News Romp by Robert Rusk

It’s a cold and dark day as a beat-up Range Rover pulls into the parking lot of a radio station. The building stands two stories and is made of weathered red brick. Behind the building stands a tall steel radio tower. A man steps out of the Range Rover. He is a young, thin man, dressed in blue jeans and a barn jacket. He is wearing a baseball cap with the Detroit Tigers logo on it. He is holding a thermos full of coffee. He takes a sip of coffee as he closes the door and locks his car. The wind begins to pick up as the man walks toward the building. He stops at the door and takes another sip. He opens the door and enters the building.

The man is standing in a large, sky-blue colored room, which is set up like a lobby. Chairs line a wall with a large table covered in magazines in front of them. On the wall in front of the man hangs a sign that reads, “101.2 FM News Romp with James Beers.”

The man sighs and states, “Really need to take that down.”

He walks toward a door on the other side of the room.  He opens the door and walks into a room filled with radio equipment. A blonde hair woman sits behind a desk with a computer and other radio equipment built into it. She is dressed in black sweat pants and a black hoodie with the words “Redwood College” written in big, blocky red letters on it. She’s drinking coffee from a paper cup with the word “Coffee Hut” written on the side.

Without looking at him, the woman states, “You're late, James.”

“Yeah, there was some kind of accident on Main Street. Had to take the back—Mary, what is that?”

James is pointing at the sound-proof booth that sits in the middle of the room. Hanging across the booth is a banner like the one in the lobby, but at the end of this sign is a cartoon sheep.

“It’s a new design for the sign. Thought you would like to see it.”

“Why is there a black sheep on it?”

“’Cause it’s your nickname.  James ‘the black sheep’ Beers has a nice ring to it. It’s going to be the mascot for the station.”

James rests his head on his left hand. He shakes his head and softly says, “Lord, give me strength.” He then looks at Mary.

“Since when is the name people call me behind my back my nickname?”

           

“Since I said so.”

James sighs.

“You’re still pissed that I forgot your birthday, aren’t you?”

With a playful smile on her face, Mary raises her right hand. She sticks out her index finger and thumb, leaving a small amount of space between them. 

“Any good news today?”

Mary hands James a sheet of paper.

“Mainly bad news. Oh, it looks like your big brother is back in town.”

“I’m amazed that it doesn’t rain blood when he comes home.”

“He doesn't seem that bad. He gave you that Range Rover for your birthday.”

“Honestly, I thought he was going to beat me if I didn’t accept it. Anyway, under that nice smile he puts on for the press, Eric is just another Beers.  All Beerses are either spoiled punks, twisted jerks or, in Eric’s case, a well-connected merchant of death.”

“Which category do you fall under?”

“I fall under the newly created black sheep category. I’m the only Beers who lives the life of an average Joe.”

“Last I checked, an average Joe doesn’t have a seven figure bank account.”

James gives Mary a dirty look.

“Let’s just start the damned show.”

Ten minutes later, James is sitting in the sound-proof booth. He has a large pair of headphones hanging around his neck and is trying to adjust a microphone sitting in front of him. Once he adjusts it, he takes the headphones and slides them over his ears. He looks out the booth window and sees Mary hit a button. On the wall directly in front of the sound booth, a sign reading “on air” lights up.

“Good morning, Redwood, and welcome to the News Romp here on 101.2 FM, the best source for local news. As always, I’m your host, James ‘the black sheep’ Beers. The Redwood Sheriff Department, park rangers, and Arkham PD continue their search for missing hunters Nick and Mike Anderson, who were last seen entering the Redwood Forest last Thursday.

“In a press release early this morning, the Sheriff’s Department is now operating under the belief that the cattle and horse killings at the McDuffy farm are connected to the forest disappearances. In the press release, Sheriff Quincy Hewitt stated that all evidence points towards a large predator. The Sheriff advises all residents living near the forest to keep pets and small children inside until the predator is captured or killed.

“In unrelated news, the union strike at the Beers Lumber Mill enters its fifth week. It looks like it won’t be ending any time soon. Speaking of Beers, I have received word that Eric Beers, my brother, has come home. That’s right, the CEO of Beers Arms Manufacturing and Black Gate Private Military Contracting Service, Redwood’s most infamous son, has come home for a visit. I just hope he doesn’t visit me.”

James picks up a piece of paper and begins skimming it.

“On a happier note, Bob’s Arcade is coming to our little town. The legendary franchise will be opening its eighty-ninth store on the intersection of Tombs and Mason. This Friday will be the annual Monster Mash down at Towns Square. There will be games, prizes, candy, and a costume contest. All are welcome. Now for a message from our sponsors.”

The “on air” sign turns off; James takes off his headphones and exits the booth. He walks over to Mary’s desk. 

           

“What do you want to do for lunch? I was thinking Chinese.”

Before Mary can answer, the sound of breaking glass emanates from the storage room. The sound startles both of them.

“What the hell was that?”

Mary reaches under her desk and pulls out a pump-action shot gun.

“Mary.”

“What?”

James points at the gun.

“I got it after the break-in last year.”

“Guns cause more problems than they solve.”

“You want to argue about gun control, or do you want to find out what’s in our closet?”

James and Mary walk over to the storage room. He opens the door and enters the room, with her right behind him. The storage room is filled with boxes of outdated radio equipment and computers. The only window in the room is wide open. On the floor is a shattered coffee mug. Suddenly, a small animal walks out from behind a box. James kneels down to get a better look.

“What is it, James?”

“I don’t believe it. It’s a baby wolverine. Mary, the chances of seeing one of these guys in Michigan is one in a thousand.  Hey, little guy.  Where’s your mama?”

That’s when James hears the snarling. He turns his head and sees a full-grown wolverine baring its teeth at him. It tackles him to the ground. Using his hands, James is able to hold the wolverine back from biting his neck. It does manage to scratch his face. The scratch is deep and runs the length of his cheek. One of the other claws slashes open the right shoulder.

“Shoot her!”

Mary fires the gun and completely misses the wolverine. The slug grazes James’s left arm and hits an old computer monitor. He lets out a howl of pain. He throws the wolverine to the side and scrambles to his feet. Both Mary and James run out of the room, but before they can shut the door, the mother wolverine charges them. They run for the sound-proof booth. Mary slams the door shut just as the wolverine crashes into it. James lies on the ground, clutching his bleeding arm.

“Mary, what the hell?”

“I’m sorry I shot you!”

“You’re damn straight, you’re sorry!”

“James, my cell phone is in my purse.”

“Mine’s in my barn jacket. Shit.”

“What are we going to do?”

He looks up at the microphone.

“I’ve got an idea.” James turns the microphone on.

“We interrupt these messages for breaking news. There is a wild animal lose in the station, and I have been shot. Someone please help us.”

           

Epilogue

Outside in the parking lot sits a black SUV. Two large men, dressed in black clothing, load two animal cages into the trunk.

One of the men says, “I feel bad for the poor bastard we sic’ed that thing on. Who was he, anyway?”

The other man answers with a Texas accent, “He is the big boss’s little brother.”

           

“You’re shitting me.”

“I shit you not, son. Now let’s get out of here before the police show up.”

The men close the trunk and get in the vehicle. The Texan starts the engine, and the SUV exits the parking lot. The man in the passenger seat simply states, “He sic’ed a wild animal on his baby brother. I hate to think what the boss does to his enemies.”

The Texan replies, “Don’t burden yourself with the secrets of dangerous people, kid. Never ends well.”