Apollyon's Saint The Beginning

by Zachary Koukol

that displayed his lack of caring in the grooming department. A black hoodie with nothing on it, which Gabriel thought showed the world that he was not another name brand consumer. Combined with a shotgun at his hip, he was about to save the world of another fatherless child.

  The menacing smile was back across his face, instead of going towards his truck he was heading right for speed racer. Inside the car in the back seat was just as he expected. A preppy kid wearing a stripped polo shirt. The same type of kid that would call Gabriel names in school and use him as a stepping stone for their lack of confidence. Underneath slick was the typical fake blond who had too much cellulite on her hips. Though her social status made her an attractive target for kids with spoilers.

  Apparently slick was not as slick as Gabriel thought since their clothes were still on. Gabriel was standing right over the hood of the car and placed his hand on it. The hood was cold and it was apparent that they had been there awhile and still had not made it past second base. They were oblivious to the fact that a man with a shotgun was tonight's peeping tom.

  “ANNA IS THAT YOU IN THERE!” Gabriel yelled, raising the gun at the two. Slick jolted his attention to Gabriel and realized there was an armed psycho outside of the car. The fake blond did as all fake blonds would do and started to scream. lowering the gun from the two, Gabriel busted up laughing. The horror on their faces was almost enough to make up for the nights misfortune. The girls scream stopped as the two sat up in the back seat. They were still unsure if it was a sick practical joke or their last night on earth.

  “Had I been this girls father you would have spent your last night on earth being a pussy and only making out with her” Gabriel said in a stern voice and paused for a moment.

  “If it is going to be your last night then take a tip from someone who has had many of them and at the very least get laid kid!” Gabriel said not waiting for a response. He turned from the two petrified lovers and got in his truck. He laid the shotgun down at his side and after a few failed attempts the truck roared to life.

  The dirt road leading back to Axal was glowing like the yellow brick road to another forgotten night of whiskey. The town was mostly empty, the streets of downtown still looked similar to the way they did 100 years ago. He passed the local bar for the younger crowd, or the ones that was his age anyways. He turned down a ally way and picked one of many empty parking spots at the bar he frequented called Marlov's.

  Once inside it was dark and dirty with mostly broke old alcoholics who reminisced on a time when they had self-worth. They all had a story that was begging to be told to anyone dumb enough to sit with them. Gabriel did not even know most of their names but he could write a book about each one of their life stories. Gabriel always looked for one of the many places of solitude inside the bar. Many nights he spent blowing his wife’s life insurance on whiskey and cheap stories that changed depending on the current mood or conversation.

  Ashley was the normal bartender, her father was the owner. She never got the memo that if you want to lead any meaningful life then you have to leave that little shit hole when you've become of legal age. She was in her mid thirty’s, petite, black hair, and large overbearing breasts. She was married once but after the typical Axal girls past of molestation from the many local pedophiles there was no hopes of it working.

  Once divorced she was damaged goods looking to get back at all men. Each time she spread her legs it was like she gained another trophy in the halls of pedophiles, drunks, and even a few married men. Most men were eager to join the exclusive club of local high quality members of society but not Gabriel. He knew her game since he had many nights to study it.

  Gabriel was fond of watching the interaction of the local bar flies. He studied each small intricate body language as if peering into their skeletons in the closet would make his go away. Nothing was to out of the ordinary in Marlov's, that mixed with seclusion made it the perfect drunken people watching post for Gabriel.

  Gabriel sat down at a empty section of the bar. Ashley was already directing her attention at him. She poured some jack into a shot glass. She must have though that her attention to detail would earn her points with Gabriel and one more passenger for the town whore. Once Gabriel was seated Ashley brought the glass over to him and placed it in front of him. He dreaded interacting with her, since it was so repetitive. She leaned over the bar bearing the cleavage in her large breasts and batting her eyes.

  “I was hoping you would come tonight, where have you been!” Ashley said in a muffled voice. Gabriel acted oblivious to the overbearing signals she was giving.

  “I have been working late lately and have had little spare time” Gabriel said. In fact Gabriel was still unemployed and living off life insurance but telling half truths was something conditioned into him as a child and something he had perfected.

  “Well its good to see you here tonight, lately its been the same old creeps trying to pull one liners to get me to go home with them” Ashley said in a more depressed tone. Gabriel fought back a smile knowing it was just a damsel in distress ploy. The fact was she had most likely went home with everyone there except Gabriel.

  “Well Ashley, a women with such class as yourself should not be offended. They just see the wife material in your eyes!” Gabriel said, unsuccessfully abstaining from sarcasm. Ashley started laughing as she turned away

  “By the way I get off at three!” Ashley cheerfully said. It was like a invitation for free hepatitis brownies that was easy to resist for a man without a sweet tooth. Gabriel picked up his glass and chugged his small sanctuary and slid it to the edge of the bar. There was no burning sensation or spasm of the gag reflux. To him it was water to the dessert of his soul.

  He looked around the room for a target to watch so he was not stuck with just his thoughts. Tonight there was a younger girl at the bar with a older man who was once Gabriel's math teacher, Mr. Sparow. She looked like the virgin Mary on a street corner in the Bronx. She was facing the bar but Mr. Sparow was turned to her and eager to make his way into her personal space. She was not interested, but in a place like Marlov's it didn't matter. Everyone was a few drinks away from waking up tied and naked in the local whack jobs basement.

  As the night progressed Gabriel continued to drink and people watch as the younger girl started to open up. She might have been oblivious to what the night was about to bring but Mr. Sparow was a seasoned veteran in the world of creeps. A few hours passed and Mr. Sparow had gained way with her. At first it was safe to say he had no chance and now his hand was making his way up her leg and into her dress.

  Mr. Sparow kept the drinks coming until the moment had come when she could hardly keep her head upright. No one in the bar cared about what would become of her. Neither did Gabriel but why pass up on a opportunity to kick the teeth in of your old math teacher. It was possible the girl he was about to rape was a student of his in the sixth grade and now of legal age to get drunk enough to have sex with. It was just one sick example of how the town of Axal operated.

  Gabriel paid for his drinks and did his best to ignore more pathetic attempts from Ashley. Gabriel went out to his truck and sat and waited in the alleyway for his chance to be a hero. Really it was just a opportunity for more chaos in his deranged life. Anyone at Marlov's is no saint, you become guilty by association. The minutes passed as Gabriel searched for ghosts in the dark to fuel his already drunken rage.

  He thought back to when he was in school, even then Mr. Sparow was a creep. How he would lean over the girls desk and get right in their personal space. During tests when everyone's heads were down his eyes would begin to wonder around the room and then fixate on one position. Gabriel could only imagine what happened after class if a girl had to stay late.

  Almost two hours had passed and they had not left the bar even though it was about to close. Gabriel searched for a excuse to leave. Maybe the girl was already one of his victims. Or maybe Mr Sparow was the victim. Maybe the innocent girl had her own closet of skeletons. For all he kn
ew she could be the predator and was about to give the final blow to that sick fuck. Then the town would make a statue of him and the local paper would tell of how he was such a great man and dedicated to the education of children. It was just in the nature of Axal to cover the disgusting truth.

  Gabriel was tired of waiting and at this point it would no longer be a ass kicking but a homicide. He walked back into the bar and scanned the room for the two. There was now only Ashley at the bar who lit up with a smile as she looked at Gabriel. She must have thought it was her lucky night and the drunken widow had come back for her. Gabriel quickly ducked into the bathroom to avoid any further aggravation.

  Once inside one of the stalls riddled with notes about his valentine waiting behind the bar, he thought of escape plans. Men wrote tips about how to get Ashley into bed with them like it was some difficult riddle or conquest. Then through the silence and sanctuary of the urine stained bathroom the voice he was dreading to hear again tonight broke the silence.

  “Gabriel I am locking up for the night but if you want we could have a few drinks....On the house?”

  “No I think I am done for the night, I am just going to head home.” Gabriel said