Volume 01 - Dirty Shorts

it, and if it didn’t die, cut its head off. It had worked well so far.
    The remaining two attacked at once. Cable dodged the first one but the second connected with the back of his left shoulder, leaving eight shallow claw marks. At least the hit had only grazed him, and Cable was right-handed, so he could still use Rel-Lik unhindered. He needed to wrap this up, and fast. Dodging two more attacks, Cable was able to retaliate and drive his sword through the lizard’s left eye. Rel-Lik slid out smooth and clean.
    Draczards had thick mucus-like blood that would stretch and snap back, leaving the blade mostly blood-free. Even the strongest stomach could become weak when assaulted with being covered in slime and guts, nostrils filled with putrid, nauseating odors. As long as one avoided the teeth and claws, Draczards were an easy, no-mess kill, a huge help when there was a large group of them to slaughter for messing with your gnome. She might have been loud, mostly useless, and always getting in trouble, but she was Cable’s useless gnome, dammit, and no one messed with something of Cable’s.
    Before the Draczard’s body had hit the sand Cable had spun around, and in one swift motion Rel-Lik sliced through the remaining lizard’s neck. Cable watched as the body crumpled and the head rolled a few times, coming to a stop in an upright position a few feet away.
    Well, bloody fucking shit snatchers , Cable thought to himself. They were gone; the remaining five Draczards had escaped with their hapless victim, Sapphire. Well just fucking great, now a rescue mission would need to be devised. At least he would still be able to be the hero, rescue Sapphire, and get the perfect opportunity to flirt and be charming.
    The desert sun had risen and there were a few fluffy clouds in the azure sky. It was a bright morning, but Cable was infuriated. With the rusty desert rock cliffs to his back and no one around to bear witness, Cable allowed himself to expel his frustrations. He drove Rel-Lik into the sand next to the pile of Draczard remains. His body tensed and his muscles bulged as he clenched his teeth. Channeling all of his irritation through his taut body, he let it out in a long, animalistic roar.
    “Jesus, Whitney, stop fucking screaming already.” I barely heard Randy trying to yell over me. And fuck him, I wasn’t screaming, I was roaring like a savage beast that just had its gnome kidnapped. Huge difference between that and screaming! I did stop roaring though, as he was right, I was a little loud. But I was just in character.
    “Okay, that’s a good place to finish for the night,” Jayne said as she started gathering her stuff. What the hell, we couldn’t stop there! Cable was going to save Sapphire and be smooth with the whole flirting thing. Yeah, he was going to have her eating out of his hand, and by association Zack would want me just as much as Sapphire would want Cable. Fuck, no way could I wait for Tuesday to continue. I’d drive myself insane and lose all my nerve by then.
    There was no point arguing and asking to continue as they were all chattering and getting their stuff put away. I was always the first one to leave after the game ended. I liked playing with the gang but I didn’t really talk to them much in the outside world. Emails were exchanged and new ideas brought up, sometimes strategies were discussed, but for the most part we just played the game. Zack was the only one I wanted to get to know better , but how could I when just being near him makes me drool, and actually talking to him, I’d probably shit my pants.
    I quickly gathered my few books and game equipment. I turned to stuff them in my bag but it was gone. I always left my bag leaning against the metal leg of my chair. So where the hell was it? I checked the right side, just in case. Not there either, not that I really expected it to be. I never noticed anyone come over to our table, but I really get into the game. I doubted someone had walked over and jacked my bag while we all just sat here. I did a quick scan of the room trying to see if I left my bag somewhere else, but I couldn’t have possibly done that since I was sitting down with my bag when I got my stuff out of it. Still, it was a compulsion to look around the room and try to find it. My eyes locked with Zack’s during my survey of the room. He looked smugly amused. I didn’t trust that look.
    I was desperate to get away from the intensity of his gaze, so I did