by Darren Lewis
“I'm sorry.” He said, sensing correctly that Gabby was not going to speak until he'd offered an apology. “I wasn't sure if this area was safe so thought it proper to lock the door. We're still quite close to the village you ran from.” Feeling a bit ill-used, Gabby's eyes searched the man's face for any sign of mockery but on seeing only sincerity she acquiesced and offered a wan smile.
“Fair enough.” She admitted with a shrug. “Surely they must've moved on by now? I need to get back to my people.”
The young man lifted an arm indicating two stools near the cot Gabby had woken on and they both moved away from the door and sat down.
“I'm just being cautious.” The young man ran a hand through his hair to the nape of his neck which he massaged eliciting a small groan. “Long night on watch.” He commented with a wince. Gabby nodded absentmindedly as she thought about the horrors she'd witnessed the night before. There was something about that night and hearing the cries and shrieks from the terrified villagers that was playing on her mind and not just the awful violence. A hand gripped her knee and Gabby jumped slightly. “Come back. You were miles away!”
Gabby blew out a deep breath as the young man withdrew his hand. She frowned and gave him a penetrative stare.
“Did you ask me something?”
“Two things. Where do you need to get back to and what's your name?” The young man smiled warmly at her.
Gabby blushed slightly at his attention to her and her own inattention.
“Not too far away and my name is Cassandra.”
Oh my god! I lied! Why did I lie?
Even as Gabby asked herself she knew the answer. McCaffrey was extremely specific on what to say if during any of these excursions she should happen to meet people and she felt uncertain about her surroundings and that was to lie.
“That's a lovely name.” Gabby nodded and the blush that had commenced its journey to her face earlier came on full force as a result of her misinformation. She quickly ducked her head and affected a 'girly' demeanour, hoping the young man would consider her quite taken by his compliment.
I hate myself right now.
The young man leaned forward until he could meet Gabby's eyes.
“It's lovely to meet you. I'm Jack.”
* * *
Gabby trod carefully on the small, mossy stone steps leading out of the cellar and into an overgrown garden. Jack had returned to the surface for a look around after their conversation and declared the area safe enough to move about in. As she took in a breath of clean air she stared into the clouds above. A blanket of grey lay overhead and a stiff wind rustled bushes and trees, despite the strong breeze the roof of grey remained as if painted onto the sky.
What on earth am I missing here?
Whatever was bothering Gabby she could not focus or point her mind in the direction it needed to go. Jack turned and gave her a reassuring grin.
Is it him?
Puberty and their teenage years were tremendously difficult for each of the girls. The slew of hormones rushing around young bodies, the onset of periods and dozens of other matters that seemed vastly important to teenage girls was in the main denied to them. The three girls went through the physical changes to their bodies together but the emotional and psychological matters of growing up and changing were ignored by those around them without children of their own and who didn't know what to do with three highly charged individuals. Any women stationed at the reactor with the military had already left, leaving the three with no contemporaries to speak with. The only female left on site was a medic and according to Mary at least two hundred years old. Neither Gabby, Mary or Brooke relished the opportunity to speak of their adolescence with a group of male scientists. The result, as Gabby was appreciating now, was to be entering her twenties and experiencing complete confusion with a member of the opposite sex of similar age. Gabby cleared her throat and looked away from Jack.
“How far is the village? Maybe we should go back…see if we can help?” Jack nodded at Gabby's suggestion and turned away. Gabby shrugged and looked back to see that Jack had brought her to a half destroyed farmhouse. The walls closest to Gabby had survived the ravages of war and time until they reached the first floor then it looked as if a huge rock or boulder had smashed its way through the house, taking away the wall and a great portion of the roof with it. Gabby stepped backwards and she saw the charred remains of furniture hanging on what was left of the first floor. To the left of what remained of a wooden door she saw a blackened figure, small and shrivelled and Gabby felt her heart pound hard, instantly bringing a sheen of sweat to her face. Her eyes widened and mouth dropped open.
“It's okay.” Jack whispered behind her. “It's a doll, a toy of a baby.” Gabby released a huge pent up breath accompanied by a sigh of utter relief. Jack took her arm and guided her away from the farmhouse.
“I should get you home.” Jack squeezed her arm for emphasis. “You've seen how dangerous it is out here and I'm guessing you might be seeing it for the first time.” Gabby stopped walking and looked into Jack's eyes, noticing once again how they seemed to be flecked unusually with red.
“It's that obvious huh?” Jack simply nodded at her unneeded question. Gabby smiled at her own innocence and she wondered if she could trust this young man. He had helped her after all and saved her from the dragon searching for her. She looked around and saw, not too far away to her left, a small church and graveyard.
“Oh, is that where you found me?”
“Yes. You gave me one hell of a fright, Cassandra.” Jack replied.
“How long did that dragon hang around?” Gabby continued, moving away from Jack slowly towards the church.
“Twenty minutes I guess. You were sound asleep by then.” Gabby shook her head as she carried on walking, amazed that her body's response to a life and death situation apparently meant, fall asleep.
“Well if I haven't said it already.” Gabby raised her voice as she sensed Jack wasn't following her. “Thank you.” Jack didn't reply and Gabby pushed her way through the long, wet grass, veering away from the church slightly and heading for the graveyard.
Now why am I curious about where I fell asleep? Gabby wondered. Ever since coming up from the cellar her sense that something was amiss had increased but she simply could not fathom what. She took a quick look behind and saw Jack was still standing by the farmhouse, facing her way but not moving. The utter stillness in his form and expression gave Gabby a chill so she turned away and walked on.
What did I miss from last night? Apart from the gut wrenching horror and fear. Gabby grimaced and she was forced to endure a wave of nausea as she relived the violence she'd witnessed once again. Must try and get back to the village, maybe I can help and they can tell me what the hell is going on. Gabby stopped in her tracks close to the stone wall enclosing the graveyard. One word played repeatedly in her mind.
Village…village…
Why is that important?
Gabby's eyes unfocused as she stepped slowly forward.
Village. I ran from the village to here. That's where Jack found me…
Gabby's foot kicked a heavy object that made a metallic knock in the long grass and she growled in exasperation at the interruption. She looked down and froze. Partially concealed by the long grass was a body. She looked down further at what she had kicked and saw a slim, black tube. Gabby crouched down, sickened at her proximity to what seemed to be a dead body, and picked up the black tube. Glass fell from one end into the grass and Gabby turned it on its end to see a broken bulb.
So this is Jack's torch? Why is it broken? Gabby placed the torch down and stared unblinkingly at the still form on the ground. Whoever it was had landed face down. Gabby shuffled forwards, holding her breath and twisting her face in repulsion. She reached out and grabbed the shoulders of the body. The body groaned and Gabby yelped in fear and shock. She scooted backwards as a bloody and muddy face was turned her way.
“Christ! Did…did that dragon land on
us?”
Gabby started to shiver. The voice coming from the man on the ground was the one who'd startled her the night before.
No. No. The village…he knew I'd run from the village. Gabby would have never thought it possible but she physically felt her heart drop in her chest as her confusion cleared over what Jack had said to her.
There's no way he could have known…
Still squatting in the grass and listening to the man who'd actually tried to hide her last night Gabby turned slowly and looked back towards the farmhouse. Jack wasn't in sight anymore and whatever his reasons he must've known what Gabby would find over here.
He's playing with me. That sick bastard.
“Give me a hand up, lass. They might still be about and we're defenceless out here.” A terrifying roar from the farmhouse sent Gabby and her would be rescuer to their feet together. “Inside!” The man ordered grabbing Gabby's arm, pulling her along. The church and its promise of sanctuary from whatever had created the awful noise was a short distance away. Gabby allowed herself to be taken, the speed and wet grass causing her to stumble. Her anger fuelled her embarrassment and as she became flushed it served to repeat the cycle again, her indignation and outrage causing her jaw to clamp so hard it began to ache quickly. The man guiding her, the one who had truly tried to rescue and hide her the previous night glanced the way of the farmhouse. He drew a sharp breath inwards and tried to force Gabby to the ground. Fear, anger and the adrenaline rushing through her system caused an effect she knew about but had never experienced or given credence to, until now. Time seemed to slow as Gabby followed the man's gaze and though her head moved normally it seemed to take an age for her to execute such a simple task. Sound distorted and as she looked towards the farmhouse she heard the man's long drawn out cry of warning. A huge green beast was flying in the grey, sullen sky. It's wings pushing hard against the air to gain purchase. As the creature finished one stroke Gabby recognised the sound from the night before, it was the mainsail of the ship she'd imagined cruising across the night sky. The man continued to bellow but Gabby paid him no heed. Her eyes had found the dragon's rider mounted close to the shoulders of the great beast. It was Jack.
Gabby did not move. Jack riding on the back of his great, green dragon flew ever closer but still Gabby did not move. The man had given up on saving her as apparently she wanted to commit suicide by placing herself in front of a dragon. He ran for the church doors and out of sight. Gabby couldn't fathom why she felt so calm. Since the first few days of the war she had never faced such a direct danger as this. The green dragon was close enough now for Gabby to see its sickly yellow eyes. They were tracking back and forth from her and, she presumed, the man who'd tried to get her inside the church. As amazing as seeing a dragon this close and flying, the beauty of it was marred by its intent and the look of utter hatred upon its face. Gabby assumed the dragon had seen combat as she saw an extensive wound to the jawline, which had healed, in a fashion, malformed and horrific. Against the backdrop of grey, the green of the dragon gleamed as though the brilliance of its internal fire penetrated through the thick hide. Gabby shuddered and with sick realisation knew she wasn't calm at all, the extent of her terror at such a sight had riveted her to the spot. A cold part of her mind scoffed in disdain that she would stand pathetically in harm's way as terror didn't allow her to fight or flight and instead merely act like a small rodent playing dead when faced with a predator. The green dragon pushed against the air once more and Gabby felt an eternity pass as she watched the dragon slowly tilt its wings downwards, followed by its vast body. Jack came into view and even at such a distance Gabby sensed his eyes locked onto her and nothing else. With the passage of time seemingly the same for the natural elements of the world to erode a mountain Gabby took a step backwards, away from the church and its relative safety. The dragon began its descent and as it flexed its claws Gabby whimpered.
* * *
Whoever the man was standing in the church doors screaming, begging for Gabby to get inside, Gabby wished he would be quiet. As the green dragon swooped in lower to Gabby's position she heard voices from beyond the man shouting and she wanted him to shut up so she could hear them.
We're nearly there!
What the hell is he doing and what has he found?
I guess we'll find out soon.
For the first time since seeing the green dragon Gabby managed to look away, albeit briefly, to try and find who else was nearby. Except for the distant farmhouse, the church and graveyard Gabby could not see anything or anyone else. The voices were forgotten as the dragon screeched as it skimmed the roof of the church, it's eyes and claws locked onto its prey. Gabby's legs buckled forcing her to the grass as her fear reached a level she could not consciously deal with. Gabby's eyelids felt incredibly heavy and if handed a pillow she would've happily fallen asleep right there in an attempt to escape in any way possible. A single blink lasted an hour and Gabby swore she saw the movement of the Earth, spinning its way around the sun in the darkness behind her eyelids. A crackling sound erupted into Gabby's awareness and it reminded her of many a science fiction TV show where an explosion would always cause an electrical fault to erupt, creating havoc and lots of sparks. The man from the church bellowed incoherently and Gabby, with great effort, opened her eyes. The green dragon had stalled its descent and banked sharply to Gabby's right taking it on a long arc back to the farmhouse. Gabby tracked its movement and saw above the farmhouse a seething black hole set against the dull sky. Bright electrical blue energies danced and writhed around the circumference of the dark area, either reaching for the ground or unleashing their spent up charge in the air around them causing small pockets of thunder to echo across the landscape. The green dragon shrieked in defiance at this sight and set its flight straight towards it. Some of the fear left Gabby as she witnessed this and she pushed herself to her feet. Her legs still trembled but new strength was surging through her muscles, responding to the apparent diversion in the sky. As she continued to watch the green dragon close on this hole in the sky a hand clamped onto Gabby's shoulder and she was yanked again towards the church.
“Wait!” She protested. For whatever reason and despite the paralysing terror she had just experienced Gabby had a strange feeling that something dreadfully important was about to happen. Whatever it was it was now going to happen without her. The man was nearly twice her size and had no problem in half carrying, half dragging Gabby to safety.
Here we go!
The voice returned and still Gabby could not place the source. She must've have shouted out as the man turned to survey the land in front of the church.
“Trust me, there's no one else here. Only the two of us are stupid enough not to have left.” As he finished speaking they both entered the church. The man released his tight grip on Gabby's shoulder and stepped quickly to a large object half covered by an equally large tarpaulin. With one swift action, he pulled the tarp away revealing a black motorbike that Gabby guessed at being at least sixty years old.
Where is… never mind…down! Get over him!
I'll try.
That's it! Close your eyes!
An incredible sound erupted from outside. It was like the electrical energy Gabby heard from the black hole but this was different. It seemed to build and build to an almost excruciating whine before discharging with one great whoosh of noise.
Did you get them?
“Come on, girl! Get on!”
During the noise and the voices Gabby heard, the man had kick-started the motorbike to life and that now growled with its own fire. He gestured wildly at her to take the seat behind him. Gabby turned to the doors and considered disobeying and running outside to see what sounded like a titanic battle in the air. A roar of utter menace shook the roof of the decaying church sending a cascade of dust to the floor. Similar to the motorbike, it was the kick-start Gabby needed, she backed away and raced to the motorbike. The man nodded his approval and handed her a black helmet. Gabby pushe
d the helmet down onto her head and grabbed the man round the waist just as he released the clutch and the bike hurtled forward and through the church doors.
* * *
The motorbike seemed to snarl and growl as it was ridden along the bumpy and jolting paths of the area surrounding the church. Gabby had wrapped her arms around the man's waist as they set off as the acceleration nearly resulted in her being left behind in the church with a sore rear end. Over the noise of the motorbike and the restricted view of the helmet Gabby could see nothing of the events near the farmhouse. Clearly something had emerged from the black hole she'd seen form in the sky and whatever it was, was an enemy to Jack and his green dragon. Gabby was tempted to loosen her grip and take a look, mainly as her back felt awfully exposed, but every knock and jolt she felt through the bike's suspension persuaded Gabby otherwise. The bumpy ride across the countryside continued and just as Gabby started to calm the man in front of her turned slightly and shouted.
“We've got company!”
Gabby didn't turn but followed his pointing finger to the bike's wing mirror. In the distance she saw three dragons beating their wings furiously in an attempt to catch the bike and its riders.
Bastard has fled and called the cavalry.
I know. Let's track these three. They're chasing whoever was in that church.
Glad to.
As the voices disappeared from Gabby's mind she took note of the dragons chasing them. None were the green of the dragon Jack was riding. There was also something else even further afield in the grey sky, barely visible in the small, jumping mirror. Gabby only caught sight of it the one time but above the three dragons she swore she saw a fourth red one.
