Fatal Green

by The Brothers Washburn

  Lightning flashed brightly through the bedroom window and thunder shook the glass panes.

  Camm’s chin dropped to her chest. She didn’t want to give in, but she had no time to argue. Besides, if push came to shove, she had to admit Martha was not helpless—just the opposite in fact.

  “Okay, sister. Everyone downstairs by the grandfather clock.”

  As the small band made their way down the stairs, they watched the epic battle rage below. The snake continued to strike at the rat as its target danced just out of its reach. The snake’s neck was pocketed with deep wounds where the rat had inflicted damage.

  When the group arrived on the main floor, the rat stared directly at them as if assessing their potential for risk. It showed no desire to attack them at the moment, but maneuvered further down the hall, where it could keep its focus on the snake without worrying about the humans.

  Agent Allen leaned over to Camm. “Can you tell what that green abomination is thinking?”

  Stopping for a second to search inside her head, Camm slowly nodded. “Right now, I don’t sense any fear, at least not of the snake. I feel only a deep reservoir of pitch-black hate. Hate for the snake and hate for us. Especially hate for me.”

  “Is it going to attack you again?”

  Camm listened once more with her mind. “Not until it has killed the snake. Right now, it really wants to kill the snake.” She gazed up at Cal, his arm still around her waist supporting most of her weight. “When the snake is dead, I think it will come for me.”

  “What do you want with this clock?” Agent Kline signaled they were at their destination.

  Agent Allen scrutinized the hall. “First, we need to establish a defensive perimeter.”

  Before anyone could respond, Camm passed her .357 over to Lenny and grabbed Cal’s pistol, which she handed to Martha. Lenny grinned at Cal, while Martha’s eyes widened in shock, but she gave Camm a crooked smile. Camm showed them both how to cock their guns and flip off the safety.

  “Just point and pull the trigger. It’s that easy. But be sure you don’t shoot one of our own.” Returning Martha’s crooked smile, Camm pointed at her bloody leg.

  Martha swallowed and turned to face the two raging creatures. She held the pistol in both hands with stark determination written all over her face.

  Next, Camm took Agent Kline’s shotgun and presented it to Cal. “I don’t know what kind of cannon this is, but I trust you to handle it.”

  Cal gave Camm a knowing smile. “Just watch me.”

  Acting together, Cal, Martha, and Agent Allen, in that order, formed a semi-circle around the clock, protecting Camm, Lenny, and Agent Kline. The defensive perimeter was now set.

  Agent Kline opened his mouth to speak, perhaps to ask a question, but Camm started in before he could begin. “Lenny, you showed me a heavy metal disc, or wheel, with all these lines radiating out from the center. Do you remember that?”

  The lanky, young genius nodded in the affirmative.

  “You thought there was a possibility that it could be used to, hum. . . ,” Camm searched for the words to communicate what she was thinking. “That there was a possibility to access other worlds. I mean other than the two we know about.”

  Lenny jumped in enthusiastically, oblivious to the epic battle raging only yards away. “Yeah, that’s right. I mean there are probably like thirty-two other possible worlds we could visit out of maybe an infinite number, and . . . ”

  Camm took his face firmly in both her hands and pulled his head down to her level.

  “Dude!” she said. “Concentrate! I need to talk to genius Lenny right now. Not surfer Lenny. Not hippy Lenny. Certainly not hunter-gatherer Lenny. I need genius Lenny, front and center. Understand?” Camm nodded her head slowly up and down in a ploy to get Lenny to do the same.

  Lenny’s face registered shock, not so much by the physical contact Camm initiated, but by her use of the word “Dude.” Shock was the very effect Camm had intended. Getting and keeping Lenny’s attention was always a challenge. Now that she had his attention, Camm wanted to take full advantage of it. Lenny slowly nodded his head, mimicking Camm.

  Camm continued, “Something big is going on here. Right? We have this whopping big storm with rain, wind, lightning and everything. We have everyone from both mansions present together. The two mansions have united. They have combined, not just traded places. Also, the rat and the snake are both here, together, right? I mean something really big is happening. Right now!”

  Lenny’s eyes widened as everything Camm said came together. He stared around nodding as if comprehending something momentous was in play. An opportunity had presented itself that might never come again. Lenny opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted.

  “That was a very astute observation.” Without anyone noticing, Mr. S had made his way over to the clock. He stroked his chin with a thumb and forefinger. “What are you proposing?”

  Before Camm could reply, Cal yelled, “Look out!”

  The snake’s tail whipped precariously close to where they were holding their impromptu meeting. Agent Allen and Cal raised their weapons, preparing to fire. Before they could shoot, Martha let loose with a multi-shot volley that struck the snake several times in the tail. Immediately, the snake jerked back and slithered away from the little group.

  Martha’s pale face showed the terror she felt, but she remained firm in doing her sentry duty, resolutely holding her defensive position. Agent Allen caught her eye and gave her a solemn nod of approval. Martha returned the nod with a half-smile. Color flowed back into her face.

  It was an impossible task, holding a mini-scientific conference in the middle of a gargantuan stone mansion that controlled dimensional boundaries, with gigantic creatures in a death fight nearby, while the thunderstorm of the century raged out of control outside. But there was no alternative. Something had to be done, and Camm knew what needed to be done.

  “Okay, Lenny, listen carefully. Use this clock to send the rat to some other world in some other dimension, not including the two we know. If we have a choice of thirty-two different worlds, send it to one from which it can’t come back. This is critical. Understand?”

  The mental cogs in Lenny’s brain were obviously turning. He nodded his head.

  “Can you do that? I mean, can you send that rat away without a return ticket?”

  Lenny raised an eyebrow, shooting a glance at Agent Kline before replying.

  “I think I can. But, dude, we need the clocks in both mansions to be totally in sync with each other, and both clocks must be calibrated with the same precise setting.” Glancing again at Agent Kline he added, “You know what I mean?”

  Agent Kline nodded, but looked to Mr. S, who gave the reply.

  “Done and done. Ms. Smith has hit upon the crucial point. Because of the gigantic storm now in full force outside, both mansions have united into the same three-dimensional space and time. This merging of the separate realities has not only coordinated the clocks, but also has totally integrated them. They are now essentially one clock. This present moment is not only our best chance to send the rat to a completely different world, but probably our only chance.”

  Inclining his head in the direction of the epic battle playing out just yards away, Agent Kline asked, “Why just the rat? Why not the snake too?”

  Camm’s lips tightened. “The snake is out of control, creating its own transitions, so the rat needs to kill the snake.” She sighed as she contemplated the blank looks directed her way. “First, the rat kills the snake, then we send the rat as far away as possible. Everyone understand?”

  Lenny looked puzzled. Actually, everyone looked puzzled, but Lenny asked the question. “How do you know that? How do you know the rat will win this fight and kill the snake?”

  Granny strode up to the little group. He had tossed a few extra flares out onto the ston
e floor, keeping the area illuminated. He folded his arms, staying out of the discussion.

  Camm sighed. “I will make sure the rat kills the snake. I will help it. Then, once the snake is dead, we will send the rat away to a new dimension, to a place it can never come back from.”

  Lenny started again, “How . . . ” but that was as far as he got.

  Martha blurted out, her voice stern, but with a hint of panic, “Camm, no! You can’t go there! Camm, I beg you. Don’t do it! There has to be another way.”

  Cal stood rigid, staring at Camm, a devastated expression covering his face.

  Camm bit her lip, glancing from Cal to Martha and back to Cal again. These were her two best friends in the whole world. She should be listening to them, but the time had come now that they needed to listen to her.

  Mr. S stepped in. “I’ll look after Camm. I understand what she wants to do. It is the only way to rid ourselves of both the snake and the rat. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

  Mr. S turned to Granny. “Get my two backup agents and all the new agents out of the mansion as fast as possible. They are going to get wet, but we can’t help that. Just get them out.”

  “How about my two Indian friends upstairs?”

  Mr. S considered the question. “Leave them. I will make sure they get back home. But everyone else, everyone who is not standing around this clock, must get out now.”

  Granny jerked his head in assent and jogged off to complete his assignment.

  Mr. S sent Camm a quick nod of encouragement. “Do what you have to do.”

  Nodding back, Camm sank down cross-legged on the hard slate floor to concentrate.

  Turning to Cal, Martha, and Agent Allen, Mr. S instructed, “Protect Camm and me as long as you can, but when I tell you to go, leave immediately. Don’t argue with me.”

  Finally, Mr. S smiled at Lenny and Agent Kline. “Show me how to operate the clock, and then you guys get out. I will do the rest.”

  Agent Kline slowly shook his head. “As far as we know, no one has tried this before. We cannot say for sure what will happen.”

  “I know. I know,” Mr. S reassured him. “I just wish my brother could be here to see this. He predicted something like this might be possible when we were first assigned to the Swift Creek Project. If he had any say in this, it would be him, rather than me, standing here.

  “Quickly now. We don’t know how much time we have. Instruct me according to your best understanding, and then leave. I’ll join you when I can.”

  XXXIV

  Camm placed her hands on top of her head and shut her eyes. The fury of the storm and the cold, hard stone beneath her faded away as she focused on the sounds of the creatures fighting. Reaching out with her mind, she touched the rat. Reflexively, she pulled away in revulsion. The rat’s mind was rotten to the core. She hated the way it thought, the way it felt. But she had no choice. She knew it. Bracing herself, she reached out for the rat and entered its mind once more.

  So much hate. How could any creature hate this much? It despised and detested everything, even its own self. Its hate for humans and for the mansion was fresh and raw. Its hate for Camm was especially strong, almost palpable. Deep down, she felt its age-old hate for the snake.

  How deeply this creature did hate! Bitterness oozed from every cell of its being. Hate consumed it. The acrid animosity had so deformed it, so saturated it, there was nothing left of any other emotion—no joy or happiness, no guilt or empathy, especially no affection or love. Just a burning, hopeless despair that engulfed and consumed everything it thought and did.

  Into that black-green swamp of filthy emotion, Camm let her mind wade. In the stink and darkness, she wallowed. So intent was the rat on killing the snake, it did not detect her invasion of its mind. She discovered she could anticipate its movements. Feeling its thoughts, she knew when it would attack, or feign attack, when it would dodge right or left. Within seconds, she knew how the rat’s thoughts translated into actions.

  With the rat distracted by the attacking snake, Camm was able, with relative ease, to place thoughts in its head. Attack. Dig. Bite. Kill this old enemy!

  Camm didn’t need to see with her eyes to know the process was working. She could tell the rat was stepping up its attacks on the snake at her prodding.

  Attack. Claw. Bite. Dodge. Attack again.

  Camm felt her—its claws pierce through the thick snake leather.

  Keeping her eyes shut tight, the rat’s vision crept into her brain. At first, the view was dim and smoky, but soon became clearer. She saw what the rat saw. She heard what it heard, smelt what it smelt, and felt what it felt. She couldn’t take it over completely, but entered its consciousness in such a way that they became partners. The rat added the smooth technique, fighting ability, and raw hate. Camm added the actual commands to move and attack, to rend and tear, to maim and destroy.

  Camm bolstered the rat, helping it overcome its natural cowardice. Pushing its fearful thoughts away, she gave it the will to put itself at risk to finally destroy the snake once and for all.

  The snake struck, its fangs landing close to its intended target, barely missing. As the snake pulled back, Camm jumped into the breach. Now! Attack now! Claw! Slash! Bite deep!

  Working itself into a frenzy, the rat sprang forward and with its long, green claws attached itself to the snake’s throat. As if it were her own nails, Camm felt the sensation of talons clasping onto the snake. The rat bit deep. Camm tasted the raw blood, hot, acrid and salty on her tongue.

  Vaguely, she was aware of other noises around her—voices, people running—but such noises dimmed and faded. Soon, Camm was so focused on the rat’s thoughts she had no idea that anything was happening outside of her battle to kill or be killed, to destroy or be destroyed.

  Bite again, she thought, bite harder! This time she felt the crimson liquid squirt into its mouth. She felt it running down her chin and neck, dripping on her chest.

  Deeper, dig deeper. This is good. Bite harder. Tear out the quivering pieces of flesh.

  Camm knew she was losing herself in the rat. She didn’t know where she stopped and it began. They were becoming more and more as one. Not only were her thoughts becoming its thoughts, but its feelings were becoming her feelings.

  How she hated the snake. She wanted the snake dead. She wanted to eat it, to taste its warm flesh. Kill it! Eat it! The snake swung its head violently back and forth trying to dislodge the rat. Camm dug in deeper, held on tighter.

  Bite again. Find the artery. Kill it! Eat it!

  Camm’s heart pounded. She had never wanted anything as much as she wanted to kill and eat this snake, her ancient enemy. More blood. She craved the snake’s blood. Together, they bit into the snake again and again. Finally, she felt her fangs go into the life-giving vessel delivering blood to the snake’s brain. Blood squirted all over her face and head.

  Bite deeper. Tear it out. Rip it open. Eat it while it’s still warm and moving, still quivering.

  She craved its flesh, needed its blood. She wanted to gorge herself and cover herself in its blood. But from somewhere, somewhere that seemed miles away, she felt a hand on her shoulder and heard a voice. Someone was calling her. It was a voice that she at once both hated and loved.

  What was happening?

  Standing over the still squirming body of the snake, claws holding the snake on either side, she thrust in again and again. Tearing out more meat. Gulping down large chunks at a time. Lapping up hot blood. Her teeth and claws ripped deeper into the carcass, finding a still beating heart.

  Bite it, chew it, tear it out of the chest. Swallow it while it beats!

  The sensation was fabulous. It was titillating. It was thrilling. More, she wanted more. Without realizing it, she had been famished. She could not satiate herself. She wasn’t getting enough. She dug selfishly for more and ate and ate.

>   She heard voices again. Someone was calling. Turning her head to glare over her shoulder, red blood dripping from her fangs, she saw him, that tall, male human she hated. He held upright that other human, the female, the hated one. He was shaking her. How she loathed that female.

  She would eat her next. Yes! She had waited long for this moment of revenge. Dropping the snake’s body, she whirled toward the two young humans. Here stood the tormentors that had once before almost killed her with snake venom, the ones that had caused such unbearable hurt and pain. Time to kill them. Time to eat them.

  A loud boom resounded through the hall, echoing back and forth. A sharp, unbearable pain erupted in her side. Someone had fired one of those loud, smoking weapons at her. It burned. It hurt deeply. She stepped back and bared her fangs. Who was hurting her?

  That voice. Someone yelling. Someone calling to her. So much noise. Did she understand it? The same sound over and over. The same word. What was that word? Camm. Camm. Camm.

  What was this noise? Another loud bang. More burning pain. Stop hurting me!

  It was so bright. Too much light. Too much noise. Time to kill. Time to destroy again.

  Now what? A new attack? A new sensation. Something different from hate. Warm. Embracing. Something secure, a sense of affection, a wave of love.

  Another new sensation. Something happy. Something on her mouth. Something on her lips. Something warm and moist. What was this? Vaguely she remembered. A kiss?

  “Camm! Camm! Please come out of it. Camm! Wake up Camm!”

  Suddenly, she saw out of different eyes. Her sight was blurry, but now she stared out of her own eyes. It was Cal! Cal was calling her name, hugging her. Cal had kissed her!

  “Camm! Camm! Please Camm! Come out of it! Camm, can you hear me? Listen to me! Please come back. Come back to me!”

  Her vision cleared, sharpened. Her legs found strength. She stood under her own power, but still leaned on Cal for support. Cal had always been there to support her.