Spring , 12th May 1995 –Manhattan, New York City
The sun is beginning to set into the dark twilight sky. Things are pretty quiet in Apartment 1-3A, Manhattan, New York City. A tall 23-year-old young man with short dark hair with some light brownish highlights, and gold coloured eyes was leaning back on his chair with his feet on his desk inside a small dingy office which was littered with bills, Chinese and Western menus that the delivery boys kept slipping under the door, a stationery holder and a telephone. He wore a black coat, with matching colour long sleeved leather jacket, cargo pants, leather boots and short leather gloves. He was staring absently at this month’s bill when the phone rang.
He leapt up from his seat and yanked the phone from its cradle.
“Hello. Supernatural Demon Slayers (S.D.S.) service here. How may I help you?” The man said into the phone.
“Am I speaking to Mr. Lloyd Anderson?” The caller asked.
“Yes, indeed.” Lloyd said. “So, what’s the problem?”
“Help me!!!” The caller shrieked. “There are some demons rampaging in my garden!!!”
“Uh-huh. Just give me the address and we’ll be right over.” Lloyd said, grabbing a pen and a small Post-It paper.
The caller gave his address and hung up, apparently trying to check up on the demons that are still rampaging in his garden.
After Lloyd put the phone back into its cradle, he turned towards a couch that is right at the corner. A 18-year-old college student was snoring soundly on the couch. He has short slightly messy nature green hair, and wore the Columbia University uniform. A navy blue blazer, long-sleeved white shirt, navy blue trousers, blue socks and a red tie with a gold name tag that reads Glenn Skyler. He was apparently using the Chemistry textbook that he was studying as a pillow. His brown shoes were on the floor, they might have dropped on the ground when he was sleeping.
Lloyd sighed. Apparently, he have to do what he always do. He grabbed a bullhorn from the desk drawer and yelled, “WAKE UP!!!”
The student yelled and leapt out of his seat and fell onto the wooden floorboards. He has very dreamy pearly grey eyes that are now in pain. “Ow…..” He rubbed the back of his head. “What’s WRONG with you? I have a Chemistry quiz tomorrow and I need to study for the Japanese test too. ”
“Stop your whining.” Lloyd said, opening a large cupboard and took out a large blade without a handle that looks almost like a chopper with a curved blade, held inside a leather holder. “We got a client.”
“Can’t you count me out on this one?” Glenn asked, picking up his Chemistry textbook which also fell down right beside him.
Lloyd raised his eyebrow slightly. He’s not even mad. On the contrary, he looked rather amused.
“What are you complaining about?” He asked, strapping his blade on his back. “You’re getting paid for this, right?”
“Yeah. 80 dollars per week. Big deal.” Glenn answered with a huff.
“You do know that our buisness does not pick up that much.” Lloyd’s reply was cool. “I thought you should know that when I first appointed you.”
“Come of it. I’m only getting paid like 400 dollars per month.” Glenn answered, taking out a handgun from a small cabinet. “It’s barely enough to cover everything I need to pay. My university bills, the second handed textbooks, the laundry, the monthly take outs-”
“Number One Noodle Son does not charge that much. You just basically ordered your usual cold sesame noodles, kung pao chicken, egg rolls with duck sauce and Chinese Tea. It’s not even that much. Besides, I’m helping you to pay for your monthly take outs.”
Glenn only rolled his eyes in answer and asked. “Can I ask for a raise?”
Lloyd’s hand was already at the doorknob but he was however thinking thoughtfully. After a few minutes or so, there’s a thoughtful smile on his lips. “Well…If you help me on this, I might give you a raise.”
Just as he expected, Glenn’s eyes started popping out.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa., YOU’RE giving me a RAISE? Seriously???? ”
“Sure.” Lloyd said, fishing his car keys out. “So, are you in or out?”
“Are you kidding me? Of course I’m in!”
**********
Both men arrived at their destination with their trusty Land Rover. It had not taken them long to reach their destination, but they wasted 5 minutes looking for a parking space.
“Oh, Mr. Anderson… Thank goodness you’re here…” Their caller, an elderly senior was waiting anxiously outside his gate. He is wearing a large bathrobe and a pair of baby blue pyjamas bottoms, complete with a pair of soft maroon coloured bedroom slippers. “Those demons are still out there… Rampaging like monstrous creatures…”
“Don’t worry, Gramps. We are professionals…” Glenn said, clicking his gun. “We’ll take care of it and you can go back to your cosy little bed.”
Both men ducked into a bush to spy on the demons. They’re called Legions, the lowest level of demon. Huge with purplish brown tough skin, long limbs and legs, each with large claw like nails, and an undescribeble face that looks like a devilish creature.
“Why does demon have to be so ugly?” Glenn muttered. “Why can't they be like butterflies for instance???”
“Shhhhh….” Lloyd shushed.
The Legions are still rampaging in the garden, like the senior said. Torn plants are still around in the garden.
The Legions seemed to have stopped rampaging, but they looked as though they’re looking for something. One of them slowly turned towards the bush where they’re hiding and started towards their direction.
Glenn gasped but Lloyd covered his mouth and slowly took out a small thin needle from the strap of his belt. Carefully and silently, he aimed the needle at a metal fence railing and threw the needle so that the needle hit the metal railing, making a small gentle metal ringing sound. The Legion roared and slowly moved towards the other direction. Lloyd then carefully peered out of the bush. They seemed to have moved, but it’s only for a while. If they’re gonna act, they had better do it. And fast.
“Can you aim for their legs?” Lloyd asked Glenn.
“Sure.” Glenn said, rolling out of the bush. “But does it give you enough time to kill them all so that none of them could escape?”
“1 minute…” Lloyd said, showing a finger to emphasize his point.
Glenn shrugged and went, “If you say so…” And did a mini tuck and roll to creep towards the Legions. Lloyd was peering from the bush and whispering, “Come on…..”
Glenn was about to shoot one of them when his cell phone rang.
“Oh, crap…” He muttered, fishing his phone out of his pocket. He looked at the caller ID and moaned. It’s Mia Mahler, a girl who lives right opposite of their office. She’s also a Columbia University student like Glenn and she's in the same class as him. A geeky girl with long straight brown hair tied with a ribbon and large misty eyes. She has been calling Glenn almost everyday just to say hi, instead of going over to their apartment.
Before Glenn could press the End Call button, a group of Legions had just surrounded him, which also caused him to accidently pressed the Accept Call button instead.
“Hi, Skyler…” Mia’s voice chirped into the phone. “So, whatcha doin? I wanted to ask you wheter you’re free this evening.”
“Not now, Mahler…”Glenn said into the phone while dodging a Legion who is springing towards him with the claw like nails outstretched.
“Wait, are you working right now???” Mia’s voice was filled with confusion. “Because I can hear roaring and smashing in the background.”
“Mahler, we’ll talk later!!!” Glenn shouted. He then pressed the End Call button and managed to shoot one of the Legions down. Another Legion flung itself at him causing him to get knocked down onto the ground. It drool bright green slimy icky bad odor saliva on his blazer which caused him to groan in disgust.
“Ugh….Don’t you supernaturals ever heard of something called oral hygeine???” He then kicked the Legion which banged onto the metal railing and groaned in pain.
Lloyd suddenly pounced out of nowhere and swing his blade and diced one of the Legions into pieces.
“What on earth took you so long????” Glenn yelled, shooting non-stop at a Legion which is approaching towards him.
“You were having fun chatting with that girl from the opposite apartment…” Lloyd said, stabbing a Legion.
Glenn snarled and kicked a Legion over the metal railing. The talk will have to come later, now it is serious demon slaying time.
Lloyd and Glenn always compare who slay the most demons in their assignment. Usually, the winner gets to eat for free whereas the loser has to pay for the meal. But on the other hand, it’s usually kind of fun so the winner loser part doesn’t really bother them much at all.
After 10 minutes has gone by, all the Legions has been slayed. The grateful senior thanked them graciously and handed them their payment. On the way back, Glenn had insisted on stopping at Number One Noodle Son for his usual meal which caused Lloyd to get mad because they’re wasting precious time and petrol.
“You could have just order it tomorrow or something…” Lloyd muttered as they climbed up the stairs to their apartment.
“Sorry…” Glenn said, his mouth is full of kung pao chicken. “I cud not order eet by tomorrow since I wiill be studying forf my tesfss and quiffes…” He accidently sprayed Lloyd with bits of chicken. “Ooops, sorry…”He then swallowed it in one gulp.
Lloyd looked as though he could murder him on the spot but he just wiped his face and stopped at a transparent hard plastic door protected by security iron grillwork gate. A large white plastic nameplate is tacked onto the wall, beside the door which reads :
Supernatural Demons Slayers (S.D.S.) service
Working Hours : Anytime, anywhere, any place
Apartment 1-3A,
34th Street, Midtown Manhattan,
New York City.
If you run into any supernaturals or demons, we will be glad to help you.
Manager : Lloyd Anderson (Liscensed Professional Demon & Supernatural Slayer (Full-Timer) ) Assistant : Glenn Skyler (Liscensed Professional Demon & Supernatural Slayer (Part-Timer))
As Lloyd inserted the key into the keyhole, the door opposite opened and Mia popped her face out.
“Oh, hi…Mr. Anderson, Skyler…Umm….Bad time?” She asked.
“No, no. It’s nothing…” Lloyd said. As he opened the gate, he whispered, “Good luck...” to Glenn, who handed him the unopened package of cold sesame noodle and egg roll with duck sauce.
“Skyler, were you busy slaying those supernaturals again?” Mia asked, shutting her apartment door behind her as Lloyd went in.
“Yes, Mia…” Glenn answered. “What do you want anyway?”
“Well, I was thinking that maybe we could run over some last minute revision on our exams tomorrow.” Mia answered.
"I can't..." Glenn said. "It's getting pretty late. And I study alone."
"Oh, ok." Mia sounded really sad.
Thinking fast, he quickly answered, “Well, do your best in the exams. Maybe we can go to Ray’s Pizza after the exam for lunch or something.”
“OK, then.” Mia said, looking bright. “See you tomorrow at Ray’s.”
Glenn dashed into the apartment, shut the door quickly and gave a sigh of relief.
“How did it go?” Lloyd asked, throwing the bills into a large crystal bowl.
“Cool and slow.” Glenn stepped over the stacks of unread mails on the mat and leaned against the wall and opened the cold sesame noodle container and took out a pair of wooden chopsticks to use. Meanwhile, Lloyd powered up his laptop and surfed through Google to check on the latest news. While he was surfing through the web, he asked, “Don’t you have to study for your exams???”
Glenn tossed the empty container and chopsticks into the thrash can and said, “Well…I’m going to study now…” He then headed into the room to study, but not before he grabbed the egg rolls and duck sauce from the table.
Lloyd just typed supernatural into the search box and just clicked Search. And the results was not what he expected to find. There are 500 latest news about it in the net.
What is going on? He frowned in thought. He moved his mouse cursor to the headline that says 6 KILLED BY UNKNOWN CAUSE IN DUBAI and clicked it.
And the article result was not what he expected to find. In fact, the entire world is facing supernatural problems.
Just what on earth is going on here???? Lloyd thought.
Hi:
ReplyDeleteReally Good. I liked it.
Lu