Saelieni Chapter 1 by Gregory Harvey

(5 ratings) Rate this Story (5 best) 1 2 3 4 5   3 comments /

After what seemed an agonizingly long walk, Arthur stumbled across the road sign that pronounced "Yulumson".
But the sign was lying in two pieces, crumpled against the ground. There was a bowling ball merely a meter away from it. In fact, the scene almost looked as though the ball had... what? Fallen from the sky? Arthur chuckled to himself, which brought a moment of release from the pain (and the song for that matter).
On a normal day, from his position, Arthur should have been able to see right through the town, along the highway which nowadays consisted of mostly abandoned buildings. But the dust blocked his vision. It was probably blowing into his head wound as well... they'd have to apply disinfectant.
It wasn't much more of a walk now, the first inhabited house would be appearing on his right, after he passed the wheat silos and an old cattle yard that was...

***

Melanie had forgotten about yelling for her mother. Whereas before she had thought the sword had moved closer... now she knew it. It was moving slowly, millimeter by millimeter, as it slid down towards her face.
Or was it?
Was her imagination trying to undo her? She desperately hoped that was the case... but the sword sliced that possibility away as it slid further, a definite movement.
"Help! Somebody help me!!! Mum?"
No response.
Perhaps she should try to move. But that would cause vibrations on the ground which would shake the bed, which might release the sword onto her face. No... better to wait until someone arrived to pull it out.
Just as that thought crossed through her mind she heard footsteps. Out on the footpath.
"Help me!" Melanie screamed.
The footsteps certainly seemed to be moving closer. But they were moving slowly, tediously. One step clumping down after the other, with no particular sense of urgency...
And then she heard the house's front door open with its characteristic squeak. The footsteps changed as they pressed against the wood of the house. But something was... off... about them. Wouldn't a normal person, upon hearing someone scream as she had done, move a little faster? Wouldn't they, in turn, yell out? If only to find the person screaming? The door squeaked shut. The footsteps pressed closer towards her, and Melanie remained silent. It was unsettling.
She got her first look at the shoes as they stepped into the living room. And they were very strange indeed. One was what she would have called an ‘army' shoe when she was younger, and the other was a bright yellow gum shoe. The kind she used to wear when the creek flooded, except much larger. Much... much larger. Tucked into the shoes were a discoloured pair of jeans. The feet stopped in the living room (almost as to acknowledge her presence) before heading into the kitchen.
A few steps later, there was a loud, dull noise. THUMP. And then another...
The footsteps started again briefly afterwards, although this time they were accompanied by another noise. Melanie took but a moment to realize that it was breathing.