CHAPTER THREE
MOTHER
Curtains of darkness block all light. A Symphony of hush performs a suite of serenity. So it goes into blissful nothingness. Fragile like a porcelain vase. It flows undisturbed for the moment. But only for a moment.
"GET UP!" a voice yells as loud as a shattering vase.
I know that voice. Where do I know it from, he wonders?
Loud noises accompany the imperative, adding to the composition.
I know those noises. Sounds like shooting. Sounds like 10mm auto bullets, he concludes.
Other explosive sounds add themselves to the mix. Different, fast.
I know that sound. 7.62x51mm NATO rounds, he concludes.
"God damn it, Ash. Get the fuck up," another voice yells. It is familiar.
Davenport opens his eyes.
Big George and Akira stand near him, shooting.
"Shit!" Davenport adds as he jumps up and draws his sidearm; the adrenaline rush instantly breaks torpor.
"Bag your bandit, Davenport," Big George orders.
Big George, Akira, and Davenport stand in an open circular room with four doors on opposing sides; dozens of melted flesh humanoids descend upon them, and dozens more lie on the ground filled with bullet holes.
"You sure took your time," Akira says as he shoots the incoming foes in the head with his sidearm.
"Maybe you want to snooze a bit?" Big George adds as he mows down the enemies with his A-100 Typhon machine gun.
"Not a bad idea." Davenport says as he shoots three melted face humanoids in the head, "I could use another five minutes," he adds, shooting another two.
Amidst the shooting, the last nine creatures come into close range.
Three attack Davenport as he manages to shoot one in the head; the other two are upon him. He quickly draws his combat knife and stabs the second in the throat. The third attacks, hands, and mouth almost upon him; Davenport moves the still twitching body of the melted humanoid with the knife in its throat to block the third creature.
"FUCK!" Davenport blurts out protecting himself with a twitching shield. He aims his pistol and unloads the remaining bullets in the magazine in a screaming rage.
One of the creatures grabs Big George with hungry teeth; Big George headbutts it back into the second foe. He unleashes a burst that penetrates the first creature and the second one behind it.
The last four attack Akira; he draws his wakizashi with a slight grin. While holding the short sword in one hand and a pistol in the other he slashes the first foe vertically across the face, shoots the second one. The last two are upon him. He aims his pistol but the magazine is empty. He punches one in the face with the back of the pistol, evades the second one, and slashes its legs. The creature falls to its knees. Akira stabs it directly in the brain as it twitches erratically. The last foe grabs him but he throws himself back while holding the creature with his arms and setting up his knee in its stomach. While falling back he raises his leg and throws the creature in the air. As the last melted flesh human falls on its back it tries to stand to resume its attack but Big George steps on its face with all his might, breaking the skull in one fell swoop.
Bodies of rotting corpses surround the three soldiers. Davenport takes a moment to look around.
"This is horrible," Davenport says.
"Yes. How can such foul creatures exist?" Akira adds while poking a dead body with his wakizashi. Yellow grime drips from the bodies instead of blood. Thick and sticky yellow substance.
"No, I don't mean that. I mean the smell," Davenport adds making an expression of disgust. Big George slaps him on the head. Akira shakes his head.
"Ouch, man," Davenport exclaims as the three soldiers look around, "What now?" he asks.
The room is simple; a circular area with four exits.
"We choose a path and see where it leads us," Big George adds as he pulls out a Cuban cigar and lights it.
"How many of those did you bring?" Davenport asks, surprised at the never ending tobacco supply.
Big George puts down the backpack, takes a med-kit, and opens it. It is full of Cuban cigars and nothing else. He takes a few and puts them in his pocket.
"Priorities," Big George says.
"Yeah, clearly," Davenport adds as he turns to Akira and shakes his head. Akira is sharpening the wakizashi with a whetstone. Davenport speechlessly stares at him.
"What?" Akira asks as he notices the intense stare. Davenport continues to look with disbelief.
"And I'm supposed to be the goofy one," Davenport adds.
"You are," Big George adds as he puffs a big smoke circle, “By the way, did anyone try and contact the Captain?” he asks.
“I've been trying for some time but I've had no luck only a lot of static,” Akira says.
Their little moment is interrupted as howl echoes somewhere in the distance. They stop and look.
The source of the noise is unrecognizable, hard to tell where it is coming from.
"I think we need to go," Big George says. Akira and Davenport nod.
Big George checks his weapon, the magazine is about a quarter full. Akira's snipe rifle magazine has only one bullet left; he takes it out and puts it in his pocket before changing the mag to it and the pistol.
They are ready.
"Where to?" Davenport asks as he turns to Akira.
"Why do you ask me?" Akira asks.
"You are the gambler," Davenport says.
"These aren't craps or Texas hold 'em," Akira remarks as he looks around the battlefield filled with stuff of nightmares.
"For fuck's sake," Big George adds as he randomly chooses the path straight in front of them.
Akira and Davenport shrug and follow. Why bother thinking about it?
They walk one man behind the other; there is scarce room for a different approach. Flashlights light up the darkness ahead. Big George takes the lead through the narrow path. Their feet squish against the fleshy soil. And with each new step, slime sticks on their boots and stretches thin like melted cheese. The flesh-covered tunnel wobbles here and there.
"Where in the hell are we?" Big George says as he stops to observe their surroundings.
"We're in the shit. That is where we are." Davenport remarks, "It also smells like that," he adds, covering his nose.
"It looks like the inside of an... intestine?" Akira says.
Davenport turns to him and bursts out laughing.
"What could you possibly find funny here?" Akira asks, staring perplexed.
"I said we are in the shit." Davenport says as he continues to laugh, "And you said this looks like intestines, right? And intestines end at the butthole, right? So we were literally in the shit," he adds, continuing the laugh.
Big George joins the fun; Akira doesn't. Another howl in the distance breaks their moment.
"We should probably get moving," Big George adds while puffing smoke from the Cuban cigar.
At the end of the path, they reach an enormous chamber with a hole at the bottom. There is a single spiral path leading up and down and along the path are hundreds of openings just like the one from where they came. From the hole, millions of tiny wisps of light float upward illuminating the dirt and flesh in azure.
Big George notices melted flesh humanoids trudging beneath them on the spiral path.
"Lights," Big George says as he turns off the flashlight. The others do the same. Stealth is paramount.
Davenport puts on his night-vision goggles. As soon as he looks through a bright white light blinds him.
"Fuck," Davenport adds as he takes off his goggles and throws them on the floor in response. He firmly rubs his eyes.
"I take it there is a problem with night vision?" Big George adds.
"You could say that." Davenport adds, still adamantly rubbing his eyes, "God, this is worse than when I saw your hairy ass, Big George," he adds.
"Fucking oxygen thief," Akira comments.
"Cut the chatter. Bogey's incoming," Big George says.
Three melted flesh humanoids approach the upper levels of the hive-like structure. They watch the azure darkness illuminated by the will-o-wisp's ascending the pillar of light with foggy dead eyes. There is nothing amid the dark silence. They twitch around, smelling something. Smelling as if a lingering scent remains in the air. Something that shouldn't be there? Something alive? They hiss!
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From the darkness, Davenport, Akira, and Big George swiftly appear brandishing sharp steel. And the steel cuts through flesh like butter. Sliding across the meat Akira cuts horizontally across the torso in one fell swoop like a painter's stroke of the brush. Davenport and Big George take a more minimalistic approach as they simply and cleanly cut the throat. The melted flesh humanoids leak to death, one drop at a time.
"What's the plan?" Davenport asks, turning to Big George. The three men stand at an impasse.
They look up at the top of the hive. The spiral path leading up has no visible exits. Only more "tunnels". Is that the way to go?
"Kill the Mother," an eerie voice whispers in their ears.
"What?" Davenport blurts out as he looks around, "Did you hear that?" he asks, unsure if he heard something or imagined it.
Big George and Akira motionlessly stare with faces as pale as early winter snow. And like the winter snow, they reflect that which radiates in front.
"Kill her," the Child says as the manifestation appears before them.
"Wisco Tango Fuck," Big George blurts out.
The Child stands in front of them, lightly gleaming. It is hard to discern whether it is real or not. There is something in its presence. A sort of feeling that sends shivers across your spine. The air turns cumbersome. Their breathing is heavy and loud. And their hearts. They beat fast. Very fast.
"Kill the Mother if you want to leave this place," the Child orders.
"Look, I have no idea what the hell you are but you must be one can short of a six-pack if you think we will do what you want," Davenport adamantly states, pride triumphing above all other emotions.
"Agreed," Big George adds. Akira nods.
The Child stares at them for a moment with its indifferent gaze. Then its expression abruptly turns wrathful, vengeful even. The muscles on the face contract like crumpled paper while its teeth bare out like an enraged wolf.
"If you won't comply then I have no use for you," the Child says.
"I think we made it angry," Davenport states the obvious in a jestful manner.
The Fang Two unit members think about their current situation. They entered the Entity a phenomenon unlike any ever recorded in human history, then after a skirmish that almost cost them their lives, they found themselves transferred to this hive-like place filled with the same monstrosities they faced outside. Lastly, this supernatural being of unknown origins and intentions appeared in front of them from nowhere. Maybe antagonizing it wasn't the most prudent decision? Maybe?
The moment of realization comes a bit too late. They turn to each other ready to voice their concerns but sudden vibrations tunneling across the hive cut them off before they can utter a single word.
Hundreds of melted flesh humanoids come pouring through the many subterranean tunnels,
flooding the underground.
They turn to the Child. Its face still glowers at them.
"This may be a problem;" Davenport states the obvious again but this time without joking.
Big George glances at the incoming waves of the pale yellow beings as his Cigar drops from his mouth. He tries to think of a way out of this situation but nothing comes to mind. Then, he turns to the Child. He remembers what the being wanted from them and what happened when they refused.
"We will kill Mother," Big George softly mutters in desperation.
The Child's expression changes to its original indifference.
Suddenly the hive violently shakes. The monstrosities stop amid their tracks. Dozens of worms pierce through the dirt into the hive; they open their mouths wide as the melted flesh humanoids rush inside. The worms gobble them up one by one. When the last of the humanoid creatures enters, the worms vanish inside the dug earth from whence they came.
"Well, that was lucky," Davenport adds.
"Somehow I don't think that was luck," Akira turns to the Child. The Child vanishes and appears on a lower path of the Spiral. Beckoning them.
"Let's get this over with," Big George adds. The three men follow the manifestations of the Child.
They won't refuse it a second time.
Whenever they approach it vanishes and appears a certain distance away like a beacon showing them the way. The Fang Two unit members follow it until they reach the bottom of the hive. They couldn't have seen it before but the bottom of the pillar of light from where the will-o-wisp's ascend in the air is a pool.
The pool illuminates in an almost blinding light. Big George squints to try to get a better look at it. Amongst the liquid, he can see tiny creatures moving inside the waters. Tiny creatures like insects. Their true shape eludes him due to the overwhelming brightness.
Next to the pool lies an entrance leading further down into the earth. Akira, Big George, and Davenport turn on their flashlights and proceed.
The passageway is like the ones before yet there is something different here. Something in the air? A slightly thicker, and heavier air. The three men do not notice it but their breathing turns louder and heavier. Sweat pours from their faces as the deeper they enter the hotter it gets. Too hot. Davenport wipes the pouring sweat with his sleeve. They make their way through the passage and enter another circular room. With flashlights aimed forward the emanating rays of light illuminate the Mother amid the complete darkness. The creature remains motionless. Similar in appearance to the melted flesh humanoids yet unlike them its shape is distinctly feminine and unlike the others, it is three times the size; behind her back, a giant transparent fleshy sack-like organ where a dozen tiny beings float amid its fluids connected with many umbilical cords.
The Mother opens her mouth as she lets out a muffled cry. With each cry, a creature inside the sack-like organ descends through the fluids until finally, she pushes out four melted flesh humanoid offspring through an appendix located beneath the organ. The deformed progeny turn to each other as they feast on each other's umbilical cords.
"FU-fucking-BAR," Davenport blurts out at the nightmarish sight.
Big George, Akira, and Davenport raise their weapons ready to shoot but the progeny quickly crawls off into the darkness.
"Terminate it," Big George says as he nods in front of Mother's direction.
Akira aims at her ready to shoot but the Mother opens her eyes and immediately upon noticing the intruders lets out a piercing scream.
They cover their ears to protect against the high-pitch scream.
Akira aims again and shoots; a large creature appears in front of the Mother and takes the bullet.
The big high caliber round pierces its skin making it explode and vomit its entrails.
Big George lights up two flares and throws them on the ground. The flares illuminate the entire room and with it six more of those same large creatures. Very large. The big hulks bear an impressive thick layer of skin. Their limbs fit their massive size; larger and wider than the other melted face humanoids- the Mother's royal guard. They trudge at the intruders.
Big George turns his A-100 Typhoon and empties what is left of his magazine into one of them. The onslaught of bullets pierces the skin leaving the creature leaking like a fountain before it falls to its knees. His finger still on the trigger as the empty clicks continue to pound on the machinegun. As another creature comes near Davenport he fires two gauge shells at it making the creature fall back from the force of the shoots; he tries to fire again but those were his last two remaining gauge shells. He quickly changes to 5.56x45mm NATO rounds and sprays the ten bullets left in the mag. The creature falls. Four more hulks trudge at them as Davenport and Big George draw their sidearms.
One of the creature's head explodes. Davenport and Big George look back; Akira lies in position with the creatures in his sights. He shoots. Head shot! He executes the remaining three in a swift effective manner.
The Mother screams at the sight of her dead royal guard. She begins to struggle as if trying to pry herself away from the flesh sack-like organ.
But not fast enough. Fang Two unit members turn to her and fire without reservation. As a rain of bullets falls upon the Mother her flesh and the organ behind her leak yellow blood and amniotic fluid. With each hit she leaks more and screams, struggling. Three magazines drop to the floor, two from pistols and one from the sniper rifle.
"Is it dead?" Davenport asks. They approach her to get a better look.
The Mother suddenly flings in the last rigor mortis as she almost grabs them. Almost.
"Fuck this," Davenport adds as he takes out an incendiary grenade and throws it on her engulfing the creature in scorching flame.
The creature struggles in vain to extinguish the fire, maniacally flailing around.
With one last scream, the Mother dies.
Fang Two unit watches the creature's agonizing demise.
The flame cleanses the foul monstrosity, turning yellow flesh to charcoal.
"Was that necessary?" Akira asks looking at the state he concludes it could possibly be overkill.
The burning corpse flinches again.
Akira quickly draws his pistol and shoots it twice in the head.
Big George and Davenport turn and give him a look. The look that screams "really".
Inside the Mother's chambers, an azure light appears inside the flesh walls. The three men turn to it.
The Shadow appears.
"Is that?" Big George blurts out as the Shadow half breaks the flesh wall with both hands. It puts its head through the hole and laughs. The same hollow laughter they heard before.
"Run!" the manifestation of the Child appears pointing to the tunnel from whence they came.
Big George, Davenport, and Akira turn and flee. The Shadow breaks the wall and turns toward them.
It gives chase leaving a trail of afterimages.
Akira takes out his flashbang and throws it behind as they are running. The flash and the loud noise blind the monstrosity. But only for a moment. As they run they hear the echoes of the hollow laughter creeping behind them. Glancing back they can see two azure lights shining in the dark.
They exit the tunnel and reach the pool of light.
"Inside," the Child says, standing near the pool.
"What?" Big George blurts out.
They hesitate for a moment but the hollow laughter behind quickly changes their minds. Big George, Akira, and Davenport turn to each other.
"Fuck it," the three men say in unison. They jump!
And as they jump a bright white flash covers the hive. As it vanishes it leaves only the laughing Shadow standing beside the pool of light.
It moves its thin long fingers as they crack.