Purgatory Ch. 01

The jaws came down hard causing a loud pop as it severed the spine and released gouts of blood dribbling down the Beast chin and gut. The man jerked awkwardly before going completely limp and hanging lifeless from the jaws that had ended his life in a brutal massacre. Besides for a few death spasms he had gone completely still and silent. The thing squealed ferociously before shaking its prey like a vicious dog. Blood spattered thickly on the cement and store's glass doors. While the first continued devouring the ruined remains, a second and almost identical beast rushed around the corner sniffing as if it could smell the blood.

It watched with big gleaming eyes as it drooled with envy and greed. Then the second beast snatched hold of the dead man's torso with its jaws and began to fight the first monstrosity for a piece of the kill. They snorted while fighting over the corpse until it began to give under the brutality. First the clothes and skin gave with an audible sound, until muscle and sinew stretched with bloody spurts like gory elastic. Tearing with the dexterity of several runny, dribbling ropes and threads then altogether ripping to release the messy, organs onto the ground below. The partially crushed spine was the last thing to offer a moment of resistance before popping.

Samiel felt as if he was going mad when red and black horror exploded in his skull, never had he witnessed anything like what he found himself staring at. It was all so unreal, he was unsure if his eyes were telling the truth anymore. He was just a spectator in a tale of carnage he couldn't believe or turn away from. It suddenly became interactive when one of the creatures looked up with a monstrous, hog like snort. Its big yellow and black eyes so much like those vacant eyes of a fish looked upon him, but in them were a sort of glee before it released the same sound much louder and pronounced then began running at him. It was another squeal and for a moment it reminded Samiel of the fieldtrip his 3rd grade class went on to a large farm. That sound reminded him of the hogs that fed from slop even as the Farmer spoke to them all. It was like their greedy squeal but louder and more bizzare.

Samiel stumbled back before he turned and began running, panic took him by the hand and led him through the park at speeds he had never achieved before at any other point in his life. It was a run fueld with more then just the possible compliment or award, it was a sprint for his very life. Samiel screamed at some points as he fled, the situation suddenly was very real and he just wanted to get away. In his mind he had regressed and could only think of home, the safety of his house.

He could hear the squealing in the distance behind him, his heart nearly stopped when he heard a second squeal joining it. Ahead he could see the woman standing at the start of the nature trail, she was looking around as if trying to figure out which way to run. He couldn't think long enough to be a gentleman, he shot pass her as he ran down the trail. "This way!" He called over his shoulder. She jumped at his sudden appearance but began to run after him. The squeals were closer, somewhere in the park and steadily gaining.

The two roared down the winding path, ignoring the shrubs and branches that slapped at their person. Samiel caught himself at the gate though he nearly slammed into it. He took out his keys and began fumble with it as he searched for which was the right one out of the four. The woman stumbled up behind him catching herself on his shoulder, she spun around staring down the path as she heard the squealing getting closer steadily.

"Hurry!" She said turning back to him. "You have to hurry!"

"Shut up!" Samiel said as her voice only caused him to fumble all the more with the key.

The squealing grew closer and more frantic with an almost excited glee. The woman turned looking down the trail, she was beside herself with fear and it caused her to turn back to the fence and she jumped. She grabbed the bars of the gate and began trying to climb it in a panic. Grabbing the top of the gate she began pulling herself up using her feet, trying to throw herself over the tall gate.

"Fuck it!" Samiel shoved the keys back into his pocket and jumped grabbing the top of the gate, he hauled himself over effortlessly and landed on the other side. The squealing was much too close, it bounced off the houses of the court and filled the air. For a moment Samiel began to run as fear deemed it necessary to put the law of "Every man for himself." in to affect. It was a primal response. Flight or fight. Flight easily won.

"Wait! Please!" The woman screamed out frantically to him in sheer desperation. She turned sideways trying to reach the knob by stretching her arm and part of her narrow shoulder through the bars. When her hand could not reach the handle of the gate to pull it open she turned forward once more yanking and pulling at the bars. It wouldn't give or yield. She began reaching out to him desperately. "Don't just leave me like this! Please open the gate! Don't let it get me! It will kill me! Please open the gate! It will kill me! Don't let it get me! Wait! Don't leave! Open the gate for me!"

Samiel made a u-turn before he even knew he was doing it or what motivated him to turn and face what was obviously coming. He had gotten more then several yards away and the sudden and harsh change of direction nearly caused him to lose his footing. He stumbled with his first few steps but then was rushing back to the gate. The squealing was something demonic and animalistic all in one horrible sound as it pierced the air. It mingled with the woman's panicked screams nearly causing him to lose his nerve as he rushed for the gate.

As Samiel approched he caught sight of one of the monstrosities barreling down the trail, its big yellow eyes gleamed and it readied its jaws in preperation. It's molted colored skin glistened with a thick greasy sort of sheen. As it stampeded forward the immense, obese body jiggled endlessly. The woman heard the heavy foot steps and spun to look. The sight caused her to lose all words when she erupted into a loud, shrill scream of impending doom. There was nothing she could do but press as hard as she could to the gate and cover herself with her arms.

Samiel snatched the knob before yanking the gate open. Reaching out he grabbed the woman by the back of her sweater and yanked her through with such force that it threw the two of them off balance. Stumbling back with her Samiel fell awkwardly onto his side and elbow sending a sharp pain through his arm and shoulder. He broke most of the woman's fall. She screamed as the beast continued to rush forward with a powerful squeal of hunger. The her eyes became two hazel and white saucers as she froze staring in complete terror. Samiel rolled onto his back just as the creature was upon them and he kicked the gate as hard as he could causing it to slam shut.

The gate rattled hard as the beast slammed into it with enough force to cause many of the bars to bend. Just as the woman and Samiel got to their feet in panic the creature's fat arm shoved painfully through one of the spaces in the bars and snatched hold of Samiel by the back of his shirt. The thing continued to try and run forward in its single minded objective to devour Samiel. It's jaws opened to impossible widths while it collided and shoved against the gate viciously. Its teeth rattled over the bars every time it tried another futile angle and upon its breath their reeked the foul odor of carrion. Saliva spattered from its large jaws coating parts of the bars. Its greasy, oily body emitted an almost over powering stench that was a lot like a mixture of rotting fish, peeled onions and very bad B.O. For a moment the insanely powerful smell made his fear stricken mind flash back to the tear gas chamber he faced in basic training.

The woman screamed as she fell back into a sitting position. The second beast collided into the gate and began reaching for Samiel as well. Their greasy hands leaving dark, thick, greasy smears all over his skin and shirt. She felt rooted by fear, she got to her feet to turn and run to save herself. Yet, some how she found herself running towards him before her hands reached out and grabbed one of his. Samiel struck at the creatures fat, cloven hands as he yelled for them to release him. Their arms brushed over her face as she pulled him, the smell burned her eyes and nearly made her gag. Finally he twisted in his shirt and pulled out leaving them with just the ruined material.

Samiel stumbled back when he yanked out of his shirt and he bumped into the woman. They backed away from the gate with clumsy, awkward steps, staring in maddening disbelief for several seconds. To look upon such unimaginable things felt like madness, they were monsters in the plainest since of the word. One of the creatures snorted wildly while devouring the shirt. Samiel's slender form was taunt with stressed muscles under his dark skin laden with scratches from the clawing hands of the two beast. The woman stumbled away coughing and gagging from the smell, she had nearly fallen down to her knees as her eyes watered. Both creatures collided over and over into the gate, their one blinding desire to devour the two before them was beyond even feral instict. They squealed wildly, their immense jaws snapping and biting at the gate which impeded their progress.

"Come on!" Samiel reached down and grabbed her hand even as she doubled, coughing and gagging from the smell. For a moment he though she would vomit and he prayed she could keep going if she did, there was no time for stalls or hesitation.

"Where!? Where can we go!?" The woman asked near hysterical. "They will just follow us!"

"Just shut up and follow me!" Samiel ran with her as fast as he could, the gate constantly rattling and the squeals of the beast growing louder as they watched their food running away. Just as they reached the corner nearly a block away, Samiel and the woman heard the crash of the gate as the metal surrendered and hit cement.

"They broke in!" The woman exclaimed. "Oh shit! They'll get us now! What the hell are we going to do!?"

Samiel didn't answer or ask. Nearly exhausted and his skin stinging with that clinging stench, he kept running with her down the block as he dragged her along. She wasn't a runner and she was out of breath, he had to little pull her even as she tried to catch her breath and continue to keep pace. Sometimes she nearly stopped but Samiel would yank her along, forcing her to keep going. The front door were the gates of heaven as he approached. He could hear the beast running down the block as they called excitedly while giving chase. It was a lot like Tag in Samiel's mind really, if they don't see them hide then they have the search...at least he was praying it would be a lot like tag. He thanked God he left the front door unlocked. He nearly tripped as he stumbled in over the threshold before yanking the woman in then closing the door quickly. Breathing hard, he locked the locks quickly.

"Where are we?" The woman asked with a tremble still surging through her voice. She leaned heavily on the banister of the steps completely out of breath and sweating profusely. "God, my chest really hurts. I feel like I can't breathe..."

"Shh." Samiel replied harshly before pointing up the stairs. "Go hide up there! Don't make a sound...." Samiel said even as he tried to catch his breath.

The woman held a hand to her chest watching him obviously frighten, her pale hazel eyes told him she was unsure to trust him. "What?"

"It will be okay. Just trust me...please!" Samiel said to her as gently as the situation allowed. Finally she turned and ran up the steps nearly stumbling from exhaustion and keeping her hand to her chest, he could hear her breathing even then. Samiel watched her for a minute before he rushed up after her trying to be as quiet as possible, trying to be rational as his heart threatened to explode and his mind was filled with all the scary stories he had ever heard as a child. He pushed open his second youngest sister's door and rushed in. It was a pink paradise for little girls, a place of bears, dolls, cartoon posters and lace.

Samiel stopped feeling himself tremble as he stood there in front of the window, needing the courage to dare look out and see his possible demise. He pulled the curtain only an inch to the side and peaked out, and a chill ran wildly up his spine. Below he could see the two beast looking about, the grotesque nightmares seemed to be sniffing the air as they made hog like noises to one another. Their big, yellow eyes rolled all about as they searched anxiously.

One looked about a little longer before its impossible maw opened several feet and it unleashed an inhuman sound of fustration and eternal hunger. The sight was nearly enough to make Samiel fall away from the window, to run and hide anywhere. The two then turned and began to run down the street as they squealed loudly together. Samiel felt his legs give out beneath him and he fell to the floor, the wall supported his back as he sat there breathing hard. Trying to understand and make sense of everything he seen. The fear and the adrenaline collided into one another and the survivor was the pure disbelieving fear he felt and. So many questions but no strength or resolve to want answers.

Samiel sat there trying to stop himself from shaking for nearly over a half an hour, trying to get himself together and rationalize what had happened. For a while he was just too frighten to move, afraid any sound would be heard by those monstrosities and they would come barging in to do to him what they had done to that man. Finally, Samiel got to his feet and walked out of his sister's room and closed the door behind him. He moved down the hall and into his room before sitting on his bed, he felt dazed and lost.

"Are they gone?" A soft voice asked causing Samiel to look up quickly, part of him was already to try and escape but he seen nothing but the woman looking out from his closet. She pushed the door open with still trembling hands before stepping out. "Are the Gluttonies gone?"

"The what?" He asked still in a partial daze. "Those things out there?"

"Yeah..." She asid leaving the closet door open as she stepped out and sat on the floor against the wall. She continued to watch him with those pale hazel eyes. Her gaze was one of mistrust and caution. "Are they gone?"

"Yeah, their gone..." Samiel mumbled numbly. He wasn't sure what to think or feel anymore as he sat there on that bed. Finally something in his brain clicked and he stood to his feet walking over to the phone on his nightstand. He picked the blue, cordless receiver up and pushed it on. Putting it to his ear he heard the dail tone and for that he was thankful.

Quickly he dialed 911 and something happened more fearful then static. There was just endless ringing as if the phone toyed with him, stringing his hopes along until it became apparent no one was going to answer. "What the fuck?" He asked much too calmly before turning it off and then on again. Still there was nothing when he dialed again but endless ringing. "No, not now any time but now..."

Samiel whispered harshly with dissapointment as he tried again and again. "Come on! Come on!" A sort of mute horror was starting deep in his soul. "Not now! Goddamnit not now!" Samiel dialed over and over and for several minutes he thought he would simply break down and cry when the feeling of isolation and desperation began to come nearly overwhelming. He hit the phone hard and it caused the woman to jump. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He said weakly before just flopping down on the bed still holding the reciever.

"Hitting it won't make it work, man." The woman said quietly as she kept her distance.

"Did you hear something anything? What are those things? Has there been any news?" Samiel looked over at her. "I can't get anyone on the phone."

The woman just stared at him with those pale hazel eyes. He could see a cut on the side of her forehead where she had fallen earlier. Her eyes held a secret he wasn't sure he wanted to know, he felt her answer would obliterate the last strings he had on reality and sanity. Yet the longer Samiel looked at her he had to question her own state of mind.

"How is this happening?" He asked her as his frustration grew. "Where is everyone?"

"What do you mean?" The woman asked in a whisper. Her very pale face made her lips seem all the more pink and the cut seemed crimson when compared to her complexion. "What are you talking about?"

"What the fuck do you mean what am I talking about!? There is some strange shit happening out there! We just ran from it, remember?!" Samiel caught himself as he was beginning to raise his voice. "That monster, that thing, it ate that man...just like that. And it would have done the same goddamn thing to us...what do you mean what's going on!?"

The woman opened her mouth as if she was going to speak and he could see the silver stud piercing her tongue. She seemed to pause then shook her head a little. "Wait, you mean you don't know?"

"Obviously not! Was there some sort of warning? Is the Police doing something about all this!? What the hell is happening? I woke up this morning and no one was here, I haven't seen anyone else but you and that guy...but he's dead now..." Samiel ran a hand over his face wishing he had not seen such a horrible sight, wishing he had turned away. He could still hear the crunching and the screams. "God, that thing...that thing ate him. It just ate him."

"You really don't know?" A sort of dread filled her soft voice as if she didn't want to be the one to tell him what was happening. Her delicate face had something etched into it mingling with fear and exhaustion. "I'm not even sure if it is real myself..."

"Will you just answer my question?" Samiel asked as his tone harden with irritation. "How did you know those things name? Where did they come from?"

"What's your name?" The woman asked softly. Her tone was remorseful, weary and exhausted.

"Samiel, Samiel Anderson...but what does that has to do with anything?" He asked curiously though he was quickly becoming angry.

"Samiel..." She paused a moment as if considering the weight of her words before going on. She looked down at the floor for a while then looked up into his eyes. "I think we're dead..."