Read INK: Red (INK Trilogy Book 1) for Free Online Page A

grabbed one, pain searing up his legs as he landed.
    Biting into the sour flesh was like being in the dentist's chair, the assistant using one of those suction tubes to remove the moisture from your mouth.
    He spat out the tough, bitter fruit.
    Useless. Move.
    Where was he going though? He couldn't just run full steam right back into their lair; they'd be on him and it would be over in a second. He needed to formulate a real plan, come up with something that had some kind of a chance of success, not just run blindly at them and hope he would come out a winner — he wouldn't.
    Night was drawing in, the late summer evening finally admitting defeat and moving over to make way for the nocturnal creatures that now made the city their home in ever-increasing numbers.
    The dogs.
    It wasn't safe to be out at night, not any more. The day held risk enough, and the dogs were a real danger during daylight hours, but at night? That was when they really came out to hunt.
    With little in the way of food readily available, the now wild animals came out mostly after dark to hunt and feast on other creatures of the night. The howls and screams of cats, dogs, foxes, even the occasional boar and deer, all rose to a crescendo during the dark hours, never giving you a minutes peace, a chance to enjoy the silence of an almost human-free city.
    There were no more sirens blaring, no cars speeding through the streets, no fumes, no fire engines, police cars or ambulances any longer, all that was left were the animals, and him.
    Time to rest. Sleep, recover. But where?
    His feet pounded the street, a never ending nightmare of pain with each footfall. On and on and on, a punishment for crimes not even committed, yet paying a horrendous price. Again, again and again and again, body aching, mind dulled, nerves on fire, chest tight and lungs ready to explode — Edsel knew he was going to simply collapse in the street at any second.
    There was nothing for it — Edsel picked a house at random and hoped he would strike gold.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    COMPANY
    Edsel jogged quickly but quietly to the side of the semi-detached house, a Victorian two-story, all red brick and bay windows. There was a gate at the side, which was good, but it was just on a latch, no lock — not so good. He reached over and lifted the latch before creeping around the back, keeping low just in case. He moved as silently and as cautiously as he possibly could, even though it was using up time he knew was very precious.
    Still, it had to be done.
    He'd had a few close encounters with people over the years — mostly not friendly ones. The worse things got, the more it brought out the worst in a lot of people. In the end he'd given up trying to seek out like-minded people — those that would group together and help you out, watch your back if you watched theirs. For a while he'd stayed with a group of strangers, but it was already falling apart before he joined them.
    There were two women and seven men, and the minute he stepped into the room after getting an invitation by one of the men he knew it was a bad idea. He could literally feel the tension in the air, and although they all had the best of intentions it simply wasn't a good mix of people — there would be major problems, he had no doubt about it. Within a few weeks he left. Fights broke out on a regular basis as one of the women constantly flirted to get her own way; the other obviously resented it. Some of the men were all for it, others less than happy with the situation, and the inevitable quarrel broke out that led to a full scale fight. Once the noses started breaking Edsel knew it was time to leave.
    Other encounters over the years had been downright hostile, and it wasn't until he met Kathy that he finally felt like there was still good in the world. Ever since the first day that they met they were inseparable. Something just clicked, and he knew she was as happy as he was. Company, the warmth of each other through the