Sisters of Ruin (Lucent Book 1)

by Darren Lewis

  “Hold on!” Came another muffled shout from in front and the bike bumped and jumped even harder as they left the dirt track for a fallow field covered in rough ploughs and troughs of mud. Gabby increased her grip thinking the man was an absolute lunatic. She peered over his shoulder and could see he was heading for the tree line of the woods nearby.

  * * *

  As close as the trees appeared to be, as fast as the motorbike seemed to be going Gabby could not help but cringe and cower with her back fully exposed to the pursuing dragons. In every second that passed Gabby imagined a huge talon impaling her back and lifting her clear of her would be rescuer. She tried to locate the dragons again using the bike's wing mirror but the field they were in caused the bike and mirror to jump around to the extent that all Gabby was able to do was hold grimly on, until the man riding the bike screamed with such volume she heard him over the roar of the engine. Gabby loosened her grip and looked over his shoulder. They were at best twenty metres from the boundary of trees so Gabby fought her fear and brought her arms to her front, allowing her to still hold onto the man's clothes. She turned and immediately saw why the man was screaming. One of the three or four dragons chasing them was less than the distance to the trees directly behind them. A vast, scaly grey head and emerald green eyes were focused on Gabby's back and she screamed incoherently in accompaniment with the man.

  “He's going to ram us! Jesus! Hold on!”

  Gabby could not take her eyes off the approaching dragon. It was not even beating its wings. Petrified, Gabby could still not see how the dragon had reached them and she could not fathom why on earth it would now ram them into the trees!

  Shit! That grey one is going to ram them!

  Gabby cursed at the stupid voice invading her head making such an obvious comment.

  I bloody know! She shouted back. Now shut up!

  What the…?

  The rest of the sentence from her inner companion was washed out as the bike entered the canopy of trees amidst the crackle and snap of low branches. Further escape became impossible as the dragon caught the rear of the motorbike with its nose and then continued to plough into the trees, crashing into large branches, sending leaves and wood flying and knocking down the smaller trees close to the treeline. Gabby was pitched forward over the man in front of her as the bike tipped forward onto the front wheel and she flew over the bike itself.

  Sound disappeared except for a high pitched whine. Almost prosaically she noted that her flight through the air was slow and at the same time a blur. She somersaulted and saw the blur of green and brown on the ground melding together into fuzzy patches. Her roll carried on and she saw two black smudges crashing and rolling across the smudge of the ground. They came to a stop much quicker than she only to be replaced by the grey blur of the dragon smashing its way to her. The dragon vanished from sight and the blurry green colour of trees returned with small areas of grey where Gabby could see the sky. The high pitched whine went on and as another somersault commenced Gabby closed her eyes feeling a strange vibration in her throat and an ache in her jaw. It was then she realised that the whine was in fact her screaming.

  By no small amount of luck Gabby's arc through the woods crashed her into small branches causing cuts and scrapes on her hands. Some cut through her clothing and raked her ribs and thighs but none seriously. As she landed her body had turned enough sideways allowing her to land on her left shoulder. The impact was horrific, jolting her neck and smashing her head into the ground, denting the helmet she wore severely. A crack sounded and her shoulder shifted with an intense white fire of pain punching into her body. Gabby continued to roll and with every touch of her left shoulder she screamed in absolute agony. Hitting a rotten tree stump stopped her roll and Gabby sucked in deep breath after deep breath, each one accompanied by a sob. She cradled her left arm and cried until a roar from a good distance away dried up her tears instantly.

  “If you can hear me, run! Get the hell out of here!”

  It was the man's voice, the one who had saved her. Gabby heard the pain and fear in his tone and she shook her head as she desperately looked for a weapon of some kind to help him.

  “Find The Grey! Tell them Andas was here! Now go!”

  A roar cut off the last syllable the man spoke and then she heard him scream again, only once, only briefly, then silence.

  “Move. Move. Move.” Gabby let go of her left arm sending a streak of fire into her shoulder and pushed herself up slowly. With her right hand she levered the battered helmet from her head, wincing as new pains from her neck caught her breath. In the grey dreariness below the umbrella of trees she saw movement from the way she had come. She took one more second and then turned and limped painfully into the woods.

  Gabby wasn't sure how far she had walked through the woods as night fell or for that matter how long she had been walking. The last couple of hours, or perhaps minutes, Gabby had spent humming a low tune in rhythm with her steps. It also served to keep her mind from replaying the day's events again and again. It worked with limited success. The monotony of walking was only broken when she was forced to find an easier path or she found a root or stubborn branch with a foot or arm and it sent lances of pain into her shoulder and neck causing her to bite her lip hard enough to draw blood and tears. Gabby saw the grey dragon's eyes locating hers and she imagined the gruesome creature smiling, revealing yellow stained daggers of teeth, dripping with blood and torn flesh. Gabby's left foot caught a root and she cursed through clenched teeth as her shoulder throbbed with pain. She lifted her top away from her skin and saw the joint was red and swollen, she laughed harshly without any humour as she realised the vision of the dragon had at least been driven away by the pain. Gabby looked about in mild shock at how dark it had become while she'd daydreamed or in her case, nightmared. The noises of the wood seemed to increase with volume now she was paying attention and despite the fact she didn't know where she was, where the dragons were or what animals might be in the woods casting their eyes on her at this very instant, Gabby found that she was too exhausted to worry. She leaned back against the nearest tree and slid onto her bottom feeling the cold soil seep in next to her skin. Gabby grimaced at the cold and drew up her legs to support her injured arm. Looking into the darkness she began to make out the black lines of trees, branches and bushes, every now and then an animal would scurry in the distance, never coming close enough for Gabby to identify. As her eyelids grew heavy she smiled at the body's determination to snatch some rest regardless of the day's terror filled pursuits. An owl glided soundlessly to the tree Gabby had chosen for the night and perched to find it's night-time meal. It hooted into the darkness and though many creatures heard the sound of the winged predator Gabby was not one of them and she slept soundly.

  “Gabby! Christ I can't believe it! I found you!” Gabby opened her eyes and was dimly aware of two people crouched down by her. She was cold and her entire body ached, all Gabby wanted to do was sleep.

  “A member of The Grey came to us and guided us here. They said you were in trouble.” Gabby heard a small sob and she tried to focus on what was happening. She blinked several times and eventually saw her two friends, Mary and Brooke, fussing over getting warm clothes for Gabby from their packs and then arguing in hushed whispers over the location of the food. Gabby couldn't help herself and laughed weakly at the bickering partners.

  “I love you, guys.”

  * * *

  Gabby, Mary and Brooke didn't return home to the station immediately. After tending to Gabby's wounds, involving a sling, pain medication and a significant amount of stinging antiseptic, the girls ate travel rations while Gabby told of her adventures of the past few days. When her tale was finished a heavy atmosphere permeated the trees and air, surrounding the three, seeming to shroud them from the pleasant weather on view a short distance away where the tree line ended.

  None of the girls wished to speak. Each was aware of the terrible war that was waged when they became trapped at
the station, but this was one of their first ventures into the outside world since the beginning. In truth each of the girls harboured secret hopes that when they travelled away from the station they would find everything as they'd left it to the point they would go home and find their loved ones waiting impatiently for them. To have wild dreams and outrageous hopes dashed was a hammer blow.

  The sound of muffled footsteps brought them back to the world.

  “Who's there?” Gabby despite her injury rose swiftly to her feet only to have Mary step in front of her friend.

  “Sorry, my fault. I said a guide from the Grey came to the station? Well he led us here. I asked him to wait while we sorted you out.” Mary turned and called into the trees. “Come on in.” Mary gave Gabby a comforting squeeze on her undamaged shoulder. A young man came into view striding confidently through the narrow animal paths of the woods. His clothing was all one colour, brown, which Gabby thought wasn't the most logical form of dress for a member of the Grey. The jacket, trousers and even the boots were brushed to a matte finish so there was no hint of glare from the sun's rays piercing the canopy of leaves. His hair was cut short and seemed black when he stepped from the light into the shadows and a dark shade of blue when the light caught it. Gabby frowned as he stepped closer, not that she recognised him, but she sensed something familiar in the man's overall bearing. As Gabby formed a question to ask her friends what they knew about this apparent Good Samaritan a grey rabbit darted in front of the man causing him to curse and roll his eyes. The rabbit hopped cautiously towards Gabby and then sat back on its hind legs, casting what she thought was a critical eye over her. The man entered the space the girls were resting in but Gabby could not take her eyes from the rabbit. She slowly raised her uninjured arm and pointed at the strange creature.

  “You can see this right? I mean you gave me proper painkillers?”

  Brooke smiled and placed a hand over her mouth to hide her amusement, much to Gabby's irritation. Mary laughed nervously and then cleared her throat.

  “Um, yes. You thought dragons were a bit too much fantasy. Why don't I introduce you that might be easier?” Mary held a hand out. “This is Fern.” Gabby gave the man a welcoming nod.

  “Pleased to meet you. I've heard I have you to thank for my friends finding me?” The man grinned slyly and Gabby sensed irritation flush her face. “What?” She asked Mary, trying to flap her arms in exasperation, wincing as her shoulder made her moan in pain. She closed her eyes and clasped her arm adding support to lessen the pain.

  “We should get you home and have that shoulder looked at by a healer.” The man named Fern suggested, Gabby nodded and sat slowly. She laid her head back against a tree. A strange thought crossed her mind. She hadn't heard the man move but the voice was from in front of her, in fact close to her feet. Another thought cocked her eyebrow upwards, the word healer was an odd terminology to use rather than doctor or medic.

  “Mary?” Gabby kept her voice low and soft. “Is the man still standing to my far left?”

  “Yes, Gabby.” Was the simple answer and it allowed Gabby to draw a conclusion that proved to her she was suffering a concussion or worse.

  “Was it the rabbit talking to me?” Gabby heard gentle snorts of laughter from her two friends.

  “Yes, Gabby.” It wasn't Mary who answered this time and Gabby opened one eye to stare. The rabbit was still standing directly in front of her, only now it was leaning on a stick or staff. It nodded in greeting. “Hello.” Fern said. Gabby placed her hand over her face and shook her head.

  “No, oh come on. I mean seriously….”

  * * *

  An hour had passed in surreal fashion for Gabby. Her friends seemed quite comfortable that a talking rabbit, and not just any talking rabbit, but a rabbit imbued with magic, was in their midst speaking of what plans to make next. The young man from the Grey kept quiet for the majority of the time, not even introducing himself, allowing the rabbit to speak and only interjected when Fern asked questions of him regarding travelling that Gabby did not understand.

  Twilight approached within that hour and the man went about the business of setting up camp for the night. The bundles Mary and Brooke had with them contained bedrolls and more hard wearing food as no fires were to be allowed lest they be spotted from the air.

  “We're still in what can best be described as enemy territory,” the rabbit explained, “though that could account for nearly all the land of this world.” He finished, a dark look appearing in his face, surprising Gabby that such a creature could be so expressive. Gabby was still convinced she'd suffered some form of head trauma. For the time being however, until they made their way back to the station, she ate her food, drank her water ration with a heavy dose of painkillers, relieved herself and settled down for the night on a bed of leaves put together by the man from the Grey. It wasn't cold beneath the trees but neither was it warm. Mary and Brooke placed their own bedrolls either side of Gabby's and lay close to keep their injured friend warm.

  “So glad we found you, Gabby.” Mary whispered and they both sniggered at Brooke's acknowledging snore.

  “That girl was always able to sleep anywhere, though to be fair she used to take a lot of drugs.” Gabby commented in a mock serious voice.

  “I know you think I'm asleep but I can still hear you.” Brooke slurred in a sleepy tone. Gabby and Mary chuckled in the darkness.

  * * *

  Compared to her two friends, Gabby was the most pragmatic, most practical of the three. Her use of common sense, logic and intelligence was considered a boon by the staff of the station, teenage mood swings notwithstanding, but as she approached the buildings she had called home for the past ten years Gabby experienced a warm rush in her chest coupled with the darkness she felt encroaching on her mental wellbeing brightening slightly.

  The journey home proved boring, thankfully, though painful. Gabby's shoulder had improved and the swelling reduced but she feared some permanent damage had been caused. Their guide from the Grey remained mostly silent on the return, when he did speak to tell them to wait it was done so in hushed tones. Their other visitor, Fern, had left the morning after finding Gabby in the woods. She could not reconcile the strange animal into her view of the world even though Mary and Brooke quite sensibly explained it was a world that contained dragons. Gabby conceded she would try and bring some of her sense and logic to the situation but secretly promised herself to ask Doctor Eames to check for any head wounds.

  McCaffrey was the officer manning the gate when they arrived and any pretence at maintaining a proper watch at all times disappeared the moment he saw the three friends. He fumbled clumsily and noisily with the chains of the gate, cursing all the while, and when they finally rattled to the ground he wrenched the gate open and sprinted to meet his three charges. His eyes went back and forth all three, checking them out physically for any injuries. When his gaze met Gabby's shoulder she saw the widening of his eyes and the blood run from his face. She smiled bravely for him as he neared and held out her good arm for a gentle embrace.

  “I'm okay I promise.” McCaffrey wrapped his arms around her head and pulled her onto his chest. He kissed the top of her head.

  “Christ, Gabby.” And she felt his lips moving in her hair. “I'm sorry. If I had any idea I never would've let you out here, especially alone.” Gabby placed a hand on his chest and pushed her old friend back a short distance.

  “What's done is done. We have some idea of what's happening in the world now and,” Gabby turned to indicate the man from the Grey, “we've hopefully found allies.” McCaffrey gave Gabby one more quick squeeze and released her to check on Mary and Brooke.

  “We're fine.” They both chimed in together, stepping a pace back. “I don't want a hug.” Brooke complained. McCaffrey gave them a shake of his head and caught the two of them in a strong embrace, eliciting muffled squeals and complaints. Gabby looked at the man waiting patiently a few metres away.

  “How did you know where to fi
nd me?” Gabby had wanted to ask the question for the last few days but decided to wait until she felt her feet on familiar soil in case the answer left her feeling as if she could see the spin of the world again. The man smiled and pointed at the building. Gabby frowned but McCaffrey had seen the gesture after releasing Mary and Brooke.

  “A representative from the Grey is waiting for us. I've tried to question them but they were having none of it. The only thing the stubborn bugger would say is her name and they would wait for you three, and him, to return.” McCaffrey glanced at the silent man, grimacing in embarrassment. “No offence.” The man smiled slightly and nodded.

  “What's her name then?” Brooke asked, setting off for the gates and home. The rest followed, including the guide.

  “Cerys.”

  * * *

  “Absolutely not!” Bilson thundered, his gaunt face twisting with fury. “I will not have the integrity of this site compromised by strangers!”

  “'Integrity of the site?”' Brooke scoffed. She gestured disdainfully at the doctor. “Notice how he's not concerned about the safety of the site and the people in it! Just his frigging experiments!”

  “How dare you, you little…”

  “ENOUGH!” McCaffrey ordered to the infuriated doctor and young woman. Both desisted and cast sullen expressions at the other. McCaffrey took a deep breath and pointed at Gabby standing at the sealed main entrance to the bunker.

  The guide from The Grey and their visitor identified as Cerys were awaiting Gabby, Mary, Brooke and McCaffrey's return to the surface in the main power station observation room. McCaffrey had decided not to invite their guests into the heart of their 'home' until he understood what trouble Gabby was witness to. Only then after discussing potential risks would he parlay with this new group.