Delano rounds the corner to a deserted and cluttered alley and dry-heaves violently. The thick, weathered skin on his face stretches as he awaits the onslaught of stomach acid to decorate the ground around his boots. Nothing comes, and the retching feeling slowly subsides.Leaning back against a wall, he breathes heavily. The scar on the side of his face begins to throb a bit, and he touches it slightly. It’s warm to the touch, but not uncomfortably so. He looks toward the entrance of the alley hoping that he wasn’t followed in. He wasn’t and is momentarily relieved.What has just occurred? He is at a loss and, for the first time in over a century, is ...scared?No. Not scared. The visions he has to encounter were disconcerting at first, the images varying based on the person. The more vile images are created in the minds of those who are sociopaths and psychotics. There are no limits as to what these minds can conjure. Luckily, for humankind, their corporeal bodies could not possibly

Jack staggered and fell to the floor at the foot of the bed, trying desperately to remove them.One of the horde rose up, hissing and spitting loudly, causing Jack to freeze in place.The hood of the cobra spread wide as it appraised Jack with those beautiful emerald eyes. Its mouth opened, displaying rows upon rows of needle-sharp fangs, which dripped yellow with what Jack knew was venom.“You have too many teeth; you can’t be real!” Jack blubbered insanely.His stomach was once again wracked with devastating cramps, and he rolled to his side. As he blacked out, his mind screamed, his eyes are the color of jade. Glowing jade!He awoke with a start, flailing at the phantom snakes he was sure were still attacking him. To his relief, the intruder was gone, and so were the snakes. Good.He cautiously looked around the room to make sure. He got to his feet and went to Ruth’s bedside.She was naked except for a pair of panties; her hair covered her face haphazardly. In her right hand, she

He obeyed his father and stayed put, even after his father had fallen asleep. But he did steal glances from the window in his room. What he saw filled him with something that could only be described as pride. Pride for being the son of a man who could talk to the spirits and raise them from the ground. Pride in his heritage. Pride that he was not at all scared by what he beheld that night.Dark beings, with red eyes glowing dully in the bush, moved in great groups, moaning that old African rhythm he had heard earlier that evening. The winds had picked up, and the stench of their ancient rotting flesh could be detected in the night air. To Etan, it was the smell of power. The stink of a force that could not be stopped by anything of this earth. His heart pounded in his chest ferociously as he closed his eyes and drew in air through his nostrils, taking it all in.He sat at the window all night, listening and watching. In the distance, he could hear the screams and wails of the fallen T

He’s being really sneaky these days, Jack reflects as he sips from his drink. Not that it really means much. These old-school cats always kept things close to the cuff. But lately, it’s become more of a thing with Edgar. Jack supposes he has some scam going on that he wants to keep to himself. Something that will pay off big. The New Year will arrive in a week and the Bowl season will start. Big money in that. If that’s what it is, no big deal. As long as that’s what it is.He turns back to the T.V.“No. That won’t do. Call back when you can help us,” Edgar says impatiently and hangs up the phone. He walks over and takes a seat next to Jack.“So? What was that all about?” Jack asks without looking away from the movie.Edgar sighs. “It’s that Alderman. The guy’s a piece of work. He knows we need the stuff. He’s trying to wait it out until we offer more money. ”Jack’s suspicion eases. There has been an ongoing collaboration with the city’s Alderman Darrell Thomas, jig ex-drug dealer su

“It can be beat,” she had told him several times, during her sessions. “My mother and brother beat it, and so will I.” And he believed her.She eventually fell into a coma and was not expected to live much longer after that. They did not know how long she could survive in that state, but the prognosis was as grim as it could get.Chris told Amy he went to be by her side everyday, thinking that it would be her last. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and he was there all the while, amazed that she hung on for as long as she had. He was sure that the longer she lingered, the better the chances she could come out of the coma. She never did, but something else happened.One night, as he slept in a chair close to her bedside (he did that a lot after she went under), she began to moan. It was low and raspy at first, and initially, he almost thought he was dreaming it.Soon the moan became louder, and he realized it was coming from his wife. As he sat up in his chair, her eyelids flu