Esoteric Macabre

Another Time

Another Place

A beat up old Van sped down a lonely road, the engine roaring as smoke shot out the muffler, the endless pines on both sides watching it move with ever accelerating momentum as the darkness seemed to close in on all sides just out of reach where the rays from the headlights didn’t shine. The Darkness was indomitable and all encompassing, all around them and always a step ahead.

“OH GOD!” A person yelled in pain in the back of the van, a crossbow bolt through his belly, “He got me, he really fucking got me! I’m dying I know it!:

“Listen man you’re gonna be fine!” Happy lied as he tried to put pressure on the wound, “Nick step on it!” Happy yelled at the Driver.

“What’s going on out there smoothskins!” A raspy voice from inside a bowling ball bag yelled.

“Please don’t let there be lights…” Nick whispered to himself as he stared out the side windows flooring his sputtering hunk of junk..

“Take it out! Take it out!” The Contact grabbed Happy by his collar.

“I can’t!” Happy shouted back, unsure of himself.

“It’s fucking inside me man!” The Contact spat out blood onto Happy’s cheek.

“Fine, fine!” Happy conceded, looking down and wrapping his hands around the bloody crossbow bolt.

Suddenly lights with high beams appeared in the mirrors.

“They’re after us! Get up here asap!” Nick shouted to Happy which was followed by a scream of pure agony

Happy climbed over into the passenger seat, visibly shaken.

“How many are there?” Happy asked Nick.

“Just one but he’s catching up fast.”

“Think we can outrun him?” Happy saw the high beams in the mirror, then looked over to the glovebox.

“Not in this piece of shit, get the glock!”

“Already on it.” Happy opened the glovebox and took the safety off the glock.

“Wait for them to get close.” Nick told Happy.

“I got it.” Happy saw them getting closer, “Just drive.”

“Easy.” Nick said.

They got closer.

“Easy…”

“Dude can you not?” Happy shot back annoyed, “Just focus on driving.” Happy rolled down the window with the crank and took a breath.

A crossbow bolt hit the back of the Van with a thud.

Now.

Hanging out the window, Happy gripped the gun tightly and fired. A bullet hit the headlight and the car swerved.

“Goddamn it dude you got over a dozen bullets fucking use em!” Nick yelled from inside the car.

A tire blew out on the pursuing car causing it to swerve off road.

“Nice shot!” Nick exclaimed.

But Happy knew the truth, that wasn’t him.

Happy watched the darkness as it gazed back.

“You see anything?” Nick asked.

“Maybe they crashed?” Happy said as he got back inside.

“I didn’t hear a wreck.” Nick replied.

“Me either.” Happy looked to the back.

“How’s the contact?” Nick asked.

“He’s dead.” Happy stared at the motionless body, he’d bled out.

Cars passed by Gils Pit Stop Gas and Grill. The red letters glowing and buzzing in the darkness, the cloud’s grey and bloated that slowly began to come apart in the early AM Hours as a blue flirted on the horizon, not quite here yet..

Happy Harlingen sat in a booth and stared out the window, thinking about all the days that had come before this, all the people that fell neatly like dominos as the hunt went on. Rubbing the scruff on his chin, he turned his attention to black coffee which seemed to swirl all too quickly. It was fluid and the shapes smooth compared to ruffed and jagged. Today would go smoothly and be almost painless. The Coffee swirled from smooth to jagged and rough. Almost. Raising his eyebrow, Happy took a sip and looked over to a TV in the corner of the diner.

“In other news, Miami Superhero The Hurricane has been banned from the state of Florida, this comes just weeks after Seattles…”

“Eyyy!” Happy heard a familiar voice, turning his attention back..

“Jamal!” Happy smiled before it faded, “You’re late!”

“What!”

“You said 5:15! I’ve been here the better part of a goddamn hour!”

“What 15?! I said 50! 50!” Jamal yelled.

“Hey, could you keep it down!” A third voice shouted from across the room.

The Duo turned to see the waitress, looking seriously not in the mood for this shit, “You’re disturbing the customers.”

Happy and Jamal looked around, seeing an empty diner.

“There aren’t any other customers.” Happy replied.

“Yeah well you’re bothering me!” She shouted, “So either pipe down or leave, it’s too early for this bullshit!”

The two looked at each other and sheepishly sat down.

“Where’s Nick?” Jamal asked.

“Listen, you got the info or not?” Happy rubbed his forehead.

“Hey man, take it easy.” Jamal replied, feeling disrespected but let it slide.

“Time is of the essence, easy ain’t in me and Nick’s vocabulary at the moment.”

“Yeah we’ll neither is smart or tactful but it should be.” Jamal shot back.

“What’d you say?”

Jamal shook his head, “I don’t know what you think your getting into man but-”

“Do you have it or not?”

“These hombres are heavy hitters, they’ve already come around the club looking for you.”

“They won’t have to search for long.”

“Listen you and Nick, I know you guys got caught up in Hutch’s little caravan but trust me, just cut and run.” Jamal was serious.

“Your concern is noted, now tell me where the meet is before we both get kicked out of the diner.”

Jamal gave him a map with the spot and time.

“Why couldn’t you just send me this?” Happy raised an eyebrow as he picked up the map and inspected it, “Never heard of google maps? Ya know this area is pretty broad how the hell am I supposed to cover all this?”

“Technology don’t work out in those woods.” Jamal looked scared, “Iron in the soil.” Ignoring Hap’s question

“Of course.” Happy rolled his eyes, before he noticed something, the waitress’ hair color had changed, the TV had shifted to the other side of the room, now a big chonky CRT instead of flatscreen, “Something’s been going on Jamal, real weird-”

“Always something weird going on, Hap.” Jamal interrupted him.

“It’s subtle,” Happy went on, “little things, first you see them, now you see them again, but things have changed. It’s like the fabric of time is shifting and changing but only if you look closely, I try to tune it out, but this hunt shows a lot. I think the worst part is I’m beginning not to notice it.” Happy took a drink of his coffee, seeming frustrated, “Hutch was right, but he wasn’t whatever’s going on. It’s like echoing, the world’s on an acid trip and I’m here playing clean up when I should be finding a benzo for it. It’s like the timeline itself in certain parts is changing. Little things, a children’s book is spelled differently than you remember, a tv show finally ends differently, a world leader lives an extra few decades...” Happy stared Jamal in the eyes, “Suddenly city streets are switched, but you still remember. Because your timeline ended and rather than dying you get immigrated, but you still remember it.”

“How the hell are you going to solve a complex time and space event?” Jamal made a face and scoffed, “Ain’t they got scientists for that?”

“Cause clearly they’re doing a great job.” Happy leaned back in the booth, looking around and thinking, “What you said about that cult looking for me that’s never good.” Happy thought about his part time squeeze, “I gotta break up with Sophia, maybe they won’t come after her if I distance myself.”

“I’d be more worried about myself but okay.”

“Hey Jamal, mind taking a message for me?”

“To Sophie? Fat fucking chance, that’s some shit you got to do yourself Happy.”

“Of course,” Happy made a face, breaking up was always hard to do, “I’ll swing by tonight, got some stuff to set up, figure it’s better to meet in public than any of the other options.” Happy threw some change down, “See ya Jamal.”

“Be seeing you Hap.”

Happy walked out the door before opening it again to peek his head through, “Oh by the way, you still owe me.”

The morning brought with a serenity that brought with impending and unending uncertainty hinted with a malice that was seeping into everyone and everything around Happy. The days were long and the nights were getting longer.

Happy stomped out his cigarette as he approached “Le TonTon Club”, stepping through the obnoxious yet aesthetic pink fog, Sophia worked there, god knows why, just another bankruptcy waiting to happen, the place suffered from a major identity crisis never knowing exactly what it wanted to be. Making his way past Jamal the second Bouncer he stopped Happy picking out a card that looked like a bunch of checkered lines to a layman.

“Seriously?” Happy raised an eyebrow. The arches that led into the bar lined the walls with a menacing near that shone like bloodlust in the crimson air.

“Gotta take precautions you know the rules only dumb folk that can come in here is cops.” Jamal gave him the line, he was just doing his job.

“Guess Management’s felt what’s been going on around town huh?”

“Whatcha mean Hap?” Jamal cocked his head in interest.

Happy clicked his tongue, “Forget about it, that’s a three horned, three colven, three legged, three dicked and three eyed goat. Lemme in I gotta see Sophie.” Hap pushed his way through as Jamal rolled his eyes with a chuckle.

“You still owe me one after that business with your cousin, by the way!” Happy pointed as he walked through the beads.

A rainbow cornucopia of neon danced across his face. This was always the hard part. Happy instinctively reached for his cigs, then silently cursed to himself, no more smoking in bars. God bless America, don’t you just love all those freedoms you used to have. He looked around, passing the dancers in the suspended cages of all various genders. This was a place of sensuality, of which had power. The Energy Vamps who ran management needed it, it sated their appetites in more ways than one, but thats how it was in Oldtown, they kept it lowprofile and tucked themselves between two scummy apartments and underneat a 24/7 sex arcade, what a place eh. But these were the good types, energy Vamps, less likely to kill ya and drain ya to the last bloody drop.

Sophia wasn’t anywhere to be seen, Happy clicked his tongue as an edited and looped mix of Donna Summers played as people danced in the rainbow fog the grooviest place you’d never experience; with all the glamors put about the average sort of patron would see nothing more than an empty nightclub with music, but to people like Happy Harlingen the enlightened with their eyes open who brushed elbows with many a thing that went bumping about during those pitch hours where nothing supposedly happened and you were more likely to disappear.

Might as well take a leak; Hap wadded through the lost souls, his mind wandering back to the job on the backburner and the task at hand. The bathroom was rotten with a smell, and loud with the sight and sound of a Bear fucking a twink in the open stall in open view, god bless America. A gal did a line of the old white gold, though Happy paid no mind, instead splashing water on his face as he looked at himself in the mirror, get a hold of yourself, you can do this Hap. His Jacket was tan-er than ever and his coon eyes, dark and sunken like bandito in the night. Now smile you bastard and go, make sure nothing goes worse.

Sophia was all fluffy hair and arrogance in her own way, everyone seemed to be these days.

“Bulleit Bourbon?” She said without even looking away.

“Close, gimme a Jack.”

She smiled the way she always did in the way that wrinkled her nose and showed the dimples in her cheeks. Setting out a cool looking glass and turning the bottle upside down. Her eyeliner gave her that bit of intensity she always went for, being the aging punk rocker in denial turned occult bartender that she was.

“Say when.” She said as she looked up at him, her eyes darting across him, her gap between her front teeth showing.

Wasn’t making this easy, Happy though as he remained silent as the glass filled.

“Jees, rough day huh?” Sophia asked as she cocked her head to the side.

“Yeah well, as things would go I’m stuck looking for Harvey except he’s not trying to be found, the case I’m working is getting hot,” He Looked away, “right now things ain’t too safe around me, I think it’s time we broke up. I’m sorry but you know it as coming-”

Sophie threw a drink in Happy’s face, “Asshole!”

Harlingen was all bravado, smooth as a marble eye, detached of course but there was truth to it. Sometimes when you love someone you gotta be a stranger.

The neon kaleidoscope danced across her face for a few seconds as he sat there. Never turning back as he walked away, he had work to do. Things to bump back to in the night, he took out his cellphone and called his confidante, Toothpick Nick Scaramunga. The phone rang three times.

“-Uh what’s up.” He heard a voice cough on the other side of the line.

“What did I just wake you up? Sorry to disturb you, your highness. You anywhere near the place? We need to find the book, in case you forgot we’re on a time limit!” Happy barked.

“Yeah yeah, I’m there now casing it, making sure there’s no one there.”

“You have 69 lives, go in!” Happy yelled.

Nick grumbled on the other side of the lineas he looked at the rather nice house.

“Call it an occupational hazard, now I don’t wanna hear a thing from you til’ you get the book, I’ll see you at the Cat’s Paw.” Happy hung up.

Nick made a face and finished his roach before leaving his Van, aptly called the Dustbus; thinking about all the choices that had led him to this situation, all the people he’d lost, of Theresa, the person who got them all on this suicide run, we foolish few. The ones who wandered down the haunted highways and back end backwoods where you had a chance of becoming just another flier at a rest stop.

Nick took out his last toothpick and sucked on it, twiddling it around and between his teeth as he made his way through the oddly quiet street, reaching into his vest taking out an enchanted screwdriver. Proceeding to unlock the door with it.

Getting inside the place it smelled of sweet cherry tobacco and was adorned with cases of odd porcelain china unlike anything Nick had seen before, his boots echoing on the checkered marble floor, the pendulum of a clock making itself known somewhere in the house which felt almost like he could get lost in it. Paranoia rushed over Nick, like something was watching him. Walking down three small steps, he transitioned into the sunken living room with a clear coffee table. A pipe still burned in its crystal clear ashtray. Something was off, Nick walked over to inspect it, see how long it’d been burning. Nick rolled his boots heel first with each step to the sync of the pendulum, passing the cozy leather couches you could just sink into. The pipe was freshly lit, before Nick could make the connection he saw a figure behind him reflected on the glass of the table.

Nick spun around, screwdriver in hand to face the figure but it was too late; the shotgun erupted with a blinding flash of smoke and a deep bellow, the pellets hitting Nick in the chest, knocking him back into the clear coffee table shattering it, as the glass spread out onto the floor and blood began to seep out from under Nick who now stared up at the spinning ceiling fan, out of the breath that he frantically tried to catch. Behind black shades and behind his tired red eyes, Nick felt himself fade away.

The figure approached him, pumping the shotgun as the hot spent shell fell to the floor, smoke arising from it.

Nick stared at the figure as he raised the shotgun, pointing it at Nick’s as the figure pulled the trigger once more.

Nick drifted away as he felt himself submersed in a cerulean sea to nowhere sinking deeper and deeper as his eyes saw the light above the tides which faded as he fell into the soundless void.

Nick came to as he stared at the girl as she sang a sad tune on the Boulevard Blues Roadhouse stage as Theresa sat there staring at him the way she always used to but with a sad undertone beneath her cerulean eyes, as Nick brought a forgotten Menthol to his lips and took a drag, before realizing where he was.

“Where am I?” He asked.

“Don’t you remember?” She asked.

“Am I dead?”

“No such luck Nick, but be patient as your time grows near.”

“What do you mean?” Nick asked, staring into her soulless eyes.

She looked past him, as if she was seeing something else.

“They’re chasing after you, you’re running as fast as you can, the trees tower over you, watching you like giants. I’m sorry Nick, you never leave the shade of the trees, you never feel the sun on your skin again.”

Nick felt a burning on his side and saw blood begin to bleed through, as he felt himself drift out of the dreams and into the black, feeling the air enter his lungs once more. Nick awoke atop broken glass, his vision coming from blurry to sharp as he saw the fans spin once more. Feeling his chest and torn clothing he found the wounds had faded. One life left Nick, better use it, cause you just might lose it.

Travis Sunderland sat stoned and drunk in the smoky trap house as Viceland played on the television and Neil Young was surprisingly playing in the background somewhere there. Travis rambled, He was on a lot of molly, but he was totally and completely sure that he was making absolutely zero sense.”

“I got no clue what you’re saying Travis.” Tito mumbled, his ears were shot, and his nose was bleeding, he was determined to outdo Travis just this once, they had met weeks ago and Travis could always drink, smoke, and snort more he didn’t know how..

Travis moaned out rhymically as he saw Daisy dance with the patterns following his hand following her movements as he made it dance as they all sat around singing songs til the night turned into day, Tito and Daisy were the best of mates that Trav had he thought as he began to yawn.

Travis blinked for a second too long and saw men had entered the room in his blurry state.

“Kill the familiars.” The older one spoke.

Next time Travis opened his eyes two of the Three Men were standing over him doing their best to restrain them as another one dedicated this kill to The Soul Cleansing Order of the Stake as he took out a stake and wiped it with a cloth. Soon as Travis heard Order of the Stake, he’d torn off one arm and was hitting the other goon in the face with it and kicking the other in the back the shoulder, spinning around and viciously swinging the stake at Travis.

The stake went through Travis’s hand as he let out a shriek.

Next thing Travis knew he was standing there draining one of those amateurs dry to the bone, his mouth covered in thick, juicy blood. Nothing sobers you up like vampire hunters, Travis looked around and saw the bodies, friend and foe, the horrors he brought with him wherever he went left none unfettered. Travis looked around, it was time to skip town.

Harry struck a match on the wall, having witnessed the entire ordeal in the background. All it took was a special call to some scumbag vampire hunters that Happy didn’t want around anymore, call it a test. To see if this Vampire could be useful and to settle some scores with these hunters. Happy felt smug cause he could, he set it all up and now he got to see where the pieces fell.

“What’s wrong? Bloodsucking not all it’s cracked up to be?” Travis turned to see a young twenty-something in a tan jacket, wearing a red hawaiian along with a bit of facial scruff, hair down to his shoulders. Cradling the flame Happy lit a joint he had hanging from his mouth, “I know *cough-cough* it’s that sunny spring weather ain’t it? It really gets me on the wrong side of the casket every night if you know what I mean.” Happy wore a long toothy grin.

Travis was up now, “Who the hell are you?” The Stranger looked like a college stoner, not some Order of The Stake hunter.

“Just a friend…” Happy lied, moving his hand toward the heavy closed curtains.

“You ain’t my friend,” Travis motioned to the pair of corpses, “They were my friends, you? I don’t even know.”

“Oh dear Travis, who ever said I was your friend?” Happy chuckled.

Travis bared his teeth, “Oh yeah? Well seeing how the only other people here are those assholes,” Travis pointed to the dead hunters as he growled.Amateurs,” Happy shook his head, “No I’m not their friend either, just a master of timing, ya know its a gift.” Happy motioned with his other hand as he talked to catch Travis’s attention.

Travis took a step toward Happy who took a large rip off his joint as it hung off his mouth.

“Ah ah ah.” Happy coughed as he motioned to his hand, “Not unless you want a healthy dose of sunshine I’d advise you chill out.” His other hand held the curtain string.

“You clever-”

“Look I get it, you’re emotional. I just came upon ya for an offer, and maybe even a cure to that sunshine deficiency you got going on and maybe a few answers if you never got them, I might tell ya, might not now but well who knows. I’ll be at the Cat’s Paw on 22nd. Savvy?”

Travis stood there not sure what to say.

“Savvy.” Harry winked as he showed Travis a mesmerizing pocket watch that was broken and stopped at 12 which hung on a chain, “Now would you look at the time...”

The Vampire’s eyes followed it, enthralled.

“Good good, you’re going to stay here to the next commercial break then you’re going to meet me at the Cats Paw on Fargo St and Rapid City road.”

The Vampire said nothing.

Crap, was this working? No way for Happy to be sure. Instead he backed away nervously, he had mesmerized the Vampire but he was unsure if it would listen, “Cats Paw-- don’t forget.” Happy awkwardly said as he backed out the door.

Happy rounded the corner and let out a shaky breath. He was sweating, his heart was jack hammering but he did it. Dear god he did it, he bluffed the Vamp and held all the cards. Shit was going well and they just might pull this off. Suddenly, his phone vibrated. It was from Sophia, “come over asap.”

Nick pulled up to a stop light in the Dustbus, a beat up old Van that the duo converted to live out of. Country Joe and The Fish played on the radio, but he wasn’t feeling it, instead changing the preset to a station that was empty static. The radio went dark, and suddenly he had a bad feeling.

“Hey!” A gravelly voice shouted from the back, “What the hell!? I liked that song!”

Nickt turned to the back of the van, but no words came. His heart beating quickly he felt overcome with feelings of dread.

“This is some bullshit! Why do you smoothskins always change it when I-” A bowling bag shook with life.

“Salty-” Nick began to speak.

Suddenly a truck with bullet holes in it pulled up beside the Dustbus. The Light turned green.

Nick turned to see the light that turned green, but the truck still lingered. Turning his head he saw a Man With a Scarred face staring him down.

Nick gulped, saying nothing, freezing.

The Man smiled and raised his hand making a finger gun and mouthing “bang” as the Truck drove off.

Nick let out a breath, his hands shaking, what the hell were they even doing here?

“No no no no no…” Happy said 7 missed calls and countless unanswered texts later, having arrived at Sophia’s studio apartment walking up to the door. The lock was broken.

And she was nailed to the wall.

Happy stood there in shock. They had flayed her alive and carved sigils in her stomach. Her eyes were pulled out and hanging. Powerless, Happy began to cry. Not her, not like this. She was dead and it was all his fault.

And he couldn’t look away.

Nick drove across town, the radio now back on and Salty with his mug shut. Pulling into the Cat’s Paw’s parking lot.

A Schlitz neon sign buzzed over the doorway as Nick walked through shocked to find a wreck of what used to be Happy.

Happy ran his hands through his hair as the Bartender poured his drink, the Jack n’ Coke mixing real nice in the purple neon as Nick tried his best to comfort Happy behind his blue tinted circular shades.

Happy knocked it back in a single gulp.

Meanwhile the news on the TV parked in a small corner spoke of how in San Francisco at 4:20 PM, people’s shadows came to life and killed their hosts on Haight Street starting and stopping in the span of a minute, leaving authorities and others only guessing as to what truly happened.

“I’m so sick of losing. We aren’t making a difference and the entire world is going to hell, the entire timeline is changing and fracturing.”

“You know what Hutch always said, one problem at a time.”

“Yeah well Hutch also got a lot of people killed, I guess I got that in common with him.”

“You did what you could, how could you have known that they already clocked her on the radar?” Nick handed the Bartender a bill, “This one’s on me, keep the change.” He nodded with a flirty smile at the Bartender.

“I knew Nick, I knew, I just didn’t wanna admit it, I thought if I kept her out of sight and out of mind she’d be safe, well look where that got me Nick, I left her to dry and they flayed her.” Happy took another shot, “Another!”

The Bartender sighed.

Nick made a nod to the Bartender as if to apologize for Happy.

Hap rolled his eyes and took out the Joker from a pack of cards, and mumbled something under his breath.

“Hey Garcon, wanna see a magic trick?” Hap, took out a few cards. “Pick a card, any card will do.” He grinned drunkenly as Nick rolled his eyes beneath his shades, “Come and play for a life or two! He shouted as one card became two, “It’s not a trick!” Happy’s other hand slinked over and pocketed a few bills from a tip jar, “I’m just lying to you.”

Nick grabbed Happy by his arm, “You know Hap, in case you haven’t noticed we’re on a fucking time limit! We’ve had a week to find them!”

Happy scoffed and stood up gesturing, “We’re on a fucking time limit, listen to yourself. You sound absolutely ridiculous. You should see yourself right now, really Nick. No shit we’re on one “Nick”, what do you think we’re doing, we’re waiting for our next member!” Happy looked to see who he was expecting. “Well look who decided to show up! Took your sweet time didn’t you?” Happy pointed to Travis as he spun around.

“It was daytime, not exactly easy for me to get around ya know.” Travis retorted what was he doing here anyway?

Without missing a beat Happy grabbed for Nick’s sunglasses, who adeptly moved his head out of the way, ever so slightly.

“C’mon Nick.” Happy reached again with his drunken grubby hands futilely.

“Ya know Hap, you aint nearly as quick as you think you ar-”

Harlingen chuckled as he held the glasses tightly, mumbling some fake spellcasting to really sell it; they’d got it enchanted a few days ago after they failed at enchanting it themselves.

“Whoa, where’d you learn that Happy?” Nick said, taking a step back, playing along. So this was the local wildlife.

“Yeah nice magic trick, but what’s that got to do with anything!?” Travis yelled frustrated.

“Hey could you keep it down sir!?” The Bartender politely asked.

“Yeah sorry.” Travis apologized.

“Here take em, these should solve your vitamin D deficiency at least temporarily. It ain’t a cure or anything but you can enjoy a nice day at the beach.” Happy handed Travis the glasses. “All tricked out, you need both hands to remove them so they won’t fall off, they’re a fixed point in time so they’re basically indestructible, and on top of that as long as you wear those and those lenses are still red you’re effectively immune to sunlight.” Fixed point, that was good.

“You’re taking the piss.” Travis said nervously chuckling, this was impossible.

“Dead serious, put ’em on we’ll go outside and show you the spell works.” Happy lied as he got off the stool, “C’mon,” turning to Nick who’d he’d noticed had gotten a new patch on his leather vest. “Did you happen to get the book? Because I happened to get into some shit right after I called you and long story short we really need it.”

“No such luck.” Nick said, leaving out the rest.

“Well fuck, there goes that.”

“Wait a second it’s night out, how are you going to prove it works?” Travis asked as Happy and Nick walked.

The alley was nice and with a soft breeze sweeping through it, a fog was coming over the town making it nice and fresh, the town reminded Travis of the time he was at Golden Gate Park looking for a snack near the art museum and institute of science, that night a soft fog rolled in and about every corner.

Nick felt like he was in some sort of dream, it’d been a long past few months on the road with Happy, and after the the incident it was just them. He missed Theresa alot, more than he had confided with Happy, but he just couldn’t; they had both lost so many people and he couldn’t bear to tell Happy he blamed him for her death, especially since he already knew Happy blamed himself for everything more than anything. But they needed to go on, cause if not them then who?

Happy was drunk with purpose as he lit a joint and took a long drag. This fog was nice, but it brought with it a message, time was up they’d have to kick it into high gear and maximum overdrive. “Alright.” He turned and looked at Nick and nodded.

Nick proceeded to turn and nonchalantly deck Travis in the face as hard as he could, sending the Vampire flying to the ground and hitting it hard. Nick exhaled and grinned, “Still got it.” The weights had paid off. Nick turned to see a shocked Happy Harlingen.

Travis took a breath, “....dont murder them, you just met em,..... maybe they’re stand up folks.”

“What the hell was that!?” Happy berated Nick.

“...Nonsense Travis, cut their heads off and bathe in their blood then find some cocaine,” Travis mumbled, “...that really would be the best course of action..”.

“I thought that was what you wanted me to do.” Nick defended himself.

“You were supposed to try to take his glasses!”

“How was I supposed to know!?”

Travis rolled over and got up thinking peaceful thoughts and taking deep breaths, the shades still on through, ain’t moved an inch. “Not fucking cool.”

“Apologies for my associate Toothpick Nick, he’s a bit thick sometimes. Now as you can see the spell works and now that I’ve done something for you I need your help.” Hap explained hoping Travis wasn’t the hotheaded type. “Walk with us to the car.”

“So long story short.” Happy walked with the others down the alley to the Van. “There’s been bad mojo going about lately.”

“A rising darkness if you will.” Nick chimed in.

Travis scoffed, “Rising darkness, do you know how you two sound.”

“Things getting loose, sand demons in Malibu, werewolf punk rockers, new born babies talking about chinese restaurants in delivery rooms!” Happy listed.

“Wait really?” Nick asked, “babies?”

“Not now Nick, that’s the next case!” Happy turned to Travis dead eyed. “Yeah well I used to trade in rare books, mostly occult sort of things then I became a stoner and started working as a postal clerk, now I’m turned petty dabbler in the dark arts, you’re a vampire, and Nick heres a bartender when he’s not hunting demons, none of this makes sense! The only thing that does make sense is that things are very wrong!”

“Wrong how?” Travis asked.

“A ripple effect creating more superstition and more paranormal occurrences.”

“There’s a cult in town, call themselves the Glorious Dead. They’re trying to summon some dead Indian spirits.”

“Native American.” Happy corrected Nick.

“Indigenous.” Travis corrected the duo.

“Whatever!” Nick and Happy shouted back.

“Right anyway back when the settlers decided the land was theirs and murdered everyone in town to the child.” Nick filled in Travis as they approached the Dustbus.

“What the hell is this?” Travis’s mouth dropped as he saw the faded red paint, buckshot on the side, cracked windshield, claw marks, and “Hell or Bust” spray painted on the side in red. “How do you not get pulled over in this?”

“Glamours” Happy said, “Nick’s surprisingly good with them.”

“This my friend is an American classic!” Nick exclaimed proudly.

“It’s a classic piece of shit.” Travis retorted unimpressed.

“Hey enough of that now. Come on.” Happy said, “come on in the back we’ll show ya the hardware, the plan, and hell maybe even introduce you to Salty.”

“No,no,no I don’t think he’s ready for Salty.” Nick said as he twisted the keyhole and slid the door open for Hap Harlingen and Travis the Vampire who got in.

“What!? I’m ready for Salty!” Travis yelled at Nick before turning to Hap, “What’s a salty?” He quietly inquired.

“Oh I think he’s ready!” Hap shouted to Nick, ignoring Travis as Travis grumbled and slid the door behind him closing it.

“Tell him the plan first and show him the bags of weapons.” Nick said as he started the Dustbus.

“Wait bags plural?”

Hap chuckled as he laid a black and green duffle bag in front of them, “Well one is mine and one of his, we actually barely knew each other til what 6 months or so ago?” Hap looked over to Nick, “That sound about right?”

“Eh,” Nick chirped as he put on another different spare pair of sunglasses,”-more less, who counts when you spend every waking moment hunting or being hunted by something.”

“What do you mean?” Travis asked.

“Oh come on you haven’t noticed?” Hap chuckled

Travis shrugged with a nervous smile.

“It’s the rising darkness man.” Toothpick Nick said from the front.

“Yeah enough of that comic book sounding shit.” Hap yelled to Nick as he snapped back to Travis, “Like I’ve said before the milks gone sour and the border between our worlds is weakening, more things are bumping and spirits that are aren’t so restless flip like a coin, ancient evils getting freed, it’s a cycle, each event a cog in the gears of the opening of the gates of hell. Each event adds more and more superstition, fear, belief.” Hap leaning forward,”And that’s a powerful thing, it’s what helped Israel win the six day war. So all we can do is cleanup.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, if what you’re saying is true then how the hell are we supposed to stop it?”

“Beats me man, we’re just agents of change, the cases come to us and we get by on petty magic and occasional cases from an elemental.” Nick yelled from the back.

“Nick please keep your eye on the road, if you wanted to flap your gums you shoulda let me drive!”

“Wait elemental?” Travis gasped, he had no idea there were that many supernatural creatures out there, he just knew about Vamps, Ghouls and Creeps. He’d never actually met a werewolf.

“Yeah, Burney erm... nice guy,” Hap looked back at Travis and unzipped the bag.

“The elemental’s name is BURNEY?!” Travis responded flabbergasted, causing Hap to wince and Nick to grumble and put on a mixtape.

“Hey man, indoor voice!” Hap snapped, “Anyway! Anyhow! Any who, we’re currently hunting a small Local Brujeria, trying to raise up some dead Native American spirits because of a mistranslation.” Hap took out a double barrel shotgun,and went on as Nick listened to Highway Star.

“This here’s a hunter’s best friend, it’s got a wide spread and enough force to knock back whatever’s coming at ya. We usually use the double barrels for dragon’s breath rounds, they’re usually cheap and the rounds melt the barrels after a few shots but the rounds themselves, they’re hard to find nowadays. Bullets don’t usually work unless they’re silver and even then have you bought silver bullets? I dunno, the guns mostly Nicks deal, he’s a big guy. Blessed rounds are great too, a clip of 5.56 blessed will turn any Vamp into swiss ashy cheese.”

“I feel very unsafe just so you two know, who the fuck are you guys?”

Hap and Nick scoffed.

“I’m Toothpick Nick Scaramunga.”

“And I’m Happy M.F. Harlingen.”

“And to answer your question kid, we’re the boys that bump back, we’ll kill a demon behind a pilot gas, then drive 150 miles to a waffle house to astral project at 3 in the morning and while the Giant gives us orders!” Nick howled.

“So this is a lot to unpack to be honest. So many questions.” Travis just wanted to be on cocaine right now.

“I also need to tell ya about my bag of holding all the weapons-” Nick began to speak

“Enough, first things first, who’s Salty? And second, why are you called Toothpick Nick?”

“Well to answer your second question first, well Nick says it best.” Hap looked to Nick.

“Dusted a Vampire with a toothpick.”

“Well said Nick.”

“I have felt attacked this entire time, I swear to Christ.” Travis went on.

“Well shut up and listen and we’ll show ya Salty.” Happy reached into the duffle bag and pulled out a smaller backpack. “Along with a prized possession of ours.”

“Wait ours-?” Nick chirped from the front.

“Well ya know what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine Nick.”

“That’s not how birthday gifts work!” Nick yelled at Happy.

“I said you could borrow it.”

“BORROW IT!? FOR MY BIRTHDAY!?”

“Listen we barely knew each other you put me on the spot Penny knew you!” Happy shrugged.

“This mothefucker, here’s a fucking cursed gun and skull. Fucking borrow it Happy Birthday Nick give it back at midnight.”

Travis snickered.

“Not now Nick!” Hap yelled as Nick turned up the music, “Oh that’s just immature, anyway, anywho,-”

“Did he say cursed gun and skull?!” Travis leaned in, Happy admired himself in the sunglasses reflections for a moment.

“Okay so lemme show you the gun first.” Happy took out the pistol an old colt navy ball and cap, “It shoots ghost bullets basically only works on entities and ghosts, so we don’t exactly use it often, I mean it works but it’s a long story basically when you can use it’ll put a number on anything but really only *kills* ghosts or skeletals or specters, it’s called Charon.”

“What do you mean?”

“Travis, it’s a long story, just go with it.” Nick advised Travis.

“Anyway before we introduce you to Salty lemme just give you some backstory, Salty was killed by his wife well now ex wife more than a century ago and cursed to live as a spirit and roam the land as bound to a skull as long as the spell lasts and ya know he hasn’t really forgotten or forgiven her. He’s uh, a bit bitter so to speak.”

“How do you break the spell?” Travis inquired.

“We don’t know.” Nick said.

“Well I have a sneaking suspicion.” Happy took out a human skull with a bullet hole in it, and proceeded to knock on it,”Wake up ya salty bastard!”

The Skull’s eyes lit up with orange energy, “I swearrrr to god....” Salty growled, his voice sounding raspy and strained, “If I ever get my hands on that bitch…”

“Not now Salty.” Hap snapped, “I need you to focus on what we told you to look for.”

“Wait, how can he look for anything in a skull?”

“He can leave it kinda, but he snaps back. Right?” Hap turned to Salty, “That’s how it works right?”

“..orrr I sleep...I prefer...to sleep..you..can..only..see the falls of niagara for so many times…”

“Rubber Goose.” Happy said his bound word, losing patience, the words sounding like nonsense, but bound to a spell that affected only Salty.

The Skulls orange eyes flared,“WHOA fuck man ya know when I hate it when you do that!?” Salty growled, “I don’t see you holding up your end of the bargain chump why should i tell you a goddamn thing! Your just as bad as Broomhilda that fucking gypsie witch, she was hermaphorite I tell you! The village doctors agree that’s why the babies never came to term, she murdered them!”

“What did you do to him?” Travis said, jumping back,

“It’s a spell that’s like meth for the ghost.” Hap said.

“Oh great, a tweaked out ghost.” Travis commented.

“Just ignore him,” Nick said. “Last week he claimed she had no genitalia at all.”

“Why should I listen to you, you scallywagging showalter!” Salty croaked at Happy Harlingen.

“Cause I know how.” Hap said.

The Skull’s eyes lit up, “Bullshit.”

“I don’t know why I didn’t see it sooner, but if you help us out with rising evil business I promise you, I give you my word, I’ll send you across the styx.” Happy said, raising his left hand to show he was giving him the honor of the devil’s arm.

Salty sat there thinking, “Okay, they’re meeting in the sycamore circle in Painters Green, from the sycamore trees the glorious dead shall rise and reap about the souls and bring death upon the world of men, the final night is at hand, the blood of the tainted that spill.”

Hap smiled, “I knew I could count on ya, sleep now, your time grows near.”

Salty’s sockets became dark, Happy proceeded to put it away and turned to Nick. “What’s the eta Nick?”

“Five minutes from the trail, then another fifteen hiking to the Sycamores.”

“Alright so they’re making the final sacrifice tonight. Simply put we can’t let that happen.” Happy got out a bag and tossed it to Travis.

“What the hell is this!? I’m not putting on no goddamn Klansmen gettup!?

“No it’s not Klansman masks, they have happy little faces on them, it’s the cult’s garb.”

Later...

The Sycamores dripped with sweat as members chanted in an odd garb, eyes closed. The Leader lit an old skull, before placing it on their head.

A cult member coughed.

The Leader motioned and from the darkness the cultists produced a young boy bound and gagged.

Words were spoken in dead tongues as a fog emerged seemingly from nowhere, lighting beginning to strike in and around the circle.

A cult member coughed this time more violently, hacking up phlegm as his eyes teared up.

“YOU DARE!” The Leader said as he spun around.

“I really gotta cut down on the weed.” Happy chuckled.

“I’ll have your head for this!” The Leader boomed.

“Had to stop the ritual somehow.” Hap looked to Travis, “What are you just gonna sit there?”

“Oh my bad.” Travis said from the other side of the crowd.

“Who the hell is he?” The Leader turned to face Hap once more to the sound of a bang that shattered his skull.

In that heat of the moment, Happy felt something. His hands trembled and his body shook, his stomach turning and twisting, now a man had died regardless if he was evil.

Travis threw off his garb revealing an ax that shone in the pale moonlight, with a psychotic grin.

Suddenly there was calm in the chaos around Happy, who threw the gun on the floor.

From a small distance Nick laid down covering fire with a hunting rifle.

The boy ran off in the foggy darkness never to be heard from again.

A cultist charged Happy with a ceremonial knife, tackling him to the ground.

Travis lifted the cultist off Happy and ripped him in half with his bare hands showering them both in a rain of blood.

Hap looked at Travis in shock as Travis bathed in the cultist’s blood, mouth wide open.

A lone cultist approached the corpse of the leader, cradling him and whispering to him.

“Let’s grab the kid and run.” Happy said, finding his footing, looking around.

The Cult leader took off his mask, revealing a scarred face with a white eye.

Nick discarded his empty rifle and began to sprint to them with his 12 gauge shotgun in hand, his leather vest worn and peeling.

The trees like colossi in golgotha, he ran like his life depended on it.

Happy turned to see Travis falling to his knees, a wooden crossbow bolt through his chest, behind him stood the Scarred Man….

Hap and Nick ran through the forest, the night now darker than before. Nick hung off Happy, out of breath his sunglasses shattered in one lense.

“Stop, stop , stop,” Nick said, coughing.

“What? No no no we ain’t out of the woods yet, they’re still out here.”

Nick sat down and propped himself on a tree, taking out a .45.

“Nick, what are you doing?”

The moonlight shone on his aviators, reflecting the light in its lenses. Nick licked his lips as he tooked labored breaths, “Happy there’s, there’s something I have to tell you, I got shot earlier today at the house... my lives are up..”

Nick vest was adorned with several punk band patches, a few he’d been in

Happy heard voices in the distance.

“I’m sorry Happy, I’m sorry I wasn’t the friend you needed… after what happened, I blamed you…” Nick clutched the gushing wound on his side. “I still see her...I still hear her voice when I sl-” Nick coughed and let out a long breath, saying nothing, dropping his gun.

Happy was alone now, in a sea of pines filled with piranhas. Shedding a tear for a fallen comrade.

All around him , torches lit, the masked faces visible in the distance as they slowly moved closer.

Thunder boomed in the distance. Happy gritted his teeth, sometimes you just gotta make your own luck.

Then in the distance they came with the wind. Yee-whoing and screaming, they came for death, they came for blood. The Glorious Dead on their wild hunt.

Thunder began to boom, the drums of the hunt. Happy was now in the middle of their wrath against the white man and his greed.

And things were going so well...

Esoteric Extra

“Sleep no more”

The sun’s asleep

And the moon is low

And I am here

And I am alone

The cities dream

The moon has shone

And the giants here have all gone home

Yet I am here

And I am alone

Look listen sleep no more

What is that coming out my closet door?

Look listen never knowing

Time moves on ever flowing

Run jump rush to what’s in store

Am I in what will or what came before?

The voices the creatures they have no end

Just a new day to play pretend.

Huffing and puffing

I never do know

What it is the universe will show