COBALT: The Red Phantom (Book One)

Chapter 2: The Day Like Any Other Day (Part 2/2)

          Káel ran faster than he ever knew he could, desperately pushing to keep up with Ray's abnormal pace. The band of bat monsters were close behind, holding their human appearance and riding the tailwind of the two boys, gradually picking up speed.

          Groups of people leapt out of the way as they tore down the sidewalk. The acreage was in sight, but exhaustion took over Káel as he gasped for air and slowed his pace. He stole a quick glance over his shoulder at the billowing cloaks of their guests, they were closing in fast. Káel yelped, doubling his speed and whipping past Ray into the grassy field.

          The two boys vaulted the gate without even checking the lock, and dashed into the house. Káel immediately snapped down every lock he could find on the door, bracing the doorknob with a chair he collapsed on to regain his breath. "What the f-"

          "Chirops," Ray cut in, giving the window a quizzical stare. "They're not supposed to be here."

          "Chirops?" Káel gave Ray an exaggerated nod as he smiled at the understanding, barely catching the sarcasm lacing Káel's voice. "Right, yeah okay... You don't seem particularly surprised that Dracula and his boy-band just attacked us, might I ask why?!"

          Ray removed his overcoat and obviously pulled his book out of some secret pocket. "Nice house." The door rattled and creaked, the shrill screeches of the chirops muffled by the sturdy barrier. Ray peeked through the small window in the door. "One... Two... Five... Six..."

          Káel grabbed a wooden bat out of a tin full of umbrellas, his voice still shaking with fear and aggravation. "Why are we being chased by bat monsters?"

          "Dunno," Ray said, pulling a small metal capsule out of his shirt, and flicking it out into a long baton. He looked over at Káel who was poised to smack in any direction with his bat, "maybe you?"

          Káel was even more confused now, slowly raising his eyebrows without a shred of amusement. "I didn't do anything."

          One of the windows in the kitchen shattered and two of the chirops crawled in, eyeing their targets with spitting gargles that barely passed for words. Ray swung his baton at one of the chirops as it leaped at him, crackling with electricity as soon as it touched the creature's skin, and producing a shriek as it retreated back a couple feet to hiss at its enemy.

          Káel's opponent circled him on all fours, trying to startle him with swipes and hisses as he turned-tail and booked it up a flight of stairs. With a couple cries of surprise at his thudding and clambering foe, he made it to the top, taking advantage of the high ground as he slammed the wooden bat across the chirops face, sending it tumbling back down with a cry of pain.

          He tried to shake the jitters from his hands, turning with the prospect of barricading himself in his room, when a cacophony of thumps came back up the stairs. A different, or perhaps the same chirop leapt up onto the landing, pursuing Káel as he screamed bloody murder and ran into his room. He hadn't gained enough distance to slam the door, instead leaping onto his bed and jumping to the other side of it as the creature fitted its massive wings through the frame and gave him a scolding hiss.

          "Kafi-iknan!" it spat, slowly stepping towards him and dropping to all fours like a lurking cat. "Munda'irai Caspiaraak."

          Káel looked at the creature with a whimpering grimace, holding up the bat as his entire body shook with fear. The creature took a left at the bed, forcing him to take a right as he stared at it in bewilderment, and tightened his grip until the flesh of his knuckles went pure white.