Humming Great Unclean One of Nurgle
Georgia,just outside Atlanta
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...As per Sillyboy's request, I am posting up his Epilogue..
Epilogue: ………….Passing lines………….
The wind howled as it traversed the barren wastelands. Swirling trough the lifeless remains of abandoned cities. Wildlife ran through the empty streets, defending their new hunting grounds. Mother earth smiled as plant life slowly reclaimed the concrete jungle. The wind left the dead cities behind as it increased in strength. It passed a small caravan of people, dressed in any scraps they could find. Scrawny horses carrying their limited supplies. The travelers placed one feet after another as they followed the remains of the old Highway. Their backs crunching under the weight of their personal belongings. An old man stood on the top of a battered car. He looked at the setting sun, hoping it would soon return. Darkness had always scared him, after ‘They‘ came. The man threw his grimy scarf in front of his mouth as the wind threw dust high in the air.
The stream of air continued its journey, increasing in power. It reached the shores as the wind screamed her heavenly anger at the sea. A lightning strike displayed a small fishing trawler battering against the wrath of Poseidon. The reinforced prow plowed through the waves. White foam crashed on the rusty deck. A few sailors traversed the deck, the familiar yellow water coats hanging over their exhausted shoulders. Their grizzled faces, holding a stoical smirk as wave after wave flooded the deck. Their body as soaked as the bowls of the ocean. The men cursed as they tried to tie everything down, while the sea bashed against the battered hull. Inside the cabin the captain laughed at the seas futile attempts of drowning him. His hands firmly grasping the wooden steering helm. Grainy music of a world long gone filled the room.
Behind the captain there was a man sitting at a table. Black messy hair crowned the stark face of the man. Murky gray eyes lay deep in its sockets. The man slowly lit his cigarette, several empty packs of Lucky Strikes laying on the table. It was a rare commodity these days, but the man needed it to remain sane. The two inhabitants of the cabin discussed when they would arrive at the meeting place. No one liked to be out when the night fell. “This storm has pushed us in the wrong direction.” The captain said, respect for his esteemed passenger clearly visible in his voice. “ If the storm dies down tonight…. Then we should make it tomorrow just before the sun disappears.” The passenger nodded as a cloud of smoke escaped from his lungs. There was nothing he could do, he was at the mercy of nature. The man took his trusty knife, and began chipping sharp chips of a wooden branch. A small box of empty shells lay on his table, waiting to be filled. The man looked outside the foggy windows as a new wave crashed against the trawler.
Outside Matt cursed as a brush of water slipped down his clothes. He had never thought that he would be a sailor. People didn’t study at Yale to do this, they studied to become lawyers and businessman. But then again no one ever believed that “They” existed. Matt still remembered the horror when ‘They’ first appeared, fifteen years ago. The screams still plagued his dreams. He felt the turmoil in his stomach and opened his mouth to vomit. Unfortunately there was nothing left in his weather-beaten abdomen.
The next crashing blow into a body of water almost threw him against the deck. Matt swiftly grabbed the rusty rail with both his hands, narrowly avoiding a direct hit with his head. He cursed God, for his miserable life. A lightning flash burned trough the dark sky. Matt looked at the crazed waves, rolling against each other. A hand pierced through the watery veil.
It was there for a moment, until the darkness stole his view. Matt stared at the sea, his mouth hanging open. “Was there someone in the water?” He spat the salty water out of his mouth, gazing at the sea. His mind trying to make sense of what he’d seen. “I’m just tired.” He muttered against himself. “Seeing things. I must be losing it.” He wouldn’t be the first, Matt remembered the cackling of his older brother. Repeatedly smashing his head against the wall. Matt was about to release the railing when a new flash lighted the air. This time the hand wasn’t alone. The face of a woman gasping for oxygen, before she disappeared. Swallowed by the murky water.
Matt raised his hand as he pointed at the location of the missing woman. “Man overboard.” He muttered. “Man overboard!” he said louder. Every time his voice became louder, until he was shouting it hysterical. The sailors stopped their pyrrhic battle against the elements, watching as matt shouted. They quickly glanced around. Everyone was still here. The esteemed passenger of the captain, crawled out the cabin. His tattered clothes instantly soaked. He firmly made his way to the shouting sailor. Undaunted by the heavy rocking of the ship. “Where?” the man yelled at Matt, who instantly stopped shouting. “There!” Matt replied. The passenger wiped the water off his face, glaring in the distance. He saw a dark shape slowly getting away from them. “A rope.” The man commanded. Matt looked at the passenger, why did he need a rope? The man threw his gray shirt on the ground, soon followed by his shoes. He grabbed Matt by his neck and pulled him closer. “Get me a fething rope!” He quickly released Matt, climbing on the railing. The man took a deep breath as he dived right into the water. Matt was bolted to the ground, his mind completely blank. Luckily for the man, the other seasoned sailors quickly realized that if someone jumped right into a raging storm, they would need help. They quickly grabbed one off the ropes they had use to fasten their cargo with. Ignoring the fact that they had just risked their lives, to tie the cargo down.
The passenger broke free of the icy water. Heavily breathing, he looked for the woman, ignoring the salt burning in his eyes. He saw her head disappearing in the waves. It looked like she wasn’t breathing anymore. The man swam trough the mighty current, slowly getting closer. He dived under the water, pulling the unmoving body back to the surface. His arms felt like lead, every movement adding weight. He couldn’t stay longer in the freezing water. He looked at the scarred face of the woman. Did he know this girl? Suddenly it became important that she needed to survive. He needed to know who she was. Holding the woman’s mouth above water he started the long haul back to the ship. The other sailors had quickly pushed matt out of the way. They threw the rope towards the passenger, who tightly grabbed the slippery rope. The sailors grunted as they pulled their catch out of the rampant water.
“Get her in the cabin.” The man ordered, as he was pulled out as last. The men quickly lifted the lifeless body and carried her inside. The Passenger unceremoniously wiped everything of his table. Cigarette ashes smeared the floor as the sailors placed the young woman on the table. The Passenger grabbed his knife and immediately ripped open her clothes. He placed his hands on her chest and started the heart massage. Forcing his tired muscles to keep pushing. “I don’t feel a heartbeat.” One of the sailors exclaimed his hand wrapped around her wrist. “What if she’s one of ‘Them’? the captain shouted, while trying to remain focused on the aggressive waves. The sailors immediately grinded to a halt. The only one moving was the passenger, trying to bring her back. But even he was baffled, he hadn’t thought of that. “Check it.” He commanded the nearest sailor. The man nodded as he gently opened the woman’s mouth. He looked back at the grey-eyed passenger, who told him to proceed. His hand shook as his finger went between her lips. Anxiety sweat dripped from his forehead. Nothing happened, reassured by the fact that his finger was still attached, the sailor quickly checked the gum of the girl. His finger carefully checking for abnormalities. “She’s clean.” The man said relieved as he retrieved his precious finger.
The captain sighed relieved as he heard the words. “There’s a portable defibrillator downstairs. Just under the kitchens sink.” The sailor who had just checked her mouth, immediately went down the crummy stairs. Moments later he reappeared holding a white case in the air. The passenger grabbed the kit out of his hands. He opened the box, an illustrated manual printed on the inside. He immediately followed the necessary steps, while a second sailor kept pushing on her chest. A timer jumped on. The mean flashing light counting down from sixty. The room was dreadful silent as they waited for the defibrillator to charge. The minds of the men, hoping their efforts weren’t in vain. The passenger pulled the paddles clear as the timer hit zero. He pushed the helpful sailor away as he placed the paddles on her chest. The body abruptly contracted as the released energy cracked through her nervous system.
The woman’s blood soaked eyes jumped open, followed by a big gulp of water sprouting from the lips. She gurgled, trying to replace it with air. Her eyes flared around trying to figure out what happened. Until they stopped. The passenger felt her eyes burning in his skull. Her hand rose, softly touching his face. As I f she was scared he would break. A small tear emerged from her eyes, as her flustered voice spoke. “James.” Her hand fell back as she fell into unconsciousness. The man looked at the beat-up girl. “Who was she?”
“How did she, …. know his name?”
The wind giggled as she played with her friends. Throwing the little vessel around. Laughing at the little yellow spots traversing across the deck. Flinging water at one another. One of the smaller winds got scared as the bigger winds decided they too, wanted to play. It decided to leave the cackling winds as they continued their festivity. She slipped away from the rampaging waters, back to land. Searching for calmer areas. Her own place. It found a small village laying deep in the countryside. Abandoned like many others. The wind cheered as it found her little oasis. She waved through the dusty streets, explored desolated rooms. Dried blood spatters formed intricate figures on the walls. A small fluffy bear lay in the corner, waiting to be found. The wind felt excited as it continued its journey through the wonders of the town. Until she found a woman standing on top of the tower of a burned out church. A slow swirling tattoo slithering on her right arm. Her hand above her vibrant green eyes, she looked at the setting sun. Wondering where she was...
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Ravenous Angels 
Tomb Kings 
Protectorate of Menoth 
