Free Tyler's Dream by Matthew Butler Page B

lion sailed over him with a swish of wind, landed neatly on the snow, and then with one leap bounded away again into the darkness, leaving behind only a deep snarl of frustration.
    Tyler realised he was yelling. One of his ankles was roaring with pain, and the rest of his body prickled with shock. Varkon crouched and hauled him to his feet.
    “We must go on. Can you walk?”
    Tyler winced. “I guess so, but it’s going to hurt.”
    “Pain fades with time. Death will be a little more permanent. Let’s move – there’s no telling when that creature will return.”
    They pushed onwards, Tyler limping badly as he tried not to inch any weight onto the ball of his foot. Varkon lagged behind so that he could see his charge at all times and better protect him. The ghatu showed no sympathy.
    The slavish march continued as the moon drifted across the sky. Tyler’s agony endured. On one brief rest he crammed snow into his boot to ice his heel. It blocked the pain for a time, but eventually the ice melted, and he was left with a flood of cold water churning horribly around his foot. Pain gnawed at his strength. This nightmare had lasted for too long. The world tilted.
    With a groan he crashed to the snow, falling to his knees. “I can’t anymore, Varkon. I just c an’t .”
    For a long moment Varkon paused, seemingly considering his options. His great figure loomed from above like one of the tall pines. Finally he bent and scooped Tyler into his colossal grasp.
    “Rest …” whispered Tyler with relief as his fingers fumbled for the warmth of the spider-stone.
    Araus stood on the beach. The sun whipped at her flaxen hair, and the breeze played with the ribbons on her dress. He was there. They ki ssed.
    The hawk flew by again, slowly this time. She withdrew deeply into the leaves, ruffling her feathers nervously and darting her head.
    Six ravens – that was bad luck. He thumbed his tongue into his cheek and scratched his nose. Perhaps not the most attractive action, but he couldn’t care less anymore. One last time he went over the options. Somehow he had always known it would come to t his …
    Low. Fast. Whipping along the trunk. Must find light. Light? Maybe higher? Yes. Yes. He rested, his scaly body drawing in the heat. He licked out a long, forked tongue. Good.
    He was in the darkness; it was infinite. Tyler was immersed in it, drowning in the remains of his courage. The darkness began to pulse, to squeeze, pushing against him and compacting. He struggled, but there was no hope of escape. It crushed harder, pressing against his temples and shutting out his air. He could not scream. His eyes lolled madly in their soc kets.
    “ DIE! ” The voice pierced Tyler’s head like a hot bit of iron.
    “Derek!” Tyler shouted as he woke. “My home!”
    He was feverish. Sweat drenched his body, and his breathing was ragged, but worst of all he was completely disorientated. He had no idea where he was. A hand gripped his shoulder. It was a compassionless, heavy hand, but it helped all the same. “Tyler! Tyler ! What’s wrong?”
    The fever eased at the sound of Varkon’s voice, and Tyler found it surprisingly cheering. He opened his eyes and struggled to sit up, but Varkon pushed him down. “Rest child. You must be still.”
    “I’m all right now, Varkon. I feel better. I can sit.”
    Varkon ignored these assurances. “Go back to sleep. Please.”
    “Varkon, let go !” Tyler cried, pushing roughly upwards as he sat. His face felt cool. He reached up to touch it, and it was wet. He drew his hand away – blood. “Varkon? What happened? Where did this come from?”
    The ghatu’s hand fell back onto Tyler’s shoulder.
    “Child, lie down. Please, if you could only …” He sighed. “Blood is running from your nose, your ears.”
    Tyler touched his ears unbelievingly. Sure enough they were coated with blood, which was already beginning to dry and harden. Perhaps it was the sight of his own blood, but all of a