A Confabulated Compendium of Anecdotes TEASER

SHADOW WALKER

I woke lying on a metal bed. The coldness chilled my bones. Turning my head, I saw another bed beside mine. Bertram was lying on it.

A shadow walker standing over him leaned closer to his face. Bertram’s eyes were closed and he wasn’t moving. Was he asleep?

The creature choked and opened its mouth. The slug appeared. Horrified, I tried to look away but couldn’t. I tried to scream, to warn Bertram, but my voice was mute.

Bertram’s eyes flicked open and he screamed as the snarling creature shrank and slithered into his nose. His body kicked and flicked as if he was having an epileptic seizure as the slug continued into his nostril. He convulsed until the whole ten-foot slug had penetrated him.

I gasped, tears stinging the corners of my eyes, fearing for my friend and realising I would be next. Bertram didn’t move any more. A dribble of dark red blood oozed from his nostril and the slug remained inside him.

My eyes rested on the shadow walker. His dead, caved-in eyes were black with tiny red pupils which reminded me of lasers. I turned away. Waiting for death to come was like torture. My mind told me to flee, make a run for it, but my body felt pinned to the table like I was strapped in.

Had they drugged me? The chaos in my head escalated. Time was running out and I didn’t have a plan. Think!

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