Bone and Blood Volume I

34 - Black Forest, Colorado, 1927

For whatever it was worth, Torani was certain this car was faster than the ones he typically dealt with. Early in the trip, he had tested the accelerator. The speedometer's arrow moved just past the halfway point when Torani reached what he thought should be the max speed.

And then he gunned it. There was a thrill in pushing the car to its limits. Seeing the arrow fall on the dial's final symbol. Careening around curves past tree-shaped blurs.

Errek swore at every bump they hit, so Torani quit joy riding. Better to take easy and avoid hurting Errek further. Errek need to stay calm. That was why Torani kept quiet about the vehicle's power. Even if it did explain his miscalculation.

The fact was, Torani was still responsible for Errek's injuries. No point in blaming the car's superior capabilities. What mattered learning from that mistake. And keeping Errek safe. Especially now. The words that was my good leg still haunted Torani.

However, that was a concern for later. He no city memories, but he was sure he would know it when he saw it. And all he saw was forest. Sure, they passed some stray houses along the route, but nothing substantial. Then the road ended and Torani had to turn left. That road ended too. He backtracked to find another route.

Since then, they had driven through what looked like a town. A conglomeration of buildings they passed before Torani recognized what it was. When he hit another dead-end, he tried to backtrack to it. He never found it.

Glowing dots in the distance drew him in. Each one was a false beacon. A porch light. A stray street lamp. A car heading in the opposite direction. The further Torani went, the greater the distance between one light and the next.

He had to be going the wrong way. Unsure what to do next, he started taking turns at every junction. That failed to improve the situation. More scattered houses. A sawmill. A lonely school. Nothing that could support the masses that congregated in a city. The night was waning. And he was out of ideas.

It dawned on him how silent the backseat had become. Errek must have finished eating. Swallowing down the anxiety, Torani asked, "How are you doing, Errek?"

"Ignoring my leg? Fine, I guess. I had forgotten how hungry I was until I started eating."

"Yeah. Same."

"What about you?"

"Me? Why...?" He remembered his own injuries. A quick belly-check revealed layers of scar tissue. No organs poking out. "A lot better."

"Good." A long, horrible pause threatening to revert into the awful silence. "Can I ask a favor?"

"Sure, what?"

"I've eaten all the good stuff. What's left is starting to smell. Can you get rid of it?"

"No problem." Torani scanned his surroundings as he coasted. Trees, trees, and more trees. "I guess this is as good a place as any..." He slowed to pull off the road. Parked. Went to the back of the car. Opened the door. Was met with carnage.

Errek lay across the bench seat with his arms crossed. His clothes were stained muted red and tawny yellow. The hollowed-out corpse had been unceremoniously dumped into the leg space. Ripped-open. Chest facing up. Stiff arms flailed awkwardly in the air. Legs folded underneath it. The sticky, leather upholstery was spattered with various bodily fluids and stray organ bits. Wonderful.

Sighing, Torani yanked the cadaver out of the car and dragged it into the woods. There were no bushes nearby. Instead, he shoved aside pine needles with his foot, forming a divot and a mound. The body went into the divot. He smoothed the needle mound back over it.