By and copy right of Owen Quinn 2024 Shadow Queen concept art Stephen Mooney Book cover by Conaire McMullan
Tyran is thrown into another dimension when one of her experiments goes wrong. Her presences begins to destabilise the region. her only hope is a talking rabbit and fairy. The race is on to retrieve her equipment but The Shadow Queen has taken it and from all accounts has no intention of handing it back. This story is part of the Time Warriors anthology The Wolves of Chernobyl and Other Stories
“Once, we spoke to humans all the time before the wall came down. Now they look at those left behind like we are mere animals. I was firm friends with Farmer Langdon, Lanky Langdon to his friends. We used to discuss everything from philosophy to the best way to grow crops.”
“Used to?” Tyran prompted.
“He died; his lungs went black from the smoke. The animals went to his funeral with the humans. Little did we know, the tears shed that day from the beasts and the humans would mark the very last time we would speak.”
“I’ve heard of that from the First Nation people; that humans and animals once lived in harmony until man forgot how to talk to the animals.”
The rabbit nodded sadly.
“True. I miss Farmer Langdon so I am so glad of this chance to speak with you,” the rabbit said brightly smiling, its whiskers curling up like a thumbs up.
“Can you tell me where I am? I have lost some things of mine. My name is Tyran. Perhaps you have seen them mister…?” she prompted.
“Shandy Badandy at your service Miss Tyran!”
Tyran stood letting the reality, the mind-blowing reality of what was happening right now.
“A bunny rabbit is talking to me like I had just met an old friend in the street,” she muttered to herself slightly stunned.
“I’ll try not to take that personally,” the rabbit riled with mild insult. “It’s not every day we get to hear a human voice in this land.” He shook his little pointed head slowly. “The first wails of the Fair Child are not even a memory any more since tones like yours vibrated the air. I can hear the music of this world shake as it reacts in real shocked surprise to the addition of your voice.” Shandy shivered despite the warm day as cold icy fingers slithered down his spine. “It grates our senses so we need to get you out of here and back to your human realm as soon as possible.”
“I’m all for that Thumper,” Tyran agreed eagerly. “I had some equipment with me. I need to find it so I can get out of here.”
“Your box made from a strange metal with three legs like the Tyrenian stork?”
Tyran’s head snapped back at the rabbit.
“You know where my machine is?”
Shandy recoiled, shrivelling under the question.
“It was stolen by the Shadow Queen. Oh my, she left you there like a fallen leaf in autumn while she took your machine,” Shandy said. “What is a machine?”
The Time Warriors and Beyond 