Fearlings Two (The Fearlings Series Book 2) (9 page)

“Fine,” Professor says. “Fine, my head hurts but I am fine.” He shakes his head as he looks outside. “We have to keep going. Rob’s house is only a mile or so from here. We have to hurry!”

Rob reaches for the door and opens it. He slowly takes a step out of the vehicle. He is not thinking. He forgets about
Ekabar
on the roof. The Fearling moves fast, grabs him by the shoulder, and tosses him forward out of the car.

“Mine,”
Ekabar
says. He drops off the roof to land on the ground near Rob as the human stands.

“No,”
Kynar
says. He appears behind
Ekabar
, grabs the Fearling from the back, and tosses him to the side before he can react. “No.”

Rick stumbles out of the vehicle. He sees his
Molawner
Sevol
standing a couple feet away from him. “Are you going to help him?”

“No,”
Sevol
says.

“What?” Rick asks. He looks around and sees that the area is dark enough for an attack. “Is he here?” Rick asks. Scanning across the road, he sees nothing.

“Yes,”
Sevol
says. He raises his shadowy arm pointing across the car to the other side.

Rick turns to see the large shadowy image of the
Molawner
that has been hunting his family for generations. His name is
Notav
and he is very powerful and stands several feet away from the Professor.

Notav
takes a step closer to the Professor and lowers his shadowy head. His tone is quiet and direct. “Mine.”

“Really,” Professor says. He stares at the larger shadowy image of
Notav
and shows no fear and his tone is threatening. “Touch me and more harm will come to you than you could ever escape from.”

Rick stares with amazement as
Notav
steps back. He turns to see Rob standing next to the shadowy image of
Kynar
. They are staring at
Ekabar
who stands without movement several feet away from them.

“Leave,”
Kynar
says. He takes a couple steps toward
Ekabar
.

“Why aren’t they attacking?” Rob asks. He is anxious. He has to get to his wife. “Professor…? Why aren’t they attacking?”

“Preventing,”
Kynar
says. He turns his head to his Vaun and repeats his word. “Preventing.”

“Preventing?” Rob asks. He immediately thinks of it. “They’re, they’re trying to stops us from getting to Ann.”

“Yes,”
Kynar
says. He turns back to
Ekabar
.

“Run!” Professor says. He steps toward Rob and
Kynar
. He continues to show no fear of the
Molawner
Notav
behind him. “Rob you must run to them!”

“Protect,”
Kynar
says. He steps forward ready to attack
Ekabar
.

Rick joins Rob at the front of the crashed car by the pole. He looks at his friend then to
Sevol
beside him. They both have their flashlights in their hand as he looks forward. He sees
Notav
fade into vision next to
Ekabar
. “Rob. We run.
Sevol
and
Kynar
will keep them off of us.”

“Go now!” Professor yells. His order instantly influences the two men. He watches as they start running toward the Fearling and
Molawner
.

Kynar
appears behind
Ekabar
while
Sevol
appears behind
Notav
. The four beings engage in struggle as Rob and Rick run between them. The Professor walks to the front of the car as Rick and Rob continue to run. The four beings fighting fade from vision as the men put distance between them.

“Do not stop!” Professor yells as Rob and Rick turn the corner.

Rob hears the Professor as they turn down the well-lit street. He is not as fast as the younger Rick but he is keeping up. Ahead of them, several streetlights are shattered, darkening the upcoming part of the street, but they run without worry.

Ekabar
fades into vision a few feet in front of Rob but as soon as he does, so does
Kynar
, tackling the Fearling to the side out of Rob’s way. Rob doesn’t stop. He keeps focus and runs as fast as he can toward his house.

CAFETERIA

James sits beside Rachel as the others start to gather around them. He sees the continuing fear on all of their faces as Rachel talks to everyone. “As long as we all stay together we will be fine,” Rachel says. She holds the boys hand as she talks about his family. “Rob will get the others and bring them back here. We will figure out what to do. We can stay here till morning.”

None of the
Vauns
like that idea but most know it is the safest course of action. They are praying that Rob and the others get to the house in time to help Ann.

“Do you think they made it?” James asks. He watches as Rachel nervously swallows when she answers.

“If they are not there yet they will be there very soon,” Rachel says. “Your dad will call us as soon as they are on their way back.”

“You know that your dad and
Kynar
will not let anything happen to your mom,” Nancy says. She reaches out to the boy with love and trust in her tone. “They will protect her.”

James knows that is true but his fear is not that. His fear is if his dad and the others can get to his mom in time.

Jeff admires the boy’s bravery and knows that the boy is very aware of the situation. He wants to say words of encouragement but he doesn’t know what to say. He knows that they just have to wait.

HOUSE

Ann, Julie and Stewart are in the middle of the living room with the one remaining working lamp between them. All three have their flashlights on as they scan everywhere expecting to see the shadowy image of the attacking
Nanlar
but there is nothing and hasn’t been for minutes.

“Should we run?” Julie asks. She doesn’t know what to do and is beginning to allow her fear to make her impatient.

“No,” Ann says. She is scared too but she remains in control of her fears. She cannot panic. “That’s what he wants us to do.”

“Mom,” Stewart says. His eyes tear as he looks up to his Mom. “I, I don’t want him to get us. Please don’t let him get us.”

“If you see him shine your flashlight on him,” Julie says. She can’t focus on comforting words for her son. She wants him to react right. That’s all she can think about. “Shine your light on him. Ok?”

Stewart wipes his eyes as he nods yes. He’s trying as hard as he can to stay brave.

“They will be here soon,” Ann says to comfort the boy. “They will be here soon then we will go somewhere safe.”

“No,” the cold steady voice of
Nanlar
speaks. He is not in vision. His voice comes from the dark stairs leading to the second floor. “Not going to be here in time.”

“Shut up!” Ann yells. She is scared but she is also in protection mode. She will not allow anything to happen to Julie and Stewart. “You will not get us! Do you hear me?”

“Mine,”
Nanlar
says. He appears behind the three humans as he finishes his thought. “I came here for you and you will be mine.”

Julie and Ann turn around fast shining their flashlights on the larger
Nanlar
. He raises his arms and fades from the beams.

“No!” Ann yells. She steps forward and scans the area of darkness with the beam from her light. “No!”

Nanlar
appears on the other side of the room in the darkness along the wall. “Mine.” He steps forward as they turn and shine their lights on him. He raises his arms and the beams strike him. This time he doesn’t fade. He yells out in a wind like roar of pain but he continues stepping forward. He yells louder as he enters the area of light provide by the lamp. “Mine!” His large shadowy frame fades to reveal his silky black skin as he steps further into the light. He is in obvious pain and moves slow as he reaches his arms out toward the humans.

“Ann!” Julie cries as she and her son step back away from the approaching
Nanlar
. “What do we do?” She doesn’t pay attention. They are stepping back too close to the edge of the light and she realizes it’s too late.

Nanlar
fades from the light and appears in the darkness behind Julie and Stewart. He pushes his mom forward crashing her into Ann and the light. The light breaks as they fall to the floor. The room is completely dark as the two women look up. They see Stewart crying as he shines his flashlight on the larger
Nanlar
.

“Stewart!” Julie yells as she stands. She shines her flashlight causing the larger being pain but he is still fast. He reaches out and grabs her by the neck. He turns and tosses her sideways down the hall and she lands hard when she hits the floor.

“Mom!” Stewart cries. He stands, but is too scared to move as he helplessly watches
Nanlar
turn toward Ann as she stands.

Nanlar
reaches out and grabs Ann by the throat. He picks up the smaller woman and starts toward the stairs.

“Run Stewart!” Ann chokes out as they reach the bottom of the stairs. She loses sight of the boy as they start up the stairs. She still holds her flashlight and is able to shine it directly on the side of
Nanlar’s
head. His toothless mouth widens as he yells in pain.

Nanlar
drops the woman as he raises his arms in pain. She falls to the stairs and tumbles down to the bottom dropping her flashlight in the process.

Ann lies on her stomach. She looks across the room and sees Stewart still standing in front of the door. A second later, she feels the strong grip of
Nanlar
on her ankle.

Stewart cries as he steps forward. He looks down the hall and sees his mom standing then he turns to Ann on the floor at the bottom of the stairs. He sees her eyes widen and then she is yanked back up the stairs out of his vision. He cries out as his mother reaches him.

“Where is she?” Julie cries to her son. She sees him point to the stairs and she runs with flashlight in hand. She reaches the bottom of the stairs and shines the light up. She sees Ann’s face just as she is pulled out of vision at the top of the stairs. Julie starts to run up the stairs when her son cries out, “Mom!”

Julie stops and turns to Stewart. The door opens behind her and Rob and Rick enter the room running. They look to her on the stairs as
Kynar
and
Sevol
appear in the middle of the room.

“Where is she?” Rob asks. The fear of the answer is in his tone when he repeats the question quickly. “Where is she?”

Julie cries as she points up the stairs. She gets up and runs to her son standing beside Rick at the door.