NINE LIVES - BY BLAZE MCROB

 

https://www.patreon.com/Blaze_McRob

https://www.patreon.com/posts/nine-lives-42305372

Nine Lives, by Blaze McRob, is one of the newest tales in the Blazing Owl Short Horror series. It's a different take on some of the old legends and stories that I ran across when I was in Vietnam. No matter where you go, or what you're doing, unexplainable things happen. Some are better than others. Could this be one of them? Or is it one of those stories that sometimes place repressed memories in a part of our minds? Read and find out.

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Here is a short teaser:

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The edges of the jungle dance to the tune played by the vibrant colors of the burning village, while twisting, cavorting shadows intersperse with unknown entities hiding beyond where no light will go.

I know what lurks within the boundaries of the dense undergrowth. Most of what resides there is not good. Death lives and thrives at its core and spreads out to capture ever more territory when the veil of darkness works in its favor.

For now, at least, the fire is saving those of us still alive from being entombed within the snare of annihilation. I wonder if that's a good thing, though. Sure, we're saved for now, but at what cost? Capture later on? Torture?

Some fucking life! Yet, some of us can't condone rolling over and accepting a fate of doom. Better to resist and fight 'til the end than to subjugate yourself to the wishes of the tormentors.

Fuck! I don't make the rules. This is war. One side wins. One side loses. It's as simple as that.

Most of the villagers waste no time in leaving their former homes. No sense in staying now. All that remains is burned rubble and ash. We help those who need it to get on their way. Their stares tell me what I already know without a word having been spoken: the burning of their village, the forced evacuation from the little they owned was our fault. Yeah, in their minds, the 'Cong were after us and this was all a retaliatory move.

How the hell are we supposed to fight and win a war where no one respects us or what we are trying to do for them? They would rather roll over and capitulate to the Commie bastards than fight on their own behalves. Not all of them; but a great many feel that way.

It appears that twenty or so of us are left. No sense in leaving now. As long as the fires are raging, we're safer where we're at. We better dig in, though. Once the air around us loses the brilliance of the fires and the all-encompassing darkness takes over, we're sitting ducks.

"C'mon guys!" I holler out. "You know what we have to do. Let's do it."

"But Sarge . . ."

"No buts, soldier! Just do it. That's an order!"

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Nine Lives, and much more, can be found on my Patreon page. You'll find a welcome home there.

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I hope you enjoy this story.

Blaze McRob