Page 32 of Chrome Poppies

She ran into his arms and buried her head in his chest, “I love you, my angel Jensen Grimes. Pink Bunny loves you too.” Emilie exclaimed as she stepped back and held up the stuffed bunny. “Bimmickey doesn’t like you though. But he’s a meanie head.”

Jensen tousled her hair with his large hand and turned her toward me. “I will see you later, kid. Now, let Franklin do her job. You have a big house and property to explore with Pink Bunny and Bimmickey.”

Emilie approached me hesitantly and took my outstretched hand. “See you in a bit, Jensen.” He nodded and faded into thin air.

“Will he do that a lot?” Emilie asked.

“What? Come and disappear as quickly?” She nodded. “Yeah, he will. You’ll get used to it. Let’s hope he doesn’t show at inopportune times. Err, when you get older anyway.” I closed my mouth, biting down on my lower lip. I couldn’t take back what I told her.

Emilie paid no attention to what I said and released my hand to run inside the house, calling out her aunt’s name. Such a strange child. So resistant to move one moment, yet eager to start her new life the next. “Um, bye, Emilie.” I said to myself. It was all good, she was attached to Jensen and didn’t know me at all.

TWENTY-EIGHT

LEVI

It was a long ass ride to the Weatherly Vineyard, but we finally made it. I killed the engine and removed my helmet. “Men, we made it!”

They killed the engines one at a time but remained seated. No one responded to my comment, nor did they move their bodies at all. “Guys! Look I know you’re exhausted and hungry. I am sure I can persuade the owners to at least feed us.”

The gates opened slowly with such an obnoxious screech; it was a sign that this property was neglected, judging by the barren trees that were lined up along the path. “Guys?” I jumped off the bike. Forgetting about my injury, I lost my footing and fell to the ground.

Embarrassed and fuming, I tried to pull myself up but the caustic pain that shot up my leg stopped me. I pulled my injured leg to lay straight and noticed it was worse, not just worse but an overwhelming almond odor wafted from it. How in the fuck could my wound be gangrenous when the doc sterilized it, cleaned it, sutured it? Eh—that’s a malpractice suit waiting to happen.

The pain grew worse and enveloped my entire body. I was afraid to look down, knowing it was going to be bad. Closing one eye, expecting a mass of puss or profuse bleeding. It was far worse to discover the wound covered with maggots. My screams echoed and frightened the crows that were perched on the dead trees.

“Bear?” I screamed out his name. “BEAR!”

“You want Bear?”

An otherworldly voice surrounded me, but I saw no other person. I was panicking now and pounded my head, telling myself to wake up from this fucked up dream.

“You are awake,” the voice said again as a dark shadow towered over me. As I gazed upon the shadow, it slowly transformed into the biggest and ugliest creature I’ve ever seen, even in nightmares.

He had to be ten feet tall, with muscles protruding on his red, slimy legs, along with his arms. In one hand he gripped a scythe, in the other he had his fingers wrapped around Bear’s neck. “Is this your bear?” The creature laughed and squeezed Bear’s head before he tossed the body aside. “Enough of being this ugly beast.” He shifted into a man who seemed no taller than me, dressed in an expensive three-piece suit. “Not all beasts look like hideous monsters, do we, Mr. Shields?” He reached out a hand, “I am Amon and I’ve been called to help you get the child to her keepers safely.”

I took his hand, surprised the pain in my leg was gone. Not just gone, it was non-existent, as was the wound and the maggots. “You healed my leg.”

He chuffed at my comment. “It’s the least I could do. I don’t need your handicap to slow down the process.” Amon snapped his fingers, and I watched in horror as every bike burst into flames. “You don’t need those riders anymore. You never really needed them, did you?”

My heart pounded so furiously, it was the only noise that could be heard, even over my shallow breathing. “What in the fuck are you?” I armed both of my revolvers and with a wave of his hand, the creature turned them into sand, and I watched the granules slip through my fingers. I wanted to cry in defeat and the thought occurred to me. “You’re the devil and I’m in hell. But how, I wasn’t killed?”

“Not yet. You’re still on the highway with these disloyal men.” Amon’s human form took the shape of a black satin sheet and shrouded me. I had no idea where he was taking me and squirming to get out of his tight hold did no good, it only squeezed tighter.

I assumed we got to the destination because my body hit rock and excruciating pain enveloped me. Moving my head slowly, Amon stood with his back turned to me. “Look at the love this man has for that child. The child whose lights you were so tenacious about putting out. What for? Did you think she was the puzzle to your masterpiece?” He snapped his fingers, and I sprang to my feet. When he signaled for me to come to him, I slid across the cobblestone and stopped when held his hand up. I was like a puppet and this fucker was the puppet-master.

“Jensen’s pathetic.” I grumbled.

“No more pathetic than a man who is only happy when he makes others miserable. You know he was never frightened of you. He was sent to apprehend you for you to serve time via a death sentence. However, he failed the moment you put a bullet in his head. Since he was a good man who lost everything because of you, he was sent to heaven.”

“You can’t blame me for his shortcomings. Look, as much as I would love to stay here and chat with you, I have things to do.”

Amon looked at me with feigned disappointment in his eyes, “Oh, are you still planning on killing an innocent child? Will it make your life so much easier? Because inmates in a state prison don’t like men who do nasty things to kids, especially child murderers. You’d have a life sentence of being fucked in the asshole daily. These men won’t use lube either. They are my children and do as I say.”

I laughed uncomfortably, only to show Amon I wasn’t frightened of him. “What’s the difference in being an inmate’s bitch as opposed to the devil’s?”

“Inmates don’t have spiked cocks.” It was hard to tell if the devil was being serious or if he had a sordid sense of humor. “I can show you right now, but I’d prefer not to give you such satisfaction, Mr. Shields.”

“Isn’t that sweet? He’s so tender with her—I never fathomed a man with zero personality could show such emotion.” I said, feeling a bit of jealousy that even my father couldn’t show me one ounce of affection if it killed him.

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