A Crying Shame

by William W. Johnstone

  Mack didn’t think he’d ever seen such a hairy pussy.

  Betsy, have they been out here?”

  They?” The one word question came out of her mouth in more a grunt than a language.

  You all right, Betsy?” Mack asked.

  She suddenly smiled, stepping closer to the trooper. I am now.”

  Mack breathed a sigh of relief. Let’s get you some clothes, Betsy. You tell me where they are and I’ll go into the house. You don’t want to see Jack ... like ... well, you know.”

  I know.” She came closer. Her eyes were strange-looking; the yellow in them more pronounced than Mack had ever seen. But I’m all right now. Believe me, I am.”

  That’s good,” the trooper said. He turned away from her blood-spotted nakedness, beginning to feel very uncomfortable in her presence.

  She said something to him, but he could not make out the words. He turned around, and was able to get just one word out of his mouth before her teeth were tearing at his throat, her taloned fingers ripping his eyes from his head.

  No!”

  Betsy sat for a time beside the still-warm body of the trooper. Then she knew what she must do and where she must go.

  She looked toward the swamp.

  The swamp seemed to sigh.

  She rose and began running, jogging through the darkness. She let instinct guide her back to the place of her birth.

  And she was welcomed there.

  But not all the maddened young Links were able to race back into the swamp that first of the bloody nights by the Crying Swamp. Some were captured, wounded, taken, and tortured.

  Look at the cock on that sucker,” a man said. Goddamn thing’s longer and thicker than that nigger we had down at the jail. And we thought that bastard was hung. You ’member that coon?”

  The badly wounded Link was unable to do anything other than look up at his captor through brown eyes of shining hate and fury.

  Yeah,” his friend told him, drawing a hunting knife from a leather sheath. You boys make sure that monster’s tied down good and tight now; hold that motherfucker down! I’m gonna collect me a cock; might be worth some money when all this is over.”

  But the man was careless: the Link bit him savagely on the arm. And it would be more than an hour before the cock-hunter would have it treated.

  They mutilated the young Link, then stabbed and shot him again, leaving him by the side of the road. Other Links came along, to find him, dying in pain, his sex organ and sac cut off. He told them, in grunts and gestures, what had happened, and told them that other Links had been taken, as well. From a hiding place earlier that evening, he had seen one taken and tortured, his hands and feet cut off with hatchets. Then the men had set him on fire, to burn alive, screaming out his life.

  The first night of savagery—on both sides of the evolutionary chain—had just begun. And the Links who meant no harm to any human would pay just as hideous a price as their maddened relations.

  And at the end, the entire moral question would rest on the shoulders of one man—Jon Badon.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Don’t try it!” a woman whispered to Jean Laborne. She had seen the teen-ager looking intently around her. The woman named Katie tried to run just a few hours ago. The creatures put her to death. You don’t want to know how.”

  But Jean had shrugged off the warning, and now they were moving, being herded from one hiding place to another. Jean saw her chance and took it, seizing the moment to slip into the swamp.

  She was only partially clothed, and she was bruised and sore, but she had made up her mind she was not going to become like the other women in this group; submissive to these ... monsters. She had decided that when, or if, she got a chance to run, she was splitting. Anything, even death, was better than more of this treatment. When that chance came, she took it, slipping into the swamp as they were walking and sliding and falling down, going around a bend in the soggy, ill-defined path.

  Moments later, she heard them snarling and growling as they searched for her, and she ran blindly into the darkness, not knowing where she was or what she was going to do—just trying desperately to get away.

  She ran right into a huge Link.

  He clamped a paw over her mouth to prevent her from screaming, then picked her up in his massive arms and ran through the swamps. It seemed to Jean that they ran for miles, the Link never tiring in his lope. Then, far in the distance, she could see lights, and she wondered, through her fear, what in the world the monster was doing, bringing her this close to homes.

  He put her on the ground, placing one almost-human finger to his lips, in a shushing manner. She noticed with a start his eyes were gray. She nodded her understanding.

  You want me to be quiet?” she whispered. Don’t yell?” Then you’d better convince me you’re not going to hurt me, she thought. ’Cause in about fifteen seconds, I’m starting to squall!

  He nodded his great head, again placing one finger to his lips. Then he pointed to the lights and motioned for her to go.

  Speaking in a whisper, she said, You’re not like the others, are you?”

  He shrugged his massive shoulders and moved his lips in what she thought might be the beginnings of a grin. She noticed, for the first time, the creature wore some kind of loincloth made of thin woven vines.

  Are there more like you?” she asked.

  He cocked his head, not understanding her question.

  She pointed back in the direction they had come, then made a tearing motion at what clothing she still wore. She balled a fist in the moonlight filtering through the dense timber and struck at herself. She pointed at the Link.

  He shook his head vigorously, then carefully took her hand and placed it on the side of his face, putting his huge open palm gently on her bruised and dirty cheek.

  Jean smiled. Yeah. I can dig that. So just like humans, there are good and bad of your kind. Wow! This is really heavy, Freddie.”

  The Link cocked his head. Fru-die,” he said.

  Oh, hey, man! You have some smarts, don’t you? O.K. Freddie is your name.”

  He grinned hugely, exposing massive fangs.

  Oh, Freddie,” she cautioned him. Man don’t do that when we get around people, O.K.? I mean, Lord, you look tough enough as it is.”

  He pointed at himself, then whacked himself on the chest. A blow that would have felled an ordinary man. Fru-die,” he said, then pointed at her.

  She laughed, despite her soreness and embarrassment at her half-clothed body; she had to laugh. And the great beast giggled childlike. Her laughter was perhaps from relief, fatigue, or perhaps from realizing she owed this great ugly beast her life. Jean,” she told him.

  He pointed at her. Jun,” he said.

  Yeah. Right. That’s close enough, Freddie. Jun, it is.”

  Jun,” he repeated, then pointed toward the distant lights. He gestured for her to go.

  Aren’t you coming with me?”

  He looked at her.

  She put her small hand in his and gently squeezed. She felt the huge powerful fingers close softly and return the gentle gesture of friendship. She had found a companion in a place that up to now had offered only pain and brute rape. She tugged at him. Come on, Freddie.”

  He smiled that awful smile and looked down at the teen-ager. He grunted and walked down the path, toward the lights, his paw resting lightly on her hand.

  The sheriff’s office was a human sea of confusion and noise. They were receiving more calls than they could possibly handle. More were placed on hold. Sheriff Saucier had called in all the reserve people he felt could cope with the situation.

  Looks like Jenny Lou Tipton was one of them. Pulled off all her clothes and ran into . . .”

  Mack Atkins is dead. Glenn found him on the ground outside the Parley home. Jack Parley was inside. Dead and been eaten on. Looks like Betsy did it. She . . .”

  Old man Broussard’s adopted boy just tried to kill Deputy Harrison. Leaped on him, snarling like a
dog. Harrison shot him in the head. They . . .”

  There’s a bunch of reporters gathering on the north edge of the swamp. They’ve been tryin’ to rent boats. Get someone to take them into the swamp.”

  Good,” Mike said. Maybe the bastards won’t come out.”

  A bunch of big-game hunters from Texas are flying in. Be here tomorrow. Say they’re going in and get a Link or two. They’ll show us how to do it.”

  Loud-mouthed bastards!”

  Will Garett’s wife, Helen, just staggered into a National Guard camp. Will’s dead; she’s been raped. She’s being transported to a hospital.”

  The phones kept ringing.

  Mike rubbed his tired eyes. Jesus Christ! When is it going to end?”

  Telephone, Sheriff. It’s Lieutenant Governor Pennypacker.”

  Oh, shit!”

  The beauty and beast made it to the lights before they were challenged.

  Hold it right there!” a man’s voice called, hard and commanding.

  Flashbulbs popped and lit the night; cameras rolled. Uniforned men held back the press.

  The sentry looked at the mismatched pair, shook his head, blinked rapidly, swallowed hard. Jesus Christ!” he said. Sergeant!” he called to a Special Forces man. Come over here. I got one of the damned things. Well ... one of us has got the other. Miss, you get away from that ... God! what do you call that ugly-looking bastard? Excuse me, miss.”

  I call him Freddie,” Jean calmly replied. She patted the Link on his muscular arm.

  Fru-die.” The Link grinned.

  The men stepped back at the grimace.

  Jun.” The Link pointed at Jean. He whacked himself on the chest. Fru-die.”

  Holy shit!” the Special Forces sergeant said, awe in his voice. Goddamn, don’t anybody do anything hinky, now ... don’t make him mad.”

  Where’s the rest of your team?” the trooper asked.

  Patrolling.”

  Get ’em back here. Quickly!” He turned to a National Guard sergeant. You people push back those reporters—way back. Get them out of sight. I don’t know what’s going to happen here.”

  Yes, sir.”

  The SF sergeant was at his jeep, radioing to his A” Team.

  Don’t hurt him,” Jean pleaded with the trooper. She stepped closer to the Link. Please don’t hurt him.”

  Me don’t hurt him?” the trooper said, astonishment in his tone. Thanks for the compliment as to my physical abilities. I think you’ve lost your mind, Miss. Dear, what is your name?”

  Jean Laborne. This ... creature saved me; got me away from the bad ones.”

  Bad ones?” the trooper questioned. There was awe in his voice, mixed with more than a touch of fright at the bulk of the Link standing docilely beside the small teen-ager, his paw in her hand.

  There are good ones and bad ones. The bad ones are the ones doing all the raping and killing. Isn’t that right, Freddie?” she looked up at the Link.

  Fru-die,” the Link replied, grinning that awful grin. He pointed at Jean. Jun.”

  Good God!” was all the trooper could manage to say.

  Governor Pennypacker’s done put out a ree-ward on them things,” a ‘deputized’ citizen said from behind the trooper.

  How much?” another citizen asked.

  Five thousand dollars, I hear tell.”

  Where’d you hear that?” the Trooper asked.

  On the radio. Between Haggard and Jones.”

  Well, I don’t believe it,” the trooper said. We would have been notified on anything like that. So why don’t you men just go on home and let us handle this?”

  ’Cause I don’t want none of them thangs a-comin’ over into this parish from Fountain; that’s why I ain’t goin’ home. And don’t you give me no orders.” He tapped the badge on his chest. I’m a special deputy.”

  The Link stood by the girl’s side, watching it all impassively. Jean held his huge hand.

  Special deputy,” the trooper muttered. Goddamned drunk wearing a badge, that’s what you are.” He started to ask how many schools dealing with law enforcement had the man attended; how many hundreds of hours had he spent in classrooms and at the police academy; did he even know how to read a suspect his rights?

  But the trooper kept his mouth shut and his opinion of deputized good ol’ boys” to himself.

  The trooper looked at the battered bruised young lady. Miss? What in the world do you plan on doing with that . . . thing?” He glanced at Fru-die and fought back a shudder.

  She shook her head. I don’t know. But I don’t want him harmed. He saved my life.”

  Are you hurt, miss?”

  I’ve been raped. Several times. I’ll live. But I’m . . . pretty sore. You know?”

  The smell of raw whiskey was strong in the night air. A good ol’ boy giggled in the darkness. You ’member the cock on that one we killed?” he whispered hoarsely, his voice carrying through the air. I bet you she liked it, don’t you? I’d like to have seen her when one of them got it all in; all women dream about big cocks.”

  His friends laughed.

  The trooper fought back a sudden wild, hot urge to shoot him. The good ol’ boy, not the Link. With the invisible warning system that all cops develop after a few years on the job, the trooper sensed trouble was in the air. He looked at Jean. I’ve got to call for backup on this, miss. Please keep that ... thing under control, will you?”

  Jean patted the Link’s hand. He won’t bother a soul.”

  Wonderful,” the trooper muttered. I can’t tell you how reassured I am.”

  The trooper turned to walk to his car. Out of the corner of his eye he caught movement. Then events began occurring as if in slow motion. He opened his mouth to yell, but a citizen was lifting his rifle, squeezing the trigger; fire leaped from the muzzle. The report of the .308 was enormous in the quiet night. The trooper’s .357 was in his hand without the highway cop even remembering pulling it from leather. He swung the muzzle toward the citizen with the rifle. Something clubbed him on the back of the head and the ground leaped up to meet him, smacking him in the face.

  Dimly, in a painful fog, the trooper watched as the Special Forces sergeant ran toward the circle of men, a .45 in his hand. All of you freeze!” he yelled.

  Someone fired a shot and the sergeant went down, a bullet hole in his side, the .45 sliding from his numb fingers. He pulled himself to his knees and reached for the pistol. Someone kicked him in the face. He fell backward, his world going black.

  The trooper could make out voices, in an oddly echoing manner.

  You all seen him!” the citizen yelled. That ugly thang was a-fixin’ to jump me. That there soldier went crazy, fixin’ to shoot us.”

  Damned right, Jesse. I seen it all. You had to shoot. Same with that state cop; he was fixin’ to shoot us. Good thang Walt popped him.”

  You’re all liars!” Jean screamed at them. Freddie was holding my hand. He wasn’t going to hurt anybody.”

  You shut your mouth, girl!” a man told her. His eyes were fixed on her naked crotch. He licked his lips. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, anyways. A decent woman would have kilt herself afore she let one of them big-dicked monsters fuck her. Them things is worse ’an any nigger. So you just shut up and be glad you come up on white men this night.”

  Jean knelt down beside the Link. She was crying from rage, shame, and helplessness. Blood spurted from a hole in the center of the Link’s chest. Freddie,” she said, touching his ugly face.

  Jun,” he gasped. Then he died.

  What in the goddamned hell happened here?” the Special Forces captain said.

  Jean told him, quickly and bluntly, the teen-ager punctuating her statement with a liberal sprinkling of white trash, rednecks, and fuck-headed nitwits!”

  The SF captain put a battle-dress shirt over the girl’s shoulders. His face was a scarcely concealed mask of outrage. He turned from the girl and walked slowly toward the tight knot of citizens.

  Which one of you s
hot Sergeant Romero?”

  I did,” the rifleman said. His knuckles were white as he gripped his .308.

  If I had the authority to do so,” the SF captain said, I would personally put you up against a wall and blow your fucking head off.” He took a deep breath. But since I don’t have that type of authority, I suppose this will have to do.”

  The Green Beret hit him a short, brutal punch in the stomach. As the man doubled over, gasping for air, the captain brought his knee up into the man’s face. Teeth spilled whitely on the ground. A split second after knee was formally introduced to nose, the knife edge of hand was acquainted with the redneck’s neck. Rudely so.

  That was all the A” team needed.

  As Jean stood by the side of the dead Link, she watched what she imagined was the shortest fight in history. Also the most brutal. She made up her mind that somehow, some way, she was going to learn to fight like these guys with the funny-looking green hats.

  Only the lights and siren from the fast-approaching ambulance prevented the Green Berets from killing the citizens.

  Jesus Christ!” the ambulance driver said, viewing the carnage.

  Take my man and the trooper,” the captain said.

  What about these other guys?” the paramedic asked. God! There’s compound fractures, broken jaws, that guy’s leg is twisted ... Jesus! I never seen a leg in that position! That one—”

  Leave ’em!” the Green Beret said, and there was no room in his voice for discussing the matter. Maybe humanity will luck out and the monsters will find them.”

  The parish was strangely quiet as Jon drove into Laclede. He listened to the radio and was amused at and by the newscasts.

  Now the government of the United States was entering into the picture.

  God help us all,” Jon muttered.

  . . . and the swamp,” the newscaster was saying, ”known as the Crying Swamp, is now being completely encircled by troops from Fort Polk, Louisiana. No one except high-placed officials will be allowed into Fountain Parish. We’ll have more on the discovery of the missing link after this word.”