Monsters

4 - The monsters sing

...And when you look long into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you.
- Friedrich Nietzsche

It was almost midnight by the time all the equipment was cleaned and put away. Afterwards I went over to the small, dirty locker that was assigned to me. I took off the glove and noticed that there were flecks of blood on the fingertips. It was Locust's blood. I put my glove in the locker and sigh. I still can't believe that I hit Locust.

"Nice work today rookie," Hunter tells me as he claps me on the back.

"Thanks," I respond. Talon was still sitting on one of the wooden crates. He was cleaning one of the leashes even though it was already clean.

"You know that's clean right?" I ask. Talon stops polishing the chain and puts it beside him. He then turns his attention to me.

"I'm sorry about yelling earlier. It's just that these monsters are family to me. This place is all I've ever known, so when I saw Locust on the ground bleeding I didn't know what to do," Talon explains to me.

"It's fine. I don't blame you for yelling at me. I hurt a monster and that's not okay," I tell him. Talon goes to say something else but the sound of shoes coming down the hall gets the attention of both of us. Boss walks down the hall and stops in front of the both of us.

"I need the two of you and Artemis to stay behind for the midnight shift tonight," he tells us in a gruff tone. Talon nods his head and gets off his crate.

"I'll go and tell Artemis. Hugo put your glove back on!" He shouts over his shoulder as he walks down the hall.

"Are you sure you want me to stay for the midnight shift? I thought that was only for experienced handlers," I ask in a meek tone.

"You'll have to do the midnight shift eventually so you might as well do it now," Boss tells me. He begins to walk down the hall back to his office, but he turns his attention back to me. "You told me you weren't afraid of monsters, so the midnight shift will be a piece of cake for you. Unless you were lying to me when we talked earlier."

"No sir. I'm not afraid of monsters," I tell him and resist the urge to salute him.

"Good. Now go find the other two," He glances down at his watch and looks at me once more, "I'm sure they'll be starting soon."

I quickly nod and dart off in the direction I saw Talon go. Both boys were in the arena leveling out the sand. I stood in the entry way of the arena and waited for them to finish. Eventually, they finished the last spot and walked back to the hall I was waiting in.

I was told to work with the two of you on the midnight shift," I tell them. Artemis and Talon both look at one another. The clock tower in town chimed midnight and the sound echoed all the way in the ring.

"Okay newbie, let's see what you're made of," Talon stated. Artemis and Talon walked to the main lobby and went to the cages along the wall. Rocket growled as we approached his cage. He was the oldest monster here and his age was clearly shown. His once black shining scales were now chipping off of his body, and the ones that remained were a dull gray. Some of his claws were ripped off and he had gone blind years ago. Rocket still fights almost every night though, and in the ring you would never know he was over thirty years old.

"Easy Rocket. It's only us," Artemis says as he unlocks his cage. Talon enters the cage and removes the chains from the elder monster. Rocket pads out of his cage and sniffs the air. His large head swings over to my direction and a low growl echoes in his throat.

"Take it easy on Hugo. He's new to the shift," Talon tells Rocket and puts a hand on his head. In the blink of an eye Rocket lunges at me and I'm pinned under the huge monster. I hold in my scream. Saliva drips from Rocket's mouth and he growls menacingly.