The Magic Pawn Series: The Discovery (Volume 1)

Chapter 8: Trapped

'I have been doing some research lately and this is what I came up with.'

She showed us a book the size of an encyclopaedia. The cover read: "Mythical creatures".

'I have to check something out. I will be back soon', Christine said and then left running.

'Wait, it's not time yet!' Maggie shouted after her, but it was too late.

She went through the book and stopped at the chapter entitled "The morhs, our ancestral terror".

'I wanted to show this to her before she left.'

It was a black and white picture, a bit worn out by time but which portrayed them very clearly. I shook just thinking about my encounter with that creature. Even now, I could still feel its claws on my back and that terrible breath.

'Do you see this hideous thing in the picture? I still cannot believe that such an aberration of nature exists but all evidence until now has proven the contrary. The way they looked when they were found, the autopsies: don't ask me how Chris managed to get hold of those. Their bodies had been completely drained of blood. If you thought vampires did not exist, well...I cannot think of any other explanation. Not to mention that the wounds on their bodies match perfectly the way that morhs act. The cuts they make with their claws full of bacteria. I mean...It has to be that or vampires. I don't know why exactly but I tend to think it was the morhs. Although there were instances of attacks happening during the day and that goes against any theory. These creatures are animals of the night and the sun is supposed to harm them. Or at least this is what this book is saying.' Maggie sighed. 'It cannot be vampires. I mean, if I were to believe in the existence of morhs, why would I not believe that vampires exist also? Oh, my head will explode. I could not find much about them but I have read the information at least three times. Morhs, their name comes from the living-dead. Ironic, isn't it?'

'Yes', I whispered.

'They were once human', she said, 'but they sold their souls to the Devil and they became monstrosities, animals of evil. They ooze the smell of death. They feed on blood and on the chaos of their prey. They like to suck all life out of any living being. You cannot really get away alive from an encounter with a morh. If sucking all your blood won't kill you, then its bite will. That way, it will infect you with a poison so strong and complex that there is no cure for it. Bacteria are so deceiving. At first, they give you the impression that you've managed to make it out alive, but they stay inside and hurt you until they've drawn all the energy out of you. This creates a connection between the morhs and the victim, and so they will be able to track them down later on. We have to find out how they can be defeated, and this book doesn't give any information about that. Perhaps I should just keep looking.'

She looked around her and sighed.

'There are too many books and we don't have much time. And what are you doing? Help me! I didn't bring you here for nothing.'

I could hear her talking but I could not grasp what she was saying. I heard my name over and over but I was unable to answer her. I sat in the same position with the book about morhs in my hand, starring at the picture portraying them. Maggie came next to me, took me by the shoulders and gave me a good shake. From being angry she now sounded worried. I was not planning to do that, but somehow I pushed her hard. The push got her off balance, she tripped on the books that were lying on the floor and she landed on her ass. I wanted to run and find a bathroom but I did not make it in time. I stopped and vomited. Maggie wanted to come next to me but I waved at her to stay put. She did not have to see this.

'Oh, no...trouble.'

'What now?' I asked disgusted by the bitter taste in my mouth.

'Meya. She is on her way here. And she's not coming alone.'