Ice Flue Chapter 12

Dayglo Arnie pulled a strip of flesh from the flank of a half-human Dracun Lizard. Its body roasted over a spit inside a Bedouin tent. Arnie sucked at the greasy flesh while glaring at his recruits in disappointment.

Stan and the police officer lay hogtied on the canvas ground. The police officer wiggled, his revolving face thudding as it spun like a windup toy fallen over on its side.

Arnie licked his fingers and lifted a thin black whip from a compartment in his round midsection. “Well, what are you waiting for? Escape. Escape! REBEL!” He hissed, barring his fangs. “Don’t you want to be a hero? Don’t you want to save the world?”

Dayglo Arnie paused for a few minutes, impatiently checking his watch between quick whip slashess that seemed to pull off thin pieces of facial skin. “Alright. I’ll escape for you.” He untied Stan and the police officer and pushed them towards the opening of the tent.

Three tough street kids stood outside. One had an eye patch, another had gold ears, and a third had a prosthetic arm.

The police officer sighed, pale with dread. “Those are the other recruits.” He sighed again. “Maybe someday we can be brave like them and not have our master rebel for us.”

Dayglo Arnie pushed them out forcefully.

The street kids flipped open switchblades.

A ghostly blue Elizabeth Dracula floated by.

“You’ll die from the Ice Flue in three days.”

Stan tumbled into the desert sands until tangled in red silk sheets. He rolled over. Elizabeth Dracula with a Dracun Lizard Face slumbered. Her snake tongue flitted around her reptilian mouth. “Welcome to the bed of your death,” she mumbled, eyes closed, blue birds the size of ants coasting over her leathery green cheeks.