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Chapter 34 – Sayonara

Chapter 34 – Sayonara

[Location: Decontamination Depot t3rm1nu5 - Near the emergency relief valve]

McCormick hacked up a ball of phlegm and shot it to the ground. He used his sleeve to wipe some sweat from his face and then shook his head a few times to get his wits about him. He looked around searching for the knife but was unable to locate it.

“Shit!” His body tensed as he yelled. He looked at the length of pipe in his hand and the frustration boiling inside of him began to subside. He tightened his grip on the pipe and slashed it through the air, admiring it.

Like I need a fuckin’ blade. This’ll turn the pretty lady into hamburger.

Then he bent over and looked one last time at Charlie’s lifeless body. “Geez, it looks like you’re really having a bad day.” He snickered. “Like I give a shit.” He straightened and began to walk away. “Sayonara, Mr. Kennedy. I’ll tell your wife you send your love.”

He turned and headed into the mangled mess of pipes, conduits, and damaged tanks that had been a fully functioning hydrogen condensing facility only an hour ago. He followed the grating as it led toward the edge of the depot, hoping to find Charlie and Linda’s living quarters among the mess. As he searched, he scratched his chin in thought.

Mrs. Kennedy…now where might you be?

After about ten minutes of searching, he noticed a gray metal door that led into a concrete block structure on the edge of the depot and stopped to investigate. He looked down and saw a Home Sweet Home doormat decorated with pink and yellow flowers, but years of soot and grime had taken its toll and turned it dark and dingy. He tapped the end of the pipe in his hand and huffed as a grin formed on his face.

Honey, I’m home. He sung the words in his mind.

Looking to his right at the glowing, lime green keypad that controlled the door, he pressed a few of the numbers. The pad changed from green to a flashing red and then back to lime green. The door did not open.

McCormick puckered his lips and then began to jam random keys over and over again as he spit the acid covered words from his mouth, “Fuckin’ piece of shit! You think this’ll stop me?” He repeatedly pounded on the keypad with his balled fist. The keypad blinked a few times and then went dark.

Clenching his teeth, he stepped back and threw his shoulder into the metal door to no avail. He huffed as he glared at the door, then turned and walked a few feet away. He ran toward the door a second time dragging what little momentum his thin frame could carry. He crashed into the door solidly, but it still did not open. Then he took the pipe and began to mercilessly beat on it. His uncontrollable rage introduced dents and divots into the metal as he laughed.

He paused for a second to see if he could move the door aside, but it was still locked, so he lifted the pipe and continued to pound on it. After about a minute, he became winded and let his arms drop to his sides, the pipe falling to the grating. He turned and leaned back against the door, curled over, and placed his hands on his knees as he sucked oxygen in and out of his lungs. Beads of sweat dripped from his face as he closed his eyes for a second to recuperate.

When his breathing slowed, he straightened up and opened his eyes, ready to continue his assault. But as he did, his eyes caught something moving to his right. He glanced to see what it was and the sight caused his shoulders to slump as he dropped his head.

Charlie limped from the shadows with the ball peen hammer in his hand, stopping about fifteen feet in front of McCormick. The area around his right eye had turned a mixture of black and purple and was swollen shut while the top of his coveralls were soaked with blood that had leaked from the wound on the side of his head.

“You can just forget about it, McCormick.” He winced as he used his right arm to cover his broken ribs. “I’ll never let you have her.”

McCormick exhaled and slightly shook his head. “Aw, come on. Why do you have to make this so difficult? Why don’t you just stay dead?”

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