Date: Sat, 10 May 2003 01:10:00 +1000
From: J Raen <raen_j@hotmail.com>
Subject: Only When I Sleep Chapter Eight

As the yellow moon shone over the Harbour City, the petite blonde girl ran
like the wind. For someone her size, with her tiny arms swinging
emphatically by her side, she tore down the street, running for her life.

Her heart was thumping, the adrenaline pounding, as the cloaked, faceless
figure chased her through the night. He carried a knife in his hand as he
ran. She was its destination. She had run kilometres upon the discovery of
her destination, number 38 Archer Street. From an apartment in the Eastern
Suburbs, to a larger apartment on the harbour and now to this house at the
top of the hill, this Joshua Raffe, formerly known as Joshua Thomas, had
been on the move the past 6 months. It didn't surprise her all that much,
she expected him to be well protected, considering who he was.

Her mind was focused on only one thing. Finding Josh. She had to warn
him. Of what was coming. He was too important to be neglected, even though,
she agreed someone was guarding him well, he had been difficult to
find. Then she felt it.

Two things actually. The first being him. She could sense him around
her. Ahead of her. She felt power. His power.

The second thing she felt was balance. She scanned the area ahead of her,
she could see houses and trees and cars. It made sense though, to put
someone so powerful on the scale, to tip it one way
indefinitely. Hopefully, to good.

This city was a basic grid pattern, full of streets running west to east
and lanes or avenues running north to south. She had located the house on a
map, at the top of the hill, just as the cloaked figure had jumped in and
started the chase. She felt drained but strong at the same time. She had to
make it to him. Then she saw it.

The yellow house on top of the hill. She could see it, up the steep
incline, about a hundred metres ahead. She sped up, she would have to get
ahead of her friend or he would catch her on the hill. She could see the
two storey Edwardian masterpiece; there were lights on the second floor.

"Thank God someone's home." she muttered to herself.

Her heart lept as she started up the stairs, then suddenly a second robed
figure lunged from behind a car at her, tackling her to the ground and
landing on top of her. She flung him down the street with ease. He smashed
into garbage bins fifty metres away. She saw that the second figure was
approaching with his knife raised. She flung him down to join his friend in
a crumpled heap.

She turned around and started to run again. The house would be safe.She
glanced up in time to see a man standing in front of her, carrying
groceries. He had red hair and was quite impressively built. She didn't
have time to stop, sending the man, his groceries and herself into the
pavement.

"Oh God! I'm so sorry!" She said panting.

"Really? I'm not." the man replied, and before she could raise her hands to
defend herself, he struck her in the gut with the knife. She gasped as she
collapsed onto the pavement. She lifted her hand and flung him, but it was
too late, and she knew that she wasn't going to make it. With her last
ounce of strength, she chanted and sent gold, blue, yellow, green and red
wisps into the air.

"An impressive show." the man taunted.

"You ain't seen nothing yet." She said as she flung her hands in the
direction of the house, they whizzed past the man and went straight up the
hill for thirty metres and then in through an open window on the second
floor. She smiled.

The man left her on the pavement; the other two would clean up, and started
walking up the stairs. He walked slowly; as to try not to attract any
attention to himself as he approached the crest of the hill, with the
yellow house.

He stood in front of number 38, and looked up at the second floor, making
eye contact with a young dark haired man. They stared each other down for
half a minute, before a blonde man came up behind the dark haired man. The
two of them stared the man down. The stranger turned and walked back down
the stairs.

"Patrick, what the hell was his problem?" Josh asked nervously

"Probably just a disgruntled bidder.You remember how many there were when
we bought it." Patrick replied calmly.

"I'm so tired baby. Can we still snuggle?" Josh asked playfully.

Patrick smiled at Josh, "What my lover wants, he gets." Patrick climbed
into the bed. Josh turned off the main light and climbed under the covers
to join him.

Constructive Criticism is most welcome. Flames will be ignored J

Thankyou to all of the people who send messages of encouragement.

Thankyou very much for everything, Chapter Nine should be posted soon.

Well, the story had evolved quite a bit since the start, with this chapter
marking the start of the main storyline. I didn't really want to have a
real life turns into sci-fi story, god knows there are enough of those. It
is important to read the earlier chapters and take note of the
storyline. There are things that will be obvious once this part of the
story advances.

My e-mail address is as always, raen_j@hotmail.com

Thanks,

J.

Copyright 2002-2003