Dreck

A body has arrived at the local morgue. The body is oddly shaped, the attendants recoil in horror at the sight before them. The coroner, Frank Attanasio, has become accustomed to the unpleasant. Frank served in the “Long War”, an event of such magnitude that the world has been changed irrevocably. Frank conducts his work with his head down, his efficiency as undeniable as when he was behind a gun. The war left scars, both physical and mental, his drinking has long past become recreational. As the holiday season is upon him, and the city faces Winter’s wrath with an incoming blizzard, Frank looks back on his life with a sentimental wistfulness.

The body that has been handed over to the morgue is a macabre celebrity/monster named Dreck. Frank is familiar with the recently deceased’s exploits. Dreck was the bane of many people’s lives, carving a swath of murder and destruction that ranked up there with terrorists and mass murderers. As Frank begins to examine the body, he is contacted by parties looking to take possession of the corpse. One group represents the Mayor, the other appears to be a covert agency connected to the Government. Frank’s concerns change when he uncovers a treasure of coins on Dreck’s person and narrowly avoids becoming a victim of Dreck in the process of escaping his clutches. Frank takes the coin cache and puts it away for safekeeping.

Frank decides to throw back a drink or as many that will deaden his feelings. He is unaware that Dreck’s followers are trailing him and know about the coins. There are also minions of the thuggish Mayor who seek to possess the coins as well. Frank’s planned night of revelry is scotched when he is accosted in the dangerous Seven Points area. He is soon befriended by the denizens of the netherworld, as Frank is not viewed as a threat, but more of a person caught in the middle of a power play. As Frank learns more about the now-defunct Dreck, his eyes are opened to the danger that still looms in the world. Frank has to choose a side, to save himself and others.

Dreck is the latest noteworthy work of Author Alex Grass (Black River Lantern). “Dreck” is an excellent blend of Horror/Fantasy that entices the reader from the early going with a story of unique peculiarity that never fails to entertain. The hero is flawed but knows this truth, while the villains he faces hide their hideous dark side just below the surface. The author sets the stage for the ultimate faceoff in an adept fashion. A+ work.