IMAGINATION'S PLACE
FICTION
"WE HAD A BARGAIN!"
By; Speaker Gerald A. Polley
The Ancient One and his companion had flown to the west coast. They now
stood on the roof of an office complex. Across the way was another building
somewhat taller. "What's up?" The Ancient One's companion asked.
"You'll see!" The Ancient One answered. "Keep the axe, shed the armor."
As his companion did so The Ancient One took on human form. A few minutes
later shadows began to move up the side of the building across from them.
As they came into the moonlight it could be seen they were twelve men who
were climbing the old stone structure with ease! "What the...?" The Ancient
One's companion muttered.
"Blood suckers!" The Ancient One explained. :"Come on." With tremendous
bounds they leaped from roof to roof until they reached the far side of the
building and with effortless ease scaled its walls, reaching the vacant penthouse
suite on the top. "Good!" The Ancient One remarked. "They followed instructions
and have vacated the premisis. "You, over there!" His companion went to
the shadows as The Ancient One did likewise. A few moments later the balcony
windows opened and the twelve men entered. They came to the middle of
the large room and looked around, bewildered.
"Good evening!" The Ancient One called. "My friends have departed, but
told me of the trouble you were causing them, so I came to settle their affairs
with you. " The twelve men looked at each other, then one of them roared,
charging The Ancient One. They began to go flying in all directions, his
feet, hands and knees met their targets! The Axe Man fell upon them from
behind and split three open before they even knew he was there. After a
few minutes ten of the attackers lay twisted corpses on the floor.
"Into the corner!" The Ancient One told his companion. "No matter what
happens, do nothing!" His companion nodded. The Ancient one went to the middle
of the room. "Come on, fellers!" he called. "The game isn't over yet. Let's
not prolongue the inevetable."
Suddenly the two men rushed from the darkness on either side of The Ancient
One. They sank their teeth into his throat and drank deeply. When The Ancient
One was sure they'd gotten enough he pushed them away. The two men looked
at him, bewildered, then one of them put his hands to his stomach. "What's
the matter?" The Ancient One chuckled, "Got a tummy ache?" "You're a..."
"Yes!" The Ancient One continued. "I'm a Lord Of Light! And you just
committed suicide!"
A horrid scream came from the man's mouth, and his companion soon joined
him. Light suddenly burst out of their abdomens. In a few moments they fell
apart. In but a few moments after that every bit of them had been consumed.
The Ancient One laughed. "I love to do that to vampires!" he remarked.
"It's just so cool when they burn like that! Just can't stand a concentrated
dose of psychokinetic energy. Fries them, just like sunlight!"
"Ewww!" his companion gasped. "Should we clean up this mess?"
"Naw!" The Ancient One answered. "It will be Monday at the earliest before
anybody's up here. That will be two days of sunshine. By that time there'll
be nothing but dust being blown around by the air conditioners. Let's go!
Got to visit somebody." The Ancient One took on his true form and they
left the way the intruders had entered. They landed at a plush estate where
a considerable gathering seemed to be going on.
The Ancient One approched the side door by which two guards stood. They
didn't seem to be surprised by his appearance. "Open up!" The Ancient One
snapped.
"Who said you're invited?" one of the guards remarked. The Ancient One's
foot came up, struck the door, and it flew off the hinges. He proceeded on
in with the guards on his heels. Ten burly men began to block his way, but
the music suddenly stopped
There was the sound of clapping and a woman's voice cried "Let them pass,
gentlemen!" The men backed off. The Ancient One came to the middle of the
room and a beautiful woman in a very revealing evening gown approached him.
"Been expecting you!" she remarked.
"I thought we had a deal!" The Ancient One snapped. "My associates supply
you with outdated and contiminated blood from the blood bank and you behave
yourselves. No hunting. No bothering people. And we let you live out your
prolongued existence in peace."
The woman shrugged. "I'm having problems!" she remarked. "Some of my
associates think now is a good time to do some fresh feeding, where your
power supplies are low. I am doing my best but some of them aren't too bright."
"Two of them were extremely bright!" The Ancient One's companion commented,
"For a few seconds!"
The woman grimaced. "You mean they...?" The Axe Man nodded. "Ew!" the
woman moaned, putting her hand to her stomach. "Look," she continued, "we
still want the bargain, the majority of us. It's no fun being hunted. It's
much more pleasurable being left alone so we can enjoy life. I'll do my
best.. We'll do our best, to keep the renegades under control. If we have
to we'll eleminate them ourselves. It's really been nice not having to run
and hide. No trouble, PLEASE?" "The next time you've got problems," The Ancient
One snapped, "let me know immediately! Maybe I can put the fear of The
Light into them."
The woman nodded. "Got to go!" The Ancient One concluded. "I'll stop
by once and a while to get a report." :"Saw you on television!" the woman
remarked. "I mean..the other you. They were laughing at you, the damned
fools! They'll regret that!"
"I'm afraid they will!" The Ancient One agreed. "Remember, any trouble,
call me!"
"Yes!" the woman agreed, yes!" The Ancient One left as he had entered,
with the assembled crowd staring after him, many breathing sighs of relief.
As they got outside and hesitated a moment The Axe Man looked back. "Haven't
I seen her on...?"
"Yes!" The Ancient One answered. "But forget you ever did! Let's go!
More to do. Night isn't over yet!"
"Nothing could compare with this!" his companion remarked, as he spun
his axe and hurled it skyward.
"Don't count on it!" The Ancient One answered, "Don't count on it!"
THE END