By and copyright of Owen Quinn
Hunted by the Veldro vampire drones , Jacke and Mivhael make a horrifying discovery. The Time Warriors venom out now on Amazzon.
“I love the way the Irish swear,” he grinned which quickly faded. “Although you scare the crap out of me when you do to be honest. It’s like you’re possessed. We’ll keep to the alleyways as much a possible. Let’s go.”
They broke from the bushes heading in behind the nearest building, an amusement arcade, spotting a group of the infected milling down the street towards them. Their hearts raced as the fear that the hand units wouldn’t protect them from the creatures remained ever present in their minds. Because of the topography of the town, there seemed to be literally a rat run using the buildings. Illuminated by the electrical lights, they could avoid tripping over stuff. They kept checking that the hand unit was masking them from the infected’s senses but best not to tempt fate.
Jacke found it easier to navigate than Michael who made a mental note to do more exercise, a futile promise to himself he knew. They climbed on top of a large blue metal trash dumper and used the concrete wall to drop down to a small courtyard. A peeling green painted gate led out to the main road close to the hotel he and Rachel had booked into the night before. That seemed an age ago to him.
Jacke grabbed Michael, hissing at him to freeze. The road before them was filled with the infected, all as still as statues. Against the black background of the night sky, wisped with bright white flakes of cloud and the deep growl of the ocean hidden by the rise in the street, the infected, of which there were at least fifty, made for a frightening sight. Men, women and children of all shapes and sizes were just standing doing nothing.
“They must be the excess while the rest are patrolling,” Michael whispered.
“Hunting you mean for us,” Jacke retorted. Michael glanced up at the revolving pulse of the lighthouse and thought of Rachel. He looked to Jacke, squeezing her hand. She caught the expression in his face and nodded.
Hearts racing they moved along out into the open and froze for a second, gauging any reaction from the infected. Their black veined faces were lifeless as if they were in suspended animation. Jacke noticed one was looking right at them with those chilling black eyes but it was only the way they were standing and little more than coincidence. They skirted the edge of the group as quickly as possible careful not to make much noise.
Mindful of every footstep they moved onward, past the hotel, weaving their way through the infected as quickly as possible. Neither spoke for fear it alerted the infected to attack. Michael tried to keep his eyes on the monastery while Jacke kept looking for Tyran and Stephen. But even if they came across them there was nothing they could do yet. Varran had given them explicit instructions and the clock was ticking but then again, she mused, when was it not?
Suddenly from round a junction, came a squad of the infected, every sense pulling at the night to find their prey. Jacke and Michael froze at the sight. “Sweet Jesus!” breathed Jacke grabbing Michael’s arm. They were infants, toddlers, the eldest being no more than two. Stifling a horrified gasp, they could only watch as the kids scuttled round the corner. Their little faces seemed worse than the adults as the black eyes and veiny flesh seemed more pronounced because of their small frames. They made screeching noises as if they were mewling for their feed. Even the act of crawling had been perverted as the babies shot along on all fours like spiders on speed. Michael jumped back as one darted up the wall and up over the roof above a nearby building. The toddlers’ legs were jerking and arms flailing like they had barely learned to walk. Those little eyes that should be looking round the world drinking everything in were fiercely searching for the fugitive Xerebans. Tiny fangs protruded from each of their gums even if they had no other teeth. The distorted sound of the giggling children tore at them. Jacke almost threw up on the spot. They were stuck between both groups, indecision making them falter.
The Time Warriors and Beyond 