Purgatory Ch. 01

Chapter 1: Out of the Eye and in to the Storm

The nightmare was what woke Samiel Anderson that morning and not the normal high pitched, excessive, electronic bitching of the alarm clock. His mind was still littered with shards and fragments of the bizarre nightmare which shattered upon his awakening. Samiel ran his hands over his face as he sat there at the edge of the bed still trying to wake up. His hands passed over his bald scalp and the hot sweat acted as a lubricant that caused his head to nearly slip out of the trembling grip of his fingers. He couldn't believe they had talked him into it, even sitting there and thinking about it. It was for the cause, no more running, bowing and scraping. But was it right?

Even sitting there surrounded by reality, what was left of the dream embedded in his skull felt so real. He could still hear the screams and gunfire, he could still hear the bullets buzzing as they ricocheted off the buildings and pavements before whizzing through the air. "What kind of crazy shit was that?" Samiel asked the empty air of his room nearly half expecting an answer to a question that couldn't be anything but rhetorical. Only as a child had dreams ever been so vivid, well written and directed.

Samiel looked up from his hands and the familiar sight of his room was of some comfort to him, helping to further disintegrate the already fading dream. The walls were a gallery of pseudo-tough guys with contracts to rap and diamonds to flaunt and flatter with. Ironic many of them rapped about poverty and injustice and yet their precious diamonds may had been apart of some sort of injustice in another country. His floor was still littered with CD's and Games belonging to two different consoles, both rival controllers tangled at the base from excessive use but little care. Behind them stood the dark brown entertainment center holding his Television and Stereo together as if they were both one unit.

Samiel stood to his feet and pulled down the right leg of his black boxers that had become drawn up during what was obviously a fitful sleep. The thin, rectangular remote sat on the floor near the foot of the bed. Crossing over the silver and black comforter he must had kicked off in the middle of the night, Samiel picked it up, aimed at the Stereo and pushed power. The green-blue lights came alive before becoming numbers and words telling which track was sung by who. The speakers began to play and Nas' "It's a small world". For Samiel it was a ritual that commenced every morning he woke up. Naz would be followed by a Song from 2 Pac and then a song by Ray Charles, and then a song by the Doors. An odd mixture, but it all made sense to him.

Samiel first opened his door just enough to stick his head out and peer into the hallway. Pass the light tremor of bass from his speakers, he could hear the tell tale silence alerting him to the absence of his Parents and two younger sisters. He left the door open, no one was home to tell him it was too loud. Had to clear his mind, he had once heard in psychology class that stress was believed to cause nightmares.

It had to be done, he told himself even as he opened the heavy wood drawer and took a pair of black sweats and a gray t-shirt out to wear. Running always helped clear his head. Jonathan was right, if the authorities suspected anything they would have swarmed days or even weeks ago, the rally was tomorrow and not even a peep. Samiel couldn't believe they were actually going to go through with it, he forced himself to stop thinking about it as the anxiety of it all fluttered in his chest.

After he finished dressing for his run, he grabbed his CD player off the bed and left the room without turning off the stereo. His mind was a cacophony of thoughts as he walked down the hallway where all the other rooms, except for the bathroom; doors were all closed. Reaching the steps he looked over at the Family picture framed by the elaborate, heavy oak. Looking at the smiling faces of his Mother, Father, and two Sisters nearly made him feel guilty, but as he began down the steps it cemented his resolve. No more terror and no more fear. But was it right? What if they were caught?

Samiel stepped at the bottom step and turned toward the kitchen, the silence that prevailed in the house caught his attention beyond gratitude suddenly. Everyday the almost inaudible hum of the refrigerator and the endless ticking of the large clock hanging near the darkly colored, circular table where they ate dinner together every Sunday. For a moment Samiel started towards the kitchen then changed his mind and turned walking across the living room, opening the front door and going out.

Just as he crossed the threshold and the large, white front door shut behind him; Samiel pushed play on the dark gray CD player. Hendrix began to play over the round, black speakers covering his ears. He took only a few steps before he stopped and a small sliver of shock registered though him.

The oceanic sky loomed over head for what seemed like infinity in all directions. The soft blues were bleeding into violets and gold's where a few, pristine, white stars could be see sparely spotting parts of the sky. At the horizon the fiery orange was evidence the sun had traveled their to set, it nearly looked like it was glowing. The sky was an eerie and beautiful sight, his father always called that time of day twilight, he heard his grand parents use the same phrase.

"Damn, how long have I been sleep?" Samiel said to no one as he stared up at the sky that loomed massively above him. A second thought followed the first, then a third. How come no one woke him up? And were was everyone if it was nearly evening? Shaking his head he walked to the sidewalk and stretched a little as he pondered it all. With the CD fastened to the side of his sweats, he bent over touching the tips of his toes concealed by the black and gray running shoes his Father had bought him a few months before for his 22th birthday.

They were a bit expensive but the old man said he deserved them for keeping to the straight and narrow, he had to wondered what his Father would say if he knew what he had been doing. Samiel wondered what the old man would say if he knew what was going to happen and that he was going to behind it? His father always said violence rarely solved a problem, it just delayed a far worse situation.

Samiel forced himself to stop thinking about it before he could wonder what his Mother might say, he didn't allow the guilt to build. Instead, Samiel began to jog down the street as he took the same path he always when he cut through the quiet suburb of middle class and upper middle class families. He took out his key to unlock the black, metal gate which separated his court from the nature trail.

There in the immense shadows of the towering pine and birch trees, he fumbled with the key for several minutes before unlocking it and stepping through. It closed behind Samiel and he looked about the trail that lay elevated but along side the wide creek. He took in a breath and it smelled of flowers, plants and trees. The weather was still very warm and across the wide creek Samiel could see the field of gold grass and weeds. On the horizon Samiel could see no sun but there was a strong gold glow.

Samiel began to jog again and as he ran his troubles didn't seem so bad, what was coming had to be done. The music played loudly in his ears and he could feel the leaves and twigs crunching under each step he took. He was beginning to sweat a half an hour into his run, he decided to cut through the park to reach a mini-mart/gas station to buy a bottle of water before going home, showering and then catching up with the rest of the group. With the music still pumping in his ears he turned off the trail and began to jog through the park. The expanse of green grass, sparse pockets of trees and isolated jungle gym greeted him. Yet, those were the only things because the park was as empty as the trail.

Samiel stopped jogging and began to walk as he looked around. On a Friday there were always kids and some dogs having the time of their lives, he wasn't sure what to make of it. There was a dull alert in the furthest reaches of his mind, something too muffled to really cause concern but to arouse curiosity. The trees painted silhouettes replicas across the grass and they seemed to barely sway in the breeze. Samiel could see the store across the street at the corner of the intersection, it wasn't far at all. A speck of movement caught his eye and it caused him to turn his head and look, the sight alleviated his curiosity and silenced the alarm completely. There were two runners coming down the street from a neighboring court near Cougar Elementary. One of them waved at him and Samiel waved back, squinting to see who it was. Most runners stopped at the store on their way back home, he figured he would see who it was when they made their pit stop.

Samiel decided to make the trip a lot shorter by jogging there, he looked both ways before crossing the street. Jogging down the sidewalk he slowed down to a walk before entering the store. He walked down the Magazine isle and straight to the refrigerator, the sliding glass doors trimmed with black was an inviting sight. He pulled the door open and grabbed a bottle of water, it felt cool in his hot palm as he walked back to the register. No one was there and the soft light from the sky touched the edges of the counter.

"HELLO?" Samiel said pulling one side of his earphones off as he looked about. "HELLO?" He called again when there was no response. "Way to kill the competition in the customer service department." Samiel mumbled as he continued to wait for the cashier to return. Finally frustrated, he took out his wallet, took out a dollar and tossed it on the counter before walking out the store as he pulled his earphones back on straight.

Samiel stepped out on the sidewalk and looked towards the runners that continued to approach the store. Samiel was about to unscrew the top to his bottle of water, then he realized he had brought it more out of habit then want. He wasn't thristy at all and that came as a shock after such a long run. He had smiled and was about to wave, but as his smile faded his arm lost power and remained at his side. The faint alert again arose from the depths of his mind, but it roused curiosity instead of fear. The woman was in the lead, she looked a little younger then himself and for a moment he thought he knew her. Her mane of dark brown hair danced wildly as she ran, she wore an over sized black sweater with sleeves that covered her hands and a pair of gray jeans. Her bare feet slapped the cement with each step as she ran at a frantic pace. On her young face there was a mixture of tears and absolute fear.

The man was slightly behind her, and looked much older; wore a unbutton white dress shirt with a t-shirt under it. His mostly undone tie some how remained sloppily around his neck, matching his black slacks and shoes. On his face was a salt and pepper beard that could not hide the same desperation that etched his own face, he was closing in quickly behind the woman as she ran. It became obvious that he was chasing her.

"What in hell?" Samiel asked no one again as he watched the two approaching at such a frantic speed. He looked around for help in case it was needed but seen no one. Samiel took the earphones off and sat them around his neck causing the world to become audible all around him, or at least he could hear the lack thereof. There were no sounds except the two approaching figures.

A growl rose from the older man as he began to catch up to the young woman. Reaching a large hand out, he snatched her by the back of her sleeve, and yanked her hard. The woman screamed in shock just before the man half shoved and half tossed her to the side. Her eyes widen as she stumbled, her arms flailed awkwardly to catch herself with no avail. She lost her footing and fell face first, a hand saved her from nose diving into the cement but her entire body tumbled causing the side of her head to bounce of the ground before she rolled to a stop. The Older man stopped to look at her for just a moment before he started running again, seeming oblivious to Samiel.

Samiel dropped his water and was moving before he realized what he was doing, the violent tumble of the woman triggered something inside of him that has gotten others killed for countless generations, heroics. The two men approached each other, one on purpose and one blindly but the outcome was the same. Samiel cocked and fired his fist, sending the flesh and bone arsenal smashing into the bearded jaw of the older man. The pain erupted in Samiel's fist as both velocities met in a jarring impact which caused the older man to lose his footing, and hit the cement wall of the store. He half caught himself as his hands slapped against the unmoving surface of the wall, before he tumbled off and fell onto his back in a daze.

Samiel's adrenaline ordered he ignore the brief pain as he rushed over the unmoving form of the woman. Kneeling beside her he looked around. "SOMEBODY CALL AN ABMBULANCE!" Rolling the girl over onto her back her hazel eyes stared in a daze towards the sky. She mouthed something before bringing her hand to her head. Samiel looked around once more waiting for someone to come out of their house. "HEY! WE NEED SOME HELP OUT HERE! CALL THE POLICE AND TELL THEM SOMEONE WAS BEING MUGGED OUT HERE!" Samiel yelled again. The woman groaned still trying to come off her daze.

"Keep your goddamn voice down." The older man suddenly said as he rolled onto his hands and knees. "What are you? Some kind of stupid idiot!"

"Stay where you are, old man river!" Samiel looked up from the girl quickly. "The police are on their way! Just relax and don't do anything stupid!"

The older man's face seemed to twist with something akin to hatred and disgust, he barely got to one knee as his face redden and the sweat rolled down his forehead. "The COPS!?" He asked raising his voice, then he suddenly fell into bitter laughter. It was a laughter that wracked his whole body and caused his belly to tremble. The more he laughed the more it seemed to threaten to become tearful. He rubbed his jaw absently as if to soothe whatever pain was there and to check for damages. "Then you stay here and wait for the cops, slick! Let me know how that goes for you."

"Don't move." Samiel barked at the man.

"Fuck you, hero! You stay here with her if you like!" The older man scurried to his feet with a stumble, then took off in a sprint around the corner.

Samiel was going to take off after the older man when he felt a hand snag him by the bottom of his shirt. Samiel looked down into the face of the suddenly startled girl. "We have to get out of here! We have to run!" The girl pulled herself up into a sitting position and looked around with wild hazel eyes. "We have to run!"

"Wait, calm down! The police are on their way, the guy that attacked you ran that way." Samiel pointed towards the corner where the figure had vanished. "Just calm down, and everything will be-

"What? No! No they aren't! Let me go!" The woman yanked out of Samiel's grasp as she kicked into an over drive fueled by panic and fear. She staggered to her feet with the grace of a drunk before she looked around. "I have to get out of here! You have to run! Fuck Henry! We have to go!"

"What are you doing?" Samiel asked as he looked around trying to spot what she was looking for.

"You can't stay here! Run! Just run!" The woman pushed pass Samiel and started to sprint when a sudden squeal rushed from around the corner caused her to stop dead in her tracks. Her form trembled hard under the black sweater and she took several steps back from the path she was about to run.

"What was that?" Samiel asked as his own fears began to ignite.

"Oh my god! Oh my god!" The woman began to cry as she took a few more steps back and began looking around for an obvious and new escape route. "Run! We have to run! Why the hell are you just standing there? You want to die or something, stupid!?" The woman asked him frantically as her head whipped about looking in every direction.

"What the hell is going on?" Samiel asked taking a few steps back unconsciously. A sudden dread filled the air and suddenly he was as frightened as he was confused.

The fear was suddenly too much and it exploded inside of her causing her to become frantic.The woman turned and tore across the street as fast as her legs could carry her. Her bare feet could be heard colliding with the cement until she reached the grass. Samiel took several more steps away before he ran only to stop in the middle of the street, not sure which direction to run but getting the nearly overwhelming urge to do the same. Just then he heard the screaming and heavy footsteps shooting towards the corner, the older man came running from the direction he had original chosen. He had just rounded the corner when he tripped and hit the ground hard. His hands shot up catching him before his fall could become a face dive.

No! He hadn't fell something had him by the leg! Samiel could tell as he watched in wide eyed terror while the man clawed and raked the cement as if trying to pull away. Then it came, a loud, ear assaulting, nauseating crunch that caused the man's entire body to jerk. A scream, something crazed with agony and desperation escaped his wide open mouth. He clawed and raked at the cement all the more frantically when another crunch followed it. Samiel felt the world shatter around him, glued to that spot he stared in horrid disbelief even as his brain yelled at him to run.

Then it came out into the opening as it reached out for the panicking, screaming man with fat, cloven hands. It had to be at least nearly 7 feet, a thing beyond gross obesity and covered in oily, greasy molted flesh. The large, fat legs some how kept the immense rolls of endless fat from touching the ground. It had no neck with a round, pug face. Its immense yellow eyes stared down at the man while glowing a sickly yellow, its body seemed to constantly jiggle and wobble while it continued its disgusting task.

Still holding on it pulled more of the man's leg into its large jaws, while they were open Samiel could see three rows of jagged teeth embbed in its black gums. The man turned onto his back and began kicking at the face of his attacker viciously, he continued to scream while trying to break away. The thing seemed to ignore his kicks as the expensive, deep brown loafer smashed over and over against its bloated face.

The creature then reached out snatching hold of the man's second leg before pulling it into its mouth as well. It began to chew hungrily causing several hideous pops and snaps to assault Samiel's ears. The man's screams became something incoherent and more sound then words. The beast squealed gleefully the entire time it continued to eat. The unfortunate soul's legs became a ruined mess of ragged clothing, flesh and splintered bones.

Samiel couldn't tear himself from the scene as he continued to watch in disbelief. His mind was a sea of white noise that blocked any real thoughts of escape with an overwhelming fear. For a moment, for just a brief moment the man's eyes met Samiel's and he desperately reached a hand out in some mad hope of purchasing salvation from his fate. Samiel took several more steps back. He could not and would not make an attempt. The beast shoved the man further into its mouth until he was just a little over waist deep. In a last attempt synanomous with Custer; the man continued to claw and shove at the greasy face before he halted the creature's progress. His arms trembled hard as the beast squealed with irritation, but it wasn't long before his arms gave out and he slid a little further into the awaiting maw while still screaming his pleads.