by David McGhee
Chapter 11: Daniels gets PWNED!
Daniels had been in the court house to testify against a drug dealer named Buzz. Buzz was the worst kind of drug pusher he knew of, which is a meth dealer. Meth, unlike most other drugs (alcohol excluded) did horrendous things to your body and brain. It rots your teeth, it makes you lose weight alarmingly fast, you don't sleep, and it rots holes in your brain. Literal holes that can be shown on a cat scan, he read that on a poster over at a drug court probation officer's office. He thinks her name was Linda. She was hot. Maybe if he wasn't married...
Marriage, he thought, what a waste of time and resources. He sometimes wondered if humans could ever truly be monogamous. You can love more than one child. You can love more than one parent. You can even love more than one friend. But a lover you had to stay with. He figured this was some sort of Darwinian thing having to do with rearing a child until it was weaned. Human babies cannot live on their own and require the attention of parents to help them survive, unlike some animals which are born ready for the world.
Maybe it was something he read in a Richard Dawkins' book. He didn't quite agree on a lot of what he said about religion but he did think that evolution was a possibility, despite having grown up Catholic. There was just so much out there that contradicted itself with religion. However he held his faith despite over whelming evidence that suggested otherwise.
His grandfather had told him that when he went under for heart surgery he had a near death experience. The light, old loved ones, the whole nine yards. As a child Daniels had wanted so badly to have one of these experiences happen to him. He didn't understand why people were afraid of dying so much if they were going to go to heaven and live for all eternity with God. He used to think that you could have anything in heaven. All the hamburgers and chips and movies that you could ever want.
This was his fantasy up until the old man died of a heart attack. He was there in the room when it happened and it looked very, very painful. His grandfather clutched at his heart and began screaming for help. He sounded like a singer in a death metal band his voice was so scratched and blown. Then he fell to the floor and gyrated for about a minute before settling down and stopped breathing. Daniels was only twelve at the time and didn't know what to do. He just stood there dumbly while the man died in front of him. It was only after about five minutes (or an hour? Time goes so slow in those situations) that he picked up the phone and called 911.
A while ago he read that scientists had recreated the near death phenomenon in the lab by using electrodes to certain parts of the brain. The patients described in detail either floating above their body or seeing a white light and loved ones. It was very disheartening to learn. Somewhere deep down inside him something had come loose. A cog if you will, one that held the entire clockwork of his mind together. He started truly doubting that we went anywhere when we died.
All of those overdoses he had witness or bodies he had found were all just a waste of life. Knowing that God hates unbelievers most of all he became depressed and asked for him to guide him back to his former faith. This never happened and soon after he stopped going to mass, which Samantha was all for because she was a protestant and there wasn't much love for her at any Catholic church she went to. He always told her not to parade the fact around like a damn peacock but she was proud of her heritage and told the other church goers to stop feeling so damn guilty about everything. It's not like she practiced anyways, but he thinks it was yet one more thing to goad him on about. She was good at pressing his buttons.
How much longer could they last? Was there an advantage for a child to grow up in a loveless home? Where was the Darwinian sense in that?
Just thinking about all this made Daniels sad. He wanted so badly to be happy but nothing really helped him in the end. All that damn Catholic guilt his wife talked about was taking its toll on him. He was still upset with himself for not taking his son to the hockey game the other day and he had a nightmare the night before about him falling off of the merry go round.
At the hospital he didn't cry. He was beyond that and withdrew further into himself. He started working more and being homeless because he felt like a bad father. That little boy deserves better, he thought.
A beautiful woman like Samantha would easily find another boyfriend or husband. One that would take care of his son, love him like he couldn't do. Maybe take him to a protestant church. Something, anything, was better than what he could provide.
Daniels sighed and leaned against the front reception desk at the entrance of the courthouse. An officer started telling him about his gun obsession but Daniels had lost his concentration somewhere in between something about a hunting trip and killing an elk.
What a waste of life...
The man was still talking to him when he stood up straight and walked out the front exit. He didn't care if he was being an asshole right that moment and he needed desperately to go somewhere and think. Perhaps he could go back to the office and drown himself in paperwork. That would be nice but his brain needed a break after such a long month. He decided to go for a drive. Maybe he'd go to some far off Starbucks down in Golden or go up to Look Out Mountain. He decided that he would decide on the ride over.
He walked out of the courthouse lawn and to the south where his car was parked. He did not see Malcolm following behind him.
What luck Malcolm thought. He was going near where his car was parked. Daniels was walking toward the police station parking garage so he sprinted the other way down to his parking space a block down the road. When Daniels pulled out Malcolm wasn't too far behind.
Driving was calming Daniels nerves. He had since passed Denver and was heading toward Lakewood on his way to Golden. Perhaps he'd go out and have a private picnic in the mountains. The idea appealed to him so he began thinking about places where he could pick up some food. The idea of McDonald's wasn't too bad but he knew that walking and fast food don't mix, so he stopped by Tokyo Joes down at the Colorado Mills shopping center and picked up a chicken teriyaki bowl. It was rice with chicken strips on top, smothered in teriyaki sauce. It was the closest thing to healthy that he wanted to get.
He paid the cashier and waited by the front counter for his order to come up. A common dish like that only took but a minute to prepare and it was given to him with a smile and a good bye. He did not reciprocate and went on his way back to his car out in the parking lot.
Malcolm was watching a few rows away and when he got in his car and took off, he followed him all the way west on I70. He was speeding a little and this amused Malcolm, who was doing the speed limit. He didn't want to be pulled over, get a ticket, lose Daniels, and have to kill that cop for annoying him. Although he was a little hungry despite the fact that he had the hooker the night before, but she had to have been tainted with some sort of upper drug. She tasted like rusted copper, not good and it lingered on the palette.
Daniels turned off the exit to Look Out Mountain and drove up the steep mountain side road until he finally got to the parking area. There were no other cars there but he really didn't expect any to be in this cold weather. He parked and grabbed his jacket and food and got out of the car.
Malcolm's vehicle soon joined Daniels' car in the lot and Daniels was about to walk away when Malcolm pulled up. This surprised Daniels because he was hoping to be alone up there. He supposed that nothing can ever be perfect in his life so he just turned the other direction and headed along the path into the woods.
It was a nice, albeit cold Colorado day. The sun was shining bright yet it was so frigid. At least it wasn't windy. Daniels walked for a good half mile until he found a clearing big enough to sit on the side. He sat down on the right of the path and laid his bag down, taking out the contents. He took out a fork and opened the lid to his meal. The sauce was on the side so he poured that on and began eating. He wished he had brought his glasses.
A few minutes into his meal he heard footsteps. A few more and a tall young man with short spiky black hair wal
ked up wearing a black Smiths t-shirt. The man smiled and waved at Daniels. Daniels did not smile but he waved. He recognized him from the car that pulled up beside his.
Malcolm walked over to Daniels. "How are you today?" he asked.
"Good, eating." Daniels said in between bites, not looking up from his meal. Malcolm smiled and stared off into the sun. He looked at his bare arms and was disappointed at being reminded how very pale he was. With a sigh he crouched beside Daniels.
"What are you eating?" Malcolm said with some enthusiasm.
Daniels put down his fork and looked up at him. "If you don't mind I'd like to be alone right now."
"I understand." Malcolm got up and threatened to walk away but he turned back around. "Gorgeous day don't you think?"
Daniels felt defeated and decided to play along. His lunch had just been ruined. "I guess so. God has given me many good days to be thankful for I suppose."
Malcolm walked back over to Daniels and sat beside him. He looked at the gun in his side holster. "Wow. I've never seen a fire arm before. What are you a cop?"
"Yes." Daniels looked down at what remained of his meal and sighed. "Yes I'm a cop."
"Wow..." Malcolm slapped his knee. "Have you ever used it on a bad guy before?"
Daniels shook his head. "No I haven't, thank God."
Malcolm gagged. "There you go with that God bullshit again!"
This caught Daniels off guard. "Well I suppose you are entitled to your opinions but please do not talk about him that way in front of me."
"OK." Malcolm said. "Hypothetically speaking, if there was a God (which there isn't) then how do you know it's a man?"
"The bible says that man is created in God's image. It says man so it's assumed that he's a male. Plus the bible doesn't take too kindly to women so I doubt it was a female who wrote it."
"But it was man who wrote it, not God. What if they were biased and got wrote it down the way they wanted it to be?"
Daniels was getting annoyed. "I don't think so. The bible is the bible and it's the word of God."
"But man wrote it." Malcolm said again, grinning. "Wasn't woman made from a rib or something silly like that?"
"Yes. Men have one less row on our rib cages."
Malcolm snorted. "That's got to be a myth."
"I've always heard it like that. It's what I learned in Sunday school."
Malcolm gave a tiny laugh. "They also said that Adam named all the animals. Do you believe in evolution?"
Daniels looked down at his knees. "I don't know."
"But there is so much evidence in it. Surely you must believe it somewhat?"
"Look..." Daniels said looking up. "I don't want to talk about this right now."
"Why would God give better eyes to an owl and not humans? Did he favor their sight to ours?"
"I don't know." Daniels grunted, throwing his arms up in defeat.
Malcolm looked back down at his gun. "Can you show me that thing?"
"What thing?"
"Your gun."
Daniels thought for a second. They were in the woods and no one else was around, still though he was hesitant. "I don't think so."
"Aw come on!"
Daniels took a deep breath. "I think I should be going now."
Malcolm grabbed Daniels by the arm. "I want to talk more about your God."
Daniels was taken aback by how strong the guy was. "Let go of me or I'll have you arrested!"
"Where are your cuffs?" Malcolm laughed. Daniels used his free hand to reach for his gun. Before he could take it out Malcolm twisted his other arm until he bent over. "What were you going to do? Shoot me?"
Malcolm let go and they both stood up quickly. Daniels reached for his gun and drew it out. Malcolm just stood three inches taller than he and grinned.
"Shoot me." Malcolm taunted. Daniels shouted something indecipherable and backed away with the gun pointed at Malcolm. Malcolm stepped forward and reached for the gun but Daniels pulled back before he could grab it. "Shoot me." Malcolm was laughing now.
"I will if you don't lie on the ground and put your hands behind your head!" Daniels screamed. Malcolm just went on smiling and reached for the gun again, and again Daniels pulled away. "I'm warning you!"
"Shoot me."
"I will! Don't think I won't!"
Malcolm stepped one step back and put his hands behind his back. He knelt down on the ground and laughed. "Where are your cuffs?"
Shit! thought Daniels, they were in his car! "I'm going to take you to my car and I'm going to take you in for assaulting a police officer!"
"Assault?" Malcolm stood back up. "You mean like this?" and he once again reached for the gun. Daniels lost his nerve and shot him square in the chest. Malcolm fell back onto the ground and closed his eyes. Daniels dropped his gun and put his hands on his face.
"OH GOD!" He cried out. He ran the few steps over to Malcolm and put his fingers on his jugular. No pulse. SHIT! He got up and paced around frantically for a few moments before he took off running toward his car. He had a half mile to go and there was a dead body in the middle of the woods!
He had not made it even a block's length away when a voice called out to him "You forgot your gun!" Daniels stopped and he felt his veins pump cold blood into his brain. He slowly turned around and he saw Malcolm facing him not even five feet away, holding his gun to his face.
"Surprised?" Malcolm smiled.
"How?" was all Daniels could say. Fear had paralyzed him.
"Easy." Malcolm said nonchalantly, using the gun to scratch the side of his head. "I'm already dead. Ever hear of vampires?" He stepped closer to Daniels. "BOO!" Malcolm shouted and Daniels fell backward onto the dried Earth below him. Malcolm giggled. "I'm going to break your legs sir." He bent down and put his free hand on Daniel's right shin. "Or do you want me to just shoot you in the head and get it over with?"
"Please don't kill me!" Daniels pleaded, shielding his face with his arms.
Malcolm got annoyed. "Why does everyone say that!? I thought you were going to go to heaven or something stupid like that?"
"Please don't!"
Malcolm let go of his leg and stood up. "I want you to strip down till you're naked."
"What?"
Malcolm shot the ground two inches from Daniels. "Shit! I missed!" He laughed. "Now strip! I want someone to find you dead and naked. I'm going to humiliate you like you did my little friend."
"Who?" Daniels had no idea who he was talking about. "I don't know what you are saying?"
"I think you do. Now get naked for me!"
Daniels slowly got up and undid his belt. He looked up at Malcolm who motioned with the gun to get a move on it. He threw the belt to the ground and took off his shirt. He had a little pudge but he'd never been ashamed of it until now. Malcolm whistled. Daniels took off his pants, revealing black and red Playboy boxers. He looked down at his lower body and looked back up, he had tears in his eyes.
"Please! I beg of you!" Daniels cried out.
"I didn't say to stop." Malcolm said in a sing song voice. Daniels took off his Reeboks and black argyle socks and put them to the side. He looked up again at Malcolm, hoping desperately that he'd stop this at any moment. He did not. Daniels slowly drew down his boxers to his ankles and kicked them to Malcolm's feet. He covered his private area and was full on crying then.
"Put your hands up. I want to see what you're packing." Malcolm said calmly, walking a step closer to Daniels and pointing the gun right in his face. Daniels did as he was told and closed his eyes. Malcolm whistled and laughed. "What is that? Like four inches?" It was a lie but Malcolm was enjoying it too much to say anything encouraging. "Now get in front of me and march until I say stop."
Daniels took a step forward and his foot landed on a sharp rock. He let out a pained wail and nearly fell over. Malcolm wasn't going to have any of it so he decided to get things rolling. He shot him in the left thigh and Daniels went down. He missed the artery down there but there was a lot of blood
none the less.
"I want you to lay on your stomach now." Malcolm ordered. Daniels was fighting through the pain and turned around. He laid down on his stomach and felt the rough, cold dirt under him. He put his hands behind his head and waited. He heard a zipper unzipping and couldn't imagine what would come next. Then he felt something, a fleshy stick, caress his buttocks. Then Malcolm stuck it in him. Daniels cried out in pain and could feel himself being ripped open. He tried to squirm but Malcolm held him down with great force.
He thrust in and out and it seemed to hurt more and more every time Malcolm went deep. After a few minutes of unbearable torture he felt Malcolm convulse and he let out a long moan. Malcolm collapsed on top of his back and put in a few more thrusts before he felt him take his penis out of his colon. The pain lingered and Daniels was crying heavily.
"How did you like that fagot?" Malcolm said sternly and kicked Daniels in his side. "How do you like another man's cum inside your ass?" He shot Daniels' other leg and he wailed with horror. "I'm going to kill your family too."
"Please don't!" Daniels whimpered.
"Too bad you won't see them suffer." Malcolm said, putting the gun to Daniel's lower back. "Fagot." he added before he put a bullet into Daniel's lower spine. It was too much pain to do anything but hold his breath. Then another bullet went into his left lung. Daniels' mouth filled with blood and he started choking on it. Malcolm stepped in front of him and knelt down. "Fagot." He said again and sat down to watch Daniels die from asphyxiating on his own blood..
It took almost five minutes before he did.
There was no white light for Daniels.
