Slave Empire - Prophecy Read Online Free

blackness as the door
at the top of the stairs slammed shut, hit by a falling beam or
wall. The door's violent closure snuffed out the flames that licked
at its frame, sealing her off from the burning house until the fire
ate through the door.
    The explosions
stopped, leaving a silence that only the fire's crackle broke.
Burning wood made little mewling sounds, and the occasional crash
as a burning timber collapsed, or the tinkle of glass shattering in
the heat, made her start.
    Why would an
alien space ship try to kill an insignificant human being? There
was no doubt in her mind that she had been the target. The vagrants
would have been far easier to kill. She wiped sweat from her face
with grimy hands, realising, from the stinging of her palms, that
they were raw. Would these hostile aliens leave, or would they wait
for the house to cool and search the rubble for her corpse? Had it
been sport, choosing a target and trying to kill it for fun? Plenty
of UFOs had been seen since mankind's downfall, observing, and
perhaps recording Earth's demise. They had kept their distance,
however, never making contact in spite of humanity's attempts to
contact them.
    The stifling
smoke stung her throat, and her eyes watered. The door at the top
of the stairs creaked, its outer surface on fire. Rayne forced
herself to wait in the suffocating darkness, fighting a strong urge
to go in search of light and air. The aliens might think she was
dead, or they could be waiting outside to make sure, and if she
revealed herself now they would hunt her down again.
    Rats ran
about, their claws scratching on the concrete floor. One ran over
her leg with tiny hard paws, and she shuddered, jerking it away.
Their squeaking held a note of panic, so they must be trapped too,
she surmised. The wall against which she leant was damp and coated
with slimy mould, which soaked into her jacket, chilling her back.
Flames appeared at the bottom of the door, throwing a little light
down the steps. Rayne straightened and looked around. The rats'
glowing eyes met her gaze from a corner, where they seemed to be
engaged in a purposeful activity, perhaps trying to chew their way
out through the stone.
    The smoke
thickened, and she realised she had to get out before the fire
consumed all the oxygen and the smoke suffocated her. Now that her
eyes had adjusted to the dark, she could make out the faint
outlines of boxes stacked against the walls, and an old-fashioned
boiler in one corner. She tried to stand up, but stabbing pains in
her legs reminded her of her injuries and she sank down again to
explore the painful areas. Blood soaked the back of her jeans, and
she ran her hands over the wetness.
    Finding a
protruding glass spear, she jerked it out with a cry and flung it
away. Biting her lip as fresh tears stung her watering eyes, she
continued her search, locating another, smaller shard. It was
slippery and deeply embedded, and her fingers could not grip it at
first. The agony that lanced up her leg when she touched it made
her stomach clench, but she pulled it out, groaning, and hunted for
more. She extracted three more pieces, then sagged back, sick and
dizzy.
    The door
burnt, flames licking at the roof. Thick, stifling smoke filled the
room and the heat had become almost unbearable. Climbing to her
feet, she hobbled along the wall, running her hands over its cool
dampness. She had to find another exit, or she was doomed.

 
     
    Chapter Two

    Dawn found
Rawn wandering along a dirty alley, tramping through piles of
rotting refuse. This provided the rats' breeding ground, and the
people who lived in this evil, depressing place trapped and ate
them. Rawn hardly took any notice his surroundings, unable to think
of anything except how he was going to find his sister. He did not
notice the group of men lurking in a dark doorway until a net
descended over his head, and many dirty hands pulled it tight
around him. Someone snatched his weapon from its holster, and the
men flung