Oracle

Part 55

"We're gonna have to take the border forest," Raine said darkly as their options reduced quicker and quicker. Some clearly the work of Johns influence and others coincidences which seemed piled against them. "I know it might trigger that vision of your seer, but I don't see any other options," he admitted grimly. 

"We can't," Jasper yelled frightened. "We won't escape that way."

"We might," Tim said calmly but seriously. "Your vision saved Bill. We can still avert this one coming true," he reassured firmly, "If it is our only option..."

"We have to take the risk," Maria agreed, an arm wrapped around Jaspers shoulders. "It will be fine Jasper. We'll all get out of this city," she promised, kissing his cheek and hugging him as the young man trembled. Things were different for Jaspar, she knew this. He saw and felt the future. Tim and Maria had just seen the future but Jaspar had felt it like it was the present. Maria felt her skin turn to scales at the thought of being impaled. They were going to have to be smarter to survive this.

Justice was silent, looking down at his fake leg with his hands clenched into fists."They are right Jasper. This is our only shot, if there is no other choice..." Justice closed his eyes. "We just have to hope Lady Luck is on our side," he murmured.

"Luck?" Jasper scoffed. "Luck is what got us into this in the first place," he shivered, but leant into Maria's heat. 

Maria grimaced and hummed in agreement. "We will see," she said firmly. 

"Right then, into death valley, we go," Raine declared which a strange edge in his voice and the car sped up. 

The light outside was almost completely gone by now and the road was light by streetlights set to turn on when the sun was gone. There weren't many people in this part of town near the border. It was on the back of one of the many warehouse districts in the city. The car rumbled from the strain of going fast but Raine was already in the top gear. It wasn't really meant for going as fast as it could with so many people in the car. 

The radio grumbling as the nobs started moving. Various sounds from different radio shows and music networks filling the car unnervingly. Tim looked at it darkly. "Raine?" he asked, reaching over it and switching it off again.

"Old car?" Raine offered hesitantly for the normally abrasive skinhead. 

As soon as Tim switched the radio off, it switched back on again. This time focusing on a channel of smooth jazz music. Tim tried to turn it off again but he yelped as a bolt of electricity ran up his arm, yanking his hand from the dial and rubbing it. 

"Nice try," John's voice came over the radio. "Stop now and I might not kill you all," he offered calmly. "Well, not three of you anyway," he added in a darker rumble. "Care to guess which three?" he laughed evilly.

"No deal," Raine breathed with a snarl on his face. Maria wrapped her arms firmly around Jaspar and Justice protectively as the whipped around another corner, skidding to a stop suddenly. "Fuck," he cursed under his breathe.

Maria looked up and there was John standing there in the road. His face still mostly human but his body morphed into a grotesque monster with the general shape of a wolf but a mixture of bones, bark, moss and other undiscernable things growing from seemingly random places on the body. His teeth were extended into fangs which seemed to be dripping poison, and his eyes were glowing blood red. The image just seemed wrong, like a mistake of nature.  Even John's outline was distorted with shadows drifting around him. Justice muttered a prayer to the gods that someone would save them.