A Mystery Reader 001: Short Stories From New Voices (Short Story Fiction Anthology) by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: dystopian, healing, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Short Stories, young adults, Romance, Mystery, post-apocalypse, detective, Ghosts, amateur sleuth, Fantasy, action-adventure, walkaway, political humor, Contemporary, satire, shifters, Parody, Politics, news media, business, short story, advertising, urban fiction
Publisher: Midwest Journal Press
Published: 2018-12-23T00:00:00+00:00

III

I WAS DRINKING FROM my own lemonade and almost choked at Rochelle’s question. “Well, from what you told me, that would explain my getting sick when that storm showed up.”

Rochelle and Jean both nodded at this.

Sal started to piece what we were saying together. “So the original Lazurai didn’t ‘die’ when they moved into those rocks and buildings. And if they ‘woke up’, they then were able to transition to purer elemental forms rather than needing human bodies.”

Jean gave a lop-sided smile. “Yes, John, what you met out there might be one of those. We’d have to visit it again in daylight, but carefully. Otherwise, we’d get a repeat performance.”

“You’re saying that there should be some marking on the rock walls near where we were that could show where whoever it was sank into it?” This got me on the edge of my seat. I could see where this story was beginning to lead.

Rochelle frowned. “But the original Lazurai were dangerous to humans beyond belief. So I can’t see that you are going to be able to be there, even with our healing we’ve done so far.”

Jude looked at Sal and then to Rochelle. “But Sal and I didn’t have any effect from whatever that being was putting out.”

Rochelle smiled at the two of them. “Probably because your human form acts more like another spell. More spirit than actual flesh and blood. But I’m two generations away from them, so may have more ‘human’ in me as well, so I’m not sure that just because I’ve been ‘turned’ into a Lazurai that I’m completely immune. And likewise, we were there only minutes.

“Your human appearance ‘spell’ might leave you vulnerable to that degree. We also don’t have any experience in curing spirits of a possible Lazurai infection. While it might not be a problem, we all saw how hard it was to deal with those hurricane-force winds. All we know is that the three of us weren’t affected for that very short period of time.”

Sal and Jude nodded. There were too many variables to deal with like we had tried before.

Jean leaned over and put his hand on top of Rochelle’s. “Which means it’s over to me.”

Rochelle turned sad at this. “But there is so much unknown here. We might lose you, too.”

Jean just smiled. “Nothing I haven’t been through before. You know we can’t leave a danger out there for others to stumble on. And besides, if I could do it, then maybe someone else could, too.”

She smiled back to him, knowing that there was nothing she could do to change his mind.

- - - -

Sal and Jude phased us all into the desert, about a quarter-mile from where we showed up originally.

Rochelle and Jean were all smiles at that way of travel. She looked at him and then at Sal, “I could certainly get used to traveling like that. As much as I love my old beater pickup, the hours it takes to go anywhere still takes just as long on the way back.

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