Birth in a Body Bag (Brigid)

[Trevor Smokey]

"First team, move in!"

The red haired cop moved swiftly into the building along with his team. Get in, apprehend, get out. Simple, quick...painless. Well, not quite. Within moments, a small gang of thugs had congregated on the floor above, peering their guns down over the stair banisters, aiming down the the law. For the Brit, the whole thing lasts no more that a minute. He was careless, moving in too quickly without much thought for tactics. Foolish man. Foolish man with two dirty, red patches growing across his torso as his eyes roll into the back of his head. Foolish man.


***********


"Ugh...it's so hot in here..."


A pair of bright blue eyes slid open, only to be met with off-white plastic and a zip.


"Ah frick! I can't breath in here!" he said in his head, clawing at the zip until the bright light burst through the gap and into his eyes.


A moment passes as his pupils adjust, and the man can see out.


"The morgue? What the hell's going on!?"


Sitting up, the man found himself on top of a table, in a very familiar room. He's been here before, just not in quite the same position. No, he used to look down at this table at...dead people.


In a panic, he scrambled out of the plastic bag, his feet slamming down on the cold floor as a wicked tension gripped him. What had happened?


"I was in that house. That drug raid...I..."


His eyes widened, pulling the top part of the strange, white dress he was wearing, and looking down at his stomach, which had not a scratch on it.


"I got shot! I bloody died!" the man exclaimed, unable to restrain himself.


He couldn't stay. What if he was found? Overcome with confusion, panic and fear, he started to look around for a way out. He knew the building. But he needed clothes. Surely he could be seen by one person. Who would listen to a naked men babbling about people rising from the dead and take it seriously?


Almost as if someone was reading his mind, the porter pushed through the door with a trolley. Presumably he was here to take away the man's body. With speed and precision, the porter was knocked out with a stiff left hook. Stripped of his band t-shirt, jeans and trainers, he was left laying on the ground as the red headed dead man fled out through the corridor and to the back exit of the building. The shoes were way too tight, rubbing against the flesh of his feet as the he darted through the alleys, before coming to a halt on the other side of the block. Panting, the 31 year-old bent over to catch his breath, his eyes staring around wildly. He had nothing on him. No money, no phone, no keys. He couldn't even go home. What the hell was he going to do?

[Brigid Cassidy]

:: Brigid was on foot when she felt the buzz. It was coming from a back alley. Cautiously, she made her way to see who was new in town ::

[Trevor Smokey]

Something started to ring in Trevor's head, something he couldn't block out. Stretching out, he leant heavily against the brick wall of the nearest building, gritting his teeth as this new, strange feeling overwhelmed him. He grunted, shaking his head as it started to thin out, and seemed to become more focused.

Standing straight again, he looked towards where he thought the strange feeling was coming from. The most intense headache started to build in his mind as he concentrated. Something seemed to be moving...and moving towards him. He'd been found already. Clenching his fists, Trevor tried to clear mind, readying himself to break out of whatever trouble was coming his way.

[Brigid Cassidy]

:: Brigid stood, not less than several feet away from the other Immortal. He looked a bit wacked out as she looked him over, and she held her sword at her side ::

"Looking for someone?"

[Trevor Smokey]

The strange feeling in Trevor's head burned for a moment as the woman stood before him, before dying down gently. His eye flashed as he saw the blade, stepping back defensively. Such a strange weapon to carry around the streets of Chicago.

"Look 'ere, darlin'. Just 'cause I'm up an alley don't mean I'm gonna mug ya. No reason you gotta start waving things like that around" his almost cockney voice replied, slightly hushed so as not to attract the attention of any nearby predestrians. "I've just had a...bad day. I don't want any trouble."

[Brigid Cassidy]

:: She scrutinized him more intently. He had the look of a lost soul on him. She'd seen it a number of times through the centuries. He was awakened ::

"Brigid Cassidy." she introduced, folding the katana against her sword arm.

[Trevor Smokey]

Trevor was taken off-guard but the sudden detraction of threat. Looking at her with the suspicion of a policeman, he soon realised he was in no position to make enemies. If anything, he should be trying to make as many new friends as possible.

Straightening up, the look of confusion didn't wipe from his face as well as he wanted.

"...Trevor Smokey" he returned, offering his right hand in greeting.

[Brigid Cassidy]

"We've got alot to talk about, Trev."

:: She looked over her shoulder quickly, but there was no one else around ::

"Let's find somewhere to do that."

[Trevor Smokey]

"I...guess..." Trevor answer hesitantly.

What did she know? Who was she? She certainly had a lot more confiedence about the situation than he did. Did she know what had happened to him? I any case, it would be better to team up with her for now. He certainly didn't have other options at this point. Somewhat cautiously, he fell in line behind the woman, following her.

[Brigid Cassidy]

:: A short time later, they entered a small hotel room. Brigid took off her suede jacket and sat down in one of the chairs ::

[Trevor Smokey]

Trevor followed her in, taking a seat in one of the other chairs. Taking the oppurtunity, he pulled off the stolen shoes, stretching out his toes and sighing heavily. His size 13 feet hadn't exactly fitted comfortably into the porter's size 10 trainers. Trevor looked over to Brigid, his eyes curious.

"I appreciate the hospitality, but, well, just what's this all about?"

[Brigid Cassidy]

"It's about you. What happened to you, and what it means from this day on."

[Trevor Smokey]

Trevor stuttered slightly, his nerves taking hold again.

"You know what happened? How?"

He felt around his jean pockets for cigarettes, before remembering they weren't even his jeans.

"You, you don't have a ciggy do ya? I could really do with one about now..."

[Brigid Cassidy]

:: She shook her head ::

"You can't die, Trevor. Because you're like me. I am Immortal."

[Trevor Smokey]

Suddenly, everything became very dizzying.

"Im...Im..."

Trevor couldn't bring himself to repeat what Brigid had just said. He stood up uneasily.

"But I did die! I was in the frikkin' morgue! I was shot!" he shouted, lifting up the tight-fitting tee and pointing out the two points on his stomach where the bullets had impacted.

Collapsing back on the chair, he lifted his hands to his face and groaned loudly. It was certainly a lot to take in.

[Brigid Cassidy]

:: Brigid recalled all the times she'd found herself in the morgue, and looked at him sympathetically ::

"Easy. I've been there a few times myself. It still creeps me out."

[Trevor Smokey]

Trevor lowers his hands, looking at Brigid with a raised eyebrow.

"So, let me get this straight. We can't die? Or rather, we can, but we come back again?"

He frowned.

"How the frick does that work? What..." he trailed off. He was lost for words, flapping his hands impatiently. "I don't understand...why me?"

[Brigid Cassidy]

"Why either of us." she shrugged. "I was born over a thousand years ago, in Ireland. I was killed during a Viking raid, feeling just like you when I was found."

[Trevor Smokey]

Once again, the Brit was dumbfounded.

"A THOUSAND YEARS!?"

For someone who looked no more than 18 or 19, she was damn old.

"This is a bit much..." Trevor said, leaning forward and burying his head in his hands"

"Earlier you said 'what it means from this day on'. What exactly does it mean?"

[Brigid Cassidy]

"You can never go back to the life or the people you knew. Ever. Like it or not, you have to start over again."

[Trevor Smokey]

"I..."

Trevor's eyes glazed over in reflection for a split second.

"There was no-one. Just my work mates" he confessed, an almost defeated tone in his voice. Maybe the whole lifestyle change wasn't going to be much of a change at all. "It won't be a problem."

[Brigid Cassidy]

:: Brigid rose to fetch him a glass of water ::

"Drink that."

:: She sat down again, and waited until he was ready to speak ::

[Trevor Smokey]

Trevor gulped down half the glass, taking a moment to recouperate.

"Are there many of us? Others like us?" he asked bluntly.

[Brigid Cassidy]

"Yes. I need to get you in shape for them. Until then, you're under my full protection."

[Trevor Smokey]

Trevor finished his water, placing the empty glass on a nearby table.

"Get in shape? I don't get it...there's gonna be fighting?"

[Brigid Cassidy]

"We live in the time of the Gathering. That means others will be coming for you, to take your head."

[Trevor Smokey]

"Oh it just gets better and better..."

Trevor shook his head slowly.

"The Gathering? What's that all about? And I thought we couldn't die. I mean, you've been alive for over a thousand years..."

[Brigid Cassidy]

"I've only lived this long because I've learned how to use a blade. We're bound to fight in combat to the death. For us, that means decapitation. All our knowledge and power is passed on to the victor."

[Trevor Smokey]

"So that's why you have that sword..." Trevor replied, mulling over everything in his mind. "In the alley, I had this strange sensation, as if I could could sense you coming. Is that normal?"

[Brigid Cassidy]

"Yes. Think of it as an early warning system. You'll get used to that after awhile."

[Trevor Smokey]

"Alright".

Trevor had calmed considerably.

"So, new life, can't die unless I get my nod chopped off, there's lots of people that would kill me if they had the chance, and I've got some kind of Spidey-sense."

The Brit clapped his hands and rubbed his palms together.

"Anything else I should know?"

[Brigid Cassidy]

"You'll have to start training soon. I'll see about getting you a sword from Fiona."

[Trevor Smokey]

"I 'spose that would be handy. What with fighting to the death and everything and...wait, who's Fiona? She's one of us is presume?" Trevor retorted. "One more thing. Why haven't you cut my head off yet?"

[Brigid Cassidy]

"Because I'm such a wonderful girl." she chuckled.

"Fiona is my teacher."

[Trevor Smokey]

"Like, you are to me?" he queried, a light smile playing on his lips as the mood lightened.

"So, where do we go from here?"

[Brigid Cassidy]

"Well, you look like a real dork with those clothes. Sit tight and I'll bring something back."

[Trevor Smokey]

Trevor stared at her with disbelief.

"A dork!? Well that's charming. You'd have preffered to find me in my dead-man dress?" he spluttered. "Actually, don't answer that...just...thanks" he finished, looking down at the ground and shuffling his feet akwardly.

[Brigid Cassidy]

:: She stood up, taking her sword with her. She turned when she reached the door ::

"I'll bet your hungry. You want anything?"

[Trevor Smokey]

"Yeah, please. I don't really care what" he replied, lifting his head as Brigid left.

What a day it had been. After all, you only get your first death once in a lifetime.