it took them a full four minutes to cover the hundred yards of open grass. Making sure that they weren’t being observed, Hank then lifted Luci off the ground and deposited her over the fence before he too climbed over behind her.
Now standing at the edge of the wooded area, he took a moment to study it.
Unfortunately…it looked like any other wooded area.
Finding a little used trail on his right, he kneeled down beside the red dog.
“Ok girl,” he whispered as he gently took her head in his hands. “This may get a little weird…You still with me?”
In answer, Luci licked Hank’s face, causing him to giggle despite himself.
“I take it that’s a yes,” he sighed as he once again stood and faced the trees. Gripping the leash tightly so that Luci shared the stone’s energy, he started slowly up the trail. After only thirty feet the trail ran between two small trees, each of about eight inches in diameter. If his calculations were right, this should be approximately where Benton had disappeared.
“Here goes nothing,” Hank mumbled as they walked between the trees…instantly disappearing from sight in a shimmer.
Chapter 13
Hank felt the familiar cool dampness on his face. Dropping his jaw in surprise, he quickly looked behind himself, realizing that they had just entered between the two massive twin trees of his dream!
“We ain’t in Kansas anymore girl,” Hank mumbled nervously as he looked down at Luci. Quietly returning his look, Luci didn’t appear to be feeling either frightened or threatened. Taking that as a good sign and seeing nothing around them, he re-holstered his weapon before taking in the forest before him.
His heart skipped a beat when he realized that he was standing where he had been when he met the beautiful woman the night before in his dream. Shaking off those thoughts as his mind refocused, he slowly scanned his surroundings.
Although there was no sign of Benton, the path before them appeared to be well worn with use. Luckily, it was the only path visible, and they wouldn’t have to guess which way to proceed.
Not yet anyway.
Not wasting any more words, Hank and Luci set off slowly down the path. Although both were on high alert, their eyes constantly wandered around the amazing forest.
Suddenly they heard a buzzing sound approaching them. Uneasy at the new sound they stopped, surprised when three winged creatures unexpectedly started flitting around their heads.
Thinking initially that they were just some large insects, Hank’s jaw dropped in surprise when he caught a glimpse of some human-like features on the face of one of the creatures.
“Easy girl,” he whispered, gripping the leash tighter when he realized that Luci was getting uneasy over the buzzy things flitting around in front of her.
“Good girl, just ignore them girl.”
Luci was whining now, unsure as to what to do about the things flapping around her. Just about to try and calm her once more, he realized that it was too late as one of the creatures got a little too close to Luci’s face. Starting with a low growl, Luci then let out three rapid and snarly barks, the force of her voice sending the creature head over heals into a nearby fern.
Crap, he mumbled, realizing that Luci’s barking would wake up the whole forest.
“Hey!” he heard then from down the trail. Following the sound with his eyes, he soon found the man Benton running full bore at him…followed by two other men.
None of them looked happy.
Reacting with practiced training, Hank effortlessly slid the staff off of his back and pointed the rounded end toward the approaching trio.
“STOP!” he shouted, the sound filling the forest like thunder.
The three men stopped immediately, skidding in the dirt. Benton uttered a surprised shit as shock spread in the eyes of all three as they stared at the staff in wonder.
Having been worried only about the approaching men, Hank hadn’t taken notice of his staff
Now standing at the edge of the wooded area, he took a moment to study it.
Unfortunately…it looked like any other wooded area.
Finding a little used trail on his right, he kneeled down beside the red dog.
“Ok girl,” he whispered as he gently took her head in his hands. “This may get a little weird…You still with me?”
In answer, Luci licked Hank’s face, causing him to giggle despite himself.
“I take it that’s a yes,” he sighed as he once again stood and faced the trees. Gripping the leash tightly so that Luci shared the stone’s energy, he started slowly up the trail. After only thirty feet the trail ran between two small trees, each of about eight inches in diameter. If his calculations were right, this should be approximately where Benton had disappeared.
“Here goes nothing,” Hank mumbled as they walked between the trees…instantly disappearing from sight in a shimmer.
Chapter 13
Hank felt the familiar cool dampness on his face. Dropping his jaw in surprise, he quickly looked behind himself, realizing that they had just entered between the two massive twin trees of his dream!
“We ain’t in Kansas anymore girl,” Hank mumbled nervously as he looked down at Luci. Quietly returning his look, Luci didn’t appear to be feeling either frightened or threatened. Taking that as a good sign and seeing nothing around them, he re-holstered his weapon before taking in the forest before him.
His heart skipped a beat when he realized that he was standing where he had been when he met the beautiful woman the night before in his dream. Shaking off those thoughts as his mind refocused, he slowly scanned his surroundings.
Although there was no sign of Benton, the path before them appeared to be well worn with use. Luckily, it was the only path visible, and they wouldn’t have to guess which way to proceed.
Not yet anyway.
Not wasting any more words, Hank and Luci set off slowly down the path. Although both were on high alert, their eyes constantly wandered around the amazing forest.
Suddenly they heard a buzzing sound approaching them. Uneasy at the new sound they stopped, surprised when three winged creatures unexpectedly started flitting around their heads.
Thinking initially that they were just some large insects, Hank’s jaw dropped in surprise when he caught a glimpse of some human-like features on the face of one of the creatures.
“Easy girl,” he whispered, gripping the leash tighter when he realized that Luci was getting uneasy over the buzzy things flitting around in front of her.
“Good girl, just ignore them girl.”
Luci was whining now, unsure as to what to do about the things flapping around her. Just about to try and calm her once more, he realized that it was too late as one of the creatures got a little too close to Luci’s face. Starting with a low growl, Luci then let out three rapid and snarly barks, the force of her voice sending the creature head over heals into a nearby fern.
Crap, he mumbled, realizing that Luci’s barking would wake up the whole forest.
“Hey!” he heard then from down the trail. Following the sound with his eyes, he soon found the man Benton running full bore at him…followed by two other men.
None of them looked happy.
Reacting with practiced training, Hank effortlessly slid the staff off of his back and pointed the rounded end toward the approaching trio.
“STOP!” he shouted, the sound filling the forest like thunder.
The three men stopped immediately, skidding in the dirt. Benton uttered a surprised shit as shock spread in the eyes of all three as they stared at the staff in wonder.
Having been worried only about the approaching men, Hank hadn’t taken notice of his staff
Similar Books
