Return of the Matka-Zem (The Sorain Chronicles) by Deborah Chanley Page A
Authors: Deborah Chanley
Ads: Link
the door and pushed a chair under the knob. "I'll lead them away. When they start to follow me, leave the city as fast as you can and don't come back. They will kill you just for being my friend."
" Wait!" Donna vaulted up the ladder and started rummaging around in the tiny loft bedroom.
" What are you doing?" Jane yelled, throwing her backpack on. "I don't have much time."
" I'm coming with you." Donna practically jumped to the lower level with a backpack in tow.
" No you're not!" Jane said, rounding on her friend in anger. "Those things will kill you!"
" According to you, they'll do that anyway, just like they killed that elderly couple." Her friend glared at Jane like a boxer at a press conference. The tension in the room seemed to grow as the seconds ticked by.
" Come on then!" With a sigh of reservation, Jane broke their stalemate and strode to the window. "We'll go down the fire escape."
" What exactly is a Glad-toga?" With a ghost of a smile that let Jane know she was proud of her victory, Donna followed her out the window.
" They're similar to small dinosaurs, about the shape of a velociraptor, with long claws and sharp teeth, minus the tail." She smiled at her friends' bravery while she described the beasts. "I think they are like hunting hounds, and they have been after me since I left Canada." She visualized the wild river ride in the tree trunk and quickly added, "And they don't like water."
" I know where we can get a boat." Donna placed a hand on her forearm when they reached the second-floor platform. "We'd be safe in the middle of the bay." Another shriek of the Glauc-tuko echoed around the street.
" They're getting closer. We have to run for it." Jane hurried down the rusty ladder and jumped the last few feet to the street below.
" I'll run as fast as I can!" Donna said before she vaulted off the fire escape, "I can't believe this is really happening."
" Me neither!" Jane spied both directions of the alley while she quickly retrieved the curved blade hooked to the side of her pack. "Which way?"
" This way." Donna tapped Jane's elbow before she bolted down the street.
" Try to stay in the light," Jane softly ordered when she caught up to her companion. In silence, they sprinted down Washington Street towards the bay.
" Man, I'm out of shape," Donna wheezed when they paused in a lit area of an intersection. "My legs hurt, and I have a cramp in my side."
" You'll get stronger," Jane said, giving her friend a sideways grin. She could easily have outdistanced the woman but she refused to leave her side.
" What is that supposed to mean?" Donna glared at her, her ego bruised. The two women jumped when a Glauc-tuko screech filled the air, and Donna seemed to forget her momentary grudge. "Damn, they're right behind us," Donna exclaimed, with a frightened glance towards the sound.
" How much further?" Jane asked, while they trotted across the intersection. She had counted three of the dead beasts when they attacked at the river, and she feared there were many more pursuing her now. She considered using her Gift for protection, but discarded the idea. It would do her more bad than good, and besides, the forest had saved them last time. There was far less vegetation in the city, and her power had almost made her lose herself only hours ago. She would have to make do without.
" Four more blocks." Donna said, lifting a tired arm towards the tall buildings in front of them. As they ran in the middle of the street, their eyes darted from side to side, scanning the road for the unseen creatures.
Jane slowed their pace when they drew near a small park to their right. They had not heard a Glauc-tuko screech in three city blocks but the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. Ahead of the two women, a car turn onto the deserted street and sped towards them. When the headlights of the automobile briefly illuminated the fog-shrouded park, she caught a glimpse of three monstrous shadows ducking behind the brushes
" Wait!" Donna vaulted up the ladder and started rummaging around in the tiny loft bedroom.
" What are you doing?" Jane yelled, throwing her backpack on. "I don't have much time."
" I'm coming with you." Donna practically jumped to the lower level with a backpack in tow.
" No you're not!" Jane said, rounding on her friend in anger. "Those things will kill you!"
" According to you, they'll do that anyway, just like they killed that elderly couple." Her friend glared at Jane like a boxer at a press conference. The tension in the room seemed to grow as the seconds ticked by.
" Come on then!" With a sigh of reservation, Jane broke their stalemate and strode to the window. "We'll go down the fire escape."
" What exactly is a Glad-toga?" With a ghost of a smile that let Jane know she was proud of her victory, Donna followed her out the window.
" They're similar to small dinosaurs, about the shape of a velociraptor, with long claws and sharp teeth, minus the tail." She smiled at her friends' bravery while she described the beasts. "I think they are like hunting hounds, and they have been after me since I left Canada." She visualized the wild river ride in the tree trunk and quickly added, "And they don't like water."
" I know where we can get a boat." Donna placed a hand on her forearm when they reached the second-floor platform. "We'd be safe in the middle of the bay." Another shriek of the Glauc-tuko echoed around the street.
" They're getting closer. We have to run for it." Jane hurried down the rusty ladder and jumped the last few feet to the street below.
" I'll run as fast as I can!" Donna said before she vaulted off the fire escape, "I can't believe this is really happening."
" Me neither!" Jane spied both directions of the alley while she quickly retrieved the curved blade hooked to the side of her pack. "Which way?"
" This way." Donna tapped Jane's elbow before she bolted down the street.
" Try to stay in the light," Jane softly ordered when she caught up to her companion. In silence, they sprinted down Washington Street towards the bay.
" Man, I'm out of shape," Donna wheezed when they paused in a lit area of an intersection. "My legs hurt, and I have a cramp in my side."
" You'll get stronger," Jane said, giving her friend a sideways grin. She could easily have outdistanced the woman but she refused to leave her side.
" What is that supposed to mean?" Donna glared at her, her ego bruised. The two women jumped when a Glauc-tuko screech filled the air, and Donna seemed to forget her momentary grudge. "Damn, they're right behind us," Donna exclaimed, with a frightened glance towards the sound.
" How much further?" Jane asked, while they trotted across the intersection. She had counted three of the dead beasts when they attacked at the river, and she feared there were many more pursuing her now. She considered using her Gift for protection, but discarded the idea. It would do her more bad than good, and besides, the forest had saved them last time. There was far less vegetation in the city, and her power had almost made her lose herself only hours ago. She would have to make do without.
" Four more blocks." Donna said, lifting a tired arm towards the tall buildings in front of them. As they ran in the middle of the street, their eyes darted from side to side, scanning the road for the unseen creatures.
Jane slowed their pace when they drew near a small park to their right. They had not heard a Glauc-tuko screech in three city blocks but the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. Ahead of the two women, a car turn onto the deserted street and sped towards them. When the headlights of the automobile briefly illuminated the fog-shrouded park, she caught a glimpse of three monstrous shadows ducking behind the brushes
Similar Books
