Dodge Danger

by Anthony Newton

  Numbly Susan watched the undulating wall of light where Dodge had vanished in the blink of an eye, as though she could figure out what had happened to him. Deep down she knew she would have to take a step forward eventually.

  Suddenly a plume of snow exploded at her feet. She spun around to see a number of dog sleds rushing forward.

  A man at the back of the lead sled was firing shots at her!

  Susan sprang towards the wall of light.

  Razor sharp fangs bared in anticipation of the kill!

  Malaysia

  Floods exploded from seemingly nowhere and swept through village after village, obliterating them completely.

  Scotland

  The highlands suffered a series of severe landslides that destroyed farms and engulfed crofts.

  North West Australia

  A huge herd of kangaroos simultaneously keeled over and died. The stockman who glimpsed this could not explain how the animals ended up so torn and mutilated, as though they had been attacked by enormous wild dogs.

  Throughout the world the disasters continued; an earthquake in Japan, sandstorms in Morocco, avalanches in the Alps. Each struck without hint of a warning. Each disaster worse than the last.

  The triumphant wolf galloped forth, blood staining its muzzle.

  Susan’s feet left the ground as a volley of shots ripped through the snow where she had been standing.

  Immediately the bright light enveloped her. Her world tipped upside down and turned inside out. Her stomach clenched with nausea.

  She tried to scream but her words disappeared in the kaleidoscope.

  A dreadful howl echoed through her head.

  Then, mercifully, everything went dark.

  Susan awoke to find herself sprawled on the floor of a mammoth cavern.

  Dodge stood over her, looking down at her with a rueful smile on his face.

  Behind him, a gigantic ash tree towered to the roof.

  “Glad you could make it,” Dodge helped her to her feet.

  “Where are we?” she gasped, but before he could answer a bestial howl echoed around the cavern.

  “The end of the world, sweetheart. Ragnarok.” Dodge smiled grimly.

  Dodge Danger glanced up at Yggdrasil. The enormous tree looked different to the one from his dreams. It was as big as he had imagined, hundreds of feet tall with a trunk as wide as a building and twisted limbs as long as roads. However, the tree also appeared to be drier and older, the roots showing deep, black gouges and many of its limbs devoid of leaves. Great piles of dry brown leaves littered the ground beneath. Had Dodge possessed a rake, he could have created piles as big as cottages. Even though there was no wind in the cavern the ancient tree was creaking and groaning as though in pain.

  Dodge placed a hand on its trunk.

  A dull vibration ran up his arm to his shoulder. Like in his dreams the tree was trembling.

  “Dodge, what’s wrong?” Susan asked worriedly.

  “I think the tree is dying,” Dodge muttered. “This isn’t good.”

  He examined the bark. It was pitted and damaged and appeared to be oozing some sort of sickly-looking sap.

  The cavern walls were so far away they appeared to be obscured by a strange misty haze. The light source illuminating the area seemed to be coming from everywhere at once.

  Smaller caves dotted the cavern wall, though Dodge thought they were still awesomely huge. He looked around for the denizens that he had met in his dreams.

  Apart from Susan and him there was nobody.

  A low echoed through the caves.

  “Dodge?” Susan began nervously, but froze as a huge shadowy form appeared from a dark corner. Blazing red eyes shone from the gloom.

  Twice picked his way down the mineshaft, ducking through wooden beams and struts that looked like they could give way at any time. The air was stale and damp and water trickled down the walls.

  He felt like he had been descending into the darkness for hours … in complete silence.

  Fenris the wolf padded from the shadows. It had carmine eyes and a long snout that seemed both a doglike muzzle and a birdlike beak at the same time. Trails of clear saliva hit the ground, hissing and burning like acid. Dodge estimated that from nose to tail the beast must have been at least forty feet long. He found it difficult to gauge its height as it was slinking forward, as though preparing to pounce. As it approached Dodge realised it had some reptilian aspects as well. It possessed fur, but only along its spine and the back of its limbs. Scales glittered on its belly and the insides of its powerful legs.. Rooster feathers sprang from its tail, but seemed to thrash about like snakes, as though they had lives of their own. Formidable bird claws protruded from doglike paws, each several inches long and curved like raptor talons.

  Dodge had never seen eyes like that on a wolf. The lids closed sideways over the lenes in rapid succession.

  The wolf assumed a hunting position.

  Dodge gaped at the creature, too amazed to be frightened.

  Then it caught his gaze and his terror flared to engulf his soul.

  The wolf appeared to possess a keen intelligence way beyond mere instinct. It was a rational creature, and Dodge realised with a dreadful sinking feeling that it was totally and irrevocably insane.

  It sniffed the air and then turned its attention to something behind the insignificant human that dared to stand before it.

  The tree!

  Twice Weekly could feel the runestones in his pocket starting to heat up. He noticed an eerie jaundiced light shining from the mineshaft wall ahead of him. “I think I may be onto something here,” he muttered as he cautiously stepped forward, one hand placed on his pocket.

  The wolf snarled at Dodge, then approached the tree. Beneath Dodge’s boots the ground began to tremble. Yggdrasil’s roots began to bulge and tear from the soil as the huge and ravenous creature stalked forward. Dodge unsheathed his gun beneath his furs and slowly cocked it.

  Fenris ignored the pathetic human. There would be more than time enough to destroy him when the tree was dead.

  Dodge fired and the bullet cracked above Fenris’ head. The creature flinched, startled by the strange sound. Then it looked at the gun and cocked its head quizzically to the side. Dodge fired again and this time the shot licked across Fenris’ nose. The wolf yelped and threw back its head, a long gash drawn across its muzzle. The creature glared maniacally at Dodge, who fired a third time. This time he struck Fenris’ snout. The wolf snarled in pain on this strike and lunged at Dodge, snapped its enormous jaws at him. Dodge fired yet again and the wolf dropped into a crouch, lowering its head. Then it pounced, propelling itself forward with its powerful haunches. Dodge ducked and the creature flew over his head and landed behind him.

  Dodge spun round and tried to shoot the beast again, but it swiped at him with a paw the size of a tyre and sent the archaeologist skidding several yards across the floor. The creature loped towards him and Dodge frantically kicked with both feet. His thick-soled hiking boots slammed into Fenris’ injured nose.

  It snarled in rage, providing Dodge with a far too detailed view of its dagger-like fangs. The creature snapped its jaws and caught hold of Dodge’s furs. The teeth missed skin, but the creature tossed its head back and flung Dodge into the air like a broken toy.

  Twice Weekly entered the glowing cave and saw a natural subterranean room filled with dirty yellow light. The walls had been scratched with archaic rune symbols. The walls were surprisingly smooth and the ground had been cleared of any natural rubble. “Well - now I save the world!” Twice declared.

  Dodge rolled onto his back as the creature bore down on him. His furry jacket-sleeve hung in tatters and his leather jacket had been clawed, but he hadn’t suffered any injury - yet.

  He swung his legs over his head as the creature rushed towards him. Performing a backward roll he ended up on his knees. He fired his gun and hit creature in the shoulder. The beast howled in pain and snapped at Dodge, but abandoned the attack and
sprang back. Dodge wondered why his revolver was even hurting this enormous supernatural beast. Shouldn’t his bullets be mere pinpricks?

  But the monstrous wolf had only been feinting a retreat. Suddenly it swung a massive paw at him and he leapt back. The creature charged and crashed into him, knocking him onto his back. Dodge struggled beneath the weight of the creature and stared up into its quivering jaws. Then he grabbed the matted fur on both sides of its jowls and attempted to push the head away from him, but its powerful neck was coiled with hard muscles. He gritted his teeth, but the monster was stronger. Those horrible teeth approached his face, and breath as hot and rancid as the bowels of Hell engulfed him.

  Susan saw Dodge fall and then struggle under the weight of the beast. She looked wildly around for a weapon, but saw nothing.

  Then, from the ground before her, a long, sharp piece of wood suddenly thrust up towards her. It appeared to be made from one of the mighty tree’s roots. She grasped it and pulled. To her surprise it came free with remarkable ease. Susan looked up at the tree - to her surprise it was moving visibly, its trunk vibrating with agitation.

  The wolf snarled, drawing her attention from the tree. The massive monster was hunched over Dodge, jaws dangerously close to his head. Clutching the shard of tree root in her hands, she charged.

  Dodge trembled from exertion, weakened by Fenris’ strength and that awful, fetid breath. He could feel his arms giving way. Within seconds those death-trap jaws would snap closed over his head - crushing his skull and piercing his brain. Dodge tried to summon up a last minute reserve of strength but it was no use. He had no more to give.

  Abruptly the pressure eased. Dodge heard Fenris yelp in surprise and pain. It leapt off of him and slunk off to his left. Dodge noticed a huge shard of jagged wood sticking out of its left shoulder. Dodge scrambled to his feet as the creature started snapping wildly at the piece of wood protruding from its flank. The fur round about the wound darkened quickly with blood.

  Dodge aimed his gun at the wound and fired his last shot. The creature howled in pain and glared at Dodge with evil eyes. It snarled and Dodge felt the small hairs on the back of his neck rise.

  The creature twisted, as lithe as a snake, and snapped the wood in half between its enormous jaws. It dropped the fragments onto the ground, then turned and leapt at Dodge.

  Twice knelt at a hollow that had been dug in the dirt. He examined each runestone and contemplated its meaning. Slowly, carefully he inscribed a circle. He began chanting and looking quite ashen-faced as he did so.

  Far away the Rune Weaver was also intoning his own powerful magical spell, a long, complicated incantation that would eventually draw all the magical energies from him … and kill him.

  Razor-sharp tree roots erupted from the soil in front of Dodge, and wove into a barrier. Fenris crashed into the tangle and hit the ground with a thud. As it stood up, shaking its head, Dodge realised its chest was covered in blood. But this did not seem to be deterring the creature.

  Glaring at the defiant little human in front of it, Fenris felt hate burrow deep into its brain. It hated the two-legged creatures for they had been responsible for his years of captivity. The gods who had chained him and stabbed him had resembled this insignificant being!

  He knew he was badly wounded. His shoulder screamed with fiery agony every time he moved, and now he could feel a numbness spreading across his chest.

  Yggdrasil was attempting to help the human!

  An all-consuming lust for revenge burned through Fenris, nullifying his pain and any infirmity that it had caused.

  Dodge had to reload his revolver. Breaking it open and fumbling open the ammo pouch at his belt, he darted away from the creature and secreted himself behind a knot of roots as thick as adult thighs. He could hear the cracking of dried wood behind him and realised Fenris was smashing through the roots. He managed to shove two bullets into his gun before the monster broke free, and he had to run.

  He heard it thundering up behind him, slowed by its injury but certainly not incapacitated. He glanced over his shoulder and received an awful image of bloody, slavering jaws, glistening fangs and burning, hateful eyes. Dodge turned and fired his gun again. This time Fenris was waiting and snapped its jaw shut, trapping the barrel in its jaws. Yanking its head back it tore the weapon from Dodge’s grasp and spat it across the cavern.

  Dodge stumbled forward, pulled by the strength of Fenris. He looked up at the beast.

  Twice attempted to place the runes in the circle.

  “And this one goes ... here!” he cried triumphantly as he put the last stone down.

  Fenris swatted at Dodge, its claws catching his shoulder and driving him to his knees. The last of his fur coat tore away. Dodge howled in pain, convinced his shoulder had been shattered. His gun skittered to the base of the tree, useless because Fenris’ jaws had torn off the barrel.

  Susan watched in terror as the wolf clamped its enormous jaws around his waist.

  Dodge Danger felt a terrifying pressure close around his ribs. A sharp pain shot through his body as one of his ribs caved in.

  Then the wolf began shaking Dodge like a ragdoll.

  Twice stared at his handiwork and shifted two of the runes around in the circle. He examined the new configuration and realised something else wasn’t right. The archaeologist glared at the runes with frustration. He knew that the combination was nearly correct, but still not good enough! He examined the rune in his hand. He knew there was something wrong about the carving, something fundamentally different. But what?

  The wolf flung Dodge into the air. He landed on the ground with a jolt that sent new waves of agony surging through him. He knew another rib had broken. Looking up he saw the tree was now shaking wildly, leaves falling like raindrops. Dodge attempted to rise, and coughed at the agonising effort it took,

  Something clamped onto one of his legs and yanked him backwards.

  Fenris dragged Dodge away from the tree. His wounds appeared to be healing, the blood clotting around them. He no longer showed any ill effects from the attacks.

  Susan suddenly discovered a cluster of large rocks. They seemed to be popping up all over the place, brought to the surface by Yggdrasil’s surging roots. She scooped up the first.

  Fenris’ fangs ripped through Dodge’s boot, but before they could penetrate his skin, Fenris dropped the leg. The great wolf moved towards the fallen pilot, panting with exertion and a hungry look gleaming in its eyes. Dodge closed his eyes as the beast lowered its head to his face.

  Suddenly, there was a loud clunk and the creature yelped in shock.

  Susan launched a second rock at the beast and it bounced off of its head behind its ear. The wolf whirled around to glare at her in fury. She launched a third rock, which glanced off Fenris’ nose.

  It howled and the entire cavern reverberated with its pain and rage.

  Ignoring Dodge, it padded menacingly towards Susan. She hurled another rock, but it thudded into the ground near Fenris’ feet. The wolf continued towards her, slowly and deliberately. Susan backed away, realising her animal kinship would not help her soothe this unnatural beast.

  Realising he had been given a reprieve, Dodge gritted his teeth against the pain he knew he would feel, and picked up a piece of wood. He leapt at Fenris’ back and plunged the shard into the beast’s spine. It screamed in agony and started thrashing. Dodge grabbed the creature’s matted fur and held on for grim life. A cacophony of pains screamed into life, but he tightened his grip on the rough pelt.

  Twice looked at the rune and saw what was wrong.

  It was back to front.

  What he thought was the runic symbol for Loki was in fact the ultimate trick. Inverted it was actually the runic symbol for locksmith.

  He directed his attention back to the circle on the ground before him and smiled.

  Dodge tumbled from his perch on top of Fenris and hit the ground. He couldn’t move. He was in too much agony. The beast turned to the prone pilot once mo
re.

  Fenris knew he had to finish this now. The tree was his goal, but these troublesome two-legged adversaries had slowed his quest. He would bite off this one’s head and then kill the other.

  Fenris pinned Dodge down with a massive paw and opened its jaws.

  Twice rearranged the circle once more and examined the final rune. He rubbed the carving, sure that he was correct about the symbol.

  Dodge looked up into the creature’s mouth. He couldn’t move. Anticipating the kill, the beast licked his face with an impossibly long tongue and snorted foul breath into his face.

  Dodge closed his eyes.

  Chapter Eleven

  Immortality

  Twice placed the final runestone into the circle.

  Fenris paused and looked up. Cautiously it sniffed at the air.

  The yellow light started to defuse to a golden brown. As the spell Davidson began and Lawrence ended finally merged, the inner carvings on the runestones started to glow with the brilliance of a thousand candles.

  Twice looked away.

  Fenris faced the tree and raised his ears quizzically. He growled once and then vanished.

  There were no flashes of lightning. No noise apart from a slight pop as the air rushed in to replace the gap the wolf had left behind. No grand and magnificent statements from the gods. One second Fenris was there – the next he wasn’t!

  Looking up from the man lying before him Fenris heard a far off noise, like the rushing of the wind. As he glared at the accursed tree he felt his body being grasped by strong invisible fingers. He started to growl and then his surroundings changed.