Light Lantern

Larry slammed against the concrete pavement, gritting his teeth against the pain. He breathed hard for a moment, looking up at the stars glittering above. They illuminated the tears falling down his dark cheeks, which he wiped with the back of a grimy hand.

“Some fuckin’ hero.” Came the mocking, slimy voice of Obscenity.

‘Some fuckin man.’ Thought Larry. His mind launched itself back to his birthday three weeks prior, a night he scarcely remembered, except that he’d been out with his friends. He closed his eyes.

“No real job, debts, no girl. Dying is your best option.” Said Obscenity, staring down at Larry, who pointedly looked away from the villain’s openly displayed genitals. Which meant looking far, far away from any part of it.

“Just this fuckin’ thing.” Said Larry, hand grasping the glowing lantern by his side. It flared green briefly, as if in response.

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The girl gasped, seeing that faint green glow through her window curtains once again. Her mind conjured images of aliens, gibbering ghouls and witches. She was somewhat perturbed, but also very curious. Hence why she’d crawled out of bed and her fingers had already pinched the curtain edge.

“Come on, you’re twenty-two.” Came the thought as she pulled back the blind.

Ding. She looked at the phone in her other hand, a message from Carla. ‘God look at this guy. Jackson Alex on Insta. So hottttt omg.’

Then came the link. She let the blind drop.

Carla didn’t look up, upon hearing the guttural laugh outside.

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Larry felt himself entering a nest of pythons, as the creatures tentacles bound his limbs and raise him up into air. He stared down at Obscenity, a mess of orifices and genitals, oozing all kinds of chemicals. One of it’s mouths grinned beneath a huge bloodshot eye.

“You wanted a house one day, eh?” asked Obscenity.

“You know the answer, just throw me through it.” Said Larry, followed by a deep sigh.

“You’re no fun!” screamed the villain, before throwing its tentacles, and Larry, back, and then whipping them forward. Larry screamed, and if he was honest, shit his pants, as he hurtled through a nearby house’s second story. Painlessly, at least until he stopped.

Which he did, by crashing into the far wall, a lovely shade of baby blue. Waves of agony began to pierce his adrenaline flooded body, and he groaned. Through blurred vision, dizziness, and a slight need to vomit, he noticed he wasn’t alone.

He met eyes with a woman, lying on a bed, probably about his own age, staring blue daggers into his soul. Ding. Her phone called, and her eyes answered, slowly, as if dragged by an invisible force, to stare into her phone.

“I-“

The roof crashing down buried his words, drowning Larry in more dust and wood and concrete. Wiping his face, he saw Obscenity standing by the woman’s bed, a dark grin plastered on his face. If you could call it that, it was more, a car crash. The girl looked on with horror as his tentacles encircled her and lifted her, and her phone, still tightly grasped, up into the air.

“How about one last test for the hero?” said Obscenity,

The door to the room banged open, an older woman and man holding a bat and a pot, respectively.

“Get-get-get-“ yelled the man, before his voice died in his throat as the horror set in.

“Sarah!” screamed the older woman, rushing at Larry. In his shock, he forgot to dodge, and the pan clonked him on the shin.

He cried out, dodged the next hti and used the wall to clamber to his feet.

“Stop, not me!” he said, pointing at Obscenity. Who, unfortunately, had disappeared along with the Sarah, the young woman.

“Call the police Harold, I’ll get this animal!” shouted the older woman. Harold reached into his pocket.

Larry chose then to do what he did best. He ran, jumping into a tree and landing on the ground with a thud. He looked for his lantern, spying it still on the road.

He was sure Obscenity had missed it on purpose, to taunt him. Or because he didn’t fear it. Ever since the Lantern had crashed into his room like a meteor, along with a singed instruction manual.

Raising the lantern, he concentrated his will on tracking Obscenity. Nothing. No lights, no forms made of said lantern light. He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. His mind struggled to form even half an idea that could help him find the villain.

Then, he smelt it. Not the idea, but the vile, yet horrifyingly addicting scent of Obscenity.

Larry opened his eyes, to see a trail of barely visible green stink lines leading off into South Park. Gritting his teeth, and cursing his need to attempt to do the right thing, he trudged off, following the fragrant trail.

He really hadn’t needed the lantern. The torn up clothes and trampled bushes were enough. He glanced around, and saw them, waiting by the childrens playground.

Obscenity had Sarah seated on a swing, slowly moving back and forth. She was barely covered, only in a bra and underwear. Larry barely ogled before carefully walking towards them, lantern raised.

Obscenity’s face whipped towards Larry. “Just in time for the show, my dear boy.” It said, tentacles curling and lashing chaotically. It laughed, a shrill sound that turned guttural.

Sarah had her phone aloft, filming the monster, eyes wide with fright. Obscenity raised a hand, which also featured a flopping member for a finger, and began to stroke her stomach.

Larry focused whatever imagination he had within him, and tried to summon a weapon. There was a vague orange flash, and a very floppy sword coalesced into his opposite hand. Obscenity laughed again.

“That’s it? They chose the wrong worm to be their champion this time. That sword looks more like one of my legs than sharpened steel.” Obscenity ripped what was left of Sarah’s clothes off, and wrapped more tentacles around her, seeking, hinting.

“Help me!” screamed Sarah, eyes abandoning her phone in search of aid.

“I’ve gotta try” muttered Larry. With those faint words, he charged at the monster, sword ragdolling as he held it aloft.

Obscenity opened its largest maw and sucked, the vortex carrying Larry towards the creature. He tried to stab his sword into the ground, it just swirled the dirt. The maw sucked harder, and with a pop, he was half sucked in like a spaghetti noodle. Larry’s lower body was trapped inside, and being licked by a million tongues.

The creature’s laugh shook its body, this time echoing out of all its orifices, a cacophony of conflicting noises.

A second passed, the noise cut instantly. Obscenity spoke in a whisper.“Can you guess what happens next?”

‘God no. Somebody help me.’ Thought Larry, heart thumping painfully in his chest. The tongues stopped tickling him, and instead a thousand small pricks stabbed into him.

The park in front of his eyes disappeared, replaced by a scenarios bombarding his mind. Violations, a world devoid of light and empathy and unimaginable misuse of the human body and soul, in other words pure obscenity. Some featured Sarah and Larry and Obscenity, others, alone in their own hells.

“No, no, no!” yelled Sarah.

Each new image seared itself into his mind, stopping him from imagining anything. He could conjure only the simplest image. Fire. He held on as his mind burned.

“Stop!” yelled Larry. As he yelled, a red light engulfed his vision, swallowing the visions. He felt his unfathomable heat encompass his body and shoot him out of Obscenity’s mouth.

He landed with an oomph, and an ow, as a small, hard object smacked into the back of his head. Thankfully, the lantern was still in his hand.

“You fucking idiot!” yelled Obscenity. Larry staggered to his feet, and looked. A burning crater was all that was left of the maw that had held Larry.

Sarah was still being held onto tightly, and she looked at Larry. “TikTok, Instagram, uh,”

“No, I need something real!” yelled Larry.

“Tesla, old man, no-“ she began, cut off by a roar from Obscenity. “No more, you both just die, here!”

“lightbulb, electricity-“ shouted Larry, both thinking aloud as Obscenity started to run at Larry.

Sarah and Larry shared a look, and then shouted “Lightning!” simultanouesly.

The lantern glowed yellow, and then, a crackling energy formed at its heart. Larry poured his soul, his will into his imagination, and with a yell, thrust the Lantern forward.

The lightning shot forth with such speed and force, Larry was thrown backwards. As he fell, he saw through his fingers, the bright light pierce Obscenity, who howled and thrashed and spasmed as it spread over its body.

Sarah fell to the ground as the tentacles lost their grip. Larry forced himself up and sprinted over, breathing hard.

“You’ll pay!” screamed Obscenity in a thousand voices. As they watched on in grim fascination the hideous mass of writhing, burnt flesh slammed into the ground. Larry reflected back on all those failed attempts; those pitiful lights summoned on lonely nights. Maybe it was help he’d needed all along. Someone to bring his mind to where it belonged, ignite his imagination

Larry turned to look at Sarah, who met his eyes. They shared a smile. Larry, feeling good, went in for the kiss.

“Uh, no. I don’t know you.” Said Sarah, recoiling with a grimace.

“Oh, yeah, sorry. Thanks for the uh, help-“

“Yeah its hard to think sometimes.” Said Sarah.

“Yeah, especially with all, you know…” said Larry.

“You’re a hero right? Lantern guy?” asked Sarah.

“Larry, and I guess now I am, since I did some hero stuff.” Said Larry.

“Great, can you find my phone?” she asked, a slight smile on her face.

Larry laughed, and after a moment, stood, helping Sarah to her feet. Together, they headed over to where, with help, he’d unleashed his true potential. Finally, a success for the newest protector of America, Light Lantern.