Chapter one
“John come back here, right fucking now!”
Black scorched soil creaked under his worn thin boots. He turned head to be sure she will not follow him anymore. Violet light of bright sun reflected in saw shaped item held in strong arm. Arm trained for years on his body every time he done something wrong. Or be wrong in this sick woman’s mind. With every step she was disappearing in the distance. Small pieces of floating debris helped him to vanish from her sight.
Lone dead stem was perfect place to take a little break. Placing his skinny butt on most firm place of wood and glowing green tiny canister on the ground just before him. Inside it, within transparent fluid, lively green clover floated undisturbed. Sharp little rocks easily pierced soles and drips of blood washed thirsty for any liquid ground. The sun rays mercilessly attacked his pale and bruised skin. He was accustomed to much more intense pain and felt nearly nothing. He counted every piece putting in tidy hillock.
“Seven, eight and nine.”
He ripped piece of his stained shirt and wrapped around injured feet. Boots were good for nothing but he put them anyways. His eyes stopped for a short while on shining tank with precious insides and hid it inside trousers pocket. Safest place he could imagine, excluding his computer hiding place just below sink in ma’s kitchen.
Nine blood stained rock pieces had something tempting in them, ubiquitous violet light created vivid light effects. With couple of moves fluorescent rocks created inclined letter H. Ironically enough exactly shaped, with exact colors station floated above planet, shining brightly. Merciless red eye watched surface, silent and hostile. Hyperion.
He was sure that fate didn’t placed him in this hell without a purpose. These times were to strengthen him to do great things. He knew that out there are other planets like this waiting for its savior. Fighting was not his best one but machines obeyed his every command either he wrote them or spoke, after couple of code lines of course. Ma still don’t know why her telly is so fitful from time to time. Hyperion is full of itself but he can make it good and help everyone trough the galaxies. John the Hero or whatever people want to call their savior.
He once more draw little container and awaited for answer from green plant.
“Jackie! Where are you sweetie?” Echoed through dusty space “It is not safe for little ones like you! Come back to me! I have yummy soup for ya!”
He lingered no more and run in opposite direction now taking more attention to the surroundings. It was no use, piercing voice was approaching him mercilessly. Every breath weakened him and strength vanished as quickly. Clearer air meant that he was approaching Claw Lake. Last known for him place where you could drink water and not immediately die or get sick. Every nearby animal species knew that too, marking it as not hostile place. Deadliest skags turn into pet doggies drinking it without bloodshed right next to big kalars, as he observed them from right safe distance. He tried to befriend skag once. Once. Now he was a lot more cautious about this sort of things.
Doner keban, his favorite watching and hiding spot, was very near. Another lone dead tree with narrow hole shaped just for him. On top of it he was nearly not visible for others and he could observe everything else. Moving or not. Short after making himself comfortable, his grandmother bursted from the gray mist. She stopped for a moment looking around like sensing that her grandson was here nearby. He was not the cause. Brown haired lady was encircled by pack of skags.
His grandmother might be the most insane woman on this planet but she wasn’t dumb. Metal of buzz axe ringed once and with dull knock skag’s head rolled on the ground.
“Awwww, yeah! Come on sons of bitches! I want to see insides of your tummies right now!”
Kick and swing and another kick and swing done the party. After confirming that her precious grandson was not their supper she shouted!
“I go back to home sweetie! Your soup will be waiting, we can talk! You know that, precious!”
She grabbed biggest one and dragged corpse with her in house direction. Flies picked up scent seconds after and started to devour remains with squeaky noises. He curled up and closed eyes all the time just waiting patiently when everything will end. Green hollow light coming from closed eyelids helped him to be conscious. Scratches coming from the trunk pulled him out of reverie. Odd color was not interesting only for John.
He was looking inside skag mouth, widely open jaws were dripping with saliva. He was looking at his end. Everything he could do, just looking inside endless darkness.
“Grandma! Help!”
Branches of the tree stopped it to close jaws and eat him with one bite. Wood cracked in many places, sealing his fate.
“Grandma, please! Help!”
There was no answer, yet weight of monster’s flesh and armor won against wood. Doner keban fell on the ground twisting skag around its lumbar. John writhed in pain as log pinned his left leg against hard rocks. He dropped container and he couldn’t reach it, just look at the peaceful clover shining between his fingers. Monster freed itself from rock hardened wood and once more faced to the boy. Claws ripped the ground and monstrosity crawled closer and closer. Wasps and flies just waited for right moment to join feast after everything was done.
“Grandma, I love you! Help me, please!”
Sabre sharp talon pierced his leg just below knee. Flies started to buzz and came even closer than before as fresh human blood emerged from wound. This pain was something new, far more real than the blows grandma was giving with the end of axe. Vision blurred instantly, talon remained in wound just making it bigger, shattering bone. Monster just changed position to get him in one bite.
He still couldn’t reach the tank, green light mixing with coming darkness and cold.
“Mommy. Why did you leave me? What have I done wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Familiar sweet voice sounded in his head and skag withdrew instantly, in flash of green light. Freed from talon and wooden log he could move once more.
“Hold onto me tight, kiddo.”
For second he hovered in the air pulled by collar, ended up on soft and warm surface. Instinctively embraced it with hands and healthy leg. He could not concentrate and blacked out couple of times in this insane ride. When everything finally stopped John found himself lying on big dirty pillow in brightly illuminated cave. In brightest corner, gazing curiously at him, emerald green horse opened its mouth and asked.
“Everything all right, handsome?”
He blacked out once more.