Sunkissed

Chapter Five

“Excuse me ladies .”  As the waiter lays a tray of a fresh platter of assorted pastries to the group’s table. Marie, looking at the waiter and says they didn’t order it. The waiter pointed to a man and woman, sitting across the table from where they were. Both dressed in gray business suits. As Marie acknowledged their presence, the pair stood up and made their way to the party of old women. Edna took the empty seat while Vincent stood by her.

“Good morning Ladies, I hope our offering is enough to gain us a seat at your table on this, rather calm morning.”   Edna smiled as she placed her handbag onto the table.

“Hmm, it will suffice…but we’re going to need another round.” Marie gestured at her teacup.

“I apologize. Vincent?”

Vincent, left their company momentarily and came back with a large teapot. It was not pot they were familiar with, it was different. Ornate design with rich golden engravings on the sides of the orb. There he poured the contents of the pot to each teacup. It was steamy and the smell of distinct tea leaves, mixed with aromatics, the group of connoisseurs could not tell. Edna smirked.

“Lovely isn’t it. Now may I have a word?”

“It is. And go on, speak. What are your intentions?”

Edna pointed at the pair of college kids just a few meters away from them. One is puking her guts out, while the other is laughing at her friend, albeit concerned looking.

“So have you finally made your decision?”

Leroy was still wondering who the caller on the other end was, it wasn’t on his registry and he couldn't  recall giving out his number recently. The voice belongs to a woman, that he is sure of, but with the ambiance and noise of the beer-house and its patrons drowned the clarity of the voice. He could not make out who it was. But he had a faint idea, at he wished that he was wrong.

“Hello…are you there?”

“Yes- yes, -uh, I,m sorry. It’s pretty loud in here. Who is this?”

“Ouch. Not only you’ve been deliberately avoiding me the whole day, now you don’t even remember me? Cold, Mr. Leroy. Cold.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t-”

“ I know. I’m just kidding. So, have you made your decision yet?”

“ I don’t Kn-”

Pieces of glass exploded all over inside. The large glass panes that serves as windows shattered, leaving broken glass in every inch of the bar. Screams of pain followed as some were hit by the shrapnel. The phone call had been dropped. Leroy looked around and saw the other guys that were drinking, especially those sitting from where the panel should be, all hit with large pieces of glass. It was bloody.

Some are writhing in pain, while others are picking and scraping off the shards that latched onto them. His hand began to hurt, he noticed there was a inch-long shard of glass that had found its way protruding on his left forearm. He felt the sting grew more intense as he notices to a greater clarity of what had happened. Then the numbness ensues once more when he saw among the bodies of his fellow drinkers, a shadow stood.

The bar was cozy, the walls covered with framed memorabilia of  the town’s local history. The management just cleared a few of those in place of a shrine for Disney. Her football jersey was hanged and framed along with other photos of her from various news clippings and photos from sporting events. Leroy and the other bar-goers looked at the naked man in his late-thirties, riddled with markings, more akin to fresh scars, soaked in a repulsive dark liquid. The stench quickly engulfed the room. The foul odor permeated into their skin and nostrils giving them the urge to empty their stomachs.

Leroy was taken back to that same event a few days back. He remembered in great detail in a matter of seconds. His body reacted to the same way it did last time. Again, it was either fight or flight. His body begins to tense up, he became more aware of his surroundings, especially to the present threat at hand. The man wore an expression to this expression to his face that is a mix of malice, rage and sorrow. Leroy and the Other bar goers stood and watch, at the man as he starts to twitch uncontrollably while attempting to make speech.

“ StoRm…cOmInG… NeEd..”

“ The f**k you talkin’ about, ya punk?!” As one of the Bar’s usual's, a burly dark-skinned man, with thinning hair, and bore large tribal tattoos on both arms. Together with carved wooden beads of varying designs. He was straight-up, islander. Grabbed the the rabid stranger by arm in attempts to subdue him. He was shocked to feel a numbness on his left cheek. He was certain that he dodged that jab. And yet somehow, half of his lower face missing, revealing only bones and muscle. His vision grew dark, the last image he saw before everything was swallowed by dark is the right hand of rabid beast, holding a lump of flesh. A large thud echoed the bar as the unlucky stranger hit the floor.

It was only Leroy and him. The depraved man, still holding the pound of flesh which consisted of skin and cheek. He was nonchalant about tearing a man’s face off. Maybe he’s already long past the point of no return. It made a weird squishing sound when he squeezed it. Leroy, being accustomed to being terrified by now, began to slowly think of his options.  Sandra heard a crashing sound followed by a collective of screaming, shortly after the line had been cut. She put phone in her pocket and and signaled her secretary to open the door.

“Good evening gentlemen.”

As Sandra welcomed six men, all dressed in business attire, into a conference room. Each took their place at the large table. Formalities exchanged among them. They acknowledge Sandra’s presence by nodding and shyly smiled at her, it was only a mere few seconds that these men could keep eye contact with her, and she knew all too well why. The representative of the group, Mr. Vidal; a dapper old man, with a comically large mustache, expressed his condolences to Sandra for the passing of her brother.

“ I apologize, I wasn’t there at the wake. It must been tough filling into his shoes, especially at a time like this. I hope you are  managing well”

Sandra  acknowledge the remark, with a smile. She was disgusted at the sight of these old men. For long she as she could remember, she hated these men. To some they are the wealthiest and most respected individuals in the island, but  to her, they’re the people that took everything away from her.First it was her father, now, her brother. She was filled with hate and frustration. But she knew she could not show that she is weak. These men are vultures, she though to herself.

“ Oh, you don’t have to worry about me” She responded as she smirked.

Mr. Vidal chuckled and began to make himself comfy on his chair by leaning back and forth until he found the perfect position for his back. Sandra would have never thought that this reptile of a person, is sick through the bone, if she hadn't knew him since she was tall as a grasshopper. Although she had known him for the entirety of of her life, Sandra never really bothered even to to try liking him. She always felt this inert disposition towards him.

“ Welcome, gentlemen. Allow me to take the floor for not only tonight’s concession, but as chairperson of the circle. As per tradition, the next of kin takes the place of the ill-fated leader. Since my dear brother had lived up to most of his life as a bachelor, it is only right that I take his place…”

 “ As he did with your father…Tragic indeed. If I didn’t knew any better I would say the title is cursed.”

“ Your point is?”

“ All I’m saying is, you’re different from the men of your family, you're smart. You should know when to watch your back and who to trust.”

“ Funny, if hadn’t known any better as well, I would say you’re threatening me.”

Vidal partly raised both his hands above his head while being all giddy as a child.

“No Ma’am.”    He replied lowering both his head and excitement.

“ Good. Now can we get on to business, gentlemen?”

Leroy felt the pain had built up from his hand. It seems that the swing he made with the beer bottle he just finished hurt him more rather than his target. The bottle, promisingly intact from the impact. Leroy could not believe it as well, but he has more things to think about now. And that is not dying.

Leroy was in the zone. He felt doing a little footwork to his stance. He was feeling it, he thought to himself with a slight grin on his lip, whilst sweating profusely.

“ That’s right, b***h! Let’s go!”

 He coordinates his lower body to his torso and into his right arm for a huge swing. And misses, he finds himself flung over by the entirety of his as the stranger ducked his attack. Leroy was fully aware of everything, now, all of his senses are working overtime. The damp air, the sulfuric stench, by which he had gotten used to, and the deafening silence, everything felt like in slow-motion. Then his body slammed to the floor. Without hesitation, the stranger, lead onto him and, with both hands, held Leroy’s neck with a death grip. He tried retaliating, but his trusty bottle could only do so much.Who knew that chocking to death, affected our muscles moved. Leroy thought. 

As each second pass by, it was getting harder and harder to breathe, let alone to break free from the choke. Leroy, desperately clawing his adversary to wherever he could reach reaped no rewards. Even though he managed to scrape some of the skin of the man on top of him, he remained unflinching. His grip never loosened for Leroy to break free.

The bar slowly engulfed in darkness. The only thing Leroy could see was the face of his killer as everything around them dimmed out. And he did not liked what he saw.

He already knew that this man had no reserve left, down to his most primal instincts of: kill or be killed. Those eyes, he thought to himself. There was no one behind those pair of retinas. Or long gone.

The estranged man, although keeping a s**t-eating grin, his eyes where sad. As if he was about to break into tears any moment now.The total mismatch of his expression, will forever be burned into Leroy’s mind.

“H- Heeeelp!”  Leroy exclaimed. He yelled so loud that it hurt him. He tasted a little bit of blood in his mouth. He then regretted the decision to call out for help, for it took more energy and air he thought it would.

Feeling more tired, he gave up on resisting. For Leroy, it felt like an eternity. He was staring at death long enough for him to accept his fate. But in the outside, it was only a mere forty-five seconds.  

And within that one-third of a minute,  Piatt happened to be on one of his night jogs around town. It was cold that night. No vehicles seem to pass the road, there was little to none foot traffic as well. He felt his stomach churn, along with a slight pain in his chest. A sinking feeling. The cold breeze didn’t help. He, suddenly felt awful, as he saw flashes of what had happened, or what’s left of his friend, Del Toro.

He tried to shake of the thoughts, by thinking of something else. Anything else would be better, he thought; as cold bulb of sweat came out of his forehead. He runs faster, as if trying to outrun his thoughts and what dwell within.

“H-Heeelp!”

The shout caught in off guard. Suddenly, his head was clear. He followed the direction of the voice. He jogged fast until he reached the local beer-house, named “ Beni’s”

It was past midnight and all the adjacent stores were closed. It was only the bar’s lights that gave illumination to the street. He walks slowly towards the entrance, upon seeing the destruction the place had undergone. A robbery, he thought, or maybe an attack by the local gangs?

He pressed on forward. With each step a crackle of glass was heard. And an smell of sulfur. He got closely enough to the large panel window, where the glass is supposed to be. And he sees Two men.

Both down on the floor, one on top of the other. He sprang into the aid of the fellow on the floor. He noticed once he grabbed the man on top that he was naked, but paid no attention to it and proceed to shove him off, just enough there’s space between them. He quickly glances to the floor and sees a familiar face; although a  inch away from death.

“ Leroy!”

Piatt’s fight or flight was activated. His body knew he has to defend both of them. He stood up to a combat stance. Even at a glance one can tell that this person can fight. He anticipates Leroy;s attacker while being more aware of the surroundings. To his left, a barely conscious Leroy lying on the hard wood floor, and his right is a flipped over table with dis- arrayed stools and broken glass everywhere. He crunches on the glass below his runners. Just as he anticipated, the naked stranger, lunged forward, he saddles his leg and then lets out a huge roundhouse kick, aimed precisely to the attacker’s right jaw. it looked painful. The attacker was flung towards the one of the large panel windows, hitting some tables along the way and bumping on the few patrons that are too hurt to run. Curses could be heard as the naked fellow stumbled and fumbled the bar. And finally dropping to an edge of a table, as one patron, visibly injured with large shards of glass all-over, grabbed the its ankle from his position on the floor. The vicious fall, resulted into the naked fellow’s planting his  face to a corner of the table, jaw first. The satisfying crunch of bone and wood meeting was load. Then followed by a collection of sighing from the other patrons and from Piatt as well. It was over, they thought to themselves as a feeling of relief replaced where fear had once been.

Piatt turned back to Leroy, leaned close his mouth and he patiently listened for any faint breathing. He quickly place both hands on top of each other on Leroy’s chest and proceeded to perform chest compression. He remembered, during his first-aid training, that the easiest way to time the compression  is to the beat of  Staying alive.

“ ah “

“ah”

“ah”

“staying alive. Staying alive.”  He mutters to himself while pumping Leroy’s chest.

Pump.

Pump

Pump

“Staying alive. Staying alive.”

While he was murmuring the tune to himself while doing CPR; the bar patrons stood up, some are visibly in pain as they were cursing as thy got up. One pulled out his phone and rang for the emergency hotline. The whole ordeal felt like hours, but in fact, it only happened in less than 20 minutes. Shortly after, Leroy regained his color and an inch of his consciousness.

Piatt?”

“Don’t try to talk kid, medics’ on their way.”

The bartender/ manager of Beni’s came out of his hiding hole. He hastily emerged from the bar’s backroom. He began assisting the patrons that were injured during the incident. Some gave him the stink eye for not acting immediately. Those who complained and gave him the look, received tough first aid. To which in his delight.

He was in his late-twenties. Dressed flamboyantly and kept his hair in pristine condition, which he dyed blonde-green. And he did a good job in patching up the injured. There had been a buildup of dust on the surface of his first-aid kit. And upon glance it was apparent that this is the first time the kit had been used. Old labels of known brands of medical plasters and bandages stood out like a sore thumb. Archaic bottles of rubbing alcohol and various ointments neatly packed, along with boxes of different kinds of first-aid paraphernalia. It was a time capsule of a distant past. 

The name’s Benny. He introduced himself to Piat while handed a glass of water to him.

“ Don’t worry, its on the house.”  Benny smiled at him. He changes his tone when he points to the body, layed on the floor with a large tablecloth draped over.

“Sad. He was one of my regulars. Nice guy as well, always tipped. Although bit of a temper… Sorry if I m talking to much , its just too damn quiet in here.”

yPiatt gave Benny a stern look. And brushed him off. While he moved on to the next body, the one that caused all of this, to inspect. The stranger’s jaw, was dislocated. It was only torn skin and muscle that barely kept the jawbone in its face. Teeth scattered on the vicinity of its head. Blood began to coagulate all over him to form a layer of crust. The smell, at this point have subsided, perhaps they’ve gotten used to the foul sulfur smell. Piat, notices the markings on its body, similar to the ones found on Sandra’s brother. The crudely etched symbols of the sun, shamans, and stars was jaggedly drawn on its body. Based on the depth and width of each line, it was blade. The wounds were still fresh, the skin hadn’t had the chance to heal itself yet, it explains why the man as covered in blood in the first place.

He felt sick to the core. It was apparent to him, that, this man was also a victim. He thought to himself, who would be brutal enough to cause this much pain to eventually drive a man into insanity and destruction. He was angry. This is the same person responsible for the death of his friend. He thought to himself.  He clenched his fist out of frustration.

Leroy, propped up on the wall, was doing better now. And a few seconds later the paramedics and police got there. The whole bar was flooded with red and blue lights. The silence broken by a chorus of sirens. The injured was treated immediately by the EMTs.

Two police officers, one was a short and muscular, probably on his early-thirties. The other, was the complete opposite of him. Tall, with a sagging belly; close to his retirement. Leroy, with his vision returning to normal, could see, one of the officers took some photos of the scene. He even tried to smile on the photo, while the EMT took care of him. He was placed into a stretcher. As he was being carried outside, he looks to his side, and sees Piatt, talking to one of the officers.

“Piatt..”

Piatt acknowledged him and nodded, as Leroy was boarded into the ambulance.

“ Good evening I am Detective, Bautista.” He flashed his badge.

“ And over there is my subordinate, Detective Lanning.” He points onto the officer taking photos. Detective Bautista took out a small notpad from his jacket, along with a chewed out pencil.

“ I need to know what happened here. I’ll start with you.”

Detective Bautista’s tone was calm, but commanded an presence of authority around him.  Bautista began jotting down notes as Piatt tell his accounts of the incident.

“ I see.”

“Uh huh.”

“ Thank you very much, That’ll do. As for you young man, its your  turn. I believe you own this place right?”  Bautista looks at Benny.

“ Yes sir. The name’s Benny.”

“ This place is named after you then.”

“ I get that a lot, but no. Beni’s was named after my father.”

“ I see. Now, let’s hear your side of the story.”

“ Well- let’s see. I was at my office, then suddenly I heard windows broke followed by screaming. I thought it was just another bar fight… but it was different. That man was deranged. I was so scared to leave my office until I knew It was safe.” 

 Establishments like this, should have an installed alarm system , or a landline phone for emergencies. You are up to fire and safety standards, I expect?”

Bautista removes his head from his notepad and looked at Benny. Benny, panicked and quickly answered

“ Yes we’re up to standards. I even renewed all of my licenses and certificates last month.”

While they were conversing, the bodies was already being taken out of the scene, by the investigators that accompanied the two detectives. Bautista hid his notepad and pencil to his jacket. Ruffled his hair and yawned. It was around two in the morning. Old men have to get their rest.

“ I suppose that’ll do. Thank you.”

Bautista looked around the place and made sure, everything was taken care of. He signaled Lanning to leave.

“ So, what do we have?”  Lanning eagerly asked. As he walked pass Piatt and Benny.

“ I’ll walk you guys out.” Benny offered.

“ Just another school night.” Bautista replied as they turn their backs. But before they made into by their car, Bautista turned back and looked at Benny.

“ It’s nice to see kids continue what their folks worked hard on. I wish you the very best.” Bautista nods.

“ Good night.”

Benny nodded in reply, while suddenly a phone rang. The chime was loud enough to startle Benny. Bautista takes on last look on the seen and before getting into the car. He sat on the front passenger seat, while Lanning on  the driver’s seat. They rolled the windows up and had their own private discussion before driving away. Benny looked at his phone, it was a text message from his father.

He looks back at the bar, totaled. Blood had began to dry up and glass still scattered everywhere. The rest of the EMTs are finishing up on the injured. Yellow tape was beginning to envelop the entrance of the bar. “ Crime scene - do not cross” it says. Under his breath, he mutters.

“ Shit.”