Chapter Six
Samantha curled up next to Gabe and fell asleep. He snored softly beside her. Alyssa concentrated on the blur of white dashes in the middle of the road as they flew past. The new moon was dark and lifeless, its dim light paled next to the distant lights of tiny homes scattered across the rolling Kansas landscape. Soon what light was offered vanished as they approached a wooded area. Flecks of dancing light drifted through the headlights as a light snow began to fall. Reaching the top of a small hill Alyssa released the gas pedal. Something blocked the road up ahead. She struggled to down shift as the truck headed down the hill. Hitting the brakes, she came to a stop in front of a large barrier that said Road Closed. An arrow pointed to the right labeled Detour. Throwing the truck into gear, Alyssa turned to follow the arrow. It wasn’t long before she realized the detour lead her to the interstate.
She glanced at Gabe uncertain of what to do. Not wanting to wake him or Samantha she turned onto the four-lane interstate determined to exit back to the side road as soon as possible. Instantly a dark colored car zipped past them followed by another slightly larger white car.
As Alyssa watched; the first car swerved on the slick snowy road and began to spin. The second car slammed into the side of the first and flipped rolling onto its side. It flew off the highway and landed upside down in the center of the median. Alyssa gasped and stomped on the brakes.
Gabe bolted upright as one hand reached for the dash, and the other took hold of Samantha to steady her. The truck fishtailed on the slippery road. They slid toward the first car as it stopped spinning and came to a halt in the center of the highway. The truck stopped mere inches from the second car. Gabe’s eyes narrowed as the car door opened, and a young man stepped out. He glanced at them then ran across the highway toward the car in the median as a pillar of smoke began to pour from the engine.
Gabe reached out, pushed the hazard light button on the steering wheel and said, “Stay in the truck.”
He climbed over Samantha and sprinted across the highway to the second car. A child’s cries came from inside as he approached. The young man lay down on the ground beside the car and reached inside. Gabe came around to the far side where the child’s cries were loudest and knelt down to reach inside.
Samantha released her seat belt and slid over next to Alyssa as they watched Gabe and the young man pull two children from the car. Suddenly both doors of the truck flew open, and two strange men dragged Alyssa and Samantha from the truck. Alyssa screamed, kicking and punching her abductor as they dragged her and Samantha toward the first car. Gabe placed the little boy he pulled from the car on his feet surprised that he seemed unharmed. He moved to the front seat of the car to look for the driver and found it empty. Suddenly the air filled with screams. Gabe shot to his feet. It was a trap!
He sprinted across the grass as Alyssa and Samantha were shoved into the back seat of the dark car. It sped off as Gabe reached the pavement. Gabe veered instantly toward the truck. Climbing into the cab, he sped off after them.
Alyssa took hold of Samantha and pulled her near. The two men in the front seat didn’t speak. One turned to gaze out the rear window. Alyssa’s eyes met his and her heart froze. His eyes were as black as night. A small glimmer of blood red light emanated from their center. His hand grasped the seat as he leaned closer. Alyssa gasped; his fingers were thick, black claws.
Alyssa was filled with a sudden dread, a sense of impending doom that went much deeper than their abduction. These were more than mere men possessed by a simple demon. They were something much more. Evil emanated from these men as she’d never felt before. It was as if they’d held this evil deep inside of them for a very long time. Alyssa shrank back into the seat pulling Samantha closer as his eyes moved from hers to look out the rear window.
He spun back around leaving them in terrified silence. Samantha buried her face in her mother’s chest in silent terror. Alyssa dared to sit up straight and turn to look out the back window. A pair of headlights was bearing down on them. Gabe! Alyssa searched the seats until she found the seat belts. She cupped Samantha’s face and tilted it up to face hers.
“Gabe is coming.” She whispered in the barest of breaths. Samantha’s eyes opened wide in surprise. “Seat belt,” Alyssa added glancing toward the front seat. Samantha nodded and wiped her tears away as Alyssa buckled her seat belt. Alyssa buckled herself in then wrapped her arms around Samantha.
What would Gabe do? How could he rescue them from a speeding car? Alyssa held on tightly to Samantha. “It’s important you do what I say as soon as I say it, no matter what happens.” She whispered.
Alyssa glanced out the rear window as Gabe’s truck roared up behind them. The driver cursed in a deep, unearthly voice, and the car leapt forward. Alyssa could see Gabe’s headlights grow smaller behind them. She released her seatbelt and let go of Samantha diving for the driver. Digging her fingernails into the back of his neck Alyssa screamed in rage. She reached up and grabbed the steering wheel as the second man took hold of her arm. The driver slammed on the brakes as the car began to swerve and head for the shoulder. Alyssa braced her foot on the back seat and shoved her body forward between the two men. She yanked at the steering wheel sending the car into a spin. The driver punched her in the face, sending her sideways into the second man who shoved her unconscious form into the back seat. As the driver struggled to gain control of the car Gabe’s truck roared up beside them. Samantha watched in awe as Gabe climbed out the driver’s window with his sword in his hand.
The sword exploded in a white fiery glow. Gabe leapt off the truck his arms spread out wide. He flew through the dark night like a bird of prey poised for attack. He appeared to hover over them for a split second. Then he landed effortlessly on his feet on the hood of the car. With one swift movement, he drove his sword through the hood and deep into the car’s engine. The air exploded in a shower of white fire.
The sound of grinding steel pounded Samantha’s ears. The driver slammed on the brakes. The truck disappeared from the cars headlights as it continued down the highway. Alyssa’s eyes flew open. She reached for Samantha’s seat belt and hit the release.
“Run!” She shouted shoving Samantha toward the door as the car came to a screeching halt. Samantha opened the door as Alyssa dove into the front seat again grabbing and punching the driver so her daughter would have time to escape. The second man jumped out of the car and reached for Samantha. Gabe dove from the hood knocking him to the pavement. Samantha stumbled backward away from them as they rolled across the highway, fists flying.
The driver punched Alyssa in the chest and throat as she struggled to keep him from leaving the car. She fell back gasping for air. Her vision blurred and he punched her again on the side of the head. She slid into the back seat. The driver bolted from the car and rushed to the aid of his friend. Samantha screamed and ran to the rear of the car as he pulled a hunting knife from his belt.
Gabe rolled off the second man and jumped to his feet as the driver reached him. Samantha glanced at the hood of the car. His sword was still firmly impaled in the engine. “Mommy!” Samantha screamed as the driver advanced on Gabe slashing at him with the knife.
Alyssa’s head was swimming. She gasped for air, clutching her throat. Samantha’s scream jarred her out of her stupor. She pulled herself up onto the seat and saw the driver’s attack. Samantha was pointing at the hood of the car. Alyssa turned to find Gabe’s sword sticking out of the hood. She glanced back to see Gabe dodge the blade only to catch the side of it across his forearm as the driver slashed upward. The second man was rising. Alyssa climbed out of the car. She rushed to the front and climbed onto the hood. She yanked at the sword, but it didn’t budge. Gabe moved his left arm into the path of the driver’s blade. Samantha screamed as it sank deep into Gabe’s forearm.
Undaunted, Gabe twisted his arm pulling the blade from the drivers hand, leaving it impaled in his arm. Gabe slammed his fist into the drivers face and spun to face the
second man, who dove into Gabe slamming him against the car. The second man pulled out a knife and plunged it downward at Gabe. Gabe grabbed his hand as the knife drove down fast toward Gabe’s chest.
Alyssa grabbed the sword with both hands and pulled with all her might. The blade wouldn’t move. Tears streamed down her face. Her hands were numb from the icy snow and cold metal of the sword. She yanked on the sword one last time. She lost her grip on the slippery hilt. She tumbled backward off the hood onto the pavement. Gabe shoved his attacker backward. Alyssa scrambled to her feet as Gabe pulled the hunting knife from his own arm and advanced on the second man.
Suddenly a blood-curdling howl came from the darkness beyond the shoulder of the road. Gabe froze; the second man flashed him a wicked smile as he backed slowly away from Gabe. The driver scrambled to his feet, ran past Alyssa and jumped in the car. Gabe glanced at Alyssa as the second man dashed for the car and jumped inside. Running to pull Alyssa away from the front of the car Gabe reached out for his sword and yanked it free with one hand.
He grabbed hold of Alyssa and sprang away as the car sped off; leaving them standing in the middle of the interstate. The howls grew closer. Samantha rushed into her mother’s arms as the car disappeared in the distance.
Gabe turned to Alyssa and spoke with quiet urgency. His words sent a cold chill of terror through her. “Get Samantha to the truck and keep moving. Don’t wait for me. Don’t come back, no matter what.”
She stared at him in disbelief. His jeans were ripped. She could see open wounds on his left thigh and calf. His jacket was in shreds, his shirt damp with fresh blood. “I can’t leave you!” Alyssa blurted out without thinking. He was her protector, her friend. She looked down at his left arm. Blood was running down his arm, dripping from his fingertips. “You’re hurt, you can’t fight anymore.”
“I’ll be fine.” He touched her cheek with his good hand and added, “Get Samantha to your grandmothers. Don’t stop until you are there.”
With that, he spun and ran to the edge of the road. The shadows under the trees silently disappeared into a black void as if the little light left from the distant street lamp was suddenly sucked from existence. Alyssa grabbed Samantha’s hand and ran down the center of the highway in the direction the truck was facing. She glanced around suddenly realizing no cars or trucks had passed them on either side of the highway. They were completely alone.
Alyssa looked back at Gabe. His sword burst to life as a white flame encompassed the blade. He slowly advanced on the darkness under the trees. Picking up Samantha, Alyssa sprinted toward the small red taillights of the truck. It seemed like an eternity before they reached it. The snow was coming down in large flakes saturating their clothing. The truck was tangled in the cable barrier that ran down the center of the median. The engine was still running. Shivering uncontrollably, Alyssa gasped for air. She ran across the snow-covered grass of the median, yanked open the door and lifted Samantha inside then climbed in after her.
“Fasten your seatbelt,” She ordered Samantha.
“Mommy, we can’t leave Gabe!” Samantha pleaded as she pulled on her coat and buckled her seat belt.
“We’re not going to leave him. Lock your door.” Alyssa said pushing on the clutch and shoving the truck into reverse. She wasn’t going to let Gabe die for them. This wasn’t his fight.
The transmission screamed as she forced the truck into gear. Turning the truck around, Alyssa headed back down the middle of the highway toward Gabe. She breathed deeply trying to slow her pulse and steady her nerves. As they neared, she could see Gabe’s sword flashing in the darkness. Alyssa could just make out Gabe’s form fighting viciously with nearly a dozen large dark forms that stood more than a foot taller than Gabe.
They looked to be large reptiles that stood up on their hind legs. Their short, stout legs were bent under a broad torso covered in a thick, black scale like, armor. Their muscular arms ended in razor sharp claws that held what appeared to be machetes since they were not quite long enough to be swords.
Alyssa didn’t care what they were. She wasn’t going to let them kill Gabe. She floored the truck and headed for the middle of the largest group trying to encircle Gabe. Gabe glanced at the headlights and dove out of the way as Alyssa plowed through the pack of demons crushing several and sending three others flying into the cold dark night.
Slamming on the brakes, Alyssa spun the steering wheel and sent the truck into a spin. Don’t roll over! She pleaded. Surprisingly the truck spun completely around on the slick pavement to face the battle. Grinding the gears she struggled to down shift and the truck leapt forward back toward Gabe. Gabe jumped up from the pavement and rushed toward three of the reptilian demons. Gabe quickly severed the head of the first and advanced on the second. His sword flashed with the precision of a surgeon cutting off its arm and sending its machete flying. Several more rushed forward as Alyssa surged toward them with the truck. Gabe walked through the group of demon reptiles slicing limbs as if they were butter. Alyssa slammed into the group once more barely missing Gabe as he dove to the side. This time she stopped and pulled the emergency brake, ordering Samantha, “Stay in the car!” Reaching under the seat, Alyssa pulled out Gabe’s handgun; she jumped out of the truck and ran toward Gabe holding the gun out in front of her. A demon rushed toward her, and she pulled the trigger. Nothing happened.
“No!” Gabe shouted from behind the demon.
Alyssa stumbled backward as the demon advanced. Its blood red eyes promised her a swift death. It snarled and bared a mouthful of razor sharp teeth. Alyssa screamed and fell backward at it reached her. The demon stopped to tower over, saliva dripped from its maw as it reached for her. She could smell the stench of rotting death from its breath.
Suddenly a burst of fire broke through its chest as Gabe’s sword appeared through its armor. Gabe pulled the sword free and shoved the demon aside with his foot. He reached down and pulled Alyssa to her feet. “Run!” He growled and shoved her toward the truck. He spun and thrust his sword into the stomach of the nearest demon, then turned and raced after Alyssa.
The Light of His Sword Page 7