REX [WattyAwards2015]

chapter xxii :: heart stops beating

Jack understood what the dreams meant.  He knew what the fire stood for.  He knew what the hallway meant.  He knew what the concrete box was for.  It was all to prepare him for a nightmare he had never imagined.  He had seen the scariest things in his life, but nothing could compare to what he was about to perform.

In silence, as if Time had slowed down to a crooked waltz, Jack watched as Nigel stepped into view.  His friend's eyes were locked on his, betrayal passing over his face like a dark shadow.  Brittany stood quietly on Nigel's right side while Archer stood on his left.  They all stared at Jack, faces showing emotions he had never seen in either of them.  Brittany's face was still and quiet, yet, her eyes showed an ocean of questions.  Archer stood with her arms crossed, an eyebrow slightly arched, challenging Jack into doing whatever he was planning.  And then there was Nigel, who had lost all trust in Jack.

Closing his eyes and letting his head drop for a moment, he thought.  But he didn't think with his mind, which was what Rex had full access to, but he let his heart speak.  The wispy balance between doubt and confidence passed like a seasonal wind and was replaced with a solid decision he couldn't ignore now.  Analyzing the situation, he remembered the angel was inside of Nigel.  He knew whatever Nigel was thinking, Rex couldn't read his mind.  He also knew Nigel was the only person who knew him better than anyone else.  

"Nigel," Jack spoke, his voice shaking slightly.

Nigel tilted his head upwards, acknowledging the address.  "What, mate?"

"You know you're my best friend, right?"

Nigel smirked.  "Yeah, of course."

"What are you doing, Jack?  You're wasting your time," Rex snarled.

"Do you trust me?"  Jack asked, his voice rising.  He gritted his teeth as the tattoo on his hand began burning white.

Nigel grabbed the back of his neck where his tattoos were.  He dropped to his knees, crying out in pain.  "Jack!  Make it stop!"

Archer stared at Nigel, her eyes wide and mouth opened partly in horror.  Under her breath, she said to herself, "whatever is happening, it's killing the angel."  She snapped her head up and turned and glared at Jack.  "Whatever you're doing, stop it!  The angel is dead!"         

Jack looked up at her through squinting eyes.  "I can't.  He's killing us!"  His eyes landed on the three-headed dog, who was smiling ever so slightly.  He could feel the darkness lowering down on them, smothering them with a hate and power none of them could ever fight back.

Coughing and clutching her chest, Brittany staggered over to Jack and grabbed his burning hand.  "Jack, what's happening?  Jack?"

Before Brittany could ask any more questions, Jack placed his hand behind her neck and closed the space between them with a kiss.  For a moment, the pain in his body stopped and he forgot where he was.  The fire exploding around them and the whirling grey smoke twisting above them faded in the background. 

Brittany broke the kiss, her hand on his face and the other hand interlocked with his.  "Jack."

"What?"

"Do you hear that?"

Looking behind him, he saw the Gates groan and the ground rumbled beneath them.  He couldn't believe it.  That was the key.  A fairy tale kiss.  One that was pure, innocent, and untainted from the cruelty of humanity.  

Rex's hackles rose and his beastly heads snaked down and glowered at Jack, knowing he had been tricked.  "Your soul is still in the bargain.  And your friends will still die."

"We don't have any weapons," Nigel stated blatantly, "and we all can't kiss to make another magical  thing happen.  So, what's the plan?"

"I'm thinking!"  Jack shouted.  

"You do remember it has three-heads, right?"  Archer said through a nervous laugh.  Her hands gripped tighter around Nigel's arms.  "We all got down here somehow, we should be able to get out."

"You think?"  Nigel replied, almost in an argumentative tone.  "What, like a pass?"

Jack's thoughts were whirling, tearing through idea after idea, but none had a solid ending.  "Nigel, were you with Archer when you came down here?"

"Yeah, why?"

"He's getting closer, friends," Archer said, shrinking lower to the ground.

"The markings, Nigel.  The marking on your neck and mine on my hand-- they're like our passports."

"Then cut them off."  Archer grabbed Nigel roughly by the neck and began scrapping at the skin that housed the symbols.  Nigel fought against her, but she persisted violently.  

Brittany took Jack's hand and stared at the marking.  "It might be the passport, Jack.  I was with you when we fell through.  I probably wouldn't have been able to come with you if you didn't have this."

"We need to get rid of it, then."  Clenching his jaw, Jack began tearing at his flesh until the symbol became disfigured and soaked in his own blood.

"How smart.  Now that you've destroyed your ticket out of here, now what are you going to do?"

Without saying a word, Jack responded through his thoughts.  "You're right, there is no way out for us.  Just as there won't be for you."  Jumping to his feet, he hurried his friends to his feet, shouting orders at them.  "Run through the Gate!"

"Are you crazy?"  Nigel shouted, "You trying to kill us?"

"Trust me, please, Nigel!  Run through it!" 

Archer was the first to obey.  "Come on, guys, spread out.   The jerk may have only three-heads, but he has one body.  He can still only go in one direction."  Sprinting off into the fog, Archer began shrinking into the distance.  

Nigel groaned in frustration and started after her.

Brittany, terrified, clutched onto Jack.  "What are you doing?"

"Just run, now!" 

Without resistance, Brittany broke off and joined the others, leaving Jack by himself.

"That was useless.  You know how many demons will be after them now?"

"You're right.  But, what does that make you -- the Master's trusted guard dog -- if you let three strangers into the Gates.  You know they weren't chosen to be here.  Now, take my soul, free my friends, and go home." 

With a low, throttling growl, Rex bowed his three-heads and breathed in deeply.  The soil stirred and Jack felt everything living inside of him shrink together into one source of energy.  Breathing became harder and harder and the strength in his legs gave out.  He met the ground with a dull thud.  His life was being sucked from him.  

The six red eyes glowered at him and once of twice Jack saw the white fangs reflecting off of the surrounding flames.  "I've freed your friends, Jack.  I consider the mission complete now.  Thank you."   And then, without a shadow or a sign, the last thing Jack saw were three, vulturous jaws stretching wide with carnivorous hunger.   A thunderous laugh echoed around him and then there was darkness.  Complete darkness.