Derek
was running. Tommy, Pip, and Lorain were somewhere behind him. They
would have to fend for themselves. He was interested in saving only his
hide. If the terrors caught him, he’d be done for. He turned to the east
along the Hunterhill Corner, then ran head long into the Tell Fall
Downs.
The high mounds were twice the height of a hill giant, and as
wide as a giant’s out spread arms.
A kreekle lashed out at his calf as he passed by. Luckily, it wasn’t a red one, he thought as he put his head down and ran on. Far behind him, he heard the terrors break from the greenwood and bear down on him.
A kreekle lashed out at his calf as he passed by. Luckily, it wasn’t a red one, he thought as he put his head down and ran on. Far behind him, he heard the terrors break from the greenwood and bear down on him.
Rushing around a tomb he cut down a narrow passage of high stones.
Darkness enveloped him, and at the far end he could see the speck of
light that was the exit. The pungent scent of old soil and fungus rammed
up his nose as he pumped the life giving air in and out of his lungs.
The light was growing brighter, and brighter, until he popped out the
opening and onto the ancient Down’s road. The terrors came on, and Derek
extended his stride.
The hedges were just ahead. If he could make it, he could lose the villains in the green thickets and brambles. Another second and he’d be under the cover. A screech vibrated the hairs along his ears. A chill ran up his spine. The leader of the terrors was nearly upon him. He cut right, then left, then dove through jagged hole in the hedge. The terror smashed into the thick foliage and was repelled. It screeched, then began tearing its way through.
Derek cushioned the fall with his hands, guided himself into a forward roll, and came up in a dead run. Up along a yeti path he ran, over rocks, and across a fast moving brook. He turned down a path, and skidded to a halt. It was the Toomy Bluffs; boulders stacked one upon another forming a long wall north, and south. In the hedge rows the cry of the terrors echoed. Derek looked back; the dark bodies of the terrors were lurking through the bushes in search of him.
Falling to the ground he pulled up some moss and cut away at the bottom of it with his hand. Quickly he pulled up a section, like rolling back a carpet, slipped under it, and lay still, just as the terrors emerged.
“It came this way, I am sure of it,” the lead terror said.
“Command us oh lord of horror,” another said.
The sound of sniffing echoed above Derek. Foot falls landed just next to him.
“The flesh, the blood, I have desired it for a moon and a day. Now, for your incompetence it has escaped us!” chided the leader. Some whimpering could be heard, then a snarl, a squawk, and more whimpering.
Derek held his breath.
“It traveled down the other path,” the lead terror stated. “Come, we will hunt no more this one. There will be something else cometh for our delights. I feel it in my bones.”
Footsteps drifted away into the underbrush. Derek stayed still for a very long time. Finally, he rolled back the moss and peeked out. The area was empty, but the sun was vanishing. The night would soon be upon him, and in the silver-blue luminance of the moon, a whole new set of dangers.
The hedges were just ahead. If he could make it, he could lose the villains in the green thickets and brambles. Another second and he’d be under the cover. A screech vibrated the hairs along his ears. A chill ran up his spine. The leader of the terrors was nearly upon him. He cut right, then left, then dove through jagged hole in the hedge. The terror smashed into the thick foliage and was repelled. It screeched, then began tearing its way through.
Derek cushioned the fall with his hands, guided himself into a forward roll, and came up in a dead run. Up along a yeti path he ran, over rocks, and across a fast moving brook. He turned down a path, and skidded to a halt. It was the Toomy Bluffs; boulders stacked one upon another forming a long wall north, and south. In the hedge rows the cry of the terrors echoed. Derek looked back; the dark bodies of the terrors were lurking through the bushes in search of him.
Falling to the ground he pulled up some moss and cut away at the bottom of it with his hand. Quickly he pulled up a section, like rolling back a carpet, slipped under it, and lay still, just as the terrors emerged.
“It came this way, I am sure of it,” the lead terror said.
“Command us oh lord of horror,” another said.
The sound of sniffing echoed above Derek. Foot falls landed just next to him.
“The flesh, the blood, I have desired it for a moon and a day. Now, for your incompetence it has escaped us!” chided the leader. Some whimpering could be heard, then a snarl, a squawk, and more whimpering.
Derek held his breath.
“It traveled down the other path,” the lead terror stated. “Come, we will hunt no more this one. There will be something else cometh for our delights. I feel it in my bones.”
Footsteps drifted away into the underbrush. Derek stayed still for a very long time. Finally, he rolled back the moss and peeked out. The area was empty, but the sun was vanishing. The night would soon be upon him, and in the silver-blue luminance of the moon, a whole new set of dangers.
