Bill and the Sting of Death

by Gary McPherson

  Carol’s lips trembled, and her voice was barely audible, “Come with me to your office, and let’s get you cleaned up.”

  Bill took a step, but then the room started to move. The floor felt like it was rising first from the right and then the left. His legs felt like lead, and his lungs gasped for air. He collapsed on the ground and leaned against a cubicle wall. He tried to focus on his breathing.

  Carol spoke up, “Everyone, get to your cubes and prepare to evacuate. I locked the office down from Bill’s desk. The police and EMTs are on their way. Remain in your cubes until the police have released you.”

  Bill could hear the workers meandering to the cubicles, and hushed voices as the sound of laptops closing and laptop bags zipping filled the silence.

  Carol came and sat down next to Bill with some paper towels. “Close your eyes. I need to get this blood off your face.” She looked down at his shirt, “Is any of this blood yours?”

  Bill shrugged and winced from the white-hot pain that seemed to appear from nowhere in his side.

  The damp towel felt cold and refreshing as she cleaned up around his eyes, lips, and nose.

  “You are one crazy man,” she said. “You could’ve got yourself killed.”

  Bill sucked in a breath and answered, “I don’t care. They killed Lori, and they were going to kill more. I had to do something.”

  Carol pointed over her shoulder at his office, “Did you see your door? How did you do that?”

  “I don’t know.”

  A pounding at the front door caught their attention.

  Carol began to stand up, “I’ll let the police in.”

  Bill grabbed her wrist. “No, I’m still the boss. I need to do this.”

  Carol helped Bill slowly stand up. He leaned against the walls and made his way to the door. Peering through the glass was a policeman in tactical gear. Bill held up one finger and then typed in the combination on the keypad. As soon as the magnetic lock clicked, the police stormed in. They threw Bill against the wall and handcuffed him.

  From behind, he could hear Carol yell, “Not him, that’s our boss, he saved us.”

  The policeman who handcuffed him asked, “What’s your name?”

  “Bill..”

  Bill stopped speaking and tried not to throw up on the officer. The floor moved again, and the world started to disappear down a pear-shaped tunnel. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

  The officer asked, “Can you hear me.”

  The tunnel became narrower, he could hear Carol sobbing, and then Bill tumbled into the darkness.

  Chapter 3

  “Bill, wake up.”

  Bill smiled at the sound of Lori’s voice. He tried to open his eyes, but had to shield them from the sun’s glare. Lori’s familiar silhouette stepped in between him and the sunlight.

  Bill stammered, “Wait, where am I? I don’t understand.”

  Lori stooped down close to Bill. The smell of leather filled his nostrils. Lori’s familiar shiny black hair and hazel eyes gazed at him, but her outfit was made of rawhide. A short sword hung at her waist, and an ax head peeked out over her shoulder. Lori’s familiar toned, olive legs peered out from underneath her thick leather skirt.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  Bill felt a cool breeze on his chest. He looked at himself and realized his shirt was missing, and his pants were made from some sort of hand-tooled leather. A piece of fur hung at his waist. He felt up his back to the top of his head, and his hand landed on a set of teeth. He scrambled to his feet and tore off the fur. The face of a wolf stared up at him from the ground.

  The wind chilled his back, and Lori put her gloved hand against his bare chest.

  “What’s wrong, honey?”

  “Where are we?”

  Lori slipped her arm around him and moved to his side. “Don’t you recognize your own town? This is Helvsgud.”

  “Am I dreaming?”

  “No. Did you hurt yourself when you fell off the longhouse roof this morning?”

  Bill closed his eyes and tried to remember. The familiar stench from the pig farms made him feel at home.

  Bill asked, “How long have I been sleeping?”

  Lori hugged him with both arms and nestled her head against his chest. “Not long. Are you sure you’re doing okay?”

  Bill gave her a squeeze and then pushed her back. “Of course. Over there are the accursed pig farms that keep our little town wealthy. You should start to worry when I forget about those. Speaking of wealth, has my father returned from Britannia yet with this year’s taxes?”

  Lori shook her head.

  “Very well. I suspect nothing less from my parents. I’m sure it will be worth the wait.”

  Bill gazed out over the wall at the flatlands that lay outside their protections. Lori placed the wolfskin back on his head, and he reached down to find his familiar battle axes at his side. In addition to the pig farms, the flatlands were a patchwork of grains for the village.

  Lori asked, “Are you going to order the villagers inside the town before the raiders arrive?”

  Bill rubbed his chin, “It could be minutes or days until they get here. We will devastate our own village by taking the farmers from their work without the raiders having to lift a finger. No, we’ll call them in at the first sign of trouble.

  “Please, go attend to the militia and make sure they are ready when the time comes. I’ll remain up here.”

  Lori dipped her head and quickly descended a nearby ladder. Bill smiled as he admired her form. She disappeared between the thatched roof houses nestled close together. In a few moments, she reappeared in the clearing near the longhouse. He watched her head inside and return. She blew a horn, and the men and women of the town assemble before her.

  Bill turned back toward the farms, and the woods, lost in thought. He spoke quietly to himself. “Is this a dream, or was that a dream? Both feel so real. I know who I am. I’m a soldier who was called by Oden to protect this town, but that other place. Those people, they needed me. And Lori..”

  His train of thought was interrupted by the sound of the sentry’s horn on the village wall’s far corner. Bill blinked and realized smoke had begun rising from the farms, and the villagers were running towards the gates. Without hesitation, Bill slid down the ladder and bounded out of the gates towards the smoke. His battleaxes hung at his side.

  In a few moments, he heard the creaking of the gates as they closed. Then they opened again, and Lori sprinted to his side.

  “Where’s the militia?”

  Lori caught her breath, “They’re still forming. Freja’s in charge and will be here soon. Besides, the two of us can take on a band of raiders.”

  Bill grunted, “Only one of us has Oden’s hand upon them.”

  “I can take care of myself.”

  Bill’s gazed into her eyes. “I know you can.”

  The raiders soon appeared through the smoke and fire. They stopped at the sight of Bill.

  The leader yelled out, “We have no fight with you, Berserker.”

  Bill answered, “This town is under my protection.”

  The leader did not move from his position but asked, “What is your name?”

  “I am William, son of Oden and child of Helvsgud. What is your name?”

  “Bobby.”

  Bill blinked and stood silent for a moment. “That’s it? Just Bobby?”

  “Yes.” Answered the stranger.

  Lori and Bill looked at each other, and Lori shrugged.

  Bill turned his attention back to Bobby. “Leave now, and I won’t take your life for burning the farms.”

  Bobby’s laughter surprised Bill. He knew who he was facing. How could he be so cavalier?

  “Did I say something amusing?” asked Bill.

  Bobby quipped, “There are two of you, and fifty of us. Even for a Berserker, you don’t stand a chance.”

  Bill thought about his position. If he was alone, his odds might be better, but Lori was
an accomplished fighter and could hold her own. Still, he had to stall for the militia.

  Bill hollered back at Bobby, “I won’t surrender the town, but tell me what you want.”

  Bobby pointed towards the wall, “We want your pigs and the taxes from Britannia that have arrived.”

  Bill crossed his arms. “Friend, you have been misinformed. The taxes have not arrived, and we have not gotten word of anyone returning from Britannia anytime soon. I’m afraid you’ve arrived too early.”

  Lori laughed at the end of Bill’s statement.

  Bobby pointed at Lori, “Then I’ll take the wench.”

  Bill dropped his arms, and his hands clenched the top of his battle axes. “You and I will both die before that happens.”

  The sound of the gate opening behind him caught Bill’s attention. With a blow of the horn, the militia came pouring out of the town. Bill turned back to find Bobby and his men rushing towards them. He pulled out his axes and sprinted towards his prey.

  The pounding of Bill’s feet was soon replaced by his heartbeat. His vision grew more acute, and the world turned crimson. Bill pulled out one ax and threw it. Its blade landed in the skull of the fastest man. An arrow pierced his side. The shaft protruded from his stomach and back. The pain from the weapon brought a shiver of pleasure to Bill, and he howled and headed for the man who shot him.

  He knocked two more men aside and yanked the young archer up by the throat. Bill reached behind with his free hand and pulled out the arrow, laughing as it exited. The terrified young archer watched in horror as Bill spun the shaft around. He buried it in the young man’s chest. Bill released his grip, and the body fell to the ground. A blade attempted to bite through his wolfskin. Bill spun and grabbed the sword by the edge and snapped it. His fist connected with the raider’s skull with a sickening sound of bones crunching. Bill took the broken blade and stuck it through the raider’s throat.

  A commotion caught his ear, and he turned to see what was going on. Raiders backed away, and men and women of the militia fell back towards the town walls. Between them, Bobby stood with a knife to Lori’s neck.

  He yelled, “Stay back. I’ll kill this wench.”

  Bill walked towards Bobby undeterred. He growled, “Let her go.”

  Bobby pushed the blade harder, and a trickle of blood ran down Lori’s neck. Bill’s pace quickened.

  Bobby yelled in a panicked voice, “Stop, or I’ll kill her.”

  Bill’s voice caused everyone but Bobby to fall back further, “Leave her, or I’ll rip your throat out.”

  Bill stopped, reached down, and took a sword from a dead raider. “Leave her.”

  Bobby stammered, “Don’t make me do it.”

  “Leave her.”

  Bobby’s hand quivered, and the knife bit deeper. Blood began to pulse from Lori’s neck. Bobby dropped the blade and started backing up with his hands in the air. Bill started running at him. It felt like an eternity to Bill before he reached Bobby. In his rage, Bill lifted Bobby off the ground by his neck. With a quick twist of the sword, Bill slit open Bobby’s throat and yanked his spine out through the opening.

  Pieces of Bobby’s throat came flying out of his neck, and blood sprayed from the wound and covered Bill. Bill dropped the body. He turned and fell to his knees beside Lori. She lay in a pool of her blood, trying to speak. Bill howled in anguish, and everyone ran away.

  Lori sputtered, “I love you.”

  Her eyes glazed over and then stared blankly at the clear sky. Storm clouds began to roll in, and the sun disappeared. Bill howled again and cried. The crimson world quickly dissipated. He gasped for air, and the heavens opened, and rain drenched his body. Lightning struck the ground around him again and again. He fell onto his hands and knees and then rolled over on his back. He hoped he would drown in the rain and join Lori. Nausea washed over his body, and then Helvsgud slowly disappeared.

  Chapter 4

  Bill’s nose crinkled at the odor of bleach and antiseptic. He opened his eyes, and a bright light flooded his vision. He turned to the left and opened them again. A chrome guardrail lay next to him. His next breath brought a stabbing pain that dissipated as he quickly exhaled. Carol sat bent over against the railing. Her firm, dark hands held and caressed his as she prayed quietly.

  Bill pulled his hand from her grasp. Carol sat up and wiped the tears from her eyes.

  “You’re awake.”

  Bill looked around the hospital room and answered, “Am I? I just had the most horrible nightmare, and now I’m back in this one.”

  Carol laid her hand on Bill’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do except pray for you.”

  “Save it. If there was a God, He would have saved Lori.”

  Carol answered, “That isn’t how He works, and you know that. Please, don’t push Him away when you’re in so much pain.”

  Bill tried to raise his bed, and the pain in his side made him stop. “Speaking of pain, can you get a nurse in here. I’d love to get some pain killers. I can hardly breathe.”

  Carol was about to get up when a nurse walked in. “I see my patient is awake. Good. I bet you want some pain killers.”

  Bill replied, “You’re good.”

  “I know my way around the hospital. My name’s Denise, and I’ll be taking care of you for the next ten hours. If you need anything, just let me know.”

  Bill grunted.

  Carol asked, “What time do I need to leave.”

  “When Bill says it’s time.”

  Bill started to say something, but pain shot through his muscles.

  Denise put her finger up. “I’ll be back in a minute. Try not to do any sit-ups while I’m gone.”

  Carol spoke to Bill, “I’ll take care of things until you can get home.”

  Bill gasped, “What about Clark and Company?”

  “Don’t worry about them. The home office sent out a form email to the branch reminding everyone not to speak to the press. Of course, that was after several scared workers had been ambushed by reporters in the parking lot trying to leave after the shooting.”

  “Nobody mentioned my name, did they?”

  Carol shook her head. “The cops were clear to keep your name out of the press because it could put you in danger.”

  Bill gave a shallow, quick nod. “Good.”

  Carol stood up and made her way to the opened door. She started to close it when Denise came back in with a medicine pack. Denise quickly made her way to Bill’s bed, took a clean Styrofoam cup, poured some water into it, and stuck the pills and water in front of Bill’s face.

  “Take these. You’ll be feeling good enough to move around, but the pills will make you sleepy. That’s how I keep you acting like a good boy so those wounds can heal.”

  Bill swallowed the medicine, and Denise took his vitals and finally left the room. Carol closed the door behind her. She walked back to the bed and looked once over her shoulder before speaking to Bill.

  “There’s a woman in the waiting room. She’s with the FBI. A Cindy somebody. I don’t know who those guys were, but evidently, there’s more going on than the shooting.”

  Bill stared up at the ceiling, waiting for his pain to improve. “Did she ask you anything?”

  Carol sat back down and whispered, “Yea, weird stuff. She wanted to know if we were dating and had you ever mentioned any family members to me. Then she asked me about some guy named Chuck. I told her I’d never heard of him.”

  Bill’s head was beginning to feel light, but he could move with only a dull pain in his side. He raised the bed, faced Carol, and said, “Chuck. Some guy named Chuck called one night when Lori was over. It was a long time ago when I still lived in the condo. I only remember because he wouldn’t go away.”

  “What did he ask?”

  “Something about my brother. I told him I didn’t have one.”

  Carol’s cool fingers wrapped around Bill’s hand. “Do you think it’s the same guy?”

  Bill’s brows
scrunched together, “These many months? It can’t be related.”

  Carol answered, “Well, you should mention it to Cindy. She’s refusing the leave the hospital until she talks to you. Oh, and there’s a cop outside your door.”

  Bill’s eyes widened, “Am I under arrest?”

  “No, protection. That’s all I can find out.”

  Bill yawned and grabbed the remote next to his bed. The television’s light flickered around the dimly lit room. He turned on the local news. A picture of the Clark and Company entrance was framed in a photo behind the newscaster.

  The newscaster said, “We don’t know who the hero is behind these doors. One source claimed the manager single-handedly killed four assailants with their own weapons, and his bare hands. Clark and Company has not made a statement to the press. We do know the name of the deceased employee. Lori Davis. She had been with the company for five years and was pregnant with her first child.”

  Carol gasped, and Bill turned off the television and turned his back to Carol, ignoring the pain in his side. He felt her arm wrap around his shoulder, and her tears fall on his neck. Streams of salty tears flowed from his eyes.

  Bill whispered, “I need to be alone.”

  Carol kissed the side of his head and said, “I’m so sorry. I know you didn’t want her family finding out this way.”

  Bill begged, “Please.”

  Carol removed her arm, and Bill listened to her high heels click along the floor, and then the room door opened and shut. Bill closed his eyes and allowed the exhaustion from the pain medicine to take over. He was just drifting off to sleep when he heard the door open. Carol was arguing with another woman.

  “You can’t go in here. He needs his rest.”

  The stranger responded, “I’m aware. I’ll be in and out before you know it. Please, the longer I wait, the less he’ll remember. Especially on those pain pills.”

  Carol argued, “It isn’t a good time.”

  The stranger insisted, “There’ll never be a good time. I’m sorry, but this is for his safety. Until we identify who these men are with, he’s in great danger.”