short story

Episode 7 – Dog and Bone

CraigLeave a comment

After lunch, all of the boys started yawning, and once one started, they all started non-stop. Even though it was still early afternoon, Grandma Bella dispatched all the boys upstairs for a nap.

Again, they could hardly believe their luck — beds, real beds with sheets and pillows, and one bed for each of them!

To Grandma Bella’s amusement, the pups who would normally object strenuously to taking an afternoon nap all insisted that they wanted to take a nap too. Hamish snuggled in with Seb, Fergus with Charlie, and Angus with Raven. Lewis, of course, had Dogger. Soon all the boys and Hunde puppies were fast asleep, the boys feeling completely safe for the first time in a very, very long time.

Continue reading →

Episode 6 – The Fox and Hounds

CraigLeave a comment

Charlie: I can see them! — they’re coming back, and there’s some… some… um…

Charlie, who had never seen a Hunde before, couldn’t quite comprehend what he was seeing.

…some people with them, well I think they’re people — um — they look like, wow!

They look like dogs — but they are walking like people!

The closer Raven, Lewis, and their companions got, it was beyond any doubt; coming towards them were walking, talking, real-life barking dog people.

Continue reading →

Episode 5 – Barking Green

CraigLeave a comment

After several hours of undisturbed sleep, Raven stirred, waking with a start. Pitch black surrounded him, and it took a few moments to remember where and why he was there. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and stretched out his stiff back. Despite the blankets and sleeping bags, the platform had still been hard and cold to sleep on.

Raven could see the luminous hands of Samson’s watch — 6 am. He gently began to rouse the others. Samson, now awake, helped Raven wake the rest. Slowly, the little camp on the East Houndsford subway platform came to life, with only just a little bit of grumbling and one or two mumbles of “just another five minutes.”

Bed rolls were soon re-rolled, and backpacks were zipped. Some of the uneaten snacks from the previous night were re-interrogated for a makeshift breakfast.

Continue reading →

Episode 4: Walking Underground

CraigLeave a comment

Two at a time, the clan swelled to almost their full size at the end of the station platform next to the underground tunnel portal.

Raven: Just Seb and Red to come now, guys. Those with torches, make sure you conserve the batteries — we’re gonna need them.

Samson: I’ve got a spare one if that helps.

Continue reading →

Episode 3: The Station

CraigLeave a comment

Red looked around at the group of faces — the same faces that had trusted him to keep them all safe for so long. The crushing weight of responsibility sat heavily on his heart.

Now was not the time to dwell on feelings.

Rather, it was time to engage the head and the street smarts that had served him well over the last few years.

As he looked, each face told a different story, yet each carried the same fear, concern, and determination etched behind the grimy smears, along with one or two tears.

Continue reading →

Episode 2: Fleeing by Night

CraigLeave a comment

As soon as they returned to the basement, Red wasted no time.

Red: Everyone, listen up.

The Marauders are getting too damn close. It’s only a matter of time before they find us, and we can’t take that risk.

The basement is no longer safe — we need to move, and we need to move tonight. Pack what you need, whatever food we have left, a bottle of water, and be ready to move as soon as we can. Help each other.

Continue reading →

Episode 1: The Great Collapse

Craig3 Comments

Note: If you haven’t read Short Story 4.0: The Arctic Incident —it’s recommended you start there—this story follows directly on.

A pale, skinny youth of around thirteen was picking through the piles of debris, looking for anything that might be useful, either to keep or trade. The pickings were slim, as these piles had already been picked over several times by others. A bottle or two here, a battered bicycle helmet, and some plastic bags there.

This was the world now.

Continue reading →

Mammothants

CraigLeave a comment

The Mammothants were on the move. The harsh winter conditions of the Cyanos Northern Tundra had driven the herd southwards in search of fresh food.

Food. Their one constant need — shared by all in the herd, except for the little ones who still relied on their mothers for milk. The herd held a mixture of adult females and juveniles. The males, once they reached maturity, had left and formed their own bachelor groups, returning only during the mating season.

Crossing the last exposed reaches of the northern plains, the herd neared the foothills of the mountains. Here, in a crisscrossed maze of valleys, they would find fresh food, trees with bark to strip, and plentiful grasses buried beneath the snow. Most of the valleys also held wide braided rivers that flowed down from the high mountain glaciers.

Continue reading →