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Chapter 2 – Blast

And in that parting shout, Aleks released all the pain, rage, fury and love he felt at that moment.

The bitter lover and jilted patient felt the blast of energy leave his body. Blowing the iron bars out of the windows. Blasting a hole in the wall. Flinging the grated doors clean off their hinges.

Aleks had the attention of the entire garrison. Men came running from all directions. The guards focused all of the weapons in his direction.

And for a moment, Aleks held back. Afraid to step out of his cell. Knowing they would shoot. Doctor’s orders. The men all feared him. He would exact his revenge if they didn’t. At the very least, not treat them in a moment of need. They would all do whatever he said to protect his interests.

Then Aleks realized that some might not wait for him to step out of the cell anyway. They would shoot him just to please the angry doctor and avenge Aleks perceived betrayal just to get in his good graces. No telling what story the doctor had fed them. Most likely Dr. Sevastyan had told them that Aleks had assaulted the woman. They would be furious at him.

Aleks bolted back out through the building. There was no need to run right through the middle of the soldiers just itching for a chance to pop him off. None of them would be friendly. Most of them resented the fact that he had survived the slaughter of his comrades. All of his friends and brothers were no longer among them.

There were still a few guards in the building. But it would be easier to deal with them than the angry horde outside. And it was actually easier than he thought.

The first guard he saw stood up from his desk and raised his rifle to his shoulder. Aleks held up his hand and shouted for him to stop. As soon as he did, an invisible wave of energy swept out from Aleks core and out through his extended arm.

Aleks felt the warm wave sweep out across him. He could feel the built-up pressure leaving his body. He could even sense when it reached the soldier. Shoving him violently backward. Aleks realized that he could feel everything that the energy wave passed throughout to a range of about thirty arshins. It was almost as if the energy were an extension of his very body.

He smiled grimly at his new source of power. Aleks had never felt anything like this before in his life. But then again, he had never loved anyone like Natasha before. He walked over the fallen soldier who had been slammed back against the wall and then knocked forward across the desk.

Aleks pursed his lips. Blood pooled dripped down from the soldier’s head where it had been smashed against the back of the wall. The man’s legs fractured where the desk had slammed into his body immediately after. Pushed back against the wall in the blast as well. Crushing the lower half of the soldier’s body.

He picked up the soldier’s rifle and slung it over his shoulder just in case. No telling how long these energy blasts would last. Or how long he would be able to use them.

The sound of running steps echoed down the hall. Aleks turned and held out his hand toward the sound. Waiting for them to appear. He stood there as they turned the corner and came to halt. Nervously eyeing the dead guard at Aleks’ side.

Several raised their rifles uncomfortably. Nervously.

Aleks raised his hand calmly. Confidently. Waiting for a few more racing feet he could hear echoing in the halls to reach the rest of the group. No sense in having to shoot out more than one blast at a time.

He had sensed some weakness in his body after the first blast left him. Immediately after, he could feel the energy building back up again. Almost like a battery. The feeling of energy trickling back into his core.

It might take a bit to build back up again. He had no idea if his next blast would be as strong as the first. He didn’t want to have to take the risk of using it and then being to weak to follow up on the others.

“Stand down! What have you done with Comrade Feodor?”

Aleks looked down at the fallen soldier. He looked back up at the group of soldiers at the end of the hall. They shuffled nervously and slowly moved forward as the well-trained unit that they were. Aleks didn’t want to kill them unnecessarily like he had Feodor. But he wasn’t sure how much power to release. The first time had only been a single soldier. This was a group of about twelve men.

Ultimately, Aleks didn’t hold back. He released the energy as he had previously. A quick shout. Extending his fingers out from his balled up fist in their direction. The effect was swift and deadly. The fact that this was a group didn’t seem to make much of a difference.

The men in front took the full brunt of the blow. Slamming back into those behind them. Flinging them back down the hall like rag dolls.

Aleks had the sensation that his body adapted and released the necessary amount of energy accordingly. The effect of the force was the same on the men, but he could definitely tell that it took more out of him. He released a second blast in quick succession at the one man who was still alive and tried to get back up onto his feet.

It was a much weaker blast than the first, but still strong enough to knock the man back up against the wall. He lay there unmoving. Aleks heard men the sound of more footsteps coming in from behind him. Through the hole in the wall. He didn’t wait for a group this time. Aleks moved quickly past the pile of bodies in the hall.

He heard shouts behind him when they reached the pile of corpses he had left behind. When he reached the front door of the building, Aleks opened it a little to look around. Most of the guards from this end had been knocked out in the blast. The rest had run around to the other side.

Aleks stepped out and ran quickly for the far end of the camp. A few men saw him. Those that tried to stop him, he took out with a single silent blast of energy. These were definitely weaker than the others. But still powerful enough to get the job done. The only sound they made was the rustle of the leaves and grass that moved out from him.

Neither were the blasts very visible. He could see a light shimmer in the air immediately after the energy blast left his body, but that was about the extent of its visibility. His strongest connection with it was in his sense of feeling. Aleks could feel every blade of grass and leaf and object as the waves moved out from him.

The feeling he had was almost that it was as if his body expanded out immensely and then immediately occupied his space once again.

Aleks could hear the guards following along behind him. The dogs barking. He picked up his pace. It would soon be dark, and he had no idea where to go.

The barking got louder quickly. Three of the dogs had been released to run on ahead of the pack. Following swiftly on Aleks trail. But they didn’t pose much of a threat. He took out all three with a single blast.

It was almost like petting them. He could sense every square inch of their furry, black and brown bodies. Aleks felt sorry for them and started to pull back. Until he sensed sharp ferocious teeth in their powerful jaws preparing to snap around him as they leaped into the air.

He almost had the sensation that he could have let the energy blast pass harmlessly over their bodies if he had wanted. But he didn’t. Their teeth would hurt. So, he knocked them backward as carefully as possible.

One managed to get up and ran off yelping in the opposite direction. Back to the guards that had released it. But the other two lay still. Aleks felt sorry for them. They were only doing their job. They were good creatures.

But he couldn’t feel sorry for long. More were coming. The sounds of the group died off as the dog reached its pack and the guards stopped to calm it down.

Aleks continued to run blindly into the woods. Trying to put as much distance between himself and the camp as possible. He wouldn’t be able to run forever. His leg and arm still hurt from that fateful night. Even though his body had healed well, Aleks could still feel the after-effects lingering in his cells. And the little physical therapy he had been through wasn’t enough to get him back into the peak physical performance that he needed to outrun his battle-hardened comrades.

After a few minutes of jogging, Aleks paused to catch his breath. As his head cleared, he realized that he was moving in the wrong direction to catch up with Natasha. She would be getting on the train with the rest of the soldiers. Tonight’s train would be headed back west toward Moscow where Dr. Setvastyan would be intent on sending Natasha.

The tracks nearest the base ran along the edge of Lake Baikal. Aleks needed to get back down there and find a way to hop on it. Or stop it. Whatever it took to be with Natasha again. 

Continue Reading Chapter 3 – Bodark >>>

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Chapter 3 – Bodark

Aleks turned around to backtrack toward the tracks. It would be an excellent way to confuse the dogs and throw them off his trail. Once he hit the stream again, he could walk in the water so the animals couldn’t follow his scent nor the trackers follow his path.

As he turned, Aleks noticed the old shaman watching him from behind a pile of brush. The old man didn’t seem frightened to have been spotted. He nodded at Aleks and motioned back toward Lake Baikal.

He started to walk toward the old man who shook his head and indicated by bringing his fingers together that should meet farther down the trail. So, Aleks stuck to his plan of backtracking to the stream.

It was nervewracking with the sounds of the dogs growing louder as the guards looking for him got closer. Aleks almost gave up and turned back another way. But the sight of the old man moving parallel to him in the distance gave him courage to continue on.

The young man followed his previous trail back down to the stream. When he arrived, Aleks debated whether to follow it down to the lake or to turn back up toward the old man. But the old man motioned him up in his direction once his feet were back in the cold water. So, he sloshed quietly up in that direction. Pulling himself in behind the old man just as the dogs reached the shoreline where he had crossed before.

The animals and guards didn’t waste any time crossing the stream, and the dogs quickly picked up his old scent and continued to follow his original trail.

Aleks breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t sure why. There hadn’t been more than five dogs and a dozen men or so. Nothing Aleks didn’t think he could handle. The only danger was that the men would be spread out farther. There were no boundaries of the halls to keep them clumped close together. While he was busy taking care of one soldier, another could have time to get a shot off in his direction. It was better for him to stay out of sight here in the open.

After a few seconds, the old man nodded in the direction of the lake. Indicating that it was safe to move out from their hiding place.

Aleks could see the fear in the old man’s eyes. He knew that there was something different about the soldier. He had sensed it before. And that feeling had only intensified. Aleks doubted that the old man knew he could blast out energy from his body, but surely he knew that the lad possessed some sort of strange power.

“Fire of the Dragon?” the old man asked as if reading Aleks’ thoughts.

He shrugged and then nodded in agreement as he pondered the thought.

It wasn’t exactly the way he imagined dragon fire. But still, it made sense. Aleks’ could visualize his body shooting out invisible flames of energy in all directions even though it didn’t exactly burn with heat.

The old man pulled out a gourd capped with cork. He popped the top and handed it to Aleks.

“Drink,” he muttered quietly in the twilight.

Aleks sniffed at it and wrinkled his nose at the bitter stench wafting into his nostrils. Wondering for a brief instant if the shaman wanted to poison him. Aleks could tell that he feared this Dark Dragon thing he had mentioned in their previous conversation. He shook his head and handed it back.

The old man refused to take it back by holding out the palm of his right hand and placing his left finger over his lips as they continued to pad quietly in the shallow water of the stream. Careful not to make splashing noises.

“Must drink. Will purify your blood,” he whispered softly. “Moon waxes stronger. Almost full. You were torn apart by the Bodark when you crossed their pack. Hēilóng saved you. Gave you fire. But you still carry the curse of the Bodark in your blood.”

Aleks stopped and stood there in shock. Almost as much as at hearing the old man speak so many words as he did at what the shaman actually said.

“You’re crazy, old man. Bodark are a legend. The stuff of fairy tales.” Aleks finally managed to stammer.

“You no feel bristles under tongue?” the shaman asked sticking his tongue out and pointing to the bottom of it.

Aleks swirled his tongue around in his mouth and realized it was true. That was the strange sensation he had been feeling in his mouth for the past few days but just couldn’t put his finger on it. He had thought it was the effect of the medicines drying his mouth out.

He popped the cork out of the gourd and guzzled as much of the contents down as he could before gagging. Aleks leaned forward and scooped a palmful of water to his mouth. But the old shaman smacked it away lightly.

“No water. Must drink blood.”

“What? Blood? I thought this potion was to keep me from becoming a Bodark.” he hissed angrily.

“Blood not for Bodark. Blood restore energy quickly. Refuel. Release dragon fire make Aleks weak.”

Aleks nodded dumbly. As if he understood what the old man was saying. But honestly, none of it was making any sense. He would have been killed by Bodark. But he had been saved by a dragon. He carried dragon fire he could blast at will but was in danger of turning into a Bodark himself. Could things get any crazier than this on the night he had lost the woman he loved?

“Finish,” the old man commanded. Pointing to the rest of the gourd.

Aleks grimaced but complied. Took a deep breath and drank it on one go. Fortunately, the gourd was small.

He resisted the urge to scoop up another handful of water and began walking again. The old man followed close behind him.

“Must carry fire to the lake,” the old man whispered in a hushed voice.

“No, I have to get on the train and get away from here,” Aleks replied.

The old man shook his head.

“Must pay tribute to Hēilóng. Save you. Else evil comes.”

“Evil is already here. And his name is Dr. Sevastyan.” Aleks shot back.

The old man nodded.

“Army evil. Army destroy lake. Kill Hēilóng. You save lake. You save Hēilóng.”

Aleks mulled that one over in his mind. He didn’t quite understand it, but he had heard rumors that the base had been set up to run some military exercises. Some whispered of a special type of weapon that could destroy entire countries. A bomb that poisoned the land when exploded.

“So, what? Now, you and I fight the entire Russian army by ourselves?” he roared.

The old man cringed and smacked Aleks on the back of the head.

“You fight. Dragon fire. Me no fight. No dragon fire. Me only watch.”

“Oh, great. Thanks for the encouraging show of support. My odds just increased dramatically.” Aleks muttered to himself.

They continued walking for a way when the shaman raised his hand and touched Aleks’ arm. He motioned for Aleks to remain silent and pointed behind them.

“Guards. Dogs. Coming.”

Aleks listened, but couldn’t hear them yet.

“How did they know where we went?” he asked.

The old man shrugged.

“Lucky. Guards guess.”

Aleks shrugged. He felt good. He wanted to use his dragon fire to take them out. But the old man put out his hand.

“Must save energy. Dragon fire burn fast. Refuel slow. Save to stop doctor.”

They continued to move swiftly now. Aleks didn’t worry about making noise. If the guards were on his trail, then the dogs knew he was here. Silent or not.

The old man led him up out of the stream and over a hill. When the reached the top, Aleks realized why. The stream doubled back on itself and followed a torturously long series of curves. By heading down the hill, they were moving straight toward the lake and the train tracks. He could see the lights of the city flickering in the distance.

Then he heard the shrill whistle of the train.

“It’s coming,” Aleks said under his breath and cut down the hill in front of the old man.

He heard the old man’s footsteps pattering along behind him. Suddenly they stopped. Aleks looked back. The old man a few steps behind waving him on.

“Stop train. Destroy doctor. Save lake. Save Hēilóng.”

“And save Natasha,” Aleks retorted hotly. “Nothing else matters without her. Aren’t you coming?”

The old shaman shook his head.

“Strong fire. Blast all. Me stay.”

“Great. Fine. Be that way. I’ll do what I have to do to save Natasha.” Aleks said and took off down the hill leaving the old man behind.

He wanted to blast the old man for leaving in him in the lurch like this. Shame on the old shaman for not wanting to fight. But help or no help, he intended to stop this train. It wasn’t worth it though. Alex needed to conserve his energy. And the guards would be along soon enough. Some of them were cruel enough to do him in if the dogs didn’t attack him first.

Aleks was soon out of breath. Even though he was only running downhill, but still he was out of shape. It had been almost three months since he had trained.

He arrived at the tracks a bit before the train. Aleks could hear it chugging along in his direction. He smiled grimly as he paused to catch his breath. Looking out over the immense size of the lake in the setting sun.

While running along the river, he had thought that the sun had set. The tall trees had blocked the last of the sun’s rays. Casting dark shadows over the two men as they walked. But out here, away from the trees, Aleks could still catch a glimpse of the final rays.

Hues of pink, orange, and purple rimmed the edges of the horizon beyond the lake. It was a stunning sight. Aleks wondered why he had never stopped to pay attention to the beauty around him before today. 

Continue Reading Chapter 4 – Fallen >>>

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Chapter 4 – Fallen

But he didn’t have long to enjoy it. The sound of the engine grew louder. Soon he could see puffs of steam rising above the trees. Highlighted in stark contrast against the sunset colors of the sky behind them.

Aleks prepared himself. He wasn’t quite sure what to do exactly. His first idea had been to run alongside the train and hop on. Then take on the soldiers one by one. But the old shaman had told him to stop the train.

Maybe he could stand on the tracks and shoot out his dragon fire at the train. Head on. Slow it down or even bring it to a complete stop. If he blasted it from the side and the train derailed, it could end up killing Natasha.

That was a risk that he didn’t want to take.

Aleks lowered himself down into a crouching stance just to the side of the tracks. He took several deep breaths and shook his arms to prepare himself for the blast. The engine came popping out from the forest. He could see it completely now.

The thought crossed his mind since he was off the tracks that even the slight angle of the blast could derail it at that speed. If even only one wheel got bumped off, all the other cars would pile up behind it.

He had worked on a rescue team once. A terrible train wreck that had taken place just a few weeks after Aleks had joined the army. It had been a horrible sight. Agonizing. Pulling bodies out of the wreckage. The corpses weren’t so bad, but those who had still been alive were the worst. Their screams as the troops pulled their mangled and broken bodies out of the smoking rubble to get them to the medics.

Aleks had heard those screams in his ears every night for weeks after the rescue mission was over. He couldn’t let something like that happen to Natasha. He had to do it right. So, he stepped on to the tracks to face the iron beast head on.

They had seen his outline in the last bit of sunlight. The engineer blew a shrill warning for him to move out of the way. He heard the squeal of the wheels as it seemed like they were going to break. But then the engineer let up. Aleks realized why as it got closer.

Dr. Setvastyan stood at the doorway of the engine looking out over the tracks. Waving his fist. Aleks grinned at the challenge. A duel of two lovers. The iron beast versus the fire of the dark dragon.

Aleks prepared himself. Willing himself to wait for just the right moment. If he shot out too early, his energy blast would dissipate and be of no effect. If he waited too long, he wouldn’t be able to slow the train down, and it would run him over.

He heard a loud pop and realized that a guard was on the other side of the train door shooting at him. But there was nothing he could do now. If he fled like a cowardly chicken now, the train would barrel on by, and he would lose Natasha forever.

So, Aleks leaned his body to the opposite side of the track briefly and crouched down for a second to make a smaller target.

Then, when he sensed that the train was just the right distance out to hit his blast at its farthest zenith that still held his strength, Aleks released every bit of energy that he could with a mighty roar that echoed off the mountains to his right and shot across Lake Baikal to the left.

Complete silence covered the mountain and water as all of nature hushed at the sound of love’s desperate cry.

And the entire world seemed to come to a complete standstill around him. Even time itself seemed to pause for the briefest of moments.

After the initial blast had left his body, Aleks continued to hold force the energy out of his body. Channeling it through both arms for as long as he could.

Dr. Setvasyan had leaped back inside the engine as soon as he saw what was coming and realized a collision was about to take place. The guard shooting at Aleks from the other side was thrown clean out of the moving machine.

The iron monster slowed down as moved in Aleks’ direction. It probably would have stopped too, if it weren’t for the doctor’s quick thinking. He threw the train into full throttle. Giving it more juice in spite of the engineer’s protests.

So, the entire train continued moving. Albeit very slowly as if just starting off again.

Aleks couldn’t unleash any more energy in its direction and threw himself off the tracks at the last second. The train continued to roll on slowly by. The infuriating Dr. Setvastyan grinning maliciously and waving at Aleks as he rolled by.

The soldier wanted to stand up. Run after it. Hop on. Save Natasha, but he could barely move. It was all he could do to sit up and watch it go by. He tried to crawl in its direction. Got right up against it and tried to reach out to grab on to some section of it. But by this time, he had captured the attention of the soldiers who were watching. Those closest to him would kick his hand away before it even got near the train.

The train was beginning to pick up speed, but still moving slowly. Aleks could have hopped on without even having to run if he had just had the strength to stand up. But he couldn’t. His legs wouldn’t work.

“Blood,” he thought.

The thought of drinking blood grossed him out. Even more than drinking the shaman’s bitter brew. But if blood would allow him to save Natasha, he would drink whatever it took. He glanced around for the body of the soldier that had fallen off the train. He spotted it back where the man had fallen, but it was on the other side of the moving monster.

Aleks threw his head back and roared.

The soldier spotted the tip of the moon peeking up over the horizon and wished he hadn’t drunk the bitter brew. Maybe he would have transformed in a Bodark. He would have lost his soul forever and never been fit for Natasha. But he had lost her now anyway. And it would have been worth it, just to get one over on the doctor and wipe the smirk off his face.

The third car of the train was going by. It was still picking up speed. A bit more and it would be going faster. Then one by one the rest of the cars would pass him by as the engine continued to pull them speedily on their long journey through the night. Within four days, Natasha would be back in Moscow and lost to him forever.

Aleks threw back his head and screamed out in agony. Letting his voice tear through the oncoming darkness at the soldiers leaning off the sides and mocking him.

And then, over the roar of the engine and chugging of the train, Aleks thought he heard footsteps running in his direction. He turned. Imagining the worst. The soldiers and dogs behind him. Coming to drag him back to the garrison.

But it wasn’t. The old shaman. Outstretched hands. Reaching toward him. The gourd.

Aleks reached out to meet him. Another concoction? Blood from the dogs? Had he killed them? Or even the soldiers themselves?

Would it be enough? Would he regain his energy in time to stop the train? He could blast the train off the tracks without having to worry about a pile up if it derailed at this speed.

The old shaman didn’t make it quite far enough. He stumbled and fell forward into the grass a short distance away from Aleks. He waited for the man to get up and continue. But he didn’t. The Aleks realized what had happened.

He looked up toward the engine. Dr. Setvastyan with a rifle of his own. Pulling it down off his shoulder with a satisfied grin. The look of a hunter who had proudly felled his prey.

Aleks screamed again. The doctor smiled and waved. The soldier tried to drag himself in the old man’s direction. Slowly. Agonizingly.

Several more cars had gone by. The train was almost halfway past him. And it was still picking up speed. He willed himself to move. Pulling himself through the grass and stones toward the gourd.

He sensed the energy of life leaving his body faster than his soul battery could produce more. Aleks could barely move. He stretched out his hand and almost reached the gourd. But it was too far. Aleks could feel hope slipping away from his mind. His vision began to darken.

“This is it,” he thought. “I did my best.”

Continue Reading Chapter 5 – Wrecked >>>

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Chapter 5 – Wrecked

The old man came to at the last second and turned his head to meet Aleks gaze. He nodded and pushed the gourd toward the young man.

“The dogs,” he said.

Aleks breathed a sigh of relief as he stretched out his fingers and slid the gourd toward himself.

He might have to drink human blood someday. But not if he could help it. He was just grateful that his first taste was from an animal. It didn’t feel as wrong even though it still made him sick if he thought about it too much. But he had to do this for Natasha. For Hēilóng. For the shaman. To honor the old man’s sacrifice to save Aleks.

He popped the cork off and lifted it to his lips. There wasn’t much. It wasn’t more than half full. The old man hadn’t had much time to work with. When he reached out his hand with the gourd, Aleks had noticed the deep lacerations on his arms and face where the dogs had torn into him before he managed to bleed them to death.

Aleks raised the gourd shakily toward his mouth and gulped it down quickly. Two swallows. That was all, but it was enough. He licked greedily at a few drops that clung to the sides of the opening. Willing the gourd to give up more. Willing his body to absorb the energy and refuel.

An almost immediate wave of strength shot through his body. Aleks was able to stand to his feet. But now there was no rush. The train was just a little over halfway past him. It wouldn’t move on past him before he had time to do his thing.

Aleks was like a mighty bear toying with his prey before delivering his final blow. He extended his energy outward toward the train. Feeling along each car for Natasha’s presence. Sensing the soldiers who were there on the train.

He could count everyone within the range his blast could reach. And that seemed to be even farther out than his earlier blasts. Aleks could sense that his next blast would be his strongest yet. Partially a mix of refueling with the blood and also the bit of practice he had acquired.

Aleks waited a bit longer till Natasha was out of his range. She was several cars away. Close to the engine and the doctor. He didn’t want her to be affected by it when he blasted the train.

He still didn’t like the idea of stopping the train like this. It was too dangerous. Derailing just one car could cause a massive pileup. Crushing Natasha along with everyone else. It was too risky.

There had to be another way to stop it.

A soldier kicked out at his head as he went by. Aleks ducked and turned.

At the same time, he noticed several soldiers leaning out the windows. Pointing guns in his direction. Preparing to shoot.

Aleks reacted instinctively.

Blasting instantaneously in the direction of the men. He tried to hold back a bit. Measure his blast.

But it was strong. Aleks felt the wave wash over him as his body released energy. Powerfully. Much stronger than before.

Time seemed to slow down around him.

Aleks watched helplessly as the train directly in front of him lifted off the tracks.

He willed it to stay down low. To land back on the tracks. He wished he could use his energy to pull it back in. But the car of the train continued to rise. Pulling up the others around it.

The men in the window tossed back like rag dolls. Their guns flung high in the air.

The soldier who had kicked at him was only a dark-red outline on the train wall. A lighter red mist sprayed out around it.

The wheels of the engine still on the tracks squealed loudly as they spun frantically against the trails. Those that were completely off the rails spun uselessly.

The engine roared loudly. Smoke billowing up from the stack as it clawed to keep itself steady. The cars behind it rising one after the other into the air.

In the end, its forward motion wasn’t strong enough to resist the pull of the other cars and followed suit.

The entire train rising up off the track from Aleks’ single blast of refueled energy.

He watched in awe at the power of blast against the machine. Half-gloating at the look of horror on the doctor’s face while simultaneously cringing at the destruction taking place around him.

The train reached its zenith. High over Aleks’ head. Twisting and turning as they came crashing back down around him.

Aleks raced along the twisted metallic carnage in the direction he had last sensed Natasha’s energy. Afraid of what he would see when he reached her.

Hurrying breathlessly to find her before the soldiers could catch their breath and get their wits about them.

When he arrived at the engine in the low light of darkness, he realized that he had passed by the car Natasha had been in.

He hadn’t sensed her when going by. His heart sank. Had she been crushed in the wreck?

Aleks saw the doctor and engineer lying off in the grass a short distance. The doctor groaned and moved slowly, but the engineer was completely still.

He turned and moved back in the direction he had come from. Anxiously extending in his sense of energy. Feeling for any sign of life within the cars.

The signals were weak, but after seeing several dazed soldiers rising from the metallic wreckage, Aleks realized that his energy was low again.

It worried him. He didn’t have much left to fight off any soldiers. But he was relieved as to why he was having trouble sensing Natasha.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to have to worry. None of the soldiers appeared to focus their attention on him. They were in shock and too dazed to notice him.

Aleks realized that most of them probably hadn’t even looked out the windows earlier and wouldn’t know who he was anyway.

Finally, he sensed Natasha. A soft blip on his radar. He dove through a window into her car that was lying on its side off the tracks.

He scrounged around and heard her moaning softly. Alecks reached for her in the darkness. Pulled several bodies away from her. He could sense that they were still alive. They were either unconscious or still too dazed to move.

Natasha reached up in his direction.

“Aleks? Is that you?”

He pulled her into his arms and hugged her closely for a moment.

“Come. I thought I lost you?”

“What are you doing here? What’s going on?”

“Shhh! I’ll tell you later. Let’s get out of here before Dr. Setvastyan comes to take you away from me again.”

Aleks pulled her gently up. Then pulled himself out of the window. He looked around and noticed the doctor stumbling along on the other side. Trying to find the door in the dark shadows of the twilight. Trying to make sense of why the entrance to the car wasn’t in its usual place.

He pulled Natasha up beside him and placed his fingers over his lips in warning. They slid down the train on the other sidecar opposite from the doctor.

The light of the moon had begun to fill the night sky as they raced toward the vast forest.

Aleks noticed three large, dark shapes hunkered down in the shadows. Watching from the edge of the woods. He could sense their energy, but it was almost human. But not like the humans he had detected so far.

“Bodark?” he wondered.

He didn’t mention them to Natasha. Aleks knew that they had noticed him. But they didn’t make any attempt to approach or block his escape.

They were fixated on the confusion still going on below. Aleks didn’t stop and stick around to see what was going to happen.

Right now, he just wanted to get somewhere warm and safe. Far away from here. Tomorrow, he would figure out what to do. There was no sense in worrying about the future.

For now, he just wanted to be present. Appreciate life. And contemplate the beauty of the moon and stars lighting up the trees around them as they walked back into the city below. 

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Edge 4 – Roar!

Roar! is Book 4 in the Edge of the Universe series. It’s ready to read and up for pre-order on Amazon.

Here’s what it’s about…

After meeting the clone maker and realizing the trouble the scientist has gotten himself into, Art realizes that he needs to find a good lawyer of his own to create a few legal loopholes of his own and leave himself a way out if Tony plans on using his DNA-splicing technology for something evil.

Tony has been hounding Art to sign the contract even before his time was up and Art has a sneaking suspicion that something is up. He just doesn’t know what it is yet.

Art and Bill find a way to sneak into Blue Wolf’s lair even though LocTech spies are watching them. There they learn about an old enemy Tony once made, known as the Rain Maker, who may be able to help Art create the legal loopholes that he needs.

Read book 4 in this Sci-Fi & Fantasy series on Amazon >> 

It has been edited and the latest version has been uploaded for release scheduled on February 1, 2019.  If you’re too anxious to wait to read it though, you can get an Advanced Reader Copy by joining my Advanced Reading Crew.

That way you can tell me if you find any mistakes the editing team may have missed. And leave a review to help promote the book when it goes live.

Enjoy and tell me what you think.

Feel free to leave you questions and feedback about Roar! in the comments below.

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Episode 3 – Rush!

Guess what?

I just put Book 3 of the Edge of the Universe series up for pre-order.

It’s called Rush!

You can grab a copy of Rush! on Amazon >>

What is Rush about?

While his new home is being renovated and his team transferred to Brimhill, Art is getting settled into his new billionaire lifestyle. He is actively looking into LocTech to make sure everything is okay before signing his final contract.

Tony pressures him into come in a day early which he finds strange. But before he can sign it, he gets really sick.
Art meets Dr. Mark Bates, who everyone thought was killed in the Blue Wolf sabotage and is told that the same sickness the clones died from may have mutated and passed on to him.

He must do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of what’s really going on at LocTech and Sector Seven because he knows they aren’t being completely honest while trying to find his way through all the different groups who oppose what LocTech is doing…and ultimately stand against what Art is doing there.

Grab your copy of Rush! Book 3 in this Sci-Fi & Fantasy series called Edge of the Universe >>

Rush! has been edited and is already uploaded, but we still need Beta Readers to make final suggestions.

If you’re too anxious to read Rush! you can grab an Advanced Reader Copy by joining my Advanced Reader Crew.

All I ask is that you point out mistakes our editing team missed and leave a review for future readers in exchange for a free copy.

Feel free to leave your questions and feedback in the comments below.

 

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#EndBullying

Hey! Yo!
Fatso!
Why you so ugly?
What happened to your face?
Stop looking at me.
Get out of this place.

The bullies
They push
And they pull
They punch
And you feel the crunch
The pain
Nothing to gain
Yet they run you off
Shove you around
Take what’s yours
Act like it’s theirs

Ripping
Destroying
Tearing down your emotions
Peeling you back
One layer at a time
Toying with your mind
Playing their ‘games’
But they ain’t any fun
Using their mouth like a gun
Their words like bullets

My momma always said to say
‘Sticks and stones may break my bones
But words can never hurt me’
I’m here to say that ain’t true
My momma was wrong
Those words did hurt
Those words broke me
Broke my soul
Entered my ears
Like fire in my bones
Nagging and gagging and ragging
Non-stop
Rolling around in my head
Day and night

I tried to stop them
Tried not to listen
But I couldn’t
The lies burned into my soul
Like eternal tattoos
There’s nothing I can do
To get them out

And even now
All grown up
Those words still haunt me
Like ghosts of old
The souls of the dead
Floating round in my head
Screaming in agony
Trying to get out
But they’re trapped
By the lies I was fed
By those looking for a laugh
Trying to feel good
Trying to look cool

They got their kicks
They had a good time
But little do they know
The destruction they caused
The pain they inflicted
The hatred they engaged
Instead of looking for love
Seeking to share
Striving to help
Do unto others
That’s the golden rule
As you would have them do unto you
Not as you think they want
But as you would want

Kindness
Consideration
Justice
Love
Joy
Peace
Care
Hope

The things we all want
The goodness we desire
Yet instead we push negativity
We play the wrong tune
We say what we shouldn’t
And do the opposite of what we want

The cycle continues
The madness won’t stop
Anger breeds resentment
Guilt breeds fear
The offspring of our pain
Returns once again
Who will put a stop to them?
Where are the warriors and heroes of old?
Is anyone out there?
Does anyone care?

I sit here
In my corner
Alone with my thoughts
Whispering to myself
In the dark corners of my mind
Reaching into the far recesses
Cleaning out the cobwebs
Looking for hope
Seeking the innocence
I once possessed
Held fast too
My strangled beliefs
My shattered dreams
Long since torn from my grasp

Seeking to find a bit of saneness
On the couch of my shrink
To drowning them out entertainment
I forget about them for a time
Yet when I’m alone
Once again in the attic of my mind
Dark shadows and haunting thoughts
Come whispering again
Slowly returning
Haunting old ground
Refusing to let go
Inflicting their pain
Affecting my sanity
Changing me
From within
Making me someone I don’t recognize
Doing things that aren’t me

And so I sit here
Taking one breath after another
Trying to pull myself together
Seeking to forgive
And forget
To let go
Of the pain
And past memories
To move on
Toward a better future
And all I desire
As I pick up the shattered pieces
Of my life that remains
In some semblance of power
Yet all that remains are pieces of me
Poorly reflected
Of who I was once before battered and torn
By bullies and those who refused to defend me
Giving them permission
To continue their games

Yet I refuse to remain
To play by their rules
I get up
And walk out
Leaving them to continue their game
They don’t understand why I don’t push back
Why I don’t stay within the limits that they have established
But I can’t

I have to walk away
Leave them behind
Carried away
By a still small voice
That assures me there is a better place
Where I won’t be bullied and badgered
A place where I will find love and acceptance
My uniqueness embraced

Old wounds wound and bound
Old hurts healed and sealed
As hope slowly seeps back in
Peace restores my soul
And those old voices get tired of waiting for pain
They move on
Allowing me to find myself
Express my voice
And once again discover
My inner child
Among the broken pieces I still cherish

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Episode 2 – Release!

Episode 2 is called Release! in the Edge of the Universe series and should be ready soon.

I have written it and editing starts later on this week. It is already on pre-order on Amazon and is scheduled for release on December 1.

I’m almost finished writing the fourth episode and plan to start the fifth in another day or two.

It’s such an exciting series. You can follow along with my daily writings on Patreon if you’re too anxious to wait for the release date.

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Episode 1 – Rise!

Here it is! The long-awaited, first episode of Edge of the Universe series will be officially available on November 1, 2018.

I’ve ended up changing the name of Episode 1 from “Run!” to “Rise” because it deals with the start of Art’s ascension as a billionaire.

Episodes 2 and 3 have already been written. They are currently being edited.

And I am almost finished with writing episode 4.

The official versions will be out in the next couple of months.

But you should be seeing those in the folder if you grabbed a pre-release copy here in the next couple of days.

Here is the latest updated information about the Edge of the Universe series (as of November 1, 2018). What books Dave Bailey currently writing and when upcoming episodes will become available.

I’m currently writing a chapter or two each day. You can read the daily chapters on Dave Bailey’s Patreon page

Series: Art on the Edge of the Universe
Season 1: On The Run!

Episode 1: Rise (November 1, 2018) Available on all major platforms
Episode 2: Release (December 1, 2018) Already available on Patreon & Gumroad
Episode 3: Rush (January 1, 2019) Already available on Patreon & Gumroad
Episode 4: Run (Feburary 1, 2019) Writing the final chapters now – Read available chapters on Patreon
Episode 5: TBA (March 1, 2019)
Episode 6: TBA (April 1, 2019)
Episode 7: TBA (May 1, 2019)
Episode 8: TBA (June 1, 2019)
Episode 9: TBA (July 1, 2019)
Episode 10: TBA (August 1, 2019)

Season 2: TBA (November 1, 2019)

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Chapter 8 Complete! Whoo Hoo…

Cranking away here today on Love On The Edge. I’m tentatively calling it ‘Rise of the Dragon Queen‘.

I’ve already reached my first daily goal of cranking out 2,853 words. First 8 chapters are now complete.

You can read chapters 6 & 7 on my Patreon page now.

Who Is The Real Villain Here?

Onwards and upwards with my rebellious characters. They never do what I want them to. Right.

So, I thought Dr. Jonas was the bad guy, but he ends up turning out to be a real sweetheart.

Now, Julie’s starting to point her psychological finger at Melinda, the nutty nurse.

Good news is, that both Julie and Melinda now understand what they are doing there with Dr. Jonas.

Anyway…

I Gotta Stay In Shape…

So, after trying to beat my ornery characters into submission, I finally gave up and went for a run.

Managed to run almost 2K, then walked a bunch. Working my way back up the 5K ladder.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WAHX16FXPMech1uLA

Time To Get Some Shut Eye

So, I’m gonna call it a day, and try to get some sleep here.

Get back up first thing in the morning.

I know I write better in the morning, but that means I have to go to bed earlier, so I can wake up early enough to get some writing in before work.

What Am I Going To Read Tonight?

I don’t know. If you’re reading anything good, make sure to hit me up in the comments and let me know.

I have a couple of Short Read books on my Kindle, so that might keep me awake a bit longer if I get into the story.

I’ve been mostly reading non-fiction these days to hone my writing craft, but I miss reading good fiction.

So, I’ll check out the titles I’ve downloaded from my Kindle Unlimited.

See what looks interesting.

I know there are some creepy short stories that caught my attention the other day.

But that might not be the best thing to read right before I go to sleep. Right?

Here’s an interesting infographic on fear of the dark.

Why People are Afraid of the Dark

Ya’ll have a good night now!