#3
TWIN CITIES RUN

BLADE WAS RUNNING A RACE AGAINST TIME--BUT FIRST HE FACED A BATTLE TO THE DEATH!

LIVING NIGHTMARE

  "Fant! Fant! Fant!" the Wacks intoned.
  Dear Spirit!  What was it?  Blade stared in sheer astonishment.   What in heaven's name was it?  Never, not even in his wildest imaginings, would he have envisioned such a deformed monstrosity as now confronted him.
Fant shuffled forward, using its arms and two good legs for support, its third leg dragging on the ground, useless.
  The Wacks were all on their feet, moving backward, edging away from the approaching beast.
  No!  Blade surged against the ropes that bound him, fiercely wrenching his arms and legs, asserting his strength to the utmost, sweat running from every pore.   He wasn't going to die like this, helpless, eaten alive.

#4
KALISPELL RUN

THE THING....

  Blade ducked aside and crouched, instinctively drawing his right Bowie, turning to confront his enemy, prepared for anything.
  Or so he thought.
  Blade hesitated, gaping in astonishment at his attacker.  It was the size of an average man, on the lean side, and essentially humanoid, being bipedal and possessing two arms and a face, but after that any human resemblance ended.  Its skin was light gray and leathery, its nose narrow and pointed, and its ears tiny circles of flesh on either side of a bald, hawk-like skull.  The mouth was a thin slit, and the eyes were endowed with a bizarre hypnotic effect because of their bright red pupils.   The creature was naked except for a brown loin cloth covering its genitals and metal collar around its squat neck.
  In the second Blade delayed, overcome by amazement, the thing pounced.....