Chapter 9: Chapter 9: The Raid

Riley rested against her hands and knees, the top of a table above her back. She kept her breathing steady and soft.

A plastic leg thumped the floor just beyond her hiding spot. Not a leg, but a head and torso mishapenly positioned as one. Its legs moved like a centipedes, just infinetly more jerky and unatural, the plastic surfaces glistening from white drool that seeped down from its many mouths, leaving damp spots on the dark blue carpet.

This monster had evolved from its simpler kin. Its many heads now had mouths and eyes. Most of the head looked like plastic, but the eyes and mouth were made of flesh. Its jaws remained loose and open, exposing rows upon rows of teeth, and its many eyes flickered around in wild dissaray.

Sometimes she could almost make out words from the gurgling groans it would make. She could almost feel sorry for it.

The creature froze. Riley made eye contact with Julio who hid precariously between the backs of two arcade machines. If it noticed either of them, the plan had been to run in opposite directions so that one of them might live.

To her relief, the monster ambled forward, slowing before the entrance of an abandonded burger shop. It crashed into a figure of a smiling clown, knocking if over.

A slimy cracking noise sounded from the monster. Riley was forced to watch as it finished its transformation, hair sprouting from its many heads, plastic turning into skin.

And the hair on its heads turned colorfull. Its skin turned painted white. It was modelling itself after the clown for some horrific reason.

It swung its heads around in agony, at last resting its body against the floor. Riley's heart pattered in her chest. Any second and one of those heads could open their eyes, and see her.

She began to slide out of her hiding spot.

The clown monster shot open its eyes. It smiled at her. "Want to play a game?"

"What the fuck!" Riley cried.

The smile widened to its ears, razored teeth fitting together seamlessly.

"How about hide and seek?" It raised its many hands to cover its many eyes. "One. Two..."

***

Henry drove through the vibrant arcade. Beeping sounds. Lights now flashing with full intensity. The power had restored fully.

Henry glanced at Alysa. He wondered if it had someting to do with their encounter with that thing.

He slowed before Tiger's Pizza. It had a massive one to one replica of a tiger holding up a pizza with its clawed paw. This was the destination Henry had told his friends to go to if anything went wrong. He frowned. Beside a table hockey machine, the carpeted floor looked sopping wet.

It smelled bad too.

He looked afar at their desinated meeting spot, not to far from the Burger Fry. Why couldn't he see them?

Henry pointed. "See anyone."

Alysa raised her sniper rifle, peering through its large scope. "No, sir."

Henry looked into the pizzareria. "Is anyone in there?"

Silence.

"I told them to come here if anything went wrong," Henry said, voice nearly breaking at the end. Why had he left Riley alone? "We have to look for them."

He went to press the gas but Alysa's hand fell atop his own.

"Be at ease, big man. If they've been captured, we don't want to rush into it."

"Okay, maybe you're right, but what do we do?"

"We need to know our enemy first."

The Conjoined. His fingers tightened on the wheel, red luminesnce sifting between his fingers.

Know your enemy.

Henry recalled everything he knew about the Faceless and Hungered Ones, and a new plan began to take shape in his mind. He sat taller in his seat.

For starters, the Hungered Ones would soon be drawn by the smell of dead flesh. He needed to place the body.

He accelerated forward. "What do you see at the Burger Fry?"

"Freaks and more freaks."

"They're just cooking?"

"Yes, sir."

That was good. The Conjoined likely shared vision with the rest of the Faceless. If his friends were hiding from the Conjoined, it must not have seen them.

After about a hundred yards, Henry lowered Riley's mother gently with the forks. He angled them forward and backed up, leaving behind the body. Next he began a slow drive toward their meeting place, keeping a close eye on the surroundings.

The meeting spot was empty.

Henry glanced back at Burger Fry. One of the Hungered Ones sniffed the air. It rose from its seat in a powerfull motion, knocking over the table and the discarded fast food boces atop it. After a few seconds the other two caught the sense as well.

Tension traveled through his arms and legs. It was the perfect moment to snatch some food and drinks. Even if the cups weren't as large, and they didn't have access to the bags behind the counter, they could still haul away good amount, assuming the Faceless would remain nonhostile.

Henry made the split second decision to continue driving. He knew exactly the spot Riley and Julio had gone to retrieve the supplies.

After a quick drive, the resturant came into view up ahead. Henry spotted the abadonded bag filled with large cardboard cups, and a roll of bags beside it. He slowed beside them.

"Riley!" he whispered sharply.

Nothing.

"They could be anywhere," he said. "We need to lure the monster away from them. I think I know the best way." He leaned out the side of his seat to grab the bags and cups.

***

Riley cowered behind a food counter, pen and notepad in hand. Her fingers trembled as she desperately tried to come up with something to write.

She had no idea what it would do. But it was main specialty. She had to believe in herself. Why was that so hard? Even in the face of death?

I wish to be somewhere else, she wrote.

She half-expected an instant teleportation. Maybe a portal? Neither of those things happened of course. The system was proving all of her assumptions correct.

The sound of the clown drew near. It hummed and giggled to itself. Worse was the stone on stone sound of it grinding its many sets of teeth together.

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Maybe her writing power worked with descriptions instead?

Her pen pressed against the lined paper, waiting. She could descripe a weapon! But what weapon would be good enough?

"How they scream!" The clown giggled. "Teeth sinking into their buns!"

Riley hunched over lower. Best to just try describing something. If that really was her power, it would be quite powerfull, but she doubted the system would let her use it all the time. That meant she had to get it right the first time.

Assuming this was how it would work. But how else could it work? Perhaps she was intened to write normally, and then by having someone read her writing, they would recieve some kind of boon or buff. Maybe she was meant to recite it.

The clown's steps came closer. "Burger Fry. Where burgers go to die. Where are you my little burgers?"

She could describe a bomb. Yes. But no. She didn't know anything about bombs. Or guns. She could describe something long and pointy, but much good that would do.

The carpet trembled from the force of the Conjoined's legs falling just beyond her hiding spot.

Just try something, damn you.

The clown released a horrific bark, so loud and frightening, it nearly seized Riley's heart in her chest. The monster crawled away, picking up speed.

Riley peeked over the top of the counter. Henry. This was his doing, she was certain. "Julio?" she whispered.

The cowboy peeked out of his hiding spot. "Aye, gaucha."

"Do you have ammo?"

"Si! My pistol does not run out you see." He popped out the cartridge, emptying the rounds. When he gave it a spin, six more bullets appeared inside.

"It will have to be enough."

They could have had more. She could have written something.

***

A Faceless flipped burgers in the back. Another one stood behind the register. Another one helped with food assembly, the final helping whereever was needed.

Henry filled cup after cup with water, capping them off with plastic lids as Alysa grabbed paper bags of completed meals, tucking them inside larger plastic bags, all while staring down the Faceless with a look of discomfort.

"I don't get it," Alysa said. "Why don't they attack us?"

"Maybe we want them too," he said.

She looked at him like he was crazy.

"Unless we get them riled up, how can we expect to draw the monster here?"

"No offense," she said." But I've never seen this monster, or your friends for this matter."

"If you don't believe me, then you can leave," Henry snapped.

"Maybe I should. I got what I was looking for."

Henry grabbed the nearest Faceless, slamming its head untill it crumpled onto the floor dead. Every head shot to stare at him.

A roar sounded in the distance. It tickled deep in his chest. "Now we go," he said.

He nearly jumped into his seat, Alysa falling in beside him. He hit the gas. That roar had not been the Hungered Ones, although he was certain...

The largest Hungered One came charging in to view. He could believe how much speed it had. It slammed through the machines like a line backer, barreling straight toward the Burger Fry. It had trouble changing directions, and it slammed into the counter, crashing into the resturant.

"Riley!" Henry shouted.

He drove fast. Faster than he felt comfortable.

"If you slowed down, I could put a bullet in their heads."

"And how are you so sure that will kill them?"

"Oh my..."

"What?" Henry followed her gaze. The conjoined. A horrific many headed clown with gaping jaws.

Alysa raised her gun, shooting a hole through one of the many heads. It fell limp. But their were twoo dozen where that came from.

Another gun sounded. Henry spotted Julio and Riley behind him.

The monster was between them both. He had to lead it away and circle back. "Keep shooting it!" he said.

He drove as fast as the thing could go. Even then it began to close distance. Henry took a sharp U-turn around a pillar that supported the ceiling. Its many arms and legs crawled around the side of it, jaws open, ready to swallow him hole.

And he was driving back toward his friends. Riley leading the way. Julio struggling to catch up. Henry slowed for Riley first. She nearly threw herself onto his lap, Julio grabbing onto the side a moment later.

"Where are we go?" Riley asked.

"Look for a door!" Henry said. "It won't be able to fit through one of those."

"Over there!" Alysa pointed with her rifle.

Henry turned sharply, barely avoiding the clown as it closed the gap, sliding out across the floor with the sudden change in direction, and slamming into several machines, toppling them.

"I won't be finished, until I've had my meal!" the clown roared.

Henry sped toward the door. It was plain and unmarked. He really hoped it went somewhere and wasn't just a broom closet.

He braked hard just before it.

"Hurry!" he commanded, scooping up the two bags filled with foods and water. Riley opened the door, holding it open for Julio, then Alysa. Henry was the last to pass through. He dissmised the forklift mentally.

Riley slammed the door shut behind them, locking it.

Slowly Henry turned around, praying that they weren't enclosed in a small space.

He turned around. It was a broom closet.

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