Prophet of Destruction, Angel of Death

Ch. 1: Birth of the Beast

Summery: How did Anton Chigurh become the physical epitome of violence? What turned him into the beast we saw in NCFOM?

A/n: Based on the ideas that a family member gave me concerning Anton's amazing DIY surgery scene and the ultimate badass shooting style he uses throughout the film. I also give a bit of an 'origin-story' for the 'mop-top from Hell' haircut.

Cambodia, late 1960s or early 1970s

Combat Medic Anton Chigurh sighed as he finished stitching up a head wound on a Cambodian civilian. He knew that the innocent were the first ones to suffer in war and it made him sick to see it first hand. People would come to him, missing limbs and the like. Many died before he could fully help them. He watched children become orphans and parents become childless. One day, movies may make life in war seem glamorous, but it was a vicious lie he'd fight to his dying day. War was neither pleasant, nor charming. Hell was an understatement. There was no word in any language that could fully capture the horror present here.

"Go on," Anton said to the civilian. "Go to your family." The man nodded in gratitude and left. As he cleaned up the area around the medical quarters, he was confronted by Lt. Colonel Carson Wells.

"Hullo, Medic," Wells said in an emotionless voice.

"Colonel Wells," rebuked Chigurh in his deep, husky growl. "What can I do for you?"

"I need you and your medical team to accompany my men and I in finding survivors of a raided villiage. It's not far, about a twenty minute drive from here," Wells said.

"What's the damage?" Anton inquired. Wells sighed, handing Chigurh several freshly developed photographs.

"Our combat photographer, Ike Forte, managed to snap these postcard-worthy scenes before being shot down by sniper-fire," said Wells in blackest sarcasm.

"Forte was married, wasn't he?" Chigurh asked.

"Yep. Wife and two kids at home. Boy and a girl," said Wells.

Chigurh sighed as he began to pack up his supplies.

"In all honesty, Colonel, I don't know what good I'd be able to do," he said. Wells looked somewhat taken aback by Chigurh's words.

"Now is not the time to be doubting your abilities, Medic. Just do what you can," he said.

"I didn't say I was doubting my abilities," Anton replied. "Judging by the photos, I doubt there would be anyone left to save."

"We can't just leave our men to rot in the jungle," Wells said, thrusting a gun into Anton's hands. "Hopefully, some of them might still be alive."

"They won't be if we continue to stand around talking," Chigurh replied, climbing into a jeep.

"Good God, Forte's photos sugarcoated the hell here!" gasped Wells. Indeed, the villiage was burned to the ground and bodies were strewn like leaves in autumn. Chigurh looked around as he got out of the jeep.

"Search for survivors," he ordered the medical team. "Watch yourselves."

"I don't like this," said Wells quietly as he and Chigurh carefully picked around the area. "Something doesn't feel right."

"Men, women and children shot dead and tossed aside like pieces of meat, damn right something doesn't feel right," Anton said. He caught a small movement out of the corner of his eye. "Forte!" he gasped. "Forte's alive!" he said to Carson. The two ran over to where the fallen combat photographer lay.

Isaac "Ike" Forte flinched in pain as he vainly tried to call out for help. He'd been shot in the lung and his right leg was nearly gone.

"Please—" he whispered, gripping onto Anton's arm. "Have mercy—end it—end it now."

"I'm gonna help you the best I can, Ike, understand? Think about your wife and kids. They need you to come home alive," said Anton.

"Jillian—?" gasped Forte. "She would—understand—in time. Please, Anton—I'm beg—begging you!"

Anton sighed and sat up on one knee. Forte understood that he was a goner and was ready to face the end. He asked for mercy and Anton would give it to him, even if it would cost him his own soul. Until this moment, Anton Chigurh had never killed another human being. Chigurh braced himself and shot Forte at point-blank range, killing him instantly.

Wells nodded silently, understanding that it was a mercy killing. He turned at a strange whizzing sound. There was a spurt of blood and Anton was suddenly on his back, howling. Carson quickly moved to Chigurh's side. He'd been shot in the side of the neck. The bullet had taken the lower half of Anton's left ear and had severely nicked his artery.

"Shit!" Wells said. "Calm down, calm down. Hang on, Anton, it's going to be all right," he went on, clogging the artery with his fingers.

"Cuh—Carson—!" Anton sputtered. He let out another howl before everything went black.