It would need a helicopter to reach such a place. Gibbsen’s master, Gareth, was a human in a grim black robe which hid all but his greyish mouth and lean hands. He and Gibbsen boarded their chopper.

The leading edges of the blades were lined with teeth that bit the air as they began to spin. When they got up to speed, a thin cry was added above their chopping sound, a cry from the circular mouth (like that of a sea-urchin) which topped the rotor shaft. Gibbsen and Gareth were lifted into the night.

Only briefly could the lights of Griddleton be seen in the distance. Then the only light was from the little glowing bits on the instrument panel – painted with Ban’s blood to make them always red hot; Gibbsen had learned not to get too close. From a tang in the cold air Gibbsen could tell when they flew over patches of window trees.

They arrived and hovered over the place, deep in a gluckast infested area. Gareth opened the cat’s eye searchlight (very bright, though it blinked from time to time). It showed no human being in sight.

It must be a clever human, Gibbsen thought, to get so far without being eaten by the gluckasts. Why did he not show himself?

To be continued.

#DailyCreatedOOM #WrittenOOM #AdolphusSearchAndRescue 2023/10/06