Riddley's Nightmare - Chapter 6

Riddley is coerced by his kid sister to do something horrible.

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Lindsy wrinkled her nose as she and her brother Riddley descended from the clouds and touched down on the sandy shore. She quickly scanned her surroundings, ignoring the astonished stares of beachgoers who had never witnessed a human flying without technological assistance. After taking it all in, she decided she despised everything about this place.

Riddley's description was spot-on; this city honestly reeked of despicableness. He joined Lindsy's side, and they gazed at the skyline, outlined neatly against the twilight sky as the sun disappeared.

"Now what?" Riddley inquired, rubbing his scalp in confusion.

"We're going to grab a bite to eat, obviously. My stomach is growling." Lindsy playfully patted her belly.

Riddley let out a heavy sigh. "Can we just get this over with?"

"Hey! I've never been to Mexico before, so why don't you allow your beloved sister to enjoy some authentic Mexican cuisine?" Lindsy took a thinking pose. "You've been here before, nerd. So what do you suggest?"

"To be honest, I haven't been in this particular city before, but I suppose their dishes are somewhat similar in the northern region. If you're looking for a recommendation, I suggest trying Machaca."

"What's in it?"

"It's a well-known dish in this area, typically prepared with beef or pork combined with hot peppers, tomatoes, and onions,"

Lindsy's face lit up with excitement. "I love pork! Let's go get it." She eagerly rubbed her hands together. Ignoring the amazed gasps from onlookers at the beach, Lindsy and Riddley took off, effortlessly soaring over the rooftops of houses and apartment buildings as they made their way toward the downtown area.

To the onlookers, it appeared as though Riddley could fly unaided. They couldn't comprehend that a mental tether was dragging along his body.

"That place over there looks lovely." Lindsy gestured towards a lively plaza with a grand fountain in the center, nestled between rows of luxurious hotels. The terraces were bustling, with people indulging in delicious meals and refreshing drinks.

At every corner, street musicians stand, utilizing an array of instruments to create lively music while coins jingle at their feet. As Lindsy and Riddley descended into the bustling plaza, they were greeted by the aroma of sizzling meat and a blend of fragrant spices. The curious stares from the surrounding crowd were expected as they made their way to a restaurant and placed an order for a hearty meal and refreshing drinks.

Riddley wiped his mouth with the back of his hand after finishing his glass of beer. "You're quite a repulsive individual, aren't you?"

Lindsy looked up from her plate, still chewing on her dinner. "And why is that," she said after swallowing her bite. "Because I'm thoroughly enjoying this? Be honest, nerd. Doesn't this ambiance make you feel like you're on vacation? Just look at all these people having the time of their lives."

Riddley's hand slammed against the table with a loud thud. "That's because they're clueless about their impending doom!"

"Hey! You chose this city, not me."

"Only after you forced me into doing so."

Lindsy shrugged, taking a sip of her drink. "Serves you right for spilling beer all over my dress."

"This consequence is not proportional to the deed, and you know it! I've learned my lesson. Can't we just move on and head back home?"

"I'm sorry, nerd. It doesn't work like that." She flashed a playful wink before returning her focus to her plate and finishing her meal.

Riddley released a loud sigh and rested his head on his crossed arms. With his view askew, he observed children playing tag on the plaza, couples cozying up while listening to a romantic serenade by a street musician, and pigeons fluttering around in search of food, leaving trails of droppings on unsuspecting citizens' heads.

It was a tragic fate for these innocent people who were about to lose their lives in a matter of minutes. And all because Riddley had accidentally spilled beer on Queen Lindsy the day before. His heart filled with dread as he awaited her reaction after the deed, fearing that she would unleash her fury upon him and reduce him to a smoldering pile of ash. But instead, she calmly uttered the words, "Choose a city."

Riddley's breath caught in his throat as he realized the meaning behind Lindsy's words. He was supposed to pick out a city, anywhere in the world, and Lindsy would destroy it as punishment for his minor foul-up.

He desperately begged her to reconsider her extreme punishment, arguing that it outweighed his mistake. But Lindsy remained unwavering in her decision.

After a lengthy evening spent deep in thought and scouring the internet, Riddley finally settled on Tijuana, a city located in Mexico's Baja California state.

According to many sources, this city was presently considered as one of the most despicable cities in the world. The main reason for that was that it was a hotbed for crime, especially violent crime, due to the extensive presence of organized crime and Mexican cartels. It regularly ranks among the most violent cities by homicide rate.

Riddley's simple logic dictated that if a city had to be destroyed and thousands of people were going to die, he might as well choose a city with a high percentage of the "undesirables" of society. Of course, there would always be innocent victims, but Riddley couldn't see any other solution. Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he jumped up, surprising Lindsy. He quickly grabbed his phone and began searching the internet.

"Can I choose another city?" he said.

"Uhm, no," Lindsy said.

A sigh escaped Riddley's lips as he sat with his arms folded and an intense scowl on his face.

Lindsy looked at her brother, her curiosity sparked. "What city would you have chosen otherwise?"

"Never mind," he muttered.

"Spill it, nerd!" Lindsy slammed her petite fist on the table, shattering it. "Or I'm going to blast this whole country to oblivion!"

Panicked, Riddley quickly put his hands up in a defensive gesture. "Okay, okay. Just calm down, please."

"Well?" Lindsy pressed, ignoring the stares of the people around them as they were shocked to see a petite girl wrecking a wooden terrace table with just a slam of her slender fist.

Riddley let out a deep, heavy breath. "I would have chosen Hum, a quaint city in Croatia instead."

"And why is that?"

"Because it is the least populated city in the world with only about 30 inhabitants living there."

"Oh, right! Meaning, fewer casualties!" Lindsy's eyes lit up with admiration. "That's pretty smart, nerd! You know what? We'll visit Hum after your next screw-up because it is as good as certain that more will follow."

"Wonderful," Riddley said with an emotionless expression.

"Well," Lindsy cleaned her mouth with a napkin. "It's time, nerd!"

Without waiting for her brother to be ready, Lindsy soared up into the sky, yanking Riddley along with a mental leash. The noisy city below quickly faded away until all they could hear was the wind rustling their clothes.

They stopped, hanging stationary in the air under a cluster of clouds.

From this vantage point, they had a clear view of the sprawling Tijuana landscape below them.

Riddley could only think of one thing in despair: What a big city with so many people!

Riddley glanced at his sister, waiting for her before she carried out her heinous plan that would result in the deaths of thousands, including innocent civilians. In his mind, he could already see a once-thriving city reduced to a smoldering crater, with people with dreams and aspirations now gone. Confusion filled Riddley's gaze as he noticed Lindsy gazing back at him as if expecting him to take some kind of action.

"What?" he asked, irritation seeping into his words.

"You didn't seriously think I would be the one doing it."

"Well, who then? You see anyone else around her with superpowers?"

"I'm looking at one right now."

"I'm nothing more than a string-puppet! And besides, I can only fly."

"Is that so?" Lindsy tilted her head and playfully glared at him, placing her hands on her hips. "Why don't you give it a try? Shoot something from your eyes."

Riddley narrowed his eyes in suspicion towards his sister but then shrugged and mentally commanded his eyes to unleash a burst of heat vision. And it worked! He couldn't help but gasp with joy as a powerful beam shot out from his eyes into the vast expanse of the sky. He really felt like Superman!

"Pretty awesome, right?" Lindsy said.

Riddley's joy quickly melted when he thought about the true purpose of his sister's intentions. She wanted him to use this devastating power to wipe out the city beneath them.

"Fine, stubborn one. But be aware that if you stick to your decision, I'll have no choice but to take on this task instead. And I won't hold back. I will keep blasting until this entire nation is nothing but ashes and rubble."

"Nooooo!" Riddley screamed.

"Watch me." Lindsy's eyes began to glow vibrant red.

"Wait!" Riddley swallowed. "I'll do it."

"Fantastic!" Lindsy said with a cheerful smile, her eyes reverting to their original blue color.

With a deep breath, Riddley steeled himself for the inevitable destruction he was about to unleash. He avoided looking directly at the city as he powered up his eyes, knowing that there were almost two million unsuspecting inhabitants in Tijuana below, utterly unaware of the terrifying fate looming above them.

"Before Christmas, nerd," Lindsy said.

Riddley exhales sharply as two intense red lasers shoot from his eyes, directed toward the city's heart. The sound of terrified screams echoes through the streets as buildings collapse and crumble upon impact. It becomes clear to the citizens that they are attacked by an invisible entity soaring high above them.

"Crank it up a couple of levels. This won't cut it," Lindsy demanded.

Riddley let out a deafening scream, tears streaming down his face as he focused all his energy into the heat vision, amplifying it to its full potential.

The impact was immediately evident as the beams exploded with intense force, sending out a scorching wave that leveled every building within a wide radius while vaporizing all flesh from those who stood within the danger zone from ground zero – leaving behind piles of bleached bones.

"So beautiful!" Lindsy's voice filled with awe as she witnessed the formation of a mushroom cloud in the sky.