A Winter Without Ice

Chapter Five: Stranger

     The noises continued and the ninja still had no sign of Luke. Luke stands up and looks around the trees. The noises seemed to be getting closer and they were surrounding him. What are those noises? Luke was never introduced to the city. Never seen technology or even Nindroids. Or at least he doesn't remember them...

     "Who is there?" Luke said louder. Every now and then he would hear something that sounded like a laugh, but not by a human or animal. Luke was grabbed by something. He couldn't see it. It was as if it was invisible. The thing grabbed him by the throat. It felt cold like a snake feels. Claws were holding him by the throat. He saw eyes appear in front of him and heard a voice say something.

     "Won't The Overlord be pleased to see what we caught?" The voice said as something wearing a hooded jacket appeared in front of him. He still couldn't tell who - or what - it was. Luke blacked out in fear.

     The ninja were calling Luke's name. It had to be midnight by that time. They didn't get any answer. Where could that boy be? 

     "Lloyd, I know you're worried, but we have to get some sleep at some point," Jay says.

     "But Luke is still out there..." Lloyd says.

     "Why don't we set up camp here?" Cole suggests.

    "No. You know what? Fine. You can set up camp. I'm going to save my son," Lloyd argues and continues walking as the ninja look at each other and stand still.

     Cole sighed. "Let him go guys. He wants to find Luke."

     The other ninja set up camp and went to sleep as Lloyd continued his search for Luke.

     Back at the house, everyone was worried about them. They were expecting to return earlier than the time it was.

     "Where could they be?" Kayla wondered. She put on her rabbit skin coat and went outside. She sat on the porch step in the snow and looked up at the full moon. She hears the door open, but ignores it.

     "It's pretty isn't it," Austin says as he sits down beside her.

     Kayla nods.

     "I'm worried about them too," Austin says.

     Kayla doesn't reply and keeps looking at the moon.

     "You and your brother seem close. I wish my brother and I were that close," Austin smiles softly and looks at Kayla who still doesn't reply. Austin sighs, knowing that his attempt to help hasn't worked. He stands up and goes back inside.

     "What do we have here?" a strangely familiar voice says. It wasn't the hooded creature, but something strange. Luke woke up. He found himself strapped down to a metal platform. He couldn't get out.

     "Where am I?" Luke scaredly asks.

     "You don't remember me?" the voice asks.

     Luke shakes his head. A screen turns on with red, orange, blue, and purple colours on it. They looked like eyes, but they moved as the voice spoke.

     The voice laughs softly, "I created you, Luke."