Free Reapers Mist: Third in the Reaper Trilogy by Justin Gowland by Justin Gowland Page A

closer together. I looked at the road stretching away from me. I needed to find a place that gave me a good view of the road and yet gave me some security.
    Not far from where I stood was a small office unit it had some corner offices that overlooked the road. I jogged down to the office unit and tried the door handles. The door opened and I followed my rifle into the dark offices. I walked into a reception area with a desk, computer and telephone. The chair behind the desk had been tipped over in what looked like a struggle. Walking to the rear I found a stairwell and pushed open the door.
    Following the steps up to the second floor I paused at the door and listened to the other side. There didn’t seem to be anything moving on the other side of the door. I dropped my rifle on its sling and pulled my pistol from its holster. I checked to make sure the safety was off and pushed the door open and stepped into the corridor. There was very little light and I slowly made my way to the corner offices facing the road. I came to an open plan office the outside of it was lined with management offices. I choose the one that was in the very corner opening the door and stepping inside. I closed the door behind me as quietly as I could.
    Facing me were floor to ceiling double glazed windows. I sat on the floor behind the office desk looking out down the road. Pulling my pack off I opened it and took out a bottle of water and a bag of crisps. Turning the radio on I listened out for anything from Rees or his group. Settling down to watch the road I opened the water and took a large mouthful. I started to eat my crisps I could feel them slowly filled my stomach. This in turn gave me that warm comfortable feeling you get when you’re comfortable.
    Sitting back I closed my eyes for what I thought was a few seconds. The sky was dark and the noise of the thunder felt like it was threatening to rupture my ears. I was crouched down in the darkness of a barn whimpering at every clap. The flashes of lightning stabbed at my eyes with a pain I had never felt before. In the barn with me were other Reapers all with their heads buried in their hands.
    I was again in the body of the Queen Reaper watching through her eyes. Mathleic was sitting on the floor next his Queen.
    He looked up between claps of thunder and said “Your Majesty, I have been told that we have seen the food you are hunting. It was near the large water where our food hides. There was other food hiding close by.” A large clap of thunder made Mathleic wince with a physical pain you could see. “They are bringing it here as we speak.”
    I turned my head and looked at the doors in time to see two of the males pulling a man into the barn. Their skin was slick with water; they pulled the man in front of the queen. He was opening and closing his mouth and I could tell he was saying something. But all that was coming out were a garbled noise.
    The male Reapers forced him to his knees in front of the Queen.
    Standing the Queen looked down at him on his knees and said “This food will replace the one of ours that we lost. Our ranks must not shrink.” 
    Lifting her right claw I noticed a small bump near to where the wrist would have been. The man struggled even more when she walked behind him. He tried to twist and look behind, but was held fast. One of the males pushed his head forward. The Queen lifted her claw and a small needle came out of the bump. She pushed the needle into the neck of the man from behind. I saw what seemed to be the Reapers black blood getting injected into his neck.
    He instantly stiffened and fell away from the Reapers grasp. Whilst she was doing this Mathleic had approached and was standing off to her side.
    He looked down at the man as he thrashed on the floor and said “Be glad your Queen has given you this gift. You will forever be part of us and we part of you.”
    The Queen looked up and cocked her head to the side.
    “Walker you are there? Walker if