The Watchers by Ruth Ann Nordin

had
implanted him with that thing—that living creature the doctor had
removed from him. His body jerked forward.
    “ That’s it,” the doctor
said, getting ready to stick him with the needle.
    “ No! I need to remember!”
Devon screamed as vomit rose up in his throat. Almost there. One
more piece to the puzzle and this whole ordeal would be
over.
    The doctor slowly stepped
back.
    Level 6
reinforcement. For what?
    The blond woman returned in another
memory. She held a needle in front of him and smiled, her eyes
turning black and a trace of her horns projecting from her
forehead. “The leader’s mark. You will inject this DNA into those
who resist the mark.”
    The final memory in place, Devon
released the vomit into the toilet. As soon as he emptied his
stomach, he sat back.
    The doctor inserted the needle into
Devon’s arm. His stomach soon settled and the chills left in quick
succession. The doctor helped him up. Thankful to have the
experience behind him, Devon leaned on the other man as he lumbered
to his bed. As soon as he collapsed on the mattress, his eyelids
grew heavy.
    “ I want to take that thing
they put in you and see exactly what it is,” the doctor told
him.
    Devon nodded, too tired to fully
comprehend what the man said.
    The doctor pulled the sheet and
blanket up to his neck.
    Devon was barely aware of the doctor
leaving his house. A peaceful numbing sensation swept over him, and
after the pain he went through, he just wanted to enjoy this
moment. His breathing grew slower. He felt sleep coming swiftly.
His last thought, before he finally dozed off was what the blond
meant by the leader, but he knew he’d find that one out soon
enough.

the calm is always followed by a
storm...

    Novella #3:
    The Leader

    Coming October 2010