Return of the Matka-Zem (The Sorain Chronicles) by Deborah Chanley
Authors: Deborah Chanley
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starting to form questions in her mind.
" Yes, they did." She tried to sound surprised, yet a nervous giggle escaped. When she could no longer hear the creatures bellowing, she located the nearest street performer, and pretended to listen. Beside her, Donna tapped her tiny foot in rhythm of the music. But Jane didn't hear a single note. She was surprised how the sea lions reacted to her, and some questions of her own were bubbling to the surface once again. Who was she? What was she?
The Gift had almost imprisoned her in her own mind, and she was afraid to tap into the power again. The energy within her reached out to anything living and she had to find a way to keep it under control. She gave her friend a sideways glance and wondered what her reaction would be if she witnessed her wield the Gift. Would Donna be afraid of her?
"Come on, Jane. There's more to see!" Donna grabbed her arm and hauled her down the street. After a leisurely tour of Alcatraz Island and a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, they ended their sightseeing at Coit Tower, perched on Telegraph Hill, to get a bird's-eye view of the city.
" I love this place," Donna said softly as they watched the sun slowly set into the bay and a thick, evening fog eerily floated onto the streets.
" We'd better head back," Jane said, an uneasiness stirring inside her. The elderly couple's death two days ago had given her pursuers her location and by now they would surely be in the vicinity. She doubted the smells of the city would put them off her trail for long, and she worried what the night might bring.
It was dark when they returned to Donna 's tiny apartment. Jane crawled out the window, onto the narrow fire escape, and crouched down on the tiny balcony to peer at the night sky. To her disappointment, the city lights prevented her from seeing the stars. She still found it difficult to believe she had come from one of the twinkling specks hidden by the lights.
For a brief moment, the waxing moon showed its face before the silvery mist of fog obscured it. Jane observed how the streetlights illuminating the thick haze made it seem denser.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spied a flash of movement, but when she turned her head, she saw nothing. Her heart skipped a beat when another shadow emerged from the grey mist, then she recognized the shape of a jogger, darting from one light to the other. A shaky chuckle rattled out of her chest. Unnerved by her own imagination, she took a moment to breathe and rose to her feet.
" Hey! What are you doing out here?" Donna popped her head out the window before crawling out to stand beside her. "Isn't this fog creepy?" Donna peered at the street below. "This fog can get so thick you can barely see your hand in front of your face." An inhuman screech filled the quiet night before Jane could respond to her friend's comment.
" What the heck was that?" Donna gasped in alarm.
" It's a Glauc-tuko." Although Jane's heart pounded at the shriek, she was not surprised to hear the creature's call. By the echo, the creature was still far away. Trying to remain calm to consider her options, she turned to look at her puzzled friend. "Do you have a gun?"
" Yes, I do." Donna stared at her in disbelief. "You aren't serious, are you? There is no such thing as a Glauc whatever!"
" I didn't believe it either, until those creatures started chasing me." When she saw disbelief in Donna's blue eyes, she grabbed her shoulders and gave her a rough shake.
" Those monsters are real, Donna, and they're coming here." On cue, another howl filled the air, followed by another from the opposite direction. "I need to get out of here." She abruptly released her friend and crawled back inside the apartment to gather her belongings.
" There's more than one?" questioned Donna, following her inside. Without waiting for an answer, she retrieved the gun hidden under her sofa. "How many are there?"
" Go to the loft and hide, Donna," Jane ordered, as she bolted
" Yes, they did." She tried to sound surprised, yet a nervous giggle escaped. When she could no longer hear the creatures bellowing, she located the nearest street performer, and pretended to listen. Beside her, Donna tapped her tiny foot in rhythm of the music. But Jane didn't hear a single note. She was surprised how the sea lions reacted to her, and some questions of her own were bubbling to the surface once again. Who was she? What was she?
The Gift had almost imprisoned her in her own mind, and she was afraid to tap into the power again. The energy within her reached out to anything living and she had to find a way to keep it under control. She gave her friend a sideways glance and wondered what her reaction would be if she witnessed her wield the Gift. Would Donna be afraid of her?
"Come on, Jane. There's more to see!" Donna grabbed her arm and hauled her down the street. After a leisurely tour of Alcatraz Island and a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, they ended their sightseeing at Coit Tower, perched on Telegraph Hill, to get a bird's-eye view of the city.
" I love this place," Donna said softly as they watched the sun slowly set into the bay and a thick, evening fog eerily floated onto the streets.
" We'd better head back," Jane said, an uneasiness stirring inside her. The elderly couple's death two days ago had given her pursuers her location and by now they would surely be in the vicinity. She doubted the smells of the city would put them off her trail for long, and she worried what the night might bring.
It was dark when they returned to Donna 's tiny apartment. Jane crawled out the window, onto the narrow fire escape, and crouched down on the tiny balcony to peer at the night sky. To her disappointment, the city lights prevented her from seeing the stars. She still found it difficult to believe she had come from one of the twinkling specks hidden by the lights.
For a brief moment, the waxing moon showed its face before the silvery mist of fog obscured it. Jane observed how the streetlights illuminating the thick haze made it seem denser.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spied a flash of movement, but when she turned her head, she saw nothing. Her heart skipped a beat when another shadow emerged from the grey mist, then she recognized the shape of a jogger, darting from one light to the other. A shaky chuckle rattled out of her chest. Unnerved by her own imagination, she took a moment to breathe and rose to her feet.
" Hey! What are you doing out here?" Donna popped her head out the window before crawling out to stand beside her. "Isn't this fog creepy?" Donna peered at the street below. "This fog can get so thick you can barely see your hand in front of your face." An inhuman screech filled the quiet night before Jane could respond to her friend's comment.
" What the heck was that?" Donna gasped in alarm.
" It's a Glauc-tuko." Although Jane's heart pounded at the shriek, she was not surprised to hear the creature's call. By the echo, the creature was still far away. Trying to remain calm to consider her options, she turned to look at her puzzled friend. "Do you have a gun?"
" Yes, I do." Donna stared at her in disbelief. "You aren't serious, are you? There is no such thing as a Glauc whatever!"
" I didn't believe it either, until those creatures started chasing me." When she saw disbelief in Donna's blue eyes, she grabbed her shoulders and gave her a rough shake.
" Those monsters are real, Donna, and they're coming here." On cue, another howl filled the air, followed by another from the opposite direction. "I need to get out of here." She abruptly released her friend and crawled back inside the apartment to gather her belongings.
" There's more than one?" questioned Donna, following her inside. Without waiting for an answer, she retrieved the gun hidden under her sofa. "How many are there?"
" Go to the loft and hide, Donna," Jane ordered, as she bolted
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