The Deep Freeze

Part 8

Virginia Harbor....10 miles ahead. This was the only place Michael could think of that made any sense at all. If Xanthan had been frozen all these years, his first action would be to head home right? He came from a ship at the harbor in Virginia so maybe he would seek out the same ship at the same harbor. Michael hoped he was right because there was no other direction to go. If Xanthan decided to run around the city it would have been on the news by now and the only big news was still about the blizzard they had. There was a short story about the break-in at the grocery store and of course, about Michael being locked inside the freezer, but nothing about a creature running rampid around town.

As they approached the exit for the harbor, Michael started looking around for anything that would give him a clue. He saw some fresh skid marks into the grass but that wasn't unusual on an interstate. As they approached the docks, he told Meg to stop the car and turn off the lights. They looked around for anything suspicious. It was hard to hear anything with the traffic noise and the waves out in the harbor banging the bouys around. All Michael could hear was the clanking noise of the bouys that sounded like huge bells being rung. He told Meg to start the car but to leave the lights off and slowly move forward. He looked everywhere for even one person. Suddenly he grabbed Meg's arm and told her to stop. He pointed out towards the edge where the boats dock and they could see a truck. This wasn't just any truck. This was Bob's truck!

The truck was moving...but not in the way it should. The truck was being squeezed and twisted around. He saw something shimmering in the low glowing light of the harbor. It was Xanthan! Meg started to panic. She started getting histerical and Michael pulled her toward him. He told her it wasn't there for them and she would be fine. Xanthan was going home. The wings spread out across the harbor like an eagle ready to soar. This eagle was much bigger and had no appearance of beauty whatsoever. It was more like an old war airplane ready for battle. This suicide bomber plane was headed straight into the ocean no matter what was in its way. Just before he leaped into the air, Xanthan opened his strange mouth and the teeth came forward like they did in the store. The thing must have been 10 times the size he was in the store because his jutted teeth were now the size of machetes. He could see them spinning in the low light. They were moving in on the truck.

Michael and Meg stayed close together as they watched the whole thing unravel. Where was Bob? They hoped he wasn't inside the truck but feared the worst. Xanthan was going to destroy that truck no matter what was inside. Michael moved away from Meg, opened the door and slowly got out. Meg looked at him and tried to stop him but she knew there was nothing she could do. He carefully closed the door and told Meg to stay in the car no matter what happens...and to keep the car running in case she needed a fast get-a-way. Michael stayed close to the ground and moved sideways to get away from the car and to put himself behind obstacles to block himself from Xanthans' view. He found a big block laying on the ground. Michael picked it up and threw it as far as he could and dropped into a mud puddle and rolled. It made a crash into the side of one of the containers. It was an empty container so the sound echoed through the air and across the water. Xanthan stopped and turned towards the noise. It leaped through the air and landed on the container, shredding it into bits.

Michael was still......He rolled in the mud to avoid his scent being picked up by Xanthan since he remembered how it sniffed the air at the grocery store. Xanthan did just that. As he sniffed into the air, he turned towards the car where Meg was. Michael was ready to do whatever it took to keep Xanthan away from Meg. Xanthan screamed and leaped high into the air. Michael yelled to Meg to take off as fast as she could. She sped away into the night and Xanthan came down hard into the harbor. Waves rushed over the side from the force of Xanthan's dive. Michael felt the wind and water from the beating wings and splashing. Michael watched as the harbor water started to calm. Xanthan was gone, but for how long? Meg was safe now and Michael had to find out if Bon was okay. He had to go down there where Xanthan had just been.

Meg stopped down the road when she realized there was nothing chasing her. She held tight to the steering wheel as she sat in the road crying and shaking. This was some kind of crazy prank or something she thought. Whatever that thing was, she now feared for Michael. She slowly turned the car around and carefully made her way back to the docks. She kept her lights off as she came back down the road to where she left Michael. As she approached the docks, she saw a figure moving along the roadway. The glow of white floated through the air as if it were a ghost. She hoped it was Michael. After all, they were the only ones around there when they first pulled up. As she slowed almost to a stop now, she realized it wasn't Michael at all. It was a man who looked like he had been tossed around in a tornado more than a few times. She recognized the black pants and white collared shirt....It was just like the manager's outfit from The Daily Milk Stop. This had to be Bob!

Meg's heart was racing as she pulled to the side of the road, slammed the car into park and peered into the blank face of a man who just lost everything. "Bob!" Meg screamed. "Please get in the car." Bob made his way to the passenger side, stumbling with anticipated relief. He collapsed into the leathery seat and passed out cold. Meg's emotions took hold by the sight of him. The car was dark but she could see the scuff marks on his arms and face. His nose had streaks of blood under it where he had been bleeding at some point. She felt horrible for Bob and for Michael. Meg knew Michael felt guilty for what happened to Bob. He thought it was his fault that Xanthan got a hold of Bob.

Meg took a deep breath as she put the car in drive. She was still shaken up with everything that was happening. Her eyes were moist as she tried to advance into the darkness to find Michael. Her mind was fixed on the vision of the enormous creature that manifested in the night. She held her lip between her teeth, wondering where Xanthan went. She squinted to see through the misty air. The truck was still in the same place. Michael wasn't in sight. The lump in her throat made her swallow hard. She pulled up as close as she could with enough room to bolt if necessary. The door of the truck moved. Meg was ready to stomp on the gas. Michael tumbled out and waved his arms through the air. The coast was clear.

Michael took over driving as they headed back home. He knew he put Meg through enough pandemonium for one day. Besides, his head was much better and there was no way in hell he was going to do anything stupid like falling asleep at the wheel. The drive back was long. Return trips always seemed shorter but not this one. They had Bob safe with them so there was no need for the panic they originally felt. Michael looked over at Bob periodically in disbelief over all that happened. He couldn't understand why Bob was still alive. Michael's eyes focused on Meg in the back seat. She was staring at nothing, afraid to close her eyes.

Michael returned his gaze on the road and watched as the car swallowed each reflector as it went over them. The sky was an endless sea of blackness with small particles of light glistening through it. Michael pictured Xanthan swimming through the same sea of darkness into the abyss somewhere in the ocean. He wondered if that was the last of Xanthan. His head started pounding and he realized he had been grinding his teeth. His cheeks burned with pain from the force of his teeth clenching together. He knew he had to keep his sanity in spite of all that happened. Just then Meg asked; "Are you alright?" Michael realized he had been opening and closing his mouth to relieve the pain from his jaw. He turned as red as the blood on Bob's face but she couldn't tell in the dim street lamps. "Yes"; He explained. "I am just trying to stay awake." Knowing he wasn't going to sleep anytime soon. Meg smiled and Michaels' face relaxed almost instantly.

They rolled into town around 6 in the morning. Michael drove straight to his apartment so Meg could get home. Bob was just waking up when they pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex. Michael parked the car as close as he could, not knowing the condition Bob was in. Michael got out of the car and made his way around to the passenger side. Bob opened the door and stepped out. He was on his feet looking around as if confused about where they were. "We are at my apartment." Michael said. As they made their way up to the apartment, Michael waved to Meg. She smiled; "I'll be back just as soon as I can."

Michael watched as Bob moved around the living room of his apartment. The look on his face was distant, almost painful. His hands rubbed across his ears and up through his hair as he groaned under his breath. Unaware of his surroundings, then all at once he stopped....... "Emily!"