El Monstruo: Life Without the Mask (Part Eight)

“Ugh! Yuck!” exclaimed Carol as she rolled off of the furry cushion she had been lying upon. Sam chortled, his belly rippling with waves of laughter.

“I’m sorry. I wanted you to be comfortable, and it was the only way I could think of. I didn’t want to lay you on the cold ground, so I used what skills I had at my disposal.” No matter how hard he tried, the tanuki couldn’t keep himself from smirking. Carol, blushing, had remembered that tanuki were renowned for their shape shifting, and then she remembered that the males were also able to shape their specific anatomy.

“Thank you, really, for your help, but I have somewhere I need to go.” Carol hadn’t forgotten that she was supposed to be in Dunwich by now, securing the kanabo. She felt disappointed with herself; she had lost control on the highway, lost Adam’s body, and now wasn’t where she was supposed to be.

“Where do you need to be?” asked Sam

“I don’t know any more.” confessed Carol. Under the bright light of the full moon, she told Sam about everything that had happened over the past few weeks. She told him about Adam, the oni, and the murders. She also told him that she was scared. “I don’t know what to do anymore. I thought that returning to the other world would be a good thing, but I’ve started to have my doubts. I’m worried.”

Sam put his paw on her shoulder casually and fixed his gaze on her eyes. “If you really want to go back to the other world, I can take you.”

Carol was confused; she thought that only Adam could open the way into the other world. She thought that Iwao guarded the way through. She said as much to Sam.

“Adam has fed you lies, and now you need to spit them on the ground. Iwao won’t let Adam pass, for if Adam awakes his wife, it will be the doom of all worlds.” said Sam softly. “She is a creator and destroyer, but all she will do is destroy.”

“We need to stop him then.” decided Carol, slapping her palm with a clenched fist. Taking control of her destiny made her feel exhilarated. Pulling at Sam’s wrist, she charged towards the East, towards Dunwich.

“We don’t need to walk there. I have a car, and that van you were driving is still running, just lightly charred from the fire.”

“We’ll take your car. I don’t think I want to have anything to do with Adam anymore.”

***

Don held the mask in his hands. It glittered in the faint light, seemingly begging to be put on. He ran his fingers across the laces of the mask and felt a strange magnetism, as though the mask was drawing him to it. He tried to stand, but tumbled to the ground. He had forgotten that he was missing a leg now. The mask flew from his hands when he fell, and it landed next to him. Don stared into the mask’s hollow eyes, taking brief note of its savage, toothy smile.

“I’m not going to fall for it.” he said, feeling like a mad man as soon as the words fell from his mouth. He continued the staring contest with the mask, unwilling to look away and half expecting it to try to bite him. Why isn’t it alive like those other ‘things’? What’s making me thing that it isn’t alive? I bet that it is trying to bait me into trusting it. I won’t fall for it. The thoughts stayed safely contained inside of Don’s skull. The last thing he needed was to end up in an asylum. I wonder if Mom and Dad are worried about me? I’ve got to be six hours late for supper by now. I wonder if they will come to try and find me.As he thought, he noticed a flickering light. The floating lantern had returned, along with the umbrella. The umbrella bounced along on its one muscular leg, carefully balanced on a wooden sandal. Its red tongue lolled ghoulishly from its mouth. Don cringed as it came close, nearly licking him.

“Please! Don’t! I’ve had enough today.” Don wasn’t crying, as he had expected. He was simply angry at the creature. He studied its blue paper body and asked, “What’s your name?” The umbrella, though supplied with a mouth, could not speak. It simply shrugged with its thin arms, rolling its immense, single eye in a gesture that seemed to convey bewilderment. “You don’t have a name, do you?”

The umbrella shook its whole body, trying to say no. The lantern belched fire, unhappy that it was being ignored. Don chastised the lantern, telling it to wait its turn. He considered the two creatures and felt bad for them. They were lost and had come back to him, either for help or to assist him. He decided that the living objects should have names.

“I’ll call you Dale,” he said to the umbrella, which bounced happily. The lantern glowed gloomily until Don said “and I’ll call you Johnny.” The lantern hissed angrily. “What? I think Johnny is a fine name.” Don reached his hand out and the umbrella helped him stand. In the dim moonlight, Dale and Johnny helped Don get home.

***

Grant crashed through the doors of the Dunwich Museum of Oriental Antiquities. A dozen alarms wailed loudly as he charged past electronic eyes and their invisible beams. He knew where he needed to go, and it was my job to make sure that Adam didn’t escape.

“Kyoko, let me out of this thing!” Adam begged, his words muffled by the thick walls of the safe that Grant had torn out of the motel room. Kappa, in a shallow slumber, mumbled not to let Adam out.

“I won’t let you out. These are good people.” I said, meaning to say that these were good yokai. Not that there was a world of difference. I always thought that people and yokai were the same thing; yokai were just had more intense emotions that shaped them. Since I was human once, I felt that I could attest to the similarities and differences. Pulling off my white gloves, I looked intently at my fingers. My nails were long and sharp; they were caked with blood. The tip of each digit was permanently stained a rusty color. It was part of my punishment for my murders.

“And you are not good. Why should you go against the grain? The gods made you to hate and kill, just as they made me to do the same.” Adam’s voice seemed to be getting louder. “Would you expect a wolf to feel bad for eating a lamb? Would you expect him to go to a dentist and have his teeth pulled?”

“I’m better than a wolf.” I responded weakly. His words were true; forever would I be compelled to ask strangers if they thought I was pretty. If they said yes, then I would take off my mask and show them my face. I’d ask again, and if they lied, they died. I could never make a friend, unless it was someone who always told me the truth about my looks. Of course, they’d also have the ability not to hurl at the mere sight of my mouth.

“No one’s better than an animal, Kyoko. We are all animals. Humans and yokai; we’re no better than the beasts that spawned us. Look at you now. You are waiting in a stolen car while Grant rummages through antiquities, searching for the right one to steal. Why is all this stealing going on? So he can bash in the head of someone that stands in our way. Is it for a good enough cause? Something higher than survival? In the end, I don’t think so. Just let me out of the box. I need to get to my body before sunrise, and if I don’t, I die. At the rate we’re going, I’ll be dead and the gate to the other world will be sealed forever.” Adam’s voice seemed to be in my head now. I thought of why I wanted to be human again.

I remembered being picked on as a girl. I remembered trying to be a sexy young woman. I remembered the blood; long, sharp scissors shoved deep into a man’s stomach. Throats opened wide, blood flowing as if from an over-full tub. The beautiful eyes I always wanted lined up on a shelf, watching me as I bathed. I was a monster then, as much as I was a monster now. Yet, Grant didn’t make me feel like a monster. I tried to hold onto his crooked, reassuring smile. It was my anchor. It made me want to be something more than monster or animal.

I struggled to turn the safe so that its door faced downward. I let it lay there, unable to open. I wanted more for myself, and I would have it. However, I worried that Adam would find a way to screw us in the end.

***

Rita was surprised to see Arouna closing the bar. He poked and prodded, sending the regulars out to find other bars. He smiled as he told them that he was going back to Africa, and that he didn’t want to lock anyone inside. She chased after him, asking why he was closing up shop.

“I’m tired of being something I‘m not.” replied Arouna as the last patron left. “Grant left, and I let him go without too much fuss. I should have helped him more. All this talking about him has got me thinking. I need to help him, and I need to help myself.”

“So, what are you going to do?” asked Rita.

“I’m going to take my mask off.” replied Arouna, “and I’m going to keep it off.”

El Monstruo: Life Without the Mask (Part Seven)

Pain shot through Adam’s skull as he struggled to talk. Grant’s ponderous mass had fractured Adam’s jaw in at least two places. Waves of pain rippled through the wrinkles of his brain as Adam tried to concentrate on the healing spells he had learned as a youth. The pressure being applied by Grant’s massive hands didn’t help matters either. The motel room spun wildly each time the oni wanted answers; unfortunately for Adam, Grant had a lot of questions.

“If I’m going to be able to do anything to help you, I need my body before the sun rises. If I don‘t have my body by then, I‘ll die!” Adam explained, his words a muddy, indecipherable mess. He cursed himself for letting his body go with Carol. It was likely that she had left town, and she would never return. That gave Adam only about four hours to live, and he didn’t like his chances.

“You said that you could turn me human again. Now is your chance. You said you needed the red oni, and he’s here. What do we do now?” demanded Kyoko, her jaw gaping widely as she spoke.

“I need my body!” repeated Adam, as eloquently as he could. A little woman wearing a blue windbreaker appeared at the motel room’s door. Her shape slowly contorted until it was Kappa standing in the door. He looked at Adam with disdain, half wishing that Grant would crush the disembodied head and be done with it.

“He’s really does need his body. If you really want to be human again, we need to go to the other world. You can plead and beg, and maybe your humanity will be restored. First, we will need to contend with Iwao.”

“No, first we will need to get my body back!” demanded Adam. “Then we can deal with Iwao.”

“I’m not keen on teaming up with you again.” said Kappa, staring deeply into Adam’s eyes. The silence lasted for only a moment, but its intensity was palpable.

“Where is Carol going?” Kyoko broke the silence, soliciting a glare from Adam. He still could not believe that she would have so easily betrayed him. He wondered if she was still on his side. He dismissed that notion, and went over the plan in his head.

“She should be in the Dunwich Museum of Oriental Antiquities. That is where Grant’s kanabo is.” said Adam. His words were getting clearer with each passing minute.

“My what?” asked Grant, squeezing Adam’s head tightly.

“Kanabo! Your club! The source of every oni’s great power. Once you have your club, you will be invincible!” announced Adam, happy that his words were sounding less and less like the ravings of a drunkard.

“But if you take up your kanabo, you can never become human again.” warned Kappa. “Adam will only tell you the parts of the truth he wants you to know. He’s a survivor. Notice how he’s only given us just the right amount of information. He’s making sure that we leave him alive.” Adam smiled knowingly, quietly congratulating Kappa on his observation.

***

Carol screamed as the Vanagon tore down the highway. Her head hung out the window, whipping in the wind at the end of her slender neck. Her hair broke loose from her ponytail and writhed like a thousand tiny tendrils. She never liked to drive on the highway, and she liked driving on the wrong side of the highway even less. A moment of inattention spawned the chaos that rocked the Vanagon. The tsukumogami had broken loose from their cages; the upholstery was ablaze because the lantern spewed fire. When Carol turned her eyes from the road, the umbrella grabbed the wheel. The speedometer had stopped rising because the van was going faster than it could register. Jerkily, cars darted out of the way of the flaming spectacle.

“I’m going to die!” screamed Carol, he voice muffled by the wind. She saw chrome plated grill of a semi rushing towards the van. The glare of the headlights silhouetted a rotund form that stood in the road. She saw him for only a moment; she saw a streaming white headband, a mask that reminded her of Zorro, and then a soft cushion of fur that wrapped around her, keeping her warm and safe.

When she awoke, she was reclining on a fuzzy pillow. She looked up, and saw the smiling, dog-like face of a tanuki. “That could have gone very poorly for you.” he said in a gentle voice as soft as his fur. “I saw that you lost control, and I just needed to help.”

“Thank you,” Carol replied, still dazed. She tried to recall anything Adam had said about the tanuki, but drew a blank. She could only remember something about testicles.

“My name is Sam.” said the tanuki.

“I’m Carol.” she replied, “What happened to the passengers? I had three passengers.”

“I’m afraid that all I found was you. I’m sorry.” said Sam sincerely. “I can look around more if you want, but I’m guessing that they didn’t stick around.”

“My friend’s body was in the van.” announced Carol plaintively. “He needs his body to live.”

“Don’t we all?” replied Sam, stroking Carol’s cheek with his paw.

***

Don woke up and felt cold. He had fallen asleep in the woods and was still missing a leg. He was astonished to be alive, and thankful that the bleeding had stopped. He looked around, and saw shapes walking in the darkness. The moonlight illuminated the same well tailored suit he had seen hours ago, yet now there was no head where a head ought to be. A paper lantern floated ominously behind it, glowing with a bright orange light. An umbrella followed, carrying the cloth mask Don had found in a car wreck. Don knew he was hallucinating, and did not expect to feel the cold hand of the umbrella as it handed the red lame mask to him.

“Why are you giving this to me?” he asked, but the lantern’s light faded and there was no reply.

 

El Monstruo: Life Without the Mask (Part 6)

Kyoko stared at herself in the mirror. In the harsh white light of the bathroom, she studied her features. She was indeed beautiful, except for her mouth, which made her a terror to behold. With Grant and Kappa sleeping peacefully, she stroked the gentle curve of her cell phone, seeming to pet it like a tiny, grey, plastic cat. She thought about using it to call her employer and tell him that his prey slept soundly and were ready to be pounced upon. Yet, in the brief hours that she spoke to Grant, she found herself doubting her employer’s plan. Grant was gentle and kind; although he looked like an oni, he did not act like one. She doubted he could defeat Iwao, the blue oni who she only heard stories about. Tales of the terrible brute seemed more like myths. She could not believe that a creature could tear a river apart.

Her phone danced as it vibrated on the Formica counter. It would not relent, and she knew who was calling. She opened the tiny phone.

“Hello Adam.” she said in a whisper. “They are in the next room.” She wanted to lie; she felt a comfort with Grant that she had not felt in eons. Yet, Adam held the only key that could turn her human again.

“Are they asleep?” Adam asked, his voice deep. He was smiling; she could tell by his tone.

“Yes. Soundly.” she responded coldly. “Is this the only way? Can’t we simply tell Grant his importance?”

“No. Kappa does not trust me. We had some dealings in the past, and he never forgave me. He would tell the oni to crush me and our plans would be ruined. Just do as we planned and all will be well.” Adam’s call ended abruptly. Kyoko walked to the door of the motel room, leaving it unlocked. She slowly made her way back to her pink Vespa. She eyed the angular shape of the Vanagon and saw the long-necked Carol unloading a pair of small cages from the small bus.

“There you are. Is everything ready?” asked Adam, undoing the cravat and letting his head roll into his hands.

“Everything’s ready.” she responded, avoiding eye contact. She swiftly mounted her Vespa and slid her key into its ignition. She rushed to put on her helmet, securing the chin strap hastily.

“Are you sure everything is fine?” asked Adam, suspicious of Kyoko’s evasive demeanor. Without looking at him, Kyoko urged the Vespa on.

“It’s fine!” she said, her eyes watery.

“Let them out, Carol.” instructed Adam. Carol unlocked the cages cautiously. She released the living umbrella first, followed by a glowing lantern that spewed wisps of flam from a tear that formed its mouth. The umbrella hopped towards Adam, the wooden sandal on its one foot clattering against the asphalt. Adam’s headless body turned to regard the creatures.

“You will follow me. You will subdue the Kappa if it is necessary.” he ordered in a firm, authoritative voice. “Carol, stay here. If any humans come by, be certain that they don’t talk about what they see here tonight.” Carol nodded docilely, resigning herself to guard duty. Adam’s head bounced to the ground and then took flight, surrounded by an aura of shimmering green flame. Slowly, the glowing head glided slowly through the air towards the motel room. In the shadows, a homely woman wearing a blue wind breaker watched in astonishment.

The headless body charged through the open door, followed by the glowing head. The tsukumogami followed like obedient dogs. Carol saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head swiftly, she took notice of a furtive form in the shadows. Her neck elongated quickly, bringing her face to face with the woman. Startled, the woman tumbled to the ground, rocking on her back like a turtle.

“I should kill you, old woman.” said Carol, “but I won’t if you promise to close your eyes and walk away.”

“I w-w-w-ill.” stammered the woman, struggling to stand. Closing her eyes, she started to walk away. Reaching her hands out, the woman gingerly picked her way through the darkness. Carol wondered if she should kill the woman despite her cooperation. She knew that Adam would kill her, and that he would enjoy it. Carol’s neck started to retract when the woman disappeared into her room. The night was silent, disturbed only by the sound of an idling motor scooter. Is that nearby? wondered Carol as she started to elongate her neck again, trying to get a glance into the woman’s room.

Glass shattered as Adam’s head, blazing angrily, exploded out of a window.

“That bitch!” he raged. His body pursued lurched after his head. The tsukumogami struggled to keep up, like they were being pulled along by an invisible leash. “Get in the van, now!” yelled the fiery head. “Get onto the highway! They can’t get far!”

Carol nearly tripped over her feet as she ran to the van. Adam’s headless body all ready admitted itself in, holding a door open for the tsukumogami. Carol clumsily slid behind the driver’s wheel and stomped on the accelerator. Adam’s head flew high into the sky; peering down, he saw Kyoko’s light pink Vespa driving up a hill. It was moving slowly, encumbered by the combined weight of the hulking red oni and the svelte Kyoko.

Bellowing angrily, Adam’s fiery head soared through the night, trailing a river of green flame behind it. The pursuit blew through narrow streets. When Grant spotted the pursuer in the small, round rearview mirror, he rolled backwards off of the Vespa. Relieved of its burden, the tiny scooter nearly careened out of control. The head blazed towards Grant. Adam did not realize how much bigger the oni had grown; spitting forth a gout of soul drinking flame, Adam charged unabated.

Grant continued tumbling along the road. A champagne colored Toyota’s horn blared loudly, then made a sickening honk as Grant used the hood of the car as a springboard. Dodging the flame, Grant opened his arms. Unable to alter his flight path, Adam’s head collided with the airborne oni. Closing his arms around the head, Grant crashed, belly first to the pavement.

Kyoko motored up to Grant’s motionless body.

“Grant! Grant!” she shouted, shoving at his body. Grant rolled onto his back, Adam’s head held firmly in his hands. Grant smiled happily, while Adam’s broken jaw sagged open. His eyes met with Kyoko’s; Adam wished he could put a curse on her head, but unable to speak, he just stared at her intently.

“You might not be able to talk now, but once we get you back to your body, you’re going to show us how to become human again.” said Kyoko. Grant punctuated her sentence by squeezing the head tightly.

El Monstruo: Life Without the Mask (Part 5)

“Why are you obsessing over him?” Arouna asked with a wide grin as he leaned over the bar. Rita fiddled with the vibrant pink straw that stood lazily in her drink. She had been mulling over the same question for weeks.

“I think its because I fell in love with him. There really is no other explanation. What else could keep him stuck in my head?” replied Rita. She had been dreaming about Grant since the day he left. The horror of the murder he committed had faded as she began to understand his condition. Now, she just wanted to get him the help he needed before he sunk deeper into self-destruction.

“Where I come from, a lot of people believe in evil spirits. They cower in fear at night, worried that the Suangi will come and take their blood. To me, it is like one of those old stories came true. Grant was a good man, and suddenly, it was as though he became a monster. It was that damn mask.”

“I think it is more than that. I saw what was under his mask, and he really did become a monster.”

“It is like a disease, and it is consuming him.” concluded Arouna, striking a pensive posture. “That is why you are obsessed with him. You want to help heal him. But I wonder if the authorities would see it the same way.”

“Sometimes, I wonder if anyone can see him the same way.” Rita took a sip of her drink, her thoughts wandering to the scene Adam showed her. She wondered who the man by the sea side was, and hoped that he could help Grant. In her heart, she knew that there was nothing she could do.

***

I found myself thinking about Grant and Kyoko, and I felt slightly guilty about leaving them alone. Could I forgive myself if she hurt Grant? Then again, could anything hurt him? He was a big boy, and he could take care of himself, and I was certain of that. Walking through the cool summer night, I surveyed the old motel. The neon sign buzzed quietly; it seemed to be the only element of the place that hadn’t fallen into disrepair. The paint on the walls looked terrible, as though they had psoriasis. In the shadows, the dumpsters were overflowing. When I spotted a raccoon, habit forced me to sing a song.

“Tan Tan Tanuki no kintama wa, kaze mo nai no ni, bura bura bura.” I smiled at myself; I knew that the raccoon was not a tanuki; hell, it wasn’t even the right species, but part of me wished he would have started singing along. I could have used someone I could trust. Then, I found myself wondering how an American tanuki would understand a Japanese song.

“What was that you were singing?” asked a meek looking woman wearing a powder blue windbreaker, her hair pulled into a messy bun.

“Just a song that I remember from when I was growing up.” I responded, trying to get a feel for who she was. A second inquisitive stranger was two inquisitive strangers too many.

“What does it mean?” she asked, making me nervous. I felt very naked without Grant to end any hostility.

“It is just a silly song.” I said, breaking off the conversation as quickly as I could. “I need to go. It was nice talking to you. Sorry I can’t talk any longer.” She smiled pleasantly at me as I walked away. My stride was even and calm, despite my heart’s furious pounding. I headed back to the motel room and let myself in. Kyoko and Grant were sitting on the beds, talking and smiling, distracted briefly by my entrance.

“I was just asking Grant how you learned to change yourself. Both he and I would like to learn. It would make things much easier, especially if we keep traveling together.” I glared at Kyoko’s wide, grotesque smile. If I could have understood what her eyes were trying to tell me, I might have been inclined to trust her. However, I was too distrustful.

“I can’t teach you.” I said at last. “I don’t have the patience for it, nor do we have the time.”

“Why the rush?” asked Kyoko, still with that smile.

“Because I can’t help but think that someone is following us.”

***

“I can taste her lips now.” said Adam, his hands gripping the steering wheel of the golden colored Volkswagen Vanagon. It was old and an eyesore, but it had enough room for all his intended passengers.

“Do you really think she’s still alive?” asked Carol, fidgeting with her lap belt as her neck began elongating. She smiled with satisfaction as her muscles stretched.

“Yes. It would take a lot more to kill her than a sea of glass. Soon, she will be free of her prison.” Adam pushed the accelerator down harder, urging the bus along the highway.

“And where will I be?” The question flew from Carol’s mouth, and her eyes widened as she wished she could lash her tongue out and pull the words back. Adam focused on the road, seemingly ignorant of Carol’s question. The van drifted along the road in relative silence. Carol wanted to ask the question again, but she was too terrified. She had been like a wife to Adam while they were in the world of mortals, but once they returned to the other world, all those years would mean nothing. In the back of the van, a cage rattled. One of the tsukumogami, a one-eyed umbrella with arms and a leg, was stirring.

Carol looked at the pitiful creature and empathized with it. Adam regarded the tsukumogami as tools. She began to wonder if he viewed her the same way. She rested her head on her lap and began combing her hair with her fingers.

“Soon, the red oni will be with us, and soon he’ll get us back home.” muttered Adam, as though it was a prayer. Carol eyed the mask that was crumpled in his coat pocket and let her thoughts wander.

El Monstruo: Life Without the Mask (Part Four)

Don pleaded with Adam as the bear trap growled and tightened its maw. His words were incomprehensible; warped by sobbing, every sentence was punctuated by gasping and wailing. Adam simply watched, enjoying the sight.

“It hurts, doesn’t it? That is no ordinary bear trap, as you might guess.” said Adam, whose words seemed to calm Don slightly. “That is what we call tsukumogami. On its one hundredth anniversary of its creation, an object may become invested with a spirit. They are the lowest of our kind, and I am a collector of them.”

“Can you get it off of me?” begged Don, his face contorted with agony.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t control the tsukumogami any more than you can control the sun. They are nearly animals, and I have never done well with animals.” Adam’s voice bore a thick coat of sarcasm. While he could never get a dog to fetch a stick, he could likely get a tsukumogami to write a novel while swimming the English Channel. Don couldn’t recognize the weakly veiled lie. His focus was entirely on the scraping sound that a sharp metal tooth was making against his shin bone.

Carol, wearing a form fitting shirt dress, stood far away. She usually delighted in the way Adam treated humans, but she never witnessed him torture someone for so long. For a moment, she wondered what it would have been like to be born human. Unlike many yokai, she was born as a yokai. She never knew what it was like to be a normal person, but thought that it would be terrible beyond imagining.

With a final snap, Don’s cries subsided. The tsukumogami seemed happy with its day’s work. Adam stroked it lovingly, pouring praise onto it like a gardener tending his plants. Carol thought that he seemed very kind and loving, and found herself hoping that there would still be room for her in Adam’s life after he returned to his wife.

***

 

Kappa sat on the bed, leaning back on the headboard. He looked at Grant and Kyoko and thought that they looked like fish waiting for a hook. He cleared his voice and let himself float backwards through his memories. He found himself remembering a day long ago, when he was a teenager.

“I was young and dumb, really,” he said to his audience. “I had deluded myself into thinking that I was one of the most handsome guys in school. Girls would ask me out on a date, and I thought it was because I was really something. They’d ask me to go to the movies, or shopping, or out to eat. I worked part time at a Chinese restaurant; the owner paid me under the table, allowing me to make the most of my minimal wage. I’d lavish gifts on almost any girl that liked me. I thought that I was young and successful. I had almost anything a young guy could want.

“Then, I started wondering why I never kissed any of the girls. All these dates, but never a kiss. I never even held hands. I found out the truth in the usual way; someone took pity on me and told me what had been happening, and what the girls called me behind my back. The friend who told me was a girl, Renee. She was bookish and quiet, but nice also. We had a few classes together, and talked a lot.

“’They call you free ride,’ she said, ‘because you take girls out and never try anything. It’s like a game to them. They want to see how much they can get out of you before you try anything.’ I was baffled about what she said. I didn’t want to believe it, so I just dismissed it as jealousy. However, it ate at me all day long and deep into the night. The next time I went on a date, I tried holding hands with the girl I was with and she shrank away. We broke up soon after. It started becoming a pattern, and eventually, I found that the truth I was told was indeed true.

“I wound up dating with Renee, and it was the greatest thing to ever happen to me. We dated through the rest of our first year in high school and spent the summer going on outings. I tried so hard to convince her to go to the beach. When we did,” Kappa paused, his eyes filling with tears. “When we did, we swam in the ocean. And…”

“What happened?” asked Kyoko, unwilling to let Kappa keep his secret. He had started this game, and she wanted to see its conclusion.

“A riptide pulled her out to sea. I tried to save her; I was a much stronger swimmer than she was. When she sank into the sea, I went under the water to find her. I must have swam too deep, because I started losing my breath. I don’t remember how the change happened, but I remember waking up on the beach early the next morning. I had a shell on my back and a bowl of water on my head.” Kappa let the sentence hang in the air, rolling off of the bed and onto his webbed feet. His brow furrowed with concentration, Kappa’s shape slowly changed to that of a man, fully clothed, wearing the same Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shirt he always wore.

“That’s my story, and that is my shame.” he said with weighty drama. He left the room, leaving Kyoko and Grant in a stupor. They sat, gape mouthed, until the door slammed shut and Kappa disappeared into the night.

“Do you think we should go after him?” asked Grant.

“He’ll be back soon enough. Probably just needs some space. Guys can be like that sometimes. You should know that.” answered Kyoko. “So, do you really think I’m beautiful?” she asked, smiling grotesquely. Grant returned her smile with his own tusk-framed grin.

“I do.” he said, meekly. Looking into Kyoko’s dark, almond shaped eyes, Grant felt a peaceful sensation well up inside him. He felt at home, which was not something he was accustomed to anymore. Kyoko extended a hand clad in soft white leather and wrapped her fingers around Grant’s massive ring finger, and noticed a deformed silver band.

“Why do you still wear that ring?” she asked.

“Because it represents a promise I made.”

“The promises a man makes die when the man dies. You are an oni now, Grant. You really should let go of your old life.”

“I all ready gave up too much.” said Grant with a voice like a thunderbolt shattering a tree. Kyoko reeled backwards, afraid of the rage that could overtake Grant at any moment. She stopped her retreat when she saw that Grant wasn’t lashing out at her. She decided that she needed to be less direct if she wanted to earn the red giant’s trust, and she needed that trust badly.

 

 

El Monstruo: Life Without the Mask (Part Three)

Don was the kind of boy that liked to set fires. He was walking deep in the woods when he came across something which must have been an astonishing fire. It was the burned out form of a car, turned black as grease from extraordinary heat. He looked up the cliff and guessed that the car must have plummeted down from the highway. He saw the bent, broken, and burned trees that marked the vehicle’s descent. Peering inside, he hoped that he would see a body or something cool like that. Instead, there was just the burned interior of a sedan. He kicked open the trunk and found nothing but ashes. Ashes, and a mask.

“What do you have there, boy?” asked the deep voice of a man dressed in a well tailored black suit. Adam adjusted the flamboyant purple paisley cravat around his neck as he studied Don, who tried fruitlessly to hide the mask behind his back. Don lied poorly, his ears turning a deep red as he told Adam that he had nothing. Don’s eyes followed Adam’s hand as it slid to a patent leather holster that draped across his hip. Adam rested his hand threateningly on an antique pearl handled revolver. “Do you know what I love?” he asked.

Don tried to answer, thinking that an answer would save him. He hoped that guessing correctly would keep the expensive looking gun holstered. “Guns?” answered Don hopefully.

“No, but I am fond of them. What I love is the tongue of a liar. A liar’s tongue is sweeter than the tongue of someone that always tells the truth. It is a strange sweet, yet savory flavor.”

“Here! It’s a mask! Don’t hurt me mister, please! Don’t eat my tongue!” screamed Don as he tossed the unburned mask at Adam’s feet. Still screaming and pleading, Don ran away. Adam chuckled, considering shooting the unfortunate youth.

“You’re just going to let him go? That’s surprisingly beneficent of you.” said Carol, who was hidden from sight behind a tree.

“I’m not heartless. I don’t kill every human that crosses my path.” responded Adam. “Besides, a well told tale will make me just as powerful as eating him alive.”

“This is a side of you I have never seen.” responded Carol. She looked at the mask on the ground. “Hm. It doesn’t seem magical. I guess this just pushed him to realize his destiny sooner.” Adam studied the mask, then crumpled it into his pocket. As he and Carol walked away, a howl of pain echoed through the woods. Far away, Don found that bear traps can trap more than just bears.

 

****

 

“So, what’s your name?” asked Kappa, wishing he had a more poignant inquiry.

“I’m Kyoko.” replied the woman, still standing in the doorway.

“Are you from Japan?” asked Grant.

“I’m from Des Moines, but my parents came from Hokkaido.” replied Kyoko, feeling as though she was being grilled without any pressure. She was waiting for one of them to ask ‘who sent you?’, but they only seemed interested in getting to know her better. She always thought that there were two kinds of men: those that would underestimate her, and those that would want to get close to her. She concluded that Grant and Kappa were the kind that wanted to get closer to her.

“How did you become yokai?” the question flew from Kappa’s mouth and caught Kyoko in the gut. For a moment, she forgot that she was talking to other yokai, and the question caught her off guard. It was like asking a woman what she looked like naked. It wasn’t something you ask, it was something that you’d find out as nature intended. Flushed, Kyoko struggled to answer.

“You still haven’t answered me.” said Grant to Kappa, “I asked you the same thing before this trip. Why don’t you tell your story, then Kyoko can tell hers.” Kappa looked disgusted as he shook his head.

“You really aren’t being helpful, Grant.” retaliated Kappa, “She’s the one we can’t trust.”

“I understand if you don’t trust me. My sudden appearance must seem suspicious. I think that if we each shared our story that some of the mistrust will disappear. I will start; my story is brief, really. I wasn’t one of the pretty girls, and I wasn’t one of the slutty girls. I just existed; I warranted very little attention from the teachers. I was an adequate student and I stayed out of trouble. One day, a couple of boys were harassing me.” A smile formed inside of Kyoko’s heart. She looked at Kappa and Grant and was amazed at their rapt attention as she recounted the story she made up long ago. There were kernels of truth hidden in the story she was telling, but there were also lies which Kyoko was starting to believe from having told them so often.

“They wanted to have their way with me, and I refused. The little fat one pulled a knife on me and threatened to cut me if I didn’t do what he said.” Kyoko felt tears welling up in her eyes on cue.

“You don’t have to continue. I think we understand.” said Grant, moved by the artificial display of emotions. Kappa sat in stolid silence. He wanted to be moved by her story, but he couldn’t help but feel like there was something wrong. She is far too forth coming with this story and those tears. He considered her facial expressions, distorted by her slit mouth. He couldn’t tell if she was smiling or frowning, nor could he read any emotion in her eyes. Maybe she has distanced herself so much from the assault that she no longer has emotions about it. Is that even possible? Kappa found himself willing to trust Kyoko, at least a little.

“My story is hard for me to tell,” started Grant, “because I’ve only just begun to understand it. It is a puzzle inside of my head, and every time I come near completing it, someone throws more pieces in front of me. I know that I become destructive when the mood takes me. Sometimes it is anger, other times it is when I feel ashamed. I think I started down this path when I wasn’t able to show my fiancée my emotions. We had been together for years, and all of those years, I hid so much from her. I couldn’t bear telling her how I felt. I pushed all of the emotions away, until the day that I started wearing that damned mask. I made the lock, and the mask was the key. It started a transformation that is still happening.”

“Are you hoping to stop it?” asked Kyoko.

“I’m just following where I’m being led. I’ve felt myself being pulled North. I think there is something I need.”

“It is your club.” said Kyoko. Kappa looked like he had been slapped in the face; he hadn’t even thought that Grant was looking for his club. Every Oni had one; a thick club whose head was coated in metal and adorned with spikes. He found himself remembering the Oni that guarded the way into the Other World, the world of spirits. His club was taller than a man and thicker than a cow.

“The club will make you stronger. It is a natural extension of your spirit. They say that an oni with his club is indestructible. I’ve never seen anyone mad enough to test that folklore.” said Kappa, trying to redeem himself. “I never considered it before, but it makes sense.” Grant listened to Kappa, and felt some comfort knowing that there was a reason he was traveling aside from being a fugitive. An unpleasant thought flashed through his mind. If the club truly makes me indestructible, what will happen when the cops find me?“I guess that means it’s my turn.” said Kappa woefully.

El Monstruo: Life Without the Mask (Part Two)

“It would be nice to go home again, Adam.” said Carol as her head bobbed at the end of her long, serpentine neck. A thin, red-lipped smile crossed her pale face. “Will Kappa help us?”

“I don’t know. He’s never been a friend to our cause.” replied Adam. His body remained seated across the room, leaning against the door. His head bounced and rolled along, finally resting on the window sill. “But we need that Oni, and we need him soon.”

“But he doesn’t even have his metal staff yet. What use will he be?”

“He will find it soon enough, and when he does, he will be able to lead us back into our domain.” responded Adam.

“I’ve been wondering; what will you do when we get beyond the door?” asked Carol as her neck continued to stretch.

“I will bring my wife back here.” Adam said, smirking. Carol’s smile widened; she had met Adam’s wife only once, and it was at her trial. She didn’t see much of her, as she was wrapped inside of a sack; however, she seemed nice enough. Carol wondered if it was even possible for Adam’s wife to still be alive, as she was tossed into a river of glass shards and left for dead. Yet, many yokai could survive much worse; each one had some way of surviving even the most drastic of circumstances. The ring of a cellular phone broke the silence. Adam’s head rolled towards his body as his hand flipped the phone open.

“I can see them.” said the sultry, feminine voice on the phone.

“Good. Stick with the plan I outlined earlier. Remember! We need the Oni.”

“Yes Adam.”

***

Sitting on the side of my twin bed in the bland motel room I shared with Kappa, I looked at my changing body. My nails had become claws and my tusks had grown longer and sharper. After attempting to shave my head or my beard, I found that the hair just grew back more swiftly and more wiry. Afraid that if I cut my hair too many times that it would eventually break the scissors, I decided to leave it alone. My stomach had grown to giant proportions; when I sat down, it would rest on my thighs.

Laying down, I looked across at Kappa. He told me that he learned to control his shape, but when he slept, he would revert to his true form; a giant man-turtle with a bowl of water on his head. Because of his bowl, Kappa always slept sitting up. I still hadn’t gotten used to it. There are a lot of things I had to get used to. Sometimes, I would miss the mask. It hid my face well. Instead of looking like a monster, I looked like a weirdo.

Unable to get comfortable, I rolled out of bed and went into the shower, which was barely big enough for my expanding frame. I stripped off the tiger-striped shorts I wore to bed and let the cold water spray against my skin. It was cool and refreshing; I could imagine the water washing everything away. No more red skin, no more horns, and no more guilt. Why did I still feel bad for killing that thug? He was going to try to kill me. I should have stayed in Little Arkham and talked with the police. Instead, I ran.

I switched off the shower and dried myself. I wrapped the towel around myself and walked out onto the small porch that jutted out from the motel room. The night air was cool, but not as fresh as it was back in Little Arkham. I longed for the air of the ocean; it would always make me feel fresh and alive. The city air was stagnant and stifling. I looked at the towering buildings and found myself wanting to knock them down. I wanted to break the street lights that were out shining the stars. In my anger, I almost didn’t notice a person watching me from the parking lot. It was a woman standing next to a pale pink Vespa. She took off her matching helmet, loosing a torrent of shining black hair. A white scarf was wrapped around her neck and mouth and I wondered how well the person she was talking to on her cell phone could hear her.

Sliding her phone into her white leather jacket’s pocket, she began to walk closer to the building. Our eyes met for a brief moment, and I felt entranced. Her dark brown eyes were like an abyss waiting to swallow me.

“Do you think I’m beautiful?” she yelled in my direction. I began to stammer and mumble. I croaked out a yes, partially because it was true and partially because I didn’t know what to say. Her knee high white boots flashed in the night as she sprinted into the building. I dismissed the interaction until I remembered what I looked like. By the time I made it to the door, it was swinging open. The woman was peeling off her scarf, revealing a gaping mouth filled with needle-like teeth.

“Do you still think I’m beautiful?” she said with a high pitched laugh.

“There’s no answer he can give that is right.” said Kappa, who I was sure had been asleep. His voice was watery and thin; it was the voice of his true form. He leapt to his webbed feet and crouched low to the ground, ready to pounce.

“I haven’t come for a fight.” said the woman, backing away slowly. “I was just having some fun. I saw your pal outside and figured I’d come and say hello. It isn’t everyday you see an Oni in America.” The tension in the air lifted and Kappa relaxed, sitting on the floor. I wanted to trust her; she was a yokai, that much I thought I knew. I wondered if she knew what I had done. I also wondered if she had come to help me like Kappa did.

To Part 3