TO: FENRIR

EPISODE FOUR: THEIR DEADLY GLOW

DAMIAN: What just happened? The screen just turned off.
BAXTER: Probably just a bump in the connection.
DAMIAN: Yeah I'll try again tomorrow.
I hope everything's okay.
CHESTER: Look, I don't give a damn about any of this with your family knowing. I just want the frikin seat.
DAMIAN: All I have right now is a ticket and some papers with my name on them. The only way they'd let you on is if we go to the spaceport and get it changed.
BAXTER: Damian, are you gonna let this guy take your spot?
CHESTER: To be honest I think it's in his best interest. I'm gonna kill him if he doesn't, might as well.
BAXTER: No then you can have mine.
DAMIAN: No, Baxter. That is not going to happen.
CHESTER: Alright. Make an appointment, I'm gonna stay here tonight.
DAMIAN: The hell you aren't?
CHESTER: I do what I want. I'm the boss now, Mr. Witmore.
-
The night passed, slept with one eye open with the murderous teen asleep in my wife and I's bed, leaving me to my daughter's and Baxter on the couch. Woke up with frozen tiredness in my bones, but it was quickly subsided by the adrenaline of remembering the world I was living in. At least I didn't have to rely on energy drinks anymore.

The car ride too the Spaceport was mainly silent. I could feel the fear fogging up the car windows, as the rain continued to poor. The silence would often be broken by nervous hums coming from Chester, eerily haunting melodies from a broken voice.
-
DAMIAN: Would you stop that, kid?
CHESTER: Nope.
DAMIAN: You know why did you chose us? Is there some grudge you have on my daughter from school?
CHESTER: Oh no, it's not like I've asked her to Prom two years in a row with a definite and humiliating no each time. But yeah, no grudge.
DAMIAN: Where are you parents even? Do they know you're doing this?
CHESTER: Oh buddy I haven't seen their asses since before this all even started. Who knows if they're alive or not.
DAMIAN: I hope you know that you're a coward.
CHESTER: I don't think I am, Mr. Witmore. You are the one giving up your ride to see your family to a teenage boy.
DAMIAN: I am just trying to make sure that they are safe. This is what I have to do.
BAXTER: Hey ladies. We're here.
-
Entering the spaceport was like walking into the refrigerated section of a grocery store, cold and the essence of metal all around. People frantically walk around in military garb, momentarily speaking into the microphones clipped to their collars. Nonsense jibber jabber.

We moved towards customer service desk to get further information on how I'm going to fail my family.
-
DESK CLERK: Hello there, welcome to Chicago Spaceport, how may I be of service for you today?
CHESTER (whispering to Baxter): A woman? I thought they all left on flight one.
DESK CLERK: Yes sir, employees of the spaceport are leaving on a third flight out of Japan. The National Spaceport Association has built an extra Da Vinci ship for us.
CHESTER: Wait, Japan has an extra ship?
DESK CLERK: Well yes. Two actually, one is not going to be used. More out of backup. It's much smaller than the other models.
DAMIAN: Okay thank you very much ma'am. I think you answered our question for us already.
DESK CLERK: Oh, okay. We'll have a nice day and don't the Light bite!
(Now in the car)
DAMIAN: We're going to Japan BAXTER: Damian, we can't, there's no airports anymore.
DAMIAN: I know, I have a way.
-
A day passed as we road tripped west to Seattle. The place of my birth. It was weird being home again. My mother, who decided to stay and not go on the trip to Fenrir kindly let us stay in her house.
-
DAMIAN: Thanks for dinner Mom.
BAXTER: Yeah thanks, Mrs. Witmore.
MRS. WITMORE: Oh anytime boys. It makes me feel useful again to make dinner for some kids again.
BAXTER: Well this clam chowder is probably the best I've ever had. We don't get a lot of this in the south.
MRS. WITMORE: Well you can come by anytime you need boys. My house is your house Baxter.
DAMIAN: I don't think we'll be coming back Mom.
MRS. WITMORE: Well of course you guys are leaving for the second flight next week but I mean until then.
DAMIAN: No Mom, not even till we leave.
MRS. WITMORE: What do you mean? I thought you just came by to visit.
DAMIAN: We're going to Japan mother.
MRS. WITMORE: What why? I heard on the news that that's where the Light came from! Why would you want to go there?
DAMIAN: It's all too much to explain. But we're going to be taking Dad's ship there tomorrow morning. It'll be a couple days but we have to get there so I can be with Lily and the kids.
(That next morning)
-
MRS. WITMORE: I know that you're doing the right thing. You don't have to explain anything to me. I love you so much and I will always watch over you. Please make it to the kids so you can give Dallas one last kiss on the cheek for me.
DAMIAN (tearing up): I will, Mom. I promise.
-
Baxter with cookies in his hand from my mother and Chester with his hood draped over his head, we continued out the door. My father's old marine research boat sat in the harbor my parents lived on, brought back memories from when I was young and he would drag me along on his shipping jobs to catch up on otherwise lost father/son bonding. He always said those hours spent learning to drive it would aid me one day.
-
CHESTER: Alright let's get this show on the road.
DAMIAN: The birds are singing Chester.
CHESTER: What the hell does that mean.
DAMIAN: It means things are going good, and it's a warning sign not to screw things up. So keep off, you think I would really let you steal my spot on Da Vinci, and miss out on ever seeing my family again. I'm doing this cause I want to help you.
CHESTER (pulls gun out of his sweatshirt pocket): Or because you have to.
DAMIAN (swiftly hits the gun out of his hands and into the water): Sit down, Chester.
-
As the hours passes and the view of the Washington coast became smaller and smaller our view of the sunrise became more deep and orange as it bleed into the water. A long trip was ahead, but so important and so rigorous.
-
CHESTER: How many days is this trip supposed to be?
DAMIAN: 3.
BAXTER: How many days has it been?
DAMIAN: 2.
CHESTER: Damn.
-
We spent most of the time sleeping, or sitting at the wheel watching the waves congregate in every direction. It all felt like a montage in slow motion of nothing.

Finally we made it to the shores of Japan, I only went there once while I was stationed in Okanawa for a month or two during my days in the Air Force. But didn't get to experience the culture enough. I pulled into the loading bay. Tied up my boat and went to the check in office, where I was met by an old Japanese man. Speaking to me in his native tongue.
-
DAMIAN: Nihongo o hanasanai.
BAXTER: Woah you speak Japanese?
DAMIAN: No I just told him I don't speak Japanese.
CHECK IN GUY: Oh very sorry. A lot of you cargo men speak little Japanese at least. What is ship number and name?
DAMIAN: Uh the 316, ship name, Shiva.
CHECK IN GUY: Okay, thank you. Have nice day sir.
-
We continued on past the cargo as men jumped on the ship to look for cargo that wasn't there. Didn't matter though, we had a job to do.
-
BAXTER: Alright so what now.
DAMIAN: Well the Spaceport's clerk services are closed on Sunday so we'll have to get a hotel and wait till tomorrow. That will give us time to work out a plan.
CHESTER: A plan for what.
DAMIAN: Not sure.
-
As we walked up from the harbor and into the cold streets we called a taxi, drove into the downtown areas where we could better find a hotel. We got out and the swarms of people I remembered was absent. A few groups of people walked the streets. It was getting later in the day so people had retired. But the major difference of even places like Japan after the Light showed up really knocked the wind out of me. The radiance of the neon signs selling Frozen Yogurt sent a sense of false excitement. Like a birthday party for no one.
-
CHESTER: Do you think there's even hotels open anymore?
DAMIAN: Hope so.
BAXTER: There, how about that place with the pink sign.
DAMIAN: I can barely read that, I think one of those words says Hotel.
CHESTER: Hope it's not one of those weird Cuddle Hotels.
DAMIAN: Wait, the door has a closed sign. I was worried about this.
-
The sky became dimmer as we searched the streets for somewhere to stay. Nearing apocalyptic Japan was not the best place to be with no where to sleep and deadly bug creatures about to be released into the dark. The vibrancy of the neon signs became brighter and the rest of the town became darker. My hands became tight and nerves went into my spine.
-
CHESTER: Guys it's almost dark, what are we gonna do.
DAMIAN: We have to get inside somewhere.
BAXTER: There's no where to go. Everyone has locked up for the night, too keep idiots like us out.
CHESTER: Crap here they come. Look!
-
Dark had only fallen for a second when they arises. Light came in, an ocean of white flowed around the street corner. They knew we where there. They smelled us. All we knew was to run. Twisting and turning down narrow corridors and over bold fences. Hoisting each other over an old wired fence, they came closer as Baxter was traversing over.
-
CHESTER: Just jump, we have to go!
BAXTER: No man I have bad ankles. I don't think I can.
CHESTER: We gotta go!
-
Jumping into a staggering blow, Baxter let out a deep grunt.
-
BAXTER: Ah! I think I sprained it!
DAMIAN: Here, lean on me! (Putting his arm across Baxter's shoulder to keep him afloat.)
-
We booked it down a small alley, and through various street ways. We came to a dead end. Our almost pitch black view slowly would become more clear as the sound of The Light's eery buzz grew louder. Pinned against the wall in an ally way, Chester began to climb up on top of a dumpster and pull himself towards roof.
-
CHESTER: C'mon, up on the dumpster!
BAXTER: You first, Dame. Go!
-
I hoisted myself up on the rusted green dumpster. Japanese graffiti plastered onto it. I grabbed onto the ledge of a window and pulled myself up, grasped Chester's hand, pulling me up to the roof of a small building.
-
BAXTER: They're coming guys hurry up!
DAMIAN: Alright, get on the dumpster and I'll pull you up!
-
Baxter began to climb onto the dumpster. Rain washed, his grip on the area was unstable. He finally caught himself and stood up for his boot just to slip once again, hitting face towards the plastic lid of the dumpster, the Light started down the alley way.
-
DAMAIN: Baxter, get up! Grab onto the ledge.
BAXTER: Awe man.  I think I bruised my cheek bone.
DAMIAN: Just hurry.
-
Closer and closer they came. Lighting up the alleyway, revealing posters of over sexualized JPOP singers plastered along the wall. Damian reached up to grab onto the ledge of the window. Hurt from tripping he could barely keep himself up. Neck and neck with the swarm.
-
BAXTER: Guys I'm done. I'm just gonna slow us down. Keep going. I'll keep them busy for a while.
DAMIAN: Baxter, no! Just come on! (Stretching far as possible to reach him.)
BAXTER: Tell Alyssa I love her. And that I tried to make it.
DAMIAN: Baxter!!!
-
As the light came over him, he smiled. Light consuming him until you could see him anymore. Tears began to swim down my face, as I continued to reach. Right when I thought I had failed one of my best friends, a beam of light reflected off a piece of steel. Slashes swept across the Light, slicing them into halves. A man in a black outfit, covering his face, dove into the swarm, grabbing Baxter's torn up body, and dragging him off.
-
DAMIAN: What the? Who they hell was that?
CHESTER: Who knows. We'll find him, we have to go.
DAMIAN: No but that man, he just cut them right in half. I thought they were invincible!