*All characters copyrighted to Poseidon Simons

Chapter 10

Melodie woke up that morning in an empty bed. She looked around the house, wondering where Cory had gone, "Did he go to the office? Oh DAMN, he probably did!" She put on a light jacket after getting dressed, then started to head out. She noticed a small note on the table as she walked by.

Melodie, I've got to get one more giant anthro. I'll be back before a week is over if things go smoothly. I love you. The money is on top of the fridge for when you need it.

Yours forever, Cory.

Melodie held the note in her hands, trying to understand why Cory would go back so soon. Shrugging it off for later, she took some of the money, bought the best piece of fruit she could find in the market, then went to check on Jack. Jack's eyes were wide open, like he'd just woken from a nightmare, "Jack?"

He jerked, then looked over at her, "Melodie, did I do anything strange last night?"

"I wasn't here. Why?"

"I'm not sure if it was a dream or real, but something happened with Cory and me last night."

"Hmm?"

"I want to lean to a dream, but I just don't know..."

"What happened?"

"He attacked me!!! I was asleep in this bed, and he threw water on me to wake me up. He kept asking me questions--I can't think of what they were--then he shoved the mask in my face to make me fall asleep again...I've been too scared to move since. I mean, what if it hadn't been a dream? What if he really did come in here last night?!"

"Well, I know of one way to check." She walked over to the gas mask and checked its readings. It was a little lower than it should've been, but that could've been a leak. She checked the pillow around Jack's head, frowning when it felt damp, "He might've drooled in his sleep. There's no way to know for sure." She came back around to the front of the bed, "Well, whatever it was, you don't have to worry. He left me a note saying he'd be gone for a week! You're safe for now, Jack."

Johnny was shaken awake by Kim. He grumbled and sleepily pushed her off, then realized where they were. He sat up in bed so fast that Kim didn't have enought ime to get out of the way, making their heads hit, "Ow..." Johnny rubbed his head, "Why were you shaking me, Kim?"

She smiled and handed him a cup of coffee, "I have some great news. It seems Cory just left again last night. He won't be back for at least a week!"

Johnny held the cup halfway to his lips, "Really?"

"Yes!"

He set the cup down, ever so gently, then shot out of the bed, hugging and twirling Kim with all his might, "We're gonna make it!!!! Ha ha, we're safe again!!!!!!!!!!" Maik whined from his crib, wanting to have a part in the fun as well. Johnny obliged him by picking him up and holding him high above his head. He laughed with joy, watching as Maik started giggling as well. Lisa knocked on their door to ask what was so great, "Lisa, Cory left!!!!! He'll be gone for a week!"

The door shot open, "Really?! That's great!!"

"I know! C'mon in and join the party!! YES!!!!!!!!!"

Ania rubbed her eys and yawned. She looked a bit cross, like she hadn't wanted to be woken up, but when they told her the news, she was dancing around like the rest of them. Something dawned on her face, and she ran out. Johnny could easily tell she would be headed for Jack.

Jack smiled at Ania as she came in, "They told you?"

She nodded her head excitedly, "We'll be able to make it out of here before he comes back! Jack, we did it!"

"I know. Hang on while I tell Crystal." He closed his eyes and concentrated on Crystal's voice, "Crystal?"

"You are ready to leave?"

"Not yet, but I've got some great news! The anthro we were all worried about left last night!"

"I saw him. He looked in a great hurry."

"He did?--wait a minute, you don't even know what he looks like!"

Her voice sounded flat, "He was the only anthro that got on that thing you all ride inside. There were no others there."

"He got on a train."

"Train then. Whatever it may be called, I saw him leave. When do you wish to go?"

"In about three days. We'll be abe to get away from him and he'll never have seen us!"

"But what about when he went to see you last night?"

"I dreamed that."

"No, I saw him go to your room."

"You mean he--it happened?"

"Yes."

Jack broke the contact, worried, "Ania, go tell Johnny and Kim to come here."

"They're here." Melodie's voice came from the doorway, "What's wrong?"

Jack glanced over at them, "I didn't dream last night, Melodie."

"Of course you did! What makes you think you didn't?!"

"Crystal said she saw him come into my room last night. She saw him get on the train, too." Jack tried not to think about what that meant, "I don't remember what the questions were, but now I'm worried..."

Johnny came up by him, "Well, he didn't call the authorities to have you arrested, or killed, and he did leave, so whatever happened, you don't need to worry anymore. We'll be gone before he has another chance to find you."

Lisa Syang happily fingered the money she had just gotten from Johnny, "Now I can pay all those taxes! I'm finally out of debt!" The money they'd given her was far more than the rent specified, but Johnny had insisted. She had already spent most of it and paid off her taxes, except for one where she had to go personally. It was the last one she had to go to, which would pay off insurance for her hotel. The mayor's house was only a few blocks away, slightly hidden by the plants he let grow around his home. It was a nice home, with a rustic charm to it. She went inside, calling the mayor's name, "Mayor Coln? Excuse me, mayor Coln?"

"Hello, Lisa. What can I do for you?" A common dragon with light-gray scales came from another room. He had a paper in his hands, which he was still trying to read while he spoke, "Is it about your hotel?"

"Yes sir. I've just been paid enough to be debt free! I was going to go to Wrall city and pay off the last of the insurance, so could you watch over the place for me?"

"Sure. Say, I could use your help, Lisa. You can still program things, right?"

"Yes, what do you need?"

"I'm installing a security system around the village that will warn us if an animal larger than a fairy dragon attacks. I've got everything set up, but I can't figure out how to plug it all in to the moniter here."

"May I see it?"

"Mm-hmm. It's in the next room. Here, you'll need this." He handed her the paper he was trying to read, "It's the instructions."

She took them from his hands and walked into the next room. Just as she plugged the first cable in, an alarm sounded, "Sir?!!" She shouted over the noise, "What is that?!!!!!"

"IT'S THE ALARM!!!!!!!! SOMETHING'S ATTACKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Lisa fearfully glanced outside a window and saw a two-legged griffon animal walking into the village. Anthros were already running for cover, but the creature managed to grab one in its mouth and eat it. Lisa could hear the anthro's horrified scream as it was picked up off the ground. That scream turned into one of pain as the animal took a bite out of it. The second bite silenced the anthro forever...

Jack shuddered. He'd had a clear view of the entire thing as the creature bit out of the anthro. He pulled his gaze away as a second bite killed the anthro. Thundering footsteps came closer to his room as the animal walked further into the village. A deafening crash tore out the wall behind him as a foot came through the ceiling. Melodie screamed and ran out of the room. Jack didn't blame her; that creature was walking down a path that would lead directly to her home! Johnny unhooked Jack's arm from the sling and pulled him out of the room as well. Jack did his best to keep from groaning in pain as he was wheeled to a safer room. It wasn't enough.

There was suddenly a crash in front of them as a beak shot through the ceiling, blocking their path. Johnny turned Jack's bed around, but the beak came through behind them right then. As it lifted, Jack could see the animal's face, "It's the same one!" He could tell because the animal kept blinking the eye Jack's stick had gone into.

The animal recognized him as well, "YOU! You hurt me last time!"

"I'll do it again, too, unless you decide to leave right now."

The animal reared its head back, guffawing at Jack's bold statement, "You are still hurt as well, tiny creature. I do not see you moving."

"I can still beat you."

"Not likely my little snack!" The animal's head came crashing through what remained of the ceiling, bringing down hundreds of small pieces of plaster. Jack ground his teeth as some of that plaster hit his cast, shooting pain up his arm. The animal looked like it was smiling at him, "Now you can't move. I've had meals from here before, snack! You're mine!" The animal raised its head to get a better view. Jack knew it was preparing to attack.

"AAAAAUUUGGGGHHH!!!!!!!" Jack heard Crystal's scream as she dove at the animal, biting and pecking at him for all she was worth. The creature stepped back in surprise as little bits of his feathers and skin came out.

"Jack listen. Kim, Ania, and I are going to lift you out. Will you be able to handle it?" Johnny asked as Crystal continued attacking.

"But Crystal needs our help!"

"We aren't helping her here! We need to find a safe place for you first!"

Jack nodded, biting his lip to keep from groaning. They were able to get into another room, then Johnny left, making Kim and Ania stay to watch him. Jack wanted to get out there and help, but every time he moved, his arm came on fire. He couldn't move it without help, nad there was no way Kim or Ania were about to let him leave.

Johnny searched frantically for something to fight with, "C'mon, I need something sharp!" A broken beam caught his eye. It had been torn off in such a way that it looked almost like a javelin! He pulled it out of the debris and cautiously approached the griffen. When he was right by the griffen's foot he shouted, "Hey up there! HEY!!!!!!"

The griffen glanced down at him. Johnny gulped as he saw the griffen lick its lips, then dive to attack. Johnny dove out of the way as he hurled the metal bar at the griffen's head. To his surprise, the griffen screamed, then fell over, dead. Crystal flitted down and chirped happily, then went straight for the doctor's office. Silence fell.

Other anthros started to peek out, most not daring to believe what had happened. Johnny couldn't believe it himself! He walked around until he reached the animal's forehead and looked for the bar. It had somehow been so sharp that it'd gone through the creature's skull, striking the brain! It was dead! Johnny stumbled his way back to the doctor's office, panting as he climbed over the debris on the ground, "I'm not in shape anymore. That took a lot more out of me than it should've..." Jack was breathing hard as well, but mostly because it looked like he was still trying to move. Johnny placed a hand on his shoulder, "We won, Jack. We won.