Moonlight City Drive

1: The Darkest Days-2

Covington leaned over the hill and saw another swarm of children making it safely from the burning building. “For Heaven’s sake, Cyana, some of them are getting away! Now do I have to hunt them down myself and then come back and decommission you, or will you step up to the plate and prove your worth?”

The sound of distant sirens reached them.

“Damn it, Cyana. The cops and firemen are just around the corner. If you don’t take care of this, I will.”

Cyana stumbled backward from his tirade and kneaded her hands together. She dropped to her knees and placed her palms skyward.

“Good, good,” he said, flipped his cloak around his waist, and headed down the hill toward the screaming children.

She flexed her fingers and closed her eyes. She released a continuous series of grunts until she felt the talons grip her index and middle finger. Slowly opening her eyes, she smiled in accomplishment. “Har!” she commanded, and the vulture took flight.

The cult would love her now, like she wanted. Now that she could summon the vultures, the followers were sure to find her irreplaceable.

A swarm of black death crowded the sky. Feathers, wings, and talons filled the heavens. One by one, they swooped downward and picked off the children outside the burning building. Beaks impaled the backs of necks, the soft tissue between shoulder blades, and the squishy, overweight midsections. Vultures speared and carried the smaller children into the sky—up, up, up, until fear or atmospheric pressure knocked them out.

A gaggle of birds stayed grounded and created a roadblock, aligning themselves wing to wing to prevent the emergency vehicles to pass. The remaining vultures carried away the dead, and Covington wondered if the birds would use—or not use—the deceased’s bones and meaty flesh for nest building or feeding practices. It was hard for Covington to know for sure.

After the screams from inside the detention center were completely silenced and the vultures had neutralized all the fleeing children, Covington called for the ghouls to convene outside. The crackling of the flames slowly consumed the caws of the vultures as they flew farther away, carrying a handful of prizes to their hungry young.

“How many perished?” he asked Nikki.

She grunted and held a fist into the air.

“All of them? Well, that is good news. Congratulations, everyone. You just rid Earth of a plethora of society’s scabs. I know they looked like children, but trust me. They deserved what we gave them.”

Cyana pointed to the main roadway.

“Ah, yes. I guess we should let the coppers and fire-stoppers come in and act like they are important. Release the vultures from the street.”

Cyana flung her arms above her head, and the vultures lining the roadway took to flight in unison. The patrol cars and fire trucks lunged forward, attempting to reach the burning detention center before there were too many casualties.

Covington laughed. “A little too late, don’t you think?”

The rest of the Mushroom Cult, now congregated around his feet, laughed along with him.

“We did a good thing here. The world is better off without these degenerates. But the law is almost upon us, so we must make haste.”

Nikki glanced at Cyana and nodded.

“Go, my children. There’s always another night. Although this night will live in infamy.”

The disciples faded quickly, one by one, until he was left alone on the hill, overlooking the singed and smoking home for wayward children. He clapped in triumph and flung his cloak over his face.

Glancing one last time at the torched center, he whispered, “This is just the beginning. It’s too late to turn back now.”

“I’m home!” the man called as he set his keys on the dining room table.

“You’re home early,” his wife responded, taking a sip of coffee. “It’s not even five thirty yet.”

“Mmm, boss man cut me loose. We were overstaffed. Sometimes it pays to be the most tenured technician.” He bent down to kiss his wife. “How’re you liking those pajamas?”

“Cozy and comfy.”

“Good. Kids not up yet?”

“Not yet. Another half hour and I’ll get them ready.”

Covington reached into the cupboard to locate a coffee mug and noticed the dirt and soot trapped underneath his fingernails. Glancing into the next room to confirm she couldn’t see him, he turned on the hot water in the kitchen sink and scrubbed his hands as roughly as he could. He used a butter knife to remove the evidence of the Siegel Home fire from under his fingernails. Quickly checking his wife’s location again, he inspected his clothes.

The cloak should have prevented any ash or blood from soiling his work clothes, but he needed to make sure. She was the one who did the laundry, after all. He picked at a small stain just above the knee of his work pants that could have either been chocolate or blood. But he couldn’t take any chances.

“Hey, Maggie. What time are we heading to your parents on Saturday?”

“I’d like to leave before lunchtime,” she called from the other room. “I think they’re planning on feeding us.”

“Hi, Daddy.”

Startled, Covington spun to face his daughter. Her curly blond pigtails had loosened while she slept, creating thin wispies resembling spider webs escaping from the hair ties.

“What’re you doing up so early, sweet pea?”

She raised her hands for him to pick her up. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“You didn’t wake your brother, did you?”

“Cross my heart.”

“I’ll cross your heart,” he said and then shoved his lips into the crook of her neck and blew a raspberry. “And then I’ll tickle your face!”

She giggled uncontrollably and flailed to get away.

He put her down and smoothed his mustache. “Can you help me make my coffee, please?”

“Sure, Daddy.”

Covington lifted her and placed her on the kitchen counter.

“What’s that on your ear, Daddy?”

Covington’s hand shot to his earlobe to rub away whatever she might have seen.

“The other ear, silly.”

He caught his reflection in the dark kitchen window and noticed a large gray smear across the top of his ear. He licked his fingers and wiped away the smudge—soot and ash.

“Hey, baby. What would you like for breakfast?” Maggie asked her daughter, entering the kitchen and brushing her platinum-blond hair behind one ear.

“Did you get your hair cut?” Covington asked his wife.

“Just the bangs. You like?”

“Daddy likes!” he said, giggling and tussling Maggie’s hair.

“Oatmeal, please,” their daughter answered.

“Coming right up.” Then to Covington: “Do you work tonight?”

“Yeah. But I doubt I’ll be let go early tonight. We have a new batch of techs starting tonight.”

After Maggie made the oatmeal, she turned the knob of the large radio sitting on a cabinet in the kitchen.

“Firefighters were dispatched to the scene, however, not before the detention center was fully engulfed. The casualty count is unknown at this … We are being told now that both children and staff members are among the deceased—”

Covington quickly reached up and silenced the radio. “She doesn’t need to hear about that.”

“My God,” Maggie said. “What a terrible tragedy. I heard the sirens about an hour ago, but I didn’t think anything of it. Imagine all those parents losing their children like that.”

“Yeah, imagine,” he replied, rubbing his hands together. “I’m sure they’ll find out it was some electrical fire in the walls or some faulty construction.”

“Could you imagine if it was arson though? Jeez. We really might be living in the darkest days, for someone to do that to children.”

“What happened, Mommy?”

“Nothing, sweet pea. Just eat your oatmeal,” Covington said. “It’s not table talk for little ladies.”

His daughter giggled.

“All right, I’m turning in,” he said and kissed Maggie on the lips. “I’m gonna crash. I’m exhausted.”

“I’m going downtown today with Evelyn,” she called as he walked toward their downstairs bedroom. “I need to find some new shoes, and Matt wants to open a second lounge. She told him that she’d scope out some locations for sale. She might come back here for some tea. We’ll be quiet and try not to wake you.”

“Matt wants to open another Rippetoe’s lounge? Isn’t he worried about overextending their revenue?”

“With prohibition over, she said some of their friends are making stacks of moolah opening multiple bars.”

“It won’t last,” Covington said as he entered the bedroom. “Prohibition ended about thirteen years ago now. The novelty of speakeasies has almost completely worn off. The Rippetoes should invest in savings bonds instead and focus on their one lounge.”

“Maybe. But I do like her company.”

“Well, say hello to her for me.”

“G’night, Daddy!”

“Have a good day at kindergarten,” he replied and closed the bedroom door.

He stripped off his clothes, put on his pajamas at the foot of the bed, and tucked himself underneath the covers. He flipped to his right side, facing away from the edge of his side of the bed, and felt a hand stroke his hair.

“Your girls did good tonight, Anya,” he said and reached back without looking. Then he lovingly placed his fingers over her cold, lifeless wrist as she continued to massage his head.

“As long as we continue to do great things, all of us, together, the world will one day thank us,” she said, her words sounding more like a gurgle from the back of her throat than a voice.

He turned his head to face her. “Good night, Anya. Get some rest. The next opportunity is just around the corner.”

She vanished from the room, leaving behind the only remnants that she had been here at all: a stench of mildew and a single fly taking flight from where she stood.

“Daddy!” she squealed and jumped on his chest.

He rubbed the dried crust from the corners of his eyes. “Hey, sweet pea.”

“Is it time for you to get up?”

He looked at the pocket watch he kept draped over the corner of the headboard. “It is now.”

She peeled the blankets and sheets off his upper body. “Why do you have to work at night and sleep during the day? Me and Ray miss playing with you.”

“I know, Rose. But Daddy’s job is to make sure the dam is working right, and everything is safe at night. You don’t want the dam to break or any nice people to get hurt, do you?”

Rose shook her head.

“That’s my sweet girl.”

Maggie gently pushed open the bedroom door and peeked in. “I’m sorry, hon. Did she wake you?”

“Nah. I love having my little dumpling in bed with me,” he said and consumed Rose with his arms, tickling and kissing her until she couldn’t breathe through her hysterics anymore.

Maggie smiled and stepped from the room.

“Honey!” he called.

She poked her head back in.

“How did it go today with Evelyn?”

“Good. Looks like Matt is buying that lounge we looked at.”

He nodded and slid from bed.

“Do you have to go to work tonight, Daddy?”

“Yes, he does,” Maggie said, entering the bedroom and scooping up her daughter. “Daddy works very hard so you and Ray can have all those nice clothes and new toys.”

“I love you,” he said to his wife.

“I love you more,” she replied and planted a puckered kiss on his lips. “Go take a shower. Dinner will be ready in a few.”

He waited until Maggie and Rose were gone before walking toward the master bathroom with its interior closet. He closed the door behind him and stripped off his pajamas. He collected them and turned to toss them in the hamper; a shadowy figure stood motionless in the shadows.

“Gah! You can’t keep scaring me like that,” Covington said, placing a hand over his chest.

Anya stepped forward, her face shrouded behind the black veil.

“Is everything okay?”

She reached up and slid a maroon-colored book from the top shelf of his closet. She offered the book to him, holding it out and c*****g her head to one side.

“Not tonight. I have to work. Real work. At my job. Put the book back.”

Covington noticed Anya furrow her eyebrows behind the sheer black lace of the veil as she opened the metal cover of the book. She fingered the yellow-discolored pages, letting each brittle page flop lazily from one side to the other.

“The guilt trip won’t work on me tonight, Anya. I can’t call out sick tonight too. Even last night was risky. And think of how many souls we freed in just one night. I think we met our quota for the year just within last night.”

“We went there only because you wanted to disinfect a bunch of snot-nosed kids. Not to add to our ranks. Last night was a pointless endeavor for me and the cult. Last night was a favor to you—your last one, I might add. So don’t come boo-hooing to me about how much work you’re missing when it doesn’t benefit me at all.”

“You want to do something to benefit your cult?” Covington retorted. “Why not stop lollygagging and get in touch with our guy tonight or tomorrow morning?”

Anya closed the book and fingered the insignia on the metal cover. “I’ve already mailed him the package. Are you sure he’s the right one?”

“He’s not only the right one but he’s the only one. Have some faith in me. He’s exactly who we’ve been waiting for.”

She placed the book on a shelf, eye level, and turned to face him. “Fine. I’m just not used to being dictated to about decisions this pivotal. And, just so you know, your antics didn’t please the vultures. They wanted to create, not destroy.”

He waved her off. “Look. I’m in control here. Not the vultures. Not any other disciple. I hold the book. That’s what you told me. I don’t take suggestions or threats from—”

Knock, knock. “Daddy?”

Covington directed his gaze to the closed bathroom door. “Hey, bud! Give me a minute, okay?”

He looked back where Anya had stood, but she was gone. He sighed and jumped backward when an invisible hand flung the book from the eye-level shelf, and the book landed on the closet floor with a WHACK! He collected the book and returned it to its designated location, then opened the bathroom door and forced a smile for his son.

“Mommy says you have to work tonight.”

“Yeah, Ray. Sorry. I have to work every night this week. But I’ll be off for your birthday. We’re going to Grandma and Grandpa’s.”

“Will we have ice cream?”

“Do you want ice cream?”

“I want two kinds of ice cream!”

“Then we’ll get two different kinds of ice cream.”

Raymond clapped and scooted from the bedroom.

“Hey, Ray! I love you, bud!”

His son answered from the living room. “Love you too, Daddy!”

He turned and glanced into the closet. Anya did not seem to be returning tonight.