Six

6

Legion swam through the night sky, looking down at the small Idaho town. The creation that they had spawned was in the process of being spread over the North American continent, but here, something important was happening. Their dark unseen tendrils were reaching through the night sky whispering and pulling pieces together that would form a larger puzzle that would usher in the beginning of the end and a new world would be born. They were proud; the Master had chosen them specifically for this task knowing that uncontrollable chaos was their specialty.

The beings that made up this massive, black and evil combination of consciousness had always believed that they were meant for bigger and better things. When the Master had decided to start the Great Rebellion they had been some of the first to join his side eager for a chance to make things in their image. Unfortunately they had been met with a rather large setback and had been sent to on this wretched rock as punishment. They had all bided their time, putting their hands into various evil moments in history. They had caused the downfall of many and now their time had come.

Looking towards the outskirts of town they saw a man who had just been thrown from his car laying on the road the virus eating him up inside, on the verge of changing. They had plans for him, which did not include turning just yet. They reached through the sky and put a piece of themselves into him, holding back the disease long enough for it to cause some damage at the right place and right time. Not far from him they spotted a bon-fire a ways from the main road but within walking distance from the crash site. They could hear the people, enjoying themselves having a good time not knowing what was happening around them. But two voices were talking about something of interest. They spoke of a noise that one of them had heard a few minutes earlier and were debating about whether to go check it out or not.

Through the noise of the party around them Legion whispered urging the young mans curiosity to leave the party and to investigate what he had just heard. Little did they know that they were helping add to the already building climate of the events around them. Legion felt the pride consume them as they shifted their focus on the next job on their checklist. They saw the three wandering creatures that were around the gas station, stationary not heading in any direction just going in circles around the building.

No that wouldn’t do, they weren’t doing any good there. Legion wrapped itself around them and pointed them in the direction of the town, where several other targets awaited to meet their future. History was waiting to be made and after tonight, the world would never be the same.

********

“Come on dude lets go check it out. I swore I heard something over there towards the road.” Aaron pleaded with his friend. “It won’t take that long like five minutes that’s all.”

Dave had a hard time telling Aaron no, he always had. The whole reason he was here now in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of strangers was Aarons fault, and then again Dave hadn’t put up much of a fight. Aaron had showed up at Dave’s house earlier that night with a thirty pack telling Dave that a bunch of people from another school were having a party out in the boonies, pretty much a zero chance that cops would show up. Dave had refused at first but after continuing persistence and an assurance that there would be plenty of single women he obliged. Dave had just started having fun, was actually talking to a cute little blonde named Kailee when Aaron had come up to him, rudely mind you, demanding they investigate this so called noise he had heard.

“Aaron we are having a good time here why should we leave? You are probably just hearing things it’s almost midnight no one drives on these roads this late.”

“Come on man it will only take like five minutes and then we can come back and keep partying. I just want to go see what it is. I sounded like some sort of collision or something and when I looked over in that direction I am pretty sure I saw sparks man.”

“Ohhhh sparks?” Kailee interrupted, “I want to go look, I want to come with you guys.”

Now Dave pretty much didn’t have a choice. His date for the evening was now intrigued and he couldn’t chance her being disappointed.

“Alright,” Dave gave in. “I’ll go get the truck. But so help me God Aaron if it turns out being in your head I am going to pound you.”

*********

The train had finally passed and Rick had never been in a bigger hurry then now. He had never come across anything like this before and he was definitely over his head. As soon as he got to the station he was going to call all the deputies in and call in some favors with the guys in Boise. He knew a couple guys from the academy who would come and lend him a hand and that’s exactly what he planned to do if he had to. He also had to get the CDC in here because whatever it was they were dealing with it was definitely contagious. Rick was finishing up the final stages of his plan when he pulled up to the station and a sense of dread came over him. The door was wide open, no one in sight. Rick opened his door slowly drawing his gun as he entered the station.

It was empty. There was some blood on his desk not a lot but more than should have been there from Sharon’s wound on her arm. Then he felt something under his boot, he stepped back and looked down. It looked like….no it couldn’t be. Rick bent down and picked up the object that was on the ground, and felt his stomach turn when he realized what it was. A human finger, probably the index and definitely male, and then he spotted another finger about a foot from his desk lying in a small pool of blood. He then spotted several drops leading out the door out into the night. And then the worst thing that could happen did. The power went out. Rick swore loudly as he picked up the phone only to be greeted by dead silence. No tone, no static, absolutely dead.

Fear came over Rick unlike any he had ever felt before. He had no way to get a call out he would have to drive and warn every person in town. He dropped the receiver and walked towards the door and was about to exit when he saw them. Several of them were in the middle of the road walking in his direction. Rick slammed the door shut and locked it then crawled under his desk. He was powerless he couldn’t take these things by himself especially at night if he had any chance at all he had to wait for morning and then he could get out there and gather the people. He hoped that they would make it until then.

**********

“Oh my God,” Kailee declared as they got out of the truck seeing the fallen telephone on top of the car. “It looks like someone flew out.”

“Thank you Captain Obvious” Aaron said in a deep sarcastic voice as he surveyed the crash scene trying to avoided the downed power lines, “the world is a safer place thanks to your keen sense of attention to detail.”

Kailee smiled as the joke obviously went over her head. “Thanks.”

Aaron just shook his head as he continued to study the damaged vehicle. Dave noticed the body first lying a few feet in front of the car.

“Hey over there,” he said pointing in the direction as he rushed over to the body, the other two members of his group following closely behind him. The bodying way laying face down on the road a puddle of red spreading out from underneath.

“Is he dead?” Kailee asked.

“I don’t know,” Dave said, “Aaron check him.”

“No way man I don’t do dead bodies.”

“You are the one that wanted to come out here man. Now you can check to see if he is still breathing.”

Aaron shook his head and started backing up from the body.

“Fine you little wimp.” Dave said as he bent down to check the bodies pulse. Just as he was about to touch his neck the body began to convulse. Kailee started to scream and began to run back to the truck but then the body stopped and was once again still.

“Come on Aaron help me get him in the truck so we can take him to the doctors at least.” Dave pleaded with his friend.

“The nearest doctor is twenty miles away,” Aaron reasoned, “he would be dead before we got there.”

“No there is one closer,” Kailee interrupted, “There is a clinic in the town five miles up the road. Just opened last week, it’s part of their new expansion process. They are trying to provide better medical coverage for people from the military base who live in town so they don’t have to drive out to the hospital every time they need help.”

The two boys looked at her.

“What?” She asked, “One of the interns who works there buys me booze all the time otherwise I would be as clueless as you right now.”

“Alright,” Aaron said as he bent down to help Dave lift the body up, as they turned him over Aaron felt his burrito from Taco Bell start to come back up but he stopped himself fortunately. You couldn’t even see the man’s face it was covered with blood and just as they were placing him in the truck bed he coughed sending it flying into Aarons face.

“Ewww gross man.” Aaron let go of him wiping the blood off with his shirt sleeve. “It got in my eye I hope he doesn’t have any STD’s or anything sick man.”

“Quit your bitching and get in the truck.” Dave said.

As the three of them got in the truck and drove towards the small town, the unseen presence above them couldn’t help but laugh as they’re plan got even closer to fruition. Little did the Legion know that though it might seem like the war was about to be won that it was only the beginning of something much bigger.