beans and sauce, but she's able to use the other to press against his hand.]

If anyone tries, we'll make them sorry.

[There's a grandmotherly clearing of the throat from the kitchen, which Chrissy clearly reads as code for "you better not have out that gun again in my space". That makes her laugh a little, even if it's not exactly genuine. It's definitely nervous laughter, and she's glad to cover it up by stuffing her face full of avocado and rice and the most delicious meal she's had in a long, long time.

She's enjoying the meal enough that she marginally relaxes, and waits until she's eaten some more before leaning over to kiss him. Her head rests against his shoulder while he continues to eat, and she decides to rest her stomach before devouring more. It's while her hand is idly rubbing at his leg that she hears something that makes her blood run cold.]

Chrissy...

[A growling, raspy voice chimes out over the wind. She freezes and goes rigidly still, before slowly turning to look out the closest window. Nothing's there, but she still moves to crouch in the bench and turn so she's facing the window.]

Did you hear that? Something said my name.

[It's a weird feeling, having such a simple yet completely satisfying meal on the one hand, and yet having to be extra alert on the other. He keeps close to Chrissy as he finishes all he can eat, while anxiously listening to the wind outside as it gusts against the sides of the building.

And he hears that sound, and tenses while she moves as he too tries to look out the window.]

Yeah. I heard that. It's out there, whatever it is. Maybe it's tryin' to lure us out, though. Or tryin' to lure you out, since it didn't do anything when I was out there.

[His fear turns so quickly to anger, but there's nothing he can do with it right now, no obvious target for the wrath building in him. This fuckin' thing out there wants a piece of her, though? It's gonna have to get past him for that.

Somewhere in the kitchen, Miss Toni is moving around, putting things away and getting others out while muttering to herself about fantasmas insolentes both in and outside her restaurant. Johnnie hears the strike of a match, and looks back toward the counter to see her lighting candles on it, like that's really going to ward off anything at all.]

[Even her vague amusement at Miss Toni's attempts to ward away the bad things can't wipe the look of worry off her face. She really enjoys the food, and finds herself eating more out of anxiety more than anything. But her stomach is a little sick, just like it used to be in those days leading up to her death back in Hawkins.]

Aren't the candles going to attract attention?

[Chrissy asks Johnnie, nervously tearing a tortilla apart into tiny pieces.]

It's just that there's a lot of windows here, and anyone can see through.

[She pauses only briefly, before the tortilla tearing stops and she frets her hands together in her lap.]

Maybe I should just go out there.

[But instead of getting up and going, she starts to eat the tortilla pieces she's scattered across a plate.]

Don't. Whatever that thing is, you don't wanna meet it.

[He's sure about that, or he thinks he is. If this was some kind of friendly force they were dealing with, surely it'd play a lot nicer.

Once again he gets up, has a glance at Miss Toni and her candles, and shrugs at Chrissy as some attempt at responding to that initial question of hers.]

I think we already have this thing's attention anyway, let the old lady do what she's gonna do.

[To which Miss Toni snorts.]

There are darker things in the world than you two, cholitito. Let this "old lady" do what she knows to work.

[The pet name gets an eyeroll from him, and he walks over to a different window and peers out, but still nothing.]

Maybe we just go. Get on the bike an' fuckin' outrun it.

[It's really hard to stay totally nervous when Miss Toni's there. Her sass with Johnnie makes her laugh, and she covers her mouth with the back of her hand as she nods to what he suggests. That's as good of a plan as she'll be able to come up with.]

Okay, but...what's a cholitito?

[It's then that it dawns on her that the old woman said there are things darker than the two of them, which must mean she sees them for exactly what they are. Which makes the fact she let them in to eat pretty incredible. Whatever is out there, she doesn't want to let near someone so kind. Her restaurant shouldn't be caught in whatever is happening here.

She also shouldn't have to do the dishes either, so Chrissy starts to gather up their mess so she can bring them back and wash them clean.]

[That question makes Miss Toni smirk and Johnnie laugh a little, though it's a nervous laugh on account of what's going on outside.]

Your grandma ever call you weird little pet names, like "pumpkin pie" or "angel" in that kinda cutesy voice? Now call someone a gangster but with that same kinda intent.

[He offers that as an explanation, but Miss Toni corrects him as she hovers over her candles, then nudges a bottle of dish soap in Chrissy's direction.]

I called him a little baby delinquent, because that's what he is, you see his jacket? I know your type, chico.

[So, sure, a slightly more sarcastic version of what he'd explained to Chrissy, hence his eyeroll. Johnnie waves a hand in dismissal as he checks another window. The wind outside is howling, and the restaurant sign outside looks like it's about to blow off its hinges. The bike stands steady on account of its weight, but someone's loose McDonalds bag of trash has blown up against a tire and looks like it might wedge itself inside it given the force of the wind.]

[Chrissy takes out her nervous energy on the dishes. She scrubs fast and scrubs hard. And she's so bothered by the wind and what's waiting out there, that she can't even laugh at the fact Johnnie's being teased by a cute old lady.]

I like his jacket.

[She whispers, which earns a clicking of the tongue and an exasperated sound from poor Miss Toni.]

I used to have one like it too.

[Not exactly like it, just plain leather. But she doesn't need to know that. Outside, the wind dies off for a minute. In that time, Chrissy finishes washing and starts drying. She's in the middle of drying a plate when the wind picks up, stronger than ever. A roar of her name is carried on that wind, and she gasps as she drops the plate. It shatters into pieces and she just stands there trembling, hands going up over her ears as her name is drawn out in a threatening tease.

Miss Toni looks to her candles, which are flickering despite the wind being outside. She looks back toward Johnnie a moment later and nods to the door. She doesn't say anything, but Chrissy gets the distinct impression she's trying to politely ask them to go.]

Let's get out of here, okay? [Both arms wrap around him, and she presses her face against his chest.] I'm really sorry about your plate!

[She can't face Miss Toni. Not when she's so guilty about bringing this trouble to her.]

[This is truly the first day he's ever experienced being pissed off at the fucking wind like this, but he is. He holds Chrissy close and strokes her hair while he scowls at the night outside the window. He catches Miss Toni's eyes, then, and she shakes her head and goes to get a broom and dustpan to clean up the broken plate.

Johnnie decides he'll keep one part of his dumb story true, just because even if this lady has been teasing him left and right, she did take them in and feed them when she didn't have to, and tried to shelter them even though whatever is out there is starting to become too much for the restaurant and her little prayer candles. He nudges Chrissy aside just far enough to reach his wallet, and pulls out a few bills, then sidesteps to set them on the counter, weighted down by a candle.]

Dunno how else to thank you. We'll get outta your hair.

[The older woman looks at the two of them and nods.]

Que les vaya bien. Tell that wind out there to stop howling when you go. And you two keep each other safe.

[That little smile, almost humorous, somehow bolsters his courage. He gives a firm nod, then ushers Chrissy toward the door, but keeps a step in front of her.]

I'll get the bike started, then you run from here to the seat without stopping once the engine's running, you got that?

Okay. I'll wait here.

[As much as she wants to cling to him and let him shield her all the way to the bike, he's better off getting out there alone to get things started. Worrying about her will just distract him, and that's when something can sneak up and take advantage of the situation.

The second he steps outside, the wind dies down. It's eerie enough to give her a shiver, and her arms wrap around herself as she swears she can still hear someone gravelly rasping her voice.

She's grateful when she hears the bike start up, and she takes off at an all out run to hop on the back. The wind turns into a roaring gust as her feet make contact with the pavement, and she huffs as she has to really hold onto him tight. Her name sounds like a deafening scream as Johnnie peels out, trying to outrun whatever is stalking her down.

It has no interest in Johnnie at all. But it seems to love howling her name, as the wind stays like a tunnel around them. As he careens out of town and into a stretch of desert highway, it feels like the wind goes away. And she thinks that they've outrun whatever it is, that they're going to be safe.

It's about three miles outside of town that something appears in the middle of the road, large and looming and dark. As they get closer, Chrissy notices that the darkness is a black pile of sludge. And there's two glowing eyes staring right through Johnnie and at her. Its mouth opens, jagged and sharp teeth gleaming in the moonlight. And out of it comes her name, shrieking and frenzied.

Whatever this is, it knows her.]

There's no way we can get around that thing! You see it too, right? It's huge!

Of course I see it!

[What kind of question is that? The thing is enormous in the darkness, blotting out the faint ambient light from the moon and stars. Even if there was room to safely get around it on the highway, which he's not convinced of, it wouldn't be hard for the thing to just move into their way and block them. So as much as he doesn't want to slow down or stop, it's either that or they go sailing head-first into that dark shape and that sounds worse.

As he holds the brake levers tight, the headlight from the bike gets close enough to illuminate some of that shape, too. Whatever it is, it's more than just black goo with a face - there are limbs, twisted and mangled on its surface, and the remnants of clothing merge with flesh and black ooze. And as it arcs upward to try and tower over them, darkness itself seems to spill out of a slash that runs from where its belly ought to be, up to roughly where its neck would be, if it were a human shape.

Sitting in the road here would be a very, very bad idea, he has a feeling, so Johnnie wheels the bike around to go the other way.]

I'm gonna try an' find a road that goes around. You have your gun?

[Shooting a big dark blob doesn't sound especially likely to do much, but what the hell else are they going to do here? There's a set of train tracks running parallel to the highway, and maybe if they're extraordinarily lucky a train carrying barrels of some kind of fuel will come by and give them something to work with, or maybe they can trap the thing on the tracks and have it get hit - but he's not exactly counting on a train coming by in time to save them.]

[Chrissy doesn't answer right away. She's focusing on what she can see of the monster, and has to turn to continue staring as he turns the bike around. What's left of some kind of jacket is clearly visible on one of the mangled limbs. Her eyes narrow as she thinks she recognizes what it is.]

My gun is in the bag.

[But she leans over to unzip and pull it out, clutching it tight in both hands as her thighs squeeze tight to keep her on the bike.]

Chrissyyyyyyyy....

[Her name is shouted like a taunt, and she takes aim and fires. If it actually hits it, she has no idea, because she's distracted by the way its mouth is curling upward.]

Miiiiiiiiine.

[It roars, and Chrissy shrieks as she fires again. That's when the figure moves, launching toward them in a rushing dive. It remains on what looks like all fours as it runs, making her shout in alarm as it gains ground on them. Seconds pass, and it's looming over them, making a grab for the bike with one twisted limb. While it latches on and slows down the bike, it uses another jagged part of itself to grab her and physically remove her from the bike.

The gun in her hand is dropped in the process, but even as she screams she's pulling out her knife. It takes a few seconds of darkness being all around her that she realizes this thing has shoved her inside of it, and is busy running away. Well, that just won't do. No one's taking her away from Johnnie again. So she uses that knife in her hand to slash and stab and cut.

She knows she must be hurting it, because it growls and roars in pain, and ejects her out onto the pavement. She's covered in goo, but her eyes are perfectly fine. And as she moves to pick herself up, she notices exactly what is on that tattered remains of a jacket. It's a letter jacket, green and white. With a very identifiable H patch, with a name embroidered on it.]

Jason.

[His name is whispered, and she looks up at him in terror as he stretches out tall over her. She can clearly see the very distinct gash and scarring from where Johnnie split him nearly in two back in New York. This is what Jason's turned into since then, a monster. One that's somehow tracked her down across time and distance and has found her. But she's not the same girl he remembers. Rather than completely cowering in fear, she lashes out with her knife to try and send the message that she has a bite to her now. She's not going to be his victim any longer.

What might have been a hand once upon a time comes in contact with her face, making her lip bleed as she recoils. But she doesn't stop slashing with her knife. It just seems like no matter how much she attacks, her small blade doesn't do much of any damage. All she has to do is hold her own until Johnnie gets there, and they can take care of this together.]

Chrissy!

[He shouts as she's lifted from the bike, and he wheels it around immediately. No point looking for alternative routes if she's not with him. Time to fuck this thing up and get her back, or die trying. Or whatever happens to them, now.

His gun is still tucked into the back of his pants and it's easy to reach, but the problem, he realizes, as he hears her muffled cries but can't see her, is that he doesn't exactly know where she is against that monstrous darkness. Has it engulfed her, or is she just on the other side? He can't tell and doesn't want to hit her by mistake.

There's one other option, sort of a last ditch effort that just might work. Keeping the bike headed straight with his knees, he leans back and digs in one of the bags until he finds one of their half-finished bottles of alcohol, and the first scrap of clothes he can reach - a sock, apparently. Works for him. He quickly stuffs the sock into the bottle as a wick and lights it, and just as the bike gets dangerously close to veering off the road, he throws it at the back legs, or whatever those appendages are, of the creature and then regains control of his motorcycle. The molotov explodes into a cloud of flame, sending liquid fire up the thing's leg and across the pavement.]

Let her go, you ugly fuckin' freak!

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