El Monstruo: Life Without the Mask (Part Nine)

How many alarms are in this place anyway? I asked myself the question aloud, and was hardly able to hear my voice above the din. Despite the deafening screams of the sirens strewn about the Dunwich Museum of Oriental Antiquities. It was like most of the museums I’ve seen. Long, illustrated scrolls were protected by panels of Plexiglas, while a monumental wooden Buddha sat in the darkness, unperturbed by the sound.

I could feel myself drawn deep into the museum; clumsily, I made my way past rooms lined with delicate porcelain that shuddered with each of my steps. I found what was calling me when I came across a room laden with ancient armor and weapons. My eyes passed over the relics and stopped their roaming when they fell upon a club behind glass; the handle was oak, and the rest of the instrument was covered in short, pyramid spikes. The small plaque read “Ornamental Kanabo”.

“Hey! What the Hell are you doing in here?” asked a security guard that had finally woke up and tracked me down. He was slight of frame and clutched the handle of his holstered gun while he shook his flashlight in my eyes. I pushed my palm against the glass and heard it begin to creak and groan. The guard fumbled with his gun; I was certain he finally understood what I was, and that it was making him panic.

The glass shattered and the security guard’s eyes bulged from his head, as though someone had suddenly started strangling him. As my hand wrapped around the kanabo, I felt a surge of power. My chest expanded and my stomach swelled. I could feel my skin burning red, and when the guard pulled his trigger in a panic, I felt the bullet crunch against my chest. I smiled, as much as I could smile with my tusks, and let the rage that had built up inside me pour out with a roar. Frozen with fear, the guard watched, moving only his eyes, as I walked past him.

I walked past an alarm station, gripped the kanabo, and smashed the electrical panel repeatedly. It felt good, but the noise continued. I knew it wouldn’t be long before real police officers showed up. I didn’t want to hurt anyone unnecessarily. It was bad enough being on the run after committing one murder.

In the parking lot, Kappa and Kyoko were sitting in a green sedan that Kappa had convinced a woman at the motel to let us borrow. Also in the car was Adam; he was the key to making Kyoko human again. I had considered trying to change back, but with the kanabo in hand, those thoughts flew from me like frightened pigeons. I liked the power, but I still wasn’t sure if I could be trusted with it.

For a moment, I felt like a hero again. I felt like I did when I first got the mask; I felt like I was strong, special, and looking at a life filled with possibilities. However, I reminded myself, You can’t screw it up this time.

“Let’s get a move on, Grant. We only have an hour before the sun comes up. We need to find Adam’s body and get this over and done with.” yelled Kappa, rubbing his eyes after a short nap.

“How are we going to find it? That long-neck woman was supposed to be here with the body, but she was a no show.” I replied just before spotting a powder blue Gremlin rolling into the parking lot. What looked like a dog-man was driving, and the long-necked woman was his passenger. The dog-man stopped the car and stepped out of it dramatically, letting his long, white scarf blow in the breeze. He was naked, except for the scarf, his pendulous scrotum swaying to an fro.

“Do you have Adam?” barked the dog-man.

“What of it?” I asked, forgetting about the alarms and the police that were likely soon to arrive. I leaned the kanabo against my shoulder, trying to seem confident.

“You have a club, so you must be the oni I’ve heard so much about. I’ll try to keep this simple. You trusted the wrong guy.” said the dog man as a rainbow of colors flowed into his scarf while an iron chest plate seemed to float up out of his fur.

“So, I’m guessing that you think I should have trusted you?” I responded, wondering what to make of the stranger. He seemed like the shape shifting tanuki that Kappa had told me about. I looked to Kappa, hoping for some sign of approval. He looked as confused as I felt. I looked for Kyoko, and saw her spilling out of the car. A green fire had started to consume the vehicle; I was sure that it was Adam, and I was sure he had broken free. I tightened my grip on the kanabo and prepared for the worst.

Kyoko rolled to her feet as claws sprouted from Kappa’s webbed hands. The dog man grabbed onto his scrotum, which began to grow in size. Tossing the prodigious sack over his shoulder, he winked at me, saying “My name’s Sam, and you can trust me. Never has a tanuki broken his word, and I give you my word that there is another way than what that devil is showing.”

Adam’s head, glowing with searing green fire, had no flesh on it. The fiery skull exploded out of the car, leaving a gaping hole in its roof. The fire burned so brightly that it cast a green light about all of us.

“I need my body now!” demanded the head, “Or I will end you all now!” Adam’s voice was shrill and inhuman. I could feel hatred growing inside me. He had strung us all along, saying that his way was the only way. I was foolish to believe him, but felt less so when I realized that Kappa and Kyoko believed him as well. I found myself wondering why we thought there was no other conceivable way. Was it Adam’s charisma? Perhaps it was that all of us were too jaded to think that there was a peaceful way to change our lives.

A ball of fire blew out from Adam’s mouth. Sam dodged past it, throwing his sack out like a net. Adam maneuvered swiftly out of the way, but floated too close to Kyoko, who leaped, grabbing for his hollow eye sockets. The skull tumbled through the air, evading Kyoko deftly, but falling directly into the path of a swing from by kanabo. I hesitated for a moment, but not long enough for Adam’s benefit. I swung the kanabo and it struck the floating head with a satisfying crack. Fragments of bone spilled onto the ground as the rest of the head sailed out of sight.

“Good swing,” complimented Sam, “But we need to go; The cops are coming.” I could hear their sirens wailing above the alarms of the museum. Piling into our cars, we set off onto the highway, following Sam’s Gremlin. I didn’t know where we would end up, but I all ready felt like life had improved. I was amongst my own kind now; we were like a team of superheroes. I couldn’t conceal my grin.

“You look happy.” said Kyoko, seeming rather unhappy.

“I am.” I said. “The bad guy’s been beaten, and now we have a better way to make you human again.”

“Are you sure he’s gone? His body is still out there, and if it finds his head before sunrise, Adam will be fine. And then he’ll be back on our trail.” Kyoko slumped down in her seat and closed her eyes.

“Well, at least there’s more of us now.” interjected Kappa, who had been silent since Adam freed himself from the safe. “There’s safety in numbers.”

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

El Monstruo: Life Without the Mask (Part One)

“Damn it!” exclaimed Grant as he watched the beat-up Chevy roll down the hill and off the curve of the winding mountain road. He took a couple steps, lurching forward as if to save it, but the car was all ready tumbling down the steep and rocky mountain. He looked at the ground to see Kappa still laying on his back, wrenches suspended in the air. A small stream of oil was running down his arm, forming a puddle by his elbow.

“I’m really sorry, man” said Grant, his deep red skin blushing purple. “I had it! I sweat, and then it just slipped out of my hands. Kappa looked up at his friend and tried to smile. He really wanted to just let the incident wash over him; I will be the cliffs that stand unmoving as the waves crash against them. I will not let this get to me, and I will not lose my temper. “Don’t worry, Grant. We’ll just have to make the walk to Dunwich.” Kappa said, worrying that his feigned smile was too wide. He remembered the first and final time he had enraged an Oni, and he had no desire to test his limits with Grant. He had been fishing on the sea side when he first met Grant, who was in trouble up to his nipples. Grant had not always been an Oni, but the right combination of events fell in place to turn him into one. Grant had wanted to be a hero, but instead became a murderer. Since then, he and Grant had traveled many weary miles. It seemed like something was trying to keep them from escaping the law. The loss of the Chevy, and all their clothes and supplies was proof of that, or at least enough proof for Kappa.

Grant stared down to where the car landed and watched as a mushroom of flame exploded from the car. Kappa, adjusting the bowl of water he always wore on his head, simply rolled his eyes.

“I thought that only happened in the movies. How the heck did it explode?”

“Divine intervention. Someone is trying to hinder our escape.”

“What makes you certain?”

“My sandals ran away, then I couldn’t find my license when we were trying to get through the road block outside of Greenville. Now this.” Kappa brushed the dust off of his weathered green T-shirt and started to walk down the road. “Might as well get walking. Dunwich isn’t going to come to us.

Grant glanced down at the flaming wreck that had been his home for the last two months and chuckled. At least that took care of the mask. El Monstruo is dead and burned away. All that’s left is me, and a new life. He turned from the sight of the smoldering heap and followed Kappa, striding jauntily.

****

Adam smiled as he passed his hand over the shimmering orb. The image of Grant and Kappa rippled into darkness as Adam tossed a velvet bag over the crystal ball. Rita sat, arms crossed, glaring at the mystic, hating that she decided to go to him.

“Is he safe?” she asked, her patience wearing thin.

“In due time, dear.” Adam’s voice dripped with delight. “You never told me your friend was so extraordinary. One of the Yokai, traveling with another of their foul breed. This information is much too important to let go of without an elevation of price.” The mystic leaned back in his creaky chair, folding his arms over a cheap plastic medallion he bought at a Halloween store. It was enough to give him an air of authority, at least over the old ladies that were his usual customers.

“Buddy, you say ten dollars, it is ten dollars.” said Arouna with his thick African accent. Adam had nearly forgotten about the big man. However, he wasn’t going to be intimidated out of a few extra dollars.

“It is ten dollars for a question, but it is fifty dollars for my silence.”

“You are insane!” exclaimed Rita, shoving herself away from the table. “Either answer my question, or…”

“Or you’ll have someone beat me up? Report me to the police? Listen, I haven‘t charged you a dime yet. You want to leave? Leave. If you want me to keep quiet, it‘s gonna cost you.”

“And if we don’t pay?” asked Arouna, trying to look as threatening as he could; a smile came to his face much more easily than the sneer he forced on himself.

“Then I will talk about this. Maybe even blog about. I might even call the police.”

“Quit your bluffing. No one’s going to believe you anyway. Besides, you gave me my answer.” Rita stood up and saw worry cross the mystic’s face.

“But I can tell you where they are.” he pleaded, his greed getting the best of him. “We’ll just say twenty dollars, and we’ll be right as rain, how’s that?” His sudden pleasant tone grated on Rita’s nerves, but she wanted to know where Grant went.

“Twenty and we’re through.” said Rita, trying to sound like a shrewd business woman.

“He’s on the highway, headed North. He’s in the mountains, going towards Dunwich.” confessed Adam once he saw the wrinkled twenty dollar bill on the table. “Alas, there is someone that works against him, putting disaster after disaster in his path.”

“Who is it?” asked Rita eagerly.

“That is something I cannot see, I’m sorry.” said Adam, forlorn.

“All right. Thanks then.” Rita left the small room, followed closely by Arouna.

Adam watched as they left, a devious grin spreading on his face. He locked the door and turned his shop sign to the side that read “closed.” He went into his apartment above the shop; it was tiny and had a spicy smell about it. In one corner, a pile of cages writhed and shook.

“Don’t worry children. You’ll be going home soon. I found our erstwhile friends, and soon, we’ll be able to return home.” Adam watched with delight as an old paper umbrella in one of the cages opened a huge eye. A deep red tongue lolled out of its mouth as it let out a cackle of delight. Adam smiled a thin grin as his head rolled off of his shoulders and bounced into the kitchen. His body followed slowly behind, opening the refrigerator.

“What to eat tonight?” asked Adam of no one in particular. He looked at the shelves of the fridge and considered his choices. “Hands. I think I will have some hands tonight. Braised in coconut milk; yes, that would be fine.”

To Part 2

El Monstruo (Part Six)

The thin man reeled in his fishing line and smiled smugly at el Monstruo, who froze immediately. Turning, he watched as the man sat cross-legged on the sand, gazing at the rolling ocean.

“How do you know that I’m turning into something?” asked el Monstruo meekly.

“We smell our own.” answered the man as he pulled the worn sandles from his feet. To el Monstruo’s astonishment, the sandles each had a single eye that looked eagerly at the surf. The sandles sprouted little arms and legs; they raced to the surf and began splashing each other. El Monstruo sat on the ground, his head swimming. The man looked at el Monstruo’s confused expression and giggled. “You don’t know anything about us, do you? You never heard of the yokai?”

“The yokai?” asked el Monstruo.

“That’s what we are. You are an Oni; I can tell from those horns and teeth. It is a curse and a blessing.”

“And you are one of these yokai?”

“Yes. I am a kappa, a water spirit. When I was a man, I fell into the water by a bridge. When I was under the water, I began to change. Instead of drowning, I became what I am.” replied the kappa in a bouncing tone. “Now you are what you are. The only question is, how did you become what you are?”

El Monstruo let his thoughts drift back to when he received the mask. “I started wearing a mask. It was red and reminiscent to what I look like now. Do you think that it did this to me? Maybe the mask was to me like water was to you?” El Monstruo didn’t notice the flash of agony wash over the kappa’s face.

“There was more to it than that.” replied the kappa softly. El Monstruo urged him to continue, but the kappa wouldn’t let go of his secrets that easily. He simply changed the subject, saying “What did you feel when you wore the mask?”

“I felt powerful. I felt changed. It was like the slate was wiped clean. I liked it.”

“Why did you like it?” asked the kappa, paying little attention to the sandles as they romped and played. El Monstruo’s eyes watched them intently, wondering if he had finally gone insane. “Why did you like it?” asked the kappa again.

“Because it let me be someone else. I was just tired of being who I was.” said el Monstruo, obfuscating the truth slightly. One of the sandals grabbed the other and heaved it into the ocean with a great, cackling laugh. The kappa listened intently, letting el Monstruo open up slowly. El Monstruo found himself telling the kappa more than he ever intended. He told him of the night he came home to find his fiancee with another man. He told the kappa how he just left, without so much as a word. El Monstruo’s eyes lit up when he told the kappa about Rita, who had helped him get on his feet after the break up, and then how she helped him after he started wearing the mask. El Monstruo realized that he was smiling broadly. “Talking about her always makes me feel happy.” 

The kappa took off his sailor hat, revealing a bowl of water that was balanced on his head. He felt it was time to reveal a little more of himself. ”This is part of who I am now,” said the man, “I need the water no matter where I go. Since that time in the water, I’ve lived on the fringe of the normal world. No one would ever notice a simple beach bum, you know? I just sit here and fish. I can’t live a normal life anymore. Could you imagine going to a job interview wearing a bowl on your head? This is part of my punishment, doled out because of the things I have done.”

EL Monstruo reflected on the kappa, then, pointing at the sandles said, “What did they do?”

“They are over one-hundred years old. Now they have their own lives. They let me walk on them only because of the good deeds I did for them.”

“You aren’t being very forth-coming about yourself.” said el Monstruo abruptly. An injured look appeared on the man’s face. Pointing a finger at himself, the kappa said, “I am trying the best that I can. This is hard for me.” A feeling of anger creeped over el Monstruo. He wanted to grab the bowl off the kappa’s head and smash him in the face with it. The kappa must have seen the anger rising in el Monstruo’s eyes, because he began to rise to his feet.

“I don’t want to fight you,” he said, “I know I can’t win. I just thought you might want some help. I’m sorry.” The kappa called to the sandles, which dashed back to him, throwing themselves at his feet. He slipped his feet into them and cautiously stepped back. He had dealt with an oni in the past, an he knew that he stoo no chance in a physical confrontation. He tried to soothe el Montruo, but realized that a rage had come over the red-skinned ogre. 

El Monstruo felt his fists curling into tight balls. He wanted his way; he was tired of the kappa’s hints and subterfuge. He wante to know the kappa’s secret. He had told his own, after all. Then, el Monstruo felt tears well up in his eyes and pour down his cheek. His emotions ran wild and confusing circuits through his heart and stomach. He considered what he was about to do and what he had done in the past. He roared with primal anger as the kappa continued a slow retreat.

“Grant! What are you doing!” yelled a feminine voice that cut through the turmoil that filled el Monstruo’s body. He turned to see Rita, who was followed closely by Arouna.

“Calm down, friend.” said the kappa as sweetly as he could. “They’re friends here to help you. Don’t let what you’ve become destroy them.” El Monstruo felt a rush of calmness flow through him. His anger, chilish upon examination, deminished quickly when Rita drew closer. He could smell the scent of flowers on her and he immediately thought of great rolling fields of multicolored blooms billowing in a gentle breeze as Rita ran through them gleefully. He held his arms out for her embrace, but she didn’t come any nearer.

“You need to go now.” said Arouna in a deep, thickly accented voice, “The kid is dead. The cops are gonna look for you. They are coming soon.”

“Why did you do it, Grant?” asked Rita, weeping.

“I guess you met me at just the right time.” remarked the kappa as he scanned the horizon, looking for police. El Monstruo felt a tremendous sensation of shame and hung his head sadly. He realized that Rita would no longer stand by his side as she stood there crying. He hated himself, because he had made those tears. “Come on, friend,” said the kappa, “the road is long and often short of cucumbers.”

                                                               

El Monstruo (Part Five)

“Hey man, that’s real weird.” said Arouna, perplexed at el Monstruo’s changed appearence. He touched el Monstruo’s cheek and once again drew his hand back swiftly. “That’s real weird. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve seen weird stuff, but not anything like this.” The redness had spread from el Monstruo’s face, down his neck, and across his chest. He stopped wearing the mask; it was stifling with all the heat his head was throwing off. It was bothersome to wear a shirt now, as his torso had begun radiating the strange heat.

“I don’t know what to do, Arouna. I’ve tried salve and I’ve tried clortrimezole. I talked to the doctor at urgent care, but he was afraid to come near me. He threatened to call the CDC if I ever came back.” El Monstruo leaned heavily against the counter of the bar. He was happy that the Freeky Tiki was empty, except for Arouna and him. And Rita. Why does she stand by me? Is she just being a friend, or is there more? Or do I just want there to be more? El Monstruo studied Rita’s petite frame and imagined her staying with him, not only through this ordeal, but anything that would come in the future. She would fight for me to the end if she had to. She’s my best friend.

“You know, I don’t know if I ever saw someone turn red. I don’t know if anyone has ever seen it. But maybe it isn’t a bad thing. Maybe you’ll be able to get some kind of grant to go back to school and finish your education. How about that, huh? They say minorities always get money for school. How much more minor can you get than just one?” said Arouna with a smile. He placed a tiki mug on the bar and filled it with seltzer and a mix of juices. “There. It may not work, but it is the best I can do. It may not turn you white again, but it will freshen you up. Maybe help you think better.” Arouna’s grin and impromptu cocktail made el Monstruo smile, until he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. His smile looked terrifying; a mass of sharp fangs jutted from his mouth from every direction. If the smile wasn’t enough, the pointed nubs of his horns were starting to push through his skin. His smiled swiftly bowed into a deep frown.

Rita watched as el Monstruo’s head drooped. Her heart was breaking to see him suffering so much. She put an arm around him and tried to comfort him. He leaned on her and felt tears rolling down his face. Arouna walked away, allowing them some space. “God, I am so happy that it is him and not me.” said Arouna softly to himself. Rita let el Monstruo cry on her, holding him closely. He shuddered as he wept; his body was radiating heat, tempting Rita to pull away from him.

The door to the Freeky Tiki swung open, and Rita turned to see a gang of men pour in. There were at least ten, and they were led by a young blonde with a broken nose. The guy with the broken nose popped the collar of his polo shirt and strutted towards the dimly lit bar. El Monstruo looked up, his large eyes puffy from crying. The thug in the polo shirt took a step backwards, forgetting for a moment that he had ten guys to watch his back.

“You think you’re big…” he started to say as el Monstruo stood up, swinging the metal stool he had been sitting on. The thug heard a loud crack thunder in his skull as his legs buckled and his body collapsed on the ground. Rita screamed and Arouna shouted for el Monstruo to control himself. The thug’s friends ran at el Monstruo, trying to grab at him. One was jabbed in the eye with the stool’s leg, another crashed into the solid, wooden bar. The third threw a punch that sent el Monstruo’s head rocking to the side. El Monstruo simply wrapped his arms around him and sent him flying over his head to the ground. The thug’s friends started to step away once another of their number was sent crashing to the floor with a head butt. They scrambled away, leaving their fallen friends, and the thug in the polo shirt behind. RIta tried to calm down el Monstruo, but he was deaf to her pleas. He wrenched the leg off the stool and clubbed the still body of the thug.

“Die!” he yelled vehemently. “Why don’t you just fucking die?” EL Monstruo swung the metal leg down hard on the young man’s skull, and heard a satisfying cracking sound. The sound of breaking bone was followed by the sound of a shot gun being cocked.

“Stop it now, man.” said Arouna, pointing the gun at el Monstruo. Sweat beaded on Arouna’s face; he could feel the intense heat flowing out from el Monstruo’s body. He prayed that the big man would stop and listen to reason. He hoped, at least, that el Monstruo wouldn’t kill the thug then and there. It was obvious what was going to happen, but the police wouldn’t see it the way it really was. El Monstruo rested the metal leg on his shoulder and turned to look at Arouna.

“I don’t want to stop. I need to do this. This would be justice.” said el Monstruo.

“You aren’t going to do it here, and if you’re smart, you just won’t do it at all. Stop now. You got a girl that cares for you, and…”

“I used to have a girl that cared for me!” shouted el Monstruo, “She was supposed to be my wife. Instead, she went off to fuck some rich bastard and left me here alone.” Rita was frightened; she had not moved since the violence started. Her mind was filled with so many things she should say or do. She wanted to say that he wasn’t alone, but she was afraid to say that she would be there for him after what he had just done. “I need to do this.” continued el Monstruo, “It’s all I can do.”

“Then take him out of here, and don’t come back. If you do what I think you are going to do, I won’t forgive you.” said Arouna, lowering the shot gun. “We stood by you, and we believed in you. Both me and Rita. Don’t think for a minute I don’t support you in what you’ve done, but if you do anymore, well, that’s too much.”

El Monstruo felt the need to kill the kid; he was a law breaker, and he would hurt Rita if he gave him the chance. El Monstruo knew that the thug saw her comforting him, and if he let the thug live, he might be back. Confused and afraid, el Monstruo just ran. He ran from the restaurant and down to the ocean. He looked at the expansive sea and let loose a primal yell. He threw pieces of drift wood at the ocean, and hurled big rocks when he ran out of drift wood. The excercise calmed him down, freed him of his aggravation.

“What did the ocean ever do to you, my friend?” asked a thin man with a beak-like nose who was fishing from the shore. El Monstruo was startled, as he hadn’t seen the man earlier. The thin man was wearing loose, green pants that he had rolled up to his knees and a ratty looking Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles t-shirt. Sparse, straw like hair peeked out from under a bright white sailor’s hat. “I know the ocean can be mean, but I didn’t see him take anything from you.”

“What do you know?” asked el Monstruo dismissively, stalking away.

“I know more than you can imagine,” called the thin man. “For example; I know what you are turning into.”

To the Conclusion