Vox Mentis

Also what would happen if he brought that word with him?? Put in some earplugs or something!

You draw your gun and quickly put in earplugs. By the time you're done, Campbell is two hundred yards away. You can see his expression, his focused emptiness. You cup a hand around your mouth. "Campbell! Stop!"

The kid keeps coming. His shirt is soaked with sweat. Wet, matted hair pokes from beneath the THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER hat. He's lost a shoe.

"Campbell, drop the ax!"

For a moment, you think the kid is obeying. But no: He's hefting the ax over his shoulder. Fifty yards. Close enough to smell.

Command words, drop the axe!

"Vestrid fairsesh rintrae vulo! Stop!"

The kid shambles through the words like they're water. You level your gun at him.

"Stop! Campbell, stop! Vulo! Stop! Vulo!"

shoot the hand that's holding the ax!

The kid's lips stretch back. The tendons along his forearms tighten. The ax rises. You squeeze the trigger. The kid grunts as his hand explodes. His expression doesn't change. The ax clatters to the blacktop. He keeps coming at you, hand and bloody stump outstretched, fingers formed into claws.