Night Shift

Well it’s another boring night sitting in this small outpost shack. Looking south down the road all I can see is road and street lights fading off into the distance and then just darkness where the street light end. To the north much of the same. “What the hell have I done with my life?” I actually say this out loud to myself from time to time; just in those quick moments of reflection. The Small T.V. has the news on though I’m not really paying attention to it more like staring off into oblivion and allowing my mind to wander. It’s the usual chaos maybe a natural disaster or some killing. I glance at the standard white faced clock ticking away on the wall the same kind of clock you see in every hospital and government building in every city around the world. You probably remember these clocks mostly from staring at them in your school classroom waiting for the recess, lunch time and home time bells to ring as a convict may countdown the days to freedom. It’s nearing midnight my Yankee Partner should be back at any moment from his time wasting patrol, then I get to go for a look on my side of the fence. I glance down the roads north and south same old nothing. “What the hell have I done with my life?”



Five years ago I was somebody, I had a good life and a bright future. I had what some would call having it all, a Wife, a Kid, Mortgage. The usual I had an OK job but that’s all it was a Job. Living in a small town life was good not perfect but then again few things really ever are and then one day I would make a decision that would change my life. I was going to try to make a better life for myself and my family. I found a job that had great pay and a potential of being an actual career. The only snag, it was in an even smaller town in Saskatchewan. So we decided while waiting for my home to sell my wife and child stayed and I went to work. Things were fine for a while I would come home on days off and things were great. The house unfortunately did not sell right away and within a few months one brief phone call home to see if things were all right at home and my life changed forever. No one died nothing quite that dramatic but I was informed that the life I had planned was over my wife left me and fled the country with my child. I haven’t spoken with him in 4 years and every day from time to time in moments like this of quick reflection I say to myself “What the hell have I done with my life?”



My partner walks in abruptly saving me from my own self-pity and sorrow. “How’s it going EH!” he says in over dramatic fashion that only an ignorant Yankee can. How do they even find that funny Anyways? “Oh it’s Just like your mom’s pussy dark and dead inside.” I say sharply to send my point that EH! Ain’t that fucking funny. Anything amiss out there Yank” I call him Yank one to drive the point home about his shitty over acting and because he takes this glorified security job way too fucking serious. “Any illegal Canucks crossing to your side tonight?” I say with a small hint of sarcasm. Like we would cross the border to run from our country with the way things are down there. It’s the other way around, shit; even the Mexicans Are like fuck it: its better down here at least we just have to worry about the cartel not the fucking police and random citizens too. “ No “ he says not recognizing the sarcasm “ your socialist pussy country men wouldn’t dare” ok well it’s going to be one of those nights something's got Yank all fired up tonight, must have had a clan meeting last night or something. I hate talking politics with this idiot. Just to put into perspective he voted Trump and even now at six months into his first term he still says “see, told ya he’d make merica great again”. “What’s up now” I say but in a tone that sounds like shut the fuck up. He doesn’t read this at all “haven’t you been watching the news? Another fucking rag head terrorist made an attack just few hours away from here.” He said with his usual disdain towards Muslims. Obviously I hadn’t watched the news. Turns out there was some sort of disturbance CNN and CBS were not very specific just stating some small tremors and an incident at a doughnut coffee shop, that I could clearly see from the images on the screen was a Tim Horton's. Fox news was bluntly saying it was a terrorist attack from an Islamic extremist group and even stated Isis had already taking responsibility for the attack. “How long ago was this?” I ask curiously. “Few hours ago”. “ Well I better call the boss see if he wants more guys just in case you better call your super to I will go do a quick security check on my side” I say with reluctance as I grab the keys to the border control vehicle.



I get into the truck and call my super “Hey boss sorry to disturb you. Have you seen the news?” he hadn’t of course he was sleeping like a normal human being on a Tuesday night at 12:30.” Yeah apparently there’s been an incident. A potentially terrorist attack at the yank town couple hours down the road.” he tells me he will call the RCMP’s and get some backup. I can see the phones are going off the hook in the shack which I figured would happen sooner or later hell it was half the reason I left to do a patrol. I see some emergency vehicle lights heading our way from the south. I wait till I see they are just yank border patrol vehicles coming to back up my partner so I threw the truck in drive and start a patrol on my side of the fence using the spotlights mounted to the vehicle. You know I don’t know which is worse a dead night doing fuck all or the fact that now it’s going to be a cluster fuck for something that’s probably not going to affect us anyways. “What the hell have I done with my life?”



I must admit it would be interesting if it was a terrorist and they did come to this particular border crossing. All is quiet during my drive along my side of the fence but my mind wanders on what could be. My life up to now have been relatively uneventful I mean there was my family situation but that's about as bad or as interesting as it has gotten. I haven't been in a gang or done anything terrible illegal messed around with a little pot in high school other than that drinking a few many Canadians and some R&R back then I was pretty vanilla. Didn’t come from a broken home or anything like that. Hell sometimes I wish something fucked up did happen in my life like have a girl lie about pregnancy for eight months or have a girl switch to lesbian and back just to have some interest in my life. What if I followed through with any of my insane childish dreams like joining a band and attempt to make it as a rock star and die at 27 like all the greats. Alas this was not the way it was for me I was just a thirty year old white heterosexual male that was average height and overweight working a dead end job with no prospects and no drive or ambition and a divorcee. Having a bit of excitement would be great maybe I could go down in a blaze of glory saving everyone from this terrorist and maybe just maybe my son could see me on the news and realize it’s me and know that I did something great and he could grow to be proud of me. “What the hell have I done with my life?” I say to myself as I pull into the parkade by the shack.

The gate is closed and the wooden arm is down signaling to anyone that this border is closed. The parkade has now filled to half its capacity a couple RCMP cars a couple us border vehicles and my personal truck. I park up and go inside to the coffee room “hey guys it’s all quiet.” I say to announce myself the Americans jerk to their side arms the Mounties just calmly say “Good work Davidson I doubt we will see anything up here anyways.” Just as I suspected. I go the control room just to sit in relative silence and look down the road to the south. To be honest I can't shake this feeling that something is coming this way but not something evil or bad like a terrorist just something. It is almost like a ball of energy growing closer and closer as if something is searching me out; it's probably nothing.



A few hours go by and nothing happens I’m nearly sleeping time has started dragging on again. I turned the news off a while ago and switched on the radio and it has been playing mind numbingly in the background. Right now Bohemian Rhapsody is playing I am not a huge fan of this song but I have a very white trash friend who can’t get enough of it. As the song nears its crescendo I start to see a set of headlight begin to draw nearer heading in from the south. By the quickness of the lights growing brighter I can tell this vehicle is most definitely driving rather rapidly. I sigh a sigh of annoyance and head back to the coffee room to give the others a heads up. Quickly the Americans start getting amped thinking now is there time to shine clearly this is going to be the terrorist. The two Mounties and I just rolled our eyes at their over-zealousness. We all head back out just in time to see this 90’s Nissan skyline crash into the gate. I swear as soon as I am within eye shot of the driver time slowed to a standstill and I could see everything very clearly; the driver was reclined back and it appeared as though he was not awake at all. That wasn’t the odd thing though the real oddity was that in the back seat I swear I saw a samurai warrior in full traditional armour glowing this odd blue sitting in the back seat and just as quickly as I recognized what I was looking at the samurai turned and looked right at me gave a smile and a slight nod and then disappeared into nothing. Time came back to its natural order and the car destroyed the fence. It didn’t even slow it down, not even a little, not even at all. The shack was a buzz with action now. Everyone frantically trying to get out of the shack to pursue. Everyone was on their radios all but me. I couldn't move I felt a deep calm come over me and a unusual energy filled my body nearly numb as if my whole body was asleep with pins and needles. As a thought no, a recollection fills my mind. I think I know the driver I swear he looked just like a friend of mine in high school Seth but nobody has heard from him in forever. Wait it couldn't have been I just gave my head a shake and think man Seth that guy was fun as hell but fuck did he have some daddy issues. I go to step outside as the other cars go lights and sirens booming out of the parkade when suddenly I begin to hear a voice “From that day forth, I changed. I became something else. Something more. I became more powerful than I ever have been and still? I wanted more power. I knew my mission beyond the shadow of a doubt. I must protect her. I must do anything to protect her, even from Me.” it was at that moment I realized that was my voice. What the fuck was that? What power? And who am I protecting? even as I was thinking of these questions my body was entering the truck it was as if I wasn't in control of my body or at least my driving actions it reminded me of when I would get high on oil like a full body high.



I started driving north the direction of the skyline but not in pursuit it was more of a need to get somewhere I was needed. Somewhere, someone needed my help. A couple miles down the road I start to see the whirling light of red and blue it was the others that chased down the gate crasher. I was gaining on them even though I wasn't even speeding. They were stopped as I got closer I could see the skyline had veered off the road and had crashed into a large tree it was totaled I couldn't help but think I hope the driver was ok. As I passed the wreckage I could see my partner and the others look at me strangely and then began to yell at me to stop but I couldn't move my foot to the brake this wasn’t where I was supposed to be. They didn't give case as they were too busy with the wreckage.



The city looked strange I knew it well but it didn't look the same somehow. I felt as if only moments passed and I instinctively stopped in a residential area I felt a pull to go inside a house. The house was rather unremarkable it looked like many in the neighborhood. It was a brick house old but very well maintained I’m sure the owner had to have some wealth but why was I hear was this the her I was supposed to protect? all the light were out except a dim flickering yellow and orange light from what appeared to be a bedroom window I assume it was a candle or perhaps a fireplace from what I could see this seemed the most reasonable. I approached the solid wooden exterior door it had one of those vintage door knockers made of stylishly oxidized brass that matched the door handle and locking mechanism. I gently reached for the handle thinking what the fuck am I doing here? I don't know these people but just as the thought entered my head it just as quickly faded. I twisted the ornate door handle and to my surprise it is unlocked. The door creaks as it slowly opens my head pokes in but I don't dare make a sound I know i need to go upstairs. I step gently on the carpeted stairwell causally taking my time making sure my footing is precise it's not till I am halfway up the stairs that I realize i drew a sword from my back that was not there. I hesitated staring at my hands looking up and down the precision blade and it’s glowing a soft and mystic blue. It wasn't a “these are not the droids you're looking for” glowing sword but a glowing sword nonetheless. I continue up and begin to hear some rustling and other indistinguishable sounds. I get to the bedroom door it was slightly open the door was white but a yellow/ orange glow light it up slightly coming from inside. I peered inside and could not believe my eyes there was a naked man mutilated on the bed blood and entrails were strung about the otherwise beautiful bedroom. The fully displayed obviously dead man was not the disturbing part it was the half giant female monstrosity in the room glowing yellow, orange and red flickering as almost fire. The woman carried a large spear her helmed head was nearly touching the vaulted ceiling and her helm was winged much like a Valkyrie the female warriors of the Vikings. It was in this moment she sensed my presence and turned her gaze to mine but where her eyes should be were black cold gems of eyes, the eyes that haunt your nightmares, the eyes of demons. I snapped out of my daze charging the ominous women she swung her spear out at me but I dodged it with speed and agility that my portly body did not possess jumping and doing a 540 sideways spin. I landed with cat like reflexes and lashed out with the sword with blinding fury striking the inner thigh of her right leg. wincing in pain the creature collapsed to one knee giving me a brief chance at a killing stroke but before my blade could reach her exposed throat she backhanded me with her left arm armed with here small shield flinging me backwards on the bed and onto the gore. The blood instantly soaked my clothes and I couldn't help but think how warm it was. I know blood is warm but it still an odd feeling when it soaks you. I nipped up to my feet quickly and jumped towards her shield as soon as my foot touched her shield i plunged the sword into her neck and more blood splashed my face like the super soakers of my child only warm blood almost hot painting my face instead of water. As quickly as the giant Viking monster fell it vanished into the ether. As soon as I sheathed the sword it vanished and with it my blood lust faded I could taste the metallic crimson swirl in my mouth mixing with my own saliva and panic started to take over. I fled the house quickly as soon as I reached the front yard I dropped to my knees hyperventilating and retching at the same time. I felt the bile pass up my throat and slither over my tongue as i let loose of my inner struggle. “What the fuck, what the fuck? What’s was? how did I?” I couldn't finish a single thought to many questions jumbled my mind and suddenly There was a beautiful Asian women half in reality half out smiling at me caressing my cheeks. She slowly and without a word she gently kisses me on the forehead. A calm sweeps over me but as I look back up to her she is gone. I willed myself to the truck ripped off the blood soaked shirt and threw it in the bed of the pickup. There was a fluorescent safety jacket in the tool box for road stops so I quickly put it on and got into the driver's seat.



The light of dawn was quickly lighting the sky so i began to drive.” what the hell have i done with my life” instinctually saying what has quickly become my catchphrase in life. I collect myself and my breath deeply to try and reset myself. A glance in the rear view reminds me of the gory disaster my face has become so I use the inside of the jacket to haphazardly clean my deeds from my face. I didn't even realize that I was driving towards the centre of the city not away like my instinct was telling me to. The city was calling me drawing me closer with a recently familiar feeling taking control of my actions. Where was I going now? Am I going towards more of whatever the fuck that creature was? Why am I doing this?



a short time later the sun is full on display and a new day in the busy city has begun. I pull into an alley just off one of the main shopping districts in town at the end of the dead end alley another creature lurks. Actually as I slowly drive closer I see there is two this time. One a giant man that looks similar to the female I slayed a few hours before and a very large wolf. This male was carrying a large war axe. At this site I stepped out the truck staring down the creatures this time filled with a new found confidence. This time I reach for the sword but consciously. “Well then? Shall we do this thing or what” I boast towards the axe wielding giant Viking demon. He glances down at his companion and looks back at me and with a great shriek he gives off a quick signaling whistle to the wolf the blows out several windows in the alley and all on my truck. The whistle damn near blows me back a foot and now all I hear is a constant high pitched beeeeeeeeeeep. Upon hearing the whistle the giant wolf attacks charging me down. I see the beast bearing down on me so I give of a furious yell or at least I think I do cause I can’t hear shit. I charge forward and just as the beast lunges to bite my head off in one quick snap I duck down below the toothy snarling maw and dig my shoulder into its chest just between it front legs and with a quick and powerful drive I lift causing the wolf to flip over me and crashing down onto my truck all but destroying it completely. With a quick double step I continue my charge towards the axeman. He swings his axe overhead coming down towards me with a force I can hardly fathom I lift the sword up just in time to stop the attack and surprisingly it works I don't even feel the impact across the blade but it does send a flash blue radiant light slightly blinding the demon taking the advantage of this I threw the sword towards his face The sword flies true into the centre of the monsters face it quickly goes cross eyed looking at the blade just before it falls he to disappearing into nothing the sword vanishes with him. I bend over putting my hands on my knees taking several heavy breaths. All of a sudden i feel hot damp breath on my back. A growl begins to grow and I realize what's behind me this time I have no sword. I look up and with a sigh and tilted head all I can say is “shit”. I spin around quickly raising my arms in defense just in time for the beast's jaws to clamp down on my arm.”aaaagggghhhh” is all I can do as the wolf shakes his head throwing me to the side of an alleyway. Luckily I see a broken 24 of good old Canadian rye grasping it I blindly thrust it towards the beast as it comes in for the killing blow. Its mouth consumes the broken bottle my hand and most of my forearm before I jam the bottle upwards through the soft roof of its mouth piercing up towards the forward most of its brain with a quick whimper it drops and vanishes leaving the bottle hand and arm intact. I get up and dust myself off but without thinking I run out to the main road blooded and with broken bottle in hand. As soon as round the corner some women see me and panic with piercing screams shouted at my direction I panic and run. In my panic I didn't hear the cop yelling at me to stop I didn't even notice him at all but I did feel the sting and thud of two unknown objects hit my back. I stopped running instantly and seen the blood rush out from my chest i didn't hear the gunfire. I dropped to my knees and said “what the hell have I done with my life?” I’ll tell you today I saved the world. My son will know his dad did something great maybe he will see me on the news maybe he will recognize me and think there is my dad he is a hero maybe he will be proud. The moment passes and I feel the darkness take me.



A T.V. plays in a living room. The news reporter is telling a story of breaking news. “A quiet Canadian city is in a state of awe today as a Canadian Border guard was shot and killed in the middle of downtown today. The Deranged man was soaked in blood and wielding a broken bottle as a weapon when officer Hunter Coal had to bring the man down with deadly force. After further investigation police are led to believe that the border Guard had murdered a man in his home earlier this morning in a scene that police could only describe as the most gruesome crime they have ever seen. This is a picture of the man accused of the crime Raymond Davidson a 30 old divorcee and Canadian border control officer. More on this as details unfold” from the room a child's voice of maybe 8 or 9 says “look mom its daddy look.”