by Dave Hazel
“Think about it, Myk. Maybe something good can come outta this screwed up situation we’re in,” Boris said and he seemed to stare out into space. “Since nobody else is here, I wanna get something off my chest. I wanna do something good, cuz I’m having a hard time with what happened back in Minot.”
“The shooting?” Mykal asked referring to the Minot AFB Massacre. He saw the guilt and the remorse in Boris’s eyes.
“Yeah, I know I can never make up for what I did to all those people and families, but it’s tearing me up. It’s hard living with myself. I know I can never do enough good to make up, or undo what I did, but I wanna do something positive and worthwhile. So if we can find this Zizmon-Tarl guy or thing, whatever he is, and if we could take him out--”
“It would do a world of good for Towbar’s people,” Mykal cut him off. “Hell, it’ll do good for the whole world here.”
“Excuse me Mykal,” Perup interrupted them and waited for Mykal to wave him over. “Since all of your people will be joining us tonight, we will prepare a meal for them but they must eat it in haste. They must eat it before night fall.”
“Why is that?” Mykal asked suspiciously.
“The scent of food will draw the attention of unwanted visitors. We must not be careless.”
“I understand.” Mykal nodded and felt odd looking down and talking to a four year old. “Most of my people won’t be eating. We ate just before we met you.”
Perup’s little face showed disappointment. “That will be fine. They are welcome to eat with us. I would encourage it,” he gave a crooked smile and his eyes seemed to drill into Mykal. “We will have plenty of food to share. We would like your men to eat with us. It is not very often we have visitors into our little village.”
“Okay, thank you.” Mykal smiled but Perup started to become annoying. Mykal clearly saw the little boy innocent look, but felt the man’s voice and his eyes seemed sinister. “I will let my men know they have been invited to eat,” he lied. He planned to enforce having no more than half the men eat or drink anything. He still felt somewhat concerned about a trap set for Zizmon-Tarl’s men to ambush them. Mykal wanted to laugh at himself for being paranoid of people who looked like two, three and four year olds, but this is Towbar’s world, and it is a strange world.
Mykal and Boris walked with Perup around the village. Perup spoke about the land. He spoke of the people they used to be and the people who were no longer with them due to old age and various run-ins with unwanted forest creatures. Being too little to defend themselves and each other, they watched helplessly as friends and family members had been carried off in the jaws of large creatures never to be seen again. “One of the heartbreaking realities of this awful curse,” Perup sighed and paused. “Is not having the ability to mate. There is not even the desire among any of us. When we are gone as a people, that is the end of us.”
5.
Lieutenant Kim and the rest of the men filed into the village cautiously. The men were warned to be on high alert and extremely vigilant. They spread out with weapons ready and traveled down every road, checked behind every hut and made sure there were no unforeseen threats before Lieutenant Kim and Lieutenant Finley announced to Captain Diaz the village was secure.
Mykal watched the men as they gathered around Diaz. Some of the young men looked concerned. Some were laughing and joking that Mykal expressed fear of what looked like babies. “What, is he afraid we’re gonna have to change diapers?” Mykal overheard one of them laughing to his friend.
“Maybe I have gone a little overboard,” Mykal whispered to Boris. “I don’t want the men to laugh at me, but I feel responsible for their being here and I feel responsible for their safety.”
“Seriously Myk, don’t worry about it. Hey, do you remember what you used to always say to us? It’s better to be safe than sorry,” Boris replied. “I don’t think any of the men would laugh at you, but I wouldn’t take any chances out here either way. They’ll get over it.”
Finley selected a group of eight men to go outside the opposite side of the village to scout the area. The men returned after thirty-five minutes giving the all clear sign. Finley placed a number of the men on guard duty to watch for surprise visitors and to watch for suspicious actions on the part of their tiny hosts.
In the company of the visitors, the hosts looked like the children who had been visited by their favorite uncle who always brought gifts. The little people eagerly dragged the soldiers in all directions to show them how they spend their daily lives in their cage-less prison. The children were happy and playful and they didn’t express themselves as adults.
Mykal’s concern grew when the men were being split in many different directions, but since Finley had guards posted he kept his worries to himself. He didn’t want to hear any other men ridicule him for being overly cautious over the “baby people”.
The little people reminded him so much of his two boys. He longed to be home and realized he may never get there since they were on the other side of Towbar’s world. His heart sank. Mykal watched as Perup tried to befriend Jake, William, Finley, Kim and Diaz. He saw Perup answer all their questions and apologize when he couldn’t provide answers.
One common action Mykal noticed among Perup and all the other “little children” was to encourage Mykal’s people to drink and eat the food they provided. They reminded Mykal of bad car salesmen who came across as desperate for a sale. They repeated their stated reason for being so pushy and eager for the visitors to eat and drink up, “Once dark of night filled the sky all the food had to be put away for fear of ‘things’ that lurk in the forest.”
Though Mykal had given permission for up to half the men to eat, only six ate the food set before them. The six raved about the flavor of the stew. They had nothing from the “real world” to compare it to. The muddy looking stew had “an explosion of flavors that were indescribable” but most wouldn’t try the stew based on appearance alone. It looked like muddy water with “stuff” like vegetables in it.
Though only six ate food, many more than half the men accepted drinks. Some had intoxicating brew while others drank water. Some thought they were being wise to drink only water. The water tasted very sweet. Either something had been added to the water or it wasn’t plain water.
As darkness approached, the little people pushed harder for everyone to eat or drink something. “Would you like some water Mykal?” Perup asked while holding a pot with a crude ladle. Mykal had already emphatically refused the brew earlier. “We are preparing to put away all food and drinks.”
“The drinks too?” Boris groaned. “How would anything or anyone know if you have drinks out?” He queried.
“This is a good question,” the child said with a smile but totally avoided answering the question. “Would you like some water before we discard all refreshments?” He asked again.
“Let me see what you have there,” Mykal eyed the little girl behind Perup who held a tray of food. “What kind of stuff is this? Are these vegetables? Most of it is green.”
Perup pointed to the items and named them, but the names meant nothing to Mykal and Boris.
“That mush looks like brown mashed potatoes with rice and mushrooms,” Mykal pointed. “The men who ate the stew said it tastes great. I don’t see anything that could pass for meat though.”
“Oh, we do not eat meats. Our bodies are tender and will not tolerate meats. We hunger for meats, however we become ill if we eat other than vegetables.”
“Oh, so it’s not really a stew the men ate. They ate soup,” Mykal laughed.
“Would you like to try some?” A sexy sultry voice asked as the tray was pushed before him.
Mykal had to do a double take. The seducing voice came from a body that could not be more than three years old.
“Oh that’s creepy,” Boris laughed at himself for the thoughts that ran through his mind.
“No thanks. I’ll pass this time,” Mykal said and then laughed at Boris.
; The little girl pouted her disappointment and quickly moved to his friends to offer them the same food. She spoke with the same sultry voice of a grown woman. William stood as the lone person to accept a helping of the food to satisfy his curiosity.
“Ummm,” William smacked his lips and licked his fingers. “This is very tasty. It is very good,” he commented. “I’ve never tasted anything quite like this before,” he looked down at the woman trapped in a toddler’s body.
“Come, my friend,” Perup’s face seemed pleading. “Since you will not eat with us, at least drink with us. It is our way to welcome you into our lives and our homes.” He gave a sad smile. “Please decide quickly. Darkness is almost upon us.”
“Alright, since you put it that way, I’ll have one drink,” Mykal succumbed to the constant pressuring. “Just one drink.”
“What the hell?” Boris laughed. He didn’t need an excuse to drink. “Since you’re willing to try it, I might as well too.”
Mykal studied the light blue liquid in his wooden mug and sniffed at the contents but couldn’t detect anything. When he sipped the tepid liquid it didn’t impress him. “It tastes kinda, um, well, it tastes kinda blah,” he said to be polite. “There’s really no taste to it at all,” he looked to Jake and a couple of others standing around refusing to imbibe. “It seems pretty weak too,” he added quietly. He expected a kick of alcohol, but no kick followed in any of the beverages.
“Thank you.” Perup gave a cocky smile and departed.
“I’ll agree with you there, Myk,” Boris said while looking at the bottom of his mug. “I’d have to piss a gallon of this stuff before I’d catch any kind of a buzz.”
Perup moved to the center of the village and clapped his hands three times over his head. His actions took all the visitors by surprise. All the little people stopped what they were doing and turned to watch Perup. “It is time to put away the food and drink,” he said to the visitors.
The toddlers rushed around the village gathering up food, drink and utensils. In silence they moved about as quickly as their little bodies would permit. When they completed the cleanup task they all disappeared into various huts.
“Where’d they go?” Boris asked looking for their hosts.
“I can’t get up,” William laughed loudly from his knees. “I feeeeelllll grrrreeeaaat, but I can’t move. I’m laughing so hard I think I’m going to wet my pants.”
“Wet your pants?” Boris laughed at William’s drunken action. “What, you don’t piss? You wet?”
“Look at these idiots,” Jake fumed at the drunken behavior of most of the men. “They better not start acting like fools.”
“They haven’t had that much too drink,” Diaz replied. “They shouldn’t be acting this way.”
“They’re acting like it’s their first time drinking.” Finley snickered and commented on the comical actions of a few.
Mykal’s eyes started to feel heavy and his head became numb. He didn’t feel right. ‘Something’s wrong.’ It reminded him of the first time he took pain killers after having his wisdom teeth removed. He read the instructions wrong and took twice what he was supposed to. Maybe it was the lack of sleep for the past couple of days. “Wait a minute,” he blurted in anger. “I’ve been drugged. Where’s Perup?” He asked with a slur in his words. He tried to rise but felt like he would fall over. “Damn it. I only had a taste,” he said as he steadied his body when his knees seemed to buckle.
Boris laughed at Mykal. A strong stupor overcame him as well. Boris seemed to go limp and fell against the table and dropped to the ground. Boris laughed wildly but he couldn’t seem to get back on his feet.
“Jake,” Mykal called to his friend. “Diaz,” he turned to the Marine. “I’ve been drugged. Check the men. Something’s wrong,” he slurred.
“Are you sure?” Jake stood to his feet and looked for any threats. “Damn it, most of the men are shit-faced.”
“I only had a sip and I’m barely able to stand on my feet,” Mykal slurred and tried to yell. “He set us up.”
Diaz, Finley and Jake ran around the village yelling orders for the men to prepare for an attack. Some were out cold. Others displayed the incapacitating effects of a deep lethargy.
“Perup, get your ass out here,” Mykal yelled, but he sounded drunk. He tried to walk toward the hut he believed Perup retreated to but he stumbled and had to use a tree to stand steady. “Perup, get out here!”
“Yes, my friend?” Perup stepped into the doorway of his hut and he fixed his little eyes on Mykal’s eyes. He spoke with a smooth and calming manner. “Did you call for me, my friend?” Perup sounded friendly and accommodating.
Mykal felt his stare down with Perup seemed statuesque despite the chaos that seemed to be going on behind him “What did you do to us?”
“I do not understand,” Perup lied. The little boy’s breathing increased.
“You drugged us you little prick,” Mykal snarled but didn’t feel he could move toward Perup.
“I do not understand your words. I sense your voice to be one of anger,” the man’s voice said in a calming fashion, while the little body breathed deeply and rapidly reminding Mykal of an animal.
“Damn right. I’m pissed!” Mykal raised his voice and tried to straighten himself to his feet.
“Friend, you are tired. Your body needs to lie down and rest,” Perup coaxed with a hypnotizing comfort.
“What the hell is going on?” Mykal yelled when he saw the rest of the little people emerge from their huts and stand in their entryways like Perup.
“There is nothing to fear. You need to lie down and sleep. You are tired,” he almost whispered. “Rest will make you feel better in the morning.”
Perup’s words sounded sweet to Mykal’s ears. ‘Ah yeah, lay down and sleep,’ Mykal thought. ‘Oh that sounds so good right now,’ he nodded in contemplation. Something inside warned him if he went to sleep he would never wake again. He would never see his family again because he would never leave this village.
He stared into Perup’s face and watched a twisted physical transformation occur. The baby soft cheeks of Perup’s face pulled and stretched, becoming almost leathery. The tops of his ears stretched and pointed up like that of an animal. His flesh changed color and grew hair, lots of hair. The eyes that held such bright hope lost their shine and looked like little chunks of coal. A long animal snout pushed through his face ripping some of the soft baby flesh. Teeth that protruded from the snout were long, pointed and dingy white. The fangs dripped with foaming saliva. The large fangs prevented its mouth to close completely. Perup’s breathing increased even more while the transmutation occurred.
The process happened quickly and Perup looked to endure tremendous pain during the quick metamorphosis. Perup growled from deep within his throat. His breaths were labored and saliva spit from his mouth with each breath. His limbs twisted and contorted while the rest of his body mutated into that of a large monster. While transfiguring into a hairy beast, Perup’s brow furled with evil, his snout snarled, baring dangerous looking fangs. It never took his eyes from Mykal, his prey.
Mykal’s mind swam in dizziness. He watched what happened before his eyes and knew he had only seen stuff like this in movies. The visual effects were better than the transformation in An American Werewolf in London. ‘Wait! This ain’t a friggin movie.’ The buzz in his brain calmed him to indifference. He wanted to lie down and rest. ‘I’ll worry about it later,’ he told himself as if thinking in slow motion. ‘I need to rest.’ Seeing Perup’s little body turn into a large beast, sparked a sense of danger, but the fading in his brain wanted to brush it aside as insignificant. ‘If I’m not hallucinating, that little bastard’s a werewolf.’
Suddenly, yelling and screaming disrupted his thoughts, but the noise of conflict and terror sounded so distant. An explosion ripped through the noise. A loud gunshot erupted, followed by several gunshots and his mind snapped back to reality. His men were involved in a battle.
&nb
sp; “Come to me,” a foul voice tempted. “Come to me and I will give you life,” the voice said while long nails of an out stretched claw motioning for Mykal to move closer. The evil words came from the thing that mutated from Perup’s little boy body.
Mykal didn’t move forward but he felt so relaxed and so comfortable that he could comply. He felt as if his mind gradually slipped into dreamland. He tried to yell thoughts to himself about danger, his family, his friends, but he couldn’t seem to break the control of the idea to lay himself down before Perup to receive the gift of a new life
“What in God’s name is going on?” Diaz yelled and he ran to Mykal’s side. “They’re attacking the men,” he cried out over several gun shots. Obviously something was wrong since Mykal just stood motionless before the drooling beast.
“Silence!” The creature demanded with a snarling hiss and pointed a threatening finger at Diaz. The crooked finger ended with a long jagged nail. He intended to intimidate Diaz for interfering with his achievement of control over Mykal’s mind.
“Stop! In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to stop,” Diaz rebuked the foul beast and pointed his own threatening finger at the creature. The creature, taken by surprise, hesitated.
“Noooo!” Mykal yelled when Diaz’s words broke the hypnotic trance he fell into. Mykal pulled his .357 magnum from the holster at his side. Three rapid explosions from his handgun blasted into the creature’s chest and a fourth nailed it in the head as it fell to the ground. “Kill these things,” he shouted once he was brought back to his full senses. His body felt sluggish but his head neared normal. The creature that had been Perup lay motionless in a growing pool of blood.
Both Mykal and Diaz turned to help the men in danger. Most of those who ate or drank anything provided by Perup’s people were comatose and easy victims. Growls and howls could be heard in the darkness. Perup’s fellow creatures attacked the drugged, now unconscious, victims. Gunshots rang out all around the village to protect the defenseless.
