The Legend of Buddy Hero (The Defenders Saga) (3 page)

“That's quite the aroma you're sporting today, Sal.  What is it? Stale beer, rotten pipe tobacco, and onions?”

“You're one to talk, Buddy,” Sal shot back sharply.  “I can still smell that old bathroom soap on you.  No shower again today?”

“Hey, who's got the time, am I right?” Buddy laughed and slapped Sal on the back.

“So,” Ryan sounded uncomfortable, “about those drinks.”

“Oh, don't be in such a rush, kid,” Buddy said.  “Sal's a good guy to know.  He knows everything.  What was the one about the Loch Ness monster?  You said he moved to Cincinnati, right?”

“Cleveland, you idiot!”

“Right, Cleveland.  He's a big time Indians fan now, I hear.”

“I know, you think I'm a joke,” Sal muttered.  “But I know things, I tell ya.”

“Oh, I know you do, Sal,” Buddy laughed.  “I just wish we had some good way to warn people about how the President's an alien without them putting us up in a padded room.”

“Hey, don't come crying to me when there's no more corn, okay. He's stealing it and there's nothing we can do about it!”

“Right, because they use corn for energy on his planet,” Buddy guffawed.  “I had almost forgot about that one.”

“I don't know why I hang out around you, you smart ass.”

“Oh, come on, Sal.  We're best pals, you know that.”

“You are being a little mean,” Ryan started, “don't you think?”

“Naw, Sal and I joke like this all the time, right Sal?”

“That's right, you low-life good for nuthin',” Sal laughed and slapped Buddy hard on the back.

“Alright, Sal. . . So, what did they make us forget?  Does it have to do with the flu vaccine again?”

“I don't remember,” Sal responded honestly, the melodic tones of his gruff, tired, old voice ringing a malicious note in Buddy's ear.  “They don't
want
me to remember.  But I know it's true. I know because--”

“Buddy!  Where have you been?” Maggie appeared behind the bar with sweat forming across her face.  “Can you believe all this?”

“Where did all these people come from?”  Buddy asked, grateful to see someone he knew could carry on a real conversation.

“Everywhere.  It's amazing.  I was cleaning and people just started showing up and helping out.  Before I knew it, this place was packed!”

“Shouldn't they be cleaning their own messes or something?”

“I guess after last night's scare, people decided they needed to get out of their homes and get together with friends.  It's happening all over town.  I called Sherry because I was running out of bread.  You know Sherry, she owns that little bar over on First.  Anyways, she said she had already started turning people away and that was at three!”

“I tell ya, it's the government. Remember Russia,” Sal interjected.  “They were all fighting over a loaf of bread over there too!  Next thing you know, we'll all be sitting in the supermarket line waiting to be rationed out some croutons,”

“Anything I can do to help?”  Buddy asked, really hoping he wouldn't have to get off his seat.

“Well, actually, if you wouldn't mind playing bartender for a while, I'd really appreciate it.  Shouldn't be too much work.  I ran out of food over an hour ago and, since we're under special circumstances, I told everyone they could BYOB if they wanted.  People seem to have taken that to heart.  The only reason I'm running around is because everyone wants to talk to me tonight for some reason.”

“Yeah, sis, whatever you need.  Do you--“

“I'm sorry, Buddy, but I really can't stay.  I just ran up here to grab some olives because I'm starving.  There's a man over there who works for Arthur Flores.  He's talking about investing in the diner so we can get things fixed up even better than before.  There's not much liquor left, but your private reserve is in its normal place.  If anyone wants something, it's on the house, okay?”  Maggie stuffed five olives in her mouth and ran back into the sea of people.

Buddy walked around the bar and began rummaging below.  Ryan sat down at the newly emptied bar stool.

“Alright, Ryan, what am I drinking tonight?”

“Shots?”

“Well, it
is
a party.  It wouldn't be right if we didn't treat it as such.”  Buddy placed two shot glasses in front of himself, reached under the bar, and pulled up the first bottle his hand touched, which just so happened to be a bottle of cheap whiskey.  “Looks like we have a winner.”

“I don't know if anyone's a winner with that swill.” Ryan laughed.

“Let me tell you something kid,” Buddy said as he sloppily poured the brown liquid into the glasses.  “I've been drinking for a long time and there's one thing I've learned.  When you play liquor roulette, everyone's a winner.” 

Buddy shoved one of the glasses in Ryan's direction and picked up his own.  He nodded to Sal, who gestured back grandly with his own glass.

“Sal,” he said brightly, “here's to forgetting everything.”  He tipped his head back quickly and downed the brew.  Ryan gave his own drink a nasty look and followed suit, slamming his glass against the bar loudly.  He let out a loud grunt.

“God, that's some vile stuff,” he yelled.

Buddy filled the glasses again.  “Another one coming at ya,” he laughed.

“Like the wise man once said,” Ryan returned, “never turn down a free drink.”  He picked up the glass and threw the whiskey down his throat before Buddy had even finished filling his own.

“Now that's a mantra I can live by,” Buddy yelled in return just before tossing his own back.  They both slammed their glasses onto the bar and Buddy began filling again, emptying the bottle.

“Seriously, Buddy,” Ryan said, coughing through his words, “don't you at least have a chaser or something I can use to wash this crap down with?”

“Try this,” Buddy said, pushing the shot glass back to Ryan. “But don't get too attached,” he continued, holding up the bottle, “it's the last we've got.”

“You mean there's no more liquor?”

“Naw, I mean there's no more of this crap,” he laughed.  “There's plenty more stuff under here that will turn your stomach.”

Ryan stared at the glass, his eyes crossing slightly.  He picked it up and wrapped an arm around Sal.  “Come on, Sal, you look like you need this more than I do.”

“Never touch the stuff, kid.”

“Smart move, old man,” Ryan spoke as he raised the glass to his lips once again.”

Buddy reached under the bar and came up with a bottle of rum.  He began pouring the clear liquid into the glasses.  “You drink rum, kid?”

“Not a drop.  I had a really bad experience with rum a couple years ago and haven't touched the stuff since.  Peanuts haven't quite been the same either.”

“Well, kid, I've got another little nugget of wisdom for you then.”

“Yeah, what's that?”

“If it's good enough for pirates, it's good enough for you.”  Buddy lifted his glass swiftly, as though he were afraid it would evaporate before reaching his mouth.  He picked up the other glass and pushed it into Ryan's face.  Ryan placed his hand between the two and pushed the glass down.

“I'm all for a good, old fashioned drink-off, but seriously, what's the rush?”

“Ya ever heard of Armageddon, kid?”

“Um, yeah, of course.”

“Well, the way I see it, it's just around the corner.  Can't waste any time.”  Buddy pushed the glass back into Ryan's face.

“I need a minute.  I'm not used to getting drunk this fast.”

“What?  C'mon, you're a young buck.  You gonna let an old man like me out-drink you so quickly?”

Ryan groaned, realizing he couldn't back down from the challenge.  He picked up the glass, held it in front of his eyes momentarily and slammed the beverage quickly, choking as it went down.

“There ya go,” Buddy cheered.  Buddy raised his glass and downed another self-imposed ration.  Ryan continued coughing loudly.  “You're looking a little green there, kid.”

Without a word, Ryan ran from the bar, pushing his way through the crowd urgently. 

“That wasn't very nice, Buddy,” Sal reprimanded.

“Meh, he'll get over it.”

Sal gave Buddy a hard look.

“Fine, I'll go check on him.”

Buddy slowly left his spot behind the bar and made his way through the ocean of people between him and the restrooms.  As he moved, he began feeling the effects of the alcohol wash over him.  It felt like everyone was pushing against him, as if they were all trying to move in the same direction at the same time.  He heard someone yelling something he couldn't make out.  Every step he took was that much harder than the previous.  He couldn't move without people getting further in his way.

“Guess I can't hold my liquor anymore either,” Buddy thought to himself as his legs faltered beneath him.  He continued through to the bathroom, barely making it through the door before he fell to the floor.  The door slammed behind him as the lights dimmed.  He heard the sound of someone losing their lunch nearby.

*******

Darkness. . .

The sound of men crying for help rings through my head as I slowly regain consciousness.  The only other sensation I am aware of is the ringing in my ears and the pounding which rages through my skull. 

I open my eyes to see only more darkness.  I turn my head in every direction, hoping to see any form of light or life.  I find only more darkness. 

I have no idea how long I've been lying here, nor do I know where I am.  All I know is the present.  My past is nothing more than an idea of something that should be there. 

I attempt to get on my feet.  My head collides with something overhead, making the already intolerable pounding all the more fierce.  On my second attempt, I am more cautious to avoid repeating the mistake.

I move toward the voices I hear crying for help.  The ground  molds itself around my feet as though I were walking through quicksand.  I make it only a few steps before I fall back to my knees in agony. 

My skin burns with intense heat.  I cry out for help, lungs burning.  The heat overtakes my body, every pore screams in pain.

Light returns.  I see rock walls, steel girders and rail tracks.  Not far off in the distance, I see four men running toward me.  As they near, their faces turn to looks of terror.  Just as my surroundings become visible, the world blurs back into darkness, and I feel the calming effects of unconsciousness overcome me once again.

CHAPTER 3

“Buddy?  You okay?”

Buddy opened his eyes slowly.  The dream haunted him, as though it were a forgotten memory.  It seemed so real, so vivid, and yet so impossibly surreal.  It was as though he was viewing a life through eyes not his own.  As his eyes opened, they fell upon the pale face of Ryan.  He looked concerned.  Buddy looked around and remembered how he had collapsed on the floor of Maggie's restroom. 

Ryan reached out a hand to help Buddy to his feet.

“Guess it's not just us young'uns who can't hold our liquor, huh?” Ryan laughed weakly, his speech slurred.

“Yeah, guess so,” Buddy responded, confused as to what had happened.  He had never passed out quite like that before.  “Hey, Ryan, d'ya hear that?”

“It issnt more liquor issit?” Ryan laughed at his inability to talk.

“No, it's quiet.  Too quiet.  How long was I out?”

“Couple minutes, man.  That's all.”

“Then. . . where'd everybody go?  It's too quiet in here.”

“Shhh,” Ryan placed a finger against his lips.

Buddy laughed, “I'm serious.  This room's not sound proofered.”

“No,” Ryan giggled.  “Shhh.”

“Shhh,” Buddy chuckled in response.

“Can you hear that?” Ryan asked.

“Yeah, it's quiet, right?”

“No, that.  Can you hear it?”

“What?”

“That hissing noise.”

“You mean this? Shhh.” Buddy's laughter grew larger.

“No, man.  Listen.”

“I don't hear anything.  Like I said, it's quiet.”

“Shut up for a second and you'll hear it.”

“Shhh,” Buddy giggled again.  Then went silent.  “Wait, I think I hear it.”

“Yeah, it sounds like. . . “

“Like a gas leak!” Buddy yelled.  He jumped to his feet, fearing the immediate danger.

He steadied himself against the wall and fell toward the door.  It pushed open in front of him.  There was no one there.  No one that is, except Sal, who was still sitting in the same place they had left him.  The lights were still on.  Coats and partially filled drinks were littered about the establishment.  It was as if the people who had been there had all run off without warning.

“D'ya think it was the Rapture?” Ryan laughed again.

Sal was still nursing his non-alcoholic beer in a mug that looked as though it had long lost any form of frostiness.  He looked at Buddy and then to the door.  Buddy looked quizzically back at him. 

“It's finally here, Buddy,” Sal said, turning his attention to his beverage.  “The end has finally come and I don't even have a full glass to enjoy it with.”

The noise was moving well beyond an odd silent sound and appeared to be coming from outside.  Buddy stumbled to the entrance and opened the door to the front of the restaurant.  He found himself in the midst of a group of people staring at the sky.  Ryan followed.

Maggie stood immediately to Buddy's left.  She looked at him and slowly turned her gaze to the sky.  There was no smile on her face to tell Buddy anything, only a mouth wide open in shock.  Buddy looked skyward to see what could cause his sister to be struck speechless.

Hovering in the night air, well above the city streets, hung a ball of fire.  Although it appeared to be hovering, Buddy slowly realized it was, in fact, hurtling through the earth's atmosphere directly toward Barber Street.  He saw everyone had become so entranced by the fireworks in the night sky they were unaware of the impending danger it spelled out for them.  Without warning, an instinctual response awoke within him and he jumped into action. 

“Everybody get out of the street, now!” Buddy yelled.  His words were still slurred, but confident.  His body surged with an energy he had never felt before. He opened the door to the restaurant, hoping there would be enough protection, as well as enough room, for all of these people to truly be out of harm's way.  “Get as far back in the kitchen as you can!”

The cluster of people swarmed the open door as they recognized the danger looming above.  The awe of the sight overhead quickly turned to panic as the crowd pushed and shoved their way into the restaurant.  Buddy stared at the object heading his way, hoping there would be enough time for everyone to get to a safe distance.

The silence accompanying the noise of the plummeting object just seconds before, was now filled with people screaming as they rushed to safety.  The quiet squeal originally alerting Buddy to the events in the sky was now a high pitched wail, heralding the arrival of the burning object now bearing down upon its final destination.

The mob of people completed entering the door and Buddy gave one last look to the street, seeing Ryan still standing, staring at the sky.  He grabbed Ryan's arm and pulled him into the restaurant.    He shut the door and was blocked by a bottleneck of traffic trying to escape the seating area.  Buddy could see over the heads of the people in front of him.  He first noticed Sal still sitting at the bar, drink in hand.  He then saw Maggie holding the door for people to get to safety.

“Maggie, get back there, now!” he yelled.

“Not until these people get out first!” she screamed back.

The noise had now reached a deafening scream.  Buddy knew at any moment the earth would shake in response to its injury. 

“Hit the ground!”  Buddy yelled.  The people in front of him jumped to the floor, except Ryan, who still looked stunned.  Buddy leaped on top of him, shielding him with his body. 

As soon as Ryan's body hit the ground, the air
cracked
with a cacophony of noise.  The ground shook as though it had become gelatinous.  The blast sent everything flying forward, deeper into the restaurant.  And just as the silence crept back in, a much more horrible noise was heard. 

An other-worldly roar filled the room.  The noise shook tables and brought glasses to the floor in a loud clatter. Everything that had managed to stay in its place from the impact blast was thrown to its side.  The room froze, its attention quickly shifting to the front door.  The look of fear on the faces in the room grew as they waited, not knowing what they waited to see.  Time stood still.  Not a single person dared to even breathe for fear the slightest noise would be enough to alert whatever was outside to their presence.

“Wha--” Ryan began loudly before Buddy quickly covered his mouth.

Buddy walked slowly toward the door, stumbling over displaced chairs as he made his way.  He placed his hand on the handle.  He looked into the room hoping someone would step forward to take his place.  No one moved. 

“Good luck, Buddy,” Sal yelled as he raised his glass in the air. “It's been nice knowing you.”

“Hey man,” Ryan added, a bit too loudly, “don't worry.  I've got your back.”

Buddy turned to the door and stared at the handle in his hand.  The confidence appearing so easily just moments before had now abandoned him.  No longer did he feel the presence of some other person taking command.  In fact, even with his heart pumping adrenaline through his system, he only felt afraid and drunk.  His hands shook noticeably as he pulled the door open and they then fell to his side.  His jaw dropped, allowing only two words to escape before he froze in place.

“
Holy crap,
” Buddy said in barely a whisper.  He stood in the door frame staring at the thing now standing before him.  The street was nothing more than a crater and at its center stood an unholy creature.  The beast heard Buddy's silent utterance and turned its face to find the source.  As it turned, it stretched to full-size, showing that its height was several times larger than Buddy initially perceived.

Buddy first noticed its feet.  Two Buick-sized hooves were dug deep into the ground, each glistening in the starry night.  Its legs, thin in comparison to its body, were covered in spindly hairs.  Its body, the widest part of the beast, spanned the width of the two buildings it stood in front of and was as black as the night sky.  Six  tentacles flailed around it, creating dangerous tornadoes of wind with every movement.  And finally, Buddy's eyes met with the head of the monster.  It was shaped like a Frisbee, lying almost completely flat against its body.  On top sat two empty eyes on two slender stalks.

“I ain't afraid of you,” Buddy yelled, attempting to force the confidence back into his voice.

The beast roared again and Buddy turned to run into the restaurant, hoping to put as much distance between him and the Octo-Bug as possible.  As he turned, the monster roared once more causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground.  A tentacle lashed out at him and grabbed him around the waist.  Buddy's arms reached out for anything to grab onto, scratching at the pavement as he was pulled into the air.  His body moved at high speed directly toward the beast's face.  He was stopped in front of its empty eyes.  It inspected him with intense curiosity.

“Don't worry Buddy,” he heard being yelled from the ground.  “I'll save you!”  He looked down and could just make out Ryan tearing his jacket off and letting it fall behind him.  The silver item Buddy caught a glimpse of earlier covered most of his body and glowed with a red light. 

Ryan ran toward the beast. 

The beast lifted his leg and stomped down on Buddy's new, annoying, friend.  Buddy gasped, several people from the restaurant, who had now come outside to see the action, screamed.

“That's it, you ugly son-of-a-bitch.”  Buddy pushed against the tentacle, which was keeping his arms pinned to his side.  He was unable to overwhelm the monster's grip. 

“Let go of me!”  he yelled.  Buddy looked into the giant eye directly in front of his face and saw nothing but his own reflection. The eyes showed no emotion, only a darkened, empty mirror of the world in front of it.  Buddy felt helpless. 

Then Buddy noticed something else reflecting on the surface of the monster's eye.  It was barely visible.  Buddy looked over his shoulder to see another fireball aimed directly at him.  His tentacled friend tightened its grip.

Buddy looked down and saw the monster's leg swinging up into the air, revealing an unharmed Ryan. 

“That all you got?” Ryan screamed.  The monster roared as Ryan jumped into the air, plowing into its chest. 

The monster was knocked off balance, loosening its grip on Buddy as it fell.  Buddy slipped out of his tentacled prison and fell to the ground, bouncing off the body of the beast as he tumbled the five stories to the street.  As his body slammed against the asphalt, he felt the ground tremble as it had just minutes before. 

The monster shrieked in agony.  Windows shattered, buildings shook.  The sound of a giant balloon bursting filled the air, followed by the noise of dozens of large wet things slapping against the ground. 

Buddy jumped to his feet and ran from the beast as fast as he could.  Ryan appeared at his side, grabbing his hand and pulling him away faster.  Buddy could hear him yelling something, but couldn't make it out.  He stumbled with every step.  He knew he needed to distance himself as much as possible before the dust settled.  His eyes stung with the debris which hung in the air. 

Ryan stopped pulling and Buddy decided they were probably safe enough for the moment and stopped as well, bending over in pain, trying to catch his breath. 

He heard a human-sounding scream coming from somewhere beneath where the beast had stood.  The scream filled the air as though the person it belonged to was being tortured in ways never before conceived by mankind. 

Before Buddy fully registered what the sound meant, he found himself heading in its direction.  He heard Ryan yelling something and once again couldn't make it out.  He didn't care.  His ears were ringing, but he was certain he could hear something, someone, screaming and something within him said he had to save that person. 

He could no longer make out the beast through the cloud of dust and debris, but he knew he must have been directly beneath it as he arrived at the location of the screams.  He made out the figure of a man sprawled out on the ground.  Although Buddy's body was throbbing with pain and faltering under its exhaustion, he ran to the man's side. 

Buddy leaned down near the man and saw he was completely naked.  In one quick motion Buddy took off his coat, wrapped it around the man, picked him up, and ran as fast as he could.  He knew the air would clear soon and his new-found nemesis, as well as whatever else had fallen from the sky, would be able to latch their ugly tentacles around him again, and it was unlikely he would be so lucky this time. 

He saw the familiar lights of Maggie's Diner and ran toward them. He hoped to find somewhere safe to hide and someone to help this naked man who appeared to be seriously injured.  He looked down at the man as he made his way across the street. 

The man's eyes opened and looked directly at him.  The man mouthed what Buddy could best guess was, “Buddy?”.  His eyes closed again, but his face gained a look of comfort.

Buddy limped his way through the last few steps and reached the curb in front of Maggie's.  He fell to his knees, dropped the unclothed, unidentified man on the curb, and fell backward.  As his brain melted into darkness, he heard loud cheers coming from the crowd gathered in front of the diner.  His eyes closed and rolled back in his head as he lost consciousness.  A smile spread across his face, knowing the cheers he heard as the world went black were for him.