Сундук со сказками

Surprisingly, it was not the forest that caused the most adrenalin-rich moments of this chase.

We barely spend any time in the woods, in fact. There are a lot of footprints there, but they are looping and crossing, as if the person who left them was dancing a crazy conga. Having examined the area, Hedgehog sniffs the air and moves confidently forward, following the only tracks that lead away from the place.

Soon, we find ourselves on the white plain of the frozen river. The tracks continue upstream. There are not only footprints anymore. Some of the marks are left by bare hands. Looks like the possessed was moving on all fours, sometimes running, sometimes making giant leaps.

( The chase )
***
( The aftermath )
***
After this date, Hedgehog disappears.


(Картинка с Pinterest)

We catch up with the shooter right after she pulls the trigger.

A cottage right in front of us is besieged. A fight is raging inside, and not just a drunken brawl. People there - youngsters, most like, their voices are clear and strong - are fighting for their lives. I can guess who their attackers are. I saw some half-naked silhouettes in the moonlight. If those bodies belonged to humans earlier, they are no longer.

The shooter is a slim female on skis. I don’t know who her mark is, but it’s definitely not one of the zombies. Her rifle is pointed at the big glass front window, where the commotion is the loudest.

( When she notices our arrival, she wastes no time shooting us. )

(To be continued....)


(Картинка с Pinterest)

Горячие бутерброды, розовые скалы, красивые виды, интересные разговоры - все это наконец накопилось, перелилось через край и синтезировалось в очередное приключение Ёжика и Дейрдре.

И, конечно, грибы. Грибы послужили триггером. А триггеры нас учили ловить и разрабатывать.

***

“Wanna have a picnic? I’ll get hot sandwiches.”

By this time, I’m used to yellow stickies popping out of nowhere with invitations on them. I reply “Yes” without even asking where we would be going. I’m there for fun. Fun, Hedgehog provides.

I do have to drive to meet him. The sorcerer waits for me at the beginning of an obscure trail in the Alps leading up onto the granite hill.

As we are climbing higher, the view gets better and better. The rock under our feet forms a solid plate. I can tell there were times, long ago, when this rock was liquid. Its pinkish-grey color creates a lovely contrast with the greenery of the pine trees, and compliments nicely to the red and gold of maples and birches. The distant lakes reflect the evening sky.

( It doesn’t take long for Hedgehog to start pointing at mushrooms. )


(Deirdre Buchanan aka actress Deniz Cakir)

“What do you have here?” Ingrid asks.

( Ingrid )

Here is what Ingrid looks like:

It’s an experience I can never forget - and don’t usually care to repeat - the sensation of my body mending itself right in the middle of strenuous physical work. I trip, I fall, I roll head over heels, only to jump back on my feet and run further. This crazy flight down the steep slope should have left me with a broken nose, scraped knees and bloodied elbows. It would, if not for the wolf potion.

At some point, gunshots are fired again, signalling that our attackers are now over the hilltop. They are far enough for us not to worry. For now.

( We reach for the forest just as I feel the first signs of ravaging hunger. )
(to be continued...)


(Photo courtesy of Flickr)

“How about an evening in the mountains? Here is the address of the chalet.”

I frown and smile at the same time. On one hand, it’s quite presumptuous of my Ukrainian lover to suggest I drive for half a day to meet him and to be certain of an answer. On another hand, a weekend in Swiss Alps does sound nice. Frankly, it would be a welcome respite. The integration of π-3 into the workforce is not going as well as one might hope. People are leaving, and the people who are hired in their place have different values. I’m bothered by this, and I want a break.

So, I drive to a minuscule mountain village to meet Hedgehog. As always, seeing him fills me with playful anticipation. The Ukrainian takes me to the chalet where we sit, drink and chat, enjoying the stunning views and each other's company. There is something strange, however. I can tell the Ukrainian is slightly tense. Is he worried? Annoyed?

Before long, Hedgehog asks me to accompany him for a walk. There was a guy he was supposed to meet today, he says, but the man didn’t show up. Hedgehog was waiting for his call all morning. The call never came, but maybe the dude left whatever he brought in a secret place. Hedgehog knows what the object should be, and he knows the place where the man has supposedly stayed. We'll go there together and check. Maybe we'll be able to find the package. The plan is to pick it up and come back.

The walk starts pleasantly enough. Mountain views, excellent weather, a good companion. We soon reach a small shack. Here, shepherds stay during the summer months while cattle grazes on the nearby slopes.

No shepherds here now. The shack looks empty. Something about it gives me chills. I check the pistol in my purse. Hedgehog notices it but doesn’t comment. He is edgy himself.

We enter the shack and my welcome respite turns into my regular work day.

( The guy Hedgehog was supposed to meet is dead on the floor. )

(to be continued...)

Here is what the main characters look like.

( Deirdre Buchanan )

( A Ukrainian sorcerer who goes by the nickname Hedgehog )

Hexenfluch Headquarters, Berlin, Germany.
April 10th, 2017
10:00

The story of undead in a hole had a continuation.

Ingrid and Roger were examining the captured zombie, and made a notice of its dirty feet. Having sent the dirt to the lab, they discovered that it contained a non-negligible amount of the coal dust. Our analytics ran a search on all the known mines. And, lo and behold, one of the abandoned facilities turned out to be a zombie factory run by necromancers. We raided the mine and even captured some of it owners. The most exciting and unexpected event of the hunt was Mr. Smug, who appeared out of nowhere, grabbed the closest zombie in his vicinity, winked at Ingrid and vanished into thin air together with his bounty.

But this is all just routine (with the exception of, admittedly, Mr. Smug). To me, much more interesting part of the whole ordeal comes later. It is the chat with Shelly that follows these two missions.

( We talk about the π-3 )


(Photo courtesy of Pinterest)

Hexenfluch Headquarters, Berlin, Germany.
April 3rd, 2017
09:00

We have a new member in our crew.

Oh, I’m not talking about the rookie. Roger Hamster is a nice enough guy, a tad idealistic, just as the Captain once was. He has a habit of whistling tunelessly, a fidget cube he likes to play with, and a ridiculous name. He is a normal, regular young fellow with his wonts and quirks.

My concern is the man clad all in black, with a black round helmet covering his head and a toned visor hiding his face. We don’t know his name. We don’t even hear his real voice, as it gets artificially distorted by the helmet. The man is a π-3, a freshly trained specialist, highly sensitive to supernatural. He is a product of a secret program Hexenfluch has been running since the organization started. He is our new weapon, no longer hidden.

I don’t like him.


(Photo courtesy of Pinterest)

( The new mission )

( Обычный разговор )
***
( Про кого была сказка )

(Окончание. Начало тут и тут)

Этой ночью отдыхающие в живописном уголке испанского побережья могли наблюдать странную и тревожную картину. В ночном небе, загораживая луну, висели два вертолета. Лучи прожекторов устремлялись вертикально вниз, пронзая водную толщу. Вода, оливково-серая в свете прожекторов, казалась взбаламученной. По морской глади расходилась рябь от ветра, поднятого винтами. Картина притягивала взгляд, и немало людей, сидящих на террасах или в шезлонгах на темном пляже, наблюдало за вертолетами, гадая, что происходит.

( Читать дальше... )


(картинка с Pinterest)