Beats Entropy

(Continued from PART 1 , which was continued from PART 2, continued in PART 3 Continued in PART 4, Continued in PART 5 , Continued in part 6 CONCLUDED IN PART 7

The thudding slap of the Ogres feet rang through his incoherent bellowing. I don’t know if it was pride, rage, or inherent stupidity that set him off, but he was charging towards the Perfect Broken creature with complete abandon. The better part of a gnarled tree was thrust out before him like a lance: add a washbin helmet and he’d look a huge, insane child playing at knight gallant. I wondered, for the first time, how old he actually was.

Read the rest of this entry »

(Continued from PART 1 , which was continued from PART 2, continued in PART 3 Continued in PART 4, Continued in PART 5 , C Continued in part 6 CONCLUDED IN PART 7

The cave mouth was much smaller than I thought; generations of hunched and scrabbling Ogres had burnished the edges smooth with their bulk. Thick scrub had grown around the entrance in the Brute’s absence, giving easy cover. I waited until sunset, then crawled the last hundred feet flush to the ground, broken bits of stone and bone tearing at my chest. The Ogre and his vacant bride crouched together, further down the hill, a discouraging lump blackened by the fading light.

Read the rest of this entry »

(Continued from PART 1 , which was continued from PART 2, continued in PART 3 Continued in PART 4  Continued in PART 6 )

There are very few optimistic murders. Once you’ve been part and parcel to a few worst case scenarios you stop expecting pleasant outcomes. I’d punctured enough silver linings in my time I could feel my luck turning like a bad tooth; when the ache hit I was ready for it.
The Ogre caught sign of the girl before me, but not by much.

——————————————————————————

She was sleeping when he found her; beauty tangled low in sticks and burrs. Over lean and exhausted, she lifted easily and awoke slow in the brutes arms. I steeled myself for a cry of horror that never came: she opened her eyes, froze, then slumped overloaded and hopeless against the cruel thing holding her aloft. I don’t know if she was lost or running before we found her, but she’d been doing either long enough to be all but broken. The only resistance she managed was a token look of appeal in my direction.

Read the rest of this entry »

(Continued from PART 1 , which was continued in PART 2, then PART 3, continued in PART 5)

The cloying reek of that swamp thinned then fell way once we reached higher ground. My legs had the gritty numbness of blood soaked sand; hundred pound bags tearing at my hips with every step. The scrub thickened after the third rise, low brush clawed and burred an ugly welcome to the badlands. I had to take three strides for every lurching one of the Ogre’s. The prick had the gall to chafe at the pace I was setting.

“We are moving too slowly. The new moon rises in three days”
A pained flush washed over the ogres skin.
“It’s mating season. I need to set my traps before the good spots are taken”

His calloused meat hooks unconsciously mimed loading a snare. I wondered if his unlucky bride would have the good sense to gnaw off the slipknot wedding band before he found her. Hell of a way to start a life together.

“Easy Playboy, we’ll be there in plenty of time.”

Read the rest of this entry »

(Continued from PART 1 , which was continued from PART 2, To be Continued in PART 4 )

The blue had been beaten from sky by the time I found the ogre; the low fade sucked enough cruel and color from him the brute could’ve passed for a very ugly rock formation. He was sitting in the dirt like an abandoned child who’d yet to weigh his options. I got within a few dozen feet before his bumblebees of stone growl burled out.

“I was about to come looking for you. Where are your friends”.

He actually sounded a little disappointed in me. I’m not a real sensitive soul but there was something about disillusioning an eight foot slaughterhouse that tweaked my delicate nature.

“They got old. And I only run from good decisions.”

I fought back competing urges: explain the situation further, or, kick him repeatedly in his fat head stoney head until a less conflicting situation arose. He saved us both the trouble by rumbling to his feet and moving out without further comment. I was a little grateful.

Read the rest of this entry »

(Continued from PART 1, Continued in PART 3)

Saul and I were more failed antagonists than friends. Whenever we’d crossed purposes in the past we’d both ended up poorer and indisposed, so decided to call it a wash and exist in each others grey graces from there on.

Everybody liked Saul. He was the sort of reliable coward that always operated to his best advantage; never took things personal. If his knife was in your back you knew why, and likely deserved it. Faint praise in most worlds: base enough flattery in ours to blush and cut your throat over. I’d come to him since he knew everyone and owed me a couple favors; to pull this job I’d need at least that amount of both, and the outcome was still in doubt.

Saul hadn’t blinked or moved in a disconcerting amount of time. I’d always suspected he’d fail to fog a mirror when deep in thought; my last question had forced a comatose pause long enough I’d begun eyeing his rings and more transportable valuables. A shuddering tick resurrected his features.
Read the rest of this entry »

Continued in PART 2, then PART 3)

The place had that tavern reek of pipe smoke, manure and hard ridden country girl gone to seed. Still, it had a lowlife charm that suited me, and the rotgut ale had enough kick to take a few miles off the serving wench. I was only occasionally drunk before noon; the shit stinking Ogre across from me was one hell of an occasion.

“….I need it out before the dead moon waxes”

He had a voice like a bruise: blood tinged and black around the edges. His snarl was burred by the saw toothed rasp of cats tongue on bone; dragging shreds of meat from broken teeth. I’m sure there were words pouring out of that bear trap jaw, but I’ll be damned if I heard more than half of them.
Read the rest of this entry »