 |
 |
| Roadhouse |
by: Dare |
 |
The bright neon of the roadhouse sign cast a garish pink glow into the night and across the worm asphalt of the narrow highway. The steady thump of a heavy bass-line announced the presence of powerful music inside only barely damped by the old shingled walls. A lone dog that bore more resmblance to a thin and threadbare wolf snuffled its way between the rows of motorcycles parked haphazardly in the front lot, glancing up occasionally and flicking its ears at the muffled sounds of breaking glass or shouted laughter that came from within. Across the strip of dusty asphalt was an equally loose gathering of four-wheeled vehicles, among them a large and relatively modern four-by-four whose body and paint-job had seen much better days. Only the keenest of eyes would have seen the cab of the truck occasionally lit by the dull glow of a cigar cupped behind a gloved hand…
A darkened car rolled slowly into view down the thin stretch of highway, creeping forward at a snail's pace. A white-faced girl was dimly visible at the wheel of the expensive coupe, steering carefully while an equally young man grunted and strained behind the rear bumper. The young woman turned the wheel and the car eased off the highway past the collection of Milwaukee Iron Horses. Her companion sagged against the bumper as the car rolled to a stop, sweat and miles of dust dripping off of him thickly in the warm night air. Getting out of the car hurriedly, the girl rushed back and helped the young man to stand on legs that quivered from hours of effort. With difficulty he straightened and gathered himself together, putting on a brave front for what was obviously his girl. A few moments of quiet conversation and gestures to the roadhouse building, and the girl turned to get back into the car as the young man limped his way to the front door.
The figure in the four-by-four's cab swore softly, wrenching open the truck's door…
As the door closed behind the unfortunate young man, a shadow detached itself from the side wall of the building - easing away from the old ramshackle fence that stretched to the side there - casually beginning a saunter toward the car and the girl as she waited. Not more than three steps from the wall, the shadowed figure jerked up its head, catching a soft sound from the side - moccasin-clad feet moving fast through the sand next to the fence. Dusty leather and silver chains flashed as he turned towards the sound, and his mouth opened in a hiss that revealed long ivory canines in the moonlight. From out of the shadow of the fence came a blur in brown buckskin, leather-clad legs scissoring up to catch the vampire's chest and take him down in a spinning roll. He grunted and growled as he hit the ground, already rolling to his feet with inhuman speed of his own. He gained all fours and lunged towards his assailant, tackling and driving them back into the fence with a harsh crack of dried timbers. Years of dust showered over both of them as the vampire lashed back his hand to strike, showing sharp claws in the neon glare. The razor-tipped hand struck forward at dizzying speed, but his attacker rolled to the side at the last instant and the blow struck wood. Splinters launched into the air beyond the fence as the vampire's arm sunk to the elbow in the thick fence, the broken wood closing on his arm like a vise as he tried to pull free. Caught momentarily by surprise, he jerked and struggled with the wood, shifting his stance for leverage to exert his strength and wrench free. His opponent took full advantage - driving a knee hard into his stomach and lifting him off his feet. The vampire choked on bile forced from his bowels and landed unsteadily as his attacker moved in a spinning step to ram their elbow sharply into his spine with a dull crunch. His legs began to buckle and he howled in confusion, but his attacker finished the turning step and grabbed his shoulders from behind with both hands. With a furious heave, he was rammed headfirst into the fence and driven fully through it - only the grip on his jacket kept him from being catapulted into the yard beyond. In a shocked moment, he shook the dust and pain from his eyes and looked down, seeing his torso trapped above and below by splintered planks just as his arm had been. A moment of dull realization struck his eyes before his assailant leap into the air to bring an elbow hard down onto his back - ramming the wood beneath him through his chest and stomach like a dozen sharpened spears. What might have been a scream was reduced to a strangled wheeze as he spasmed and stilled, slumping down over the boards that pinned and pierced him.
The entire battle had taken mere seconds but the flurry of activity had caught the young girls' attention and she peered at the shadows trying to pick out what had happened. Her eyes grew wide as a tall and wide figure rushed out of the darkness toward her. In panic she fumbled and locked the door just as the figure reached it. Without preamble a buckskinned arm slammed through the driver's door window, reaching and unlocking the door as the girl was showered in glass. With a wail she felt herself grabbed and wrenched bodily through the door as it swung open, coming to a stop looking into deep gray eyes framed in long blonde lashes. The girl barely had time to take in the decidedly female face framed by short-cropped blonde hair beneath the brim of a weathered black cowboy hat before she felt keys being thrust into her hand. The huge woman jerked her in a circle and pushed her towards the cars parked across the road. "The big truck - get in and drive like your life depends on it, girl - 'cause it does." Came a barked voice from behind her as she stumbled forward. She looked back to see the woman backpedaling towards the front door of the roadhouse, watching her to see if she ran for the truck. As she paused, the woman barked again a bit louder, "Your boyfriend is already dead, most likely - and if anyone but me comes out that door and you're still here- you will be too… or worse. GO!! If I can save him, I'll catch you… if not - be long gone before I fail…" As she turned towards the door, sweeping her hat back off her head, she heard the girl gasp. "What's going on? Who… who are you?"
She turned from the door with a small wry smile. "Tyra Kane… and everything they told you about monsters not being real?" She drew a heavy handgun from under her coat and worked the slide with a sharp jerk. "They lied." |
 |
| Back to Fiction Index |
|
|
 |
