by Tim Lebbon
“Our first day here,” Gunpei says at last.
“When we first saw Kong,” Marlow says.
“No. My most frightening moment was the one just before he appeared, when I almost murdered my best friend.”
* * *
Marlow remembered his surprise at Gunpei’s comment. It wasn’t like Gunpei to be so personal, or so vulnerable. Up until now, it was the nicest thing anyone had ever said to him.
He opened the cab door at last and walked along the Chicago street. It was autumn, and leaves whispered along with him on the gentle breeze. He liked the idea of having seasons again.
They were expecting him, but that didn’t make this any easier. His wife could have moved on for all he knew, and his son also had a son of his own. He’d flown out of their lives, and now he was stepping back in. No one could guess how things might change.
Come on, Marlow, he thought. You’ve fought monsters. This should be easy.
He reached the door, but before he could knock it opened. A young man stood there. He was tall and strong and proud, and Marlow felt his vision beginning to blur.
The young man reached out and took his hand, and said the nicest thing. “Dad.”
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
TIM LEBBON is a New York Times-bestselling writer from South Wales. He’s had more than thirty novels published to date, as well as hundreds of novellas and short stories. His latest novel is the thriller The Family Man, and other recent releases include The Hunt, The Silence, Coldbrook, Alien: Out of the Shadows, and The Rage War trilogy.
He has won four British Fantasy Awards, a Bram Stoker Award, and a Scribe Award, and has been a finalist for World Fantasy, International Horror Guild, and Shirley Jackson awards. Future releases include the Relics trilogy from Titan Books, and fantasy novel Blood of the Four (with Christopher Golden).
A movie of his story Pay the Ghost, starring Nicolas Cage, was released in 2015, and several other projects are in development for television and the big screen.
Find out more about Tim at his website www.timlebbon.net
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