Frostbite by Dave Jeffery

Author:Dave Jeffery [Jeffery, Dave]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Severed Press
Published: 2017-06-08T00:00:00+00:00

***

Hastings watched Knowles go down, his rage tempered by the terrible feeling of loss in his heart. In an attempt to get to his fallen comrade, he dragged Johns with him despite the moans of protest this brought from the other man. But no sooner had Hastings moved in on the spot where he had seen Knowles disappear, several other creatures were suddenly emerging from all areas of the chamber.

Hastings put two down with the Glock, but he cried out in frustration as more beasts took their place, the snarls and shrill screams of these feral, vicious animals now ripping through the air. With great reluctance, Hastings had to succumb to the reality that Knowles was gone, and there was nothing he could do but stay on mission.

Being in command was a bitch.

No, more than a bitch, it was a parasitic whore that sucked the emotion from the soul and kept it in its belly until dark and lonely nights, where it would spit the guilt and despair in your face, then gloat as you wore hopelessness like an ill-fitting blanket in guilt’s brisk chill. Where it would take you to a place in which, even in the company of those you knew and cared for, you felt alien and alone, an outsider, divorced from a world that seemed more like make-believe.

But make-believe now had a whole new meaning. Nothing was supernatural anymore. It was now natural and super violent. And it was coming for them through tunnels of frigid rock and eerie light.

With the chamber filling up with creatures, Hastings and Johns made for the exit tunnel, the mist about their feet a swirling and writhing afterglow, marking their passing.

‘Quit fighting against me, Johns,’ Hastings snapped. ‘You want to get out of here or not?’

‘I don’t feel good,’ Johns said. His voice sounded desperate. But above all he sounded afraid. ‘I feel strange.’

‘There’s no time for it, you hear?’ Hastings yelled as he increased the pace, yanking Johns along with him. ‘Not sure what kind of outfits you’re used to, but here we work for a living. And we sure as hell don’t quit!’

They passed through the access tunnels and into the antechamber, the bright shafts of light directing them towards the cave exit. Snarls and growls were still at their backs, and as Hastings neared the cave entrance, he risked looking back.

To his surprise the pursuers, a group of at least ten creatures, were lurking in the tunnels, but making no attempt to move towards the daylight. They held paws up to shield their eyes.

‘They’re vulnerable to the daylight,’ Hastings said. Incredulity as well as relief came with his statement.

He steadied his breathing and allowed Johns to do the same. On the threshold between the underworld and the Nepalese mountains, Hastings made some attempt to fathom what the fuck was going on.

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