Meat Puppets: Part 14

 

It was my last day in tent city. The safety of numbers had quickly vanished after numerous raids by the gang. Goldie’s claws were great for slashing the fabric and Jeffery was excellent at finding the cans. They were getting closer to my tent and I knew I had to pack up and leave. As I headed away from Tent city I heard a growl that leaked into my heart. Mongo the lion was right behind me. He must have caught my scent. I haven’t bathed in days, but still I smell fresher than the rotten bodies I’ve been studying. Mongo looks a bit washed out, but otherwise is just as fierce as I last met him. The feline gets ready to pounce and I throw my gear at him. He tears into it and I get a head start. It doesn’t take long to hear the thudding come from behind me.

I just ran straight away from him, never looking back. It seems ridiculous now, but I ended up heading back towards the horde. Maybe I thought there was safety in numbers or Mongo would eat one of them. I don’t know, but I ended up brushing past Hooker and swerving around Danny. The only one that seemed to react was Goldie. I caught her attention and she followed after me. Those damn shoes had made her footing easier and it wasn’t long until she was neck to neck with me. I dreaded those bone fingers driving into my side. She then stopped suddenly and turned around. I glanced back to see what had caught her attention. Danny, Hooker and Jeffery where fighting Mongo.

Meat puppet fights are won historically on a ratio of aggression, speed, weapons and physical state. Mongo was in a better position than three mobsters, of which one was armed with a can opener. Mongo was already tearing into Hooker, ripping into her right arm. Danny had found a pipe from the tent and starting slapping Mongo across the face. Mongo roared at Danny before becoming cloaked on a tent. Jeffery dragged Hooker away from the rotten beast, though her arm was lost to the weight of the lion. By the time Mongo had freed himself, his main meal had taken flight. He had to settle for a spare arm.

In the excitement I had forgot all about Goldie. She overpowered me and pinned me to the ground. I couldn’t reach for my pistol and I thought this was my end. Yet she didn’t lash out or snap into my neck. Instead she stared at me. Those yellow puss eyes just looking at me like she looked at a tambourine. What was going on in her mind? Maybe she wanted to show the others she could hunt or maybe she wanted Danny to finish me off? I didn’t wait to find out. I did the foolish and daring. I head-butted her and threw her across to my side. Her fingers dug into my shirt and slashed up my cloths. I fled and never looked back. I had to find a place to examine myself. If I was wounded it was over. No supplies, no assistance. I knew what I had to do next. I had to find Wolf whistle. Fuck my life.