Stories tagged “Katie”
-
Under the Forest
Ron landed at the bottom of some sort of hole. He sat in the pitch black, very still, assessing the situation. He was bruised where he’d landed, but nothing was broken. It didn’t seem like Katie was coming through after him, nor did it seem...
-
Another ball, smaller this time
Without really meaning to, Frank Delaney walked into Charlotte’s room without knocking. The scene that met his eyes was, at first, surprising then, as he realised more, poured ice down his spine. Katie was lying on his daughter’s bed, skirt...
-
Charlotte's room. Night time.
It was late. Katie lay on a low inflatable mattress, in borrowed night-clothes, staring up at the ceiling of Charlotte’s bedroom. “They took me there. They did stuff to me. In a big metal ball. You climb in and it hypnotises you and …...
-
Please, anywhere but home
The colour drained from Katie’s face. It was getting late, even though the summer sun was still well above the horizon. She was sitting on Charlotte’s bed once more, taking comfort from her friend as Frank told her the last thing she wanted...
-
Bowling like a drunk
It was Thursday, and that meant bowling. Tonight, though, she was a mess: Frank’s team were to snatch her as she walked home and nervous energy thrilled through her system. She was bowling like a drunk. “What’s the matter?” Mich...
-
Twisting and writhing
Katie lay awake long into the night, simultaneously upset and furious. Damn Mikey for walking her home. He said he wanted to make sure nothing happened to her. He hadn’t seemed to consider the possibility that she wanted something to happen…...
-
Back in Norman's van
It seemed to take forever for the van to reach point 8. Katie rolled around in the back, clutching her tummy, her whole world on fire, able only to wonder what was going on. Eventually, Libby slowed the van and Norman opened the door and jumped in. He ...
-
Choose life
Katie was sitting up now, as the van drove on. She sipped gingerly at the water Norman had given her. “What happened?” “Weeeellll,” he said, “looks like you drove too close to a Cylink node. A bit like a WiFi hotspot: they...
-
An arrival and a departure
Charlotte met them by the dingy goods-entrance to a hospital Katie had never been to before. Norman carried her inside and laid her on a trolley, handing a wad of print-outs to a nurse who introduced herself as Wei. Norman wished her good luck and vani...
-
Wake up, we're moving again
Katie swam up from the anaesthetic very slowly. Her tummy hurt like hell, but it was a much better sort of hurt than she’d had before. It was still dark and she was alone. Through the curtain around her bed, she could hear the nurse, Wei, if she ...
-
Chewing the miles
At six o’clock, Charlotte and Frank roused Katie, helped her into a wheelchair and wrapped her in a blanket. There’d be time to dress later. Wei watched them go with a closed expression. It looked like they’d be gone before this Malco...
-
Out of Gas
“How long until someone finds us?” Katie asked. “Ninety-six hours. Less if they follow my notes.” Kurt replied. “We’re going to end up sucking vacuum! " Her helmet distorted her voice. “We’re going t...
-
Terror at the Mall
Katie and I were sitting on the bench at the mall when these two weird guys walked in. Overweight and ethnic looking, Asian or Mexican definitely, they wore black trench coats and moved together as one, feet in step, arms swinging the same way. The cre...