Call Me Martin

The hardware store window was shattered but the front door was locked. Perhaps, thought Ari, somebody had tried to seek refuge but had not counted on the front window being destroyed. Ari and Martin carefully stepped over glass as they entered through the window. The store was dark and musty. Most of the shelves were bare. The floor was covered with dead leaves. Several long aluminum pipes were propped against the wall. Flies buzzed around a garbage can that was filled with used cans of sardines, an empty bottle of wine and a dozen empty cans of tuna.

“Interesting,” Ari said, picking up an empty can of sardines. “Someone stayed here not long ago.”

Martin sniffed the air and nodded.

Ari kicked the garbage can.

“Anybody here?”

Martin glanced at the door and back to Ari.

“Someone also locked the door from the inside.”

Ari looked up at an empty shelf and a rack of tires and gnashed his teeth.

“There has to be something we can use here.”

“Turpentine,” Martin said, reaching up to a shelf. “Flammable.”

Ari nodded.

“Molotov cocktails, here we come.”

Just then, there was a crunching sound from the back of the store. Ari and Martin exchanged glances.

“Hey!” Ari shouted. He waited for a response. “Maybe it’s a deer.”

Martin shook his head.

“We haven’t seen any animals since we got here; no birds, nothing.”

“Why is that?”

“Animals sense danger. And this is a dangerous place.”

“No kidding,” Ari remarked, his heart pounding heavy. “Maybe we should leave.”

“Why?” Martin asked.

“It might be one of those creatures.”

Martin looked Ari in the eye.

“Running won’t help. We would never make it across the street.”

Ari scratched the back of his head. He patted his pocket and pulled out his rescue inhaler.

“You okay?” Martin asked.

Ari nodded and put the inhaler to his lips and took a dose. He breathed out.

“I just want to be ready in case we have to haul ass.”

The crunching sound came again, this time louder and closer. Ari reached into his other pocket and pulled out the gold plated lighter that Tremor had loaned him the night before. He glanced down at the Turpentine.

Martin shook his head.

“Not yet.”

Ari grimaced.

“Let’s just walk slowly out.”

The crunching sound was now less than 15 feet away, several rows over.

“Listen,” Ari shouted. “If you’re Human, we’re just looking for some supplies and we’ll move on. We’re not here to…”

Just then, a tall, thin woman emerged from the shadows, wielding a tremendous homemade bow with a sharpened pool stick as an arrow. She wore tattered jeans and a soiled blouse. Her long black hair cascaded down below to the small of her back. Her large gray eyes were wild like a cornered dog’s. Her hard, pock marked face was angular with high cheek bones and a nose that looked like it had been broken.

Ari and Martin stepped back towards the front door. Ari put up his hands.

“Hold on. We’re not looking for trouble.”

The woman aimed the arrow directly at Ari’s chest.

“Who are you?”

“We were on a bus,” Ari answered, motioning to the street outside. “They...”

“They took you to a barn and told you to come here. I know. It happened to me seven years ago, this week.”

Ari gaped.

“You’ve been here all this time?”

“Yeah.”

“Alone?”

The woman lowered her bow and arrow.

“Not at first. There were 15 of us but…”

Ari dropped his arms.

“I can guess. They got restless, maybe tried to make their way back to the barn or…”

“Worse,” the woman said, setting the bow and arrow aside. “They tried to fight those things, even with guns. Nothing helped.”

“How did you survive all this time?” Ari asked.

“It wasn’t easy. Those deputies bring me food and water every now and then. They know that sooner or later, I will try to make a run for it.”

Ari motioned to the bow and arrow.

“Is that for those monsters?”

“Which monsters, the human monsters or the ones that fly?” The woman asked. “The human monsters come well-armed and keep their distance. And to those things, this arrow is as useless as a toothpick against an elephant.”

“What do you know about them?” Martin asked.

“Probably not much more than you guys know. You learn a lot in those first 24 hours, like it’s more dangerous at night because you can’t see them coming, like the people of this town have some kind of arrangement with the beasts, like maybe they struck a bargain long ago to provide them with fresh meat in exchange for life or even something else.” The woman motioned to the front door. “I also know that you are safe so long as you stay indoors. Those things never entered any building here. My partner broke that window.” The woman stepped closer to Martin and looked him and up down. “Any reason why you’re wearing that Russian spy hat, a custom-made mask and retro Arnold sunglasses?”

Martin looked away.

“You never want to see me without my mask.”

“He had an accident at work, bad one,” Ari interjected.

“What do you do?” The woman asked Martin.

“I clean up messes.”

“Sanitation work?”

“Yeah. How did you know I have a custom-made mask?”

“I’m a cop.” The woman answered.

“What’s your name?” Ari asked.

“Rebecca. Rebecca Kimmel.”

“I’m Ari Roth.”

“And you?’ Rebecca asked Martin.

“Call me ‘Martin.’”

“Do you have a last name?” Rebecca asked.

“Yeah, Dorian. Martin Dorian.”

Ari looked around at the empty shelves and the dark shadows.

“Is this where you live?”

“Yes,” Rebecca answered. “This is home. Physical survival comes natural for me, but staying sane is the real challenge. I have to work at it, every single day.”

Ari shook his head.

“Jesus, I couldn’t imagine.”

“You’d be surprised just how resilient you are, Mr. Roth,” Rebecca said. “We’re designed for survival. Our ancestors made it through ice ages, dark ages, global wars, POW camps and catastrophe after catastrophe.” Rebecca’s voice broke. “The hardest part is being alone. God knows, it’s been so difficult. I talk to myself a lot; argue with my ex, complain about our piss-poor salaries, grumble about not going into medicine.”

“Well, you’re not alone anymore, Rebecca,” Ari said, stepping closer to her.

Rebecca drew back and held up her hand.

“You got to give me time. I haven’t held another’s hand or had a real conversation in seven years. It’s going to take awhile to learn how to be human again.” Rebecca massaged her shoulder. “That bow is heavy.”

Ari looked at the bow and pool stick.

“Too bad it doesn’t work against those things. I’d love to see one impaled.” Ari sighed. “I wish to God I did not have a fear of flying. I would have been in Chicago by now, interviewing at a big time personal injury law firm. They were willing to hire me, even though I’ve been disbarred for two years.”

“What did you do?” Rebecca asked.

Ari looked embarrassed.

“I paid for the services of a call girl. It was a sting operation. I got stung.”

Rebecca laughed.

“I’m sorry. I thought you might have whacked someone, taken a bribe, sold crack. And all you did was engage in the oldest form of commerce.”

Ari lowered his head.

“I had some issues with depression too. I know this is not the right time or place but…” Ari glanced at Martin. “If you or Martin or Sherman or little Amber think I’m a leader, you’re going to be disappointed. “

Rebecca folded her arms.

“Hmm. Looks like we need to hold an election. My partner and I were at a convention in Louisville. Had we not been doing what we shouldn’t have been doing, we would not have missed our plane flight and we would not have had to take the bus that brought us here.”

Ari shook his head.

“I don’t get it. They let you live. They even feed you.”

“They want me alive. One of them is a doctor. He treated me for a urinary tract infection last year.”

“But, why?” Ari asked.

“It’s not so difficult to understand,” Martin said. “We have hunting seasons, designated kill zones, limits on fishing. If you’re rich enough, you can go on safaris and hunt game that has been kept alive just for your pleasure.”

Ari nodded.

“They want to keep us alive for their friends.”

Rebecca lowered her head.

“The townsfolk are as much prisoners as we are.”

“What makes you say that?” Ari asked.

Rebecca looked towards the front of the hardware store.

“They’re frightened. They were coming here a lot until a week ago. Now, they’re nowhere to be seen.”

“The seventh anniversary of your abduction,” Ari said, cupping his chin. “Makes sense. They feast, then they go back to sleep.”

“Like bears,” Rebecca said.

“No, more like something else,” Ari countered, looking at several closed doors. “What happened to your partner?”

Rebecca’s face turned to stone.

“He kept a .357 strapped to his calf. The deputies never searched him. After the first night here, he and four other guys headed towards the gas station, looking for a fight. They found one alright.” Rebeca shook her head. “I watched my partner fire six shells right into the gut of one those monsters. Nothing, not a scratch. They tore him in half and devoured him. I wish I could tell you something different, but I don’t think they can be killed.”

“Everything can be killed,” Martin said in a loud whisper.

Rebecca motioned to the front of the store.

“How many of you are there?”

“There’s just the four of us now. A teen and an eight-year-old girl are at the inn across the street.”

Rebecca pushed her hair back from her face.

“I saw your three warriors go out an hour ago. I don’t have to even guess what happened to them.”

Ari lowered his head.

“We found two pairs of blooding shoes. The girl is missing.”

“They took her,” Rebecca said coldly. “That is what they do with some women. I would rather die.”

“Don’t blame you,” Ari moaned. “Why didn’t you ever try making a run for it?” Rebecca shook her head.

“I tried, several times. There’s a large lake on one side, a forest on the other. They have booby traps all over that forest.” Rebeca reached down to pull up one of her jean cuffs. A long, dark brown scar snaked around her calf. “Bear traps. You name it.”

“Maybe we could build a raft and get across the lake,” Ari said.

Rebecca shook her head.

“They put something in that lake. I don’t know if it’s safe. I’m a swimmer. I tried to cross that lake three years ago. Made it about 50 feet off shore when something large and dark came at me. I practically flew across that water to make it back to land. It almost got me.”

Rebecca motioned to the bow and arrow. “A pair of bikers came through a few years ago. They thought they had the town to themselves. When they saw me, they wanted more than conversation. Those pool sticks can do some damage.”

“Is that all you do, make weapons?” Ari asked.

“No. I found a whole shelf of electronics kits.”

“What can you do with an electronics kit?” Ari asked.

Rebecca smiled.

“Follow me.”