Part 5: There goes the Wub

‘Do ya really ‘ave a photo?’ Jackson asked Merrick.

Merrick stood over the dead man; the man’s clothes were spattered in blood and brains. Merrick held up a hand and tilted his head, listening carefully. ‘Can ya ‘ear that?’

He could hear hushed voices along with the distant sound of hooves.

Merrick started to run from the house back the way they had come, he could hear Jackson breathing heavily behind him.

‘get it’

Merrick heard a voice whisper amongst the shiver of a bush.

‘It’s like a unicorn among ‘orses!’ Another voice whispered in amazement.

‘Show yasel” Merrick barked.

Jackson hunched over with his hands on his knees, catching his breath as he watched on.

There was a stark silence; a leaf brushed past in the breeze. A man emerged from the bushes, his hands raised above his head. ‘That unicorn among ‘orses,’ Merrick jutted his chin, ‘Owns me!’

Another man came out gingerly from the bushes, ‘We didn’t mean anythin’ by it.’

‘Yea, ya meant somethin’ by it.’ Merricks’s eyes were ablaze.

‘Please don’t shoot.’ The man protested shakily. ‘We thought the ‘orse was on ‘is own.’ He looked down at his feet, ‘Now we know e’s with you, we’ll leave it. It’s all fine ‘ere.’

Merrick lowered his gun, ‘Get outta my sight!’ He barked.

The sound of Tucker’s trot was receding, so Merrick started after the sound frustratedly, Jackson lagging behind.

They chased Tucker’s tail for the whole hour’s journey back into the little street with the pub. The men who were once under Jamesons’s charge were till there; only now they stood in their soiled trousers, disgruntled.

But it was Jackson, Merrick or Tucker they were paying any attention to when they arrived breathless behind the men. Merrick and Jackson followed their gaze up into the sky. Something was falling in a blaze down to earth.

‘What the fuck?’ Jackson stood arms folded over his chest protectively.

‘They’re back.’ Merrick gathered aloud.

Jackson waved a hand dismissively, ‘It’ll be a meteorite.’

‘Meybe.’ Jackson replied, ‘Is that any better?’

Jackson gave him a side glance.

‘Cuz if it’s that big coming down, we don’t stan’ a chance.’

The meteorite theory was soon put to bed, though, as the thing falling with a black continued on its trajectory over the cities; above it, the sky darkened. The city and the exclusion zone were cast in shadow.

‘Yup,’ Merrick nodded, ‘They’re back.’

‘No kiddin” Jackson whispered in wonder.

And so it was; the city imminently glowed under a green light while the exclusion zone remained in the shadows.

Apart from the lack of stars the exclusion zone remained the same, the beings above showing now interest in their little pocket of the earth.

‘Well, Fuck!’ One of Jamesons men hollared, ‘Looks like we’re all gonna die tonight.’ He turned to see Merrick and Jackson behind him.

Tucker neighed, which caused everyone to turn their heads to the stable next to Jackson’s shack.

Merrick laughed, ”e knows where t’ run to!’

‘Scott.’ The man tapped his mate on the shoulder, ‘Scott, the bastards!’ He jutted his chin towards Merrick and Jackson.

‘You ‘ave some brass balls comin’ back around ‘ere.’ The man said.’

Scott scoffed, ‘Or a death wish!’ He said, reaching for his gun.

Merrick whipped his gun out before he’d had the chance. ‘Careful there, son, someone might get shot.’

‘Yea, you!’ Scott pulled the gun on them.

‘Is this a game of who shoots first?’ Merrick asked, jutting his chin.

‘It’s lookin’ that way.’

Merrick turned to Jackson and shrugged, turned back to Scott and shot him in the wrist. Scott dropped the gun screeching in pain.

‘See, I don’t wanna kill anyone else tonight,’ Merrick kept the gun trained on Scott.

‘What the fuck!’ Scott’s friend hissed, ‘Ya coulda kilt ‘im!’ The man was still a bit drunk on his feet.

‘It ent toy guns we’re playin’ wit.’ Merrick spat, ‘But if ya twist me arm enough, I will kill ‘im.’ Merrick shrugged, swept the gun over Scott’s pal, ‘I’ll kill ya both if ya twist my arm enough.’

Scott looked up at his friend pleadingly. His hand wrapped around his wrist, blood gushing between his fingers.

‘We all know ya didn’t even like Jameson anyways, no one did.’ Merrick smirked, ‘So why don’t you scoot off now.’ With the gun, Merrick pointed at the cities, ‘We’re the least of your worries now.’

Scott’s eyes were wet with tears; he turned to look at the cities, emanating its new green glare.

The exclusion zone stood in dead silence.

Drops of blood ran down the cobbled road in the direction Scott and his boy went. People were stepping out of the bar and looking toward the cities in silent wonder.

With a screech and the sound of flabby flesh bubbling over gravel and cobbles, a stampede of Wub’s ran down and into the direction of the city.

‘Welp,’ Merrick yawned and stretched his arms, the gun still in his hand, ‘There goes the Wub.’ With his other hand he reached out and clasped Jackson’s hand in his.

The end.

Authors note: I have tried to make this a longer story, but everything I tried eventually led me to writer’s block. I hope to continue writing this story in one way or another and seeing how I go.