The Balance Omnibus

by Alan Baxter

  He felt a horrible déjà vu, the branches really swinging for his head, roots really reaching for his ankles. He cried as he ran, unable to believe it. He looked back and saw the horrible creature, the Herald, running after him, jumping easily over the rough ground.

  Don’t have any mercy for the Herald...

  Tom ducked behind a large tree, spying a heavy branch, broken, lying in the leaf litter. He grabbed the limb and hid. The Herald came bounding through the forest and Tom stepped out, swinging the branch with all his might. It connected with a sickening crack, snapping in two. The Herald fell to the ground limp, sliding through the dry leaves. Dark blood leaked rapidly from a wide gash in its head, its eyes rolled back so only the whites showed.

  Tom stared for a second, wondering if he’d killed it. He felt sick.

  Remember, you have to find running water. It’s your only hope. If you can outrun the Hunt, escape them, they can never hunt you again. There are rules.

  Tom sobbed, his knees weak from fear. The hooves thundered ever nearer, the hounds barked with a bloodlust that chilled his marrow. He could hear shouting and cheering and knew they were close.

  An image of the River Taylee rose in his mind. Running water, the big river that marked the edge of town. It also marked the edge of the forest. Tom spun around on the spot, trying to get his bearings. He had no idea where he was, where he’d run from or to. He forced himself to calm down, to think. The river ran along the eastern edge of the forest. He remembered the rudimentary survival skills he’d learned in the Boy Scouts. The moon rises in the east. Moss only grows on the north side of trees. He looked up to see a pale watery moon through the gaps in the branches. He grinned. He searched the nearby trees, double checking. Moss on one side, that was north. The moon was rising to the right, so that was east. If the river ran along the eastern border of the forest, that was the way he needed to go.

  The Herald still lay in the leaf litter, but writhed, moaning softly. Tom turned and ran. The hooves and the barking and the shouting got ever closer, his ears filled with the sound. His chest felt tight as he gasped for breath, his feet pounding the forest floor.

  He saw movement from the corner of his eye and glanced back. A mass descended on the place he had just been, where the Herald lay. He could see dark horses, stamping and snorting, people waving standards and whips, dogs straining at leashes. He doubled his pace, desperately hoping his orienteering skills were right.

  The hunting horn sounded again. Tom glanced back and through the trees he saw the hounds slipped loose from their leashes. The horses turned and followed as the hounds leaped forward, heading right after him. With a whimper of fear Tom ran on.

  He heard laughter along with the shouting and barking, all of it muffled by the pounding hooves. He ran and ran, refusing to look back. He could sense the dogs almost on him, heard their slavering breath and thought he could feel hot air from the snorting horses. The horn rang out, strident and terrifying in the night.

  Through the trees Tom saw something beautiful. Moonlight shimmered on water, the River Taylee running by. He didn’t break his stride but powered on and leapt clear off the bank, landing with a gasp in the icy water. He ducked his head and swam, arm over arm until he crawled up on the opposite bank and rolled over onto his back.

  The Wild Hunt burst out of the trees and came up short against the river bank. Horses and dogs leapt and stamped in annoyance, turning this way and that. All manner of strange looking folk rode the horses, people with grass for hair, people made entirely of twigs, animal faces on human bodies, but mostly those tall, angular, woody-looking creatures like the Herald. So many of them.

  The mass parted as Tom lay staring and shivering, as much from terror as the cold water that made his clothes heavy and his skin tight. A huge man, wearing a headdress of mighty antlers, walked his horse to the front of the throng. He pulled his horse to a stop and let go of the reins. He gave a gentle clap, inclining his head toward Tom. He looked slightly annoyed, but also amused. With a nod, he turned his horse back into the forest and brought a horn to his lips. With an ear-shattering blast his horse reared up and dove back among the trees. The rest of the Hunt followed and Tom was left alone, cold and wet in the night.

  Isiah crouched in shadow further down the riverbank. He smiled. That had been close, but it appeared young Tom had found the knowledge and courage he’d needed. There was hope for this young man yet. Just as well, given the life he would go on to lead. Isiah decided to follow and make sure Tom got home safely from tonight’s ordeal. He looked forward to seeing how this brave young fellow would turn out and just how well he might finally meet his destiny in the face of a god.

  END

  Stand-Off

  An Isiah Short Story

  By Alan Baxter

  Gary wondered which one would kill him first. His terror threatened to knock him out, his mind about to shut down. His body felt like it was nothing but a skin bag half full of cold water. His bladder had already let go. He knew his face was white from the cool sheen of sweat that covered him and the chill that filled him.

  He sat on the filthy street, knees trembling together, feet splayed out at bizarre angles, hands somehow supporting him behind. Just as he had fallen. He could feel the cold tarmac under his palms and buttocks, dampness seeping into the seat of his jeans, but that was probably cooling urine. Tiny particles of gravel pressed under the pads of his fingers. He was aware of all these things, but in a way that was detached, like they were somebody else’s experiences. His whole body trembled with the vibration of abject terror and he stared wide-eyed from one figure to the other as they stood either side of him and he wondered again which one would kill him first.

  One of the figures let out a deep, rumbling chuckle. ‘A Mexican stand-off?’

  The other figure smiled broadly, his long white teeth catching any available light. ‘It would seem so.’

  They stood facing each other over Gary’s supine form, staring into each other’s eyes with what looked like a wary respect. Gary knew it would be pointless to run, assuming he could move. They might not be looking at him but he knew they would move like lightning if he so much as twitched. The one with the teeth had appeared first. The vampire. Can I really be looking at a vampire? It had appeared like smoke from the shadows right in front of him, teeth gleaming in the dark. Gary had leapt back in shock and rebounded awkwardly off someone coming the other way, falling backwards between them.

  And what the hell was the other one? The vampire was easy to spot, if hard to believe, but this other one was different. He had a similar build, tall and strong looking, but his face was like granite, carved and rugged. He had regular looking teeth and his skin seemed tanned. Not a look consistent with vampires. In fact, he looked entirely human but exuded an aura of immense power. There seemed to be a pale blue shimmer of light around his hands. As Gary’s fear-addled mind began to make these observations the vampire circled slightly to the left. The other followed suit, circling with the vampire, the two of them keeping their eyes locked and Gary, seemingly ignored, between them.

  The tanned one let out another small laugh. ‘You seem tense.’

  ‘With reason, I think. I’ve heard of you.’

  ‘Really? I’m touched.’

  The vampire smiled again. ‘Hmm. You wouldn’t normally spare a moment before destroying one of my kind, would you?’

  The other shrugged slightly. ‘Don’t flatter yourself.’

  The vampire circled again to the left, the other following the movement as before. Gary’s trembling increased as the vampire disappeared from his field of view, moving behind him. His spine tingled at the thought of it no more than a few inches from his exposed back. The other one came slowly around to stand directly in front, looking over him as though he didn’t exist.

  The vampire’s voice from behind. ‘I just want his blood. You’re welcome to whatever is left.’

  The tanned one shook his head. ‘I need him alive.’

&nbs
p; ‘I could drain him but not kill him.’

  ‘But he wouldn’t be alive.’

  Gary watched the tanned one’s face. His eyes were deep and black, seemingly bottomless. He had shoulder length shaggy black hair and wore a scuffed and tattered leather jacket. His jeans were worn in places, tight across muscled thighs, and he wore strong, scuffed leather boots. He moved again, circling around Gary a little more, presumably responding to the vampire’s movements. The vampire appeared again in Gary’s field of vision, his black jeans seemingly new, a black shirt under a heavy coat.

  ‘So it’s his soul you want?’ the vampire asked.

  Gary’s stomach seemed to flip over, his throat tightening. My blood or my soul?

  ‘What makes you think that?’

  The vampire raised one eyebrow. ‘Isn’t that what you do?’

  ‘Is that really what people around here say of me?’

  ‘In truth, most people around here don’t believe you exist. But I know of you.’

  ‘And how do you know of me?’

  ‘Let’s say we have a mutual acquaintance. He speaks quite highly of you. And, as far as I know, there aren’t many vampires that you wouldn’t kill.’

  ‘Really? Interesting.’

  The vampire laughed. ‘Is it not true that you kill every vampire you come across? Every vampire, every lycanthrope, every witch, wizard and mage? Any creature that doesn’t fit your ideal for the on-going protection of the human race?’

  The other smiled. ‘You say human like a swear word, like it tastes bad on your tongue. Yet you would not survive without them.’

  ‘If the cows run out then the humans will eat the sheep. If it came to it then we could do the same. But there are more than enough humans to go around. They have a habit of breeding. So, am I wrong about you?’

  ‘My agenda runs deeper than you understand. But get in my way and I won’t hesitate to destroy you.’

  The vampire circled again. Gary’s hands were beginning to go numb from the coldness of the road and the pressure of holding himself up. His eyes were wide, flicking between the two figures. His hair swam like it was in a static field, the air between these two charged like before a storm. There was a coppery scent to the air. The large man seemed to crackle with raw energy, electric and primal. The vampire kept alert, slightly crouched, moving like a cat.

  He paused in front of Gary, the other one directly behind him now. ‘I could just rip his life from him. Are you quick enough to stop me tearing his throat out?’

  ‘Are you quick enough to get away with it?’

  The air seemed to vibrate over Gary, the tension palpable between the two.

  ‘Convinced you could beat me in a fight, are you?’ the vampire asked.

  That low, rumbling laugh again. ‘There’s absolutely no question about it.’

  The vampire’s smile trembled just slightly. Gary’s skin crawled at the thought of the one behind him. What can scare a vampire? It felt like he was watching a late night horror movie, only he had the mother of all front row seats. He began to wish he had someone to pray to.

  ‘Vincenzo says that you are the most powerful creature he has ever met,’ the vampire said slowly.

  Silence behind Gary.

  ‘Vincenzo also says that any vampire who tried to bring you down would die in seconds.’

  More silence. The static tension grew.

  The vampire broadened his smile once more, slightly more confident. ‘But Vincenzo also says that you and he are allies. Vincenzo and I are... shall we say, business partners?’

  ‘So you don’t want to fight me?’ The big man sounded a little disappointed.

  ‘I’d rather not. At least, not now.’

  ‘Very sensible, I suppose. Well, I wouldn’t say that we’re allies, but we don’t have to be enemies. Leave quietly and the fact that you exist ceases to bother me.’

  The vampire dipped his head in a slight bow. Slowly he stepped back, away from Gary’s feet. He took a second small step, then a third. He slowly straightened up, his guard becoming more relaxed. With another nod he vanished. Quite literally disappeared. One moment Gary was staring at his handsome, pale face, then he was gone leaving nothing but a slight gust of air.

  Gary sat staring into the space where the vampire had been, his trembling still making his teeth chatter gently. Slowly, he sat forward, taking the pressure off his numb palms, and brought his hands around to his lap. He began gently massaging each hand with the other. As he sat forward he felt the dull ache of a deep bruise near his tailbone.

  There was a soft grinding of boots on tarmac as the big man with the black hair walked slowly around in front of Gary. He was looking up, watching the roof of a building across the road. Gary followed his gaze and saw a silhouette on the corner of the roof, like a gargoyle in a long coat that blew in the wind. Then it was gone. The big man crouched down in front of Gary and held out his hand. ‘Isiah,’ he said.

  Gary looked at the big hand, then back up at those bottomless black eyes. ‘What?’

  ‘My name. Isiah.’

  Gary’s eyes widened. ‘Oh, right. Sorry. Gary Blackwell.’ He shook Isiah’s hand and tried not to jump at the weight of it, like a warm rock, heavy, smooth and hard. ‘You, er... You just saved me from a vampire, right?’

  Isiah smiled. ‘Yeah. You seem to be handling it pretty well.’

  ‘Well, I’m doing okay, I guess, considering. I just can’t help but wonder what the hell you must be to scare off a vampire!’

  Isiah’s smile broadened and he nodded. ‘Fair point. Let’s just say that I’m a good guy.’

  ‘Are you?’

  ‘Yeah. Kinda. Come on, let’s get you up and changed.’

  Gary looked down at his wet jeans and felt his cheeks colour. ‘Yeah, not a bad idea. Sorry about that. I’m pretty embarrassed here.’

  Isiah shrugged. ‘Don’t sweat it. I’ve seen much worse reactions than that in my time.’

  They didn’t talk as Gary led them back to his apartment. There were a thousand things that he wanted to say, questions he wanted to ask, but it was easier to say nothing at all. It would be easiest to simply pretend all this had not happened, but his cold, wet jeans and this scary stranger beside him wouldn’t allow that.

  Gary’s apartment was one-roomed and small. A fold up bed, left out and unmade, a small cooker in one corner, piles of clothes all over the floor. A small TV stood on a chest of drawers in one corner, it’s aerial twisted like a pretzel, with a small radio cassette player next to it and a DVD player underneath.

  Isiah casually wandered the length of the room and back, checking out the books on the floor. There was no order to them, but there was a general theme; Chaos Mechanics, Quantum Theory, Space/Time. Gary was definitely fascinated by the mysteries of the physical universe. His books pointed him out to be a devout scientist, at least in a theoretical sense. There were some novels among the other books, a selection of science fiction titles from Carl Sagan’s Contact to Star Trek and Babylon 5.

  At that moment the door opened and Gary came in from the bathroom he shared with the other people on this floor. He had one towel around his waist and was using another to dry his curly brown hair. ‘That’s better.’

  Isiah nodded. ‘You’d better get dressed again quickly. We have to go.’

  Gary looked up through his towel. ‘Okay. While I was showering I had a think about what’s been happening. I half expected to come back in here and find you gone and it would all turn out to be a particularly lucid dream. I fervently hoped so, in fact. However, as that hasn’t happened, I need some answers.’

  ‘Fair enough.’ Isiah sat on the bed, then quickly stood up again. He moved the rumpled duvet aside and pulled out a laptop, it cables running under the covers and off the end of the bed.

  Gary reached out and took it. ‘Sorry. Not much room in here, but it’s cheap.’

  Isiah smiled. ‘Sure. Prices in the city are terrible. So, what do you want answers to? I might not be able to gi
ve you all of them.’

  Gary pulled on a fresh pair of jeans and started rummaging through one of his clothes piles. ‘Well, for one, why the hell did you and a goddamned vampire have that little game of tug o’war with me?’ He pulled a t-shirt from the pile and dragged it on over his head.

  Isiah leant back on his hands. ‘You were attacked by a vampire because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. What were you doing wandering around there on your own anyway? You know that part of town is dangerous, don’t you?’

  Gary shrugged. ‘Sure, but I never worried too much before. I can handle myself. I mean, it’s not that late, you know. And how the hell was I supposed to anticipate a vampire?’

  ‘Well, now you know. If it’s after dark then anticipate vampires. Especially in crappy areas like that in this particular city. In fact, it wouldn’t hurt to anticipate anything at all. You never know what’s lurking in the dark.’

  ‘Is that right? Now I know. I’m still not sure I believe it, but I know.’ Gary sat on the floor and pulled on a pair of socks, then his shoes. As he reached for a pullover he said, ‘So you were just passing by?’

  ‘No. Mind if I smoke?’ Gary shook his head so Isiah pulled out his tobacco pouch, began to roll himself a cigarette.

  ‘So why...? What do you...?’ Gary’s eyebrows raised, his expression a little lost.

  Isiah licked the edge of the paper and stuck it down. He put the cigarette in his mouth and took a long drag before blowing smoke out in a thin blueish cloud. Gary stared, dumbfounded. He didn’t light it!

  ‘You were going to die tonight,’ Isiah said. ‘Until he appeared I wasn’t sure how, but you were due to clock out. I wanted to prevent that.’ He shrugged.

  Gary stared at him. ‘How did you know I was going to die? And why did you want to prevent it? Not that I’m ungrateful, you understand.’