by Dave Hazel
“It’s your life. Right now time is your enemy. That poison will kill you. So let me know if you’re gonna be difficult cuz me and Towbar have other things we can be doing right now.”
“No, no, no. I’ll comply,” he winced when the pain increased. He looked down at the area where the arrow protruded from his flabby flesh. The infection started.
“Did you write that statement?”
“Yes, it’s right here,” Mansfield opened his notebook and handed the hand written letter over to him. A jolt of pain shot through Mansfield when he reached over to hand the letter to him. “Mykal, I’m in a lot of pain. It’s definitely getting worse.”
Mykal ignored him. “I’m gonna trust this is what I want,” he said after making sure Mansfield had signed and dated it. “I’ll read it later and it better be what I want or else. Right now we don’t have time to waste cuz your life is on the line. If I read this and you screw me over I promise you--”
“No, no, I swear Mykal, it’s better than what you asked for. And after you told me that the LT tried to blame me for his attempt on your life, I’m glad I wrote what I did.”
Boris, Kurt, Larry and Rich came running into view. “What the hell is going on Myk?” Larry didn’t hide his angry disapproval. “What’s this crap we gotta take him to the mountains so Towbar can save his life?” He asked and bore in on Mansfield, making it clear his dislike for the injured man.
“Don’t worry about it Larry,” Myk winked to him to get his attention. “Rob here is gonna make sure that we don’t get into any trouble back in the world. Everything is gonna be alright. All we gotta do is help Towbar save him from the death arrow,” he added. Mykal winked and mouthed for Larry to trust him and discreetly put a finger to his own mouth to silence Larry and Kurt before they could protest.
“I shall return shortly,” Towbar said and started to walk off. “I must leave instructions with Kotan to pass onto my generals when they return from the battle.”
“What about me?” Mansfield asked. “It’s getting worse.”
“I shall be only moments. I give you my word,” Towbar said.
“Hey Rob, let’s get into one of the vehicles,” Mykal suggested. “I think the walk would kill you.”
They all watched Mansfield struggle to get inside the vehicle and pretended to be concerned. Kurt, Boris and Rich helped and got inside the vehicle with him. Larry angrily pulled Mykal aside so they would be out of Mansfield’s hearing.
“What the hell’s this nonsense Boris was saying about you’re going to save that fat pig’s life?” Larry seethed through clenched teeth. “He deserves to die. Don’t save his fat ass.”
“Calm down, will ya? He’s a dead man,” Mykal whispered. “Towbar can’t save him.”
“Then why do we gotta carry him into the mountains?”
“Look, Mansfield is so scared he’ll do anything for Towbar to save him. I told him Towbar would save his life if he wrote us a statement saying how Edwards is out to get us and all that stuff. I have the statement in my pocket. Now I wanna get him away from here. Once he knows nothing can be done for him, I don’t want him to tell everyone that he was forced to write a statement, making it null and void. Bottom line is, he makes Edwards look like the idiot he is and that he’s out to get us, so when we make it back home none of our actions will come back to bite us on the tail. When we take Mansfield into the mountains, he’s never coming back. Just trust me on this.”
“Always thinking. I like that. That makes a little more sense,” Larry laughed and rubbed the stubble that started to grow back on the top of his head. “I was worried that maybe you had lost your mind.”
“Trust me, Mansfield and Edwards are out to get us. They’re not gonna get away with it.”
“I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he finds out he’s been tricked and he’s gonna die anyway,” Larry’s head rocked back with his cruel laughter.
When Towbar returned they drove off and their departure went unnoticed for the most part. Some thought the vehicle traveled back to Gartolin to get supplies. They drove deep into the Pass, and the vehicle went beyond the town of Gartolin.
5.
Towbar instructed Kurt to drive farther into the Pass than where he actually saved Mykal’s life. They drove about two miles from Gartolin. The distance, the slight winding, the natural twists and turns of the Pass, prevented anyone from seeing where they stopped the vehicle. The rock wall looked to be almost vertical. The trees along the base of the mountain hid the path.
They exited the vehicle in a hurry. Kurt and Larry helped Mansfield out of the vehicle with an unexpected politeness. Mykal stared up at the rock wall covered in trees and jagged edges. The beauty around them amazed him. The sights made him just want to take in a deep breath of fresh air and forget about the events of the day. If only he could just lie back and relax with a good book and an ice-filled glass of Pepsi. He felt great to be alive. All the other stuff was behind them, at least temporarily.
“This is nice,” Kurt remarked. “Isn’t it?”
“It’s beautiful,” Larry agreed. “It’s just, just, beautiful.”
“Getting away from the battle area is like it was for soldiers in Vietnam who got away for a couple of weeks of R and R,” Boris said.
“Only instead of some pretty lil’ Asian gals to hang wit’, we gots ta hang with big ol’ Mansfield,” Rich laughed loudly. “No a’fense Sgt Mansfield, but you ain’t no pretty lil’ Asian gal.”
They made their way into the trees and onto a narrow path that hadn’t been used for years. The path had been overgrown with grass and all types of plant life, but still noticeable as a minor trail. Vines and branches hung down from both sides of the narrow walk way. It seemed more difficult for Towbar due to his enormous size. Towbar easily cut through the foliage, but part of the journey was almost straight up and down and it took all of them to help Mansfield maneuver his weakening overweight body along. They had to take care not to hit the arrow still sticking from his body. The giant’s superhuman strength helped Mansfield in the most difficult climbs.
“I picked this location specifically for your request for a place of secrecy,” Towbar whispered to Mykal. “You said you never want his body to be found. This will be perfect for you, my friend. The last time I visited this area was more than three years ago.”
After traveling upward for more than fifty feet, though at times it felt like climbing Mount Everest, they came to a level piece of ground again. The path narrowed, allowing them to walk in single file. It wound around the edge of the rocky mountain wall. The trek seemed overly treacherous. One wrong slip and they could easily fall over the side into trees and rocks below.
Mansfield complained and groaned with almost every step. The arrow still jutted from his plump and puffy body. Larry, Kurt and Rich complained as well. They were in front of and behind Mansfield. They were responsible to make sure he didn’t slip and fall over the side. Kurt silently mocked Mansfield to Rich for being so overweight.
The path itself looked to turn into the mountain, but it actually turned into an open area. The area was a clearing that had been grown over from lack of use. The area, identical to the place Towbar had taken Mykal, was completely encircled by trees and mountain wall.
A stone slab in the center of the clearing vividly brought back to memory what Mykal endured. He swallowed hard and his heart seemed to skip a beat. “Is this where you brought me?”
“No. It is similar,” Towbar replied and quickly identified the sudden terror in Mykal’s eyes. “You are alive, my friend,” the giant added and put a large reassuring hand on his shoulder.
“What’s up Myk?” Boris asked. “You look like you seen a ghost.”
“This brings me back to how I almost died. It was rough, man,” he said and gave a quick shake of his head to erase the bad memories from his thoughts. “Okay Rob, go ahead and lay on that flat rock,” he pointed and had to grab at the jolt of pain in his shoulder and armpit where he had been
stabbed earlier. It felt like the wound opened up from the climb. He felt wetness trickling down his side from his armpit opening. Numbing sensations radiated from his arm to his hand.
“Are you going to take this arrow out?” Mansfield asked.
“Yes,” Mykal lied. “I need you guys to give up your handcuffs,” Mykal said to Larry and Boris. Their green handcuff cases were on the front of their web belts. “Cuff his wrists and his ankles.”
Mansfield quickly bolted upright, creating an intense stabbing pain. “Why do I have to be handcuffed?” He asked and looked at the new sense of pain. “Oh damn, that hurt,” he moaned and sweat formed on his forehead. “It feels like it’s on fire and I’m getting dizzy.”
“I know exactly what you’re going through,” Mykal said.
“What’s wrong with me?”
“Rob, you’re dying,” Mykal said flatly. “You gotta be handcuffed or tied, cuz you’re going to try to stop Towbar while he works on you. You’re going to feel a lot more pain and you’re gonna hallucinate some strange stuff. If you’re not tied down you’ll kick and fight Towbar. Look at this!” He dramatically pulled up his shirt exposing the ugly scar across his body. “In order for Towbar to save your life, he’s going to have to cut you open like this, just like he did to me. You can’t be fighting him and moving around. I’m telling you, you’re going to feel pain like you never have experienced before. But I’m here today, alive and well.”
“But your scar, it looks,” Mansfield said and paused to grab at his head. The dizziness almost made him fall from the rock slab. “It looks like you’ve had it for a long time.”
“I know.” He smiled and fingered the hardened flesh. “It’s something that Towbar puts on it to make it heal faster,” he said. “I do know what you’re going through. You’re feeling fire raging through your body and you’re so dizzy you can’t think straight, right?”
“Yes, yes, what does that mean?” He exclaimed nervously. “I can hardly see. Everything is so blurry,” he blurted out.
“It means you’re dying. And it’s your time you’re wasting,” Mykal said coldly.
“Okay, okay,” he gave in and pushed his wrists together. “Please help me,” he moaned.
Larry, Boris, Rich and Kurt all worked to secure Mansfield with the handcuffs. After being handcuffed at the wrists and ankles Mansfield started to rock from side to side, moaning and gasping in pain.
Mykal empathized with Mansfield since he knew death to be creeping around his body like an uninvited guest waiting to crash the party. He would die a slow agonizing death and they couldn’t do anything for him. Because of Rob’s desperation they could “use and take advantage” of him. Rob struggled wildly. The metal bracelets hurt and bruised his skin.
Mykal felt bad, but feared Mansfield and Edwards would do everything they could to ruin his life if they made it back to the world. The military was hard on insubordination and the other crimes Mykal would be guilty of. Mykal couldn’t risk his future to Edwards and Mansfield returning home. Mansfield would no longer be a threat. His death sentence had been issued once the death arrow penetrated his flesh.
“What are you doing?” Mansfield asked. He started to grunt with the increased level of pain. His eyes were closed tightly and he waited for the giant to remove the arrow and cut into his flesh. “Are you going to help me?” he yelled.
They watched Mansfield become violent in his struggle. They were engrossed by what they saw. In a matter of time it would be over. Everyone knew the facts; become a victim of a death arrow, you will die. Shay-lonk poison is brutally efficient, “it always kills,” Towbar said many times since they met him
“Are you going to help me?” Mansfield yelled again.
“Listen to me, Rob,” Larry said with a gleeful tone. “I hate to be the one to tell you this, but we can’t help you. You’re a dead man.”
“What?” Mansfield’s voice was frantic. He opened his eyes but he couldn’t seem to focus on anything. His eyes darted back in forth in the sockets uncontrollably. “What do you mean? Why?”
“Rob, it’s a death arrow,” Boris said as if he should know better. “Nobody lives through a death arrow.”
“Myk, help me. You told me you’d help me,” he cried out. The handcuffs limited his movements.
“I’m sorry Rob.” Mykal sounded sincere. “Towbar can’t save you. It just can’t be done. The poison is too strong.”
“But you’re alive,” he argued. “Ohhhh,” he moaned as the pain increased. “It feels like hot pokers are stabbing me.”
“Rob, I was a one in a million lucky one,” he said. “It even surprised Towbar that I survived. He doesn’t know how I did it,” he lied to hide the fact Towbar used magic to save him.
“And Rob, just so you know, even if we could save you, we wouldn’t,” Larry threw his words like a hard punch.
“Why’d you lie to me?”
“To be honest Rob, it was to get you to write the statement about Edwards being out to get us,” Mykal answered. “I couldn’t risk going back to the world and having you guys try to put us away like the two of you threatened to do over and over.”
“Please Mykal,” he begged between deep breaths. “Help me.”
“Rob, I really feel bad for you,” Mykal said. “Cuz I know what you’re going through. Honestly, there’s nothing that can be done. I’m not lying about that. I know this doesn’t help you, but if we do get back, I’ll be sure to let your family know that you love them and you desperately wanted to go home.”
“I’m not ready to die. I shouldn’t be here!” Rob wailed.
“That’s your buddy who screwed you there,” Boris said.
“Quit your sniveling, you damn coward,” Larry snapped. “Die like a man. You and that jerk-wad Lieutenant made others suffer and die. Now it’s your turn. Shut up and take it like a man.”
“Weston, I’ve never hurt you,” Rob addressed Larry’s wrath.
“You threatened repeatedly to nail us,” Kurt replied.
“You left us to die a couple of times you friggin coward,” Boris yelled. “You guys don’t care about anyone but yourselves.”
“I was there when Finn and Miller got killed,” Rich said. “Y’all took off like a bat outta hell leavin’ us there to die.”
“If you want, I’ll gladly put you outta your misery,” Boris offered while stroking the handgrip of his .44 magnum.
“Please, help me,” he moaned, grinding teeth. “I beg you.”
“I’ll help you,” Larry snarled. He pulled a dagger from his belt and before anyone could stop him Larry stabbed deep into Mansfield’s large bouncing belly. Mansfield yelled helplessly. “Take that you fat bastard,” Larry yelled and twisted the needle like tip into Mansfield’s intestines. “That’s for screwing me over you scumbag.”
“Nooooooooo,” the defenseless man screeched at the new pain thrust on him. Rob tried to move his hands in the way, and he managed to grab Larry’s wrist to stop him from pulling the blade out. Suddenly overcome with shock and pain, his grip loosened.
Rich reached over and pulled the blade out and slammed it down into Mansfield’s bloody balloon like belly, forcing another shriek of pain. Rich twisted it deeply. “We’re helpin’ you fatso,” Rich said and gave a cruel laugh. “Y’all gon’ die faster now, Sarge. Thank me, thank me.”
“My turn,” Larry yelled and grabbed the blade and drove it deep into a clean area on Mansfield’s shirt. Rob grunted then groaned and a small stream of blood shot out.
Mykal’s lips started to move, but stopped. He couldn’t prevent Mansfield’s death and his friends only sped up the process. Mykal allowed them to put Mansfield out of his misery. Mykal only felt remorse over lying to Mansfield and getting his hopes up. He actually felt relief. One half of his two major problems had been eliminated. ‘What the hell have we become?’
Not to be out done Boris quickly pulled the dagger from the dying fat man and stabbed down around the heart area. Boris’s hand jerked as if th
e knife chipped against bone before going deep inside his chest. Mansfield let out a dying gasp, his legs kicked out, his face reddened and his eyes bulged from their sockets. His limbs fell limp, his rigid form sagged and he died.
Larry yanked the blade out and stood there with blood on his hands and a satisfied look on his face. “Go ahead and write that in your little report, you fat sticky bastard,” Larry sneered seeing Mansfield stopped breathing. He opened and closed his hand playing with the warm stickiness of blood. “That’s nothing compared to what I wanna do to that worthless LT.”
“The LT is gonna get his,” Kurt declared. “I shoulda stabbed him too so I could say I helped. But he was already dead as soon as the Soso sighted him in with the bow. What’s up Myk?”
“Nothing. We shoulda just shot him to make it quick.”
“He died way too fast,” Larry snapped. “We shoulda let the poison torment his fat ass. This gave me more satisfaction than any of those Sosos I killed today. So when asked, how’d he die?”
“Death arrow,” Kurt, Boris and Rich said simultaneously.
They watched Mansfield’s shirt saturate in blood and his crotch area wetted in urine. Mykal turned to Towbar to see how he might react to their cruelty. The giant seemed disinterested. Towbar focused on the rock wall and studied all around the clearing. Towbar appeared to be listening for sounds. He sniffed the air as if trying to detect a certain scent.
“What is it Towbar?” Kurt asked.
Towbar held up one of his hands to silence them. “That odor,” he whispered and looked confused. “Can you not smell it?”
They all began to sniff the air around them, and all agreed they could smell the stale odor of perspiration mixed with a scent of greenery. They tiptoed away from Mansfield and slowly took their rifles into their hands. They continued to sniff the air, but didn’t know why.
Mykal sniffed the air it surprised him he detected an odd stink. “Yeah, I smell it,” he whispered. He realized this to be a special ability Towbar passed on to him. “What is it?”
“What? I don’t smell anything,” Kurt grumbled. “Are you two jerking us around?”
