WHEN MCBRID WOKE HIS head was pounding, his mouth was dry and his hand throbbed as if it’d been smashed with a hammer. He sat up, trying to remember what had happened. He was in his office. The door was shut. He’d left it open. Shit. She was alive.
“You’re awake.” Charlie stood from where he’d been curled in the corner.
Charlie was here and not scared. She had to be dead but he couldn’t stop himself from turning around. Aranea18 was lying on the table—legs piled alongside her torso. He exhaled slowly as his heart resumed a more normal pace.
“Louis will be right back. He needed to use the bathroom,” said Charlie.
“Louis?” He worked alone—always. “What are you doing here?”
“I…We came by to thank you for helping me and saw you.” Charlie’s brown eyes were wide in his narrow face. “I thought you were dead. That she…” He glanced at Aranea18.
“No. I’m fine.” He pushed himself off the floor. “Holy Araldo.” He shook his hand. His fingers were swollen and hot. Red streaks spread outward from the wound and his wrist was already beginning to swell.
“That doesn’t look good,” said Charlie.
No shit, genius. He walked to the counter and dumped alcohol over his hand. His knees buckled and the wound bubbled and foamed, burning out the poison, but it wouldn’t be fast enough. He had to incise it or he’d lose his hand, maybe his arm. He should’ve known better than to touch the damn fang but he’d thought he’d have to drain the poison. He hadn’t anticipated it leaking. Even in death she was deadly.
“You should probably see the doctor.” Charlie fidgeted, his eyes going to the door.
“No.” He couldn’t go to the doctor. The doctor reported to Conguise and although it was McBrid’s job to perform a necropsy he didn’t want any questions about the venom. Some of that was his.
“What are you going to do?”
Louis stepped into the room. “Good you’re…” His voice trailed off as his eyes landed on McBrid’s swollen hand.
“Shut the door.” He would’ve handled this himself, but they were already involved so they may as well assist. “Come over here. Both of you.” He grabbed a knife.
The two brothers glanced at each other but stayed where they were.
“I’m not going to stab you.”
“What do you want us to do?” Louis still looked unsure as he moved to the counter.
Charlie followed, staying behind his brother.
“Hold my arm.” He placed his hand, palm up, on the counter. He tried to straighten his fingers but they were too swollen.
Louis grabbed his wrist. The Guard’s grip was firm and unyielding.
“Good. Don’t let it move.” He glanced at Charlie over Louis’ shoulder. “Stretch out my fingers.”
“What?” asked the young Guard.
“I can’t do it myself.” His other palm was sweating, making his grip on the knife slip. He dropped it for a moment, wiping his hand on his pants. “Hurry. I’ve got to get this poison out.”
Charlie moved around his brother, his hand shaking as he grabbed McBrid’s fingers, straightening them.
“Shit,” he hissed through clenched teeth.
Charlie let go.
“No. Keep them straight.”
The Guard grabbed them again, stretching them out.
Sweat dripped down McBrid’s face and onto the counter as he wiped his hand on his pants again and grabbed the knife. “Hold it tight, boys.” He jabbed the knife into his finger and sliced. “Holy shit!” It was like someone shoved an ember under his already aching flesh. A thick yellow fluid oozed from the cut. He dropped the knife and used his other hand to push down on the wound. He needed to get all of it out or the dermonecrotic toxin would continue to feed on his flesh, making a disgusting shake for Aranea18’s dinner if she were still alive.
His vision blurred as he continued to force the fluid from his hand. “Charlie, go to the closet and get a small sealed container.”
The Guard dashed across the room and rummaged through the closet. He came back a little slower, his complexion graying as he stared at the mess of pus and blood that dripped onto the table.
If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
He snatched the container from Charlie, tearing off the seal and lid. “Let go, Louis.” He lifted his hand and collected some of the fluid. He’d study it later.
Soon, only blood dripped from his finger. The poison was gone. Now came the hard part. The surrounding tissue had to go. He put his hand back onto the table.
“Hold it down.”
The large Guard grabbed McBrid’s wrist.
“What are you going to do now?” Charlie once again hid behind his brother.
“I have to remove all the damaged tissue.” His mind clamored, coming up with every reason not to do this, but it had to be done. “If I pass out, I need you to finish this.” His eyes met Louis’.
“What do I have to do? Exactly.” Louis’ voice shook but the Guard would do what he was ordered. He was strong like that. All Guards were.
“See where the tissue is inflamed.” He pointed at his finger with the knife. “That has to go. It’s filled with toxins and they can still spread.”
“Okay,” said Louis, a bead of sweat running down his cheek.
“Thank you.” He truly meant it. “Now, hold tight and I’ll try not to pass out.”
Louis squeezed McBrid’s hand almost painfully, but that was nothing compared to what was coming. He took a deep breath and sliced off a chunk of his flesh. The room spun so he focused on his hand. He had to do this. Louis would try but he might not get it all. He cut off another hunk and another. His grandfather had hated him for being a Guard but no Almighty could’ve withstood this pain. Almightys were strong in mind but weak in body. He was a great blend of both but his grandfather had never understood that. Never. The old man had only seen and hated the Guard in him. He kept slicing until all the infected tissue was gone. He dropped the knife. “Bandage.” His voice was soft almost as if it came from someone else.
Charlie ran back to the closet and returned with an armful of bandages. McBrid grabbed one, swallowing back bile as he wrapped his hand. He staggered toward his chair but his knees crumpled under him. Charlie and Louis grabbed his arms, one on each side, helping him to his feet and over to the chair.
“Get him some water,” said Louis.
Charlie snatched the coffee mug off McBrid’s desk and ran to the sink. He was back a moment later.
“Thank you.” He grabbed the cup, water sloshing out and onto his desk and papers, but he didn’t care. He took a drink, the cool wetness helping to clear his head. “Thank you both.”
“Are you going to be okay?” asked Louis.
“Yeah.”
“What?” Louis’ eyes darted to his brother. “What about Charlie?”
He took a deep, shaky breath. “He’s fine but stay out of trouble.”
“Thank you.” Charlie steadied himself against the desk.
“Yes, thank you and he will,” stammered Louis. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t cause anymore problems.” For the first time that evening, there was color in the Guard’s face.
“I-I think you two should report to me for a while.” He didn’t trust Conguise not to punish the young Guard.
“Yeah. Okay.” Louis looked at his brother, once again unsure.
“Good. Let’s start right now.”
“Now?” Charlie squeaked, glancing at Aranea18.
“Yes.” He needed her venom. He preferred to do it alone but if he didn’t do it tonight, someone would surely be here to assist him tomorrow. Conguise never waited for the accounting of creatures or parts of creatures. There’d been too many disappearances in the past. Now, everything was weighed, measured, counted and locked down. Once that happened, there was no way for him to get a sample for his own studies. He stood, bracing against the desk until the room steadied. “I need to extract her poison.”
“What?” asked Charlie and Louis at the same time.
He walked to the cabinet and grabbed a pair of gloves—what he should’ve done earlier. He tried to slide one over his injured hand, but there was no way that was going to happen, not tonight. He tossed two pairs to the Guards. “Put these on and follow me.”
He moved over to the carcass. “Charlie, hold her up.”
“Me?”
“Yes.” He wasn’t in the mood to argue. “She’s dead. Hold her up.”
The Guard trembled but did as commanded.
McBrid grabbed two vials from a drawer. He handed one to Charlie and held the other one under her fang. “Charlie, we need to catch the venom.”
The Guard placed the other container below her other fang.
“Louis, grab her jaw and pump it.”
“What?” The large Guard took a step back.
“We need to extract the venom. Stroke her jaw.”
“Okay.” Louis sounded unsure but he moved to the table. “Like this?” He pressed his hands against her jaw like a vise but nothing came out.
“Try massaging it. Rub it back and forth.”
The Guard adjusted his technique and the poison dripped from her fangs. It had a sweet odor almost like fruit but with a hint of spice—cinnamon, maybe. It smelled good but tasting it would be deadly. Still, if he could keep that odor it may help him administer it one day.
After a few minutes the steady dripping slowed and then stopped. He screwed on a lid and put the container aside. Charlie did the same. He’d remove some later—when he was alone.
“Now, I need to dissect her.” His arm trembled as he started to slice into Aranea18. With his hurt hand, he’d do more damage than good and the Guards wouldn’t know where or how to cut properly. He put down the knife. “Actually, this can wait for tomorrow.”
Louis sighed in relief and Charlie let Aranea18 slide back onto the table. McBrid started to lift her but Louis brushed his hands away.
“What do you want me to do with her?” asked the Guard.
“Put her in the cage.” She was dead but he’d feel better knowing she was locked up.
All eyes were on Louis as he carried the carcass to the cage. McBrid grabbed one of the containers of venom and slipped it into his pocket as the Guard placed Aranea18 down and then locked the door.
“Let’s get some sleep.” He waited at the door for the brothers to leave and locked his office. “No need to say a word to anyone about anything that happened tonight.”
“Got it,” said Louis.
Charlie nodded.
“Good. Report to my office tomorrow morning. You can assist with the dissection.”
Their faces paled but they nodded.
“It’s not fun, but it’s also not dangerous.”
“That’s true.” Some of the tension left Louis’ eyes.
“I guess.” Charlie still wasn’t happy about the task.
He wanted to chuckle at the young Guard but being that transparent was dangerous, especially around here.
He left the lab and headed home. He’d sleep, eat and go through Ableson’s notes again. Even though he didn’t believe that these creations could be controlled they may retain some of the characteristics of the host. Ableson’s River-Man had, if the other scientist’s notes were to be believed, and there’d been no reason for Ableson to lie in his personal papers. It may not work, but it was worth a try. All he had to do was determine what kind of Servant would be a perfect host for Aranea19.