I might later release my drawings of a Choker, a Pox beast, and a Walking Corpse. Please comment if you want to see those deeply disturbing images.

“We don’t want any trouble,” called Tom. “Just ignore us and we’ll be on our way.”

The leader walked over to them. He was a limping man with broad shoulders whose face was obscured by a black wool mask with a skull motif on it.

“Ah, but see,” he said. “We don’t want to ignore you. Sadim wants to see you.”

“Sadim?” asked Tom. “Who in all the world is Sadim?”

The man chuckled. “You’ll find out, won’t you?”

Tom never saw the gun swinging until it crashed into the side of his head. Dazed, he faintly saw Alicia going down as well.

Then everything went black.

***

Tom woke up in the back of a truck with his hands tied behind his back. Sitting against the other side was Alicia, still unconscious. Tom peered out of a small, grimy window. They were driving across the deserts.

Suddenly, a Pox Beast leapt against the end of the van. Tom jumped backwards onto Alicia, who woke up immediately.

“Hey!” she said. “Wha-?”

Wordlessly, Tom pointed at the window, where the Beast’s mouth was still there, slobbering. There was the sound of gunfire, and the creature fell back. Tom could hear gruff laughter coming from the front of the truck.

“Who are these people?” Alicia wondered aloud.

“Them’s would be members of T.H.O.N,” said another voice. Alicia jumped. The voice chuckled.

“Yeah, be scared of me.”

“Who are you?” asked Tom aggressively.

“I’m a demon, of course,” said the voice. “Here to steal your soul and take it to my fell master. Either that or my name’s Moose.”

A short hunchback walked out of the shadows.

“Why are you called…oh.” Alicia cut of in a hushed voice.

Moose, true to his name, had two large horns growing out of the top of his head. Otherwise, he didn’t look many different from other hunchbacks that Alicia had seen. His hands were large and hairy, and his feet were slightly round.

“So what did you you say these guys were members of?” Tom asked.

“T.H.O.N,” replied Moose. “The Hand of Night.”

“And that is?”

Moose grinned.

“My, my, you don’t get out much, do you? The Hand of Night. Sort of the mafia. Their only motive is money. These men are probably Bats or Wraiths. Foot soldiers or officers.”

“Who’s their leader?” asked Alicia. Moose shook his head.

“Don’t no-one know, don’t they?” he asked. “Main thing most people know is his codeename whatsit. Calls ‘imself the Hand. Some people say he loves money so much, ‘e named ‘imself after the geeky king who can turn stuff to gold. Midas or Sam or summat.”

Alicia frowned. “But what-?”

What she wanted to know, they never found out, because a loud screaming had suddenly erupted.

“Holy mother!” yelled Moose. “Theys a mixture of people trying to kill us and Chokers!”

And sure enough, a Choker leapt up in fronton the window and stared in. The rest of the mob pulled it down and began whacking it with great sticks. There was blood and drool everywhere-Tom could see the Choker seize one of the men and begin to squeeze-then they were off, bumping down a narrow street filled with more angry people. There was a thump and a cracking noise.

“Why do these people want to kill us?” asked Tom over Alicia’s wretches.

“Whoo, girl, slow down before you throw up your gut,” giggled Moose. “Well we from the Inferno, ain’t we? My guess is this is a city trying its best to keep the diseases out and its failing. People are already on edge ’cause of the Olsgombee and Kards, so…”

The car bumped again and Moose giggled, looking punch-drunk.

Alicia gave him a look of utmost loathing.

“Hey hey,” said Moose. “We here.”

“Where is here?” asked Tom.

“Well, we find out, don’t we?” giggled Moose. “I love the apocalypse. It’s just like an action movie-or better, a video game!” His eyes shown with excitement. “Well, chop chop. Can’t keep the evil crime boss waiting.”

With that, he threw open the door, knocking the man behind it to the ground. He then lifted a stick that they had not seen before and walked straight into the dismal building in front of them. Alicia looked at Tom, aghast.

“He had all the tools to break out of here and he didn’t? What’ wrong with him?”

Tom shook his head. “He’s absolutely insane, just like the rest of the world. I’m beginning to think that the Devil has taken over heaven.”

Alicia shook her head. “I was never the religious type.”

With that, they walked into the building to see what fate had in store for them this time.