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End of Days

Billy hung around with his great uncle Teague, who was a stockbroker and had the luck of the Irish in making money every time the market failed. Billy's friends called him "the vulture" only because it was said he was waiting for Teague's death when he would inherit his wealth. He always told them that they were crazy.

But one day Billy, high on drugs, joined a cult gang and two days later signed over his share in his uncle's will to the cult, on the event of his uncle's death.

The cult, "The Avengers," followed Billy everywhere, and Billy, drugged and paranoid, gave into their idea to have his great uncle killed.

The cult leader expected to become rich and to have all Billy's uncle's investments. Unfortunately, Billy did not sign his right name on their agreement. The cult leader, Judas Farrell, called up the police and told them it was Billy who killed his uncle.

Judas sat with Billy in his car, smoking a meerschaum.

"I warned you, Billy boy, that if you betrayed the Avengers we would take action against you."

"But I was tripping my brains out when you brought me to the cult headquarters, handed me a pen, and commanded me to sign it over."

"We aren't a cult; we're the way to worship the prince of this universe. You gave us permission to kill your uncle, right? We tattooed you with our mark, and your name that you chose, 'the Vulture.'"

"That's what others called me. But I was freaked out on acid…"

"Tell that to the cops, Billy boy. You could have served the prince of this world and your race, but you chose to betray us for selfish greed."

Billy was called in to be questioned by the police.

The police look over the small, sixteen-year-old Billy.

"Did you help the Avengers gang kill your uncle?"

"I was out of it. I wasn't all there. I had taken LSD."

"The LSD defense won't work in this state. You wanted Teague's money, isn't that it?"

"Well, I thought of it…"

"Everyone in the neighborhood said you were with your uncle night and day, kissing ass."

"I loved him."

"You threw over your girl for the cult too; Mary Brown told us about it."

"It all happened so fast…"

"A good-looking kid like you gave your life away…what for?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's my age."

On his way home, a few members of the Avengers come at Billy with clubs to murder him, but he runs away.

He calls Mary and she hangs up on him when she hears his voice. Only King Judas offers to defend him.

Billy wakes up from his sweating nightmare and calls his uncle to make sure he's okay. Mary is in the kitchen making Dutch hash waffles for Billy.

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