Messengers

VioletMyth Part 1

The sky was a sickening toxic green. The dry motorway a shade of burnt orange that spread into the air in plumes of billowing dust, coating the once clean windshield in a thick layer. Bugs unable to cross the road as most chickens do, splatting against the glass. Windshield wipers working extra hard to clear the dirt, but only smearing the remains of rather giant bugs.

Cayce cussed quietly to himself, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. The admittedly stolen blue van speeding loudly over bumps in the road that made it fly off of it for an instant or two. Jerking back down to the ground a heavy crunch and suspension that creaked.

From the back there were noises of a dog scratching at the metal enclosure. The smack of it scampering about and bashing into the walls, desperate to get out.

Az sat, arms crossed, blonde hair matted at the ends from smelly acid spit. Her lips pulled down in the least impressed frown. Next to her, the Man in Black, sitting up on his knees precariously without a seatbelt. He was facing back through the cage mesh separating the cab from the back, a hand rested up on it.

"Hang in there Fluffy Bottom!" He called,

"That's not his name!" Cayce lifted a fisted hand off the steering wheel as he grimaced.

"Might as well be, Spikey head." Man in Black smiled broadly, teeth concealed behind his pale lips. It made him look creepier, to Cayce at least, who shuddered.

"Why did we bring Psycho again?" He muttered under his breath.

"COMIC RELIEF!" Gia yelled from where she was tied to the top of the van, squealing every time an inordinately sized bug splat against her hair.

"No really." Cayce stared at Az blankly, who rolled her eyes and huffed a sigh.

"Because I'm the only one who can tell what fluffy bottom is thinking." Man in Black chimed.

"And it's your fault he couldn't stop spitting acid at people..." Az pointed at the goopy, green tinge to the ends of her hair. "Not to mention p*#% off the idol that decided to morph these damn bugs and turn Hunter into Krypto the bloody super dog."

"I thought he was more like Corbin," Man in Back shrugged. "Alas, it is my duty to reverse it."

"GUYS!" Gia screamed from the roof, "Any chance on the way back I can NOT be Idol bait?!"

Just then the sound of bending steel and an ear splitting howl ripped through the air. They could feel it rumbling through the whole van, holding their hands over their ears whilst Cayce swerved to a stop.

"Fluffy got out..." Man in Black swallowed, eyes growing small and worried as he stared out a massive hole through the back of the van.

"f*#%," Az grumbled as the van was hit side on and started to skid over the dusty ground, another high pitched howl shattering through their ears. Gia's screaming could be heard over it, as she rushed to get herself untied and rolled from the roof of the van and under it as it kept moving. Just being missed by the back wheel.

Gia was left with nothing between her and the large, mutated mutt. She shrilled, closing her eyes to block out the image of a now seven foot tall Hunter, standing up on hind legs. His body was furrier, but that didn't belie the ten inch daggers sticking jaggedly out of his mouth that stopped him from fully closing his lips if he didn't want to stab himself. At the end of his newly extended paws were un-retractable claws. His tail had grown long and formed a sharp spike at its end to keep him balanced.

Gia believed she was done for, until Az stepped through her already intangible. "Now to deal with Edward Scissor hands."

Cayce didn't like this one bit, but got a fists ready as he jumped from the van seeing Hunter bounding forward for them. But he bypassed them all and went straight for one of the mutated bugs already part squished from being hit by the van. He tossed it back and forth in his mouth, letting its yellow goo insides ooze out everywhere, covering his black fur and making it glow a phosphorous hue. Then, acting more like a scent hound, straightened his tail and pointed forward. The bugs were dropping on their own to the dust road and exploding. Turning the blood orange to golden yellow that stunk somewhat like rotten garbage.

"I think we have to follow the yellow bug road." Man in Black clapped excitedly, walking up to Hunter and patting him on the back. "I knew you hadn't turned on us Fluffy."

Gia was still trembling and needed Cayce's help to get up. "Weren't we already doing that, in the van?" He asked humourlessly. Then he spotted a sign, "No Stolen Blue Vans past this point, unless you want certain death?" It was drawn out in bug goo and posted on a power line. "Well, isn't that creepily specific."

"So... he was... just trying to save us?" Gia's eyes kept blinking, rapidly without stop as she tried to get her mind round seeing the underneath of a van and believing Cayce's pet was going to devour her whole.

"Seems that way." Cayce shrugged.

"Well, if anyone spots any ruby slippers, they're mine." Man in Black chimed as he started to step on bugs along the road, making them crunch and squelch under his feet.