The Devil's Apprentice by Patrick Stewart (polar express read aloud TXT) 📕

the large crate. Once behind it, he dropped to his knees and crouched. Karen did the same. Keeping low, they moved from crate to crate, leaving the beast behind.

At least, that was what Alex thought they were doing.

It turned out the beast wasn’t as stupid as it looked, at least not when it came to hunting. They heard it roar again. Then, in the open space between them and the next wooden crate, a three-piece leather settee dropped from above, missing them by inches.

There was another roar. This time it was the beast that landed front of them. It opened its mouth to expose the sharp teeth. There was hunger in its eyes. It was the hunter; they were the prey. Nothing more, nothing less.

Karen had apparently recovered fully. She grabbed the crate to their left and pulled apart a long plank of wood. She snapped it in half and charged. Alex was simultaneously impressed at her courage and disheartened at her stupidity. Where her razor-sharp blades had failed to break the beast’s skin, what damage could wood do?

He watched in horror as the Krumier brought its arms together, ready to snap the life out of Karen. But it seemed the experienced Demon Hunter did have a plan. She slid down and ducking underneath the arms, she slammed the wooden planks up, striking the beast on the jaw and its nose before coming up behind it.

It looked awesome.

But it did little damage to the Krumier.

The beast ignored her and continued towards Alex, much like a hungry animal on the scent would do. His broken arm had almost healed completely. Alex held his longsword before him with both hands. He’d already tried to cut the beast in half. That hadn’t worked. But as the beast charged towards him, he didn’t have any other ideas.

So he tried to do the same again.

As the beast neared, he brought the sword down with all his strength and struck the Krumier on the chest. It was a perfect strike. The dull blade was sharper than it led on and he was strong too. But it did nothing. There was a momentary pause as Alex and the beast met eye to eye. He thought he saw a twinkle in the Krumier’s slits.

And then with a casual swipe of the arm, he was flung aside.

This time, Alex crashed into a forklift.

His back bore most of the brunt as it slammed into the lower metal exterior. The blow to his head was cushioned somewhat as it struck the air-inflated rubber tire. He lay on the ground on his side. His sight was blurry but he could just about see the outline of the beast. Somehow, his sword was still in his hand. Using it to bear some of his weight, he climbed to his feet. Karen came up beside him and he leaned onto her gratefully.

“How do we destroy the fucker?” he grumbled.

“I’m open to suggestions,” Karen said, “Unless you want to try and slice it with your sword again?” she raised an eyebrow. “Because that didn’t work the first time, right?”

“Yeah well… running wasn’t working. Not like I had many options,” Alex muttered.

“Why’s it staring at us?”

Alex’s vision now cleared, he noticed as much too. The beast had an obvious advantage. It was strong, fast and a competent hunter. They were weak, injured and armed with inept weaponry. Why had the beast not pressed its advantage? It was standing still with its arms relaxed by its side as it watched them with narrowed eyes.

“Actually… it’s looking at just you,” Karen said. She was right. The beast had his eyes on Alex, and Alex alone. “Why’s it doing that?”

“How am I supposed to know?” Alex said, exasperated. “I barely even know what the damned thing is.”

“It’s a Krumier,” Karen said. “One of Satan’s beasts.”

Satan. Not Satani. He wondered if the difference was important. Satani turned on Satan and locked him up. And now, here was one of Satan’s beasts.

“How did it make its way out of hell?” Karen asked. “We have to report this.”

Alex could see the urgency in her eyes. This was suddenly more than just a human-body-parts smuggling operation. To be able to report this, it meant getting out of here alive. Unfortunately, the beast no longer had the dim look in its eyes. The momentary relapse was over.

“Run,” Karen shouted.

She didn’t hesitate either. She was gone from his side in a flash. Alex on the other hand, his hand automatically tightened around the grip of the sword. Turned out he really didn’t learn. He stood with the longsword held before him, ready to strike the beast a third time. He knew it was futile and stupid. But it was the way his brain had reacted, and it was too late to change course now. The beast was upon him.

And then, as the Krumier came to within a foot of him, time suddenly seemed to slow. Alex could see the beast inching towards him. He could see the air coming out of the two large holes on its enormous snot. He could see the murderous intent in the eyes. The green lips rose slowly as its mouth widened, as its sharp teeth shone in the moonlit warehouse floor.

The Krumier wasn’t going to whack him as it had done the past two times. It was planning on eating him…

There was a heat building up inside him. At first, Alex mistook the increased heart beat and the rush of blood pumping through his body as adrenaline. This felt the same, but with one distinct difference. It was like a fire had been lit in his heart, and rather than blood being pumped, it was lava.

It was a familiar feeling…

And then came the voice.

“That’s one ugly fucker… Fuck me, that thing is ugly. Jesus fucking Christ,