Chapter 6
Dark Surroundings
Pete drove around the Kingston Falls area. Whilst he did so he talked to Billy about everything he had ready for the gremlin hunt.
"I've got some explosives all right, mainly hand grenades and I found an assualt rifle, a couple of hunting knives and some other stuff", he explained.
Billy just looked out of the window at the streets he knew so well pondering what they had in mind.
Gizmo sat silently and glanced up at Billy wide-eyed. Billy asked him if he was alright. Gizmo expressed his confidence in Billy with a warm smile.
Billy returned the smile and gazed deeply into his eyes with joy.
Pete continued driving and they soon left the town onto dark country roads. Pete switched on his main beams and moved up a gear picking up speed gradually, "Bernard Butler - Stay" began to play on the car's stereo.
"Look away Giz" Billy told him, "the headlights from passing cars are pretty bright".
Gizmo leaned into Billy's chest and closed his eyes as they passed several cars. After a few minutes Pete turned off onto a side road which was very narrow, he followed it as it stretched around a corner and a few bends dropping down to second gear before coming out somewhere in a clearing, beyond here was the entrance to woods spreading northwards.
"Well this is as far in as we can drive, looks like it's on foot from here". Pete said.
"Let's get going" he spoke promptly after switching off the stereo and cutting out the engine.
Billy nodded in agreement and jumped out the vehicle with Gizmo in his arms wondering how they were going to find the escaped gremlins, knowing it had been nearly two hours since their escape.
Billy, Gizmo and Pete started making tracks into the dark desolate forests, turning their heads occasionally to look out for any of them.
They tredded over damp and mudded surfaces spreading out far into the unknown about a quarter of a mile through the the woods, surrounded by many thick trees with low hanging branches reaching for many miles.
The wind whistled furiously as they braced the cold night outdoors. Billy pulled up his leather jacket to kept warm.
Billy shone his torch out into the distance and after a short while there was movements somewhere in front of them, he shed light on the moving figure a couple of yards up ahead.
His light reflected that of a large creature, then there was scuffling in the distance and what looked like a fox running from the source of light produced by Billy, looking closely he could make out tiny fragments of snow on the ground.
Billy sighed with relief and kept walking forward, Pete a little more confident leading the way many yards up ahead.
Billy shivered it was getting really cold, he swore he could hear something out there, long consistant howling far away "was it a wolf?, maybe it's some other doglike creature" Billy thought reassuringly.
Looking up they could see moonlight beaming down onto them through gaps inbetween the trees, at least they had some main source of light to guide them for now anyway through the outskirts of this forest.
Around him there was creaking sounds and then a sharp "crack". Billy flinched and took a few step backwards. Then he composed himself as he noticed Pete had walked over some twigs in front of them, now he was looking at Billy's shocked face, stifling a snigger.
It was quieter now Billy could only make out the sound of rustling leaves around them.
Gizmo was startled and became slightly restless, he tremored as chills went down his spine, chills that were brought on by a sense of fear about entering the unknown and he heard malicious laughter in the distance of the creatures he most feared, the creatures that had eliminated his kind, it hurt him and made him angry but they still struck enormous fear in his heart.
He gripped Billy's arms tightly for comfort. Billy noticed Gizmo was hurting and petted his head soothingly whispering, "you'll be okay".
Gizmo's thoughts of horrible events washed away and strangely he felt warmth spread through him in the most pleasant way. He began to feel deep affection for Billy.
He buried his face in Billy's chest, who looked down at him suprised and gazed into his anguished eyes.
Gizmo gasped, "I love you Billy" who replied "Yeah me too, we'll be okay" and he pulled Giz into his arms and gave him the biggest. warmiest, most loving hug he'd ever given him. Gizmo began to feel a lot happier.
Gizmo smilied widely at Billy as he massaged his soft fur up and down. "I'll hold you from now" he said as they continued the perilous journey and walked onwards following Pete who pulled back waiting for them to catch up.
Billy stopped for a moment and Pete called to him who was a lot further ahead of him now.
"Hey what's keeping ya". Billy replied "I'm a little worried about this and Gizmo was a little distressed".
"Are you sure you're fully prepared" he added.
"Yep" said Pete, "I've got hand grenades and an AK-47 assualt rifle, so we're cool. "and I've got a flashlight" Billy added with relief that they were equipped.
"Right I've also got something special, gas cylinders and a blowtorch to burn them gremlins out."
"Heh, cool" thought Billy and they continued walking on through the woods tredding on dead leaves and rocks inbetween trees.
They kept walking for what seemed like miles and Billy began to feel very cold as the breeze turned nippy. Gizmo was trembling from the freezing air and the sound of creaking noises that oscillated around this particular place, with the wind blowing a gale they drove forward in their desperate search wondering what would happen if they didn't find them soon.
"I once camped out here in the woods" Pete said to break the silence, "it was with the scouts and we used to have our own campfire and everything in the summertime.
"Hey you never said much about that Pete" Billy said at once.
"Huh well long time ago I guess but you know I loved hiding behind trees when playing wide games if you ever heard of them.
"Wide games?" Billy enquired. "Yeah games in the dark out here in the woods, pretty cool hey, games like Kick the Bucket, so much fun it was, got to scare the hell out of all the younger kids while I was at it, then sneak into the tent of this girl I really fancied, hell yeah, great times".
Throughout all the dark Billy kept moving as quickly as his legs would allow him too, occasionally stopping to observe the surroundings to be sure they weren't being followed, they entered a heavily enclosed part of the woods away from natural lighting.
After about another five minutes however Billy saw something light up in the darkness, his torch shone towards the beam of light that faded often, Billy observed that there was tree branches rustling in the breeze that was blocking the light. Billy crouched down slowly and watched, now he was focusing his dim torch light through the penetrating darkness for any sign of them.
Pete was situated about a metre away from him and frowned expecting something to jump out at them for he felt that there was something watching them in the shadows.
Pete examined the ground and then his eyes glittered, "Hey Billy there's a footprint right in this spot".
"What's it look like" he asked nervously. "Kinda like claws digging into the ground, webbed foot type of print".
"They must have been around here", Billy remarked half relieved. "We need to find them, can you track any movements?" Billy asked with uncertainty. "Dunno mate, I'll see what I can do, hold on a sec" called Pete.
They kept moving on then Pete pointed something out. "See over in that direction theres some sort of clearing, we need to edge our way into that area".
At that moment the already dim light on Billy's torch faded and then cut out plunging Billy and Pete into darkness. Billy flicked the power. Nothing.
"The batteries must have run out" he thought as he wondered what to do next.
"Gizmo can you guide me through the darkness?" Billy asked.
"He's got better vision in the dark", he explained to Pete. They begun to approach the glimmer of light in the distance. Gizmo squinted against the brightness, the wind blew in gusts and branches blocked out the light. Gizmo opened his eyes again and stared out into the distance guiding Billy.
They stopped at a position in front of a tree, Billy slowly crouched down and made himself flat on the ground keeping an eye out for the beam, Gizmo leaped close to him.
Billy moved forwards crawling further out towards the light, "Don't leave me Billy" Gizmo cried. "I won't Giz" Billy breathed, "just stay covered in the grass."
"You're not going far are you?" Gizmo asked tentatively. "No I'll be close by don't panic buddy everything's cool".
Gizmo crawled on his belly over to some grass and hid himself among them, his fur sticking up in the air as he lay in the clearing.
Gizmo breathed in the scent of fresh daffodils smiling, but kept watching closely for anything unusual.
Billy found a spot behind a large rock and Pete slid down behind a bush, they laid down on the ground waiting and waiting.
Then there was another flicker of light and a largish factory type building came into focus it looked a long shot off but Billy thought they might have to have a look round, after all those creatures could had been dragging themselves around this area.
Billy glanced at Pete and wondered if they should make an approach.