Barcrow's: Codename K9

Chapter twenty two - Breakfast

'Don't let them surround us!'

The air was filled with shouts and noise as the monsters gathered around their forces. They were human-like but more round and swollen looking.

They tried to fight them off but there were just too many of them.

'Get on the horses and split up! We'll have a better chance at winning that way!'

But there aren't enough horses for everyone.

On top of all the chaos, the water was slowly rising at their feet.

She got on a horse and followed some of the others.

The waves increased in volume and size and swept many of her friends and comrades off their horses and away. Those desperate and crying who had their tears licked by the monsters turned into monsters themselves.

'Hold on!'

Her best friend was holding onto two of their teammates and trying to get them onto his horse.

Others were swept away too and turned into monsters.

The waves calmed down and again the water just splashed around their feet.

Her friend let the other two down and got off his horse.

She got off too. 'Everyone alright?'

'Not quite.' He held up a broken cassette. 'The security tapes are broken. If we don't find the spares and open the gates we'll all drown. My tip is the tallest tower, right there.' He pointed. 'You try to get there.'

The two he had saved got on the horses and rode off towards the tower.

'And we, will try to find out if my guess about the tower I correct by blending in and asking around.'

'How?'

'We cry.'

'But then..'

'No, from what I've seen, you only turn into a half monster first. You have to digest a human tear to become a full monster with no brain.'

Alright cry. She felt the tears welling up, but it didn't go any further. She laughed at the face he made before one of the monsters licked his tears from his cheek. His body swelled up and became a round, disgusting mess.

Why can I cry? Think of sad stuff. Death. Bad grades. Umm.. 'It's not working, I can't cry.'

'Never mind then. I'll get it done. Just take care of yourself.' The swollen mess told her.

One of the monsters approached her and licked her dry cheek. It was warm and wet, but not slimy and disgusting like human saliva, more like warm water.

Disappointed, the monster left.

She was taken in by a half-monster who tried to protect her from her best friend. She told them the tapes were indeed in a room jutting out of the side of the tallest tower.

A lot happened outside too, politics and stuff. There was a fortune teller who gave them necklaces and a Crystal marble. She found best friend's one so she kept it to give to him the next time they met. It was light blue.

She found herself in an apartment her new monster friend told her about. It was the place the people who created the monsters were supposed to live.

But who she found at the kitchen table was her own father.

He was ripping checks saying, 'In the past we would have been so thankful for these. But now, unlike the country you're fighting for, this place gives us more than we could ever need. Come on, join us.