Judgement (The Twelve) (22 page)

Chris returned to norma
l
, “I ha
ve
no idea
!”

W
hen they finally returned to the warehouse,
Anvil
was furious and made no attempt to hide it.

“You spoke with Edge over a
glass of bloody
coke?”

Chris nodded, “
Actually a cardboard cup of Coke, but I wont argue with you. H
e gave me message to give to you.”

“
Anvil
stepped forward, “
A
message!”

Anvil
ordered everyone into the living room. He stood Chris in the centre
of the room
and
asked what the message was.
Chris suddenly felt he was on trial and didn’t like it.

Chris explained how he’d bumped into Edge and had shared a drink with him. Heartless was impressed.

“You’ve got balls of steel kid. You actually sat down with that evil murdering bastard. Boy that’s like cradling a rattlesnake in your lap.”

Priest was more interested in one thing, “Patch tells us you spoke in Judgements voice again and said Blood of blood should not fight each other. What did you mean by that?”

‘
I shall let you see’
The voice spoke inside his head.

Chris
listened then nodded
towards
Anvil
, “Ask him.”

Priest looked forwards
Anvil
as well, “Yes?”

Anvil
remained silent as he stood there with clenched fists.

So Chris explained,
“Don’t ask me how I know, but Edge is
Anvils
son.”

The room exploded with gasps, cursing and unbelievable words of derision
.

Priest shouted everyone down and turned to
Anvil, Is t
his true?”

Anvil
said nothing. He stared hard at Chris before turning on his heals and stormed from the room
,
slamm
ing
his bedroom door so hard, dust floated down from the warehouse ceiling.

Priest again called for silence and demanded Chris explain
himself.
Chris however just shrugged his shoulders, “I d
on’t know
. This other person inside me
told me the basics only
. ”

Speed flashed around the room several times before coming to a halt in front of Chris, “You gave
Edge a bloody
drink?”

Slash
ignored Speed,
want
ing
to know more about Edge being
Anvils
son.  “Priest what the hell is going on?”

Priest just turned and walked off towards his room, “
I don’t know.
”

Slash shouted after him, “What?”

Priest sounded tired and full of sorrow, “
I said I don’t bloody well know!
”

Slash wasn’t finished,” Edge wants
Anvil
to kill the kid. He won’t do it will he?”

Priest slammed his door so hard, it cracked down the middle.

The next morning, everyone gave Chris a wide birth, everyone but Patch. Of
Anvil
there was no sign. Chris made toast and a strong cup of coffee.

“Make me one please.” Patch asked as she joined him at the kitchen counter.

Chris took down another cup for her, “Why is everyone avoiding me?”

“Well you treated Edge like a friend, gave him your drink. Any of the others would have tried to kill him on the spot.”

Chris turned towards her, “Yer and then must likely everyone in McDonalds would have been killed to.”

“Is that why you didn’t attack him then?” Patch asked hopefully.

Chris sighed, “No it wasn’t
. I
want to find another way besides killing
.”

“But…”

The kettle boiled and Chris made her a coffee, “I know why they’re avoiding me.”

Patch took the offered coffee and waited.

Chris finished, “They’re waiting to see if
Anvil
kills me or not. If I
die
then the Status quoi is restored. No war and you go on for ever killing Shades
and fighting other un-earthly monsters
. If he doesn’t kill me then we face th
is
b
lood
y
war
.
”

Patch sipped her coffee, “How do you know this?”

A voice coughed politely from behind her
,”
Because I had a prophesy during the night and told Chris. This will be a pivotal moment that will decide whether we succeed
or not
.”
Priest helped himself to a turkey leg from the fridge.

Patch
just stared
at Priest
for ages, finally she managed to ask, “So
y
ou
’
r
e
saying that
Anvils
seriously considering killing Chris?”

“Yes.
The alternative is
seeing his
son
die.
” was the simple response.

Patch shook her head, “Priest you’ve missed
two important facts.
”

Priest sa
t
down opposite to them,
the kitchen stool creaked dangerously, so he quickly stood,
“And that is?”

“Chris might be too powerful for
Anvil
to kill.”

Priest adjusted his huge frame and crossed his hands over his belly, “I know
. I
t would take the combined effect of us all.”

“What
but that’s forbidden
!” she exclaimed.

“I said….”

“Fuck that and
‘
no excuse me
’
for swearing Priest.
The second fact is,
I’ll not see Chris harmed, or die again trying.”

Chris glanced at Patch, “Don’t I get a say in this?”

Priest and Patch said, “No.”
at the same time
.

Chris rubbed a hand over his eyes and
then across the lower half of his face, wondering for the umpteenth time what the Charles Dickens he was doing here. It had only seemed like yesterday when he was living day to day and sleeping in that old damp. Smelly, cardboard box, but it had been his cardboard box, his home. Now what? A group of weirdo’s where considering killing him!

A
light bulb suddenly
snapped on
inside his head.
A deep voice that he knew, whispered certain facts to him
and at that moment in time, Chris
knew
the answer he had always wanted to know.
Slapping his hand against his
forehead
, Chris jumped to his feet
, s
tartling both Patch and Priest.

“
Summon
Anvil
.” A deeper
older
voic
e ordered from out of his mouth, Priest felt the overwhelming urge to obey.

Chapter Six

A
nvil
stood in the centre of the vast living area inside the warehouse floor space. The rest of the Twelve fanned out behind him.
With the exception of
Patch, she stood near to Chris
, who was
pacing back and forth in front of them all deep in though
, t
hough
ts that were a mixture of his own and whatever else inhabited his re-born body.

Finally he stopped pacing and squared off in front of
Anvil
,
hi
s voice was strangely changed, now a mixture of
the two
voices, “You.” He said pointing at
Anvil
.

“You, don’t get the choice of deciding whether I live or die. That choice has already been made by a much higher authority. “

Anvil flustered, “Chris, Judgement I never thought of killing…”

Chris continued
,
“
Judgement
s told me he’s
centuries old, older than any of you. Judgement was
created at the beginning of the world.
Judgement is the weapon of the Creator.
.
I haven’t just been re named like the rest of you. I’ve
got this entity called Judgement here inside me.
He was just waiting until he was needed” Chris tapped his head for emphasis.