G. INSTINCTS.

INSTINCTS.

The carpet of fallen leaves softened his tread, and apart from the
occasional snapping of a twig underneath his feet, all was
silent.
He walked slowly through the trees, his hands thrust deeply into the
pockets of the blue reefer jacket.
His shoulders were hunched, with his head pushed foreward against the
cold.

The sharp sound of a car door closing was carried on the cold air,
striking through his thoughts, alerting the inner senses.
Instinct and animal reaction transformed the slowly moving figure into
a creature of speed and cunning, dropping to the floor to find cover,
his eyes and all other senses working to detect any further movement or
sound.

Into his hand during the initial movement had appeared a heavy calibre
automatic revolver; it fitted into the right hand like the familiar
partner that it was.
The blue steel of the silencer, moved slowly to the left, as a faint
metallic sound, like the movement of oiled steel was carried on the
breeze, and, at the same moment, his nose detected the smell of hot
engine oil of the vehicle who's door he had heard closing.

The light was failing rapidly, and the surrounding trees were heavy
with shadows.
The muscles in his stomach tightened, as he became aware of sounds made
by someone coming along the path that he had been following. There was
no attempt to conceal the latter as the undergrowth was trampled under
heavy feet.

But! &;#8230; It was the other sound, coming from the opposite
direction that made his skin go cold &;#8230; The deep growl and
snuffle of large dogs.

PAGE. - 2 -

He cautiously moved, bringing his legs up underneath his body into a
crouching position, half-turning to cover both approaches.
The dogs broke into a loud snarling as they picked up his scent,
&;#8230;. Straining at the chains around their throats, fighting to
be released and do what their training had taught them

Two black bodies hurled themselves foreward as the chains were slipped,
following the scent, looking for sight of their victim.
The growls turned into a demon like howl as they saw him, Their eyes
like hot coals, their mouths open, and lips curled, revealing gleaming
teeth like razors, saliva running from their jaws in anticipation of
the kill.

As the first dog launched itself into the air to drop onto him, the
heavy automatic kicked in his hand, the large calibre flat nosed bullet
hitting the beast in the throat, halting the fiendish howl, and passing
through the skull to take away the back of its head.
The fall of the first dog deviated the path of the second dog slightly,
causing it to miss its intended purpose of tearing out his throat, but,
still landing upon his crouching body, forcing him to the ground.
The bullet hit the dog in the chest as they fell together, the powerful
back-legs raking down his body, and the jaws slashing sideways, trying
to grab his face.

The dog died in those few seconds, still attempting to fulfil its
original purpose.

PAGE. - 3 -

Rough hands grabbed his arms, and he felt as though he was being torn
apart by his unseen assailants.
Every thing was total blackness, and then!

He was falling&;#8230; falling&;#8230; falling through the
darkness at a great speed towards a bright spot of light, which grew
larger every second.

He then heard the voice calling to him from a great distance.

Mr Jackson&;#8230;&;#8230; Mr Jackson&;#8230;... Wake
up.

Opening his eyes, he looked into the face of the dental nurse, smiling
at him&;#8230; and then&;#8230; After paying for his treatment,
proceeded to his place of work, to follow the same humdrum existence
that he had persuade for the last thirty years.

G.D.J.