The Bane

"Whatever happened to the Anasazi native American tribe, we may not ever know," said Caleb, finishing his presentation. His classmates stared with blank eyes at him as they struggled not to sleep during the boring, and unveventful, day. Mr. Hastens stood up from his chair. The chair echoed a creeking of relief as the human walrus rose from its old pine wood frame. He cleared his throat and blinked few times, his double chin quivering.

"So not even the teacher can stand dusty presentation topics." thought Caleb as he saw that the obeise teacher's eyes were bloodshot and he was trying hard, and without success, to stifle a huge yawn.

"Well done Caleb. Thank you for that remarkably exciting presentation. Now we must move on to the migration of Americans during the California Gold Rush." the whale spoke with a bored and unpleasant tone. Just another example of how dumb and pointless the stupid class was. A groan rubled through the exhausted prisoners of High School as the talking elephant began describing the discovery of gold in the state of California.

"Like anybody cares." Caleb thought as Mr. Hastens ran off a long list of facts. It was all nothing to him and either the walrus was dumb or just plain deaf to not notice the disgusted students.  The clock ticked off the sluggish seconds as the class passed, exacting every ounce of pain and suffering that it could from the teenagers. Caleb caught himself staring directly at the bell, waiting for it to ring freedom.

A spitball flew from behind and slammed into the back of his neck. Caleb felt it, and reached back to wipe the wad of paper, soaked with saliva, He didn't bother to look behind him to view his tomenter. It was Bryan, it was always Bryan.            

The quarterback, and homeconming prince was always a joy to be around. He slammed heads into lockers, stole lunch money, tripped people like Caleb in the halls, and toilet papered everybody elses, except for his and a close few, cars. All in all, a fine young gentleman, as the principal put it.

Caleb hated his guts and spent his freetime imagining him dying in elaborately unpleasant ways. Once he had imagined his blond hair catching on fire, or his cold blue eyes being gouged out and him being tossed into a burning furnace, or his giant arms being chopped away. Yeah, he spent way too much time devising torments for the football star.

Several more spitwads flew, but most of them missed as Caleb ducked down. Instead they smacked into Simon. Simon, like Caleb, was always a target, but Simon was taller, and a whole lot stronger, than Caleb. Caleb was a bit shorter than six feet, and he was a bit on the scrawny side.  Simon slowly turned around. Fires blazed in his greenish colored eyes as he singled out the four sports stars in the back. Irwin, Bryan, James, and Clark, always know by the sports they played. Mr. Soccer, Mr. Football, Mr. Baseball, Mr. Basketball were all favorites of the little town, but the enemies of everybody else. 

The shrill sound of the bell yelped to his ears. Mr. Hastens wrapped up the class and reminded the class that the trip to the Anasazi ruins was today. Of course Caleb would go, and to his chagrin all of the sports stars were going to get extra credit Simon would not be going for Caleb to hide behind him.  The only reason that Caleb bothered going was because he was planning on majoring in natural history and this would give him a look at what he woluld really be studying. Caleb made his way to the buss quick, hoping to beat the demons in disguise. HIs luck held out and he got a seat near the front where anyone could see what was hapeing to him. He would also be the first one off the bus. His luck did seem to be improving, but he was yet to see how horrible a mistress luck could be.

The buss arrived at the ruins an hour later. The red-gold sanstone so common in New Mexico towered over them. Up there, in a large hollow overhang, stood the ancient city ruins of the Anasazi. One of the last mysteries on the face of the world.  Caleb could barely hold in his excitement, but his hopes were dashed as two large figures materialized on either side of him. Then two more surrounded him front and back. 

Caleb did his best to stay calm, but he could not help but shift from one foot to the other as the group didn't move. He tried to walk through and got an elbow in his gut. He bent down predictably and then felt them elbow and jostle him into the bus. A fist cuaght him on the jaw and sent him spinning.

The four monsterous oppressors left him on the ground and walked off to the tour group with a giggle. 

Caleb groaned as he got to his feet and leaned against the solid bus to regain his balance. " You okay" 

Caleb turned rapidly to face the sudden voice. An angel appeared to his eyes, but then he realized that it was Becka. Her luxurious brown hair flowed in waves down to her shoulders and her chocolate brown eyes were as warm as the sun. The blue jeans and t-shirt look may be common, but she made it look extraordinary. Her t-shirt read out the name of a band and the back a list of concert locations and dates.

She had a look of genuine concern splayed across her face. " Yeah, I'm fine." Caleb replied shyley. " Just a had the wind knocked out of me is all." he added trying to make himslef sound a bit tougher than he looked. She gave him a small smile and motioned toward the group.

"I think that they are about to leave." Caleb nodded and walked over to the tour group with Becka leading the way. She was quickly brouhgt into a group of her friends while Caleb just stood away from all of the various clicks.

The class was escorted up the trail and into the ruins. Most of the time, the ruins were closed off but the tour was specially arranged to where they would get to see everything.

Thunderclouds brewed outside, but it wasn't a big concern. Caleb followed the class into the ruins. He marveledd at the brilliance ol the ancient architects work and how the buildings still supported their weight after so many years. He doubted that anyone today could do the same. That was when he came upon the murel.

It was as large as the wall of the adobe building.  It was faded and discolored but still incredibly clear. It depicted a small group of men with spears and bows. They weren't stick figures, but pictures of real men. Atttired for battle, they were grim faced and strongly muscled. In front of them stood a large mass. It had fur and fangs and claws, but it was unrecognizable as any normal animal. Caleb went through his mind as the native ameriacn picture trigured something he had uncovered during his research. The painting was familiar, but he could not place it.

Lightning blasted outside and interupted his train of thought. Thunder grumbled angrily after its flahsy companion. Large drops of rain began to plummet from on high, but the ruins were easily sheltered from the elements. The tour guide examined the clouds and spoke into his radio. He had a dismal frown on his face, whatever he had been told wasn't good.

" I'm sorry, but it seems that we must wait until the storm has lessened to begin our climb down. Please do not wander off. Stay with the group and hopefully we will not wait long."

That was when Caleb felt a hand on his shoulder pulling him back. He tried to say something, but his mouth was instantly covered and now he was being dragged back by several hands. He was forced into a separate ruined building where the class, and any hope of salvation, was far off and indistinct. Finally, the hands let him go and shoved him into the dust.

Caleb whirled around to face Bryan and his dimwitted followers. They were all smiling manically, with evil sparking in their eyes. All of them except Bryan. His smile was just as sinister, but there was barely checked rage flashing in his eyes.

"Saw you talking to Becka earlier nerd." he stated gritting his teeth. Behind him, one of the gorillas cracked their knuckles and smiled in anticipation.

"Get one thing straight space cadet." Bryan said as he slammed Caleb into the hard wall. His head made a thud upon impact and his vision blurred. " Becka is my girl. No matter what you little boys think, she is mine. Hey I'm talking to you!" Bryan slapped Caleb a few times across the face.

Each slap stung worse than the last. Caleb could tell Bryan was about to lose control, and he still had scars from the last time that had happened. This time though, he didn't know if he would live. A fist cracked on the side of his head, which set his hearing ringing. He must have been halucinating because he thought he heard a faint scream over the thunder. Then he realized it must be him, because a few punches in the gut sent him to the ground and now he was being kicked all over his body.

A roar split the hazy atmosphere. The relentless pounding ceased as the murderous possy. The light dimmed, and Caleb thought that he was passing out, but it wasn't that. The storm had thickened and blocked out almost all the light that had been constantly streaming through the clouds. A restless muttering rolled across the class. The wind picked up and tore through the ruins. Screaming wildly, everyone ran for cover in the ruins.       

The sports jockerys left him there. The just left him there. He tried to stand but coughed up blood and felll down again.

"Caleb! Caleb! God what did they do to you?" Becka, or at least he thought it was Becka, asked as she beheld him. " Come with me. We need to move with the group." she said as she offered him his hand. He gladly reached up and allowed her to pull him to his feet. She was remarkably strong, but then again, Caleb wasn't the heaviest person in the world.

He stood and took a shaky breath. He coughed again and managed to limp forward. Together, they traveled deep into the dark ruins They came to a large hall where what little light there was glowed through an opening in the ceiling. Becka had a perplexed look upon her face. 

"That's weird, I thought they were right here when I left to find you." she said with a bit of a quiver. First, Caleb wondered why she would leave to find? Second, how had she even known where to look? Thirdly, why did she come find him?

"Okay, um, by the way, why did you even bother to look for me?" Caleb said hesitantly. Becka looked at him like she had just noticed that he was still there. She hesitated a moment before answering.

" Well, I knew that Bryan would beat you up, and when I didn't see you I felt a little guilty."

"Right. So where do you think the others went off to?"

The erie silence of the ruins crept upon them. Just to his side, Caleb thought he saw a flash of movement, but when he looked there was nothing. Then a growl echoed from behind them. Caleb had to resist the temptation to squeal.

"What was that." Becka asked. She was shaking, but from fear or the cold that permeated the chamber, Caleb did not know. Something lept out from there side and smashed into them. Becka flew across the room while Caleb became trapped to the ground by a giant, white paw.

The beast was an exact representation of the painting he had seen. Its glowing red eyes burned into his soul and its sharp claws sunk into his chest, but only slightly. The creature growled again and opened its wide, unaturaly large mouth to expose row upon row of teeth. Deadly, sharp as daggers, and gruesomely coated with grisle from its last, and recent meal, Caleb stared at them as he would death.

A blur of brown slapped into the white beast and knocked it away from Caleb. Caleb breathed in deaply and was awestruck as the two beings struggled. The second animal was the same as the first with a brown coloration. They bit and slashed and wrestled down into the tunnel until they both dissapeared.

Caleb just sat there, panting. Fear threatened to overwhelm him and he rolled over and retched. He stood on shaky feet and called out.

"Becka! Becka!"

"Here." a small feminine voice siad from the corner. Caleb hurried to her. She seemed fine except a few scratches and a nasty bump on her forehead. Her hair was wild and she had a primal twinkle in her eyes.  She stood and looked him over quickly. " We need to find the others and get out of here." she said quickly striding off down the tunel.

"Wha.? Wait. Wait.Wait! Did you not just see those things? I don't know about you, but I had the up close treatment and I don't really want to get too close to that thing again thank you very much." he said harshly. Becka just looked him in the eye. That was when he felt an overwhelming sense of shame and guilt. He had just let his little facade fail.

"Fine. Let's find them and go. I already feal like an lunatic."

"Nonsense. Lunatics are crazy only about the moon." she said sarcastically.

"Ha ha."

The two of them walked, and then jogged down the ole paths of the ancient city. They heard an ominous whispering as they neared a fork in the path. They slowed down and crept up on it and turned rapidly. Bryan, along with Irwin, jumped back, startled by their sudden apparition.

"Jesus! Where the heck did you come from?" said Irwin.

" I didn't think either of us were Jesus." Becka replied.  Irwin just looked at her angrily. That was when both he and Byan noticed Caleb. Bryan flared and took a step forward, but was stopped by a vicious roar. The albino beast launched out again and knocked them all back. Bryan was up and he threw a large rock at the beast.

It was a perfect throw, and it hit the animal solidly on the head, but all it did was make it angrier. I launched itself and Bryan and tackled him to the ground. This time, Irwin saved the day. Several more rocks crashed into the beast.

The monster roared in pain and turned on Irwin. Caleb did something rash. He charged the beast and jumped on its back. Whacking it solidly upon the neck and back with a mud brick that had fallen from the ruined buildings.

The monster bucked wildly, sending the lightl Caleb flying to crash into a building. Then the brown version of the animal lurched out of another path and chased off the beast again. That was when they all beheld Bryan.

He was bleeding profusely, but that was not the worst. His perfect features were torn and half of his face was gone. He wasn't breathing either. Caleb checked for a pulse, but there wasn't one.

 

Caleb rose shakily from the grisly remains of one of the worst people he had ever known. He had often imagined him dying horribly, but he had never thought it would be like this. Irwin looked at his friend's body in shock and sank to his knees. Becka walked up behind them and turned away quickly.

"I think I know what this thing might be." said Caleb. the two others gathered around him. " When I was doing research for that report, I came across a bit of the Anasazi mythology. They believed in a ghoulish like animal simply called the Bane."

" Come off it. Myths aren't true." Irwin sneered, but his protest was weak.

" Then how do you explain that?" Becka sneered back. Irwin was silent.

" Well, anyway, the Bane was an ancient creature that fed upon the souls of the wicked, but eventually, when mankind became wicked through and through, it changed into a monster that killed anything it saw. Sometimes they were confused with werewolves, but I don't know how. The only way to defeat them was if an eagle flew from your hand inot its heart. Whatever that means."

"So we have to find an eagle. A tame eagle that will fly right up against a monster that eats the souls of the wicked and hope that it flies into its heart. Right, I'm up for hightailing it out of here."

"Wait, wasn't there something about an eagle that we were supposed to see on the tour?" asked Becka excitedly.

"Yeah, the shaft of the phoenix, but the phoenix was really in the exact shape of an eagle." said Caleb, getting excited as well.

" Okay, whats the shaft of the phoenix. Somehting tells me that if its what I think a shaft is then....."

" It is a spear made out of pure metal. The only metalwork really ever discovered by native americans that amounted to something like artwork. It has an eagle shape for its head. I guess the Anasazi were ready for the beast." Becka said blushing as she caught Irwin's meaning.

" So we have to find this spear and hopefully stab the creature in the chest with it. Sounds like a walk in the park." Irwin said sarcastically.

The other two nodded. The three strode off to the central chamber

The spear was propped in a case in the middle of the room. It was beautifully constructed. There were no flaws in the metal, which looked like silver, and the head looked exactly like an eagle diving upon its prey. Caleb tiptoed over to the case, bewaring any security that might still be running. He grabbed a rock and began battering the case. The plexiglass case was stronger than it looked.

The rock bounced off and after about ten minutes the case had only just begun to crack.

With one last effort, Caleb crashed the rock into the case with all of his might. While doing so, he put his foot back just enough to break a laser that trigured a small alarm that was ringing down in the offices below. If there had been anyone in the building to see it or hear it, then they would have been caught.

 

Of corse Caleb did not know that, he was too excited by the fact that he had brocken the case and was lifting the spear when Irwin rushed forward and grabbed it from his hands. He smiled wildly and looked down the path to see a charging white shape. He set his feet and presented the spear.

"Come get some you ugly piece of....." he did not get to finish as the beast rammed into the spear ank kept going to Irwin. Irwin tried to run, but found that he was trapped. A chilling scream echoed throughout the ruins as the beast ripped him apart.

The spear fell out of the creature as it simply healed.

"I thought the thing would kill it." Caleb shouted as the menacing monster stalked up to him and Becka.

"Likewise. Run!"

Caleb did not need to be told twice, but he looked back to see Becka shifting in shape. Her shoulder length hair grew and became as fur. Her eyes slanted, her body became wider and stronger. She became the brown beast that he had seen so often. Awestruck, Caleb did not remember ever running back into the chamber and grabbing the spear.

The Albino beast managed to rip a tear in him as he ran past, but unable to follow through as Becka smashed her paw into its face. The monster ran off again, but not before kicking Becka back into a wall once more. As she sank down, she shifted back to human form. Battered, but human.

Caleb, holding his torn arm, limped over to her and sank down beside her.

" I always heard that all women had a wild side, but I didn't think it was literal." he laughed, but Becka did not even smile.

"You don't know how hard it is to keep a secret like this. I have to watch everyone live normally while I fill that monster trying to break free."

"How did it happen to you?"

Becak flipped her hair back and took a deep breath. " I was born with it, it matured with me and grew with me. I hadn't even known I had it in me until a few years ago, when I managed to destroy a few gas stations. Ever since then I have had to move from place to place. I guess that is what I get, being a decendant from the original Anasazi."

" Wait, your great great great great great great great great great grand father was an Anasazi?"

" Well, it was really my several greats grandmother, but yeah the bane began with the Anasazi with asickness that caused them to come close to death's door. But then they would recover. They would be stronger, faster, and smarter than anybody else, but there was a little side effect that came with being changed into a harry monster that devoured all human life. Not all the time, but some did go so ferral that they did become so beastly that they could not change back. I don't know how it spread, but it did and nobody in my family had it for years, and now I get stuck with the worst condition ever. I have got it down to where I can control it pretty well, but I still have accidents."

" Is that why you missed prom?"

" Yeah, I was having a bad hair day." she smiled. They both laughed a bit, but returned to the present.

"Irwin is dead."

'Yeah." Caleb said.

" I actually thought that stupid spear would work."

Enlightenment showed across Caleb's face. " Wait. It said the eagle had to fly from your hand into the beast's heart. I think it means that the spear has to be thrown."

Caleb picked up the spear and tested its weight. He saw a target in a small piece of thatch that had fallen and hat yet to decay. He threw the spear and the eagle head embedded itself easily in the straw and the mud brick behind.

"Let's go find a monster."

It didn't take long to follow the bloody tracks the creature had left behind. It led to a chamber of bones and blood. Skulls were stacked high and other bones were scattered all over the place, but horrifying as that was, there was a beautifully woven native american rug on the floor, seperated from the bones.

"Apparently this thing was human." said Becka

" And still is"

The two whirled around to see an old man clutching a cane. His hair was stark white and his old, withered form looked as if it was in the final stages of decompostion.

" Please sit." he rasped. He ushered them to two chairs that stood on a natural stone dias away from the carnage. " I see that you have all admired my handywork over the past few centuries." he said as he eased himself into a chair as well.

" Past few centuries." exclaimed Becka.

" Yes child. Our kind live quite a long time, and no. I don't normally appear this old. I can change my age appearance at will. This is what I prefer because it makes me feal more human than I am. You are quite blessed with your gift. I'm afraid that I have weakened some since I haven't had a decent meal in at least twenty years. Do not worry, I have no intention of eating either of you. Not really anyway, but the feral might have other plans. You see. I have a twin brother. He is always in monster form. I am afraid that I was tracking him and became enraged at the sight of another of my kind. Especially when that annoying boy tried to kill me."

"So, your brother was the one that killed our first friend and probably everybody else." said Caleb. Fear was evident in his voice.

" Yes. I thought I could stop him, but I am afraid that my weary old bones can not. It must be that he is meant to be killed. I think it was the smell and the storm that got him. I maintain my creed. I feed on the wicked and in self defence. Go you will find him in the spears chamber. He will be licking his wounds for a while, we may heal fast, but he is still wounded from your last fight." the last part he spoke to Becka.

"Thank you for your help." Caleb said along with Becka as they rose. The old Bane waved them farewell and fell back into the shadowy recesses of the chamber.

They arrived at the hall where they had found the spear earlier than they had thought. The beast was not there so they settled down for a moment. Caleb could not hold it back any longer.

" Would it be a bad time to admit that I have had a crush on you for the past two years?" he said.

Becka blinked as he broke the silence. She was silent for a while so Caleb felt the need to speek again.

" I know that I am not like Bryan was. I am not strong or fast, or even brave. I'm just a nerd who can't pay attention in class and can't put down a book and.." he was silenced as Becka leaned forward and kissed him passionately. Surprised, Caleb felt as if he was melting. Maybe a minute later they seperated.

" Is that a good enough answer for you?" Becka said timidly, smiling the whole time. Caleb was too dumbstruck to respond. Becka decided to ease the tension.

" Of course it would be better if we weren't fighting for our lives, or if you were a better kisser........."

"Hey!" Caleb responded, hurt by the insult. Becka laughed and Caleb could not help but laugh either. That was when all heck broke loose.

An albino primate launched out of nowhere and knocked Becka to the ground and Caleb went flying.

Caleb rose with the spear to see Becka still in human form staring up into the maddened eyes of the beast It raised up and screamed for blood. Its claws plunged donward.

"No!" Caleb shouted and hurled the spear. Either Caleb was stronger than he thought, or the staff really was magic for it flew straight into the chest of the animal. Caleb thought he heard the cry of an eagle as it flew. The beast utttered a dying gasp and roared once more, and then fell dead.

Feeling suddenly drained, Caleb crawled over to Becka and cried himself into unconciousness over her still form.

 

HE walked out of the coffe shop quietly. It was nearly midnight on Halloween. His blond hair glowed pale in the street light. The white scars on his arm marking the gashes made by an unknown animal were  barely visible, but they weren't his only momento from that night.

Sitting on a bench close to a bus stop was a beauty of a woman with deep brown hair and wamr chocalate colored eyes. It had only been a month since the experience, but he felt closer to her than ever.

Caleb handed over one of the Starbucks cups to her and she slurped it gratefull and issued a contented sigh. His green eyes never left her form as he could not help but admire her like a collector admires the works of da Vinchi.

Becka looked back at him and rased an eyebrow.

"Can't ever stop staring can you?" she said playfully

"Nope." he stated confidently and kissed her fully.

" You still aren't that good at it" she said in a whisper.

" Practice makes perfect." and they bothe kissed each other once more.

" Bus is late." she said as they finished their coffee.

" Well, I guess we can run all the way to Vegas."

" Haha ha" she laughed loudly and he joined her.

" I bet I will beat you this time." he challenged.

" In your dreams!" she said as she sat out running.

"Maybe, Maybe not." he said matching her speed. Once away from the bright city lights. They both winked at each other and Becka began to change midstride.

Caleb shook his head and enacted his own transformation. Once scratch had changed his life. So far his luck was running good.

 

 

 

Author's Note

Thank you for reading, and please let me know what you think.