Chapter 13 – The Gods of War

Since brute force didn’t work, Lynette stops to tries something different. She leans her head while quietly tries the lock to know of what kind it is. From the other side, noises of chewing and swallowing come clearly, beneath the loud music. Lynette loses control and starts beating, kicking and screaming at a time.
Suddenly, the door is opened and a small fat guy, half bald, looks at her.
– Yes? What is it? – says looking at her bothered.
– My friend. I want to see my friend –
– You’re wrong. There’s nobody else but me and my mother –
– Yes, he is! –
– You’re making a mistake. Look for your person somewhere else –
– He is here! I saw him enter –
The more she gets furious, the lower her voice descents.
– You wanna see? – says with a cranked smile.
Lynette gets straight, leans her hands on her swords and says, calmed and serious:
– Of course, sir. I wanna know –
– Get in –
The guy opens up the door to let her in. Lynette walks into the room, knowing she’ll fight until her last drop of blood.
At her back, the lock cracks.

 – Where’s Spencer? – asks Lynette with a hand ready on the katana.
– I told you. There’s nobody else here –
Lynette sees tiny dry pieces, old leftovers from previous meals.
When she turns around find the guy a little fatter and with some tentacles rising from his back. Lynette unsheathes the katana and fights, but she doesn’t want to, she wants to find Spencer quickly. Because this guy, this thing couldn’t eat him so fast, right? He’s hidden, imprisoned somewhere, isn’t it?
But the more she cuts its tentacles, the more they grow. And meanwhile, she’s wasting precious time. She jumps, strikes and avoids as she looks around. Only two doors close and a creature impossible to beat.
Watching everything, an old fat woman sat on a rattan chair in a corner.

Bruce looks around but the only thing he sees is a somewhat small Harley Davidson.
He wanted something bigger, but maybe something bigger would be impossible to drive for him. And he’s running out of time. Big or small, he steals it planning to crash it against the door.
But once he gets closer he realises that Lynette isn’t there. Scared, he drives surrounding the bungalow looking for her. A crystal explodes and Lynette falls and rolls over the sand and window pieces.
Bruce accelerate, take her by her arm and runs.

 – Get back –  says Lynette trying not to fall. She’s only partially sat on the bike, with one hand still holding her katana.
– Shut up –
– Spencer is there. They couldn’t eat him so fast –
– Right. –
Bruce gulps. The only idea of his mate been eaten upsets his guts.  He stops, turns his head and faces her with an open hand.
– Give me one –  says expecting the katana.
But she sheaths the katana and offers him the wakizashi.
– What the…?!! –
Lynette looks serious right into his eyes.
– I have my reasons –
– Right. –  he says unconvinced – Let’s go –
Bruce drives to the bungalows again. He leaves the bike next to the broken window, so they can jump and runaway.
They get in the house through the window. Now this place seems to be empty. Maybe they’re gone? Maybe now is too late?

Two big fat creatures, all tentacles and short legs, appear behind them, cutting their escape way.
Bruce and Lynette look each other.
«Let’s finish this fast and clean»
For the creatures still have recognisable shapes like head and body, they have a good guess about where to aim at.
But again, the chopped tentacles quickly grow again and the fight seems to have no end.
«They’re tiring us» thinks Bruce while jumping to avoid them.
Lynette gets trapped by one of the creatures. The thing opens a big mouth full of uneven sharp teeth. She stays still until being next to it, then she stabs its head as deep as she can without losing control over her sword. She retires her katana but the creature, in fury and pain, throws her violently. She falls on a table and drops on the floor like a ragdoll.
Bruce is desperate now. He doesn’t know if she’s unconscious or dead. The stabbed creature moves towards her but he can do nothing, he has his own creature to keep at bay.
The stabbed one falls apparently fainted or dying.
Bruce sees his chance. Runs putting some distance and then run directly to the moving creature, jumps over it and tries to chop its head. But his sword is too short so he can only make a deep cut. The creature gets rid of him and moves a bit towards the other one. Then attacks Bruce again. Trying to avoid it and think at the same time, Bruce slips and fall. The creature grab him by a leg. He manages to cut the tentacle falling to the ground. Then runs and stabs creature’s head from below. The creature moves pushing him away.
And then it falls.
Carefully, Bruce stands up still en garde. None of the creatures moves.
Then, he approaches Lynette, kneels next to her and touches her neck looking for heartbeats. Much to his relief he finds them. Bruce stands up looking around.
Two closed doors, nothing else.
He opens one door; is darkened inside and the smell of rotten things prevents him from entering. He close it firmly. He takes a breath and tries the other door.
This is a luminous and spacious kitchen. Bruce spots Spencer’s foot on the floor.  With a flash of hope he rushes inside…  Only to find pieces of guts and limbs stained in blood. Bruce feels nauseous needing to lean himself somewhere not to fall fainted. He crawls out of the kitchen closing the door firmly behind him. After some moments, he clears his own mind. Now he feels the urgency of getting the hell out of there.
Bruce takes Lynette forcing her to stand and walk. Somehow she manages to move. He pushes her through the window as he passes as well. Now, she’s half awake. Bruce carries her to the bike, sits her down on it, placing himself to drive.
– Hug me. Tight. –
Lynette doesn’t speak but obey.
Bruce starts the motorbike and drive towards their bungalows. He’ll take everything, including Spencer’s bags, and run away.  It doesn’t matter where, as faraway as possible.