((Second Part Continued))

Frank watched the exchange still frozen in his now pee-soaked seat. Wondering how could such a dainty woman converse so casually with these deformed horrific nightmares?
“She’s our half-sister you twat. Don’t think too hard about it, your brain will melt and I don’t like the taste of melted brain.” George said. His voice sounded like creaking trees laden down with swamp moss and bubbling gas emissions from a bog.
“Looks like you’ll get a hazelnut latte with a triple shot tonight.”
George fist-pumped the air. “That’ll get rid of the taste.” He grabbed Frank by the wrist and dragged him out of the booth, too afraid to scream. What proceeded to occur outside the diner and way from sight from the road would be too gruesome to put into words, but should Frank ever get a chance at another life it will surely haunt him in the next life or two or hundred.
The four dark beings sat down at the counter chatting and sipping on their favorite drinks with their favorite half-sister. And before they knew it, they felt refreshed and at ease now that their travels were stripped away with each sip. Gold and silver armor reflected the overhead lights with sparkles and glints.
Megan followed them out the front door. “It was nice to see you all again. You know, you can visit before your work weighs you down too much.”
“We know, baby sister. We’ll get better.” Grav said, his voice now clear and musical.
“You say that every time.” She harrumphed.
Hale embraced Megan in her usual sisterly bear hug. “It’s Grav’s fault. He doesn’t want any of us to get more Megan-time than him. He’ll only let us visit when he does.”
Megan returned the hug and glared daggers at Grav from around her sister’s shoulder.
“Wait, just a minute. That’s not true.”
“I’ll not let you set foot on earth to bother our sister more than you already do,” George said in his best Grav voice. “Those were your exact words.”
“I was joking. It was a joke.”
“I don’t know, didn’t feel like a joke when you got father to bar me from Earth when I took my vacation,” Vlam spoke, his voice the gentle lapping waves of a peaceful lake.
“Is this true, Grav?” It was the first time they’d heard Megan speak without an ounce of cheeriness.
“I didn’t mean, well I wanted to… yes. It’s true. I didn’t want them to overwhelm you.”
“Grav,” she stepped up to him and grabbed his large hand with both of hers. “You all are family, I’ll never be overwhelmed. I can’t just open up a portal as you all can. I can’t just fly up and decide to visit. All I get is the time you all share with me.”
“Man, really bungled this didn’t I?”
“It’s a good thing you have eternity to learn from your mistakes.”
Grav fully ashamed and put in his place heaved a large sigh. Megan took that moment to release his hand and wrap him up in a hug.”
“Hey, easy now. You’re gonna ruffle my feathers.”
“Right, right. Sorry, Mr. Macho Deity.” She pulled back from her half-brother. “So, you’ll let them visit without having to escort them?”
“I guess.” He winced at her stern look. “Yes.”
“Good.” She nodded. “Give my best to Dad and if you can let my mother know I love and miss her.”
“Absolutely, baby-sis.” Vale squeezed her in a side hug.
“Thanks, guys for always looking out for me. I love you guys.”
With a final round of hugs and well wishes, the four seraphim members of the Eldritch Horrors squad took to the air free from the nightmares and horrors of their tasks and missions. Refreshed and renewed.

It was one of those parts of the world that were just naturally darker than other places on the planet. Didn’t stop man from plowing through and laying down their roads in places best forgotten. A single-pump gas station and a dingy run-down coffee shop were all that made up this pit stop, or rather just pit would be a better description.
The neon flow of red and blue of the open sign flickered out with the rest of the station’s lights. It left the warm yellow glow of the former diner-turned-coffee shop as the only beacon of light in the vast darkness of the flat plains of the forgotten parts of America. In script font, the ‘Eldritch Coffee’ sign countered the warm glow with its cold neon purple. Rings of darkness ran through the tubes pulsing with the electric buzz of a dying power supply.
A portly middle-aged man popped his head in through the front door, and the bell tingled as he did. “Alright, Megan. Shop’s locked up and I’m off, need anything?”
A young barista was behind the counter wiping it down, blonde curls bouncing with her effort. She looked up at the man with a beaming smile, her make-up done to perfection like in the beauty ads. “I’m all good, Al. Thanks for asking.”
“Sure thing. Ya got my number if anything comes up.”
“I do and you’ll be the second I call after the police if something dastardly happens.” Her smile grew and reached her eyes.
Al had made his peace with her running the joint at night, she would not be deterred. He didn’t know why and she would never explain, but this was the shift she wanted. He didn’t think she belonged in a place like this, she should be living it up and enjoying her youth in one of the big cities. As it was her choice, he still tried to look out for her like a protective uncle or something.
“As you should. Goodnight then.”
The bell chimed again signaling the door closing once again. The barista went back to wiping down the counter, easy listening music played over the in-ceiling speakers. She paid no mind to the lone figure sitting in the shadowed corner of the dining area. He’d already paid for his double-shot-no-cream-no-sugar espresso.
Once she was satisfied that the task was done and the napkin containers had been restocked she wiped the imaginary sweat from her forehead with a job well done. That’s when the light by the door flickered to a low dim and the buzz of metal like a tuning fork.
“I think you might have waited too long to do whatever it was you were planning to do.” She looked at the man in the corner.
His coffee now gone, he looked at the woman. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
“It’s no matter. Life’s choices have a way of catching up to people.” She fussed with the settings of the drip machine that would make a fresh pot of extra dark.
He’d been told about this place by an acquaintance from a previous job. The man nearly blew the job because he couldn’t shut up about the vision behind the counter. Her overwhelming looks made the man’s reticence pining just as overwhelmingly annoying. Though it had sparked his interest, a lone woman in the middle of nowhere whose beauty was beyond words.
Lowering his eyes from the barista, he’d give the man credit in his description of the woman. She was alone, the station attendant gone, and there was no other soul in sight for the last half hour. The failing lights were a tad bit annoying, and a bit unnerving as it felt like the darkness was growing inside the diner. It felt like the space was getting smaller and smaller.
She’d have to go to the back for something soon or later he thought to himself.
It was like that thought triggered something in the universe because that’s when the door opened. The bell tingled, but the sound was dampened, almost dead. The oppressive cloying tendrils of the dark reached for the man whose flight or fight response just malfunctioned.
Of course, that was natural for anyone who saw the undulating humanoid figure of pure shadow amble to the counter. It took the seat at the counter closest to the man, who was now doing his best to remember how to breathe. Thoughts of the barista were completely pushed out of his mind.
“Ah, yes. That’s better.” The voice ground out like a garbage disposal grinding away at broken porcelain dinnerware. *Can’t have you thinking of our Megan like that.* The same grating noise sounded in his head.
“Gravlahaba’menathulemtik! It’s been a couple of weeks, did you go on vacation?” Megan’s voice was chipper and undisturbed by her latest customer.
“Ah, Megan, how lovely it is to hear your voice. You know you can just call me Grav, and yes I had to go on a business trip. You know how it is, some upstart heroes seem to let the power go to their head and stray from the path.”
“The overzealous eagerness of youth. I hope you managed to set them straight.”
“Maybe, I’m sure they’ll have nightmares for a while though.”
“It’s good to hear you’re keeping the universe in balance then. So, what’ll it be? Something new or the usual?”
“I’ll have the usual, please.”
“You got it. Extra Dark. Extra Large. Extra Sugar.”
Grav smiled, the kind of smile that would rot a forest and turn a creek into a lifeless swamp. He turned his smile to the man.
*You see, our Megan here is very special. It’s because of her that your world remains safe and protected. You thought to take away our one respite of peace in a universe filled with unending darkness. Tsk.*
Megan placed the large cup of steaming hot coffee in front of Grav along with a chocolate-covered biscotto. “Here you go, and the biscotto’s a welcome back treat, on me.” She looked over to the man who’d gone pale and rigid by now. “So it was like that then.”
“Enough to tear a planet apart for the offense.” Grav turned back to look at Megan. “Naturally, we won’t do that.” He smiled once more and Megan returned the smile.
“We? You came with a party?”
“I did, we literally just got back and really needed a good ‘Megan-style pick me up.’”
“Coming to see me first? That’s sweet of you guys. So where are they?”
“Ah, good ol’ Frank here wasn’t alone. His team was going to rob the station while he kept an eye on you and then they were going—” The flash of rage in Grav’s face-area stopped him from finishing the sentence.
“Oh.” She said in a simple response. “At least they waited for Al to leave.”
“We made sure he made it home safe. Should be making sure his kiddos are tucked in all snug and tight right now.”
“Thank you for that. He’s a good man. As for him, you said his name was Frank, I really don’t want to clean up any blood tonight.”
Frank’s eyes darted back and forth between the monstrosity and barista and their casual discussion of his impending death.
“Not to worry, The Endless is with us, he’ll make sure that the humans are never seen again.”
“Gorge is here? I wonder if I have enough hazelnut syrup. Oh, and I hope by ‘humans’, you mean Frank and his team and not ALL humans.”
“Of course, of course.” Grav’s smile turned into a nervous one. He tried to hide it by taking in a long draw of his coffee. The magic elixir hit the spot and it worked its way into the weary traveler’s bones. “You added a touch of vanilla?”
“Not much, but I know you like it even though you’d never ask for it, Mr. Macho Deity.”
“Pft. I have an image to maintain.”
Three more shadow and sludged-soaked monstrosities were announced by the bell above the door.
“Welcome,” Megan announced to the new arrivals, “Halevoln’th’monlig, Vlamkepth’llipta, and Gorge!”
“George. It’s George! I wish you’d stop calling me that.” The other two quickly covered their gaping mouths to hide their chuckles at the smaller monster’s outburst. Megan just smiled brightly at them. “Seriously, I’m like a year younger and she treats me like a small child.”

((Continued in replies))

Jaylen dragged the metal sled across the gravel-covered ground. It’s been years since the sharp edges were able to cut into his now calloused feet, but he still suffered from the thin atmosphere above ground like anyone else. Dropping the lead rope and standing up straight was the signal to Javvi, his brother, that they were taking a break.

“Ground bless, Jay. I didn’t think you were ever going to stop.”

“I’m anxious to get back. Today’s harvest day and the roach burgers will be the freshest!”

“Bleh. I much prefer algae soup. Roach burgers are just too crunchy for my tastes.”

The brothers sat down back to back so they could keep an eye on the land around them while they rested. A thick cloud cover hovered over the land and met the horizon all around. Thicker sections were outlined by slightly lighter lines like the stringy ligaments of the ravagers. At least that’s what Javvi likened them to, Jaylen saw them as rivulets of light trying their hardest to touch the land once more.

“Do you think we’ll ever see it?” Jaylen asked, looking at the clouds.

“See what?”

“The bright light gran used to tell us about.”

“I don’t even think it exists, she was just telling us stories from her grandmother.”

“Yeah, but can you imagine a blanket of blue and a blinding ball of light? Or what about when the big light is gone and then it’s filled with pinpricks of smaller lights.”

“It’s just a fantasy. Why do you let your imagination run wild?”

“It’s not fantasy, the elders tell us of a time when there were breaks in the clouds and green things lived on those broken stone pillars.”

A flash of light shocked them into moving. Jaylen started counting the seconds out loud until the rolling thunder passed over the land. He’d reached twenty-one before the sound hit.

“Four miles,” Javvi said. Jaylen nodded in agreement.

“You think it’s coming towards us?”

“Hard to say. I’ll pull this time, you keep the lookout.”

“Just let me know when you need me to take over.”

With a grunt, the older brother pushed his feet against the ground and pulled the salvaged materials for their village. Jaylen used the spear as a walking staff while they made their way across the barren landscape. The downburst from the storm sent dust flying into the air, once it started it told the boys the storm was coming towards them.

Jaylen would count the seconds each time the lightning struck the ground. And each time it told him the storm was getting closer and closer. When it was less than two miles away he grabbed the spare lead and hooked it to the sled.

Of the younger people in their village, they were a handful that could survive the surface without any adverse reactions. They were an invaluable resource to their people and were under instructions to abandon their tasks and get to the safety of the town. But both had agreed the materials were too important this time. So both dragged the sled at a good clip hoping the ravagers set to hiding from the storm rather than traveling above ground looking for their next meal.

“We’re not going to make it!” Javvi cried out.

“We’ll be fine, just keep going,” Jaylen shouted with his blind optimism.

“When it reaches less than five seconds we run, okay.”

“Deal, now keep pulling.”

Both were grunting with each step. The wall of red-tinted water was approaching them faster than they could move. Jaylen abandoned pulling and got behind the sled and pushed for all he was worth.

“There!” Javvi shouted as the cave entrance came into view.

“Keep pulling!”

“Fine, keep pushing.”

With strained effort, they managed to get the sled into the tunnel and up to a ledge so it was out of the water’s path. Javvi bent over his knees heaving deep breaths trying to get oxygen back into his system. Jaylen hurried to the other side of the ledge to shout.

“Acid rain coming!” His voice echoed deep into the tunnel hoping to give them a bit more of a heads-up.

The water already created a small stream of hissing water that washed down the tunnel. Javvi and Jaylen sat and watched the tunnel, trapped until the storm passed and the water dispersed.

“See, told you we’d make it.” Jaylen nudged his brother’s shoulder with his.

“Yeah, but it was too close. We won’t tell the elders.”

“Agreed, not sure I want to sit through another of dad’s lectures.”

“Guess this means no fresh roach burger?”

Shocked horror etched into Jaylen’s face. “No, no, no… aww man.”

His brother chuckled. “Maybe the storm will pass by fast.”

Jaylen hoped and they both watched the rain fall and the clouds pass by. And then like a glow worm at night a bright ray of light pierced through the clouds followed by a handful of others as the storm passed. The young brother’s heart fluttered in his chest as he stood up slapping Javvi’s back who was making sure the cargo was secure for their trip down the tunnel.

“Look! Javvi! Look! It’s the soon!”

> Don't think about what you've already written. If it's good, if it's terrible, if it's nonsensical. Forget it. Making it all hang together, polishing it, filling in plot holes, that's future you work. Present you only care about getting words on the paper.

This is the hard one for me. I can still see past future me shaking my fist angrily at past past me for the absurd amount of mistakes. But, once again I will attempt to forge ahead and not go back and edit.

Very helpful tips, thanks!