GFANTIS X MARUGRAH
Story by Zach Cole
Author’s note: This entry in the “Gfantis vs” Series features the kaiju Marugrah from the novel Kaiju Epoch: A Kaiju Thriller. It is the second Kaiju story I have written, the first being Tsuchigumo, and is my first full length novel and my first third person story. I don’t think many people know about my books, but even so I keep writing them. And Kaiju Epoch is probably my favorite so far.
Kaiju Epoch follows Will, a troubled twenty-year-old out on his own, who stumbles upon an alien creature named Marugrah. Marugrah came to help Earth defend itself against an alien race known as the Plagueonians, who use Kaiju to clear the planet of life so they can take over. The following story takes place two months after that novel.
1
Washington, D.C.
Will had seen things in his life that had scarred him, but what he saw two months ago was more than he could handle. He had been having nightmares of the things he had seen. Crushed bodies. People eaten, both alive and dead. Cities turned into Hell on Earth. Those nightmares have brought him to where he sat then.
Therapy.
“Mr. Carver,” a voice snapped, bringing him back to the now.
“Uh, sorry,” he said, shaking his head, trying to clear it.
“What were you seeing?” Sheranne McConnel, Will’s therapist, asked. She wore a tight black power suit that accentuated her curves, making Will’s eyes wonder to places they shouldn’t, as he had a girlfriend. Thick framed glasses sat in front of her hazel eyes, her jet black hair tied back tight. She looked like she could be a librarian to Will.
A very attractive librarian, Will thought, mentally shaking the impure thoughts from his brain and focused, answering her question.
“I saw…a creature. One I’ve never seen before rising from the depths and laying waste to everything we have built. The death of hundreds…millions even. Cities turned to ruins,” she said.
Sheranne adjusted her glasses, looking straight at him as she spoke, “And it’s not from the bunch that attacked the Earth two months ago?”
“No. It lacked the armor and alien feel the Vexnoxtuque did. This thing is…terrestrial. But it’s just as dangerous.”
When Will finished talking, he looked up, his gaze having shifted to the carpeted floor, he saw Sheranne writing something on the clipboard she had in her lap.
“Alright, Mr. Carver, that concludes our session for today,” Sheranne announced. “Same time next week.”
Will nodded and got to his feet. With a good bye, he left Sheranne’s office. In no way did he feel better. He knew the nightmares would persist. It was always the same thing he felt when leaving each session. He felt no progress being made. He was still disturbed.
As soon as he closed the door behind him, he was crushed in a hug, making him jump.
“I don’t like you being alone in there with her,” Ashley Singer, his girlfriend, said into his ear.
“I’d never look at another girl like I do you,” Will said with chuckle.
They made their way down the hall, away from Sheranne’s office, and to the elevator at the end of it. The addition of the therapist was recent. With the Kaiju attack, and the alien invasion, many people died, including fellow soldiers in the organization known as the Creature Counter Unit, CCU for short. Many CCU agents were lost in that battle. Those who survived had a hard time dealing with the stress of losing their comrades. So, a therapist was added to the CCU’s employee detail.
The elevator took them up a few floors where their room resided. The elevator doors slid open and they made their way down the hallway to their room. Will slid his key into the lock, about to turn it and unlock the door when a voice stopped him.
“Will and Ashley, please report to the control room, ASAP!” Lance Cole’s voice boomed through the hallway via an intercom speaker.
Will and Ashley exchanged a worried glance and hurried back toward the elevator. They jumped in and took it up a floor or two. The doors slid open, revealing a similar hallway that led to their room, but at the end of this hallway was what was called the Control Room. It was where every mission was coordinated from.
They made their way to the end of the hall, entering the Control Room. Lance Cole, the CCU Director, turned to greet them, standing just inside the door. He was a tall, slender man with slicked back black hair and wore an expensive looking business suit.
“Sir,” Will said with a salute.
Cole rolled his eyes. He hated being saluted.
“We have reports of a creature circling one of our island facilities,” Cole said with a shake of his head.
Will raised an eyebrow and asked, “What does that have to do with us?”
“Everything,” Christina Angel said, stepping from the shadows of the Control Room. “We’re going to investigate it.”
“The whole team?” Ashley asked.
“No,” Cole said. “Just you three. The creature hasn’t threatened the facility. It’s just been…lurking. It doesn’t require lethal force. Just investigation.”
“And if it does threaten the facility?” Will asked.
“I have a feeling Marugrah won’t be too far from you. Not to mention the three Apache attack helicopters that will escort the Black Hawk you’re riding in to the facility. You’ll be protected.”
“Right then. What are we waiting for?”