Read Magic Parcel for Free Online

in a general northerly direction. “But we do not know where. No one has ever seen his stronghold or even knows that it is, in fact, there at all.”
    This puzzled Tommy, for his mind shot back to that first glimpse of the map of Omni he had in his uncle’s study - the same one seen by Jimmy - and there on the map, to the north-west, wasn’t that Algan’s cave and forest marked? Surely!?
    â€œSurely ...” Tommy started again, but wasn’t allowed to finish. He found a large hand clapped over his mouth, and himself being thrown unceremoniously into a nearby thicket of bushes. Tarna kept his hand over Tommy’s mouth until he was sure he understood not to speak. Then, creeping to a small chink in the branch tangle, he beckoned to his companion, and, whispering in his ear and pointing outwards, he indicated an area he wanted him to see.
    â€œLook,” he hissed almost inaudibly, “down the path, to the right a little, close to that yew. Do you see it? There’s a slight grey mist forming around the tree - there it is again, clearer this time!”
    Tommy peered intently in the direction his host indicated, and eventually saw what Tarna had become so agitated about; a short form biped, dressed all over in close-fitting grey - or could it have been skin? It stood there, swaying to and fro, as if ... sniffing the air, the head swivelling in a horizontal semi-circle, trying to find ... its ... direction? The neck stiffened suddenly and all movement ceased. Without warning, the same tearing screech as before broke from its sightless face, taking both Tommy and Tarna by surprise. But this time they noticed a change in its tone. There was a message there, one of almost triumph. Soon other Senti appeared as if from nowhere, homing in on their companion’s call. Tommy flung himself backwards, realising with horror that their corporate movement forward was on a direct line to their hiding place. His eyes rolled helplessly in fear, and as he looked into the face of certain capture, he could hear that dry, rattling shuffle, as if a winter breeze was chasing along a pile of long-dead and dry beech leaves.
    Tarna, realising almost too late why they had been singled out, well hidden though they were, threw himself onto his friend, shielding him from the advancing bloodsuckers with his own body. The effect was startling. Immediately, the Sesqui-senti were thrown into complete disarray, losing their direction entirely. They wavered, bumped into each other, and many left the path completely and shambled off into the undergrowth, letting out intermittent shrill squeaks as they did, like so many directionless mice. Only when he was sure they had gone did Tarna release a gasping and perspiring Tommy.
    â€œWhat on earth did you do that for?” he gasped, straightening his shirt collar and looking at Tarna as if he had been out in the sun too long.
    â€œIt was your blood they were after,” he whispered. “They are drawn by the scent of human blood, as I told you.”
    â€œThen why didn’t they continue?” Tommy asked, scratching his head. “ You were in line as well.”
    Tarna’s answer was slow and deliberate.
    â€œI am not of human flesh,” he said. “My blood is alien to them, and so it does not register with their senses. You must excuse my rather hasty action, but by behaving as I did, I effectively put a barrier between you and them, cutting off their homing in frequency. The Senti, once diverted from their chosen path, have neither the intelligence nor wit to realise their prey must be somewhere near, and wander off aimlessly and without direction. I expect Seth will not be long in bringing them back to his fold, so we must hurry. My village is but a short way off. We will be safe there, at least for the time being.”
    Jimmy scratched his head and, after he had shouted a few hellos hopefully to attract attention, he decided to walk a little towards