Free The Temporal by CJ Martin

a birch yell, “Here he is!” An ancient oak left one of its many roots exposed, causing McGregor to momentarily stumble. If nature had abandoned him, what reason did he have for continuing? The animals and insects that had been so deafening earlier were silent. No doubt they too were wishing to aid his pursuers. There was no breeze as there had been earlier to suck up and eliminate any stray sound as he fled.
    The angry human voices behind him had grown in intensity and number. Still, the opening where he had parked his car was just ahead. He jerked his hand into his right pocket, fumbling for the keys. He cursed as his slippery-from-sweat fingers failed to separate his car key from the jumble of apartment and school keys.
    Just then, he heard a sound — was that a siren? His mind imagined cops waiting for him at his car. His feet began to sag, defying his will to move. The voices behind him continued to grow in volume. He had to take the chance and get to his car.
    After a pause to settle his nerves, he leapt out from the woods, slamming his torso unexpectedly into the hood of his car. Using the momentum to his advantage, he was able to roll over the hood and land on his two feet in front of the driver ’s side door. A moment later, he was seated and the key was in the ignition.
    From his rear view mirror and through a cloud of dust, he could just make out several angry, dark figures running unsuccessfully to catch up with his speeding car.
     
    ★
     
    Did she see my face? McGregor’s mind began to race along with the roaring engine. Did the worms chasing me get a good look at my clothes? My car?
    McGregor began to replay the event in his mind. She couldn’t have seen me. She had closed her eyes after he grabbed her and the light had been behind him. The fools who had chased him never got close enough to see him. It was dark and they had not been in a position to even get a glimpse at his license plate.
    Suddenly confident, he slowed his car to normal highway speed and began to look for a late-night Denny ’s for some early breakfast.

Chapter 14
    Japan
     
     
    Sam slept most of the next day. When he awoke that afternoon, he felt like a new man; he had complete control of his body and only felt slightly weaker than usual. The swelling of his tongue had subsided and he could actually swallow without the slightest discomfort.
    Sitting up, he noticed Suteko had bandaged his arm. One of those creatures must have injured it, and although he couldn ’t see through the bandage to be sure, it stung like a deep wound.
    His bare feet touching the cool tatami mat flooring made him feel alive. He remembered as a child running his hands back and forth with the grain of the straw. The feel of its silky smoothness and the grassy smell of a fresh mat were two of his strongest early memories and quite impossible to resist.
    “ Sam, are you... feeling all right?”
    Suteko having heard some stirring found Sam squatting down with his nose to the tatami and hands rubbing her floor.
    Using the bed post for stability, Sam stood up with a touch of embarrassment.
    “ Oh, great. Actually, I feel great.”
    “ Can you walk?”
    Not knowing the answer himself, Sam let go of the bed post and took a few steps.
    “Good,” Suteko said with a smile. “Are you ready then?”
    “ Ready?”
    “ Ready to go to New Orleans.”
    “ New Orleans?”
    She shuffled to the next room, reappearing seconds later with a tiny laptop. Sam surmised the screen was not much more than six inches wide.
    “Have you ever seen this place?”
    She had the street view on Google Maps up. The screen showed an old four or five story building. There were two small trees decorating the entranceway.
    Sam’s eyes grew large. “Where is that?”
    “ You’ve seen this building before?”
    “ Yes. I’ve seen this. Can you show more of the street view?”
    Suteko pulled the laptop back, swiped a few gestures on the trackpad, and handed it to Sam.
    “Like