Section of The Treasure Hunter

While standing about stunned Nikola was nearly clipped by a passing silver motor vehicle reminiscent of one he’d only heard vague whispers about. Except this one had no wheels. This vehicle floated half a meter above where the asphalt surface of the street had been, now the dirt and grass of his laboratory driveway. It came so close to knocking Nikola down that he could easily see the terrified expression of the woman driving before the vehicle whooshed passed, blasting a gust of hot air behind it that ruffled Nikola’s suit and melted the wax in his hair.

Behind the floating silver motor vehicle rushed yet others that should have been drafted concepts only, some he recognised and some he didn’t. And that wasn’t all. Aside from the vehicles were sights Nikola had never laid eyes upon before and hadn’t ever considered he would. For moving easily in and around horse-drawn carriages, motor vehicles and streams of oddly dressed people were creatures. Monsters.

Unable to move for shock he continued to stare about until a tall motorised vehicle with three great wheels, black smoke pouring out the back and a monstrous rider sitting astride like one did a penny-farthing or a safety bicycle, screeched to a halt in front of him. The rider then proceeded to scream almost incomprehensible invectives through a black helmet that covered its entire misshapen head. When Nikola didn’t move or respond the rider, still screaming abuses in distorted English, turned the vehicle aside and rode it off down the street at a speed that could see the rider killed if he ever fell off. Feeling a sharp pain in his chest as though someone had electrified his heart Nikola stumbled back a safe distance from the street, wondering just where and when he’d landed.