REX [WattyAwards2015]

chapter xxi :: the broken hero

The entire Criteria.  Jack was the sacrifice.  The messenger.  The guardian.  And the leader.  His friends, Brittany, Nigel, and Archer were only there to bring him to the end of the story.  Why was it him?  He was only a senior at Reynolds High-school and grew up in a city called Winston-Salem.  His hobbies consisted of sports, fishing, and girls -- not a knight in rusted armor.  Jack couldn't believe what was happening, but as he stood face to face to the Devil's dog, Jack knew his purpose.  He couldn't back down now.

Rex, with his ferocious fangs and massive body of muscles and bones, arched his back and approached Jack.  The growling shook the ground and each step sent Jack's body rattling violently. 

If only Nigel was standing by his side.  If only his best friend was free from whatever spell he had been under.  How could Jack be the sacrifice when it felt as if Nigel had already died?  What was the next step?  Jack swallowed and stood still, watching the Darkness come closer and closer.  His hair whipped up from his face, but it wasn't the wind, but the deep breathing from the beast.

"What do I do?"  Jack asked, partly to himself, partly to the angel inside of him. 

There was no response. 

Shaking his head, Jack shrugged off the idea that there was someone helping him.  He was alone in a fight that determined the survival of three other people.  If he failed, he failed them too.  Bending his knees slightly and calculating his next moves, Jack waited for the perfect moment.  He watched every movement of the dog, catching the slight twitches in the rounded shoulders and the wincing beneath the red eyes.  The three heads reared and howled, making Jack want to turn and run away.  But he couldn't. 

When he saw the magic gap in Time for him to make his one chance to execute his plan, Jack ran as fast as he could toward Rex.  The dog's middle head opened wide, preparing to scoop up Jack and devour him.  But Jack didn't give the dog the satisfaction.  The moment Rex opened his mouth, Jack planted his left foot on the bottom jaw and pushed himself up as the jaws closed.  The head wasn't as big as Jack had imagined it to be, but it was big enough for one of the dog's noses to be three times the width of his own head.

Climbing up onto the dog's snout, Jack ran up the head, down the neck, and across the back.  However, once he was on the spine, Rex spun around and bucked, sending Jack flying into the air.  The serpent tail swung upwards and the snack's jaws snapped down on Jack's shoulder.  It wasn't until he struck the ground did he notice blood pouring from an open wound.  Wincing, Jack pushed himself off the ground and realized he was closer to the Gates.  Believing in his speed, he began running towards the faded iron bars.

Rex howled and leaped over Jack and landed in front of him.  The three jaws sent out a roar so loud, Jack tumbled to the ground, holding his ears.  When the sound deceased, Jack opened his eyes and made for the Gate again.  He saw Rex raise a paw, but he ignored it.  He would dodge when it was time. 

"Jack!" came a girl's voice.

Turning his head, he saw Brittany standing  a few feet from the Gate, urging him to run faster.  Was she only in his head?  He wasn't sure again, but it was the motivation he needed.  Sending more strength down to his feet, he pushed the ground away from him, gaining on the Gate.

"Jack!"  came another voice.  This time, it was a boy's voice.

Looking behind him, he saw Rex pinning Nigel to the floor with a giant paw crushing the already wounded boy's chest with claws extended. 

Jack stopped and looked at Brittany and then at Nigel.  For a brief moment, he thought about leaving Nigel -- letting him be the sacrifice as he was supposed to be.  But he couldn't.  If it was true he was the Criteria, then he knew he could save Nigel.  Pivoting on his heels, he sprinted to his friend, watching the dog grin with pleasure.

"Nigel, hold on!"  Jack threw himself into another heart-pounding run.  Pain ripped through his body and the wound in his shoulder was spewing blood.  Panting, Jack jumped up, kicked off a nearby wall, and landed beside Nigel.  Staring at his friend's almost lifeless eyes, Jack grabbed his wrist and looked up at Rex.  He wasn't sure how he was going to save Nigel, it now seemed like a dead end...literally.

"Jack, you have to let me die.  I realized my purpose in this," Nigel coughed. 

"No.  I'll protect you."  Gripping tight onto Nigel's hand, Jack begged and pleaded to the angel inside of him to leave his soul and protect Nigel's. 

At first, nothing happened.  And what was strange was that Rex didn't touch him.  It was as if the angel inside of Jack was protecting him from Rex in many more ways than one.  If having the angel inside of him meant that he couldn't be killed by the Cerberus, than perhaps channeling the angel into Nigel would protect him from the three-headed dog?

Jack, with eyes still squeezed shut, heard a voice.  It wasn't audible.  But he heard it.  And it didn't sound like Rex's voice.

"I can't come back to you if I leave you."

"Just save him, please!"  Jack whispered.  Before a second could tick by, Jack's body trembled and he felt his soul release the angel into Nigel.  The moment the angel left him, Rex let out a screaming bay and lifted his paw off of Nigel.   "Run, Nigel!"

Nigel struggled to his feet and started off into a direction that lead into the fog.

"Come on, you!  I'm right here!"  Jack called out to Rex.

Furious, Rex latched eyes on Jack and snarled. 

"Oh, Jack.  You've been using an angel to help you?  Now that he's gone, you're dead."

"We're going to get out of here, and you're going to be locked in here forever."

"You can't do that without the key."

Rex was right.  There had to be a key to send the Cerberus back to Hell.  And it had to be a pure soul: innocent and untouched. 

Breathing heavily, Jack turned his eyes to the Gate.  The way the smoke spiraled and swirled menacingly into the air, Jack felt hopeless again.  He wasn't innocent or untouched.  His soul wouldn't be able to open the Gates.  But what if he tried? 

"Take me."

"What?"

"Take my soul, please."

"I only have one chance back to Hell, Jack.  If yours fails, then we'll be all trapped here forever.  You and me in an endless battle.  You really want to be caught between Heaven and Hell forever?"

"It's worth it.  Take my soul.  Go back home so my friends can go home, please."

"Oh, look at you, pleading a deal with Hell.  Tsk, tsk, this won't end well for you, Jack.  On a side note, how would you like to die?  Trapped in a cell with yourself and all your sins talking to you?  Or, painfully shredded like all your friends will experience?"

"If there's an angel here, why not use him as the key?"

Rex scoffed. "That would kill the fun, won't it? Do you even know what's involved with being the key?"

"Giving up my soul, right?"

"Yes. But then you live in the Gates: forever letting hopeless souls in, but never out. Forever is a long time, Jack."

"What if I kill my friends and give my soul to you?"

Rex's jaws closed slowly and contemplation washed over the three faces. A smirk tugged at the leathery gums. "That's the best idea you've had since I met you. I'll bring them out for you."