![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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
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. ]
Still, it's a victory howl he looses into the night as Jason screams, and he puts his hands up in the air in front of the flames, again just driving with his knees for a second or two until he laughs and takes control of the handlebars again so he can bring them in closer, around the flaming wreckage of the car and the enormous black mass smoldering on the road. Smoke and embers scatter in the wake of the bike as he circles around to get them on the other side of Jason, away from the gas tank in case somehow the car has more exploding to do.]
Let's make sure he's done for good this time. I don't want this asshole comin' back again. More ammo in the bags somewhere if you need it, but otherwise I'm thinkin', if he doesn't move, let's grab some of those bushes past the fence there an' pile it all up, make sure this thing burns for days.
[And as eager as he is to get back to California, they can spare an hour or so here to have themselves a little bonfire. A dance, a smoke in front of the flames, a celebration of the banishment of this shadow from Chrissy's life, once it's finally done. How fitting that they, who belong to the darkness, have brought this black ooze monster down by lighting it up with fire.
As he stops the bike and watches the thing burn, a cruel, satisfied smirk grows on his face.]
Y'know, Miss Toni back there said there's things out here darker than us. But I'm thinkin', give it time. Maybe someday she'll be wrong.
They can build their fire. But she fully plans on shooting Jason until she feels like he's paid for all the pain and misery he put her through.]
Someday soon, maybe.
[The bike is at a standstill now, and she hops off so she can move in a little closer. Just enough to shoot at where Jason's head might be. It doesn't really matter where she hits, she fires until she's out. Tears stream from her eyes as she does, but her glare is icy and cruel. She's not sad, she's furious. And finally she's able to help herself. There's no more running, just revenge.
So she tosses the empty gun back to Johnnie before nodding over toward the side of the road. There's brush and bushes they can drag over to add to the fire. And she definitely wants to do that.]
Can you believe it? He's never going to find me again.
[She's giggly as she says it, absolutely ecstatic for getting rid of Jason once and for all.]
He catches the gun, now clearly out of ammo, and hops off the bike. He sees that nod, knows she's thinking along similar lines, but before going for the brush or going to find that cop and throw him on the fucking pile of destruction they're about to create, he first slips one arm around Chrissy's waist and cups the back of her head with his other hand, and pulls her snug against him for an intensely passionate kiss. He's left breathless, panting with victory and exhilaration and absolute lust for that fire in her eyes at what she's just accomplished.]
I believe it, babe. You made damn sure of it. He can't touch you ever again.
[Another kiss, and then he pulls away, hands lingering for just another ounce of touch before he separates from her. Bonfire, first, then there will be plenty of celebrating after.
Now, where did that cop go? His fingers curl around his sheathed knife as he starts toward the ditch, looking for fuel and listening for the crackle of brush in case the guy thinks running is the thing to do right now.]
She watches him head off, likely to find the cop, and her smile only grows as she observes. He's so protective of her, but he really helped her be able to stand on her own and get this done tonight. And she feels so free because of it. The right thing to do is let him have his fun while she focuses on keeping this fire going.
A few steps are taken before the sound of something dragging through the dirt and onto the pavement catches her eye. It's the cop she shot, trying to drag himself back toward his car like he can call for help there or something.]
Hey babe, look over here! [She sighs, so disappointed that this guy chose to not stay hiding. He's really in for it now.] I don't think he got the message that he needs to stay down until we leave.
[To the cop, she scrunches up her nose and steps in close so she can press the toe of her shoe against him to push him back down.]
You're not going to get in the way of the fire, are you? Because that would be really rude. I worked really hard to make this!
P-please, just let me go. I won't tell anyone what happened here, just let me go...
[The pathetic begging makes Johnnie laugh as he swaggers over, knife in one hand, an armful of dry brush under the other. He looks at the guy on the ground, not even pinned under Chrissy's foot, really - it's more a suggestion than a requirement by force, but he's taken it, apparently.]
He's a fuckin' coward, babe. Typical cop, all asshole on the outside an' creampuff as soon as shit gets real. You ain't used to bein' under someone else's boot, are you?
[He tosses the flammable things on the fire and admires the sparks that fly as the flames lick fresh fuel, then turns his gaze once again to the guy on the ground.]
We'll let you go. But you gotta be the one to lick her boots, fuckin' pig.
[Metaphorical boots, anyway. Details. He spins his knife around in his hand idly, like he's just looking for an excuse to use it.]
A monster.
If Johnnie sees her like that, he doesn't give any indication. Instead, he tries to empower her a little more. And she laughs at his suggestion, until it really sinks in what he's asking the pleading cop to do.]
You want him to lick my feet?
[The cop's face is filled with something close to hope, like maybe he's thinking Chrissy will be the one to talk some reason into the situation.]
You don't have to do that. Just kiss it.
[Her smile is more amused than cruel, but she points to her foot like it's not exactly a suggestion.]
He'll cut you if you don't do it.
[All that hope goes out as they're looked at like they're the devil himself. And in that moment, Chrissy feels so powerful she almost wants to cackle. So when she brings her foot up so it roughly bumps against the cop's chin, she doesn't feel anything but like she's on top of the world.]
You want to be let go, don't you?
[The cop spits at her and she gasps, jumping in surprise. Doesn't this guy know how gross that is?]
Fuck you, bitch. [Wait, is he talking to her or Johnnie?
What happened to the begging just a minute ago? She misses that. Chrissy knows how to get leverage over that. This newfound desperate anger he's showing, she has no idea how to respond.]
He circles the cop slowly just to make him more nervous, and when he's about to go check out what's in his car instead, Mr. fucking cop decides to spit at his girl, which draws him immediately over to stomp on one of his hands. There's a crunch of bone or knuckle - something in that hand popped or broke. He doesn't really care which. The guy's shrieking in pain now as he tries to scramble away, but he's slow with his injured leg and can't get to his feet quickly at all, so Johnnie comes over and kicks him in the ribs to knock him back down.]
You think you're funny, asshole? Or are you tryin' to be a big man now, suddenly? Don't like bein' called a coward, huh?
[He leans down to grab the guy's jacket, then has to dodge out of the way of a swing of his arm that almost connects with his nose. Undeterred, Johnnie grabs him by the wrist and pats around until he finds the guy's badge in his breast pocket, and pulls that out, stepping away as he reads it.]
Detective Aaron Burke. Culberson County Sheriff's Department. Well, nice to meet you, Aaron.
[The guy shouts, interrupting him.]
Fine! Fine, whatever creepy shit you ask for, I'll do it. Keep the badge, I'll kiss her feet, fine!
[Sounds like he's wavering between anger and fear, those two compelling forces. Johnnie folds up the badge and pockets it with a shrug, then looks at Chrissy. He might even be convinced to actually let the guy go, maybe, but he wants to search that car for goodies first.]