My short story collection, Fragments of Darkness, Echoes of Light, comes out next month (it’s up for pre-order right now), and in the run-up to the release I’m sending out a few stories as tasters.

As a writer, I use short stories as experiments. This week’s story is one of those experiments, an attempt to see the same events from two different viewpoints. It’s effectively two stories, so you get one today, and I’ll post the companion story in a couple of days.

For Blood (I)

“It came this way,” Markus whispered. “See the stain on the wall?”

His lad peered into the gloom. Markus rolled his eyes, and pushed young Jansen closer. “Dark patch, over those bricks.”

“That’s from the monster?”

Did he have no common sense? Sometimes, Markus wondered if the boy was truly his.

“Grease, from its paw. It came from there,” and he pointed across the moonlit field, to the gap in the fence, “and went round Arthur’s shack.”

Jansen nodded sharply. His mouth cracked into a smile that looked forced. “So we follow?”

For a moment Markus pictured himself raising his rifle, bringing the beast down. A perfect shot, just like his old man had shown him. A clean kill. Instant.

The thought of revenge tasted like honey.

But he shook his head. “Not our job. We’re last line, remember?”

Jansen snorted. “Watching a hole!”

“Hey!” He cuffed the lad’s ear. “It’s an important position. Anyway, heads up. Gaffer’s here.”

Gregor wandered over, dog-end clamped between his lips. He had his hat pulled down, but that didn’t hide the way his eyes darted all over, ever vigilant.

“Any news?” Markus asked.

Gregor waved a finger. “As I predicted. Went for the sty. Grabbed a porker.” The tip of his cigarette glowed. “Reckon it’ll make a run. You’d best prepare.”

“It’s coming our way?” Jansen’s voice shook.

Gregor smiled and rubbed a grime-stained hand through the boy’s hair. “Scared, lad?”

“N…no.”

“An’ your ma will be scrubbing your britches the morrow.” He turned to Markus, lowered his voice. “Just make sure he’s around to wear ’em again.”

Markus nodded. His family had lost too much already. And seeing how his own ma crumpled after his old man’s passing, Markus could only imagine what effect losing a bairn would have. No way would he put Liza through that.

A scream pierced the night, followed by shouts and gunshot. Jansen gasped. Markus put his hand on the lad’s shoulder. The boy’s trembling ran down his arm as he concentrated, listening beyond the echoes, searching for the source of the sounds.

“It’s coming,” Gregor muttered, then ran, calling out to others, rallying his troops.

“Come on.” Markus pulled at Jansen’s shoulder, shuffled along the fence, towards the gap. “We stick to the plan, we’ll be fine.”

The nightmare flashed through his mind — the empty click of the gun, his father’s rough hand shoving him away, then the scream and the wet hound-stink.

But that wouldn’t repeat. This time, he’d put that memory to rest. This time, he’d end the nightmare for good.

Shouts filled the air, followed by cracks and flashes of weapons. A dark shape moved on a roof, close by. Long legs, tail. The thing carried what could’ve been a dead pig.

“To the side. Now!”

Markus moved to the left of the gap in the fence, pushing Jansen to the right. The lad dropped to one knee, bringing the old pistol up, both hands holding it steady. Just like Markus had shown him.

The creature jumped, disappeared behind Anderson’s place. More shouts, cursing, guns firing. And then it came for them. A shadowy blur close to Grant’s store.

Then the creature streaked into the street, running from the buildings, faster than a horse.

“Steady.”

Markus raised his rifle, following the beast in his sights. It ploughed into the field. Didn’t run straight — had too much sense for that — but wove all over. Harder to track as it approached.

“Only shoot when you’re sure.”

Jansen whimpered.

Markus lowered his voice. “Don’t worry. It’s making for the gap, not us.” He hoped that sounded more confident than it felt.

A couple more heartbeats, and the beast was in range.

Markus squeezed the trigger. The rifle bucked in his hands.

His son’s pistol echoed the sound.

The beast ran on.

Cursing, not caring if Jansen heard his language, Markus lined up another shot. The creature’s shaggy mane flapped around its head, blood smeared around its cruel jaw.

He squeezed the trigger, but there was only a click.

The nightmare shot through his mind, and warmth spread down his left leg.

Jansen’s pistol barked, the shot wide. The beast howled. It charged. Too close to get another shot off now. Jansen cried out in fear.

Markus lowered the rifle, gripped it with both hands. As the beast drew level with the fence he swung.

The air stunk of wet fur.

His arm jarred as the barrel slammed into the beast. It screamed, an ugly, inhuman wail.

Markus slipped on the muddy ground. He fell. Shoulder slammed into the fence, and he dropped his rifle.

The beast bounded through the gap in the fence. Markus watched it disappear into the night. He lost sight of it before it reached the forest.

He turned to Jansen. The lad looked like a ghost. Shook like one, too.

Markus rose to his feet. His body ached, but he reckoned he was uninjured. So close to the beast, that was nothing but a miracle.

He placed a hand on his son’s shoulder again. The warmth was wonderful.

“You okay?” he asked.

Jansen’s eyes were wide. “We missed it.” His voice was almost a whisper.

“We did.”

“That … that means it’ll come back.”

Markus nodded. “But not for a few days.” He smiled. “We’ve got that time, at least.”

Lights shone across the field, from the buildings, and Markus sighed. Gregor would want a debrief. There would be drinking, commiserations, maybe a funeral to prepare. Then, preparations for the next time the beast came.

And Markus would spend what time he could with his son. He’d make these days count.

“A few days is better than none,” he said. And all he wanted to do was pull his son in close and hold him forever.

---

‘For Blood (II)’ follows in a couple of days.

If you enjoyed this tale, there are 99 more in Fragments of Darkness…, out 14th April but available to pre-order now. Check it out at books2read.com/FoDEoL.