Little Dead Monsters (4 page)

BOOK TWO: SURVIVAL

Interlude:

From the Journal of Edmund Glaber:

November 4, 2007,

As I watched the two kids bludgeon each other to death in the pit, there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to hell. After all, I helped build this place: The Arena — a modern-day gladiator pit for children. Some nights, I can’t help but feel depressed when I realize what a rotten thing I’ve done. The Devil’s reserved a special seat for me at his dining room table where I’ll be eating shit for an eternity.

I admit I was no saint before my involvement in the Arena. I’ve done my share of questionable things: murder, extortion, robbery. I regret all of it, though not because of a guilty conscience. I regret these criminal acts because they resulted in meeting Ryker.

When the prison guard of Redgate Penitentiary tossed that scrawny grease ball into my cell, my first impressions of the man was that it would be a couple days at most before he was shanked or became someone’s love toy. But he surprised me. What he lacked in muscle, he made up for with brains. Ryker knew how to manipulate people. It was as if he could see the gears turning inside a person’s head and knew exactly what levers and buttons to push and they did what he wanted.

While sharing that prison cell together over the years, I grew pretty close to the man, so when we both left Red Gate, it was natural for us to end up working together.

At one point Ryker had asked me “How dirty are you willing to get your hands,” and my response was “Just line my palms with cash and I won’t even notice the dirt.” If there was ever one thing I regretted in this terrible life of mine, it was my reply that day. I should have said “no,” and ran as far away as far as possible. But the promise of money was too good, and the value of cash to me had more worth than my soul at the time.

When Ryker took me to the abandoned city of Bimini (located on the South-West coast of America), I was confused. Why would anyone want to come to this desolate place?

Bimini had quite the tragic history. Two decades ago, a new root was discovered on the coast of Augustine, and after experimentation on animals, scientists discovered that it had capabilities of reducing the aging process. The Blackwater pharmaceutical corporation was quick to purchase the land and established a working community as a base of operations—which they named Bimini—with the sole purpose of harvesting the root and manufacturing it into a commercial product.

Pearls of Life they called it, black spheres no larger than marbles that were swallowed like vitamins in order to look young forever. Despite public consumer warnings by many government officials, The Blackwater Corporation made billions and Bimini flourished into a rich community with lavish houses, schools, shopping malls, movie theatres, and even a small underground subway system. For ten years Bimini reaped the rewards of the Pearls of Life, and everyone who worked and lived in the community retained their youth and was filthy rich. That was until the discovery that the root itself was poisonous.

It took ten years for the first symptoms to show: the complete loss of hair all over the body. At first, people were in an uproar and screamed murder at the Blackwater Corporation, stating that the Pearls of Life caused Alopecia Areata, a disease that caused a person to lose their hairs. At the time it was a humourous sight to me, all the people vain enough to purchase the Pearls of Life walking around with wigs and drawn on eyebrows. The entire town of Bimini was a population of shiny, bald freaks. Little did the walking hairless know that it would get much worse.

The next symptom was the bleeding. They bled from any open orifice: eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. The Pearls of Life (renamed the Devil’s balls) were toxic.

The final death mark was the liquefying of inner organs, which made it pretty messy. They played one tape on the news of a woman calling into 9-1-1 while her innards were turning into juice and, I swear, I’ll never forget the screaming. It was almost as horrifying as watching these kids fight.

The total time of death from the first signs of hair loss was six months with no chance of survival. Anyone who had ingested the root (which were mainly the wealthy because the pearls were so costly) was doomed to die.

The government rushed to the city’s aid, quarantining all of Bimini and setting up medical facilities inside the city, hoping to find a cure. It was far too late. America, along with the rest of the world, watched in horror as the community of Bimini became a city for the dead.

After removing all the dead bodies, the government decommissioned the manufacturing plant and purged the soil around it so that the root could never grow again. With the Blackwater Corporation in shambles, no one wanted to take responsibility for the dead community of Bimini and it was abandoned. Ten years later Bimini was just another story and place that was best left forgotten.

“This is where we’ll build it,” Ryker had said.

“Build what?”

“My Arena.”

I had my doubts at first about the entire idea. How on earth was it possible to create such a thing without having the rest of the world discover it?

“Bimini is a place people want to forget about. It’s a skeleton so deformed that the entire world wants it moved out of the closet and buried six-feet underground. No one wants a reminder that their vanity resulted in thousands of brutal deaths.” Ryker had said. “Anyone who’s sane and has a full conscience won’t step foot in this place, which is why Bimini is the perfect location. I also have a benefactor that will ensure our operations remain undiscovered.”

His benefactor was a man named Damien. Ryker wouldn’t tell me where he met him but told me that Damien was going to make us both very rich.

I disliked the man right from the get-go. He was not a bad looking guy and was certainly charming and charismatic. But something about him made me uncomfortable. Just being in his presence I felt like I had just ingested spiders.

Damien supplied the money and Ryker supplied the vision, and I made sure things went smoothly. I was always good at managing projects; just a shame that they were always illegal.

We built the Arena at Union Station, the final stop of Bimini’s underground subway, which was located just below Blackwater’s manufacturing plant. What once was an underground nexus filled with trains, shops, and corporate workers was now an Arena with a giant pit like the ones seen in old medieval gladiator movies.

In little less than two years, Ryker had his Arena — his patronage to violence, and all I could do was go along with it.

Ryker took every precaution in order to ensure we weren’t discovered by the outside world. He had satellite dishes built that scrambled any satellite photos taken of the area and the land mines and guards hidden around Bimini’s perimeters ensured no one  got in or out without Ryker’s approval. He also made sure the entire Arena was kept hidden underground with the guards entering and leaving only when required. The slaves were rarely allowed to leave the underground confines.

The Arena’s customer base were individuals that Damien funneled over; shady criminals and occasional businessmen as corrupt as Ryker was.  No one was allowed to watch the fights unless Ryker himself granted them special access. Ryker ran advanced background checks on all individuals who purchased tickets, storing their information in his databases. He was always cautious of cops and he was good at smelling them out too. Any individuals Ryker had suspicions of, he sent their names back to Damien, and they were “handled.” Over the course of two years, the Arena’s customer base grew fairly large and there was a waiting list to purchase tickets to the fights. We were making money hand over fist on admissions and the betting.              

I look at the stands and see the thralls of people coming to watch kids murder each other and I can’t stand to look any longer.  I made a fortune from this entire thing, but money can’t be worth this monstrosity I helped create.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve always been one of the bad guys, but Ryker…. he’s in a league of his own.

Chapter Seven.

Allegra took in the sunlight and the stunning blue realm that floated high above her, drinking the outdoors with an unquenchable thirst. It was at least six months since she last set foot on the surface and it felt wonderful to inhale the sweetness of fresh air again, especially after drowning in the rank stench of blood and grime for so long. The only thing missing was the green. She longed to see lush fields and leafy trees instead of the concrete ground and steel walls of the old manufacturing plant. But she wouldn’t complain. Every moment outside of the Arena was precious and she was grateful.

In the distance she saw the rows of condominiums and homes, long abandoned and forgotten. It was heartbreaking what happened to the city of Bimini; an entire population poisoned, and all for the vanity of eternal youth.

Twice a year, Ryker allowed handfuls of female slaves to go into the silent city (under the watchful eyes of the guards) and take the morning to scavenge for hidden treasures that were long deserted.

When Ryker took control of Bimini, he had land mines set up all along the outskirts of the city in order to prevent treasure hunters from wandering into his territory (as well as keeping the slaves from escaping). Only a handful of his most trusted guards had electronic GPS coordinates of every single mine, allowing the select few to escort ticket holders, new slaves, and supplies to and from the Arena.

With the city sealed off to outsiders, Ryker had a monopoly on whatever riches remained. Ryker loved collecting almost as much as he loved violence. Jewelery, electronics, and monies were items at the top of his list, and he demanded a certain quota every time he allowed the slaves out to forage in the buildings. If you failed to fill a sack with items of use, you were never allowed to step foot outside and breathe natural air again. The very thought of a lifetime without the sun or the sky was too terrible to imagine, and it was this threat that drove Allegra to bloat her sack with whatever Ryker desired.

The guards ushered Allegra into the black van that transported them into Bimini’s living areas. She took a seat next to Maria, who greeted her with a smile. Maria was an older slave, approaching her thirties. Despite the lines of stress drawn on her face, she was still an exquisite beauty with curly blonde locks of hair that dropped down to her shoulders and a vibrant smile that never failed to warm Allegra’s heart.  

“Feels good to be out, doesn’t it?” Allegra asked. Maria nodded.

“I feel like my skin is radiating from only five minutes of sun. I must look awfully pale from the lack of natural vitamin D. Those tanning beds Ryker shoves us into just doesn’t cut it for me.”

“You look beautiful, as always,” Allegra replied before turning her attention to the other girl in the van with them. She had never seen this one wandering around the hallways before.

“Are you new here?” Allegra asked. The frail looking girl, with short red hair and cheeks peppered with freckles, was hesitant to respond at first, but finally nodded. Her focus never left the floor of the van.

“I’m sorry honey,” Maria said. “I know it must be hard for you.” She reached out and tried to give the new girl a sympathetic touch but the girl was quick to avoid it, as if Maria’s hands were venom-filled snakes.

“Don’t touch me,” the girl snapped. The guard sitting opposite to them, a pervert named Dallas, laughed. Everything about Dallas seemed crude, including his appearance. His body was shaped like a six-foot barrel and his greying hair was trimmed right down to the scalp of his square head. He often licked at the triangular patch of beard underneath his lower lip while staring at the girls with wide, dark eyes. 

“You can bring those hands of yours over here Maria,” Dallas said in a hoarse voice that came straight from the throat. “I don’t mind you touching me, as long as it’s in the right places.”

“Sorry Dallas, but finding your
right place
would be the same as finding a needle in a haystack,” Maria said as she pinched an invisible pea-sized object in between her thumb and index finger.

“Mouthy bitch,” Dallas muttered. “I should knock all your teeth in.”

“And watch Ryker skin you alive for damaging his merchandise,” Maria replied.

“Well then, maybe I’ll ask Ryker to let me have you for a night. I’m sure he will, seeing as how he likes me and all. Then I can shove your face into that haystack of mine and show you how big that needle really is.”

Maria did’t say a word for the remainder of the ride. After a few minutes of unsettling silence, the van finally pulled up in front of a row of houses just on the outer edges of Bimini. Allegra stepped off the van and stared out into the empty plains that enveloped the dead city, a vast dune of dust and sand while in the distance, dark red mountains watched over them like silent sentinels.

“Nothing much out there,” Maria said.

“Everything is out there Maria,” Allegra whispered. “A whole world filled with happiness.”

“Get any foolish thoughts you’re having out of your head, before they get you killed,” Maria said while eyeing Dallas with caution. Luckily he hadn’t been listening in on their conversation.

“You’re right,” Allegra sighed. “But sometimes it’s still nice to think about what’s outside of here. I wonder how the world has changed since I’ve been imprisoned here.”

“Less yapping and more gathering,” Dallas barked as he ushered them towards the quaint little homes. “Here’s the deal, you have thirty minutes to fill your sacks. You’re restricted to these three houses only,” Dallas said as he pointed to the homes with numbers fourteen, sixteen, and eighteen displayed on them. “Try and escape and I’ll shoot you right between the eyes. I don’t care how valuable you think the mound between your legs is, you try and run, you will die. Now go.”

They decided to split up and Allegra took house number sixteen. As she walked through the doors, she was overwhelmed with sadness. The houses were always filled with the personalities of the families that resided here. It was depressing to think that after the entire population of Bimini was poisoned, their belongings were left here, abandoned. Their possessions were more than just shiny objects or collectables; there were memories associated with them, stories that were now lost forever. The only people seeking to claim these keepsakes were the vultures looking to make a profit instead of loving friends or family.

It was hard to forget the controversy surrounding Bimini. The vanity and the greed of Bimini’s residents proved to be their destruction. It was a black eye in the history of mankind, one best forgotten, which was what the world decided to do. They looked away from Bimini with disgust as if it were nothing more than an unsightly blemish on an otherwise perfect visage.

The family room, dining, room, and kitchen of house number sixteen proved rather uneventful, though Allegra did manage to find some expensive silverware. She made her way upstairs.

The first room she entered was a nursery where cartoon farm animals decorated the pink walls and stuffed teddy bears sat on the window sill. A wooden cradle stood next to the window, and Allegra held her breath and slowly crept towards it. It was empty and she felt foolish for any expectations she had. She glanced at the mobile hanging above it, decorated with an assortment of cute birds, and she pushed it gently with her fingertips and watched it spin, losing herself in the innocence of those rusty flying birds.

“Fifteen more minutes,” she heard Dallas holler from below. Allegra barely had a quarter of her sack full. She hurried out of the nursery and entered into the next room. It was a personal office and she was relieved seeing the laptop and gold watch on the desk. After further digging, she also found a couple of cell phones and CDs, all which she shoved into the potato sack. The laptop itself should be more than enough to keep Ryker happy.

Allegra noticed a bookshelf at the back of the office and she walked over to it to have a peek. She touched the spine of one of the old leather books resting on the dark wooden shelf and traced her fingers around the words, printed with golden letters.

The Count of Monte Cristo,
she read. Allegra pulled it out and flipped through the book, the musky scent of the old pages filling her nostrils. She loved it.

Allegra wanted to hide the book and sneak it back to her quarters in the Arena, but the risk was far too great. If Ryker discovered she had taken something for herself, it would be a brutal punishment.

“Five minutes,” Dallas screeched. Allegra shoved the book back in its resting place and hurried to the final room. The first thing she noticed in the master bedroom was the large wedding picture hanging above the king-sized bed. The couple in the photo was beautiful; two complimentary halves merging together to form a perfect picture. The groom looked handsome and intelligent while the bride was radiant in her white dress. She was a princess from a storybook. Allegra saw the ocean, palm trees, and white sand in the background, indicating that the wedding was somewhere exotic. She was envious of the picture and that magical moment of pure happiness that was forever frozen in time; two lovers smiling and happy for an eternity.

“Two minutes,” Dallas shouted. Allegra snapped out of her daze and rushed over to the bedside table and pulled open one of the drawers. She found sparkling necklaces, earrings, and rings of all sorts, and she stuffed it all into the bag. She almost missed velvet box in the corner of the drawer. She took it out and opened it.

Inside was a spectacular diamond ring that glittered when she held it up to the sunlight. Allegra glanced at the wedding photo and immediately identified it as the engagement ring on the bride’s finger. It reminded her of the diamond ring her mother used to wear; a symbol of her dad’s love for her mother.

“Alright, pack it in. Let’s get out of here,” Dallas shouted from below. Allegra took one last glance at the diamond before placing it back into the drawer and shutting it. She picked up the heavy potato sack, and dragged it down the stairs and out the door where Dallas and the other two girls waited, the black van waiting behind them.

“Let’s see what you got,” Dallas said as he began to inspect the loot. He searched Maria’s bundle first and nodded with approval as he fished out fibre cables, watches, and a box of antique coins. “Nice grab.”

He moved onto Allegra and rummaged around her bag and gave her his approval as well before trudging over to the new girl. He ripped the sack out of her trembling hands, pried it open, and immediately frowned.

“What is this crap?” Dallas growled as he pulled out canned food, books, and toys and tossed them onto the ground. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m supposed to find valuable items,” the girl said.

“Yeah, you were,” Dallas replied. “And you come back with this garbage instead.”

“Food is not garbage. We’re starving down there,” the girl said. “You have no idea how valuable one of those canned goods is to us. And the books, one single book can give us a temporary escape from that hell we live in. It’s a small glimmer of hope to keep us going. And the toys are for the kids so they can be happy, even for just a little bit.”

Dallas smiled. “What a dumb little runt you are,” he said. “I hope you’re enjoying the sunshine right now, because that’s the last you’ll ever see of it. I’m going to make sure Ryker buries you as far down in the dungeons as possible.”

The new girl said nothing as she clenched her fists and closed her eyes, tears streaking down her dirt-stained face.

“Come on, let’s get in the van and head back,” Dallas ordered just before everything went to hell.

The new girl shook her head and bolted in the opposite direction, sprinting past the houses, as she headed towards the red mountains in the distance.

Dallas laughed and made no effort to chase after her. “We’re in for a show,” he said as he leaned against the van and folded his arms.

Allegra screamed at the top of her lungs, howling for the girl to come back. Maria joined her chorus but their warnings fell on deaf ears. The girl continued sprinting, tiny dust clouds appearing at the ends of her heels as they brushed against the sand. For a moment, Allegra thought she had made it, that the girl would be free.

The sudden explosion shattered that thought violently and Allegra watched in horror as the girl disappeared amidst the smoke and bloody debris that rained down after. Allegra turned away.

“Whoops. Guess I forgot to tell her about the mines,” Dallas laughed. “That’s why you dumb bitches should always do what you’re told.”

He pointed his gun at the remaining two and gestured for them to enter the van. The ride back was silent and Allegra did her best to erase the memory of the nameless girl being obliterated by the blast of the mine.