September writing challenge - Mortals

[akonken.livejournal.com]

Julius Van Helsing is one cool dude.

I'm watching (I represent the Watcher in this ritual, so it's, like, my duty to mankind - or at least Andy - to watch) as he and Val and B and Riley square off against Andy, or the dude who possesses him, or Galactus, or whatever. Everyone has said their bit, and now Galactus is raving. Poor Andy. Most of the time he's a sweetheart.

And Julius is just acting his part, being all detached and smart - like Mr Fantastic, I guess. It's not that he's out of it - he's not watching, like me; he's right in the thick of it, doing stuff.

Even when things start to go wrong - when the syringe snaps in Andy's chest and everyone starts fighting - he keeps his head. He doesn't lose it til afterward.

He never loses it til afterward. (This time he's upset about the LSD, or at least using that as the focus for his anger.) His voice shakes, his hands tremble as he pours out the other vial.

But even then, he's still detached. He's still cool.