LACK OF MAN (part 6)                    

 

        Leerna scooped up the bag from Sulli’s hand after digging the six credits for hers and Hunter’s drinks. She almost didn’t pay out of anger or the sudden onslaught of jealousy she couldn’t escape. In a way she had no choice so she did anyway, actually forcing a smile at him as she slapped the coins down onto the tabletop. He wouldn’t have said something like that had he known she was within earshot. She knew that. Her smile relieved him a bit, something Vanessa’s never did.  He stood up, following close behind, rejecting his wants to wrap his arms around her. Sulli exited the building first but it was Hunter that made sure to hold the door for Leerna. She smiled at him, giving quiet thanks. They walked around the building to the neighboring alley. Hunter and Leerna waited, both watching a direction until Sulli shut and pulled the key out of the auto-lock door.

“We’ll go to the pawn shop after,” Sulli said handing Leerna the bag again.

“Shit,” Hunter sighed. All three watched in the sudden horror of two City Officers walking towards them.

“Go hide the key,” Leerna told Sulli, who quickly cut around the corner. She dropped the bag away from herself, hoping the cops didn’t ask about it.

“Hey,” one of the cops yelled. Hunter realized he recognized this one when they grew closer. He was hanging off the back of the railcar. His comrade likely to have been sitting near the front. Each badge every officer in the city wore while on duty had a small red light that signified whether or not the officer was on duty. The lights on each of these officer’s badges were off. Hunter’s throat went dry, growing a lump he couldn’t swallow over.

“What can we do for you officers?” Hunter asked, taking the needed steps towards Leerna, placing his arm firmly over her shoulders.

“What’re ya doin’ back ‘ere?” the first cop asked.

“Just having a conversation with my girlfriend,” he replied, taking note of his name, B. Rutch.

“And who just walked away?” he asked. Hunter’s heart was beating out of his chest, so worried about Leerna’s safety. He knew some cops were corrupt. They’re only people. They have the ability to become corrupt. The ones standing in front of him were hard to peg. At first, all officers are seemingly overbearing, but that’s only because they’re trained to act such a way. Brandish a mean attitude so the tenants of the city wouldn’t even think of dealing with things that could be illegal. At least Hunter had a few examples of good police in his head to continue with his theory that they’re not all bad. Leerna had nothing but bad experiences while dealing with cops. Her mind was caught between fight or flight as she watched the second cop bang his hand flat on the door.

“What’s behind this?” he asked, the cop Hunter had recognized, R. Disknee.

“Back door,” Hunter replied with a perfect, non-threatening tone.

“To?” he asked, giving off that exact tone Leerna was expecting. A tone of reprobated belief.

“The bar?” Hunter replied, the lump in his throat only growing and getting drier.

“And what’s a dirt-bag and a halfie doin’ lurkin’ around a business’s back door?” Rutch asked, extending his crooked eyes at the both of them.

“I work here,” Leerna quickly replied knowing Jenny would back her up on her lie.

“Mhm,” he said, looking her up and down. “You look pretty good fer a halfie.” She didn’t respond, worried, right down to the visual grammar of her body, about anything she could say.

“This yer boyfriend, huh?” Disknee asked, walking behind them, sandwiching them in place.

“Yes,” she replied, half-looking at him behind her.

“Looks like a pussy,” he laughed, suddenly pushing Hunter’s back, knocking him away from Leerna and into his comrade. Rutch braced Hunter’s weight while in motion then pushed him off to the side, throwing off his balance. He quickly pulled out his baton and quickly bashed Hunter in the back of the head.

“NO,” Leerna screamed. That was all she could get out before Disknee snapped his hand over her mouth.

“Let’s see that body,” he whispered into her ear, ripping open her shirt. She started to flail and kick her legs. Hunter was just lying there unconscious

 

        The cops pushed her up against the wall and down to her knees, blocking every which way she could even dream of running with their bodies. Leerna shook with fear, watching both men, considering themselves higher and above the law, unbuckle their pants. Rutch gripped her by her hair pulling back to make her look up at his swelling and smile. Tears began to stream down her cheeks, slipping over her nose.

“Ready, freak?” Disknee asked, squeezing her cheeks.

“Anything that goes in my mouth will get bitten off,” she yelled.

“Fine,” B. Rutch laughed, pulling her to her feet. He held her in place while his accomplice yanked her pants down.

“NO,” she screamed as she was forcefully bent over on the ground. Both men stayed close, feeling immortal, one holding his hand over her mouth, the other laughing as he raped her. There were only several objectionable thrusts that Leerna felt before they stopped.

“GET OFF,” Hunter yelled, jamming the device deep into Disknee’s back. Rutch sprang to his feet, as did Disknee, but with a spin and a grabbing motion at his backside. Hunter just stood there staring in shock watching him, the man’s partner, too. Now these men shared a memory. Disknee fell to his knees, eyes rolling back into white before hitting the ground in violent convulsions. Then Hunter instinctively moved to Rutch, driving his fist into his unseeing cheek. He stumbled back, even more in shock now. With him on the ground grasping for his gun, Hunter jumped, laying his punches on thick until he couldn’t punch anymore. He crawled backwards, his bicep and knuckles aching, and then looked back at Leerna. She was just cowering there, eyes shut tight.

”NO GET OFF,” she screamed.

“It’s okay,” Hunter said, grabbing hold of her wrists. Her eyes shot open to his, then down at herself. Her torn clothing, private skin, complete insecurity in a one second glance. She flung forward, tightly gripping his whole body.

“Oh my God,” she sobbed. “I was so scared.”

“It’s okay now,” he said, gripping her just as tightly.

“What did you do?” she asked, fixing her clothes the best she could.

 

        They both looked at the convulsing cop. Foam dripped from his lips, grunts of pain slipping out with it. Then the chemicals continued their attack on his body melting him from the inside out. His skin began to peel back, leaving wide sores as thick, almost-black blood poured from the orifices, steaming with immense heat. More sounds of pain still floated around him while his bones began to reveal themselves, having taken on a sulfur-like-yellow, decaying and blowing away like dust in the wind. Only then did he die. The medicine in the Martian device tries to heal human flesh it’s damaging simultaneously.

 

        Both stood there, Leerna holding her shirt closed, pants back in place, but the other arm was securely fastened to Hunter’s, holding on for stability and life. Those officers would have surely killed her had they survived the encounter or left her bleeding and beaten down. Hunter’s eyes shifted from the pile of clothes, black slop, and the shiny device resting in the middle, and the beaten man.

“What the fuck?” Sulli exclaimed. They both spun to his voice.

“What the fuck is right,” Hunter snapped, stomping towards him, Leerna still hooked. “Where were you?”

“In the bar?” he said. “To hide the key.”

“And you just stayed there?” Hunter yelled.

“I figure—“ he got out.

“Leer got raped because of you,” Hunter snapped.

“What?” he exclaimed, seeing Leerna’s wet eyes.

“It’s not his fault,” she said quickly, squeezing Hunter’s arm.

“They raped you?” Sulli asked quietly.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” she replied, locking her eyes to the ground.

“Well, what happened?” Sulli asked. Hunter took a slow look behind him, looking back with an equally slow sigh.

“I killed that guy…” he replied. “With the needle.” Sulli’s face just changed, no words.

“Can we go inside?” Leerna asked, pulling on her supportive arm. She had to get away from the slop and the other body. She hated both, unable to even take a quick peek at either substantial matter.

“We can’t leave this here,” Hunter replied, trying to figure out if anyone would even think that the pile of black slop was once a human.

“I dunno,” Sulli said, looking around. “Put the body in the smoking room?”

“Okay,” Hunter replied with a slight nod. “Go inside, Leer.”

“Not without you,” she said, rolling her fingers a bit.

“Go with Sulli to get the key, and then sit with Anth,” he replied.

“Are you sure?” she asked, not wanting to be an inch away from him. Hunter turned to her, looking deeply in her eyes.

“I’ll never let anything happen to you again,” he replied. She let out a smile, nodding. Hunter transferred her arm to Sulli’s, but she didn’t like it. It wasn’t the same as the man that killed two men for her safety. She could even feel her affection for Hunter growing, leaving a gap that had to be, and only could be, relieved by his presence. He watched Sulli take Leerna around the corner and out of sight.

“Don’t say anything,” she said quietly.

“No problem,” Sulli replied. “You…uh, okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” she said.

“Come on, Leer,” he sighed. She looked up at him, nodding a bit.

“I’m a big girl. I’ll be fine,” she smiled, forcing it.

“Okay,” he said, guiding her into the bar.

“What’s up?” Anth asked, looking confused at both of them.

“Nothing, just needed a drink,” she replied.

“Jenny,” he called out, slightly shocking everyone in the now seemingly more quiet bar. “Drinks.”

“Can I get the key back?” Sulli asked when Jenny came over with another two pints and a bourbon for Leerna. She picked up the glass and downed the liquid in a flash, barely tasting its harmonious flavor.

“Yeah, be careful,” Jenny replied, handing over the key again. “I don’t need those pigs watching.”

“No problem,” he said, exchanging nervous glances with Leerna. “Ready?”

“Yeah, just give me a minute,” Leerna replied, getting up and heading for the bathroom.

 

        She stopped at the mirror, it was dirty, but she could see what she wanted. Her eyes. They stared back. The more she stared the more she suddenly hated her own reflection. She looked worthless. Less than. A freakish piece of meat. Some tears attempted escape, but she put a quick end to them, breathing to reduce her new feelings, coupled with the hole of anxiety. She sat down, feeling like she had to pee, slowly realizing she would have to let go of her shirt and expose her breasts to herself. When she looked down, it only made her feel more, which wasn’t acceptable. Even the sight of her own vagina made it tingle and burn. She gripped a few spins of toilet paper, balling it up. Spin after spin, ball after ball, nothing could cleanse her. She even considered using the bleach she knew was under the sink. Anything to sooth her skin and wash away the invisible dirt she felt all over. She wiped until it hurt, but that wasn’t entirely on purpose.

 

        Back at the mirror, standing in front of the sink, she turned on the faucet. Ignoring the bleach behind the thin sliding door at her knees, she pumped a heavy amount of soap into her hand. She stared into the pink liquid, shining in the lighting, watching more squeeze out as she pumped the button. The new amount would rest on top for a second, holding its viscosity before sinking into the rest. Her eyes stayed fixated on the growing puddle, now spilling over the edges of her hand, but still she pumped out more. When she stuck her hands together, most of it just spilled out into the sink. She rubbed, more squeezing out between her knuckles and wrists. The lather was a lighter pink, mostly white after it had grown into thick clusters of bubbles. She leaned down, squeezing her eyes shut and rubbing the lather all over her face, even on her neck and breasts. It didn’t change anything, she still hated the reflection staring back as she watched the suds slide down her abdomen.

 

BANG BANG BANG

 

“You alright?” Jenny called through the door.

“Yeah,” Leerna replied, snapping into a panic about the soap covering her front, grabbing at the faucet.

“Can I come in?” Jenny asked.

“No,” she replied, splashing water on herself.

“I have a shirt for you,” Jenny said. Leerna’s heart dropped, skipping a beat. Had Hunter or Sulli really told Jenny what happened? Maybe. Maybe they didn’t, making up a lie for her. But what was the lie? Had they forced her into a situation where she was to walk blindly into a conversation that held nothing but lies so that she had to cautiously tip-toe around Jenny’s words, searching for the very lies she was unsure of? But maybe they didn’t. Now she had to know. She opened the door standing mostly behind it as Jenny stepped in. She could see Hunter leaning out of the booth, doing his best to silently check on her. Even if he did tell, it was to help her. And that made her feel good. Jenny shut the door, taking in the eyes staring back at her, the soapy breasts and neck, face and abdomen. “You okay, baby?” Leerna just shook her head no, moving back to the sink before the soap really stung her eyes. “You clearly didn’t just rip your shirt,” They didn’t tell her. He didn’t tell her. That made her feel even better. “Did those cops do something…touch you?” Leerna nodded, avoiding eye contact while grabbing a heap of paper-towel. “My God.”

“I’ll be fine,” Leena replied, using the barely absorbent brown paper.

“Are you sure?” she asked, clearly feeling for her. This wasn’t the first time or the last time someone would abuse their strength and or power; officer or not.

“Yes,” Leerna replied, taking off her shirt and taking the one Jenny had in hand. “Hunter is here.”

“So what happened exactly?” she asked. Leerna adjusted her shirt as she spoke, her wet skin sticking to fabric around her stomach and back. Jenny’s eyes grew wider with every brutal detail.

“Then Hunter saved me,” Leerna replied.

“How?” she asked.

“We’ve known each other for a long time, right?” Leerna replied, worrying about the fact that it was on Jenny’s property, her father’s anyway.

“Yeah?” she said.

“And I can trust you no matter what?” Leerna asked, knowing the answer but still constrained by worry.

“Of course,” she replied, adding a smile of reassurance.

“One is a pile of mush and the other is dead in the smoking room,” Leerna said, hiding her wincing as if it would offend Jenny.

“Uhm…a pile of mush?” she asked with very confused eyes.

“That’s…uh, not…important,” Leerna replied. “Just don’t say anything.”

“I won’t,” she said. “But you can’t leave him there.”

“I’m sure Hunter has a plan,” Leerna replied.

“Okay…” she said, trying not to show her slight annoyance.

 

        They both went out. Leerna’s skin was still damp, especially on her chest. Her new shirt was a little more revealing than she liked, especially with no bra on. Hunter sprang to his feet as Leerna neared the table. He knew she didn’t like showing off her chest and was a tad ashamed of himself now that he was finding her to be more attractive at this point. Not to mention her make-up was gone. He liked that, too.

“Here,” Sulli smiled, sliding over the can of strawberries. She sat down next to him, spinning it to see the picture again, it looked even more green, like something had splashed water on it. Her hands met Hunter’s in the middle, the can between their arms.

“I’ll still get you cigarettes,” she said.

“Ya really don’t have to,” Sulli replied, but was hoping she still would.

“It’s okay,” she said. “I need to get out of here for a bit.”

 

To be continued…