Devil's Due the flip side of the coin

Author's note: Umm... I got nothing. So here some poetry.

Away in a madhouse, confined to my bed

 From visions and nightmares that filled me with dread

 The Doctor has sweetly inserted a probe

 To sever completely my prefrontal lobe

Electroshock therapy, mind-numbing pills:

 They change my behavior to cure all my ills

 I love Asylum, my own padded cell

 I'll stay here forever, for outside it's Hell

A nice way to kick off right?

I awoke in a rather dark and quant jail cell with only light being from a small window I could not even fit my arm through. My gear was gone and most of my body aching. I searched around for at least an idea of what to do. I find only bars with a table with my weapons just out of reach and the bones of someone long before me in the corner. Well staying here is not a plan, thanks buddy. I so need to get out of this like I need to quit drinkin. I could use a drink for this shit. As I thought about my next actions a guard steps in front of my cell. He wore the same armor as those who caught me. It only really exposed their stomach and neck.

“Prisoner, you are to be taken for questioning. Prepare yourself and be ready in the hours to come. You will tell us of yourself and your weapons or we will beat it from you.” Then he slid a tray under the bars.

“You know when I break your wish bone, just hope it comes true for your sake.” I said in anger.

“Yeah, yeah hold your breath, you’re gonna need it for the captain.” The guard said while he walked away laughing.

‘I’m out, and no one’s gonna be my shower daddy!’ I looked to the tray for a means of escape, saw only a bowl of what smelled like shit and a spoon. ‘Ok let’s Shaw shank this then.’ I began to try to excavate the wall with the spoon. After a substantial amount of digging and no progress, I stopped. Where is the easy puzzle to get out? Or just some damn help… I looked at the spoon my only thing I had. Hey this is kind of sharp now I poked at the fresh edge and my finger started to bleed a little ok… more shank less shaw. I saw fit to spend the rest of the time I had sharpening the end of the spoon against the wall.

***

After about three hours my weapon was sharpened and ready. Just in time as a guard hovers before me and my bars.

“Prisoner, the Captain is ready for you now.” The guard said as he opened the cell to lead me to my fate.

I hid the shank just a little up my sleeve, “Ok, ok, I just hope he has a bottle of vodka.”

The guard grunted in anger, “Now prisoner!” and hit me in the back.

I followed him for a couple seconds then fell to the ground the guard agitated said, “Get up prisoner.”

I faked some pain in my leg, “Ow! I can’t move.”

The guard sighed then walked over, “What now?”

He started to lean over and inspect my leg.

I saw my time to strike “Got ya!” I said as I repeatedly shoved the sharped end of the spoon into the guard’s stomach. He writhed in pain for a moment and tried to scream, but I covered his mouth with my hand. As I looked the guard in his fearful and pained eyes I spoke:

“Shh, it will be over soon.” I said as I ran the blade across his neck in a quick motion, and cut what I hoped was his jugular. I let go, then he fell to the floor silent in a pool of his own crimson blood.

Fuck, I really am gonna need a drink after this. Usually I don’t have to see their face. I ran over to the table and collected my weapons and gear. It was all there down to the last bullet. Well at least this is going for me.’ I put my ghillie back on. It fit me like a second skin. I checked my SVD. Dad, if you help me get out of this, I will owe you another drink. It was ready. As I looked down the hall at the body sorry man.” Wrong place, wrong time.” I set off in the opposite direction.

I moved at a slow, quiet, and cautious pace down several hall ways, but I had no idea where I was going. Damn this place is a labyrinth; hope I don’t see anyone else. Can’t bear to do that again. I weaved through many doors as I started to find my way, evading all patrols in my way. I heard a big group running down the hall maybe 20 meters away, so I hid in a dark crevice in the side of a door way and raised the M9 cradling it against my face. They got closer; I started to hear two of them speak.

“Gilda, why were you not guarding the prisoner? This is all your fault!”

“Sir… I did not know I had to, I am just the fastest scout.” A female spoke sounding like the one that captured me, her voice seemed to crack with fear. Her name is Gilda well at least someone else is in the shit too.

“I don’t care. The griffon-he-killed’s blood is on your hands.” I could practically smell them as they pass. The large one wore red armor with a think gold trim like some kind of Roman general.

“Sir, I will find him and see him brought to justice!” She said with zeal and confidence. Maybe even a little dissent.

“See that you do.” Their voices trailed off into the distance.

Oh, that was too close. I stood up and continued down the hall away from the fading footsteps of my pursuers. I started to run. I heard nothing coming ahead. So I sped up, as it was a greater concern to me to get out quicker than make a stealthy exit. I soon heard a growing roar as more guards seemed to enter the area. Oh just what I need. I looked for some kind of cover, but found none, Damn, damn, damn! The sound grew ever stronger; I started to look to the doors for a hope at getting out. I try door after door to find them locked, Fuck me, I’m boned! until I happened upon an unlocked one. Wooo! Close call again. I closed the door behind me locked it and then in seconds heard the soldiers stop with a sudden end to the clanging of their armor. I put my ear to the door, to take a listen.

“Search the rooms! He may be hiding anywhere.” The voice of the large one I heard with that one he called Gilda.

“Yes sir!” at least ten must have sounded off with.

Damn it, why can’t I get a break? As I tried to think about any kind of a way to evade what at this point must be certain death, I looked at a window much bigger than the one in my cell. Well fuck, fear of heights versus fear of death. I will drink till I can’t feel anything if I make it.’ I looked around the room. It looks like an office of some kind. I heard them break in a door three doors down. I searched for anything to buy me time and found nothing. They smashed another door this time two doors down. I took out some string from my backpack and a grenade ‘He he he, boom.  You are going down with me.’ The next door was broken into leaving only mine left. I ran over to the window opened it and hear them begin to beat on the door, Only shot. The door gave way as I jumped.

I fell from the window in a spin ‘I don’t want to die!’ I huddled myself in a ball to at least cushion me from the fall, I slammed into a roof below with the force of something like god shitting on you from the heavens. I opened my eyes for the first time since I jumped. I started to laugh hysterically, ‘Wow, I have a guardian angel.’ Then I felt myself start to slip towards the right side, ‘Soooo close!’ I stretched my arms and legs out looking for footing or a thing to grab, but found myself only closer to the edge. As I started to fall, I prayed. I am not religious.

I fell towards the ground as I closed my eyes accepting my fate. I fell only about eight feet. I got up off the ground and looked at the window I jumped from; it was only 20 feet up. ‘Oh come on…’ I dusted myself off and checked my gear. All there, good. I bolted off into the direction of some forest in the distance.

*******

After about three hours of sneaking throughout the forest and slipping past a few search teams, I could only run so long I needed a place to sleep. ‘So tired, adrenalin fading, need to… sleep.’ I heard the damned noise of the super chickens flying only meters above me, so I hid under some brush lying still to not gain any attention. While lying in the muck I saw Gilda. She flew down to tree level and looked as if she was scanning the land with her eyes. ‘Damn she’s pissed off. Must have been something I said.’

She wore no armor; only a scowl accompanied by two others as well as some officer all clad in armor and where equally angry. My heart stopped as she passed overhead. She and her friends hovered for a moment looking around. They continued to search then one of them pointed in my direction. I can’t even breathe ‘If they spotted me, well then I least am gonna make it hurt!’

I readied my rifle and put the cross hair over Gilda’s head. She turned to meet my single eye’s gaze. Her eyes met with mine through the scope as I slowly pulled the trigger. A quote my best friend Ryan used to say came to mind.

Sorry, but this game was rigged from start.

As the captain griffon who was much larger than the rest. Wearing armor gilded in gold with a base of ebony, and a helmet that was akin to those worn by centurions of old began to swoop in front of her. He hovered in front of Gilda looking over towards me shouted then raised his arm, as if to give the attack order.

His head jerked back as the round tore through his eye socket and out the back of his skull; he fell from the sky like a stone. I felt some remorse for him, but even more for Gilda. I knew the feeling of having someone’s brains and blood splattered against you; in a flash the one standing before you, just gone. He must have just misaligned the bullet with his skull just enough to have it miss her only cutting her cheek. She fell from the sky like an angel with its wings clipped, out of shock… or panic.

The rest of what must have been some kind of captain’s team began to charge at my position. I frantically unloaded five rounds, three hit their mark in the chest of the one flying farthest right, his armor doing nothing to stop the 7.62x39mm round. The other two rounds graze the one farthest left in the chest and wing right wing he drops like a stone out of the air in pain.

The last two griffons came closer than I had wanted them to; I heard their strained breaths as I reached for my sidearm. I quickly popped off three rounds into the one just in front of me, but the other used his friend as quick cover. His spear was a mere foot away from taking me out, I lurched back a little to get a better shot but fell. As I fell he seemed to be coming even faster but this did not save him. Time seemed to slow down as I shot seven rounds into him, even as I hit the ground and he fell atop my legs. A deep crunching noise is accompanied by a pain in my right shoulder. I looked at it; the spear just missed me leaving only a painful gash. I started to laugh. "Well, that was sweet. Still can’t believe I John Wu-ed that shit. All that’s missing are the doves."

I pushed the dead weight off me and got up off the ground. I heard a moan and remembered I had only grazed her. I walked over holding my right arm as pain shot up it. Gilda’s eyes shown with fear, hatred, and adrenalin. I pulled the handgun to meet her face and spoke.

“You live because I need you to tell them I am not to be followed. Got it?” I said lying to myself as if I really stand a chance against any more of you.

I almost could make out tears or hate her blue eyes as she only shook her head.

“Now piss off!” I said pointing towards the sky above the trees with the handgun.

She flew away wobbly and in pain. I needed to find shelter. I can’t be sitting out in the open any longer. ‘Maybe I should’ve just killed her?’ Might’ve given me more time, but I could not think about it now. I might have just made a monster, or just a bigger one. I smelled a strange enticing odor coming more and more from a cave just in the distance.

The caves entrance was jagged like the teeth of a shark. As I entered, the odor seemed to fill my mind with joy and bliss. I ran deeper into the cave not even caring as it got darker. I eventually reached the mouth of a large tunnel network. I dropped my gear to cover my wound with some bandages from my kit, and then fell on to the ground to slip into a needed sleep…