Orion's Body

Chapter 10: Killing Bots

The next day, authorities found the body of Swindle. A funeral was held for him in the local cemetery, his roommates, the Combaticons (as they like to call themselves) were sitting, wearing black to show they're mourning. On the other side of the casket were Swindle's econ class buddies, all wearing sharp dressed suits fit for a business meeting.

"We gather here to celebrate the life of Swindle. Who was plucked from the prime of his youth." A priest was speaking.

Soon a Combaticon, Vortex, got up from his seat, "Swindle! Take me with you! I belong down there! In the Darkness!" He sobbed out, he was not all there in the head it seems. Another one named Blast Off got next to him.

"No, Vortex, these are just his earthly remains, he's among the dark ones now. Fly, Swindle, fly up on your wings of flame." He spoke, then choked out, "Swindle wouldn't want this."

Soon another mech, a senior named Onslaught got up, "You think so? Yeah, you're right, I'm pretty sure our brother wouldn't have liked being eaten by a fucking cannibal and buried before his 18th birthday. Wow, you two must have known him so well," Another Combaticon tried to stop him but shrugged him off.

"By the time they found Swindle in that Primus-forsaken house, he looked like lithium lasagna, with teeth. I'd know, I had to identify his remains. Our brother... isn't in the realm of the undead. He's not flying around in the firmament on magical wings of flame. He's in an overpriced rosewood box that is headed six feet downtown." He weakly kicked the casket and broke down. Megatron watched the exchange unfold from a distance.

At school, they held a big memorial service for Swindle and a whole presentation on the buddy systems and curfews. But it seemed like no one really cared anymore, they just moved on, thinking that would be the end of it. But Megatron knew it won't be. He went to the library to do research, paranormal research.

His digits gently traced the spines of the books, feeling the old worn plastic and leather binding. He grabs one and pulls it from the shelf. And begins to read.

The book was about demons, demonology, and the occult. The book was dusty and barely used, but it was certainly useful.

" 'Offering a virgin to Unicron'." He read out loud to himself in a hushed whisper, seeing illustrations from illuminated manuscripts, paintings, and statues around the planet.

" 'If the sacrifice is impure...'." He muttered.

" 'Human and demonic relations'." He ignored the librarian occasionally glancing at him.

" 'Destroying a demon. Demons are weakest when hungry, but a blade to the spark is the surest way to kill the beast'." He soon closed the book and went to the librarian to check it out. And made a beeline to the locker room.

In the locker room, students were washing themselves off after gym class in the showers, mechs were using the towels provided. The hot water fogging the washracks a little bit. In the back room, Orion was putting on his armor after changing out of his cheer uniform. He was sitting down on a bench, and soon finished getting ready, he looked up to see Megatron standing there.

"Maybe there's a way to reverse the curse." Megatron said. He sounded hopeful. He watched Orion grab a magazine he brought from home, ignoring him, Megatron tried again, "To save you."

Orion merely shrugged.

"Being on the cycle is a curse," He said nonchalantly, "Having a limp banana dick like the basketball coach? That's a curse. This isn't a curse."

Megatron was shocked, "How can you say that?" He lowered his voice so the others wouldn't overhear, "You're killing people!"

Orion snarked back, "No, I'm killing bots. Specifically bots with spikes, those guys are just placeholders. They come and they go." He punctuated the end of his sentence with a subtle shrug.