By and copyright Owen Quinn
The below extract is from The Time Warriors: The Wolves Of Chernobyl & Other Stories anthology. This story is the last one in the book and the 41st Time Warriors story. Entitled Lighthouse At The End Of The World. We learn about a previously unexplored part of The Time Warriors history. involving a lizard man alone in a lighthouse abandoned by man in 1991. What is the connection to the Louisiana swamp monster, a Russian black site for aliens and Varran?
The red rock strewn Martian landscape stretched before Varran. He was dressed in a red suit with a white shirt and matching tie. His suede shoes were also red. He was calm as he stared at the large body sized log structure before him. It stood chest high and the size of a coffin. In its centre was a a body sized wound of white sheets. Whatever was inside was bound almost like a mummy.
A three foot wooden unlit torch was fitted into a small wrought iron stand on Varran’s left.
He lit the logs in three separate places, ensuring the flame caught. It spat jerkily and seized upon the wood, spreading to consume the pyre in roaring bright fire.
“I’m sorry my friend,” he said quietly almost afraid that if the universe heard him, the unforgiving gods of judgement and retribution would descend and flay him instantly for his cowardice. Varran’s mask fell as the others disappeared. He stood sadly staring at the ashes. “I hope you understand. You won’t realise a thing. Cowardice finds empty solace in that.”
June 29th 1988 Scape Ore Swamp
The wounded creature flopped about unsteadily in the foul smelling water. Its confused mind had never smelt anything like this. It rolled in the slime, body aching all over. It recalled the creatures that had captured it had torn its flesh apart and brought great pain to tis head. Confused, it stumbled to its feet, colliding with trees as it tried to get away from the smell. It ripped the rotten bandages from its head and cried out seeking another of its kind.
Suddenly a creature with scaled skin and ridged back with a long tail snapped its elongated jaws round its leg. Roaring in pain it grabbed at the strange beast. There was pain and he had enough of pain to last a lifetime. He grabbed the jaws and forced them apart until he heard a satisfying snap.
Flinging the limp carcass a side, he lurched on coming to a clearing where the trees thinned. He blinked rapidly, blood seeping into his eyes. He saw a creature with no scales beside some sort of carriage. It looked similar to his captors. Fearing they had found him already he roared and advanced in order to prevent him calling out for the others.
But in its weakened condition, the lizard man could not move fast enough to prevent the being fleeing in its chariot. He watched red lights fade into the distance as he fell to one knee.
Suddenly he was somewhere else. It was soft and warm. Exhausted, Barick fell on to his side. A figure appeared from his peripheral vision and knelt beside him.
“My name is Varran. You are safe now so rest.”
The Time Warriors and Beyond 