M.u.r.s.e. #1

by Christopher Lee Cousino

  Chapter 5

  I found Alan sitting at the same table he always sat at. I didn’t even order food. I was too upset to eat. Plopping down in the seat next to him, I was so concerned and shaky I knocked over Alan’s drink. At which time I attempted to catch the before-mentioned falling drink, and knocked the napkin holder off the table in the process. As Alan just slowly chewed his food, raising his eyebrows at me, the whole cafeteria turned their attention to me.

  What did you ask? Why didn’t I just stop his drink from spilling like I had stopped the old broad from falling? First of all, the old broad has a name, it is Ruby. Second, I don’t know! I didn’t even know how I had stopped Ruby from falling, so how could I have stopped-listen, it doesn’t matter. Just let me tell the story.

  Always cool under pressure, Alan raised a hand to me, motioning for me to calm down, and then nodded as he wiped his mouth and stood up, addressing the room.

  “Don’t worry, my friends. Mr. Jack here is very excited about something that happened today. He has fantastic news for me and in his enthusiasm, he knocked over the napkin holder and my drink. Nothing to see here, please go back to your meals. Enjoy your lunch.”

  Everyone knew who Alan was, and not only that, everyone loved and respected him. Concern and confusion quickly turned into smiles and laughter as everyone resumed their meals and private conversations. Alan sat back down, and then placed a hand on my shoulder for the second time that day, looking concerned.

  “Okay, Colby, you have my attention. Now, tell me what’s wrong son?” He asked.

  Stressed out and jittery, I began to tell him about the day. Starting with waking up late, then to the migraine in his office, then to time itself going backwards, on to Ruby floating, and ending with my fight with intern Chad. The whole while, Alan just listened, thoughtfully rubbing his chin as he did. Once I was finished, he stood up. Upset and freaking out, I just barely kept myself from shouting at him.

  “Mr. Victor, where are you going!?” I said.

  He smiled.

  “We should go someplace private to talk, Colby. Follow me. It’s time you knew some things,” he said.

  I was still in shock from everything that had happened that day, I didn’t even really notice what he’d said. I just got up and followed him blindly, like he was Mary and I was his little lamb.

  Yeah, I agree, that was a stupid analogy. I thought so too as soon as it came out of my mouth. Thanks for pointing it out, it would have been terrible if you’d let that one slide. Okay, so anyways, I followed Alan like baby ducks follow their mother. What, not any better? Fine, forget it.

  We ended up on the roof of the hospital. No one was around but the two of us, total privacy. Alan looked at me with those warm blue eyes, his hands clasped in front of his face as he thought of how to word whatever it was he was going to say to me. Finally, he sighed and dropped his hands to his sides.

  “Alright, son, no easy way to say this. You’re a murse,” he said, as if it was some big reveal.

  I remember being confused.

  “Uh, no offense, Mr. Victor. But I know that,” I said.

  He shook his head, a look of disgust on his face.

  “No, no, no, Colby. Not a murse like you are thinking. Not that childish, slang term for a male nurse that your generation has soiled the very prestigious title with. No, I mean you are a M.U.R.S.E.”

  I was still confused.

  “I am still confused, sir,” I said.

  Running a hand through his hair, Alan sighed again.

  “Okay, let me start with this. M.U.R.S.E doesn’t stand for male nurse as it has come to be known. It is an acronym. It’s true meaning is Magical Underground Resistance Sorcerer and Enforcer. That is what M.U.R.S.E. stands for, and that is what you are, Colby,” he said.

  At that moment, I was pretty sure that Alan Victor was crazy. I am not one for confrontations, and already having had one with Chad earlier in the morning, I’d definitely filled my quota for the day. Unsure what to say, or what Alan wanted me to say, I just scratched my head and gave a half smile, shrugging. Alan smiled.

  “I understand that makes no sense to you. Let me tell you the truth, the truth about a long kept secret about the history of this country, about this world.

  “Now, some of the things I am going to tell you are going to seem hard to believe, but keep an open mind, son. The things you have witnessed today already have proven to you that something is happening to you. So, please, just listen all the way through before you ask any questions. First of all, all of the monsters you have seen and read about in horror movies and literature are real,” he said.

  Although he’d told me to keep quiet until the end, after hearing that, I couldn’t.

  “Huh? Did you say…monsters…real…you mean…what?” I asked.

  Alan maintained his smile.

  “Well, you didn’t make it very long. Yes, I said monsters are real. Vampires, werewolves, zombies, the boogeyman, skinwalkers or shapeshifters, dragons-” I stopped him at dragons.

  “Uh, did you say zombies…and dragons?” I asked.

  “Yes, zombies are real. They originate from a breed of immortal cannibals, called Laestrygonians, giant humans from Greek mythology who feasted on the flesh of mortal humans. They are no longer giants, at least not in the ancient understanding of the word. They are still giants amongst humans, averaging between 7 and 8 feet. Sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less. You actually may recognize a few of them as stars in some of your American sports.

  “Anyways, they still feed on humans, but in their old age they have gotten sloppy. If they simply bite or scratch a human but do not kill them, that human is infected with a virus the Laestrygonians carry. There usually isn’t enough of their meals left to get up and walk around, but when it has happened it hasn’t been pretty. They need to be dealt with quickly, the virus turning them into emotionally detached, animalistic killing machines with only one desire, to feed…hence your “zombies”. The only way to kill a Laestrygonian is to cut off their head or damage their brain, the same with their infected victims. You can actually learn a ton of useful tips from the horror films and literature you’ve no doubt watched and read in your life,” Alan said.

  I am pretty sure I was staring at Mr. Victor with a dumbfounded look on my face at that point. I am also pretty sure that at that current time, I had definitely sharted myself.

  What does sharted mean? You know, you go to fart and (excuse my language) shit comes out…sharted. You like that one, huh? Where have you been to have never heard the term sharted? Anyways, after hearing the knowledge Alan hit me with next, I full out crapped my pants.

  “Ah, you are probably wondering about dragons. Well, what is left now is more of a dragon/human hybrid. Dragons long ago realized they would not be able to survive in their ancient form and size. So, at some point, whether by convential means, which would entail unthinkable pain and torture for the human forced to copulate with them, or by magic…we are unsure of which, but dragons mated with humans, resulting in a cross-breed.

  “These new Dragonfolk as we call them soon outnumbered the dragons you know from movies and literature, the ancient dragon becoming extinct. Do not underestimate the Dragonfolk by any means. They are just as powerful, and just as dangerous, as their ancient ancestors. All the powers including flight, impenetrable skin, the ability to breath fire, and a nasty bite. But now also with the ability to blend in with the human population, so their victims won’t see them coming until it’s too late.

  “There is a lot you need to learn about the other creatures you will come across, especially vampires, our most numerous and deadly enemies. But we can get into all that later. All the creatures are collectively known as the Evilness. More on them later. Right now, we need to focus on what is happening to you,” Alan said.

  Yup, I’d definitely pooped myself at that point. Standing sto
ne still and probably as pale as a ghost- you know, that reminds me, I never asked Alan if ghosts were real. I’ll have to do that later. Anyways, I waited in silent shock for Mr. Victor to continue.

  “You are experiencing changes, your senses and attributes are being enhanced, strengthened. From what you’ve told me, you are already experiencing enhanced hearing, reflexes, and strength. You should be much faster and agile, able to run at a much higher speed than you would have previously. Also, you will be able to jump further than normal for a human. No flight, unfortunately, though the jury is still out on whether it is possible for a very focused M.U.R.S.E. You were able to make Ruby float, so it is plausible you could learn to harness that magic and make yourself float, or fly. Which brings us to the next enhancement. As you have already seen, you have mental enhancements as well. We call it mental magic. You can manipulate things with your mind, with much concentration…and with a price.

  “For example, this morning you wished it was a few hours earlier.  Your mind manipulated time and ultimately, destiny.  When you set time back, you may have altered the future.  People may make different choices, altering everything that happens from that choice on.  For example, a near suicide victim that chickened out may pull the trigger.  On the same hand, a person who did commit suicide may change their mind and survive.  Although altering the future is a burden in itself, there is unfortunately a much higher price you have to pay.  As a M.U.R.S.E., you have the power to affect time, to bend it and alter the past, present, and future.  But it is highly frowned upon and actually against the Magical Underground Resistance’s, or M.U.R.’s, code of magic.  It is punishable by death, but don’t worry…you didn’t know so that was your freebie, son.  I wish that was the only consequence, but there is more.  In addition to the terrible migraine you experienced, aneurisms and brain tumors have resulted from too many attempts to alter time, so there is that.  Worst of all, however, is that for every second of time you alter, you lose a minute of your life.”

  I remember feeling very cold at that time, in shock and in disbelief.  At that moment, I remember feeling very small…and very scared.  I tried to do the math in my head to figure out how much of my life I’d just pissed away without even knowing what I was doing.  Alan must have been able to tell what I was doing, as he quickly gave me the answer and continued.

  “Two weeks, Colby.  You lost roughly two weeks of your life.  I’m sorry, it wasn’t your fault and it is a terrible price to pay…but now you know that doing something like that in the future is extremely negligent and you will have severe consequences to pay.  Speaking of life and death, an important enhancement you will soon learn is that you are much less vulnerable. 

  “Although you will still be able to be injured, to be killed heaven forbid, your body will be able to take much more punishment.  It will take a whole lot more to injure you than it would to injure a normal human being.  Also, your injuries will heal quicker, unless you are mortally injured, of course.  In that case, death is still death.  You cannot regrow lost limbs, re-attach your severed head, or restart your still, un-beating heart.  But you have a fighting chance against the forces of evil, thanks to your enhancements.”

  I tried to let it all sink in, but it wouldn’t.  This couldn’t be real, I thought, this had to be a joke.  But I’d seen Ruby float with my own eyes.  I’d seen my enhanced strength and reflexes in my fight with Chad.  Could all this be true?  I needed some questions answered.  But I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answers.