Run to the Hills

A Vietnam Vets is visited by someone who he thought he killed in the War.

"Run to the Hills"

 By: W.T. Hatfield

 

 Howard sits on his back porch as the Sun slowly fades behind the trees and into the horizon. Listening to the birds’ chirp, he feels a soft wind blow but he keeps his eyes on the trees that cover that back side of his land, because he knows it's out there, waiting, watching.

        Howard Jenkins, Retired Vietnam Vet. lives alone the Rocky Mountains where he grew up. When he got home from the war he started working at the lumber yard and met the woman who would become his wife. The two of them were married within six months of meeting one another and three months later they were having the first of two kids. That was a long, long time ago, a lot has happened since then. Man, has landed on Mars, self-driving cars, trucks, boats and even self-piloted passenger planes everywhere. My wife is dead, died of cancer, my children also dead, I'm the world's oldest unknown living soul, such is the journey of life. “What the Hell are you doing, focus,” A voice inside his head screams, “You damn fool. you know it’s out there.”

    Three nights ago, Howard with his frail old body covered in jeans, boots and a blue t-shirt, came out to the back porch with a cup of coffee and a book. Sitting there reading he suddenly gets the feeling like he is being watched. He looks up and expects to see a deer, bear or even a cougar but that's not what he sees. Standing on a branch high in a tree there is a blur, a ripple. About six feet tall, it has a head, shoulders, torso, arms and legs but it’s a ripple. Howard can see the trees through it but the trees are blurry, out of focused. 

    It stands there and Howard wonders if he is looking at the thing in its eyes, even if it has eyes. Suddenly the blur jumps to another branch and then jumps to the ground and runs off. The same last night and the night before. What is it? Who is it, is it even a person? “None of that matters now, your armed and ready, let it show up,” That voice again.

    Sitting there watching the trees Howard holds a shotgun in his lap and isn't afraid to use it. There it is, standing on the same tree branch it has been standing on for the past three nights. Don't move let it do its thing, and he raises the shotgun and takes aim.

    The blur moves up the tree and stands on the branch and looks down at Howard. Looking back at the blur Howard can feel it's eyes on him. 

    "Isn't she beautiful." With all his attention and focus was on the blur in the trees, Howard jumps like a cat who has been suddenly scared and drops the shotgun.

    "You scared the hell out of me." Howard says not realizing who the speaker is, he turns. Standing before him is a man that is on record as being dead. The man who has haunted my dreams. A man who Howard thought was dead but something inside him always told him he wasn't. A man who is responsible for over ninety thousand deaths. That’s just what was in Vietnam. He is also the murderer of countless soldiers in the Korean War, W.W.1 and 2 and Peral Harbor. 

"Lee Sang"

    "It's good to see you too," Lee says with a smile. Lee Sang stands 5'1, was born China and is wanted all over the world by such law agencies as CIA, FBI, MI6, Roman Guards, Egyptian Police and many, many others. The charge is human experiment, murder, handling a lethal Virus without a Government Permit. One FBI Agent is quoted as to saying, “When we catch him, and we will catch him, Lee Sang will be spending every day for the rest of his life in a cage that will be so heavy guarded that the shower will be brought to him.”

   "You’re supposed to be dead." Howard says looking at Lee. This can’t be possible, I watched him die. That night in Vietnam, Howard was part of a small platoon of men that was given an order that no history book will ever write about. Their orders were to hunt down and kill a man name Lee Sang. All Howard really knew was that his orders where to hunt and kill a man. Act don’t think. When Howard and other men arrived at the Lee Sang’s compound, what they found were things that haunted many of the men’s dreams for many years later. Men and women, some had one arm, no arms. About the length of an arm. They have machine guns as arms. It was a slaughter. It’s almost as if Lee knew Howard was coming. If it wasn’t for the back to back air strikes, Howard and his war brothers wouldn’t have survived. Once the air strike was done, Howard and a few others set charges around the entire base and blew up what was left.   

   "Well you did blow me up but you didn't kill me." Lee says with a cocky smile, "When you blew up my were house you also released something that saved my life."

    "I know it changed me as well," Howard says knowing that no one is supposed to live for over a hundred and fifty years. All this time, Howard knew he wasn't supposed to live this long. Death was coming and it is here now. 

    "You think I don't know that it has changed you. It has change a lot of men who were there that night," Lee says, "I've been watching you and them."

   Watching me, yes. Howard remembers the blur and turns around just as it steps out of the trees and starts walking towards the back porch. Howard moves fast but not fast enough. As he bends to grab the shot gun, Lee grabs him with one hand, by the throat and lifts him into the air, "We can do this the hard way or the easy way," Lee says looking up at Howards, "Your choice,"

 "Easy," Howard says and feels the hand let go and he falls to the floor. Picking himself up Howard sees the blur is standing at the back porch, "Is this your pet," Howard says picking himself up looking at the blur. 

    "That's one way to put it," Lee says and then looks at the blur, "Show yourself."

    Suddenly the blur morphs into an oriental woman wearing all black. Her face is thin and her long dark hair is pulled back tightly behind her head. She reaches behind her back and pulls out a sword. 

    "This is Hisami, she is someone that I advanced." Lee says proudly.

   Howard looks at the woman and thinks she is attractive but she is a killer, “What do you want with me," Howard says as he tries to think of a way out of this.

   "What do I want with you," Lee laughs, "I want you to die knowing what a fool you were forever thinking you could stop me. I am a God."

   "You’re the devil," Howard says, "I should have burned your body."

   "You should have but you didn't," Lee says, "When you left my lab the gas escaped and gave me unnatural age and strength. Saved my life. My mental capacity is off the charts. I finally have the finical backing I need. Nothing can stop me."

   "What are you going to do," Howard asks mockingly, "Turn everyone into a robot like your b***h here," Howard says looking at Hisami, sizing her up. He’d have to move fast if he’s going to take her down first.  

   "No, I'm going..." Lee says and suddenly see Hisami moves quick with her sword and cuts Howards head off.

   "What did you do that for," Lee says, "I wasn’t finished." 

   "He called me a b***h plus I’m getting bored." Hisami says and pulls out a small white cloth from her pocket and begins to clean her sword, "How many more on your list?"

    "Three," Lee says looking down at Howards head and feels disappointed, "Don't get in a hurry next time. I really do enjoy toying with these people."

   "I can't promise you that." Hisami says as she puts her sword away and the two of them walk off into the night.

 

THE END

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

  

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
  

Author's Note

This is the first story I've ever put on line or allowed anyone to read and give their option. If you are so kind as to leave a comment all that I ask is that you are honest. Thank you.