Jay - Brains Charisma

But now his stance had switched, his uninjured leg leading. That meant if he swung it would come from the opposite direction as before. Last time the bat went toward her monster arm, so—

"KCHH-HH-HH-HH," Charisma cackled again, swiping for his stomach.

He swung. Weaker than usual, but now into the direction of her normal hand. She couldn't stop it. Wasn't quick enough to try. His bat plowed into the side of her head with a sharp, clean, and unfathomably satisfying plonk.

Her intense red eyes went dull and she lurched an awkward direction slowly, suspended. Her wings beat the dead air and her talons clutched at nothing.

Before she hit the ground he drew back and slammed her head again. The second hit failed to satisfy because she was drifting away from it, but Charisma dropped like a lump. Jay tried to adjust his position, nearly fell due to the nonresponse from his right leg, and steadied himself on his left. He brought his bat down a third time; her entire body spasmed and went still. A pool of blood formed around her, although Jay noted clinically that most came from his sliced leg.

***

[2] The Same Place in a Worse World