FAUX

Ken Hattaway

Smashwords Edition. Copyright 2013 by Kenneth P. Hattaway.
All rights resered. !o part o" this boo# may be reprod$%ed& distrib$ted& transmitted in any "orm or by
any means& or stored in a database or retrieal system& witho$t prior written permission o" the a$thor. 'his
boo# is a wor# o" "i%tion. !ames& %hara%ters& pla%es and in%idents are either prod$%ts o" the a$thor(s
imagination or $sed "i%titio$sly. Any similarities to any persons& liing or dead& are %ompletely
%oin%idental. )ne o" the angels in a "$t$re story& howeer& may or may not bear a passing resemblan%e to
the talented a%tress& *eese +itherspoon. ,$st saying.

Table of Contents
Abo$t -A./
0edi%ation
E1%erpt "rom 2loodline
Abo$t the A$thor
A%#nowledgements

About FAUX
Seenteen3year3old& 0a#ota H$nter& is haing dist$rbing dreams inoling a ir$s
that(s %laiming the lies o" her "ellow 'e1ans in a horribly iolent "ashion. +ill she
re%eie the help she needs in time to alter the "$t$re or will a demoni% "or%e bent on
res$rre%ting a near e1tin%t ra%e "rom bibli%al times premat$rely silen%e her4

Dedication
-or 0aphne Clare Hattaway
'he sweet little girl&
+ith the heart o" a werewol".

(LimboOutside The Time Line)
5'he girl is doomed&5 said So$l Cr$sher. 56o$ sho$ld gie $p now "ind another
a%tiity to 7$sti"y yo$r eternal e1isten%e. 8i#e wor#ing in the Abyss. 9 hear they(re in need
o" additional laborers.5
56o$(re wrong&5 the winged :essenger replied. 5'his one is di""erent. She has
strength. -o%$s. +ith the proper g$idan%e& she will s$%%eed. 6o$(ll see.5
56o$ made a similar statement abo$t the last one& remember4 S$re yo$ don(t want to
re%onsider45
56o$ wor# yo$r assignment& 9(ll wor# mine.5
5)h& 9 shall& ma#e no mista#e abo$t it. 'ho$gh meanwhile& %are to ma#e things more
interesting to help pass the time4 A small wager on i" the %ipher will s$%%eed45
56o$ #now betting is "rowned $pon.5
5So is "ail$re. )h& did 9 hit a nere4 !o need to get all gro$%hy. 9" yo$(re not
interested& 7$st say so. 'here(s no need "or e1%$ses.5
5+hat do yo$ propose45 'he pair arg$e& then agree to terms.
5-ine& then. 'he girl is strong& b$t has do$bts. 9 s$ggest yo$ ; 5
5!o& 9 s$ggest you stop ma#ing s$ggestions. 9(e got a deadline to meet and si1 billion
so$ls to "inish %orr$pting. So let(s get down to it& shall we45
'he adersaries peered thro$gh the eil and wat%hed as teams o" %elestial beings "rom
both sides too# o"" towards earth and the girl.
<
(Magnum CountyPresent Day)
59 don(t %are what yo$ read online& dying in yo$r dreams doesn(t mean yo$(ll die in real
li"e.5 Ethan(s oi%e so$nded strong and reass$ring as we tal#ed inside his E1plorer.
5-orget abo$t yo$r appointment this a"ternoon. 8et(s do something "$n. 9(ll "ind someone
to "ill in "or me at wor# and we(ll go sightseeing in 0allas li#e we did on yo$r
seenteenth birthday.5
56o$(re sweet&5 9 said& loo#ing deep into his bl$e eyes. 52$t we both #now 9(e already
passed the point o" no ret$rn& and i" 9 don(t get straightened o$t soon& 9(ll end $p in a
padded room. And straight37a%#ets only %ome in white whi%h is so not my %olor.5
Ethan smiled at my lame attempt at h$mor and gae me a h$g. His "amiliar s%ent hit
my senses and %om"orted me li#e a warm blan#et.
5Sorry&5 9 said& 59(m $s$ally better at the %leer banter thing& b$t the dreams are
be%oming more and more "re=$ent. 'hey(re getting weirder& too.5
56o$ said the last one inoled a dragon. 9 %an see how a real one wo$ld "rea# yo$
o$t& b$t what(s so weird abo$t an imaginary one45
5!othing. -orget 9 said that last part.5 9 disentangled mysel" "rom him and loo#ed
thro$gh the windshield down the street where a Capriotti(s Sandwi%h Shop was going $p.
5+e sho$ld get going. 9 don(t want to be late.5
Ethan loo#ed h$rt by my abr$pt %hange in tone and attit$de& b$t did as re=$ested. )ne
o" his endearing =$alities was #nowing when to press& and #nowing when to ba%# o"".
9 hated "eeling this way. 2etween the bro#en sleep and the rainbow o" pres%riptions
my do%tor has me on& 9 don(t always #now whi%h end is $p. 9n the past& 9(e neer #ept
se%rets "rom Ethan. 2$t 9 don(t want to lose my "irst real boy"riend& and the thing with the
dragon was downright %reepy not to mention gross.
'he other night& in my dream& this s%aly beast was wrea#ing hao% all a%ross !orth
'e1as near where 9 lie. +e(re tal#ing h$ge. >od?illa on steroids. !ear the end& right
be"ore 9 wo#e $p& it breathed a "ine mist oer a gro$p o" people 9 #new and melted their
"lesh li#e that s%ene in the original Raider's of the Lost Ark.
+hen it spotted me it loo#ed intrig$ed& maybe een s$rprised that 9(d somehow
s$ried the onsla$ght. 'hen it started staring at me. 8oo#ing at me li#e it wanted me.
8oo#ing li#e it wanted to be...intimate in some way. :y s#in was still %rawling at the
memory o" it.
9 7$mped as Ethan %o$ghed. His signal that 9 wasn(t paying attention and needed to
listen $p.
5+e(re here. S$re yo$ don(t want me to par# and %ome inside instead o" dropping yo$
o""4 )r pi%# yo$ $p on :onday45
59(m s$re. :y mom(s all set to get me a"ter my three3day stay and yo$ hae to be at
wor# at 9n3!3)$t soon. 'han#s "or the o""er& tho$gh. 9(m s$re yo$(ll hae a good
wee#end. Een i" it(s witho$t me.5
9 gae Ethan a pe%# on the lips and beamed him my best& It's all going to be okay,
smile be"ore opening the door and grabbing my oersi?ed sat%hel "$ll o" %lothes and
%limbing o$t o" the E1plorer. He grinned in ret$rn& then p$lled into the "low o" par#ing
lot tra""i% and headed to wor#.
0r. 0aid 'aylor was a re"erral my mom got "rom a "amily "riend. He wor#s here at
:E03PS9& a priately held %ompany on the north end o" town that ho$ses patients and
engages in %$tting edge behaioral resear%h. 'he psy%hologists and s%ientists all hae
adan%ed degrees and are gien %arte blan%he to e1plore and "a%t3"ind as long as they
prod$%e res$lts. -rom what 9 $nderstand& they(re gien a%%ess to state3o"3the3art
eerything. !erd paradise.
9 %he%#ed in with a woman sitting behind an in%h3thi%# see3thro$gh barrier o"
something 9(m g$essing was b$llet3proo". Can(t be too %are"$l nowadays& 9 s$ppose. A
"ew min$tes later& 0aid arried. He introd$%ed himsel"& then pressed his palm against a
metal plate on the wall. 'he door ne1t to it opened and allowed $s a%%ess into the main
b$ilding.
He too# the lead and said& 5+al# this way.5 9 was tempted to gie him the old
>ro$%ho :ar1 line& If I could walk that way, I wouldn't need the talcum powder. 2$t
sin%e 9 wasn(t s$re he spo#e sar%asm as a se%ond lang$age li#e 9 did& 9 #ept the %omment
to mysel".
As we meandered towards his o""i%e& 9 %a$ght sight o" two "emale employees giing
him is$al on%e3oers. 9 $nderstood why. 'he g$y was oer si1 "eet tall& had thi%#& b$shy
hair and loo#ed li#e a yo$ng Cat Steens. A%%ording to my mom& $nli#e the "amo$s
m$si%ian who years ago %hanged his name to 6$s$" 9slam& 0aid(s only %hange in name
%ame when the designation (0r.( was assigned to him $pon attainment o" his Ph.0.
Apparently he rarely $ses it& pre"erring instead to be re"erred to as either 0aid or :r.
'aylor. !at$rally& 9 %hose to be di""erent and %alled him (do%.(
'he %orridors were wide and white and in%redibly %lean. )ther s%ientists milled abo$t
tal#ing with one another in monotone oi%es so$nding li#e wor#er bees in a hie. Eery
on%e in a while we(d see armed se%$rity g$ards wal#ing aro$nd with tense moements
and serio$s e1pressions.
Eent$ally we arried at 0aid(s o""i%e. +e sat in pl$sh mat%hing %hairs whi%h "a%ed
ea%h other. 0aid st$died some notes in a "ile with my name& 0a#ota H$nter& neatly
printed down the side. A"ter seeral moments& he said& 58et(s get started& shall we45
By all means, doc. Let's shall.
<
'hree days %an whi? by. )r seem li#e an eternity.
A"ter "illing o$t "orms and going thro$gh a short orientation on -riday& 9 ate dinner in
the %a"eteria& then settled into my dorm3style room and slept so$ndly on a twin mattress
bed.
2oth Sat$rday and S$nday were draining. +hen 9 wasn(t in one3on3one sessions with
0aid& 9 was gien written assignments as#ing me to detail eerything "rom my dreams&
to my "eelings& to st$"" that happened in my %hildhood. 9 made the best o" it& b$t %o$ldn(t
=$ite pie%e together their methodology o" how they were planning on %$ring me. 2$t
sin%e they were the e1perts and 9 was r$nning o$t o" options& 9 %ooperated and gae it my
best.
C$rrently 9 was in the a%tiity room. 9t was here that sleep disorder patients li#e
mysel" %ame to intera%t& mingle& and@or #ill time between sessions. 9 hadn(t gotten to
#now anyone well sin%e 9 was new and had been so b$sy. Also& most were #ids way
yo$nger than mysel" and only o" the "emale ariety. !ot that 9 was loo#ing to repla%e
Ethan or anything& b$t %o$ldn(t there hae been at least one or two boys here4
A lo$d oi%e to my le"t bro#e my %on%entration. 5King me&5 wailed a si13year3old to
her "ie3year3old opponent. 'he two girls sat h$n%hed oer a %he%#er board li#e a pair o"
retirees at an inner %ity par#. 'he re%ipient o" the o$tb$rst 7$mped in response& then did as
she was told.
A se%ond later& Amy& who loo#ed to be abo$t ten& po#ed me in the ribs with her "inger
and said& 5So what do yo$ thin#45 9 glan%ed down to my right and saw an eager "a%e with
small blonde t$"ts o" hair and an energeti% smile.
5,$st snapped the last pie%e into pla%e&5 she said. 5+or#ed on it all morning. 9 %all it&
orld without !nd.5
A Hoberman3es=$e polyhedron lay on the "loor. 2its o" plasti% had been meti%$lo$sly
pie%ed together& end to end& and "ormed a brightly %olored ball. Small& single3%olored
a%tion "ig$res stood at rigid attention aro$nd it on the "loor. 9 #neeled and pressed a "inger
against the sphere(s top. 'he mi%ro%osm bent and "le1ed and rolled slightly to one side.
2e"ore 9 %o$ld say anything& howeer& another patient rolled past and yelled&
"#urricane$" at the top o" her l$ngs and pl$nged her "oot down on the model. 'he plasti%
gae beneath the girl(s heel and %ollapsed. :any o" the a%tion "ig$res snapped and
spiraled thro$gh the air as more stomping ens$ed.
5%oooo&5 wailed Amy as she wrapped her arms aro$nd her head. 58oo# at what yo$(e
done. 6o$ deil ; yo$(e destroyed my wor#A5
,$st then& the orderly 9 was waiting on entered the room. 'ho$gh shorter than the rest
o" the sta""& Kimberly possessed a wide "rame and sinewy limbs whi%h ens$red order
d$ring her shi"ts. People aro$nd her sh$""led o$t o" her way as she wal#ed oer and
wat%hed as Amy gathered the shattered pie%es o" her demolished plasti% world.
Satis"ied that order had been restored& Kimberly t$rned to me and as#ed& 5*eady "or
yo$r "inal session45
50e"initely&5 9 said. +ith that& we were o"" to do%(s o""i%e.
<
&kay& let's do this& 9 told mysel"& ta#ing a deep breath and "or%ing mysel" into a serio$s
ibe.
0o% leaned "orward "rom his %hair and said& 5-irst o""& 0a#ota& 9 want to than# yo$ "or
being so %ooperatie. 9(m s$re this hasn(t been easy "or yo$. As we(e already to$%hed on&
tho$gh m$%h o" my wor# inoles general behaioral resear%h& my spe%ialty is
somnipathy& a medi%al disorder o" a person(s sleep patterns. 'he a""li%tion is serio$s
eno$gh to inter"ere with normal day3to3day "$n%tions. -or the past "ew days& 9(e been
gathering data in an attempt to determine yo$r %ore iss$e. )n%e that(s determined& we
sho$ld be able to eliminate yo$r problems in%l$ding ridding yo$ o" yo$r night terrors.5
5:y mom told yo$ abo$t those& h$h45
5She(s %on%erned abo$t yo$. 6o$r la%# o" sleep is apparently %a$sing mishaps and
mood problems at home. She also said that yo$(re haing memory and learning problems
at s%hool.5
%ot to mention my growing crankiness is winding its way into my relationship with
!than. But let's not go there, okay'
5!ow& haing said that&5 he %ontin$ed& 5let(s go oer yo$r dreams on%e more. 'he
pres%ient ones where real li"e similarities o%%$r soon a"ter yo$ hae them. +hen did they
"irst start45
5+ell& as 9 told yo$ a %o$ple o" days ago& 9(e had them o""3and3on most o" my li"e.
'he "irst one happened when 9 was "ie. A"ter "alling asleep one night& 9 dreamed 9 got a
%at. +hi%h was %ool sin%e 9(d always wanted one o" my own& b$t had neer as#ed my
parents.5
5+hy not45
5.m& %a$se 9 was a %hild and didn(t always arti%$late well45 0aid nodded and
s%ribbled something into a notepad.
(ome on )akota, get a grip. #e's not the enemy, he's only trying to help. Reign in the
snark. -or some reason& my goo"iness had grown sin%e my arrial. Probably neres. 9
too# a sip "rom my bottled water and tried to organi?e my tho$ghts.
5)#ay& then what happened45
9 too# another deep breath& e1haled& then said& 5'he ne1t morning& my dad was waiting
"or me and my mom to get ready "or %h$r%h when he saw an orange strea# ?ip a%ross the
ba%# yard. He went o$t to inestigate and dis%oered a mewling tabby. +e p$t some mil#
o$t "or him be"ore we le"t.5
5How did yo$r dream mat%h $p with what happened that morning45
56o$ mean se=$entially& li#e s%enes in a moie45
5Something li#e that. 0id the eents inoling yo$r %at o%%$r e1a%tly as yo$
remembered them "rom yo$r dream4 Close to e1a%t4 0id anything important "ail to
happen45
9 pa$sed to %onsider. 5*eality didn(t syn% $p e1a%tly& tho$gh the oerall %ontent did. 9
dreamed 9 was going to get a %at& and 9 got one.5
0aid s%ribbled some more. +hen he was done& the line o" =$estioning shi"ted.
5'ell me abo$t yo$r "ather&5 he said.
9 sighed& "eeling a mi1t$re o" 7oy and sadness. 5He was a great man& and an een
greater dad. 9 miss him.5
5'ell me abo$t his death. 9n%l$ding the dream yo$ had shortly be"ore it happened.5
5'here(s not a lot to tell. -ie years ago& 9 dreamed that a giant sna#e was %reeping $p
behind him one night while he slept o$t in the desert. 9t started %ir%ling him& whispering&
(9(e %ome to #ill& steal& and destroy.( A wee# later& we re%eied word "rom the
organi?ation he was wor#ing with that he(d been bitten by a iper in 9srael. He died soon
a"ter.5
5+hat was yo$r "ather doing in 9srael45
5+or#ing on a dig. He was a s%ientist& tho$gh had a passion "or history. At times he
seemed more interested in the past than the present. 'he people he was wor#ing with had
dis%oered something $n$s$al and wanted my "ather(s help. :y mom and 9 were neer
told what& e1a%tly. So anyway& o"" he went. He did that a lot. 8eaing on a moment(s
noti%e. Sometimes "or long periods.5
+e tal#ed "or two more ho$rs. 0o% threw o$t =$estion a"ter =$estion& li#e baseballs at
a do$ble3header. He seemed espe%ially interested in my most re%ent dreams inoling the
people o" :agn$m Co$nty and their "iery "ates& tho$gh was ag$e when 9(d as#ed why.
-inally& o$r session drew to a %lose.
5So how abo$t it&5 9 as#ed& %learing my throat with another sip o" my water. 5'hin#
yo$ %an %$re me45
59 beliee there(s a good %han%e o" that& yes&5 he said& pa$sing a beat be"ore adding&
5>ien time.5
5>reat. 9(ll let yo$ write $p yo$r notes or whateer it is yo$ need to do& and 9(ll gie
my mom a %all to %ome pi%# me $p.5
5'hat won(t be ne%essary&5 0aid said. 56o$r mother has already agreed to let yo$
stay longer i" needed. At this point& 9 thin# some additional sessions might proe o" merit.
Also& a "ew blood tests to %he%# "or any physiologi%al problems might proe bene"i%ial.5
5.m& all right. An e1tra ho$r or two sho$ldn(t be a problem. 'ho$gh "eel "ree to %all
my primary %are physi%ian i" yo$ want. He(s done blood tests be"ore and 9(m g$essing his
o""i%e still has the res$lts on "ile.5
5'hat(s %onsiderate o" yo$& b$t we li#e to do o$r own wor#. Pl$s& they may not hae
tested "or eerything. 'r$st me when 9 say we(re =$ite thoro$gh here. !ot to worry&
tho$gh& 9(m wor#ing on an idea. And i" eerything goes as e1pe%ted& we sho$ld be done
with yo$ in no more than si1 months.5
5+hoa& hang on there do%. 9 thin# 9 hae a better idea...5 9 tried "or%ing the rest o" my
words o$t& b$t "or some reason wasn(t able to. S$ddenly 9 was haing di""i%$lty "orming
%oherent tho$ghts. 'he plasti% bottle 9(d been sipping "rom& whi%h 9 reali?ed too late
probably %ontained more than 7$st "iltered water& hit the "loor. 'he last o" my strength
drained o$t o" me and 9 sl$mped o$t o" my %hair and onto the %arpet.
9 stared $p at do%& hearing him better than 9 %o$ld see him as my ision bl$rred.
:oments be"ore 9 bla%#ed o$t& a door opened. 'wo men li"ted me& then pla%ed my limp
"orm on a portable stret%her one o" them had wheeled in. As 9 "aded o$t& 9 heard a swirl o"
words ; race, resurrected, portals. 9 tried to ma#e o$t more& b$t my brain "ro?e as 9
dri"ted into $n%ons%io$sness. 'hen 9 saw the "a%e again.
'he dragon(s "a%e. As "earsome as in my preio$s dream. 2$t this ision was already
starting o$t worse than the preio$s one. 2e%a$se this time& the thing was tal#ing to me.
He started o$t by telling me his name was -a$1.
And what he said ne1t made me wish 9(d a%%epted Ethan(s o""er to go sightseeing in
0allas three days ago.
<
56o$ sho$ldn(t stress eat&5 said the wing :essenger.
59(m not stressed. 9(m h$ngry.5
56o$ lie ; not that that(s a s$rprise. 9 %an always tell when yo$(re growing more
$nhinged. 6o$r s%ales t$rn a dar#er shade o" green.5
So$l Cr$sher rea%hed inside a b$%#et and drew o$t another %r$sta%ean. 'he animal
resembled a lobster& b$t was smaller and had an additional set o" pin%hers. 'he demon
tore the head o"" and s$%#ed o$t the insides in one iolent sl$rp. :oments later& the
animal(s remains made a si%#ening thunk as they whi??ed past Ar%(s head and landed
against a ba%# wall.
5.nhinge that.5
5!o need to get testy&5 said Ar%& wiping away a sti%#y s$bstan%e "rom his "orehead.
5'he h$man physi%ian is %onin%ed that 0a#ota is the one he(s been sear%hing "or. 9s that
why yo$(re $pset4 2e%a$se yo$ tho$ght he wo$ld #ill her and in doing so satis"y yo$r
bloodl$st45
9n response& So$l Cr$sher rea%hed ba%# into the b$%#et& not bothering to rip o"" any
appendages this time be"ore "iring o"" a "resh missile at Ar%(s head.
Sensing a shi"t aro$nd him& Ar% as#ed& 5+hat are yo$ doing45
5:ind yo$r own b$siness.5
56o$(re %hanneling yo$r power elsewhere. +hat are yo$ $p to45
59(m m$lti3tas#ing. !ow leae me alone.5
A pa$se. 5-a$1. He(s leaing the Abyss and abo$t to arrie on Earth& isn(t he45
59(m s$re 9 don(t #now what yo$(re tal#ing abo$t.5 'he %orners o" the demon(s se%ond
mo$th& the one "a%ing away "rom his adersary& %$rled $pwards and "ormed a tight smile.
5'his m$st be important i" the master serpent(s se%ond3in3%ommand is getting dire%tly
inoled.5
52rother& yo$ don(t #now the hal" o" it.5
<
'o be %ontin$ed in the noel...
2loodline

Excerpt from Bloodline
36A S%ien%e -i%tion dystopia3
by Ken Hattaway
Chapter 1
-a$1 landed with a m$ted th$d against the hard 'e1as soil as the temporal opening
melted away aboe him. His s#in was hot and pri%#ly& "l$shed "rom trans"erring in "rom
the o$ter edges o" the Abyss.
He p$shed his heay "rame $p with thi%# ropey arms and& standing ere%t& stret%hed his
newly a%=$ired physi%al "orm $pward towards the yawning s#y& inhaling deeply& as
seeral 7oints snapped sti""ly into pla%e. >iing his s$rro$ndings a deep sni""& he tested
his respiratory system& whi%h in%l$ded m$ltiple pairs o" l$ngs and a newly harested
heart.
'wenty yards ahead and to his right& an indigent man %l$t%hed at his threadbare %oat
and st$mbled down the street& $ns$re as to what he(d 7$st witnessed& b$t =$ite s$re he was
better o"" not #nowing. 'he woman who(d been with him sin%e wandering o$t o" the b$s
terminal earlier b$sied hersel" by massaging her g$ms where her "ront teeth on%e resided&
then "ollowed s$it as a "eeling o" dread and general $neasiness eneloped her.
-a$1 wat%hed& b$t did not "ollow.
9nstead& he too# a step "orward& then bent and retrieed a dis%arded soda %an. 'earing
the empty %ontainer in hal"& he pla%ed a 7agged edge against his wrist and slid e1posed
metal down two in%hes o" smooth s#in.
2lood "ormed& then tri%#led down his "orearm be"ore "orming a small b$t thi%# red
p$ddle onto the gro$nd below. He wat%hed as torn "lesh slowly resealed and began to
heal.
-a$1 was pleased. His regenerating ability had improed sin%e his last isit. Satis"ied&
he wal#ed two #ilometers oer to a nearby shopping area and %ontemplated ea%h ehi%le
li#e a b$yer on a $sed %ar lot and engaged in a "l$rry o" rapid mental %al%$lations.
(ompact. Late model. *ood gas mileage. Limited on leg room and interior space,
though.
A 8in%oln !aigator ne1t %a$ght his eye. Roomy. ell+maintained. ),) player in the
back. -tylish, but showy. .oo attention+grabbing on the road.
'he minian -a$1 %ame a%ross ne1t was white with bl$e stripes. 5+ash me5 had been
lightly "ingered in along the le"t side.
.he back seats are remo/able. 0ight be important for the e1tra space. And white,
good color. on't e/en be noticed on the road. orks. He "o$nd a nearby ben%h and
h$n#ered down.
A%ross the lot& a pregnant woman par#ed and led her three sons into an organi%
gro%ery store. A bored employee swept $p errant %igarette b$tts o$tside a deli
spe%iali?ing in #osher meats. A "emale 7ogger with t$nnel ision and long platin$m hair
?ipped down the road. A man wearing a garbage bag "or a shirt %arried on a %onersation
with himsel" and la$ghed and pointed at random ob7e%ts.
.hey ne/er change& tho$ght -a$1. -tupid sheep.
Eent$ally& the minian(s drier wal#ed o$t o" the store she(d been shopping in. Her
"laming red hair mat%hed her attit$de. She s%reamed at someone on her %ell phone as she
wal#ed& something abo$t her phone bill and bad %$stomer seri%e. She wore a bright
yellow s#irt that %oered her legs all the way down to her an#les. 'he gems on her an#le
bra%elet spar#led brightly in the morning light.
'he sight o" the woman(s "eet made -a$1 thin# abo$t the $rban legend inoling the
thie" lying in wait $nder a i%tim(s %ar at a shopping mall. A%%ording to the tale& the man
wo$ld render a woman helpless by slashing her an#les with a ra?or& then ta#ing o"" with
some %ombination o" pa%#ages& %ar& or her.
A "eral grin bro#e o$t along the edges o" -a$1(s mo$th as he tho$ght o" the story. 9t
%ontained all the elements o" the %lassi% horror tale. 'here was the %on%ept o" being
e1posed and de"enseless %o$pled with the "eelings o" helplessness. 'he i%tim ; alone
with no aid in sight. >reat emotional appeal. An1iety. 0istress. -ear.
He imagined what it wo$ld be li#e to slip into pla%e and hide $nderneath the
approa%hing woman(s ehi%le and wait "or her. 'he redhead wo$ld wal# $p to the drier(s
side door and "$mble with her #eys be"ore getting the %orre%t one into the lo%#. -a$1
wo$ld already hae a sharp ob7e%t o$t& ready to stri#e. As she %li%#ed the lo%# and opened
the door& he wo$ld grab a "oot with his le"t hand and atta%# with the right in two lightning
"ast stro#es.
-wish, swish.
'he blood loss wo$ld be minimal& b$t the "ear and sho%# wo$ld be o"" the %harts& li#e
the %iti?ens o" *ome as their %ity and lies %r$mbled aro$nd them two tho$sand years
ago. -a$1(s p$lse ra%ed with e1%itement. :aybe i" he %o$ld 7$st...
'hen the pain str$%# ; memories e1ploding inside him li#e detonating grenades. 'he
temptation was s$ddenly easier to resist as he remembered what had happened the last
time he(d strayed "rom his mission. 'he barrels. 'he s%alding li=$ids. Een 0emons had
their pain threshold. Any deiation here wo$ld mean more o" the same with no more
%han%es at regaining what was right"$lly his. And with plans to brea# thro$gh the last
layer o" the -allen hierar%hy and r$le oer all& "ail$re simply wo$ld not do.
'he "antasy "aded& and -a$1(s resole ret$rned een as the redhead approa%hed. She
p$t her #ey into the lo%# as she maligned the %aller on the other end o" her %ell phone one
last time be"ore ending the %all. -a$1 stood and wal#ed oer.
5E1%$se me&5 he said in a deadened tone.
'he woman didn(t een "lin%h. 56es. +hat is it45 she said with an attit$de only the
yo$th possess.
-or the se%ond time that day& -a$1 smiled. As his lips separated& his mo$th widened
and a stinging apor es%aped& %losing in and eneloping the woman(s "a%e. She tried
s%reaming& b$t only s$%%eeded in dropping her p$r%hased items as -a$1 ro$ghly shoed
her inside the an.

About the Author
Ken Hattaway lies in the So$th. He sered on a%tie d$ty in the .nited States Army
9n"antry and later in the ..S. Army *eseres as a 0rill Sergeant.
He writes to entertain and ma#e sense o" the world aro$nd him and hopes that some
day a spe%ial person in his li"e reali?es that it(s possible to loe both %ats and dogs& that it
doesn(t hae to be an either@or sit$ation. -eel "ree to %onta%t him at his website.

Acknowledements
'han#s to my beta readers& A$rora Contreras& 0eborah 0oster3Erpelding and S$san
Cole "or early readings and "eedba%#. 6o$ g$ys ro%#. K$dos& also& to my graphi%
ill$strator at Coragraphi%s not only "or her "antasti% %oer design Badditional wor# by
Konradba# and 0$san Kosti%C b$t "or her patien%e ea%h time 9 needed 57$st one more
%hange.5
>o ba%# to Contents