Sunday, June 6, 2010

American Apocalypse IV - Heartland Chapter 9g

We came to halt and stood there looking at the bodies.  I looked up and down the street and saw nothing. I didn't expect it to last long.  I checked the window. No kid in sight which hopefully meant he was hauling ass towards us.  I told Thursday "You got two kills. You want to strip them?"

"No. I want you cut off this ones head."  He walked about twenty paces past the truck where the first soldier he had hit landed, grabbed him by his boots, and dragged him back to the truck.  While he did that I stripped the other downers and tossed their gear in the back of the truck.  I noticed they were wearing crappy quality vests and their boots had seen better days. I thought "Supplies running a little thin or second rate troops?" I filed it away. Night loved knowing this stuff.

The kid had come pounding up and was grinning until he saw the bodies.  I put the grin back on his face by telling him "Nice shooting Zane."  Thursday had pulled the soldiers helmet off and positioned horizontal to the truck with his head, shoulders, and arms hanging over the side and into the bed. He told me "Okay. Ready when you are." He opened the gas tank and was standing there grinning at me. There was a bit of a challenge in that grin too. I thought "Okay. So you want to see hard core? Fine." I reached back over my shoulder, drew the sword, and stepped forward at an angle to the right of the body. Doing it I had to tell Thursday "Move. You're in my way." He was standing there staring bugeyed at my blade.  I swung the blade down, yelled "Freya!" and whipped it back up, pivoted, and brought it down hard.

As I did Thursday yelled "No" and moved towards me, his hand reaching out as if to grab my arm and stop my swing. He wasn't fast enough. The blade gleamed brightly as it went slicing through the air. I remember thinking "He's going to be pissed when he sees the gash my beauty puts in the side of his truck." I had put everything I had in it and it felt right and true on the down swing. It sliced cleanly, even though the angle was off and I knew I was going to cut through collarbone too. It cut like it always cut flesh, like nothing in the world would ever stop it. Then it bit into his truck and my world exploded.

I came to with Zane kneeling next to me. His face floating above me, vaguely seen between the blue white after images that danced through my vision, leftovers from the arc torch brightness I had just seen. He asked me, actually sounding worried "You okay?"

I still held the sword in my left hand I could feel the grip glowing, it was a nice warm heat in my hand.  I told him "Yeah. I'm fine." and got to my feet feeling more than a little off balance.  Thursday had the neck of the soldier whose head I cut off jammed into his gas tank opening.  He was muttering and seemed extremely pissed about something. I looked at the sword, it looked fine, and I sheathed it.  Zane whispered to me "What is he doing?"

I replied "Filling it up with unheaded kid."

6 comments:

  1. You mean he's filling it with 'Unheaded'-lol!

    I like G misreading the grin. The rig does run on blood (T's grinning about the truth being out) but G thought T was challenging G's resolve...
    I must admit though, I am confused by what Thorsday wanted G to do... Pop the top off the 'fill can' I get- but did he expect him to get up in the bed to drop the blade on the interior overhanging head??
    Gnarly! Although I did once check the mettle of me new broadsword on a buddy's truck-killed really big whitetail. With the body in the in the bed and the front legs even with the lowered tailgate- it was a clean cutoff! That cape was about twice as big around as I am(I am med build). Pretty sobering little experiment actually... (Irish hilt broadsword, 2 lb 10 oz)
    Fun stuff!
    JO:)

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  2. JO,

    I liked unheaded much better. So I changed it. I hope you don't mind.

    Yeah, I may have to go back and redo the head chop to make it clearer.

    Imagine someone swing that broadsword on a field. I imagine if you weren't wearing armor or didn't catch it on a shield you were in a world of pain. No wonder the peons didn't like taking them on with poles or farm implements. A fully equipped warrior then was like a fully equipped infantryman working in a squad today against a militia man. Maybe even more one sided back then.

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  3. ah the revised version is easier to read. I thought the solider had a flash grenade or was doing something to his body after he died. heh it is funny hearing Thursday get excited about something. He's been pretty low key this entire time. I guess the Freya sword striking his chariot didn't sit too well with him.

    Being a civie would the flash give away their position at all? They've done some pretty heavy damage from where they came but getting out alive quickly and quietly is what I think G wants to do. Thursday should be happier at the prospect of getting more fuel :)

    @fro

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  4. No, the sword was given to him by Freya. It came from the same world as Thursday and Freya. When it made contact with the goat mobile there was a reaction. This is not your run off the mill carbon steel blade.

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  5. Sword+knight+horse was to kern + fork as LAV-25 + Marines is to insurgent + AK.

    Insurgent + latest RPG, on th'other hand ...

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  6. I replied "Filling it up with unheaded kid."

    I just got back from dinner and that literally made me laugh out loud. (I had a little wine with dinner.) This has to become a movie. It could kick the sh-t out of the Harry Potter series. But for adults, of course.

    Thanks for the stories...

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