It takes a few days, but soon enough Rextargon’s underworld contacts let it know that UULE is nearby. Just a few towns over, if Ricky could be trusted, which was debatable, but it couldn’t take the risk regardless.
It was going to die if it couldn’t find a new host soon. This body - Vivian - was falling apart before its eyes. It remembered the pull that had been tugging at it for some weeks now - go west, go west - on constant loop, and it decided that was as good a lead as any. It had been in Silverlake for almost 200 Earth years, and maybe a change of scenery would be wise.
It left a cursory note with its host’s father, explaining that Vivian was going to visit some friends in California and not to worry. It knew Alexander would worry regardless, but this would reduce official interest in Vivian’s disappearance.
With the note delivered, Rextargon got into Vivian’s beat up old Volvo and drove off into the still dark morning. The clock on the dash read 2:00 am, and its GPS said the trip would take about eight hours. 10:00 am.
The trip went by remarkably quickly, with only two stops - one for more gas and one to let the host vomit. It didn’t matter now that the body was falling to pieces, the closer it came to LA, the more driven it felt. This was where it was meant to go.
It made its way slowly through the freeway, which was somehow packed at 10:00 am, but it didn’t let frustration get the better of it. It knew where it was going. It made its way into the city, and drove around until it came upon the place it knew it had to be.
The building had a sign hanging in the curtained windows that read “PSYCHIC - CLAIRVOYANT - REXTON THE MYSTERIOUS” in unlit blue and purple neon, and a smaller sign on the door that read “OPEN”.
It made a shoddy parallel parking job and half fell out of the car. Its hands scraped on the pavement, but it pulled itself to its feet, shaking still. It wiped away some blood from its face, and walked towards the door. The door swung open easily, with the sound of some cheerful chimes.
It was greeted by a cheerful voice, “Good morning! What can I do for y- god, you look awful, do you need help?”
It was with that that the host collapsed from exhaustion. In spite of this, Rextargon pooled its strength and called out to the woman in the shop, who had already run over to the dying host.
“I’m here, you called me, let me in, let me in, I’ll die otherwise,” it screamed in the woman’s head. The woman clutched the amulet around her neck in shock.
“What? I have no idea what you’re talking about- what do you mean?” She responded aloud, looking around frantically.
“I’m here, look at her neck,” it demanded. It was clawing its way out from the base of Vivian’s skull, and the flesh there was moving violently.
The woman clasped a hand over her mouth, as if trying to suppress vomit, “What the fuck is that?”
“It’s me! You called for me!” It insists, as it pierces skin, and drags itself out of Vivian. The host was dead. If it didn’t get a new host soon, it would die as well. “Let me in!”
“I never called anyone, much less-” she gagged, “Much less... A giant brain worm! Jesus Christ- I need to call my handler, this is so fucked up, oh god- I think she’s dead-”
“NO! DON’T CALL THEM!” it screamed. Its body was flailing as it had fallen to the ground. It could feel itself dying, each extremity curling in on itself and stiffening.
It was too late. The woman had already fled behind the counter and frantically dialed a number on the phone.
“Hi, yes, it’s Rex, some really fucked up shit just- yes, i know it’s ten am- just please get here as soon as possible- god it’s still moving!”
That was the last thing Rextargon heard before the necrotic processes kicked in and it died, still flailing on the floor.
In the moment it died, Rex felt a flood of panicked energy, and a sudden feeling of aloneness, and, somehow, she knew these weren’t her own feelings and that terrified her even more than the sudden shrieking slug.
