Hennessey

Dark clouds creep across the nighttime sky, casting shadows that dance through the trees as a young man looks up into the pouring rain. A woman’s fiery crimson hair covers her face as she looks down at the man lying in her lap.

“Where am I? What have you done to me?” He asked.

“Sh.” Hennessey said as her fingers became entangled in his dark curly hair, “It won’t be long now. Your breathing is becoming quite heavy.”

“What did you do to me?”

“It is okay, you’re going to feel much better soon.”

Hennessey never mentioned her name to him, and she never asked him for his name. She sat comfortably in the middle of the forest, only miles from her home.

“You did something to me. I can’t move my legs.”

He tries to pull himself up by grabbing her arms for support.

“Sh, relax, it will be over soon.” Hennessey continues to stroke his hair.

“What is happening to me? I can barely move?”

“Be quiet now, it will be all over soon.”

“What have you done to me, and why am I wet?”

He was becoming delusional.

“I’m sorry it has come to this?” Cries Hennessey. Her acid tears drip onto his forehead,

His piercing scream sends flocks of birds scattering, causing the trees to tremble as they take flight.

Two more tears drop onto his face, causing his skin to melt away, revealing skull fragments, blood vessels, and muscle tissues.

Hennessey stands up, allowing the dead man’s head to roll off her lap. She shakes the excess water off her body, bends down, grabs the lifeless body by the back of the collar, and drags him through the muddy forest. Hennessey approaches two men who are standing next to a black van, drops the body in front of them, and smiles as she walks past.

As she steps in, a chauffeur holds a door open to a black Escalade.

“Impressive for your first night. You’ve managed to take down five victims.” Said Dionysus in his native tongue. He handed her a napkin to wipe the blood off her lips. She instead licks it off and sucks the blood off her fingers.

Hennessey and Dionysus are from the planet Cytherea. They are Aquatic-Balkan, a species known for mainly living underwater. They also spoke the universal language of their planet, Cytherea.

Dionysus’s face is half hidden in the darkness as he raises his hand slightly and tells the driver, “To the aquatic center.”

“Why are we heading back to the aquatic center? It’s still dark out, the sun doesn’t come up for another hour.”

“You don’t want to overdo it on your first night. The humans here will get suspicious. Besides, I have some important matters to attend to.”

“Can’t it wait?” Hennessey asked.

“No,”

Dionysus noticed a shimmering blue-green glow coming from her skin. Upon closer inspection, he realized her skin was slowly peeling, revealing her proper form.

“How are you feeling?” He asked, touching her face. She pushed his hand away, feeling irritated.

“You promise.” She spoke.

“It is too risky, and we must get you back.”

Hennessey reached up and touched her face. She could feel the moisture from the water on her skin.

“I’m fine.”

“It’s not the same, Hennessey.”

“Water is water.”

“Earthly water is not the same as Balkan water.”

They continue speaking in Balkan. Hennessey’s voice rose to a high, squeaky noise, almost causing the windows in the Escalade to burst.

“We are going back and that’s final!” Dionysus screams. His words sliced through the air, each carefully crafted to convey a sense of authority. He adjusted his stance, raising his voice slightly to emphasize his point. Something Hennessey hasn’t mastered.

“You had many faces to choose from among your victims, and you picked that hideous one.”

Dionysus knew she was mad. The look on his face caused her to sit back and be quiet.

Hennessey sat there fiddling with the skin melting away around her fingertips. She models her hand before her, admiring her beautiful blue-green scales.

“I don’t know how anyone can stand to be human. They are disgusting. They should all be extinct, and I am here to make that happen.”

Dionysus continues looking forward.

“You know you had that body for quite some time.”

“Ah, yes, but this handsome face came from a very brilliant man, that I had the pleasure of sucking the life right out. He was my first victim when I came to this planet years ago. Now I wear his face and own his house. Everyone who sees me shows me respect.”

Hennessey laughed.

“And where did your body come from, hmm? A small coffee shop girl, trying to make her way through college?”

“I like it, it suits me.”

“What do the people say when they see you?” Dionysus asked.

“How are you, today, Hannah?” Hennessey responded.

“Is that your first victim’s name?”

“Must be.”

Dionysus pulls out his phone and texts someone.”

“Whod you message?” Hennessey asked.

“Rasmussen, I wanted to let him know we are putting the bodies in cold storage.”

“What we can’t eat them.”

“I have something special in mind.”

If Hennessey could describe Rasmussen, she would put him on a pedestal. This is what she would tell everyone. He might be another worker, but to her, he is the most magnificent creature in Cythera. She cannot get enough of him. Dionysus was more of a father figure to her.

Hennessey watched the trees go by as the Escalade drove down the long, twisted country road. “Do we have to go back to the aquatic center? I know I can last a little longer; besides, it did rain earlier.”

“It is not your scales, I am worried about, but your human appearance.”

Hennessey glanced in the review mirror and noticed her scales were visible across most of her face. “A quick fifteen-minute dip in the pool should solve that problem. Besides, it is getting late.”

Hennessey slouches back in her seat and closes her eyes. A few minutes later, the Escalade pulled up in front of a huge white Mansion. A chauffeur opens the door.

“I will get those bodies in the ice storage right away, sir,” said Rasmussen

“Thank you, Rass.” Dionysus steps to the side and allows Hennessey to step out. “Don’t leave the Aquatic Center, I don’t want others seeing you in your natural state.”

“What do I care what others think? Are you coming?” Hennessey asked Rasmussen.

“I have to stay and help with the cargo.”

“Just leave those losers for the snoozers,” Hennessey spoke in Cytherian, glaring at the three Mexican workers grinning at her.

“I think she likes me,” said one Mexican in Spanish.

“Ha, you think all the pretty girls like you,” said another.

“I will introduce myself after work and show her what my little Peter is capable of.

“I don’t know, man, I heard strange things around here,” said a third.

“Hey, you three, get to work. I didn’t pay you to stand around.” Dionysus yelled at them in Spanish as he walked into the house. Hennessey gave them a sly smile as she walked into the Aquatic Center.

Hennessey was swimming in her pool one day when one of the Mexicans from the other day walked in. She slowly swims to the pool’s edge and watches his every move.

He grabs a bucket of fish and tosses a couple at a time into the water. The Mexican is so mesmerized by many sea creatures coming up to the surface that he doesn’t notice Hennessey sneaking up on him. She reaches for his ankle, but misses by a few inches when he steps back. He walks over to grab another bucket of fish and heads to the other side of the pool. Hennessey watched as he threw more fish into the water and quickly swam towards him. Her head slowly rises above the water as she sneaks in closer. The Mexican reaches into the bucket, grabs two fish, and tosses them into the water. She reaches for his ankle again and misses.

A second Mexican walks in minutes later and asks in Spanish, “What are you doing, mon?”

“Can you feed the fish? I have to go?” The first one asked, shoving the bucket into the other one’s belly, before running out the door. In disbelief, the second Mexican watches as the metal door slams shut.

Hennessey swims further down into the water. She watches the Mexican’s feet as he walks back and forth, tossing fish into the water. Her eyes change from a soft teal color to a bright yellow, hungry look. Her hair is replaced with yellow curved spikes, and rolls of Aqua-teal color scales rapidly cover her skin. She shoots up out of the water and jumps onto the deck. The Mexican screams, dropping the pail of fish as Hennessey grabs him by the shoulders and bites his eye. She then disappears with him into the pool, leaving the pail rolling back and forth with a few fish splattering along the edge.

“Phew, man, I feel so much better,” said the first Mexican in Spanish. He had not realized his friend’s disappearance until he saw the pail of fish lying across the deck and the splatter of blood spread along the edge. He cautiously bends down to look in the water but screams and jumps back when he sees a severed arm pop up onto the water’s surface.

Moments later, when Rasmussen walks in, Hennessey is swimming around her pool in human flesh.

“So, Dionysus has something special planned for you tonight,” Rasmussen said.

“Oh yeah?” She swims up to the deck and propping her arms on it. “What is it?”

“I am sworn to secrecy.” Rasmussen walks around the edge of the deck. He decides to have a little fun with her, but then stops and sniffs the air.

“Come on, Rass, you can tell me.”

“Sorry, like I said, I am sworn to secrecy, and I see you have some secrets yourself.”

“No, not me.”

“You are hiding something.”

“What are you talking about?”

Rasmussen suddenly jumps into the pool and pulls out the half-eaten Mexican man moments later.

“Hey, that’s mine!” Hennessey said.

“What did I tell you about eating the help?”

Rasmussen throws the body up onto the deck and climbs out. He picks up the corpse and walks towards the door; he doesn’t stop to look at Hennessey screaming at him.

“Where are you taking my food?”

“I’m putting him on ice for the trip back to Cytherea,” Rasmussen said. The door slams behind him. She slams the deck hard with her fist, sending ripples across the floor and water, then bulldozes down to the depth of the pool to sulk.

Hours later, Hennessey sits quietly at the dinner table poking at her dinner. Dionysus watches intently and then finally asks the question.

“Something bothering you. You haven’t touched your food.”

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” She said poking her food more furiously.

“My apologies. Let me rephrase that. You haven’t eaten anything.”

“Maybe I’m not hungry!”

“I suppose you’re not after Rass, show me the Mexican you killed.”

“Yeah, so. There weren’t any witnesses.”

“You still have to be cautious.”

“Now that the cat’s out of the bag. Can I have my Mexican back?” Dionysus pushes his chair back and gets up. Rasmussen shakes his head and follows him out the door, “Guess not.”

The silence between Dionysus and her in the car is deafening, and Rasmussen pulls the car over and refuses to leave until they settle their differences.

Hennessey looked at Dionysus and then at Rasmussen in total shock.

“I’ll be standing over there when you’re ready.”

Dionysus looks at a vast lake and says, “It’s a beautiful night, why don’t you and I go swim before the hunt?”

Without saying a word, Hennessey steps out of the car and follows Dionysus to the water.

Two days after the incident, Hennessey was resting by the cave lake when Rasmussen came in to join her.

“You know Dionysus has not forgotten what he has promised you?”

“Dionysus has promised me many things.”

“Yes, but this one is special.”

Hennessey quickly turned around and sat up. She was all ears.

“So, tell me!” A beam of excitement entered her eyes as she gave her full attention to Rasmussen.

“Well, since you asked so politely. He’s going__.”

“He’s going to what?” Hennessey asked with excitement.

“I can’t spoil the surprise.”

“Argh,” Hennessey screams, splashing him with water. Rasmussen laughs at her. “Come join me.”

“I have other things to do. I just came in to give you the news.”

“But you didn’t tell me anything.”

“I know.”

“Please, Rass, stay a little longer? We can always try that ‘you know what’ you have been discussing.”

“I like the way you think, but I must go.”

“Well, can I at least have, what do these humans call it, a kiss?” Just as Rasmussen bends down to kiss her, she grabs him around the neck and pulls him into the pool. Together they twirled underneath the water’s surface, removing each other’s clothing as a swarm of rainbow fish swam around them, making them completely invisible.

Hennessey, Dionysus, and Rasmussen had finished their last kill for the night. Dionysus made prearrangements for the bodies to be confiscated before the Authorities arrived. He was sitting in the back next to Hennessey when he noticed her scales seeping through her skin.

“So, where are we going?” She asked excitedly.

“Home,” Dionysus respond.

“What? But you promise.”

“Something urgent came up. Can I offer you a rain check?” Dionysus looked at the scales on Hennessey’s face and noticed they were an unhealthy, puke green. She sank back into the seat. Her arms were tightly folded across her breast, and her head was down.

Dionysus reached over and quickly pulled off a scale from her cheek.

“Hey, what are you doing? That hurt.” She said, rubbing the area. She could feel the warm sensation of her teal color blood dripping down her cheek and through her fingertips.

“Hmm, that’s strange, another one should have grown back immediately.” Dionysus handed Hennessey a cloth to stop the bleeding.

“Was one of your victims ill?” He asked, grabbing her arm and looking at the dull, pasty green scales.

“I don’t know.” She said, taking her arm back. Dionysus pushes a small button on the door, opening a window between him and Rasmussen.

“We need to get to the Aquatic Center, ASAP.” Rasmussen gutted the accelerator.

“What’s going on?” Hennessey demanded.

“You’re infected,” Dionysus said, looking at her scales.

“Infected, what do you mean infected?”

“One of the humans you attacked was sick with a deadly disease. That is fatal to our species.”

“What, how do you_.” Hennessey collapses into Dionysus’s arms.

“It’s going to be alright. Rass put a stick in it!”

The car’s engine revs up as Rasmussen speeds around the corners, going from eighty to ninety.

Two men in their mid-forties walked into a precinct building, wearing badges. Alexander dressed casually, while his associate, Clifford, wore a gray suit with a pink dress shirt.

“ Did you notice the markings on the victims?” Clifford asked.

“I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“I hear these killings have been showing up all over the metro area in the last two weeks.”

“We put out an APB to all units but haven’t heard anything.”

“Whoever it is, is a very sick person?” Clifford pulls out a chair from underneath his desk and sits down.

“I don’t think it’s human.”

“We need to find this killer before anyone else gets hurt,” Clifford said, leaning back into the chair.

A young man quickly walks over and hands Clifford a piece of paper. “We just got word of another killing, but this one’s different.”

“What do you mean by different?” Asked Alexander.

“Three killings happen simultaneously next to each other.” The young man said.

“ This means there is more than one person involved,” Alexander explored.

“We’ve got to find these bastards; I want every available person here ASAP,” Clifford said, resting his arms on the desk.

Two months pass, and Hennessey is floating in a large, perplexing glass cylinder of green solvent. Her body is hooked up to wires and tubes attached to a huge monitor. A lab technician is in the room monitoring her process. Her eyes spring open, and her hands slam against the glass with a thump, causing him to jump and drop his clipboard. The technician slowly bent down and picked it up. He stops and turns around to look at Hennessey, who is shooting flames out of her eyes.

“You want out? You have to calm down.”

Hennessey gestures to him that she couldn’t hear him, and bangs on the glass again. Inside her, she was building up. She started ripping the tubes and wires off her body. The technician noticed the lights on the monitor blinking on and off. He turned around and saw the tubes and wires dangling around Hennessey as her body bobbed up and down in the tube, smiling.

“Ok, so you want to play hardball, well, we can do that.” The technician turned around and pushed a button that started releasing sleeping gas. Seeing him do this, Hennessey started shaking her head no and banging on the glass. He turned around and looked at her.

“Are you going to play nice?”