the hunt by joe kennedy (ebook reader computer txt) 📕

dune when mike who was now in front stopped suddenly there was something in the sand the sun was catching it making it shine mike picked up a clump of sand which was compact and threw it at the object it shot up revealing it to be a spike a simple yet deadly trap the spike had gone to mikes who was the tallest head height the four had no doubt that one false move and they would be killed john grabbed some sand and threw it in front of him spikes rose up to greet him before anyone could stop him he stepped out and walked to where the sand had fallen unscathed I suggest single file john said with a smile the others followed single file stepping in his footsteps they stopped behind him as he bent down a scooped up even more sand and threw it again spikes flew out of the ground and again he found a path through them eventually he threw the sand and nothing happened all four of them threw sand just to be sure not that they doubted him john was the first to step forward the others held their breath in anticipation no spikes but they still followed in his footsteps and occasionally threw more sand eventually they sped up again though still in single file the sun was still high in the sky and was scorching the sand beneath their feet Sarah could feel it because her shoes were the thinnest and it was getting hotter soon even john and Rachel could feel it through their boots Rachel was in front now she hated the heat and the sand her hatred for the desert clear and it was she that first felt the fire sands flame the pain was instant but not fleeting she jumped back with a scream of both shock and pain the sand in front started to glow slightly red seeing this as well as hearing Rachel’s scream they guessed it was made by magic and very hot experimentally john put his foot on the sand he burnt his foot and his boots started smoking he stepped back quickly a thought occurred to mike he got out his notebook and drew a plank of wood it appeared in the sand in front of him it started smoking but when he stepped on it it didn’t burn him “ the sands getting hotter by the minute I’m not sure how long this will last it is wood after all the all got on balancing rather precariously on the wood it was warm but didn’t burn them mike drew another it appeared ahead and crashed in to the sand sending pieces of hot sand flying everywhere it was hotter than the other one but still did not burn them the plank behind him disappeared in a flash of blue light he quickly started on the next one again it crashed into the sand causing it to spray everywhere this time the wood blackened around the edges and when they stepped on it burnt them a little but nowhere near as bad as when they had stepped on the sand itself still mike started drawing the next on but it was hurried and the structure of it was weak so this time when they stepped on it, it actually burnt them so much so that Sarah who was behind mike jumped back a little and landed on Rachel’s foot almost causing her to fall off but john who was at the back caught her outstretched hand and pulled her back onto the wood. The wood was smouldering at the edges mike was already drawing the next one making it thicker it landed in front of them but there was a gap easy enough to jump across but the sand was making the air very hot and the landing would be tricky the hot wood dipping into the sand slightly as he landed he looked back the back of the wood behind him was on fire at the edges john at the back was looking at his flaming boot he brushed the fire out with his other foot he moved forward so the others could jump Sarah jumped instantly closely followed by Rachel leaving john to jump but he was frozen the fire surging towards him the clearly scared the fire reached his legs prompting him to jump he landed slightly smoking but safe without warning the sand in front of them burst into flames creating a wall of fire taller than any of them mike looked back at the others and said see you on the other side with a smile and jumped through the flames, silence, the others looked at each other fearing the worst the silence continued then they heard his voice from the other side of the fire saying “ it a bit of a jump but if I can make it you guys can “ Sarah closed her eyes and jumped through a moment later there was a scream of pain sounded a moment later Rachel jumped without hesitation closely followed by john Sarah was sat on the sand nursing a burn on her leg her shoes were both missing they walked on together Sarah with a slight limp and mikes still limp hand Rachel tapped him on the shoulder and made to kiss him at the same time she grabbed his wrist and popped it back into place just as she kissed him he drew away shaking his wrist then kissed her back they stepped forward together sand rose up to greet them quickly engulfing them the same was happening to Sarah and john behind them they were completely covered then it went falling back into the sand a few feet away sand was starting to rise forming eight small piles and still rising the piles started to join together soon they began to look like humans and when they were finished they looked like Sarah Rachel john and mike and stood facing their human counter parts each sand creature drew knives or a spear or in Rachel’s case turned into a wolf they spoke as one as one the result of this was very strange “you shall not leave this place alive Rachel turned into a wolf and lunged at her sand counterpart but changed into a lion at the last second this surprised the creature and her powerful jaws went straight through it sand neck severing it completely the rest fell into the sand and disappeared Rachel gave a triumphant roar but this was cut short however as sand started to rise again creating a sand wolf the other sand creatures advanced and even though their weapons were made of sand the four had no doubt they would cut just the same sand met steel yet held strong Sarah was the first to get cut she had thrust at the sand creature but it had parried and cut her on her arm john stunned his sand creature and lunged at hers his knives aiming for the head and the heart it blocked one but was not fast enough to block the one aimed at its heart it staggered back then took the knife out of its heart and advanced on john his had also gotten up and was advancing on him both were aiming for his head he ducked and shouted “ how do we defeat sand” “Ice” suggested mike he didn’t wait for a reply he set to work drawing a spear like his but with an icy tip with shards of ice coming from it, it appeared with a blue flash in his hands he threw it at johns creature it went through its chest ice creeping out from the wound soon it was completely frozen john stabbed it and it shattered the sand creatures all withdrew slightly but mike had already drawn more weapons soon they all had knives and were fighting off their creatures but the creatures were still skilled mikes knocked mike onto the sand and was about to finish him off when an icy knife flew into its head john had thrown his knife at it killing it instantly they were all gone except Rachel’s which simply refused to die it was changing too fast, a wolf, a robin, a bear, an ant, they created a circle around it mike put his spear at the top of the circle so it couldn’t fly away while Rachel went round the back so it couldn’t retreat john was in front of it and Sarah was at its side mike brought his spear down Sarah and john stabbed at it and Rachel bit it at last they had frozen it Rachel turned into a bear and brought a great paw crashing onto its head with a final roar “now comes the tricky bit” Sarah said with a laugh the dune was towering over them the sun was catching it making it glow golden an even stronger gold glow was coming from behind it they ran up it faster than ever they reached the top in no time and saw a sight that made their hearts stop mid beat the guardian was there standing by the archway the four retreated a little “ what the hell do we do now he’s not going to move said Rachel “ fight ice with ice” replied mike and before anyone could stop him he slid down the dune as silently as possible “ hey ugly” he shouted “ over here” the guardian charged him and had reached him in seconds instantly attacking him their spears met and a huge crack sounded throughout the desert they were attacking each other with such ferocity that the others were frozen with both fear and excitement but the sudden fierceness had taken its toll of the weapons soon both spear heads broke of leaving the two opponents with slightly sharp sticks but the guardian could use almost any weapon at least the prospect of being frozen solid had been removed all he had to do was keep it distracted for long enough that the others could get through the archway then he could run then hopefully run and get through unscathed or at least alive the guardian struck him in the chest while he was distracted it felt similar to being hit by a brick he staggered back in shock he couldn’t tell the others to run or the guardian would notice them the guardian swung for his head he parried and hit it in the neck in roared in anger and started attacking faster and faster and mike was having a hard time blocking let alone attacking it smashed his legs he fell this was when the others finally moved it brought its staff smashing down aiming for his head mike rolled away just in time the others were nearly through but john changed direction and charged at the guardian two axes flying beside him the guardian raised its staff again a axe appeared in its arm it howled in pain and tore it out another appeared in its leg mike kicked its legs tripping it instantly he got up and ran with john through the archway it was hot but it was a different kind of hot it was more humid they went through and again the archway diapered behind them in a flurry of leaves Rachel and Sarah were standing in front of him completely still barely breathing “ you guys ok” he said his own voice sounding unusually loud they both instantly told him