Artificial Earth

08

Danvers Bar

"HOW'S THE BIG GUY?" Danver asked, standing behind the girl who's attending to the soldier.
"He's drifting in and out of consciousness, fever's high." the girl said.
"I've got some aspirins in muh drawers, that should take care of the fever." Danver suggested.
"He'll need some dry clothes, towels and blankets too." the girl said.
"Have extras in the stock room upstairs, anythin' else?" Danver asked.
"That's all for now.." the girl said.
"You a nurse or somethin'?" he asked.
"Was." the girl replied. "Worked at Saint Louise Memorial back on earth."
"I see...and now?" Danver asked.
"Now... I'm waiting for you to give me what I need to help this man." she said while checking Joe's pulse.
"Right...Tommy!" Danver called out.
"What do you want dad?" Tommy asked as he approached them.
"I need ya to go upstairs and get some clothes, towels and a blanket. Aspirins in the drawer beside the bed." Danver ordered.
"Got it.." Tommy replied, heading upstairs.
"I want ya to call me when he wakes up, need to ask the fella a few questions." Danver said. "Somethin's not right and we need to know what that is."
"I'll do that..... also...He keep saying miro, devil, gotta get away......really is freaking me out." the girl said. "
"He's probably hallucinating, delirious." said one of the men in black leather jackets.
"Shouldn't we call a doctor or something?" asked another one of the men in black.
"Can't call anybody, cell signals down." the girl said.
"Somethin' terrible musta happen...fella looks pretty shaken." Danver observed.
" Meanwhile, you folks stay here for a bit 'till the storm pass....I'll cook us some soup and give ya two bottles of vodka fer free...third one ya pay for yourselves." he offered.
"Alright!" said one of the men in black.
"Thanks, appreciate that." the girl said.
"What do I cull ya?" Danver asked the girl.
"I'm Jenny and my friends back there are Buddy, Ray and Cathy." she pointed out. "We're supposed to attend a Concert at Marble City, "The Crush," Unfortunately some idiot forgot to watch the news, Concert's cancelled 'coz of the storm." Jenny said, looking at Buddy.
Tommy came back with hands full of clothes, towels a blanket and a bottle of aspirin tucked in his jeans.
"Where do I put these?" he asked, looking at his dad then at Jenny.
"Just leave them here, I'll take care of it." Jenny replied.
"Okay." Tommy said smiling, placing all the stuff on the table next to Jenny.

Danver went to the kitchen to cook up some soup. He was thinking about the soldier, he thought he saw this soldier inside his bar a couple of times together with friends before. When the soldier entered the bar a few hours ago, he recalled the way the he looked. The man was all wet and covered with mud, like as if he's gotten into a tug of war match...his eyes were on fire, like a demon possessed. He walked slowly towards them then halfway to the counter the soldier just collapsed.
What could have happened out there? he thought. Was this man in trouble? We're they all in trouble? Years of experience has taught him that something's not right.
After heating the soup he went to the basement. He opened the door and turned on the lights, it's been a while since he last went down there. Cobwebs were hanging all around the ceiling, dust covered the entire room. A single wooden table was on the center of the room and a large cabinet occupied the entire back wall. He move towards the table and ducked under it, a key was taped under the table. Taking the key, he then went to the cabinet, inserted the key and opened it. The cabinet was filled with riffles, grenades, ammunition and a rocket launcher. He was able to aquire all these over the years, most were gifts given to him by military men who dropped by once in a while. Some were sold to him and some given as payment when they lack the cash for liquor.
He then took one of the riffle, inserted a magazine and released the safety. Seven he counted, inserting magazines on all of them. Better to be safe than sorry, he thought.
When he was young, he used to go to church every Sunday with his mom. Religious? No, he never saw himself as the religious type. His mother's catholic and his father's a christian, he was neither. As he grew older he went to church less and less.
It's not that he doesn't believe, it's just that life got in the way. Inspite of that, sometimes he get this feeling or intuition that something bad's gonna happen and most of the time, something does.

"Miro, Devil, Have to get away.." he remember hearing those words spoken by the soldier.

Now, he's having that same feeling in his gut, the feeling of imminent danger....He was afraid of whatever's out there.

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"I guess we're stuck here for a while." Gina said.
"I guess so." Mick sighed.
"Could you get my teddy? I left it in the car." Gina requested.
"You want me to go out on the rain just to get your teddy?" Mick asked.
"Please Mick, please...." Gina pleaded.
"Alright...I better get a kiss after this.." he said.
"Yheey! You're my hero Mick."

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It was raining pretty hard outside, the wind was blowing in all directions, storm's gotten worse. The parking lot outside was very dark and their car was parked all the way back. A single lamp post on the east side of the parking lot was the only source of illumination.
"Damn it! I forgot that we parked the car all the way back.." Mick said to himself. "The things people do for looove."
Mick weaved his way towards their car. The wind and rain was slamming him from every direction, making it hard for him to see what's ahead. Rain was cold and a thick mist has already formed all around.
When he finally got to their car, he opened the door and stepped inside the drivers seat. Looking at the window from inside gave the impression as if the car's submerged under water.
"I better head back....uugh!"
From behind, a slimy tentacle like branch wrapped itself around his neck. He tried to free himself, using both hands and all his strength to pull it off...but the thing was strong and kept squeezing. Mick felt like drowning, every vein in his body was exploding. His chest was heaving....he gasped for breath, heart hammering....clawing at the thing around his neck.
The last thought he had was about the teddy and the kiss that he would never ever taste.