As They Walk Among Us - Chapter 2 - 100 Years After

Chapter Two - 100 Years Later


If it wasn’t for the smell of the death that swept about the city, she probably would have stayed the night to rest from her hard days traveling. The stench was unbearable though. It suffocated her almost to the point that she wanted to gag each and every time she inhaled. Even the scarf that was wrapped around her mouth wasn’t of any help. She kept moving down the main street diligently so she could finally clear this wasteland of bones and flesh.

Tales of this cities wealth and population were memorable. She remembered hearing stories how the city was always vibrant and active. Known as the “Big Apple”, she could never exactly figure out why such a silly name was given to it, but for whatever reason, it didn’t matter. The place was over run by vile creatures that killed any they happen to come across. Bleu knew very well the dangers that came with traveling at night time. Traveling at night within a den of evil was equivalent to putting a revolver to your own head and playing roulette with it fully loaded, but she did not want to stay within this drenching bog of filth.

She could tell from looking at what tall buildings were still standing, that this city must have taken great pride in their wealth. Maybe that was one of the reasons why it was one of the first to fall. Where there is wealth, there is great greed. She could only imagine the deals that some of the people in charge could have made with the devils that lurk in the dark. Some of the deals that gained them their ill gotten gains. Such greed and desires sometimes made her skin crawl. Bleu always knew that human beings could show great evil if the right options were presented. She didn’t feel bad at all really for the destruction that the world had come across little over a hundred years ago. It was poetic justice she had always thought. Human beings were always so sinful she thought. If it wasn’t the greed that moved them, then it was other things that motivated wicked ways. She was no different. Sometimes she found herself following in the footsteps of wrath. Even now, that was the only feeling that motivated her, revenge.

The moon watched her presence as she walked down what use to be known as times square. It was quiet and that was what bothered her the most this night. Silence usually meant that something was prowling and stalking the shadows. The brow leather boots she wore made little effort to mask her presence. She really wasn’t hiding. It wasn’t long till small sounds began to echo around her while she stood in the middle of the intersection. Her eyes darting to each dark corner that overlapped the rubble and mayhem from times long past. The sound of chuckling and laughter from multiple places slowly rose about her, calling and taunting out to Bleu. The trap had snared around her instantly as several shadows from around slowly walked into the moonlight.

Cold yellow eyes all transfixed upon her bronze skin and raven hair. Creatures of a different assortment of sizes and shapes manifested out of the eclipsed night and surrounded Bleu. Her hands stood at her sides, her head lowered down while her hat tipped forward, shadowing her eyes, only exposing the thin lips upon her features. “Seems like you boys are out way past your bed time,” she mocked in a voice that showed no sort of emotion.

The creatures snarled and laughed. Each one giving a hearty chuckle at their prize rabbit giving its last words before death. The tallest of the creatures stepped forward more into the moonlight. Its skin was a deep blue. On its head were three horns that were about a foot long coming down from it’s jaw line. The arms were much longer, stretching down to the ground with the back of his hands dragging dagger like talons behind. “Well well,” snapping its jaws the creature rubbed its chin with one of its talons and gave what could have been a grin. “Seems like the human here has quite a mouth on her.” The others chuckled and licked their teeth with their tongues. Some salivated onto the ground in small puddles that were steadily getting larger. “Maybe we break her jaw first, then have our way with her for a few hours before we eat out her organs.” More than one of the demons agreed to the idea. Others were too busy laughing to say anything.

Bleu stood her ground. A stead wind blew down the streets, her hair blowing backwards with it. “As much as these legs of mines would just so love to give you the entertainment you deserve, I have more pressing matters to deal with. Go find another plaything,” the threat was clear and evident in her tone. She didn’t need to add anymore to it, but Bleu could feel those sins rolling up in her soul. “It would be a lot safer for you that way.”

Outburst upon outburst of demons laughed and mocked her. Pointing their fingers at her, the night was alive with humorless voices. Behind Bleu, one of the demons managed to step up to her, its hand gripping her left arm and pulling her to face him. As she spun around, the music within her head began to play. Her right hand pushed back her jacket, opening up to the world the two leather belts that hung lightly on her hips crossing each other. On each belt was a holster holding pistols. It was like poetry in motion as her hand grabbed the pearl hilt of one her Cutlass’ and drew the weapon out, pointing the silver barrel up to the creatures face, pulling the trigger. The spark from the blast lit up the night, bone and skull fragments sprayed from the back of the creatures head while she pulled the trigger two more times into it’s head. As the demons hand gotten loose on her arm she quickly grabbed the second Cutlass and drew the weapon. Still spinning from momentum the gun was already on target to the creature that first dared to speak to her. As the bullet escaped it’s chamber, it landed on mark into the creatures forehead, allowing brain matter to evacuate the back of his head.

The night was turned into a ballet of blood. Each pull of the trigger hit a target before it even had the chance to react. Those that could react charged at Bleu with deadly rage. Wanting her blood and flesh ground in their teeth. Five dropped to the ground like heaps of trash as Bleu spun around on her feet, each arm moving with the dance, never having a gun aimed at the same target. As the shells fell to the ground, two or three bodies dropped. It was over in only a matter of heartbeats as silence made it’s way in the night air. Bodies never making it within ten feet of her, some laying on top of others. The smell of death drenched the air even more than before. She knew the scent would lure more of the foul things. Lower Wheels were like that, scavengers. Bleu dropped the clips from her Cutlass’ and placed two new ones in them before replacing the weapons into their holsters. Placing the empty clips into her pocket and once again started walking down the streets of New York. She had sinned this night, and would have to pray for forgiveness before she slept. “We are such vile creatures. We are no better than you that stalk the night.” Her silent prayer to the dead as she walked past them.

An arm snapped up and grabbed her leg from under a small pile of gore. Bleu stopped looked down to the shaking figure. It was one of the creatures that she fired upon in the face, blowing off half it’s head. She could still see the brain pulsing and beating while purplish fluid ran in the streets. “Please, help me,” it called out. Bleu turned around fully, her gaze looking down at him. Slowly she knelt down to the monster and placed a hand to his head.

“I can help you. I can give you release from this world and grant you permanent servitude if you like?” Her words coming like a pastor who was granting a dying man the words of God. The demon could only nod its head, gasping in slow breathes as it was already departing this world. Bleu kind of wondered where demons go when they died. It was an almost comical thought that had many answers applied to it she thought. “Then I shall grant you life once more as part of me.” Settling down on both knees, she sat on the heels of her feet. Taking off her hat, only a look of compassion was placed on her bronze face. Her penetrating eyes were the color of ice, but the demeanor upon her face reflected different. Placing her hands on the creature Bleu leaned down and slowly kissed what was left of the demons forehead. Some of the purple fluid leaked onto her lips.

The night was once again covered in sound. This time though it was the sound of a demon, calling out in pain and suffering. Bleu knew she would have to pray extra long as she had fallen into another one of those dreadful sins, gluttony.