“What in the name of God?” I said.
I frantically walked to the room's mirror. To my horror, the face staring back at me was not human. I saw the face of one of the creatures that had terrified the city and kidnapped its children. I saw the face of a gargoyle.
Chapter 8: Into the Night Sky
“No! What is this?” I cried.
I stared at the mirror and saw a different face from my old human form. I saw the twisted and yellowed mask of a gargoyle's face, not a human one in any way. I screamed and cried in horror. My scream sounded like broken glass being scraped on the pavement. And just like that, the mirror shattered. My voice could never shatter glass before. It was clearly a new ability, a dark gift given to me from the other side. But I was far from being in a grateful mood.
In anger, confusion and frustration, I lashed out at the closest things that I could see. I clawed at the television with my hardened and sharp claws. The TV was instantly shattered in a thousand pieces. It burst into an explosion of metal, wires, and electric bolts. I slammed my fist into the room's table. It was instantly split into two. My rage was uncontrollable.
“No! What is this? I've somehow become a freak!”
My mind raced for any possible explanation as to why I was suddenly not human anymore. I could find none. I was too enraged in the moment to think clearly and logically. At that moment, confusion and anger were the only things I understood.
“Nothing makes sense! Nothing!”
I prayed that this was the real nightmare. I tried to somehow will myself to wake up from any dream that this was. And nothing happened.
“Aaarrrrrgh!”
I began screaming in bestial cries. I truly became a raging monster.
“What's going on?”
The door was suddenly kicked open. The nurses and doctors were stopped dead in their tracks and horrified at what they saw before them.
“What.. what is this? What have you done with Scryer?” one of the doctors said.
He tried hard to hide the fear and terror in his voice. I didn’t need to be a gargoyle to know that it was a poor attempt at bravado.
“I am Scryer!” I screeched.
They were taken aback by my revelation. I don't think it fully sunk in and I couldn't blame them.
“Aaarrrrrgh!”
With one monstrous scream, I lifted my hospital bed and tossed it right at the room's window. It shattered the window and fell to the ground with a loud crash.
“What are you doing? Wait!”
I was in no mood to listen. I just wanted to end this nightmare in any way possible. I jumped out into the dark night sky.
Chapter Nine: The Cathedral
The dark night sky embraced me like some sinister lover. I felt the sudden rush of the cold air. I felt the familiar sensation of the ground racing up to greet me. There were no branches or leaves to catch me anymore. I would surely become nothing but a yellow and red splatter on the ground now and I welcomed this state of oblivion. Anything would be better than this new twisted reality that had been thrust onto me by a strange turn of fate
With arms wide open, I embraced the impending doom that was rushing right at me. But just as I spread my arms out to welcome the kiss of death, another dark gift presented itself to me. My arms suddenly unfurled huge, concealed wings that were now laid bare in full view. The dark wings were 3 times my own size and were already slowing down my descent considerably.
Make no mistake about it, I wanted to die. During those terrible and confusing moments, I just wanted to be free from my dark burden of a new life. But as if by instinct, I beat and flapped my wings. Again, I did not even think about it. I just did it because it was what I had been created to do. The powerful wings carried me higher into the air and I did not fall. I flew.
I flew and tasted the cold, night air. Now, the ground was not rushing towards me. The night sky was all around me, and I was flying and soaking it all in. I adjusted to new perceptions and a whole new way to view reality. My hearing, my strength, every single sense and ability that I had, had increased many folds. I was also instinctively navigating in the sky using some kind of sonar, similar to what bats used to get their bearings. My strange dream had become an even more twisted reality. This was a whole new life for me.
I don't know how long I flew above the city. I savored my new powers and actually managed to enjoy the dark moment. Flying was still flying, and it was more than anything I had ever dreamed of. Despite the initial shock, the feeling was still insanely exhilarating. Flying around was still the most amazing experience that I had ever felt in my life.
Once I had gotten over my initial thrill, I noticed that my sonar was guiding me somewhere. I was being led to a dark destination by my new powers. I wondered where and what it was that I was flying towards. What did this all mean?
I would soon find all the answers to my nagging questions. The huge and derelict form of the old cathedral right at the center of the city, held the answers. I had flown right in front of the near- crumbling and abandoned edifice. No one had ever used the church for as far as I could remember. It had long been abandoned, but it was the only reminder of life before everything went upside down. This was not a hot spot for meeting anyone and the structure had long lost its relevance in the modern world. But I was right in front of it, and I could find the answers that I needed, one way or the other.
Chapter Ten. The Giant Gargoyle
The old cathedral had become a landmark of sorts for the city but it served no functional purpose anymore. It had long been abandoned and left in disrepair when a Satanic Cult had been discovered to be secretly using it for their rituals of human sacrifice six years ago. The cult had been sacrificing children in honor of Satan and the demons that they worshipped. Once these gruesome discoveries were discovered and put to a stop, it was natural that no one ever stepped foot on the cathedral again.
A strange force that I could not completely comprehend drew me into the cathedral. I allowed myself to be swept away by this force as I swooped into one of the edifice's shattered windows. As I flew into the structure, I realized that I had entered a true nightmare.
“Another returns! But with no child!”
At the center of the cathedral was another gargoyle, significantly larger than I was and the other gargoyles that flew above on the ceiling. He seemed like the sick maestro of this freak show and reveled in his role. The ceiling itself was dotted with several sacs and bubble-like growths that clung all over it. The sacs appeared to be cocoons that were housing larvae of some kind. There were figures inside that looked to be undergoing some kind of metamorphosis or transformation of some kind, much like butterflies do.
“I apologize.” I said.
This was all I could say to the ringleader in all this madness. I didn't know what to say but I was definitely not going to tell this twisted creature about how I just recently transformed into one of them.
“It does not matter! Look! Even as I speak, other returns but now bearing a child!”
A quick gust of wind from another shattered window revealed another flying gargoyle. Like the bigger gargoyle said, he carried with him, a small child. The boy was struggling in the gargoyle's arms, but could do little.
“Place him in the cocoon!”
The flying gargoyle deposited the boy inside a cocoon, even as the child protested in vain. It was an open cocoon that closed on its own once the boy was deposited within. Then, even as the boy squirmed inside, its kidnapper slashed its own arm with its sharp talon. Fresh, sticky green blood dripped into the cocoon through its pores. I remembered the green blood that had been splashed all over my face. I had ingested some of the blood in my struggle. Once the blood entered the porous membrane of the sac, he stopped struggling and the cocoon was still.
'What is this nightmare that I've stumbled onto?' I thought to myself.
“And look! Even as we speak, more hatchlings are transformed! More dark servants are born for the invasion t
hat will give us this realm to rule!”
I watched in shock as some of the sacs burst in front of my eyes. As they burst, several gargoyles hatched from them, gargoyles with a full pair of wings, hard skin, and sharp talons and fangs. Not children, but gargoyles, just like myself. In horror I recalled what my source had told me.
“..they are all out to take over this realm of reality starting with this small city of yours.”
“..the gargoyles are only the beginning.”
With the sick turn of events that unfolded right before my eyes, I realized the truth. Everything had finally been revealed to me. It seemed that the blood of a gargoyle turned people, or at least children into gargoyles. That was how I was turned into one of them. But the children were probably being turned because as kids, they were more open and pliant to become corrupted. This had to be the explanation why they were targeting kids and why, even as one of them, I still retained my consciousness and free will.
I wanted to strike myself down for my being such a fool. I had ignored that mysterious source and now several innocent children had been horribly transformed into creatures that were serving some dark purpose. In many ways, I was just as responsible for these children's terrible fate as the huge gargoyle below.
“Once our ranks have swelled large enough, this realm will be ours for the taking!”
As the mad gargoyle ranted and raved below me, I only had one thought, and one purpose. I had to somehow put a stop to all this madness. No child should ever suffer needlessly for the ambitions of these sick creatures. There had to be some way to stop all of this evil insanity.
My mind raced for some way to stop this. Then I remembered Sally. Perhaps I could somehow tell her, warn her of these creatures and their plans. But would Sally even listen to me now that I was a hideous gargoyle like them? That was doubtful and my mind racked to find some way around this.
Before I could think of other options, one of the gargoyles below me made a dive to the ground. He swooped beside one of the cracking pillars of the cathedral.
“Master! I have found one of the humans prowling about in our home!” it shrieked.
“Bring him to me!” the giant gargoyle said.
“Master, it is not a man, but a woman!”
The gargoyle brought the intruder out into the light. To my horror, I saw that the gargoyle was holding a struggling Sally.
Chapter Eleven: The Final Battle
“How did you discover us woman?” the giant gargoyle asked Sally.
Standing in front of each other, I could see that the gargoyle towered over Sally. He was a good 10 feet tall. The gargoyle looked almost Biblical and truly demonic with his huge presence.
“I'll be the one doing the asking around here!” Sally said.
Hot fumes emanated from the gargoyle's nostrils. He snorted and laughed in response.
“You are in no position to ask for anything, puny woman!” he said.
Sally ignored his response and asked anyway.
“What have you done with Jack Scryer?” she said.
I reeled in surprise at Sally's question. She was asking about me.
The gargoyle laughed again. He found all this amusing and simply an afterthought.
“I have no idea whom you are talking about woman!”
“Maybe he's nothing to you, but he's important to me!”
I could not believe what I was hearing. Sally did you really want me this much? How would you react if you saw me as I am now?
“I saw one of your creatures fly away from his hospital room, earlier! I followed the creature here to the abandoned cathedral and I discovered all of this!”
The giant gargoyle smiled at Sally. Sally did not even flinch at the sight of the demon. Right then, I realized just how courageous Sally really was.
“Your courage and strong feelings for this 'Jack Scryer' are admirable. But he is nowhere here. I am afraid you have only found your death in this place.” he said, ominously.
“Take her and do what you wish! I have no interest in this woman's melodrama anymore!”
At their leader's command, the gargoyles swooped down towards Sally.
“You bastard! You'll pay for all of your sins! Somehow!”
He turned his back towards Sally and moved away. He was more than convinced that his minions could do the job and his attention here was not neccesary. The gargoyles approached Sally menacingly. These were not children anymore but creatures of dark despair. I didn't know if there was still some way to save them but I could not just stand idly by and watch Sally be devoured by them. I had to do something.
“No! Stay away from her!” I cried.
All of the gargoyles including the giant one, turned towards me. Before they could react, I quickly swooped down and grabbed Sally with my talons and flew away with her. Or at least I tried to fly away from them.
“Let go of me! Where are you taking me?” Sally said.
Flying with her became tedious and difficult as she struggled. But I kept going. I could leave her here to be devoured by these foul creatures.
“Sally, it's me, Jack! Stop struggling! I'm trying to save you!” I said.
“Jack?” Sally said.
Her eyes widened with surprise and disbelief.
“Jack? Is.. is that you?” she said.
“Stop him! He is trying to save her!” the giant gargoyle said.
Upon his command, several of the gargoyles flew towards us and gave us chase in the air. The screamed and screeched in unison and it was clear they only had one thing in mind; to catch us for their leader. I tried to block out the terrible sound of their screeching voices and tried to remember that these were once children.
I focused on the shattered window on the wall. If I could somehow reach it, perhaps we could escape the cathedral.
Some of the creatures managed to catch up with us and flew side-by-side with us. I held onto Sally with one arm and swatted away some of the creatures with my free talon. I drew blood and many of them plummeted to the cathedral floor. Once we were in aerial combat, I decided to forget that they were children altogether and focus on our survival.
I swatted some of them and avoided the others, as I closed on the exposed window. Perhaps we would actually make it out of here, after all.
“They're trying to swarm on us!” Sally said.
“Don't talk! Just hang on!” I said.
I swatted another gargoyle away. The window was now tantalizingly close. But just as I approached it, a gargoyle suddenly appeared out of nowhere and blocked the way out.
“Damn it!” I said.
I beat my huge wings as fast as I could and tried to do a sharp and sudden swerve. I turned hard in mid-air and managed to avoid him. The other gargoyles were not as sharp and several of them collided with the single gargoyle at the window. There was a loud and sickening thud as they all crashed into each other.
We were still flying in the air but we were still trapped in the cathedral and several of the gargoyles were still chasing us. Plus, we still had to deal with the giant gargoyle and this wole situation did not look good.
“What do we do now?” Sally asked.
“I'll double back into that window to try and escape. It's clear now!” I said.
“No, look!” Sally said, pointing to the window.
Glancing towards the window, I realized that another gargoyle had taken the place of the other one. I looked around at the other windows. They were all covered with gargoyles blocking them.
“They've blocked out all the windows!”
“Damn it! We're trapped in here!” I said.
The gargoyles were circling all over, and surrounding us. I had no choice as I descended to the ground. My sharp clawed feet touched down and I set Sally on the ground. We moved back as the gargoyles and their giant leader moved forward and pressed towards us.
“There is nowhere left to run. Face your fate.” he said.
Sally and I slowly moved back. We were moving closer to t
he sealed cathedral entrance. Our backs were back against the wall and we had little options left.
“We're done for.” I said.
Sally smiled at me. I wondered how she could smile in the midst of all this.
“I don't think so.” she said.
The sound of the cathedral doors being kicked down filled the air. The doors came crashing down and a whole squad of heavily armed swat police stood behind us and directly outside the cathedral.
“What is this?” the giant gargoyle said.
“How did they find out about this place?” I asked Sally.
Sally kept smiling at me.
“You didn't think that I would be crazy enough to go in here without first alerting the police, did you? Well now, all the gargoyles have been discovered!”
“Good Lord! What is that thing?” one of the soldiers said, pointing at the huge gargoyle.
“The 'Good Lord' is nowhere here! Attack them!” the gargoyle said.
“Fire! Fire!”
“No! They're children!” I cried.
There was nothing more I could do. Pandemonium erupted instantly. The gargoyles charged right at the policemen and they fired directly at the all of them.
Gunfire filled the air. Bullets went flying everywhere, cutting down all of the gargoyles where they stood. The massive gargoyle was not spared as the swat officers came prepared. They peppered him with gunfire and cut him down where he stood.
It was a massacre. The element of surprise worked perfectly for the swat team and the gargoyles only managed to take down a few of them while they were all gunned down. It was all I could do to avoid becoming a target myself. Amidst all the chaos, I managed to somehow slip away. The last thing I saw as I took to the air and slipped behind one of the cathedral's dark spires was the huge form of the giant gargoyle as it collapsed to the floor. He was shot to death along with all the other gargoyles in the cathedral.
“It's over. It's all over.” one of the swat officers said.
“Is it really over? Or is this just the beginning of something far worse to come?” another answered.
My heightened sense of hearing heard them all speaking with each other. I could not help but ask the same question to myself. I had even more questions that demanded answers, but remained up in the air.