Clawster- The Claw Monster

A white van drives down a road, pulling to the left and turning onto Treefall High School. The building is surrounded by yellow tape, with two cop cars parked next to the entrance. The van is marked with the logo of a well-known news station, 6 News. The moment it parks, two people rush out. One is a well-dressed man in formal attire with a tie, and the other is wearing a sweatsuit and holding a camera. The tall man with the camera points it toward the formally dressed man, who pulls out a microphone.

"Hello, 6 News, this is John Wanlord reporting live at Treefall High School, where a recent tragedy occurred yesterday. Sixteen-year-old Elliot Freeman brought a firearm in his backpack and used it to kill three victims while injuring several others in the student body. The three casualties have been identified as Derek Rose, Jessica Clipton, and AJ Woodwind—students in the same grade as Elliot." The reporter holds the microphone close to his mouth. "This is the first time anything like this has happened in this country, with some online calling this incident a 'school shooting.' This behavior is highly irrational, with many skeptics citing the cause as a mind-controlling monster. An anonymous user posted a theory that Elliot was an undercover government agent who killed the three teenagers because they knew a secret about the true nature of monsters."

At 6 News HQ, the anchors sit at a desk with grim expressions. The woman on the left has a nameplate reading Sarah Rowling, and the man on the right reads Chip Smith. Sarah speaks, reading directly from the teleprompter. "The fact that this is the first 'school shooting' in America's history has people worried about the future. John, what are your thoughts on the reason this kid did such a terrible thing?"

The camera cuts back to John standing outside Treefall High. "I couldn't say, Sarah. Something like this just doesn't make sense. I-I couldn't even imagine what's going through that villain's mind right now, but one thing's for sure: it wasn't something pleasant. Back to you, Sarah."

The camera returns to the anchors. This time, Chip speaks. "It breaks my heart that three families lost a member so unexpectedly. Some say monsters are bad, but are humans any better? On a brighter note, the mayor has called a meeting to address the incident and discuss future solutions to prevent anything like this from happening again. Coming up next, a panda in a Chinese zoo gave birth to triplets! More on that story after a message from our sponsors."

As he finishes, the director signals the production crew and yells, "CUT! Alright, we're back up in five." Once the cameras stop rolling, the anchors drop their formal tones and speak normally, their voices tinged with irritation. Chip immediately gets up and heads toward the door, but Sarah stops him.

"Hey, Chip, will you be attending the meeting?"

He turns back with an annoyed look. "Hell no. It wasn't my kid who died. Why should I care? I have hundreds of more important things to do than give condolences to people I'll never meet."

Sarah is shocked, her jaw dropping and her hand on her chest. What kind of person doesn't have the empathy to feel bad for those poor families? I have a heart... Wait, it's 6 o'clock? That's girl's time... My presence doesn't change anything. I guess it isn't THAT important.

Mayor Tristan Henderson of Treefall, New Jersey, sits in his chair, rubbing his bald head repeatedly in an attempt to relieve stress. Behind him, photos of his smiling face contrast sharply with his current frown. Why did three people have to die right now? I have a reelection in three weeks! I swear this job is only worth it for the privileges. Stuff like this just gives me migraines.

Suddenly, a girl with a messy bun and a power suit bursts through the door. "Mayor Henderson, are you sure you want to do this meeting? The higher-ups strongly advise against it—"

The mayor cuts her off. "I have an election coming up! If I want to get reelected, I need to stabilize my public image!"

The assistant hesitates. "Are you sure this will work? Won't people blame your negligence for the incident?"

The mayor responds aggressively, "I know that. I know how stupid the people of this town are. They'll act as if I'm the one who shot those kids and not some nerdy crotch goblin."

"Should we call in the shooter's father? That could clear—"

"CHRIST, no! The last thing I want is a shred of sympathy being thrown toward the shooter!" Tristan yells. He then quickly switches to a smug tone. "Don't worry, though. I've got a plan to shift the blame away."

"I really hope so, because the meeting is in 20 minutes."

Twenty Minutes Later

Ethan sits on the living room couch, staring at the floor. His mind races with thoughts about the events of yesterday. I-I don't know what to feel. Should I be glad I'm alive? Sad because my crush just got shot? Angry at Elliot? What was I even supposed to do? Memories of the incident replay in his mind, now from his perspective. The instant he saw the barrel of Elliot's gun, he scurried away, pushing past people without a single thought for his friends. I really am a monster…

A massive hand envelops Ethan's shoulder. He looks up to see Clawster's face, his lips curling downward to hide his sharp teeth. His expression is grim. "It's not your fault, Ethan. There was nothing you could do."

"You're right, Clawster. I should move on, just like with Mom and Dad. I want to see what the mayor has to say. The meeting should be starting now. Can you pass me the remote?"

Clawster grabs the remote and tosses it to Ethan, who turns on the TV and flips through channels until he lands on 6 News.

The same formally dressed man, John Wanlord, stands outside Treefall City Hall, holding a microphone. The building is small, only about one story high, roughly the size of a high school. "Hello, viewers of 6 News. It's me again, John Wanlord, reporting live in front of City Hall. Tonight at 6, the mayor has called a meeting to address the recent shooting at Treefall High. Let's head inside."

The 6 News cameraman and John proceed into City Hall. It's a quaint building—dusty but distinguished. They head down the hallway until they reach the meeting hall. The moment they open the door, the sound of reporters yelling questions floods the room. Camera flashes cast a permanent glow on the mayor as he calmly walks down the aisle toward the podium. Multiple news channels line up behind red ropes, their reporters barking questions so loudly that not a single one is intelligible. The mayor only smiles and waves. So much publicity. Re-election, here I come.

Tristan Henderson finally reaches the podium as dozens of microphones point at him from all directions. Ethan leans forward on his couch, Clawster doing the same. Tristan taps the microphone before speaking. "Thank you all for attending this meeting." The press's bombardment of questions ceases the moment he speaks. The reporters wait eagerly, their cameramen focused on his face.

"Today, I have called you all here to address the incident that occurred yesterday. A high schooler brought a firearm to school and unleashed terror upon the students, killing three innocent children. This marks a dark moment in history—the first time something like this has happened in our country. Six parents have lost their beloved children. Now, three deaths may not seem like a lot, but I assure you, it is. These three students—" He clicks a remote, and a television screen displays pictures of AJ, Jessica, and Derek. "—made memories, had many friends, and could have had bright futures. But now, all of that is gone because of one terrible act. This is something that could have been prevented. The first thing that might come to your mind is that it's the school's fault, or the government's fault, or even my fault. You might talk about how school security isn't good enough, how the shooter might have been mentally ill, or how the school system isn't secure. But, ladies and gentlemen, I can tell you the true perpetrator—the real reason why something like this happened."

At this, the assistant tries to intervene. "Wait, sir, I don't think we should do this. There are many warnings against—" She's cut off by security, two muscular officers carrying her away from the podium.

Ethan clenches his fists. The news crews grow alert, and thousands of viewers watch in suspense.

"Let me bring a major issue to light," the mayor says, clicking the remote again. The screen now shows images of guns—lots of them. It cycles through pictures of people with racks of guns, purchasing guns, and even clips of kids shooting them at cans. "Guns, people. The problem was always guns!" Cameras flash, boom microphones jostle for position, and the mayor's grin widens. "This, folks, is what causes these shootings. People can easily buy guns. The restrictions on them are few and far between. Think about it: there are no strict sanctions against them. Even broken families and the mentally deranged can have them, and people barely protect them. Hell, they even show them off to their kids and teach them how to kill! Here's what happened: some nutcase got his hands on a rifle, and then some psycho teen on hormones took it from his daddy's drawer while he was napping. He then proceeded to lay waste, ruining the lives of innocent people. Congress doesn't care. Gun makers make too much money and can just bribe them off. Listen, if there's one thing to blame for this school shooting, it's those damn GUNS!" He points dramatically toward a covered object. A guard pulls off the cover, revealing the gun Elliot used. Silence falls over the room.

For a moment, everyone is speechless. All they can do is stare at the gun and think about what Tristan said. His smile begins to falter. Did they buy it? Please tell me—

"HE'S RIGHT!" shouts a random woman in the crowd. "My daughter was killed because of that gun!"

"Yeah! There are no laws against them. These guns need to go!"

"Agreed! My kids can't be safe if those things are around."

"My kid died because of some metal. SCREW THOSE DAMN THINGS!"

And with that, all hell breaks loose. Shouting erupts across the meeting hall. Reporters hammer questions at the now widely grinning mayor. It worked. It actually worked! I'm so winning this reelection. People begin shouting at the security guards, some even spitting on Elliot's gun. The mayor, basking in victory, tries to end the meeting with a bang.

"Tell you what: if I get reelected, I'm banning the use of guns in this fine city. Say it with me: DOWN WITH GUNS!"

A chant begins among the crowd, repeating "Down with guns!" as the news records the chaos. The mayor laughs triumphantly, looking out from the podium at the glorious sight of everyone pumping their fists in the air, chanting, wailing, and screaming angrily. Anger, hatred, and despise pool together, swirling invisibly. These emotions channel themselves toward the object of their hatred—the gun. Massive amounts of anger begin to coalesce, forming a visible glow around the weapon. The once-invisible emotions become tangible, and the gun begins to emit a bright light.

People notice the strange glow as it grows brighter and brighter. The mayor glances at it out of the corner of his eye. "What the hell?" The gun glows an intense white, forcing everyone to look away before a blinding FLASH erupts. The light even penetrates the camera, causing viewers to avert their gaze.

When Ethan looks back at the TV, he sees a blue screen with the words: Broadcast ended. Technical difficulties.

Clawster tilts his head. "Ethan, what just happened?"

"I... don't have a clue. Maybe the equipment broke?" The two sit there, waiting patiently for the broadcast to resume.

Outside the meeting hall, a guard listens to music, bobbing his head to a Kanye West song. He hears noise coming from the hall through his headphones and decides to investigate. When he removes his headphones, everything becomes eerily quiet. Too quiet. He opens the wooden door and freezes in horror at the sight of a massacre.

The meeting hall is now littered with blood, debris, and body parts. Not a single intact human remains—only guts and skin cover the floor. It's impossible to tell where one person's remains end and another's begin. In the center of the room stands the cause of the carnage: a monster. It's a massive lump of human flesh and skin, with faces visible on various parts of its body. Each face has two pupil-less eyes, a nose, and teeth. Protruding from the lump are limbs resembling gun barrels, holding it upright like a spider. The guard's survival instincts vanish, he freezes up, the faces of the creature all stare at him creepily. One of the limbs points at him, and he closes his eyes, accepting his fate.

Ethan lies on the couch, bored and scrolling on his phone, waiting for the news to return. Clawster sits, staring at the TV as if hypnotized, until he suddenly stands up. "Hey, Ethan, do you feel that?"

"Feel what?"

"Vibrations. Like something is... coming."

Ethan begins to feel the ground shaking, but it stops abruptly. "Oh yeah, I felt it. It stopped, though. Everything's gonna be fi—"

CRASH! The gun monster crashes through the roof, launching Clawster backward into a wall. The wall collapses, rubble surrounding a dazed Clawster. Ethan is also thrown backward but manages to get to his feet. A cloud of dust rises and settles, revealing the monster. Its many faces stare at Ethan, its limbs raised like gun barrels. As Ethan looks at it, he notices something familiar about one of the faces. While this is going on, a pair of claws emerge from a pile of rubble. Clawster bursts through the pile, his mask on his face and metal claws replacing his hands. When he escapes, he finds the monster in front of Ethan. Clawster immediately runs towards Ethan, even using his claws to launch himself forward. He screams, "NO, ETHAN!". Alas, he is too slow and too far away. At this moment, Ethan Marshall doesn't feel fear, sadness, or the urge to run. Instead, as the monster raises its barrel at him, the emotion he feels is... confusion.

"Elliot?"

BANG!

End of Chapter 3

Next Chapter: Healing the Broken