The Salvation Shark, Chapter 60

Jesse

After refusing to snow all week, it's falling as soon as I get out the back door of the bar. For a moment, I consider going back for my Carhart, but danger wins out. I race into the woods behind the bar, not sure where I’m going. I know the general direction of home, and know it's not a place I can run in this weather with the clothes I'm wearing.

The Devil’s sword is heavy, and waves of evil roll off it, working up my arm, numbing my hand far more than the cold. I want to throw it away, leave it out in the woods, make him hunt it down.

It probably takes less time than I think before I have to stop running and lean against a tree to catch my breath. Too many nights in front of the TV with bong and Cheetos. I think the only exercise I get is fucking Courtney.

“Where exactly am I going?” I ask aloud.

“That is a very good question,” Mephis Tyr asks. I'm deep enough in the woods and the sun has gone down far enough that I can only make out his outline against a tree a few yards away. When he opens his eyes, they glow in the dark. “Where exactly are you going?” He pushes away from the tree and folds his arms across his chest. “Where could you go that we couldn't find you?"

“Fuck you!” I snap. I hold the Devil’s sword out toward him, as if I could possibly be menacing with it.

“That’s quite an answer. I would have expected better from the Son of God.”

“So you got me, are you going to kill me now?”

He snorts. “Kill you? Not my job. I was sent here just to track you down, keep you in one place.” He starts to swagger forward. “Killing you, that’s reserved for the brat. Anton put a lot of work into getting her to do the job. I don’t think he would be all that happy if I stole the glory." He laughs in that practiced sort of way. “Getting your boss angry is not a good idea, you know.”

The sword is too heavy to hold extended, and it dips to the snow, steaming around the tip. “You had me the whole time,” I say. “This whole time, I knew your lot was looking for me, but it didn’t raise my heckles at all when I saw you.”

“Don’t feel bad,” he consoles. “We’re a lot stronger than you.” He smiles. “Come on, let’s get moving.”

“Where are we going?”

“Abraxas, took the brat to an abandoned church not too far from here.” He points through the trees. “Lazarus is on his way to get her back. We need to meet up with them there and get this over with.” Mephis puts his hand on my shoulder to move me with him.

I stand firm. “Do you just expect me to give up, to just let you kill me?”

“It’s all over. We’ve done this all so many times before. You have an important role to fulfill. Just make it easier on all of us.”

I sigh. “Fine.”

“That’s what I thought," he says, coming over to pat me on the back...

...and apparently doesn’t expect I will chop up with the sword into his stomach. His eyes burn hatefully into me and his jaw works but no sound comes out, only an intense light from deep within him. His hands claw, but his strength fades quickly, pulling himself off the blade and falling to his knees.

"This will not end how you want!" I shout as he sinks to a laying position on his side. When his eyes go blank, I run in the direction he pointed. I know the church, but I won't be able to find it unless I get on a road.

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