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May. 22nd, 2023 at 8:56 PM
[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?
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?
Comments
[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.
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.]
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?
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.]
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.
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.
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.
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.]
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.]
[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.
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.]
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.]
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.]
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?
[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!
[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.]
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.]
[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!
It's Jason. He's turned into...that!
[Chrissy isn't sure if it's a monster or what he is now. A creature of the darkness, warped and focused entirely on getting her back. That's not happening, and running away is probably an option. But that means he can pop back up at any other time without warning. ]
I want to get rid of him. So he can't find me again.
[It feels wrong to use the word kill so openly. But she'd really like to set him on fire and stab him and cut off his head or something. They don't have long to decide on a plan though, because with all his rolling around and writhing in pain, the fire is mostly put out. They're going to have to act fast.]
Will you help me? Please?
[She can try to do it alone, but she knows that she needs his help with this.]
There's little time to say it all aloud, so he just reaches back to squeeze her knee and starts thinking fast as he swerves the bike around the pained, monstrous creature in one brief little gap so they can pull ahead of it.]
Should be a few more bottles in those bags, let's use 'em all. Here.
[He hands back his lighter, but his eyes stay on the road, except for a glance behind to confirm that Jason, or the thing that was Jason once, is now galloping behind them, trailing smoke and sludge in its wake. He can feel the road shake even through the vibrations of the bike's engine as each heavy limb crashes downward onto the asphalt.]
Let's light that fucker up an' burn it to charcoal.
[A pair of red tail lights are visible in the far distance. A car, and they're catching up. Well, it's no train but it has a gas tank, it might still be just the thing, if they can get there before Jason gets them.]
There's a few bottles left, and two of the three are lit and thrown. She's grinning as they hit and make the fire grow larger and larger. The last one she holds onto, because she definitely spots those lights on up ahead. Maybe they can use the car as a buffer to get some more distance before they throw the last one.
Her name is screamed as Jason continues to barrel his way toward them.]
Speed up! Maybe we can use that car up ahead to block him!
And she's on the same page as him, clearly, when she sees the car. So he acknowledges her by pulling hard on the throttle, no need to hold back now that she's not needing him to help keep her in throwing distance. A speed limit sign races past, suggesting 80, but he's already going well above that by the time the number registers.
So it's particularly funny and rather appropriate when he notices details of the car ahead as they approach. It's a police vehicle of some kind - unmarked, a black sedan, not like the enormous white pickups he's been spotting cops in so far in the state. But inside through the rear windshield he can see all the telltale extra equipment, the grate that separates the back seat from the driver.
What's worse than a cop car? A fucking secret, hidden cop. But hell, two birds, one stone. He races around the vehicle and pulls in front of it, then starts to slow down in order to force that car to slam on the brakes and let Jason lurch closer to it.
And okay, he can't resist holding up a middle finger for the driver, who tries to pass only for Johnnie to speed up again and keep in front of him in the other lane.]
Asshole. All right, got ourselves a little bit of a shield. We got anything back there you can throw at him to make him swerve an' block the road better?
[Maybe she's not a sharpshooter, but she hit a stationary bottle during target practice once. And she's Johnnie's girl, which means he's taught her how to be dangerous and vicious if she needs to be. They're going fast, but after a shuffle of items she's able to get that gun and take aim. She hits the headlight first, which definitely isn't a tire. But the second shot, fired right after, makes contact. The tire instantly goes down, causing the car to veer out of control.
The cop inside is faced with no other choice but to swerve to a stop. As soon as he does, she tugs at Johnnie's jacket.]
Turn around! We need to light that thing up while we still have time.
[Maybe the police officer will have time to get out and run away. Just in case, she gives both the cop and Jason the middle finger. And since there's still more bullets in the gun, she shoots at the car to try and hit whatever she can.
Jason's fully on fire now, and all of his rage and charging toward them is wearing him out. He trips on limbs that are aflame and goes sliding across the road right toward the now stopped cop car.]
He lets out a joyous Whoop! with a fist in the air as Jason slides right toward that car. Maybe a little early to declare victory, but all he's declaring is his excitement. He keeps the bike moving just so they're not sitting targets in case Jason gets up or the asshole cop starts shooting back, and they snake toward the car in a zig-zag, slower now than before.
The cop, seeing Jason, shouts audibly through his cracked windows and decides to take his chances with the lesser of his two bad options and crawls toward the passenger door, then opens it, rolls out onto the roadway and cowers, hands toward Johnnie and Chrissy in a plea for mercy.]
C'mon babe, now, before that motherfucker gets back up!
[He's more worried about Jason, and pulls the bike parallel to the car in a broad u-turn to line Chrissy up for a throw. The cop, seeing this, scampers for the ditch to take cover, and Johnnie notes the direction he's gone. Definitely not his main concern, but it's best to keep track of pests so they don't take you by surprise later on, he figures.]
Here goes nothing!
[She shouts, sounding almost giddy as she lights the bottle and throws it as hard as she can toward the car. It goes through the passenger door and catches flame immediately, the entire car going up in big flames in seconds. Her hand presses against Johnnie's back as they watch it burn, and as soon as the fire reaches the gasoline, it's all over. The explosion is loud and rattles the entire area, but Chrissy watches with a sense of satisfaction as Jason screams in agonizing pain.
Watching him burn and flail is so satisfying that her smile is manic, almost sadistic in the pleasure she gets from knowing she's done this to him. It doesn't take any longer than a few minutes before he goes still.]
Can you get me in close? I want to make sure he's dead.
[From in her peripheral vision, the cop starts to make his way out from where he was hiding, and is shouting at them. Chrissy barely spares a glance in his direction before firing off the last round in the gun. It grazes his knee and makes him drop down with a shout, and she's wearing that unhinged smile on her face again. ]