Dark Lands: Requiem - Author's Edition

By Lyn I. Kelly

"Webb...where are we?"

At time's inception a world was created, a world unknown to any race or culture, nor told of in any legend or myth. It is world whose skies boil with the darkest of tempests, but the lands are ripe with the lushest of fields. This world is known as the Dark Lands. Existing between life, death and time, th

• Language: English
• Publisher: Black Kitty Productions
• Release date: Apr 19, 2024
• ISBN: 9798986289151

Lyn I. Kelly

Lyn I. Kelly is the author of the Dark Lands series; the horror novel, Tracks; and-along with Chris Hays-the comic book adaptation of The Forgotten Isle. His work has been published in Diamond Comics and in periodicals such as the Wichita Falls Times-Record News, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Newsweek. Lyn is a member of the Horror Writers Association of America (HWA). He and his family live in Keller, Texas. He has cats that occasionally hinder his writing.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

GROWLERS

Fear.

Anger.

Then a spiral into nothingness.

He lay crumpled on the ground, his body feeling as if it were distending, swelling in and out like waves crashing and receding against a shoreline. The sharp leaden smell of ozone was pervasive around him. His stomach felt twisted, indecisively in flux between slight nausea and full-blown retching. From somewhere deep inside, a singular feeling of panic began to bubble up into a boiling, burning and tearing at him, until it tore him out of his catatonic state.

And then Webb Thompson screamed.

Sundown!

The name roared out with such force that he could scarcely recognize his own voice. The escape of the desperate cry rubbed his throat raw, almost making him wonder whether he had shouted voluntarily or if the wild sound had released itself. His eyes followed the eerie repetitions of his echo as it bounced around the unfamiliar landscape.

Where was he?

Swallowing hard to relieve the increasing apprehension welling up from his chest, he began to shout once for her again, but this time, the words caught in his throat. There in the distance lay a young girl.

Webb languidly rose from his knees and slogged towards her, fighting the fear of what he might find when he got there. Stumbling to a halt beside her, he cradled his little sister in his arms.

She was still breathing.

Sundown, he beckoned.

He brushed the strands of wavy brown hair away from her face and rubbed her cold cheeks, trying to wake her up.

Her eyes gradually flickered open and attempted to focus. Immediately, her expression registered the same confusion and sickness that Webb was feeling.

Webb…where are we? she coughed weakly. I feel sick…

After gently moving her to a sitting position, Webb took in their surroundings. As far as the horizon stretched, he saw never-ending rolling hills and plains covered by the richest, most perfect green grass he had ever seen. The color was strangely vibrant, almost glowing. He grazed his hand across the ground expecting to encounter a prickly coarseness but instead discovered that the green blades had a soft silky texture.

A sharp rumble jerked his attention upward.

Now, that’s different, he mumbled to himself.

The sky was roiling in varying degrees of gray and somber black as if the most violent of all thunderstorms was hiding just behind the cloud cover. But for all of the fury raging in the skies above them, the air immediately around Webb and Sundown was quiet and still. Too still. In all his seventeen years, he had never seen a place as vividly haunting as this.

Webb? She sounded frightened.

I don’t know where we are, Sundown, he answered reluctantly. I don’t even know how we got here.

His memories were incomplete, confused and jagged like a jumbled up jigsaw puzzle. Even the panic that had so violently awoken him now seemed to have no meaning behind it.

No idea? he heard her say.

Let’s move, Sunny. There’s bound to be someone around here who can help us, he said confidently despite the fact that fear was starting to creep over him like ice across a winter pond.

He stood and helped Sundown to her feet, brushing the dirt and grass from her clothes. He didn’t know where they were going, but there was no sense in just standing around, waiting for help that might never come. Choosing a direction to travel, however, would be difficult. They were in the midst of a vast nothingness that stretched anonymously in every direction. The only obvious distinction was that the sky rumbling behind them appeared much angrier and turbulent than the skies ahead of them.

They would be going that way, then.

Where are Mom and Dad, Webb? Sundown abruptly asked, interrupting his thoughts. Her voice heightened fearfully. "Where are they, Webb? Where are they!?"

I don’t know! Webb replied sharply. He was tired and scared too, so his tone had been more abrasive than he’d intended.

Time to reset.

I don’t know. But we’re not going to find them by waiting here, he said much more calmly.

He gave his sister a reassuring smile and took a few steps forward, but stopped when he sensed that Sundown hadn’t followed. He turned around. Inexplicably, she had gone ghostly white, her gaze glassy and lethargic.

Sunny? he called cautiously.

"…Webb," came the hollow reply, her voice cold and vacuous.

Alarmed, he moved towards her only to watch as her color suddenly returned. For a moment, she remained quiet, her eyes darting back and forth, as if she had just awoken from a dream.

Then, she found her voice.

I’m… I’m not a baby, she began hesitantly, but raised her voice with each successive statement. And… and you will not boss me around like one. I am fourteen years old! If I want to stay here, I will stay here! She pursed her lips and adamantly crossed her arms in punctuation.

Webb blinked in confusion. Had he missed something?

What are you talking about? he asked exasperatedly, but before he could say anything more, a new sound emerged from behind them and broke their awkward standoff.

It wasn’t very noticeable at first—a slight buzzing, not unlike that of a house fly. But then it began to transform into a louder, much more bodily reverberation. And it wasn’t just one little sound, but the droning ebb and flow of multiple sounds from various directions.

Something was coming.

Webb looked around desperately. He could see nothing, but the sound was growing louder and closer, echoing around them. Moreover, the sound had begun to change. Now, it was growling.

He grabbed Sundown’s arm and ran, hurriedly leading her across the slick grass, this newfound terror sloughing off any remaining lethargy or nausea that had plagued him–both of them–only moments before; but no matter, the scenery didn’t change: green fields and black skies. There was no shelter to hide them from whatever was coming.

Webb made a hasty glance over his shoulder, the landscape behind them now appearing strangely distorted like a watery wave charging them. He wiped at his eyes, thinking sweat had blurred his vision, but the distortion remained. Something hazy was moving directly towards them.

Something that was growling.

He needed to know what was coming, what they were up against–not that it would really make a difference. Webb stopped and looked Sundown directly in the eye.

Keep going! he shouted between gasps. I’ll catch up!

Webb, that’s not–

Move! he shouted desperately.

Sundown hesitated, her fearful eyes meeting his through her bedraggled mess of hair, but then she relented and started to run.

Webb turned back around and squinted into the distance. Between heaving breaths, he was finally able to see what was chasing them. They were gelatinous forms—watery with a dull, milky-gray sheen about them. From this distance, it was impossible to determine their size, but they were loosely spherical and palpitating, pulsating larger and smaller at random intervals. There was something fascinating about the way they glazed over the pastoral landscape, like dewdrops rolling down a blade of grass. Were it not so terrifying, he might have stood and watched their mesmerizing movements.

He pivoted and sprinted to catch up with his sister, the growling now having intensified into a shrieking quality aggrandized by a low unholy moaning. He felt fear try to buckle his legs, but he fought through it and quickly ran up beside his sister, taking her hand in the process.

"Come on! Webb screamed. We’ve got to run faster!" The fact that there was nothing to run to did not escape him.

Webb made a reluctant glance back and saw that the creatures had already overtaken the area where he had stopped only moments before. It was then that the gut-wrenching futility of the moment hit him: those things were just too fast, and he and Sundown couldn’t possibly escape.

Yet, Webb thought through the fog of hopelessness, maybe Sundown could still get away. He loosed Sundown’s hand and turned to face the monstrous pursuers, planting his feet firmly and balling his fists in defiance.

Then he gasped.

The watery abominations were huge, at least twice his size if not more. They were terrifying despite their simpleness, and he suddenly wanted to get sick.

Webb heard Sundown scream, and he jerked in her direction only to catch a blur of movement in the distance, something black darting towards them at lightning speed. He started to warn Sundown about this new threat when he sensed the watery creatures almost on them. He turned back and quickly threw his arms out, creating a barrier between his sister and the creatures.

Sundown, keep going! he pleaded over the monsters’ harsh growls.

In desperation Webb charged towards the nearest creature and sprang upon it, fists at the ready, only to find himself suddenly absorbed by it. He momentarily felt as if he’d splashed into an ice-cold body of water, but then the sensation violently changed into that of searing pain, like his body and soul were being dissolved at the seams. He wanted to scream, but was afraid to open his mouth for fear that the burning liquid would find its way inside him. Then, just as suddenly, the pain stopped, replaced by a dull ache that pierced him to his bones.

Webb shook his head and looked up. His momentum had carried him mercifully through the creature and onto the ground, where he now lay in a wet sticky heap. The sick smell of ammonia rose off of him, and his skin was pink and inflamed. Struggling through the haze of pain, Webb crawled back to where Sundown stood trembling and placed himself in front of her, aware as he did so, that the rest of the creatures began to encircle them like a pack of wolves.

He became cognizant of Sundown’s quivering hand on his shoulder as she fell absently to her knees behind him. He cupped her hand in his and then looked up as the creatures began to eerily transform, stretching and molding themselves into something resembling humanoid apparitions or banshees.

Webb suddenly felt, more than saw, a burst of movement to his right. It was that black blur he’d seen only moments earlier. He turned defensively, expecting to be overtaken by one of the horrible monsters. Instead, his eyes fell upon the largest house cat he had ever seen.

The dark feline paid no heed to Webb or Sundown. Instead, the cat focused its attention on the gelatinous monsters, hissing viciously at them. Its shining black fur was raised and prickled in anger.

The creatures stopped advancing, their desire to reach Webb and Sundown seemingly dashed by the cat’s warning cries. They began to pulse in what seemed indecision, losing their ghost-like forms and melting back into shapeless blobs. The cat inched forward with its claws extended, hissing its warning all the while. The creature nearest the cat exploded with an enraged shriek; its misshapen form opened its disgusting wet mouth to howl at the skies above—but the black cat didn’t budge. Webb suddenly realized with astonishment that the enormous cat was protecting him and Sundown.

Then, just as quickly as it started, the creature stopped screeching and hastily fled, the other creatures following slimily in its wake. Webb watched their retreat until the monsters dissolved into the horizon and the last echoes of their growls fell silent.

Are you okay, Sunny? he heard himself ask, his eyes not wavering from the enormous cat protector or whatever it was. When she didn’t reply, he shifted around towards her.

She was soaked in a sweaty mixture of fear and exhaustion, her eyes wide and jaw agape in disbelief. After a moment more of silence, she softly placed her other hand on Webb’s shoulder and stood up shakily. Webb followed suit and reached to steady her, but before he could, she suddenly fell back to the ground, unconscious.

Sundown? Webb gasped.

He dropped back to his knees. Sundown’s breaths were slow, and her face was peaceful and composed. She seemed to be okay, just in shock. He glanced helplessly over to the cat who was watching quietly over them.

It met Webb’s gaze and winked.

Webb didn’t know how to react, but he was too tired to really even think about it. He felt himself being drawn towards the soft, welcoming ground, and he didn’t resist as his knees buckled underneath him.

His eyelids grew heavy. He then thought he heard a galloping sound followed by a voice calling to him in the distance. Stranger still was the familiarity of the voice—a voice he knew, but hadn’t heard in a long time. Webb became vaguely aware of a pair of strong hands clutching his shoulders before everything descended entirely into darkness.

CHAPTER TWO

UNCLE MIKE

Webb bolted upright in bed, breathing rapidly. He looked around and the panic subsided.

He was in his room.

In his bed.

Everything was as it should be. He sighed and drew his hands over his face and hair which were slick with nervous sweat.

What a bizarre dream.

Webb stretched and then slowly rolled out from under the covers, shaking away the sleep and the dream’s lingering visions. Once on his feet, he heard a low purring sound. He looked to the foot of his bed and saw—

–the large black cat!

Webb gasped and stumbled backwards onto the floor. His eyes never moving from the cat, he scooted towards the door, stood and hastily opened it before falling out onto hard stone flooring.

He let out a groan as pain shot through his elbows and knees.

Wait, stone? What happened to the carpet?

He kicked the door to his room shut and began to scoot away from it, head darting from side to side.

That had been his room, but this certainly wasn’t his home. He was in the middle of some long, medieval-looking hallway with vaulted ceilings towering at least four stories high, dimly lit by chandeliers. The stone masonry which had broken his fall covered not only the floors, but the walls and ceilings as well. Webb began to hyperventilate, the thick smell of dust, wood and iron filling his lungs.

Calm yourself, Webb, came a voice, the same familiar voice that had just been in his…dream?

Uncle Mike? Webb exhaled in relief.

Moving to his feet, Webb turned to find a man standing cloaked in the shadows.

Where am I and what is that gigantic cat in my room?

Then, he realized the craziness of what he was saying and to whom he was speaking. An unwelcome chill fell over him, and he suddenly felt lightheaded.

Steady, Webb, his uncle said as he limped into view, dressed in faded old jeans and a light sweater, a polished wooden cane helping to support his step.

What? How? Webb heard the words drool out of him.

We’ve a lot to talk about, the least of which is your friend, Gustafson, his uncle continued as he took his finger and casually pointed it in Webb’s direction.

Webb heard a click emanate from behind him and turned to see the door to his room slip open, the enormous cat slinking out moments later.

G-Gustafson?

"The gigantic cat," replied his uncle, nodding in the cat’s direction.

Webb’s eyes darted uncertainly between his uncle and the enormous feline.

Uncle Mike slowly put his hand on Webb’s shoulder.

We could stand here and stare at each other, or we could go eat and talk all this over. And trust me, you need to eat.

Webb nodded guardedly, his eyes darting all around him.

Where’s Sundown?

Fine and well.

What is this place?

All your questions–well, most of them–will be answered in time.

I don’t–

Follow me, Webb, his uncle said as he turned and began limping away.

Webb watched as the older man’s stocky frame ambled slowly into the shadows, his cane tapping and echoing with each step. He then looked down to find a purring Gustafson looking up at him.

Why not? Webb said to himself as he began to trail his uncle deep into the hallway, Gustafson staying right by his side.

CHAPTER THREE

THE COMFORTING ROOM

The intoxicating aroma of cheeseburgers and french fries wafted out from behind the door they approached, making Webb appreciate how famished he really was. When his uncle opened the door to the room, Webb stepped forward in anticipation only to have his uncle’s arm reach out to stop him.

"Don’t get too caught up on the how’s and why’s, Webb, he cautioned. For now, just try and accept what you see. You’ll make sense of it the longer you are here." He then moved his arm and nodded.

Webb turned a quizzical eye towards his uncle, but the moment he stepped into the room his confusion and apprehension evaporated. All that remained was a strange sense of familiarity, as if he had known this place all his life.

The room was oval in shape with wainscoted walls lined by dark acacia shelves stacked full of books, boxes of trinkets, and other miscellany that Webb couldn’t even begin to identify. The only reason he could identify the wood as acacia was because his dad did carpentry as a hobby.

On either side of him were tables, each the same dark acacia wood as the shelves. The one to his right was set up as a work desk and the other was jury rigged to serve as a dinner table, upon which sat a huge porcelain plate spilling over with french fries and a large, juicy double-cheeseburger.

Before he could satiate his hunger however, his attention was drawn to a chest-high pedestal set in the very center of the room. Atop the elegant frame was a small brightly glowing terrarium in which an ashen gray picklock box was encased.

Webb, called Uncle Mike, cutting his nephew’s gaze short. Eat.

Webb nodded and moved