The Land of the Dead: Book Four of the Oz Chronicles by R.W. Ridley Page A

warp. I watched as the Flish closed in on Bobby and… hoped that he would. I wanted to watch him drag little Bobby off. I wanted to follow them. I wanted to watch the gray man strangle him and then cook him. “Sweet meat,” I whispered.
    Archie crouched and balled his hands into tight fists and readied himself for the fight of his life. “Little help,” he said.
    I nodded but still didn’t move. I was afraid if I did I would help the Flish.
    The old gray man stopped just out of their reach. “She kissed me on the cheek. That’s when I knew I would eat her!”
    Archie barked, “Back up, old man!”
    “I eat the sweet Storyteller!”
    Kimball started barking wildly.
    “I kill the dog to eat the meat!”
    No one threatens my dog. I suddenly didn’t have difficulty moving. I jumped into action. “Joshua 19:9,” I said rushing toward the Flish.
    He turned to me. “That’s my favorite.”
    “You told me already,” I replied. I cocked my fists and was ready to fight for my dog until my last ounce of strength was gone.
    The Flish backed away. “I’ve been gone too long. I don’t have time for this. Give me the sweet Storyteller. Now!”
    “Not a chance, old man,” Archie said. “You want him. Come and get him.”
    “I do not have time!” The old gray man started to look worried. “I want the sweet meat, but I cannot stay. I cannot stay, but I want the sweet meat. I…” He smiled. “Nine days and the sweet, sweet meat is mine!” He crept backwards.
    “Old man,” Archie said. “If you say ‘sweet meat’ one more time, I’m going to…”
    The Flish was gone. Vanished into the shadows.
    “Where’d he…,” Archie started to ask, but stopped when he noticed Tall Boy. Only Tall Boy wasn’t Tall Boy any more. He was half his size, and his facial features were changing. “What’s happening to him?”
    I growled. “Stop! I told you not to do that.”
    “I am not,” Tall Boy answered. His voice was much higher pitched.
    “What’s going on?” Archie demanded.
    “What do you mean you’re not doing it?” I asked.
    Tall Boy raised his arm and pointed at Archie. “It is the warrior with two hearts.”
    The color drained from Archie’s face. “Don’t call me that.” He turned to me. “Damn it! Tell me what’s going on here.”
    Ignoring his plea, I asked, “Why did he call you that?”
    He hesitated. “It’s… Kavi called me that before… the warrior with two hearts…” He struggled to explain. “My son…”
    His therapy sessions back at the facility flashed through my mind. “They took him,” I said out loud, although it wasn’t my intention. I was just repeating a memory… his description of what happened. “You hid in the garage… behind the hot water heater, I believe.”
    The blood rushed back to his face and his cheeks were almost incandescent. All he did was nod.
    “You heard them screaming.”
    He dropped to a knee and covered his face. “I let them be take my wife and son. I did nothing.”
    I watched as Tall Boy continued to shrink. His face became more round. His arms chubbier. “Can’t you stop this?”
    Tall Boy shook his head. “It is not up to me.”
    “Tell me what’s happening,” Archie said. His eyes were red and swollen.
    I cleared my throat. “Your son… He’ll be with us soon.”
    His face froze in a look that was a cross between horrified and hopeful.
    “How old was he?”
    It took a long time before Archie could answer. Finally he stuttered, “Four… fo… Fourteen months.”
    I shook my head and glared at Tall Boy who was anything but tall by now. “You’ve got be kidding me. We don’t have enough to deal with, and now you’re going to saddle us with a fourteen-month old kid.”
    Archie stood. “Saddle us with… wait a minute, are you seriously saying that… that thing is turning into my son?”
    I shook my head and walked as far away from them as possible. “He’s your responsibility. I’ve got enough going on trying not to eat