Lloyd’s eyes fall on his machete, which is sticking out of the bucket of organs. “Could have done without the fertile part. You guys must have been doing nothing more than hunting and fucking for more than the last decade. So, am I special because you want to add my seed to your gene puddle? Because I’ll have to decline. My heart belongs to another and I think my right of attorney is held by a psychopath. Really should have read the paperwork instead of staring at the pseudo-wife’s chest. Let’s change the topic because this is really not the best time for me to think about that kind of stuff.”
“Is your name Lloyd Tenay?”
“Are you a few generations away from being born with working tails?”
“Our line is as pure as the driven snow.”
“So that’s what you named your daughter.”
The Elder leaps to his feet and grabs Lloyd by the shirt to hurl him against the wall, the chair cracking from the impact. He fails to notice the damage due to his rage, which is calmed by the sight of his youngest children. Not wanting them to be scared before the family meal, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a handful of candy. The kids rush to claim the red disks, which are dried slivers of human heart in a case of solidified sugar. With each one receiving a kiss from their father, they go back to helping their mother with the soups.
“Far to the north is a vicious clan who worships Lloyd Tenay,” the Elder explains before finishing his coffee. He chuckles when he puts the cup on the dining room table and his second oldest son swiftly puts a coaster underneath. “Highly elusive and known to not eat all that they kill. We caught one a year ago and saw an interesting mark that she claimed was the symbol of her god. A fish-shaped scar on her stomach, which you share. Since you are obviously not one of them, I’m wondering if we captured a totem. If so then eating you would grant us dominance over your followers. That may be what is needed to start the war.”
“I’m placing money on your horrible breath kicking the cannibal apocalypse off. Do you kiss your wife, mother, sister, and cousin, all of which I assume are the same person, with that mouth?” Lloyd asks, hoping to anger the cannibal again. The plan fails, so he goes back to gently flexing his wrists and loosening his bonds. “I sense there’s a little misunderstanding here, so I’m going to be honest. My name is Lloyd Tenay, which means I’m a lot more famous than I ever dreamed. Or is it infamous? Doesn’t matter because the point is that I never ate anyone. Might have gotten some blood in my mouth during a stabbing, but that would have been an accident. So those people are worshipping-”
“The Fake One!” the man shouts, startling his family. They move away from the prisoner and grab whatever blade is nearby, the children settling for forks. “A prophecy tells of a clan that worships a non-cannibal. When the truth is revealed to them, they will attack us all and leave a path of bodies in their wake. None of the fallen will be eaten, which will destroy all of the bloodlines. It is one of the omens that war is coming.”
“Then let me go and I’ll never come to Wyoming again.”
“No. You must be destroyed before your people find you.”
“I don’t have people.”
“Without you, the Wendigoes can take the Tenay clan’s place.”
“This just took a strange turn that I’d rather not be a part of.”
“Bring me the grater, Second Son,” the Elder requests while his family relaxes. All of them are excited that they can prevent one of the prophesized omens and start the war on their own terms. “We must desecrate his face and scars in case one of his followers is lurking in our territory. I want you to get your siblings, Third Son. Tell them to finish quickly because I wish for them to be a part of this. Assure your sister that she is not at fault and can claim a greater reward later. Do whatever you must to relieve her guilt since she brought us this one. Once done with her, sound the alarm to bring all of our kin here. Some may still be on the hunt, but this is an important moment. I will-”
Lloyd freezes with one of his raw wrists free of the tape and the other nearly out of the loosened binding. “That guy in the comics and movies makes sneaking away look so easy. Guess I should have worn black instead of orange and dark brown. Think you guys could turn back around until I finish here? Come on, folks. Be friendly and help me build the proper level of suspense for the audience. Fine. We’ll do this the fun way.”
The Elder charges only to have the chair shatter over his face and knock him against the carving table. While running for the door, Lloyd grabs a steak knife to saw the remaining duct tape off his other wrist. Not caring if he hits anyone, he flings the weapon over his shoulder as he leaps outside and scrambles into the forest. The cannibals are rushing to get organized, the two upstairs rushing down in states of partial dress to find out what is happening. Dizzy from the blow to the head, the Elder stumbles to a switch on the wall and hits it to send a screeching alarm over a loudspeaker.
“We will not rest until we catch that False Idol,” he announces while handing out weapons to his children. He grins at the sound of footsteps on the stoop, his keen ears picking out at least five different sets. “This is our territory and the night is still fresh. Take your blades and some of my Second Brother for strength. Do not feed on our enemy. For he is unclean and will weaken the Wendigo spirit.”
“Almost forgot something!” Lloyd announces, surprising everyone as he appears at the open back door. He reclaims his machete and lops off the head of the Elder’s startled wife before disappearing back into the shadows. “The game is on, motherfuckers! May the best monster win!”
*****
The cannibal prowls through the trees at the edge of town and quietly swears that he saw his prey dart behind a tree. Being that this is the first time he has hunted something so dangerous, the man is very cautious and sweat trickles down his brow. The Wendigoes make it a point to avoid the local predators and people with weapons, which is why they work in twos and threes. If a wolf or bear appears to claim their prize then they are more than happy to give it up and hunt another day. The difference now is that Lloyd has no interest in food or taking anything other than the lives of his enemies. He refuses to eat what he kills, which is bizarre and unnatural to the hairy cannibal. The idea of killing solely for pleasure makes the man sick to his stomach and trapped within his own thoughts. So he is caught by surprise when a hand clamps around his mouth and a machete is jammed through his ribs. A violent wiggling of the weapon carves up his lungs and heart with an excruciating amount of pain.
“Another one gone,” Lloyd whispers in an oddly musical voice. The serial killer revels in the hunt and takes the sickle from his fallen prey, the extra weapon feeling awkward after using straight blades for most of his life. “The score is four to zero with me being ahead. Obviously because you guys only need one point to win. Didn’t realize there’d be so many of you single helix freaks around here. Wish I brought more toys because I’m getting bored of the machete. Guess beggars can’t be choosers. Thanks for this talk, buddy. Enjoy the family reunion in the afterlife or wherever you people think you’re going.”
Lloyd is silent as he slips from tree to tree while slow moving clump of clouds make the moonlight patchy and faint. Finding a large rock, he clambers to the top and hunkers down to look around for his next target. The killer is amused to find the teenage girl and one of her brothers making out on the other side of the boulder. He covers his mouth to muffle the laughter that threatens to reveal his presence to the distracted couple. Lloyd is about to stand and drop on them when he thinks the situation is too perfect. Staying low, he scans the area and spots the telltale glint of light bouncing off a drawn blade.
Licking his lips, the serial killer crawls off the boulder and makes a long circle toward the hiding cannibal. He finds the oldest brother crouched behind some bushes, the young man focused entirely on his siblings. It is unclear if he is using them as bait or plans on attacking out of jealousy. Not wanting to alert the others, Lloyd stabs forward to put his machete through the unsus
pecting man’s neck. Before the gurgling body can fall into the open, he grabs the cannibal’s belt and hauls him back. Sure that the others are too involved with whatever their hands and tongues are doing, the killer remains standing while he hacks off the oldest brother’s head.
“I’m going to need a shower after touching all of you,” Lloyd mutters while sneaking back to the boulder. It is hard to climb with his machete and the severed head both in one hand, but the few times he makes a sound go unnoticed. “Cannibals and incest. Just too much in one shot. It should be one or the other, you sick fucks. Whatever. Merry Christmas, kids.”
Lloyd drops the head between the couple, who scream and scramble away from their brother’s wide-eyed face. The girl hurries to find her cleaver and fix her miniscule shirt while the young man rushes up the boulder. There is nobody on top, so the cannibal signals for his sister to stay on the ground while he takes a look around. From the other side of the boulder, a sickle swings out to catch him by the ankle. With his Achilles’ tendon severed, the young man is violently yanked to the ground. The curved weapon is left in his leg as Lloyd plunges the machete into his stomach and spins it like he is trying to start a fire. Hearing the girl coming around the boulder, the killer stops playing with his victim and stomps his heel into the dying cannibal’s throat. Not wanting to take a chance, Lloyd makes a quick slash to nearly behead the young man and turns around to face his next target.
“You monster,” the girl growls, holding the cleaver with both hands. She swings and misses, which leaves her open to the flat side of the machete sliding across her cheek. “Covering me in the blood of my kin won’t scare me. It will only make me stronger.”
“Here I thought you used your mouth for so many other things that you lacked the ability to talk. Looks like that innuendo went over your little head,” Lloyd states, backing away from the clumsy girl. Part of him has no interest in killing someone so young, but the fact that she eats people helps him come to terms with his inevitable actions. “This could have gone smoother for your clan. Just had to let me go and forget we ever met. Now I’m going to be one of your biggest nightmares. Right up there with trying to find meat on a skinny person and having sex with someone who isn’t a blood relation. Have I said how much you people freak me out?”
“You talk too much.”
“And you fuck your family.”
“It is an honor to bring about the next generation of pureblood Wendigoes.”
“Really wish I had a hockey mask or even a burlap sack before doing this.”
The girl rushes with the cleaver held over her head, her inexperience so obvious that it almost hurts Lloyd to put the cannibal down. His machete hacks through one of her arms, which happens so quickly that she is not entirely aware of the wound. She stands still and stares at the cleaver in her other hand and the dangling limb. Forgetting Lloyd, a sudden curiosity comes over her and she takes a bite of her severed flesh. The girl is still chewing on the mouthful when the killer slices her head off and sends it rolling into the bushes.
“That’s it. I’m out!” Lloyd shouts while wiping his machete clean on the dead cannibal’s pants. He reclaims the sickle from the other body, figuring it could not hurt to have the extra weapon. “I have had it with you people. You go back to your house and I’ll go back to my friend. This is just too weird. Going to have nightmares about this for weeks. I haven’t had bad dreams since I was a kid, so congrats on that victory.”
“You have damaged my direct lineage!” the Elder screams, walking out from behind a nearby tree. The man holds his ground and brandishes an axe, his eyes never diverting from the approaching serial killer. “You truly are an omen of destruction. This night will see you-”
The cannibal is caught off-guard when Lloyd darts forward and jams the sickle in the man’s head. Not breaking stride, the serial killer keeps walking in the direction of the hotel and listens for the faint sound of a body dropping. With their leader and most of the central family now on the menu, the other Wendigoes give Lloyd a wide berth while they collect the dead. Only one attempts to continue the hunt and is swiftly impaled through the chest by his own weapon. By the time the weary killer steps out of the trees and into the hotel parking lot, the cannibals have slunk back into the shadows.
Waving to a few startled people in the lobby and giving Paul a wide grin, Lloyd jogs back to the room. Stopping at the stairwell, he decides to use the elevator this time and is happy find that it works perfectly. He is mildly surprised to find two bodies in front of the room, each one with a bullet in the middle of the forehead. Not wanting to get blamed for the mess, he drags the corpses toward the far end of the hallway. Seeing the drunk couple slip through a nearby door, a wicked grin crosses Lloyd’s face. Satisfied that this is a decent revenge for possibly taking over the elevator and setting the night’s events in motion, he leaves the stiffening bodies in front of their room. Instead of knocking to start the fun early, the exhausted man decides to check on Cassidy and see if he can have a well-earned shower.
“Some friends of yours showed up,” the blonde states from her bed. Dressed in gym shorts and a modest top, she shows no sign of having ever been in danger. “They laughed when I pointed my gun and tried to use a dart on me. They hit my mom, so I shot one and the other told me everything. Figured you didn’t need my help. Cannibals, huh?”
“Incestuous cannibals,” Lloyd states as he locks the door behind him. Examining himself in the mirror, he is impressed that there is very little blood on his clothing. “By the way, do we have any printer paper and markers? Thought we grabbed some back in Iowa for letters. I want to make some flyers to put up as we head for our next adventure. Just need to clear the air about something.”
“That stuffs in the jeep,” Cassidy replies, tossing her friend a candy bar. She picks up the remote on the pillow next to her and puts the DVD back to its menu. “I started watching something without you, but we can start over. Though I’ll probably be going to sleep in an hour or two. Just wanted to wait for you to get back and see how things went. The shower is really strong and relaxing, so have fun with that.”
“Were you watching that porno?”
“No. I was watching the actual show.”
“How could you tell?”
“Shut the fuck up, Lloyd.”
The killer sighs and heads for the bathroom as he admits, “That’s the most heart-warming thing that’s been said to me all night.”
Blasphemers!
“Doesn’t that pea coat make you hot?” Lloyd asks while watching the tree-covered hills give way to civilization. He chuckles at the sign for Salt Lake City, which is emblazoned by a brightly colored cross. “It’s summer and you don’t have the air conditioner on. Not even sure if the damn thing works. How have you not melted into a puddle? Are you an evolved human who can withstand slightly higher temperatures?”
“I drink a lot of water and take the pea coat off when I don’t need it,” Cassidy replies as she turns down the music. Begrudgingly listening to her friend, she slides the jacket off and leaves against her back. “Maybe I don’t drink as much as I should during the day, but I chug a lot before and after sleep. What kind of conversation is this, Lloyd?”
“Not sure if you’re ready for it,” he admits, handing her one of their canteens. He grins when she takes a drink and shudders at the unexpected taste of whiskey. “Probably not a smart thing to do while you’re driving, but we’re coming to a town. Figure we can stop for a bit to get supplies and stretch our legs.”
“We stop in Nevada.”
“But this is a bustling metropolis. Look.”
Having only heard rumors about the area, Cassidy is not entirely surprised by what she sees as they enter Salt Lake City. She can tell that most of the original buildings remain and any damage caused by the early years has been repaired or hidden. Like every other city in the Shattered States, people are trading whatever they can scavenge to get what they need and doing their best to avoid getting into trouble.
Very few vehicles are on the road, so there is a lot of attention given to the jeep. Bicycles are the primary mode of transportation throughout the city, which explains all of the signs that lead to rental companies. Lloyd points to a group of children sitting in a park with their teacher, all of them silently reading from black-covered books. There is a more modest level of dress, which makes Cassidy wonder if the citizens are even aware of what is happening outside their borders.
It is not until they pay more attention to their surroundings that they pick up on what makes Salt Lake City tick. There are extravagant churches and simple street preachers on every block, some of them claiming spots a few feet from each other. Painted signs about Jesus and God have been hung from the lights at every intersection. The curtained stalls the travelers originally thought to be phone booths turn out to be confessionals. Passing a stream, they see several people get baptized while a separate group sings hymns from the shore. Lloyd cannot stop himself from laughing when they see a fully decorated Christmas tree set up in the middle of a park. Several gardeners are working to maintain the giant fir and its surrounding gardens, which is very difficult considering the summer heat. The longer they observe the city, the more the pair realize that it is a very Christian area and their minds run wild with how the locals will act towards them and their small armory.
“I’ve heard how the four corner states are at war, but always thought it was unverified gossip,” Cassidy explains, stopping to let a funeral procession through. With it being clear that they are stuck for several minutes, she puts the jeep into park and leans back. “The way the stories go is that this walled city appeared where the states meet and nobody can get inside. Yet there is an inscription on the door that claims it is the new Fortress of God and a gift will be given to the true followers. The major religions took over the surrounding states and have been fighting to claim the city. I guess they can’t go in until a victor is chosen or something equally as ridiculous. Guess it’s obvious that Christianity took Utah and the stories say the Jews have Arizona. Want to say the Muslims are in New Mexico and several rumors put the Pagans in Colorado. Not really sure why that last group is even involved in this. Then again, I’m amazed that even part of the gossip is true. Probably best that we keep going and camp far outside of town. Holy wars have a long history of getting messy.”
Crossing Bedlam Page 24
