The Hybrid's Tale

Prologue

"Stupid boss."

I kick a stone down the road on my way back home from the diner.

"It's not my fault that idiot got food dumped on him. After all, he did trip me."

I kick the stone again, still fuming at the injustice of it all.

I go on like this for a while. Kicking stones and cursing my boss and the idiot that got me fired.

After several minutes, I've calmed down enough to stop kicking stones and focus on my surroundings. It isn't long before I realize I'm going the wrong way and must have taken a wrong turn.

"Nice going Ben," I mutter to myself sarcastically.

The area I'm in is familiar and I know the way home from here so things aren't that bad. The downside being it's going to take longer for me to get home.

Wanting to get home as soon as possible after the terrible day I've had, I decide to take a shortcut through some of the nearby alleys.

Bad decision.

Although I didn't know it at the time. If I had the chance to go back and take the long way, I would.

The strong smell of urine and wet garbage hit me soon after I slip into the maze within the buildings, and I raise my collar over my nose to block out the worst of it.

As I walk in the shadows of the towering buildings, the smell seems to change and become more pungent and choking.

I gag under the cover of my collar and speed up my strides to get out of the alleys faster, sick to my stomach of the acrid smell.

I'm more than half way through the shortcut when I begin to hear the noises all around me.

Dammit, I think to myself. The thought of muggers coming to the forefront of my mind.

I walk even faster, trying to get in the open quickly without tipping off my would-be attackers while the sound of shuffling feet gets louder with every passing moment.

I spy the exit onto the street several metres ahead of me and feel a surge of relief flood through me at my imminent escape, and try not to start running.

I'm only a few feet away from escaping the loud noises when a figure lands in front of me.

The smell is worse than ever at this point. Then I come to the realization that it's coming from the crouching, shadow-cloaked figure in front of me.

Fear seizes me in its unrelenting grasp and freezes me in place. Stopping all motion and seemingly time itself.

I manage to gather my wits enough to open my mouth in an attempt to plead with the imposing figure before me, but get cut short when it looks up at me with evil eyes.

Eyes filled with the intent to hurt.

Eyes the colour of blood.