Tetromet A.D. Part One by Ezekiel Kincaid
It’s been fifteen years since the Tetromet arose from the Ethereal Plane and poured out his wrath upon the earth. If it hadn’t been for the intervention of the Sons of God, or Watchers, there wouldn’t be much of a planet left. The Tetromet devoured person after person and flesh after flesh, his insatiable bloodlust consumed everyone in his path. He and his demons used the Tetromet’s trees as portals into this world. These trees bloomed all over the earth—in the mountains, in parks, in neighborhoods. Everywhere. The trees were noticed by all and studied but no one could figure out their origin. The demons formed in sacs on the branches like hellish cocoons and when they were full grown, fell to the ground and burst opened. The demons emerged with one thing on their mind.
The extinction of humanity.
Now, the earth was a desolate wasteland and a heavy smog hung in the atmosphere. The smell of death and rotting flesh filled the air. It was hard for the sun’s rays to penetrate the smog, so the return of fruit and vegetation was a slow process. What tattered the landscape of this new world were bare rocks, dirt, some budding grass, and his trees. There were also few survivors and those who were living wished they were dead.
Except for one man, and this one man wanted his family back.
Mason Everette trekked up the steep woods behind his mountain home in western North Carolina. He paused to catch his breath and peered through the smog.
Everything looked so different.
Everything is different, he thought. No more trees. No more animals.
Mason stared down at the picture in his trembling hand.
No more wife. No more daughter.
The picture was a Polaroid taken with the camera he had bought his daughter for her ninth birthday. Annalise loved to take pictures, so he wanted to get it for her. Mason took the picture as a “test” to make sure the camera worked. Annalise had her arms wrapped around her mother’s waist. Maggie stared down at Annalise and made a funny face with her lips curled and eyes squinted. Annalise gazed up at her mother with her tongue wagging out of her mouth and her eyes crossed.
Mason loved this picture because it was real. It wasn’t staged or fake. Maggie and Annalise had been playing and he caught the moment. He folded it back up and returned it to his front pants pocket then peeked through the smog again.
“But not for long,” he said and continued his journey. It took him fifteen years, but he was ready to take the risk and get them back.
The forest was dead. There were no sounds of living creatures and all the trees had either been incinerated or had fallen to the ground. The only two noises resounding through the mountains were Mason’s breaths and footsteps.
Mason was searching for the tree—the Tetromet tree. He had come across it years ago when it started to bloom. He was there when—
“Ah, dammit!” Mason pressed his palms against his temples and the world around him spun.
The flashbacks were happening again. He couldn’t control them. Once the thoughts started, he had to relive the scene until it was finished. He didn’t know how to make it stop so he dropped to the ground and let it run its course.
Mason steps close to the budding tree and runs his fingers over one of the sacs. It’s a charcoal color and the outer coating feels like gel. It is hanging from a large branch and is oval shape. It is about five feet long and three and a half feet round.
“Daddy,” Annalise says and steps forward. “It’s gotten bigger.”
“I know, baby.” Mason’s eyes run up and down the tree.
“Can I touch it?”
“No.” Mason extends his arm and stops her from stepping forward. “Something’s not right.”
The sac begins to ripple. It expands and retracts as if it is breathing.
Annalise notices the movement.
“Daddy, I’m scared.”
A cold chill slithers up Mason’s spine like an arctic snake. He is feeling unsure as well. He removes his hand from the sac and turns to face Annalise.
“Me too, baby. Let’s go home.” Mason extends his arm to take his daughter by the hand.
“Daddy!” Annalise screams and points.
Mason whips his body around with lightening speed.
The sac falls and splatters on the ground. Black, knife like fingernails rip through the membrane. A long, muscular, charcoal colored arm emerges followed by the face of nightmares. The demon has no eyes. Instead horns are curling out of its eye sockets and rest upon its head. Its ears are bat-like and it has slits for nostrils. It has no lips and sharp, opaque teeth align its mouth.
The demon slices open the rest of the sac and leaps forth with a snarl.
“Jesus,” Mason mutters and steps back, guarding his daughter.
The demon hisses and saliva drips from its opaque teeth. It thrusts its head forward and growls.
“Holy shit,” Mason whispers.
“Daddy! I want to go home!” Tears stream down Annalise’s face.
The demon smells like burning Sulphur and dead fish.
Annalise rips her hand from Mason’s and runs. Her movement attracts the demon’s attention. The demon’s head jerks towards the sound of Annalise’s pounding feet.
Mason notices the demon homing in on his daughter. “No!” Mason rushes the demon.
The demon rakes its nails across Masons face and lacerates his cheek. The force of the blow knocks Mason to the ground.
The demon pursues Annalise with unnatural speed.
“Annalise!” Mason pushes himself up and gets to his feet. He chases after his daughter and the demon.
The demon was too fast, and they were too slow.
The demon is standing by a tree when Mason catches up with them.
Mason pauses and breaths heavy breaths. His eyes flutter as he tries to take in the carnage.
Blood. There is so much blood. His daughter’s blood.
His heart beats faster and angst squeezes his chest.
The stump of the tree is dripping dark red. Annalise’s ravaged body lies mangled at the demon’s feet and he grips her severed head in his hand.
Mason gnashes his teeth in anger and clenches his fist in rage.
“Oh my God! Annalise! Annalise! No!” Mason’s tendons stretch the skin of his neck and his eyes bulge from their sockets. Perspiration pours from his body and as he screams, he feels his mouth going dry.
The demon twists his torso around at the sound of Mason’s scream. He snarls then his hips join the rest of his body. He throws Annalise’s head at Mason.
Mason watches in terror as his daughter’s head smashes against the tree next to him. The head rolls to his feet and he stares into her blue eyes.
Her eyes.
Her eyes.
Her eyes…
The mental movie ended in Mason’s head. He opened his eyes to the silence of the forest and the heavy smog. He took a few deep breaths and rubbed his temples. He moved a hand down to his cheek and felt the scars.
“It’s over. It’s just a memory. Just a memory…” His voice faded to a whisper.
Mason rose to his feet and wiped himself off. He retrieved his compass from the ground and turned in a circle.
“It’s west,” he said then noted West on the compass and walked forward.
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