Matt went back to the start of the corridor he had just passed, heart thumping. He took a deep breath as he peeked around the corner. He exhaled as the corridor turned out to be awash in colour like everything else. His eyes must have been playing tricks on him. Matt turned back to Holka. She had a little smile on her face and beckoned him to follow her.
They reached the end of the hall and went up a flight of stairs. The staircase was so wide that Matt was sure his whole house would be able to fit right in the middle of it. At the top they again turned right and headed up a smaller staircase which seemed to be getting narrower as they went up.
By now Matt was lost and his eyes were drooping. Eventually he realised they were going up another staircase in a spiral, going round and round. They reached a wooden door that swung open with an echoing creak when Holka whistled a tune.
Inside the circular room was a large bed, a sofa and a fireplace. To the side was a large arch window. A table with fruit, cheese and bread was next to the window but Matt could not see past the bed.
He managed to get to the bed, flopped down, and was practically asleep when he thought he heard Jeff whisper to him.
“G’night, Jeff,” he mumbled in return, his voice muffled into the pillow as sleep took him. He did not feel his shoes slipping off his feet, or the blanket that gently covered him. He did not hear the door close or the soft whistle that locked it.
12
Madgwick and Rig were moving silently through the forest, leaping over roots and ducking under branches, trying to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the evil shimmers that were waiting in ambush at the doorway.
Just before they stepped through the doorway, Rig tossed a pinch of silver dust over Madgwick and himself. Now they were invisible even to the shimmers that Rig was convinced were waiting for them.
As they stepped through, the shimmers drifted impatiently, their red glowing eyes scrutinising the open door. There was a gust of wind as Rig and Madgwick moved rapidly past them.
The warriors could not stay invisible for long, so they had get past the shimmers and deeper into the forest. Madgwick shook his head. Had it not been for Rig he would have already been in trouble. And how did the shimmers know where to wait? Rig was shrewd and anticipated the ambush. Once they were past the surrounding shimmers, they shook off the invisibility and moved deeper into the forest.
They were moving at a good pace when a loud scream behind them made both of them stumble. They grabbed branches and shrubs to balance themselves as they stopped.
The scream was either Jeff or Rhed who must have followed them through the doorway and walked straight into the still-waiting shimmers. A second scream pierced the forest air and the branch in Rig’s hand broke in two with a loud snap.
“Tell me they didn’t,” Rig growled, his eyebrows almost touching.
Madgwick blew out his cheeks. “Why? Why would they do this? I told them. No. We have to go back. We need to go back!”
“You think?” Rig’s hands were balled into fists, but he had already spun around and was heading back in the direction they had just come from, back to the doorway.
If they had been moving quickly before then they had to move like lighting now if they had any hope of saving Jeff and Rhed. Judging by the yells and screams, the boys were in terrible danger.
They did not bother to keep their race back through the forest quiet. The racket ahead was enough to drown out their rapid approach.
* * *
Jeff leapt to his feet, turned in a crouch, trying to see a way out, a direction to run, but everywhere he looked were red eyes.
He could not see more than just the eyes, and not knowing what was attached to the eyes was terrifying. He grabbed Rhed by the arm, yelling, “Get up! We have to move!”
Rhed scrambled to his feet, his eyes darting. They were standing back to back, holding each other up, giving each other support. Jeff tried to make out what they were but still they just looked like a black mist with piercing red eyes.
“What is it?” Rhed whispered to Jeff.
Jeff shook his head. It was a bit late for the hushed tone. These things, whatever they were, were advancing, taking their time as if they knew that these two boys had no chance against them. Jeff had his back to where the doorway was, but he had to try anyway.
“Rhed!” He did not bother to keep his voice down. “Check to see if the door is open! Maybe we can get back through the doorway.”
“It’s long gone.” Rhed was still turning in a slow circle, keeping his back tight against Jeff’s, but he had pulled his backpack off Jeff’s back and started rummaging through it, looking for a weapon, any weapon, anything at all would do right now.
“Rhed!” Jeff’s voice rose as the dark shapes were coming in closer. “What are you doing, man? If you have a plan, now would be a good time to tell me.”
Rhed grabbed two cans and shoved one into Jeff’s hand behind him.
“No plan, but this may stop them. We spray and then run.” He kept his eyes pinned to the dark mist approaching.
The eyes started to advance, moving in slowly at first but purposely from both sides. In a gasping speed, the balls of mist rushed at them. Both Rhed and Jeff yelled and brought the spray up, aiming for the only distinguishable features, the eyes.
Jeff’s spray hit the red eyes full on and they blinked in apparent pain. The black mist still ploughed into Jeff, separating him from Rhed who was spraying his can at whatever he could reach.
The force hit Jeff hard, whooshing the air out of him. He dropped the can as he was sent into a tumble away from Rhed. The mist was on him then with the blood-red eyes inches away from his face.
Jeff flailed his arms and bunched his fists but he was not making any serious impact. It was like hitting jelly. He could not connect with anything solid. The pain was like a thousand razor-sharp teeth clamped onto the length of his arm. He screamed in agony, trying to pull his arm away from the mist and the invisible teeth.
The mist was brutally strong as it picked Jeff up and shook him like a rag doll, the pain excruciating. Jeff saw stars as the sensation threatened to overwhelm him.
The mist shook him again and then dropped him, probably to come at him from another angle. Jeff, still in shock, landed on the ground with a huff, blinked and shook his head.
Immediately he started to crawl away from the mist. He saw Rhed engulfed in the blackness with only his face showing, screaming in terror and pain.
Jeff felt the can against his hand as he tried to scramble along the ground, clutched it and sprayed wildly around him. The spray hit the mist behind him and it recoiled. Jeff sprayed full force again, pushing it back further, slowing the mist but not stopping it.
Jeff whirled and sprayed at Rhed and the mass moved away as it got a full load of the spray. Rhed was panting, his eyes round and his mouth open in a silent scream, like he could get no more sound out. There was nothing left.
Jeff pulled his friend close. If these things were going to attack them again they would face it together. Jeff glanced around wildly for Rhed’s can, but it was out of reach. Only two black fog-like monsters had attacked them, and there were at least four more that he could see.
Shaking and trembling, Jeff pulled Rhed back, his legs jerking against the ground as he forced them back away from the next attack. With their backs against a tree, Rhed started to whimper as the dark mist advanced.
Jeff and Rhed shrunk against the tree behind them. They were finished. There was no saving them now. Rhed had his eyes screwed shut, as if he did not want to see what was coming. Jeff had his eyes open in terror and this is when he saw a rapid movement from the forest behind the shimmers.
Jeff’s eyes opened wide as Madgwick and Rig leapt over the shimmers with their arms spread wide on either side, palms facing down, both in the exact same leap pose.
Like a practised dance move, they landed lightly in front of the boys and sank into in a deep crouch. Their heads bowed as if they w
ere taking a moment.
Jeff blinked and tugged at Rhed. “Madg … Madgwick,” he whispered. He could not get more than that out. His body was still in the aftermath of the pain inflicted by the red-eyed mists.
Rhed, clutching at Jeff, opened his eyes. They widened at the sight of the two warriors in front of them.
13
As one, Rig and Madgwick’s heads snapped up. Their purple eyes glowed brightly. Madgwick’s eyes met Jeff’s. They narrowed as he witnessed the pain and fear on the boy’s face. Rig was staring just as hard at Rhed, his body stiffened in anger.
“Hello boys. Stay where you are.” Rig spoke softly but there was no way either of them was going anywhere. Besides the fact that they could not move even if they wanted to, the look in Rig’s eyes was deadly. Jeff nodded numbly.
In a single movement both Madgwick and Rig pushed up from their crouch and whirled to face the shimmers. Both had fistfuls of silver dust, their arms hanging loosely at their sides. They looked very calm and in control of the situation.
“Ah, my favourite toys. Some fun at last,” Rig said, smiling grimly at the mist that had started to advance towards them.
The shimmers rushed the two warriors but they whirled out of the way nimbly, their cloaks billowing around them. The dust dropped from their hands but did not fall to the ground as normal dust would. It hovered and sparkled as if it was alive and connected to each warrior.
The dust looked liquid as it flowed, rippled and glittered. Madgwick made an elaborate movement and stuck his hand out, palm facing out, letting the silver dust shoot out like an arrow. It stretched ahead as it speared the shimmer, slicing the darkness in two.
The shimmer shrieked and tumbled back away from the dust. Madgwick retracted his hand and the dust neatly rushed back to him, curling into his hand. The fight had begun.
The shimmers were advancing. Rig had a mean grin on his face as he spun on the spot, his hands moving faster than the eye could track. He stretched his hand out and the dust shot off in strands, encasing the shimmer in the silver net.
Rig twirled his hand and the net contracted, squeezing the shimmer into itself. The screeching shimmer imploded and the net collapsed, merging with the other strands. The dust bounced back to Rig, who was again twirling his hands towards the next shimmer.
Madgwick was holding his own fight. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the shimmer implode in the net. Two shimmers rushed towards him. He divided the dust into between his hands and opened his palms, the silver dust swirling like two miniature thunderclouds in his palms with lightning splitting the air in wickedly jagged edges. With a flick of the wrist he sent the clouds and their lightning bolts to each shimmer, racing in two directions.
The dust swelled, engulfing the shimmers so that the silver and the darkness became an intricate cloud. Bolts of lightning were sparking furiously until the silver slowly started to win out and the engulf the darkness.
With a loud screech the shimmers were suddenly gone and dust leapt back into Madgwick’s hand, once again in the form of miniature silver lightning storms.
Madgwick did not stand still. He leapt into the air as a shimmer rushed beneath him. Coming down with his back to it, he immediately dropped into a low crouch as Rig sent a silver dustball over Madgwick’s head and straight into the shimmer. The ball of dust hit the shimmer hard like a cannon ball. The shimmer flew into different directions and evaporated with a pop.
Rig faced the last two shimmers, but they were rapidly retreating, melting back into the shadows of the forest.
Madgwick and Rig took a few steps after the shimmers but they were gone.
The two warriors looked at each other.
“They will be back,” muttered Rig, “and they will come with more.”
“More than we can easily handle,” finished Madgwick.
Rig turned to Madgwick with a scowl. “Huh, we can manage a lot more than that! I was just warming up. Nice lightning,” he complimented Madgwick. They turned back to face Jeff and Rhed.
The boys clutched at each other, their eyes wide and mouths hanging open.
Rig stood with his back to them, staring at the forest just in case the shimmers were sneaking back for another attack. He stood with arms hanging loosely at his side. His dust bounced in his hands as if eager to be sent into battle.
Despite the fight, there was not a hair out of place and his ponytail hung over his shoulder.
Madgwick rushed to the boys who were still huddled together against the tree.
“Jeff, Rhed, it’s okay now,” murmured Madgwick as he crouched down next to Jeff and lifted his arm, which was bleeding. Madgwick pulled open his bag and took out some bottles of different sizes. He pulled at Jeff’s sweater so that he could treat the wounds. Gently he cleaned Jeff’s arm, glancing at the boy’s face.
Jeff’s eyes were screwed shut as Madgwick dabbed and cleaned. Jeff was babbling, wanting to know what these things were. Madgwick hushed him. Now was not the time for conversation. Once the blood was cleaned up, he dropped some blue liquid over Jeff’s arm. The bleeding stopped instantly and the bite marks healed.
The next bottle had green potion in it.
“You have to drink some of this. It tastes disgusting but it will get you on your feet.” He glanced around. “We can’t stay here.”
He lifted the bottle to Jeff’s lips. Jeff took a gulp. Shivers went down his back and he felt his face pull as the awful taste registered. Madgwick was smearing gooey white stuff all over his arm. The pain went away instantly. Jeff stretched his arm, staring at the skin. He could still see the bite marks but they only looked bruised and red.
He opened his mouth to ask Madgwick what he had done but he had already moved to Rhed. Madgwick’s face become serious and he frowned as he examined Rhed.
Madgwick’s heart contracted. Rhed was hurt badly. He must have been completely caught in the shimmer. It had not bitten him like the one that had grabbed Jeff. It was like he was bruised all over. Every inch of his body, except for his face, was blue. His glasses were hanging off one ear.
Madgwick lifted Rhed’s face and gazed into his eyes. “Rhed, relax. It will be fine.” Rhed, who had not said a word since the shimmer grabbed him, just nodded weakly.
Without turning around, Rig whispered, “We ready to move?”
“In a few minutes,” Madgwick answered.
Rig dropped into a fighting stance, crouched low. “We don’t have minutes. Make it sooner Madgwick, make it seconds.”
Madgwick rummaged through his bag, holding his breath as he looked for a potion. He had packed it as an afterthought, one of those I-may-not-need-it-but-you-never-know things. His hand found the bottle and he pulled it out with relief. He shook it, uncorked it, and held it to Rhed’s lips.
“It’s going to taste terrible but it will help ease the pain and start to heal you from the inside.”
Rhed’s lips were white. He opened his mouth as if he did not care how bad the stuff tasted. As he swallowed it looked like he wanted to gag, but he found the movement too painful, so he swallowed and swallowed until he kept the stuff down.
Rig appeared next to them and spoke in a low voice.
“There are four shimmers about fifty metres away but they are gathering. We will be able to fight them. But we will not be able to fight them and still protect the boys.”
Madgwick turned and anxiously surveyed the forest. Turning back to Rig, he said, “Rhed is not ready to walk, never mind run.”
“Well, we have no choice. We have to make a break for it.” Rig turned to Jeff. “We need to get out of here. How is your arm, can you move?”
Jeff nodded.
“Good, you carry that.” Jeff barely caught the bag that Rig tossed at him. It was Rhed’s bag.
Jeff quickly gathered the two cans lying nearby on the ground. He tossed them into the bag before swinging it onto his back. He stretched his arm. His sleeve was torn to shreds and bloodstained but all the bite marks had faded. It was a bit stif
f but otherwise the arm was good.
Rig took off his cloak, handed it to Madgwick and told him to wrap Rhed up tight.
“We have run out of time. It’s either leave now or prepare for another fight.”
“I am not leaving without Rhed,” Jeff muttered to Madgwick.
Rig stared coldly at Jeff before bending down to Rhed. He sprinkled a tinge of dust into Rhed’s face and within seconds Rhed’s eyes closed as he went to sleep. Rig carefully lifted and draped him over his shoulder. He got up and held Rhed in place with one arm. Rig stood up with such ease, it seemed to Jeff that Rhed did not weigh anything at all.
Then Rig turned back to Jeff and said, “I am not leaving him either.” His eyes glowed.
14
Madgwick led the way, plunging into the forest. Jeff followed with Rig carrying Rhed following closely behind. They were moving fast, trying to put distance between them and the shimmers.
Rig grimaced. This was the second time he was rushing through the forest trying to outrun the shimmers in the last hour. Every now and then Madgwick indicated to Jeff to keep going while he doubled back to toss silver dust into the air before taking his place in the lead again.
Jeff was dying to ask. He had so many questions but he was so busy trying to keep pace that he did not have enough air in his lungs to talk as well as run. After what seemed like forever, Rig stopped and waited for Madgwick who had doubled back to toss the dust.
Jeff watched Rig who still had the sleeping Rhed over his shoulder. He did not even look tired or show any sign that Rhed was heavy.
“What is Madgwick doing?” asked Jeff, also scanning into the forest now.
“Covering our trail, making it harder for the shimmers to track us. They will still find us but it will take a bit longer. Of course,” he continued, “it would not be necessary if you had stayed behind like we told you to. What were you thinking? That we were going on a hike?”
Jeff Madison and the Shimmers of Drakmere (Book 1) Page 7