Episode 15: See Serpent

Nearing home base Cameron Scott and Malcolm Brand heard the sounds of a warzone in the distance. Arming up with their own weapons they began sprinting at a fevered pace. Malcolm however was lagging behind as if his blood sugar was running low. His entire body began to ache like a bitch. Muscles enflamed, joints grinding with each movement as if ready to give out on him. His best friend was quickly becoming concerned.

“You going to faint on me, Buddy?” Cam realized his partners slowed pace.

“I’m hurting. Keep going, I’ll catch up.” The black man encouraged the pilot. “Help them however you can.”

“They weren’t kidding. That thing is a city bus for sure.” As Cam huffed, he spotted the smaller Komodo dragon racing across the desert in a huff of dust just to their right.

“There’s another one. Short Bus.” Cam joked glad that it was hightailing it away. “At least that one is hightailing it.”

Malcolm was even having difficulty breathing. His sight blurring. Presuming hunger, he indulged upon his ever-growing fruit from his nap sack. The bites did help his body feel better for short periods. Enough to keep him moving. With each foot fall he felt more energetic. Maybe he thought, that was all it was, a bout with low blood sugar. Diabetes did run in his family. Although, he himself had never been diagnosed with the disease. Good to go for now he stepped up his pace.

A tenth of a mile away Colonel Jack Ramse ordered everyone to fall back. It was time to try the grenades he had in his possession. Circling around the ever-distracting Sophia Ridge who squatted in the sand after rising from her tumble, Jack had other plans for the naked powerhouse. “Get back up there. Let’s try this again. Jaws wide, grenades as the appetizer.”

Fellow ranking officer Colonel Ruby Goddard continued firing at the beast. Her hopes of at least blinding it were dashed. Even its eyeballs appeared to be bulletproof.

As Sophia charged back into battle Jack motioned Ruby to move out. She began stepping backwards when she noticed James Ian crouching in the dirt to collect his fallen drone. Loading it carefully while wearing gloves he placed it in his pack.

“James? You need to move. Head for the ship where it’s safe.” Ruby races up to him. “Worry about C-3PO later.” The boy turned quickly just as he felt Ruby clutch his arm. A brush with her breast had him bulging his eyes.

“I just needed to rescue D.R .1. I’m not leaving my little buddy.”

“All good! Now go!” Ruby was joined by Xander who had been darting about barking. The three in a cluster hurried away toward the Ganthorian starship leaving Jack, Sophia, and the continually phasing Madigan Ridge to battle the giant lizard.

“Keep it confused mom.” Sophia barked as if in charge. Maddy literally hovered in front of the Komodo dragons face and offered her two cents worth on her daughter’s attitude.

“What do you think I’ve been trying to do?”

The dragon snapped at her form only to bite at open air. In its dramatic hunger Sophia stealthily made her way in closer to grip the beast’s jaws. Its strength was incredible. Even Sophia with her amped up physique could barely hold on.

Suddenly, Jack heard a rumble from the other side of the yacht. Just as he prepared to toss a grenade the once penned up cattle roared around the boat. Greta Winston had herded three of her cows out into the desert and was using them as bait. Sacrifices were in the making. That did not settle well with Jack nor Ruby, but it was the cowgirl’s choice. Jack upon seeing Greta on horseback darting about on her horse Quiver and firing her Winchester into the air, called out his concern. “What are you doing?” He knew at least a cow or two might be sacrificed by her plan.

“Luring him away. What other choices do we have?” Greta huffed, forcing Quiver into another direction. Seeing the cows the dragon shrugged off Sophia yet again, as if a housefly on its skin. In the sudden momentum the monster crushed its way off of the boat to give chase. Hitting the ground, it rustled up a large whirlwind dust cloud.

It was nothing for the serpent to capture one of the terrified cows and devour it whole. The sight made Greta shed a tear. What it did do though, was slow the creature down while savoring the still moving cow as he swallowed it.

“Fuck!” Jack growled as Maddy flew through the air past him to attempt another distraction.

“Mom is useless.” Sophia joined Jack for her next assault.

“She’s trying.” Jack growls at Sophia, “Give her some credit.”

“I am. Just saying!” Sophia pouted.

In the chaos the dragon faltered as if trying to decide its next move. Feed on another cow or escape. In its hesitance Jack decided to lob a grenade under the beast’s throat area. The blast did nothing but create a denser cloud of dust and ricocheting shrapnel. Sophia did do something useful, she jumped in front of Jack in case shrapnel spat in his direction. Jack did feel shards whiz past but luckily, she sheltered him. The fragments that struck Sophia were easily absorbed without harm to Sophia herself.

“Tasty!” She giggled then moves away from Jack. “Needs salt!”

He wanted to know his own skins density. Not today it seemed! “I knew the risk, but thanks.”

“Anytime Jack! You know I loves you.” She winked over her shoulder like the careless teenager she was.

The lizard continued chewing the dying cow within its jaws even as small chunks fell from its mouth to the ground. It was good that Jack had a strong constitution. Sophia not so much. Even with her new organic structure the thoughts alone challenged her senses. This was something personal. This was a friend’s property.

Greta hated her own plan. These cows were her only connection to her past life. Losing another only made her hate her new life here even more. Seeing the sacrificed cow, she decided to turn the remaining two back toward the ship. In doing so the dragon was prompted to pursue her. To increase her stress, it decided to go invisible once more. Only its foot falls in the soil allowed them to keep track of it.

“This is a losing battle, Jack.” Madigan suspended in the air beside him. He wondered if she was right. In a bold move Jack raced toward the left behind tracks, calculated its mass then jumped onto its back. It was liking riding a bucking bronco. Even invisible it had enough thick scales to find a decent grip. Jack was nothing more than a nuisance. Even he knew it.

Ruby assisted Greta in nudging the two remaining cows back into the statically charged pen. Once she knew the cattle were safely guarded Greta reversed her horse to charge toward the lizard. Veering away at the last second forced the lizard to give chase. Directly into the path of the oncoming hikers Cameron and Malcolm. Oops!

Cameron realized the beast was headed in his direction after spotting Jack bouncing about in what looked like empty air. It was weird to witness for certain, even stranger when Sophia charged in climbing up the critter to join Jack’s ride. Nothing hotter than a naked woman on a bucking bull. So, to speak! Cameron’s thoughts quickly changed when he realized he was directly in its stampede and closing fast. He was afraid to fire upon it for fear of hitting Jack or the careening Greta.

As Greta careened in front of the Komodo her horse Quiver got too close and panicked. Rearing up her horse unintentionally threw Greta to the desert below. The impact roll left her stunned, out of wind and sore. Also, directly in front of the dragon’s charge. She could feel its demonic breath and a spray of nasal residue. The odor of dead cow on its breath and blood oozing from invisible jaws.

Sophia forced her way bravely toward its head, feeling about for a target and attempted to gouge at what she presumed was its eyes. It was barely enough to make it slow down. Luckily it needed to finish swallowing the cow before eating more. Terrified, Greta merely paused in her seat, her hand poised out in front of her as if to stop it. As if she could! In doing so she felt another gust of nasal snorting which drenched her from head to toe. She looked like a drowned rat wearing a cowboy hat.

Cameron raced in to pick her up causing her to yelp. But the beast’s breath proved to both of them that its face was mere inches away. Cam too felt helpless. Even the excessive cries from Jack to run were hollow to their fear. Jack suddenly spotted Malcolm running toward them. He seemed bigger. The Colonel had no idea what to make of the size increase.

Sophia realized Malcolm’s charge as well. His clothing tightening up under stress was shredding from his body as if it were ripped away by an unseen force. Her eyes grew wide over the odd metamorphosis. Even in her predicament she had to huff, “Whoa! That’s the biggest dick I’ve ever seen.”

Like a raging bull charging toward the invisible dragon Malcolm Brand was growing taller with each footfall. On his chiseled body were glowing tattoos. Strange spirals as if runes from some unknown civilization.

At twenty yards the dragon reacted to Kong. In its defensive stand it shrugged Jack and Sophia off as it turned to embrace battle. Both of them toppled to the ground and ended up a little too close for comfort. Jack rolled directly on top of Sophia in a very compromising position. He could feel her cells burning gently at his flesh. His shirt was frying off of his body to the point he had to swiftly jump away and to his feet or fear losing flesh.

“Sorry Jack! My friends didn’t mean to hurt you. They’re all worked up over my adrenalin flow.” In her drama she still found it appealing that he was on top of her. Her hormones were always on high.

“What the hell happened to Malcolm?” Jack rolled to his feet and rushed in to grab Cam and Greta. Cam sweating bullets at the tension turned to see a thirty-foot-tall version of his buddy Malcolm.

“Uh! Got me!” That was all Cam could mutter as he swallowed dryly and looked up at his BIG brother. “Holy Apple fritters!” He just knew that funky alien apple had something to do with Malibu’s appearance. Damn!

Ignoring his friends surprise Malcolm charged the dragon which was phasing back to being seen again. The perfect target now. Cam turned pale and hurried with the others out of harm’s way. “Kong versus Godzilla.”

Jack held the trembling Greta close as Sophia stood tall out in the open. Like a fashion model lifting her hair as if cooling off, her body became glossy from her microbial babies feeding off of her adrenalin. The floating Madigan Ridge looked at her daughter’s all too seductive pose and rolled her eyes. Seriously? At a time like this? The problem was, Sophia had her eyes on that rocket launcher swinging from Malcolm’s mid- section. A frown later Madigan also locked eyes on the swinging single. Even a ghost had to fan her features. Dear God!

Engaging with the Komodo it became the wrestling match of the century. Malcolm snarled at the top of his lungs as he and the dragon rolled on top of each other time and time again. A massive dust storm billowed following each tumble. As much as everyone knew they should be hightailing it back to the Ganthorian Hilton this unprecedented fight had their full attention. Even as huge as Malcolm had become the group needed to know he was going to come out the champ.

Back at the ship everyone’s reaction was the same. Awe! Ruby, Elle Franklin, and James observed the struggle. Both women came to the same conclusion as they couldn’t miss that tree trunk with funky runes on it. “That’s some cavalry.” Elle dropped her jaw until Ruby lifted it back up for her.

“What did the boys get into now?”

“No clue but I might just date that man now.” Elle panted. “I’m joking!” Ehhh?!!!

Oblivious to the ladies’ momentary lust, James swallowed hoarsely almost teary eyed as something dawned on his imagination. “Giant Man!” A comic book junkie he recalled his early Avengers reprints back home. “I wonder where Malcolm found Pym particles.” Good question!

“He really did wrestle gators.” Ruby recalled Malcolm’s story of his past life living in the Louisiana Bayous. There would be plenty of questions later but for now everyone could only watch the events before them.

Malcolm was being bitten but fortunately his own skin was as hard as the dragons. What appeared to affect the dragon was the glowing runes all over the behemoth black man. It was as if they were acid to its touch. Loud hisses expelled from the beast as if in agony.

Its whipping tail slashed at Malcolm’s face. He ignored it and felt himself grow even larger to compensate. Reaching forty feet tall he was larger than the dragon. Now he had the leverage to grip the beast in a bone crunching spinal snap. In a maddening chaos convulsion, the Komodo dragons body suddenly went limp. Malcolm stood up holding it in his arms. Eying its final breath Mal tossed it to his right, followed by a deafening thud as it landed in the sandscape below. Cough! Cough! He waved away the clouds.

Afraid to move, everyone awaited Malcolm to turn his attention toward them. His breathing returning to normal Malcolm finally looked down at everyone.

“Anyone hurt?” His voice erupted like a bullhorn on steroids. The group below had to hold their ears.

“At least it wasn’t me this time.” Madigan grew snide!

Jack released Greta to her horse then threw his hands up, “Try whispering! What’s happened to you Malcolm?” Mal raised both of his arms to examine the glowing runes and began touching them. Offering a strange expression, it was almost as if he felt their power. Finally, his acknowledged response was a shrug.

“Thanks for the save, Buddy.” Cam eased closer, “You can come down now.”

“Let’s hope he can.” Jack moved to join Cameron.

“He can. He will. I have faith.” Cam stared at Jack with a strong conviction. In response to Sophia circling Malcolm and eying that enormous penis Malcolm growled at her, he read her mind instantly. Reaching up under him but unable to touch at his current height, Malcolm lifted his penis just to prevent her jumping at it. The kid was too mischievous for her own good.

Nerves settling Malcolm closed his eyes. As if meditating he slowly began to decrease in size. Within five minutes he had returned to normal. Sophia patted his colossal scrotum then scurried out of his way. She heard her microbial children warn her to keep her hands to herself. Spoil sports!

“How are you feeling Soldier?”

Ruby approached from the distance. Malcolm opened his eyes to her voice with a realization, “Damn, I’m hungry. Where’s my apple?”

“Apple?” Jack questioned.

Cam looked around them and spotted Mal’s nap sack in the dirt. Thirty yards away he raced over to it and brought it back. Reaching into the bag the pilot produced the fully reformed fruit. Reacting to his possession Mal snatched it from his hand with a guttural snarl.

“Easy Buddy! Just feeding the bears.” Cam carefully eased away. Once in his grasp Malcolm calmed down and took a bite. So delicious!

Approaching with Elle James eyed the fruit. “Was that the fruit I made you leave behind in our indoor Eden?”

Mal almost pouted over his deception. “Yeah! It’s good.”

“YIKES!” James started to turn away when Jack grabbed him by his shirt collar.

“Explain yikes.” Ramse scrutinized! Ruby moving beside Jack to stare at her highly intelligent ward.

“I second that! What do you know James?”

“I told him some of the alien fruits and veggies weren’t safe. How was I to know he would ignore my warning?”

“What is this fruit?” Ruby eyed it, trying not to share in Sophia’s glare of Malcolm’s ten-inch penis that had been a seven-footer just five minutes ago.

James lowered his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m not positive. This is only a hunch, okay? The tattoos that showed up on his body were Nordic runes. Speculation I’ll remind you, but I think he ate apples from the tree of Idun. Idun was a Norwegian Goddess of Immortality. She grew fruit that made people grow and become addicted to them. They would also never age. Myth? Maybe not.”

“Immortality?” Mal again looked at his lifted palm.

“Yeah! So, the mythology says. Hela had apples too that made people grow. I’m thinking the apples are a hybrid of the two fruits. In case nobody has been keeping track the Ganthorian’s were masters of gene splicing.”

“So, I’m stuck this way?” Mal lifted his eyes toward James.

“I’m guessing, yes. That apples been eaten how many times?”

“A lot. I eat it to the core and it just keeps growing back ready to eat again.”

“Immortal apple. Obviously, you grow but you also returned to normal size. This might be temporary though. I hate to say it but I’d sleep outside for a few days. If you grow indoors that could be a bad situation.”

Jack sneered at the dirt, “Lesson is?”

“Don’t eat everything that looks delicious.” Malcolm sighed as his runes faded away leaving his physique quite ripped but normal in his original flesh.

Sophia coughed into her hand, “Except me. If anyone’s interested.”

“If only I had a bar of soap.” Madigan shook her finger at her overly hormonal daughter. “That will be enough Sophia.”

“Not even close.” She wagged her tongue at Malcolm. “I can take it.”

As everybody groaned over her behavior a shrill feminine scream filled the air.

Turning toward the ship they noticed their friendly neighborhood amphibian hybrid and resident beauty Animahni. From the top of the ramp, she looked as if gasping for air and holding her throat. Before anyone could react, she toppled down the stairs to the feet of Elle Franklin. Catching her fall Elle crouched beside her. “Animahni?”

The bright red beauty though breathless pointed up the gangplank toward the ship. Her eyes then rolled back into her head. Lights out. Witnessing her plight the entire group raced to surround Elle and the limp Animahni.

“She’s not used to open air yet. The air below the ship is thicker. Fresh air is overwhelming her.” Elle quickly reported her diagnosis then moved in to give her CPR. It took only minutes to revive her. While breathing into her mouth Animahni gasped and felt Elle’s lips upon hers. As her eyes opened, she stared at Elle with a glint of unexpected pleasure.

Jack interrupted the make out session with a growl. “She pointed toward the ship. Animahni? What were you trying to warn us about?” The woman’s eyes trembled as realization returned.

“It chased us from the depths. A giant.”

“I’m not the only giant?” Malcolm groaned, “What the hell.”

“Oophalah held it off to give Tyrakuus and I a chance to escape and warn you. We must hurry.”

“Wait! If Oophalah was too large to come to the surface how is this giant getting up here?” Ruby pointed out. Animahni sitting up used her hands in a stretching motion.

James Ian opted to question her game of charades. “It stretches?”

“Yes.” Animahni attempted to rise while confused.

James in reaction looked back at the dead dragon and connected the dots, “Did it look like that?”

Animahni eyed the dragon, “Yes! Only smaller.”

“Hmmmm! One had rock hard skin and invisibility, another had fire. This one has stretching ability.”

Ruby narrowed her eyes, “The point?”

“The Fantastic Four.” James whined, almost smiling over the similarities. “Well, maybe three. That one was rock hard and invisible. 2-in-1!”

“Big help Kid.” Jack rolled his eyes, “You and your comic book references.”