Emerald Hell by Mike Mignola Read Free Book Online Page B

been around these parts a lot longer than you. I’s one of the three sisters of the swamp and I’s here to help as much as I can, and help you’s what I’m’a gonna do. We bound, we three sisters. We can only do so much. So let me do what I needs to.”
    â€œLook, I appreciate the effort, but I’m going now.”
    â€œYou cain’t!”
    Hellboy turned and went for the door, and of course it was gone.
    â€œAh nuts to this.” He lifted his fist to pound through the wall and Luther grabbed him by the wrist and held on tightly.
    â€œHey! I told you not to start any crap with me!”
    â€œGranny say you gotta eat!”
    â€œBack off, pal!”
    But the massive brute wasn’t about to listen to reason, and he didn’t seem to have the IQ points to figure out not to mess with big red badasses, so Hellboy did his best to shove the lumbering guy away without hurting him.
    But Luther had some real strength to him, beyond anything Hellboy was expecting. Soon he realized he couldn’t hold back, and they really started to brawl.
    â€œHere,” Granny Lewt said, holding the bowl out to her son. The giant was able to continue fighting even while he reached for the stew, the jug of moonshine still hanging off his pinky. “He ain’t got his mind quite right yet. We got’s to help him.”
    â€œIffun you say so, Mama.”
    â€œHe got hisself some misery a’comin’ already. Don’t hurt him none, Luther.”
    â€œIffun you say, Mama.”
    Like he didn’t have enough to put up with already, Hellboy had to listen to them talk about him like he wasn’t even in the room.
    Luther moved in quickly, low, growling like an animal now.
    â€œLast chance here, pal. I spend all my time smashing down things bigger and uglier than me. I’d say I’ve got this one in hand. I’m warning you.”
    â€œMister Satan, jest do what Mama say and I won’t have to hit you no more.”
    You had to give it to him, this backwoods swamp rat certainly was a single-minded true believer.
    Hellboy hauled off and slapped Luther in the head with his stone hand. Luther let out a yelp and almost went down to one knee. Almost. Then he stood to his full height, cocked the jug over his shoulder to his lips, sucked down some moon, wiped his mouth with the same hand, held the bowl out before him, and moved forward again.
    You couldn’t just lie down and let them walk over you, jamming rabbit bits and eyeballs and pancreases down your maw. Sometimes you had to take a stand against even the people who were trying to help.
    Granny continued smoking calmly, watching the fray.
    Hellboy hauled off and threw a roundhouse at the giant Luther, who moved into the blow with incredible speed, allowing himself to be struck. The force of impact made the walls creak and murmur, the flames rising much higher in the hearth. The old woman’s wheelchair rolled across the room backward and almost crashed into the wall. She gripped a wheel and spun in circles, cackling and whooping wildly, enjoying herself.
    Shelves rattled savagely, and one jar tipped and rang against another before falling to the floor.
    â€œYou done set free my kidney stones!” Luther cried, and hurled himself at Hellboy once again.
    This was just unbelievable. Hellboy started to buckle and barely managed to stay on his feet. Granny Lewt blew out a stream of smoke and said, “Ya cain’t win because you ain’t fightin’ evil this time. In your heart you know we’s your friends, and what’s got to happen is what’s got to be.”
    â€œSon of a—!”
    In the midst of his curse, wondering if the old lady was somehow right, Hellboy’s eyes grew wide as Luther slung forward the bowl of stew and slopped it into his mouth. Oh Jesus. You could put up with a lot but really, having an old woman’s eyes and ears and maybe her Celiac Ganglia with the