by S. J. Bryant
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Nova ran behind a low wall, bent double. Stinging pain shot out of her scrunched side but she couldn't risk straightening, not with the Reapers so close.
Their rabid shrieks echoed through the empty streets, filled with blood lust. They prowled between the buildings, their black eyes glinting and sharp teeth gnashing.
Nova stopped behind the inn and pushed her back against the wall, breathing hard.
Maya darted around the corner and slammed into the wall beside Nova. Sweat trickled down her forehead and her arm felt cold and clammy where it brushed against Nova's.
Nova edged towards the back-door. Easing her feet to the dirt to avoid noise, she strained for any sound of alarm.
Something clattered at the end of the alley.
Nova's head flew up and she clutched her gun.
A Reaper crouched, silhouetted against the early-morning light. It sprung towards them, shoving aside a metal can that clattered to the road.
Nova's heart lurched. She snatched Maya's shirt and hurled her towards the open door, tumbling in behind.
The Reaper reached them as Nova turned to close the door. It grabbed Nova's ankle and ripped her backwards with a snarl.
Nova's feet flew out from underneath her and she fell to the floor. She scrambled, nails scraping on the wooden floorboards for anything to hold onto. Splinters tore into her fingernails but she couldn't stop herself from being dragged back out of the building.
Maya dropped to her knees and grabbed Nova's flailing arms, bracing her feet against the door-frame. Red spots bloomed on her cheeks as she heaved, fighting against the Reaper's superior strength.
New agony surged from Nova's side and shoulder. It felt as though she'd be torn in half. She met Maya's panicked eyes and clenched her jaw. "Let me go."
"No!" Maya's eyes opened wide.
The Reaper snarled and pulled harder, yanking Nova's joints to breaking point.
"I've got it," Nova said. "If we don't take it out now, it'll attract others."
Maya bit her lip. She nodded once and let go of Nova's arms, her hands flying to the knives at her belt.
The Reaper stumbled back, pulling Nova through the door. It fell on her, snarling and biting. Saliva sprayed across Nova's face accompanied by the foul scent of rotting flesh.
Nova gagged, pressing her lips together to stop any of its spit entering her mouth. She held the Reaper back with one hand while scrambling for her knife with the other.
The Reaper slashed at her with its long nails and tore through her thigh, leaving three bloody gashes.
Tears stung Nova's eyes but she twisted her arm free and brought her jagged knife slamming down. It plunged into the Reaper's back with a spray of hot blood.
The creature howled and twisted, lifting off Nova.
She withdrew her knife and stabbed again, this time at the Reaper's brain. Her knife smashed through its skull and lodged deep inside its head.
The Reaper froze, its howl dying in its throat, and collapsed forward, falling on top of her.
The weight of it knocked the air from her lungs and she gasped for breath. She strained to push it off, but her injured shoulder couldn't budge it. Thick blood dribbled from the Reaper's head and back, trickling across Nova's skin and coating her hands.
She twisted her head away, straining to keep clear of the infectious fluids.
"Bloody hell," Maya said, appearing in Nova's field of view.
Maya grabbed the Reaper's shoulder and rolled it sideways off of Nova. It flopped to the ground in a bloody heap.
Nova sprung to her feet and stumbled away, stomach heaving. She spat sour bile into the dust, leaning against a wall and breathing hard. She kept her hands away from her face, held away from her body like red flags.
Maya ran to her side, arms held out but not quite touching Nova. "Did you swallow any?"
Nova shook her head, not trusting to open her mouth.
"Cosmic crap. We've got to wash you off. There's a tap inside, let's hope it works."
Nova stumbled into the inn after Maya, following her to a dim bathroom with a rusted tap. Maya wrenched on the handle and clear water burst out, splashing across the sink and floor.
Nova frowned at the water and met Maya's eyes.
Maya held up her hands. "There's no way to know if it's infected and quite frankly, you can't afford to wait. With all your cuts if you don't get that blood off you now, you're bound to get infected."
Nova's heart pounded. She ran to the tap and scrubbed her hands beneath the flow. The water turned red as it drained away. Blood stained all the way to her elbows but no higher. She washed her face a dozen times before she risked a sigh of relief.
"Don't ever do that again," Maya said, wiping a hand across her forehead.
Nova stayed leaning over the basin and nodded.
"Come on, we've got to move. We're already way behind schedule and if we don't get there in time we'll all be covered in Reapers."
Nova took a deep breath and pushed away from the sink. "Alright, let's do this."
They crept into the bar. Shattered wood and pieces of furniture dotted the floor, interspersed with pools of blood. Three dead Reapers lay near the bar, their flesh already blackened and rotting. Outside, the street appeared empty but the sounds of nearby Reapers made Nova's skin crawl.
Nova and Maya hurried behind the counter and pulled out bottles of flammable alcohol. They stacked as many as they could carry and ran from the bar, arms overflowing.
They ran as fast as they dared to the end of the street and hid behind a green dumpster. The forest loomed only a hundred metres away, but Reapers prowled around the outer edges. Open ground separated them from the trees, broken only by a bitumen road that ended abruptly at the trees, making them easy targets for the monsters.
"And one minute to spare," Maya said.
Nova nodded as she unscrewed the first bottle and shoved a torn shirt partway in. A stack of ripped clothing sat beside them, prepared the night before and put in position.
A minute later they had five bottles each, fuses ready, with lighters in hand.
"They should give the signal any second," said Maya.
Nova tried to keep her breathing steady but she couldn't help glancing over her shoulder every few seconds, sure that there'd be a Reaper sneaking up behind them. Her neck prickled.
A piece of red material flicked into view on the other side of the street.
"This is it!" Nova lit her first bottle and hurled it into the next building over. Flames leapt up and licked the wooden panels, casting flickering light on the street.
The closest Reaper turned from the forest and snarled at the flames, its grey-green skin reflecting the orange glow. It lifted its head to the sky and howled. From the streets and buildings answering wails echoed, accompanied by pounding feet.
Reapers burst out of the nearby buildings onto the street, heads whipping sideways. They bared their teeth at the flames but backed away from the heat.
Sweat poured down Nova's forehead as she hurled another bottle, spreading the wall of fire. She squinted against the bright flames, turning from the furnace, shoulders hunched. Black smoke billowed out and surrounded her, rasping against her lungs. She buried her face into the crook of her arm as coughs wracked her body.
"It's working," Maya said, shaking Nova's shoulder.
Nova's eyes burned but she blinked through the tears to see the Reapers scrambling up the street, mesmerised by the flames.
She staggered to her feet and sprinted away from the building, towards the trees, hurling her remaining bottles as she went. Aart and the other Hunters dashed from the opposite side of the street and ran at her side. Her chest heaved, lungs burning with smoke, as she pushed her legs to run faster.
The trees grew closer, every step taking her nearer to safety.
"They've got our tail!" Bill bellowed.
Nova looked over her shoulder as she ran. Reapers sprinted at them, ignoring the flame
s that leapt into the air on either side.
They snarled as they drew closer, their long limbs carrying them faster than the Hunters could hope to run.
"We've got to make a stand!" Bill said. "We won't make it to the trees."
"We don't all have to make it!" Wren called, his thin frame pulling ahead of the others.
"Wren, you bastard! Come back. You'll die on your own."
Wren kept running.
Bill stumbled to a stop, staring after Wren.
Nova stopped at his side, drawing her gun and aiming at the oncoming horde. "Ignore him. We've got bigger problems."
Bill shook his head and turned to face the Reapers. The Hunters stood shoulder-to-shoulder, creating a barrier between two walls of fire. They aimed and fired.
Bright plasma blasts lit up the street and slammed into the front-most Reapers. They collapsed in a flurry of howls as those behind leaped over their bodies, teeth bared.
"Shit. They just keep coming!" Aart called, spraying plasma blasts and knocking down two Reapers.
"It's been nice knowing you," Bill said.
Nova clenched her teeth and kept firing.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
The blood curdling scream made Nova's neck tingle. She glanced back, towards the forest.
Wren lay on his back, two Reapers standing over him, their long claws raking across his skin and leaving deep gouges. He howled again as a chunk of his arm ripped free and the Reaper lunged on the raw flesh.
Nova's stomach twisted. "They got Wren."
"Stupid bastard," Bill whispered.
"We've got to try for the trees," Maya said. "Once they've finished with Wren we'll be surrounded."
"Walk backwards and keep firing," Nova said, taking the first tentative step.
The others followed suit, each shaky step taking them closer to the snarling Reapers tearing into Wren's body.
The Reapers in front seemed to sense their prey getting away. They fought against each other to get closer, even stepping near the flames. They lunged like wild beasts, their feet scraping against the road.
Two Reapers lunged for Nova, hands outstretched.
She fired, plasma bolts slamming into their chests. Burning holes opened up in their ribs and they collapsed, writhing, to the ground. As soon as they fell, two more leaped forward, muscled legs carrying them to within a foot of Nova.
She stumbled back out of their reach and fired, knocking them down.
Wren's screams died to a dull moan.
"Cover me!" Nova called, killing a lunging Reaper as she turned. She aimed and fired at the two Reapers bent over Wren's body.
Burning holes bloomed in their heads and they fell forward, across Wren.
Dull thumps sounded and Nova turned back to the fight to find three Reapers dead right in front of her. She let out a long breath, grateful that the other Hunters had been paying attention.
They edged backwards to Wren's body, only ten metres from the forest.
"He's down," Nova said, nudging Wren's foot with her boot.
"Idiot!" Bill said.
"He got what he deserved, in the end," said Sid.
A metre back from Wren's body, and nine from the forest, Nova began to think they might make it.
Wren's leg twitched.
"He's turning!" Vayla said, taking three big steps backwards.
Bill cursed. "Their blood…"
Wren convulsed, arms flailing, and threw off the two dead Reapers like they were rag dolls. He sprung to his feet. His bloodshot eyes stared at them, unblinking, and he snarled before lunging.
The Hunters stood, gaping, as Wren hurled himself at them. He slammed into Vayla and knocked them both to the ground. She kicked him back but he dived forward, slamming into her shoulders and pinning her to the ground.
More Reapers lurched towards them, hungry eyes glinting.
Nova fired, taking out the front row, but more rushed in to fill their places.
Vayla's arms shook as she strained to hold Wren away. His teeth slammed together, spittle flicking across her face.
Nova turned her attention back to the attacking Reapers.
"Somebody kill it!" Vayla screamed.
"There's no clear shot!" Bill bellowed.
Sid ran in and grabbed Wren's shoulders, hurling him backwards. He stumbled a few paces but shot forward with renewed strength, smashing into Vayla so her head thumped into the ground.
"Stubborn bastard!" Sid said, hauling Wren back and tossing him.
Before Wren could come back, Sid aimed his gun and fired. Wren's head disappeared into a shower of red droplets and he crumpled to the ground amongst the other Reapers.
Vayla crawled backwards, wiping her hand across her face, mouth twisted.
"We're clear to the trees," said Cara.
"Has anyone planned what to do if they follow us into the trees?"Aart asked above the gunfire.
"Not something I wanted to think about," Bill said between gritted teeth.
"On the count of three, we run," Sid said, hauling Vayla to her feet. "Don't look back, just keep running. If we can stay together, great; if not… well, it's been nice getting to know you all."
The Hunters nodded.
Sid fired at the attacking Reapers. "One."
Nova swallowed, ready to run.
"Two."
The Reapers surged forward.
"Three."
The Hunters turned and sprinted into the trees as the Reapers leapt after them.
Nova felt a brush of air as a Reaper swiped at her neck. She ducked and kept running, leaves flicking her face, and branches scraping her arms. She pushed through the thick foliage and kept running.
Footsteps pounded on either side but worse were the snapping branches behind her. She couldn't bring herself to look back and see the Reapers closing in, so instead she kept running, hoping that Aart and the others were ahead.
Nova ran until her legs burned like fire and her lungs sounded like a wheezing engine. Even then she stumbled through the trees, putting one shaking foot in front of the other. Sweat poured down her forehead but all she could think of was running, getting away from the Reapers.
"Nova!"
A voice filtered through the sound of her breathing. It sounded familiar.
"Nova!"
A male voice. She couldn't place it but it made her smile.
"Nova!"
Aart.
Nova blinked and found she'd stopped moving. She tried to step forward but her legs refused to obey. She stood, knees wobbling and every muscle trembling, frozen in place. She turned to look over her shoulder, resigned to watching the Reapers tackle her to the ground.
Instead of gnashing teeth, a worried face came into view between the trees. Aart rushed to her side and grabbed her shoulder. "Nova. What are you doing?"
She looked down at her feet and then back at him, unable to respond.
"They stopped chasing us half a kilometre into the trees. You looked like a mad spirit, sprinting off."
Nova blinked at him. His words seemed to take a long time to get to her, like they travelled through thick molasses before finally reaching her ears. "Reapers." Her voice scraped like an unused engine.
"They're gone." Aart wrapped his arm under her good shoulder and guided her back through the trees.
Her feet dragged and she would have tripped if he hadn't held her upright. A small flicker of self-directed anger burned inside her; Aart would never let her forget that he'd had to practically carry her. The anger didn't take the exhaustion from her muscles.
It felt like they spent hours stumbling through the trees before they finally hobbled into a clearing.
"There she is." Bill stood from a fallen log, his bushy red eyebrows drawn together. "What happened to you? You ran like you had demons chasing you."
"Not far from the truth," muttered Sid.
Aart eased Nova onto a log where she sat staring down at the leaves and breathing hard.
Bill patted Nova's back and handed he
r a bottle of water. She drank it down, some spilling down her chin. The cool spray brought back some of her senses and she handed it back with a shaky smile.
"At least we made it," Vayla said. "No thanks to that bastard Wren."
Bill sighed and sat beside Nova. "Fear does strange things to people."
"He was a cowardly snake from the start."
No one spoke up to disagree.
Bill stood and ran a hand across his fuzzy beard. "It's already past midday. I say we stay here for the night and move out in the morning. I don't know about you lot, but my legs feel like they won't hold me up another minute."
The others nodded.
"I'll set up some trip wires," said Sid. "If we keep a watch we should be okay."
He lumbered into the trees pulling wires from his bag.
They sat in companionable silence for a time, listening to the wind rustle the leaves. Nova took the time to massage her aching shoulder and check her burning side. Miraculously the stitches had stayed together, although purple bruising covered most of her abdomen.
"Looks painful," Vayla said, nodding at her.
Nova pulled her shirt down and nodded. "Had worse though I suppose."
"I hope you noticed the expert stitching," Aart said.
Nova rolled her eyes and the others chuckled. The tension of the last few hours seemed to flow out of them and they eased back, shoulders relaxing and frowns fading.
"So, where are you lot from?" Bill asked
"Freelance," Cara said, staring down at her feet.
Nova could understand; most bounty hunters didn't last long on their own.
"I'd take it as a complement that you were invited here as a freelance," Bill said, waving his hand at the trees.
Cara snorted. "Yeah. Some prize."
Bill turned his attention to Nova and Aart. "You two seem friendly. Same guild?"
Nova met Aart's eyes but kept her mouth shut.
A grin split Aart's face and he shrugged. "Something like that. It's a long story."
Bill raised an eyebrow. "That story wouldn't happen to involve a certain guild being blown to pieces in a mysterious explosion, would it?"
Nova looked away. Aart's grin widened, but he said nothing.
Bill shrugged. "Keep your secrets, but I thought she looked familiar." He nodded at Nova. "A certain space-race…"