Work Text:
Godzilla 1998
Plot - What if there was a night watchman at Madison Square Gardens? What if he saw Godzilla curled up in the centre of the eggs?
Author's note
Silver - So this was born while I watched the movie with my housemate, who is my best friend of 27 years (Who will be known as Ghost) and I said what if there was a night watchman there that night after Godzilla first attacked the city. This will only be a one shot. Also I did slightly change things with Godzilla actually being in the nest and before anyone asks yes Nick and the other characters are there. Pictures at the bottom of adult Godzilla and babies.
Loki - Damn you Ghost, I am going to slap you the next time I am down in Melbourne. Please Silver, let this be a one shot.
Silver - Don't worry Blood on the Sand will be finished, just needed to get this out of my head. Like with all my other stories, there is a song and for the story it is Blue Öyster Cult Tribute (feat. Serj Tankian) by Bear McCreary.
A music video about the movie with the song
Madison Square Gardens
Manhattan, New York
United States of America
13th of April, 1998
11pm
The night shift at Madison Square Garden was supposed to be quiet. It was just that predictable, even. Most nights, only three guards were needed to watch over the sprawling arena, its empty halls echoing faintly with the ghosts of roaring crowds. Extra security only came after major games or sold-out concerts.
Tonight wasn't supposed to be one of those nights.
Evan Morales had worked security there for three years. In that time, the Garden had become second nature to him. He knew every corridor that twisted behind the seating areas, every emergency stairwell tucked out of sight, every flickering fluorescent light that maintenance had promised again and again to fix. They never did.
It was the kind of place that felt alive when it was empty. Not in a haunting way, at least, that's what Evan told himself, but in the quiet, mechanical hum of a building that never truly slept.
He rubbed the back of his neck as he walked his usual route, boots thudding softly against the concrete floor. His mind drifted to the usual nonsense, the scraps of paper the other guards kept leaving behind in the security office. Bad jokes, half-finished notes, the occasional crude drawing. It was their way of staying sane through the long, uneventful hours.
"Hey…" the voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
Evan looked up to see Marcus Thompson approaching, already halfway into his jacket. Marcus always looked like he expected something to go wrong. Tonight, though, there was something sharper in his expression, unease and maybe even slight fear.
"I'm heading over to the west side…" Marcus jerked a thumb toward the far end of the building. "gonna check the parking garage" Marcus said and Evan gave a lazy wave barely slowing his stride.
"It'll be fine…" Evan continued walking "it always is" Evan called back and Marcus ran up to him and stopped him in pace and forced him to face him.
"You didn't see the news?" Marcus asked, his eyes searching Evan's face and Evan let out a quiet scoff as Marcus let go of his shoulders.
"About that 'creature' down at the fish market?" Evan shook his head "Come on, you seriously believe that crap" Evan said nearly turning around before Marcus grabbed him again with a sharp exhale.
"Evan, the mayor was there doing a live press conference and you do know that he's pushing for reelection, sure, but he looked terrified and people were running as something large could be heard over the microphones and his head of security tapped his ear and the Mayor ordered people to evacuate the city, that's not normal" Marcus said as his frustration creeped into his voice.
"You actually believe that?" Evan asked with an eyebrow raise before looking around the corridor.
"I believe something's going on. The U.S. military is getting involved and they're sending in troops in the air and on the ground, you don't mobilize like that for a hoax" Marcus said and Evan sighed heavily rolling his eyes as he folded his arms.
"Or maybe you do, if you want people scared enough to listen" Evan replied as Marcus shook his head with disbelief written all over his face.
"You always do this, everything's a conspiracy or a joke until it's not" Marcus said with a slight tone of anger.
"And you always panic over headlines" Evan replied evenly and for a moment, neither of them spoke.
The distant hum of the building filled the silence and then finally, Evan shrugged with a small sigh.
"Look, even if something is happening, it's not our problem and plus I live over in Newark, whatever's going on out there in the city doesn't affect me or my home" Evan replied evenly and Marcus just stared at him for a long second and then gave a dry, humorless laugh.
"Yeah, let's hope you're right" Marcus said, yet Evan could tell Marcus was still concerned about whatever had happened slightly earlier and then he went towards the west corridor leaving Evan standing alone in the hallway.
Evan watched him go, then shook his head again and resumed his patrol heading to the northern part of the arena.
However, now Evan could feel the air was off and the Garden felt quieter now.
Too quiet.
Somewhere deep within the structure, far below the arena floor, there was a sound that had Evan pause and look around him with a slight frown as he heard a low, distant creak like metal under pressure.
That wasn't normal, then another sound followed and it was not a creak this time, but a thud that sounded heavy and deliberate.
Evan's gaze drifted toward the lower access hallway, the one that led to the underground maintenance levels most guards avoided unless they had to go down there and Evan bit his lip.
He hesitated.
"…Probably nothing" he muttered under his breath, but for the first time in three years, Evan Morales didn't quite believe it and he sighed before deciding to head back towards the control room and hopefully get some food and drink.
As Evan walked back down the hallway, there was a low, distant thud that rolled through the structure. It was not loud, but deep enough to vibrate through Evan's boots and he swallowed as he slowed down.
"Yeah, that's not on…" another thud followed and Evan grabbed his radio, nearly dropping it before having a better firmer grip on the device "Marcus, David, do either of you copy?" Evan whispered as he heard something long making a dragging sound coming from the arena floor.
Evan waited for the reply, but all he heard was static and he sighed.
"Of course, static…" Evan sighed putting the radio back in its place on his shoulder "this better not be a prank or kids messing around" Evan said as he headed for the arena floor.
However, as Evan walked down stairs there were more deep dragging noises and he grabbed his torch as for some reason the lights were all out.
He stepped from the stairs and into the corridor that led directly to the game floor, torch beam cutting through the dim light and Evan swallowed as he felt that the air felt warmer than it should've been and it felt a lot heavier.
Evan walked slowly and quietly before pausing as a horrible smell reached his nose and he wanted to vomit. It was a mix of rotten fish, metal and something else he could not name.
"Okay…" Evan held his nose yet he could still smell it "definitely not pipes" Evan muttered as he continued closer to the arena floor doors.
Against every instinct screaming at him to get away and back to the control room. Evan kept moving forward wanting to know what was making that sound and even the smell. He wondered where Marcus and David were and if they could hear the sounds or even smell the stench drifting to wherever they were.
Evan reached the doors to the main bowl and he was surprised to see that they were slightly ajar. Which they shouldn't have been and Evan swallowed as he softly pushed one opened and froze as fear gripped his spine.
The arena was unrecognizable, he could see the seats were crushed with some even having dead fish on them, then Evan glanced to the ceiling and could see that some of the steel beams were bent like they had been soft wire and then his gaze went to the once pristine floor and he went fully pale unable to believe what he was seeing with his own eyes.
The creature that attacked the fish market was in the centre of the arena curled around dozens of eggs that had to be at least 6 foot in height and Evan swallowed trying to come to terms that he was seeing a real life T-Rex or close enough to what Jurassic Park had for their two films.
"This… this has to be a dream" Evan whispered before he paused as the T-Rex type creature shifted slightly with its tail curling tiger around the eggs and Evan realised that the creature was protecting the eggs even in sleep.
'Fuck, this is a nest, shit, fuck' Evan thought to himself trying to will himself to run to escape the arena and get Marcus and David out as well before the damn T-Rex like creature woke up or those eggs cracked opened.
CRACK.
Evan's head snapped toward the sound and swore again as he saw that one egg had split open and then a six foot tall mini T-Rex creature burst out shrieking as its movements were fast and erratic.
"Oh, hell no…" Evan stumbled back and fell as another egg cracked as more followed and that was when Evan realised that the T-Rex looking creature was awake and staring at the babies as the babies stumbled around eating the fish that laid about.
Evan slowly backed away, first with one step then another, but then to his horror his flashlight flickered and the beam swept across the nest as did other lights that he did not notice before.
The T-rex type creature snapped its eyes straight at him locking on his own and everything stopped for one endless second, he and the creature simply stared at each other then there was screaming from whoever else was there and everything went to chaos.
(Violence and blood ahead)
Evan ran not daring to look back, but he could hear the hatchlings shrieking and thus Evan was running
"CONTROL!" Evan screamed into the radio, his voice cracking as it finally sputtered back to life in a burst of static "Control, you need to evacuate the building right now! Do you hear me?! Right now!" Evan screamed but the signal warped, cutting in and out.
"There's a… there's a…" Evan was cut off as a deafening crash ripped through the arena behind him, so loud that it felt like it split his skull open.
The entire structure shuddered. Dust and debris rained from the ceiling as something impossibly massive slammed into the seating bowl and Evan flinched hard, nearly dropping the radio.
"THERE'S A NEST!" his voice breaking into panic "They're hatching! There's dozens of them, maybe more! You have to get everyone out, you have to…" the line dissolved into static again and Evan felt his spine locking as he kept trying to get away from the arena "David?! Marcus?! Anyone?!" he shouted, but there was nothing, no response, no confirmation, just dead air.
Evan kept sprinting, ignoring the stitch forming in his side as he skidded around corners and his lungs were burning and his hands shaking so badly that he fumbled his radio trying to get it back into its place but the damn thing slipped and clattered to the ground.
"Oh God…" Evan whispered, slowing his run before shaking his head "forget it, forget it!" Evan told himself as a high-pitched SCREECH echoed through the hallway ahead and something moved.
Evan barely had time to react before a hatchling burst into the corridor in front of him, slamming into the ground with a wet, heavy thud that made him stumble back.
It blocked the entire path and its head snapped toward him instantly.
Eyes locking on.
A low, guttural hiss rolled out of its throat, jaws parting to reveal rows of needle-like teeth glistening with saliva.
"No… no, no, no…" Evan whispered as he backed away "Hey! HEY!" he shouted, voice rising in pure, desperate panic as he backed away, hands out like that would do anything. "Easy… easy, just… just stay right there…" Evan pleaded but the creature did not listen and just lunged fast as Evan's brain barely caught up before his body reacted and he threw himself sideways, slamming hard into the wall as the hatchling's jaws SNAPPED shut inches from where his head had been.
The sound was like a bear trap.
"NOPE!" Evan screamed, the word ripping out of him as pure instinct took over and he lashed out blindly, his boot connecting with the side of the creature's head with a sickening thud.
The hatchling recoiled just enough.
Just enough for Evan to scramble to his feet, nearly slipping and bolted the other way without even thinking.
Behind him, the creature shrieked, angry, hungry and the sound was immediately answered by more.
More screeches.
More movement.
They were everywhere.
"Oh God, oh God, oh God!" Evan muttered as alarms suddenly erupted overhead, blaring so loud they made his ears ring. Red emergency lights flooded the corridor, turning everything into a nightmare of flashing crimson.
And underneath it, a roar that was so deep and thunderous that it shook the very bones of the building
Evan didn't need to look back to know what it was, he knew it was the mother T-Rex no doubt reacting to the alarms and red flashing lights and Evan just ran faster hoping to get to the other exit in time.
He hit the stairwell door so hard it slammed open against the wall and just ran up the stairs. He took two steps at a time, then three, his legs screaming in protest as adrenaline pushed him past his limits. His breath came in ragged gasps, chest tight, vision blurring at the edges.
"Keep moving, just keep moving… don't stop, don't stop…" Evan said to himself as another shriek echoed below him.
Closer.
Climbing.
"They can climb, of course they can climb the stairs, why wouldn't they…" Evan muttered, ignoring the burning in his lungs and legs as he choked on a hysterical laugh that turned into a sob.
Halfway up the next flight, he was forced to stop and not by choice as there on the floor lay a crumpled form of a soldier or what was left of him and Evan's stomach dropped violently.
The man's rifle lay a few feet away, useless. His uniform was torn open, dark with blood. Too much blood. The kind that meant there was no helping him.
"No… no…" Evan staggered back a step, shaking his head like he could unsee it and then he heard it.
A wet tearing sound, just beyond the landing and Evan slowly, too slowly looked to the left of him and saw a group of hatchlings crouched in the shadows feeding on another poor soul and Evan felt his blood freeze as one of them lifted its head with blood dripping from it's jaws and eyes locking into Evan's.
Silence. There was only pure silence within Evan's ears before everything sounded again at the hatchling shrieking and every instinct in Evan's body detonated at once.
"RUN!" Evan screamed and he spun on his heel and bolted back down the stairs, panic surging into something primal and uncontrollable as the sound of claws scraping concrete exploded behind him.
He didn't look back.
He couldn't.
Because he knew, if he did, he would not survive and so Evan, not thinking or even planning, just kept running as his boots slammed against the concrete steps as he tore back down the stairwell, lungs burning, vision tunneling. The alarms screamed overhead, red light strobing violently, turning everything into flashes, which showed movement, shadows and blood.
Behind him, he could hear the claws scraping closer and closing in.
"They're right behind me, oh God, they're right behind me…" Evan heard bullets and glass shattering and then he missed a step and slipped on the edge of the staircase and went down hard.
His shoulder smashed into the railing, pain detonating through his body as he tumbled the last few steps, hitting the landing in a breathless heap.
The world spun and for half a second, he couldn't breathe.
"…get up…" Evan pleaded trying to get up as his hands trembled violently as he tried to push himself upright.
"Get up, GET UP!" Evan shouted and then paused as a shadow moved across the wall and Evan looked up.
One of the hatchlings appeared on the stairwell, its jaws opened and a thin strand of saliva stretched between rows of teeth.
Evan scrambled backward, dragging himself across the floor.
"No…no… stay back!" Evan yelled as another shriek echoed from the floor below as loud echoing crashes sounded through the empty corridors.
"Oh God… please…" Evan whispered as he felt cold metal and he moved his eyes to the side and saw that it was a pistol.
Hope flared, wild and desperate as he grabbed it, fumbling, nearly dropping it as he turned it toward the creature.
"Stay back! I swear to God I'll…!" Evan barely had time to finish talking as the hatchling lunged and Evan pulled the trigger.
CLICK.
Nothing.
His face drained of color realising that his one hope of defense was jammed.
"No… no, no, no!" Evan whispered and then the creature slammed into him.
They hit the ground together, the impact knocking the air from his lungs in a violent gasp. Evan screamed, shoving against its neck, trying to keep those snapping jaws away from his face.
"GET OFF ME! GET OFF!" Evan yelled as the hatchling' teeth snapped inches from his throat and he felt the hot breath and the rotten fish smell.
Evan's arms shook as his strength was already failing as the creature forced its weight down and then there was a flash of pain that tore through his shoulder so sharp it didn't feel real at first and then came the scream.
Then nothing, unaware that survivors escaped and got the army to bomb the building killing all the hatchlings within and the eggs included. Well one survived, unknown to anyone.
(Violence and death over)
Silver - Wow, first time ever writing this type of story and I gave myself a mix of the goosebumps and even fear writing it as the little Godzillas scared me as a child when I first saw the film. Please comment and let me know what you all think. Also you can blame my housemate for telling me that the night watchmen should die.
Loki - Yeah, Ghost is getting slapped when I get down whenever I can cause this even freaked me out, mainly the smells, did you have to go so detailed on that part I can smell rotten fish or that could be cause one of my cats is now wanting attention with stinky meowy breaths at me.
(Pictures)
Adult Godzilla (AKA T-Rex looking creature)
Hatchling Godzillas (These scared me as a child)