Reborn Chpt 2

Let's meet the guys.

Chapter 2

Craig kept his head down as he moved along the bushes. The ground behind him was gravely as it rose up to the train tracks behind him. Beyond the tracks the traffic on 295 was flowing by fast and eager as each car passed on their individual journey. Just beyond the bushes an eight foot high chain link fence marked the edge of the softball field. All lit by the bright lights raised high above. Craig could see a small group of people huddled around home plate a good three hundred feet away. His friend Harold sat at the pitchers mound like a castaway all alone on a fold out chair.

 

This was how things would have looked to the passer-by: Craig, in the bushes, sure to garner looks of curiosity more then concern from anyone walking the tracks. He was a young man of a moderately large build, dressed in a long gray robe and carrying a staff made of plastic pvc and rubber.

 

Craig had a different view from his own mind. He was Gorham priest to the goddess Elune, and that huddled group of Orcs were those responsible for the slaying of an entire Hamlet of good little folk. Gorham could see his diminutive dwarven friend Fini now moving from tree to tree on the far side of the orcs cave (the backstop). Gorham was working his way to the gate in the fence. He was waiting for Ranger Bob and Zargon to make their charge before he made his move.

 

His cue arrived. Hearing the familiar cry of, "FOR THE RIGHTEOUS!!" from Zargon followed by an equally zestful cry from Ranger Bob, "WHAT HE SAID!!"

 

'He's never serious.' thought Gorham, as he watched his friends charge across the battered plains of Kara in their assault on an orcish stronghold, or two guys running across right field with nerf swords and capes, it all depended on your point of view.

 

Gorham passed through the gate, moving quickly now. He surveyed the battle as he ran to see where he would be needed. Fini was passing along a gully (the dugout) to approach the Orcs from behind as they ran to meet the charge at the small stream in front of their cave (baseline). Mardock was arriving late, approaching on his golden steed (faded pinto) charging down the hill to flank the orcs.

 

'Late again Mark' thought Gorham, noticing that Mardock's charge had gained the attention of the Orcs, unfortunately as some turned to face Mardock they also now faced Fini.   The look of disappointment plain as Fini glanced back to Mardock before throwing his daggers shouting "BACK" as he threw. The rubber knives flew past the orcs that had turned, one flying pointlessly the second striking the back of an Orc facing Zargon and Bob's charge.

 

"ORC 7 TAKES 6, DEAD!" shouted Harold. He was the Dungeon Master and his word was Law. The Orc, one of Portland High's JV basketball team named Peter Dukket, let an exasperated sigh and fell to the grass in disgust.

 

The battle raged on beneath the lights for twenty minutes. Fini, being a rogue, fell in the initial assault and sat tossing Pebbles at Mardock the whole time. Ranger Bob and Zargon fought bravely and with the aid of Gorham's heal spells won the day. Mardock was overcome after felling two of the four Orcs that met his assault.

 

The Orcs lay dead. A tally of 6 basketball players, 2 football players, and 4 stoners had met their end to the cold steel of rubber and foam weapons.

 

"I'm going to use my staff to resurrect Mardock." announced Gorham as he moved to where Mardock lay and slapped him across the forehead with his Staff Of Resurrection.

 

"Owwwww, Mother F****r! Not so dam hard!!" Shouted Mardock as he rubbed his forehead faking a lunge at Gorhan as he got up. Gorham simply held the staff and smiled at his cousin.

 

The battle was over and the Orcs were starting to rise, resurrected magically as simple high schoolers, and forming back into their original groups.

 

"Thanks Pete." said Craig as he shook Peter Dukkets hand.

 

"Jim, Tate, guys. thanks" Craig added waving to his teammates as they headed out to their cars.

 

Harold and the two football players were walking with them to the cars while Mardock and the stoners headed for the left dugout.

 

"WHAT THE HELL GUYS?" shouted Fini, also known as Eric. He was the youngest of them and Harold's brother. Despite being younger he was the tallest of them, just a hair taller then Craig but not nearly as big.

 

"I'm still DEAD!!" Eric protested.

 

"I have a scroll of Reincarnation." offered Ranger Bob. Dennis was the third of the Fogg brothers. Just one year behind Harold and two ahead of Eric, he was their own personal jester.

 

"You using the scroll?" asked Harold as he returned to the field. Two six packs from his trunk had been the price of his pair of Orcs. Harold, like his brothers, was square of jaw and dark featured. His hair and eyes brown and build light. He carried himself well, and with a sense of authority. Their father left not long after Eric was born and Harold had many responsibilities growing up.

 

"Yeah." came Dennis's simple retort as he pulled a small card from his pocket handing it to Harold.   Harold pulled a book from his gym bag, and leafed through the pages until finding what he was looking for.

 

"Pick a number to a hundred." Harold asked Eric, still sitting where he died.

 

"42" Eric replied.

 

Harold, in an attempt to randomize the result, had already chosen a number which he used with Erics choice. The result, compared to the chart in the book, brought a chuckle.

 

"You are alive!" Harold announced with a flourish bringing Eric to his feet.

 

"But you're a Goblin." he added with a building laughter.

 

"What!!" Eric protested as Mardock came up behind him laughing. He was running back from the dugout where his friends sat. An obscuring cloud of smoke starting to waft from the concrete shelter. Mark was Craigs cousin, practically brothers since kids. The families had houses that shared a common backyard, and Craig and Mark each being only children had always been close.

 

"Does this mean I can kill him?" piped in Zargon as they all joined in the laughter.

 

"Like you could." Eric threatened as he chased Zargon up the hill. Curtis was cousin to the Fogg's. He was smaller then his cousins, but known as a quick little bugger, he easily out ran Eric up the hill.

 

They all headed up to their cars. They planned their usual smoke session and two hour retelling of a twenty minute battle.

 

"I gotta take a leak. Roll slow!" Craig shouted as ran toward the public bathrooms of the 'Squirrel Barn' ice cream shop just fifty yards away. The shop was closed as usual for this time of the night, but bright lights lit the entrance to the bathrooms. Pushing open the door with the round headed man, the bright white tiles of floor and wall were almost blinding. The bodies hanging from the doorways of the first two stalls didn't register at first for Craig as he rounded the corner.   Their belts had been wrapped about their ankles and tied so their toes hung above the top of the doorway.   The skin was pale, there was no blood on the bodies or the floor below.   Motionless they hung there like props in some fake haunted house their arms dangling, hands on the floor.

 

'The hands.' They were purple.

 

His feet were moving as the thought formed. The tiles, while dry, had lost their resistance.   Craig's feet skidded madly trying to throw his body back toward the door.

 

'The blood had pooled into the hands' 

 

Craig's feet responded.