A Town Called Rellik (Part 2/20)

A Town Called Rellik
Story Two: Army of White at the Gates of Nokri


Cedrick Kane, a man who marked himself, got in his car and left Mt. Basin as fast as he could.  He had no idea what had just happened in his house, or where he was headed to.  He just head west.  On his way out he called the office and left a message saying he was going to New York for the New Year.  Drinking, smoking and driving like a mad man, Cedrick Kane flew out of Mt. Basin will hell on his back.  Ten miles out of the city he saw the morning star, Venus, the light bearer.  He had never seen it before, but had always heard of it and wanted to see it.  However seeing it on this fateful morn settled ferociously in his gut as an ominous sign.
By now it was noon, his stomach was growling and he agreed.  It was time to stop for a while.  He was somewhat surprised that he still had an appetite.  He drove for a while looking for a suitable town to pull off.  Rellik was only twelve miles out, a town of about 150.  It was a logging and coal mining community slowly dying the same cancerous death as the woods and earth outside of Rellik.
Sarah didn’t have a job and they were slightly new to the area, so there was no employer or friends to realize she had gone missing.  Before he had left the house, Cedrick changed Sarah’s voicemail to say that they were going to New York.  “Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.  Five days to leave the country.” He said to himself as he turned off on to the exit to Rellik.  “That’s plenty of time.”
The woods swallow and envelop the three-mile country road that leads to Rellik.  Black smoke shoots from a tall stack in the distance.  Heavy white snow, plummets to the ground, as Cedrick flies down the country road that is slowly being attacked by an army of white haze.  The noonday sun slowly made an exit behind a curtain of white. The roads were getting deathly slick as he nearly lost it on just another one of the many twists and turns Country Road C to Rellik has to offer.
The Nokri Bar and Inn was on the “main street” of this six street town.  No stop signs or lights, if you blinked you would miss it.  It was a stuffy dimly lit bar, so smoky that there is no use lighting up, you just breath.  Low ceilings with green carpet on the walls and cheap yellow linoleum on the floor, a bar and kitchen of the first floor, two stories above of this ex warehouse, sporting twelve dorm size rooms.  Cedrick approached the bar slowly as he received “fuck you” stares from across the room.  There are about three patrons in all, two staff and a “Quantum Leap” pinball machine in the back.   
“So I’ll have the best thing you got, and since it looks like you’re the only place in town, I’ll take the best meal in town!”  He says in the friendliest tone possible from a man such as this. 
The bartender yells “burger and fries” to the cook in the back, fills up a glass with beer, slams it down in front of Cedrick and looks at him.  Obviously waiting for more orders for the city folk, but then just runs around and walks back to join the conversation that Cedrick had so rudely interrupted.  He looked about 40, about 5’6 250 pounds.  Thin gray hair hangs off his head and past his ears.  He had ice blue eyes and two almost identical scars about half an inch wide stretching from the bridge of his nose down to his jaw line.   
“Hey, um, how long do you think the food will be? Cause’ um, I saw there was a gas station across the street and I wanted to get some cigarettes before I..”
“Fifteen minutes” comes a yell from the back.
“Ok so, I’ll be right back?” Cedrick asks cautiously.  “No answer, I’ll take that as a yes” he said to himself as he opens the door and enters the war unfolding.
It took him nearly three minutes to maneuver his way to the “Pump n’ Munch”.  The snow was now becoming a force to reckon with.  Coming down like all the winter storms were directed on this little town.  The “Pump n’ Munch” had about the same goods and service one could expect from a place with the same name.  He grabbed beer, whiskey and asked for smokes.
“So where you from man?” The attendant asks.  He was about 18 or 19 and clearly high.  According to his name he was “Dan K”.
“Well Dan, that’s frankly none of your business.”
“Could I see some identification sir?” Dan asked. 
“Fuck that little bastard got me” Cedrick thought to himself. 
“Ahh, Mt. Basin, nice city.  Oh, don’t worry man I am not like 5-0 or nothing.  You know, I am cool.  So what the hell bring a city like you all the way out here?”
“Ohh, you know Dan, just getting lost.”
“Well you picked a bad day to do what your doing.”
“What do you mean?” Cedrick asked defensively.
“The snow, man.  Are you, like, gunna make it or what?”
“Oh um the snow, yeah I got four wheel drive.”
“Well you may need more that that Mr., Kane” Dan says.
“What do you mean by that?” Cedrick asks getting worked up now.
“Would you like to get four hot dogs and a drink for only four dollars, to help you on the road?”  Dan asks, really trying to sell the deal.
“Oh, no I got food over at the, oh fuck my food!  Come on Dank, what’s the damage?”
“13.34”
Cedrick paid the man and said it was nice talking and checked his watch.  He still had five minutes.  Cedrick trudged through the snow as fast as he could back to the Nokri Inn.  His food was waiting for him.  It was cold; it had to have been sitting there for at least ten minutes. “Fuckers” he says under his breath.  The burger wasn’t that good either, but he didn’t doubt that it was the best thing this trap of a town had to offer.  Cedrick got up, put a ten on the bar, put o his coat and walked towards the door. 
“Well, it’s been nice” he said as he placed his hand on the doorknob and prepared to open the door and brave the battle.
“You’re not leaving!” The bartender said as he stood up
“What?”
“I said, your not leaving” The scarred keep said as he approached Cedrick.
“Like fuck I’m not leaving! What the fuck are you talking about?” Cedrick said aloud, while thinking to himself that some one must have found the bodies, something fucked up.
“Your not leaving, the snow, see!” The scarred keep said as he pointed a rough finger out the window.  “It’s to dangerous!”  By now every one else in the bar had gotten up and approached Cedrick.
“Sorry to say guys, but I’ll take my chances with the road.”  Cedrick paused for a long time before moving, almost waiting for one of them to make a move and show their badges and place him under arrest.
“Well I guess that’s your choice, but drive safely and thanks for stopping at the Nokri Inn!” the cook said, defusing the situation that only existed in Cedrick’s mind.
Cedrick got in his car, drove back over to the Pump n’ Munch, filled up his car and left town.  It was nearly an hour until he reached to highway.  He had passed two cars that were already in the ditch, and he was petty sure he put one of the oncoming traffic in the ditch as well.  The stupid fucker took a turn way to fast and nearly crashed into Cedrick, but the other driver got some traction and swerved just in time to miss Cedrick and fly into the ditch somewhere on the three mile stretch of road.
Sure he could have stopped, but he ad other things on his mind and it was to late in the game to become a humanitarian.  He just didn’t want to chance stopping. The snow was almost killing any sing of man-made constructs.  He didn’t want to spend another minute in that trap of a town.  Even for a man who had murdered his wife and child earlier that day, the air in Rellik was just a little to dark for him.
         It wasn’t till he was six hundred miles out of Mt. Basin till Cedrick Kane realized what he had done.  He had viscously stabbed his wife eight or nine times, he couldn’t remember, loving every minute of it.  He had felt fully aroused as the blade went in and out, in and out, in and out, in and out, in and out, in and out, in and out, in and out.  Blood and love, all in the same action.  He didn’t fell as good about the baby, but Sarah made up for that.
         Laughter erupted from the car as it flew down the desert highway doing well over ninety.  Then suddenly tears erupted from his red, swollen, sleep-deprived eyes.  There was a battle of ethos flying around in this car of smoke and alcoholic waft.  “No crying,” he said to himself, “you live with what you’ve done.  The die you cast was thrown by you hand!” Now yelling in his car.  Suddenly all of the horrible screaming and crying that was playing in his mind shut off and it was quiet, dead quiet except for the roar of the engine and the softly sounding static of his stereo.  “I have lost it,” he said to himself, chuckling.  “Yes you have Cedrick.”  Crying this time.
         It was almost nightfall before he was out of cigarettes, booze and nearly all his stash.  Cedrick felt now than ever was a good time to stop and settle down for the night, unfortunately he was in the middle of the desert and he has had enough of shit kicker towns for one day.  He still had four days to leave the states so he wouldn’t be to worry about being spotted yet; it was still the first night.  He pulled over to the side of the road to collect his thoughts and take a long awaited piss.  Normally, to Cedrick, the desert really looked like a waste of land, but at night and the right set of blood shot eyes, it is marvelous.  Rays of light darted across the sky in a web of luminescence.  His thoughts were rushing fast now; he needed to get some sleep and sanctuary for a day or two.
         “Where the fuck am I going to go,” he said to himself as he zipped up and once again looked to the sky, just trying to catch a glimpse of every one he can.    Suddenly, like a sign from the heavens, a ray of light shifted and a billboard appeared in front of the beautiful purple and red dance being played in the sky.  He read it, chuckled and then ran to the car.  Laughter of psychosis could be over heard as the car bolted down the dusty desert highway.  He began yelling the only words that made sense to him at this time, the words from the billboard.  Cedrick Kane, repeating over and over again the words of realization, “Ditch the family, follow your dreams, and come to Las Vegas!”