Dead World

by Lucas Pederson

  The thing perched on Gerty is ghost-white, emaciated, and sprouting small, thorn-like spikes all over its naked body. Its red eyes narrow on Alyx. Its lizard maw opens, revealing rows of sharp teeth, then snaps shut. Its hands are no longer hands, but ashen claws hooking into Gerty’s back.

  The girl struggles to get her sidearm, but the thing must be too heavy. She can’t wiggle enough to pull her arms free, which are pinned under her.

  Crowe wails, scrambling away from the scene before Alyx can grab her.

  “Shoot it,” Gerty shouts, face laced with pain.

  Without further hesitation, Alyx points her revolver at the creature and fires. The gunblast once more deafens her. Most of the monster’s head explodes in a mess of blood and bone, splattering onto the wall beside it. It twitches violently for a moment, then falls onto Gerty.

  “Get this fucking thing off me,” the girl screams. “Get it off!”

  Alyx kicks the dead thing off Gerty and helps her to her feet. The girl is visibly shivering, obviously hurt, but otherwise okay. There’s a tiny scrape on her chin. She whirls, kicks the dead creature that used to be Amelia.

  “Goddamn fucking monsters always jumping me!” Gerty kicks it again and faces Alyx. “Where’s Crowe?”

  “She ran off.”

  Gerty closes her eyes, takes a few slow breaths and says, “Do you think this tunnel or whatever might lead to a way out?”

  Alyx shrugs. “I don’t know.”

  “Because, if not, I say we go back and try a different one.”

  “This might be the way out,” Alyx says. “Or it might not be. I just don’t know.”

  “Well, you’re the expert, right?” Gerty squares up in front of Alyx. “Be the fucking expert.”

  “Without a map or anything to go on, I’m doing my best, Gerty. Now back off.”

  The Marine’s face pinches in what Alyx supposes is contempt. She raises one of the rifles. “You lead. I’ll watch our backs.” Her eyes soften a bit. “Get us out of here, please.”

  Alyx opens her mouth to tell Gerty she’ll do her best, when a bunch of scratching noises echo up the passageway. This is soon followed by more than a few low growls.

  “Shit,” Alyx says.

  Gerty half turns just as four of the pale beasts emerge from the darkness and sprint at them. Long maws open wide, teeth gleaming, Alyx knows her and Gerty are already dead.

  The young Marine opens fire on them. And even over the rapid rattling of the rifle, Alyx can hear her roar.

  Aiming for their heads, Alyx manages to pick off one before realizing it’s more than four of them racing up the corridor. There are dozens.

  She grabs Gerty by the arm. “Run!”

  The girl, apparently realizing they are very outnumbered, the passageway choked by the growling, and gnashing teeth and sharp claws, stops shooting and together both women run down the narrow corridor.

  Behind them, gaining…death follows.

  TWENTY

  The passageway turns this way and that, with no end in sight and Alyx has enough time to hate herself for choosing to go after Crowe rather than figure out the right corridor when they find themselves in a larger chamber very similar to the first one.

  But…

  “It’s a gate,” Alyx shouts, pointing at a wide area across from them. Sweat trickles down the small of her back and she can’t help but laugh. “Sully was right. There’s a gate.”

  “Yay,” Gerty says, turning back to the passageway, rifle ready as the growls and scratching claws echo into the chamber. “Now figure a way to shut this door and get us out, lady. Because…damn.”

  Alyx returns to the doorway leading into the passage. She feels around for a moment, and…

  “There’s no way to close the door.”

  “What? It’s just like the other ones. Where’s that red gem or whatever?” Gerty begins checking around too, but Alyx knows it’s no use.

  This is the end of the line. Or meant to be, for every sacrifice. The final standoff. If the person can kill the beasts, they are set free. If not…

  This theory becomes more and more reality as she kicks through a heap of bones toward the gate. “They’re concentrated in the passageway. It’s like a bottleneck.”

  “Huh?” Gerty says, glancing over her shoulder.

  “Hold them off as long as you can. Don’t let them in here where they can spread out.”

  Gerty grunts, and points the rifle at the open doorway. “Just get that gate open.”

  Alyx falls silent as she searches for anything odd. But there are no out of place stones, nor levers, not even an orb. The passage Gerty stands in front of is the only way in or out, save for the gate. A large, metal thing with thick bars buried deep into stone.

  The only thing that sticks out is a concaved octagonal shape carved into the wall a few feet from the gate.

  She kicks through another small heap of bones to get to the shape in the wall. Dust billows, and settles. She touches the shape, frowning.

  Gerty’s rifle bursts to life, making Alyx jump.

  Okay, now her time is really limited. Alyx’s lips form a thin, pink line on her sweaty face. Because, despite it all, Gerty will need to either reload or switch guns. And all it takes is a second for those creatures to spill through and flood the chamber. Just a second, and they’re both dead.

  The shape is an octagon. Just like the building. Just like everything else she’s encountered. Just like…

  Alyx’s breath snags in her throat. Her heart slams into her ribs and she fumbles in her pack to bring out the artifact. Of course. It’s not just a thing to behold, or grow planets, but it’s also a key. Somehow, Sully knew this. He tried to tell her as agony stole over him. He tried, and she hadn’t paid much attention.

  Now, though…

  Between a barrage of gun blasts, Gerty shouts, “So opening that gate would be pretty damn amazing right about now.”

  Alyx places her pack on the floor, grabs the artifact and brings it out. Wiping sweat from her face, she steps closer to the wall with the octagonal shape carved into it.

  Through the squealing and rumbling gunshots and Gerty’s roars, Alyx slams the artifact into the concaved shape. A hollow click, more felt than heard, sounds.

  Alyx almost laughs to herself, a bit of relief spilling through her.

  Over her shoulder she yells, “When I tell you, stop shooting and run for the gate.”

  Between blasts, Gerty manages, “Well hurry it up already.”

  Alyx draws in a breath, blows it out, and turns the artifact. A gritty sound, like churning gravel finds her ears. She keeps turning until finally something in the wall clinks and she can turn the artifact no more. The floor quakes. Shards of stone fall from the ceiling and shatter at her feet. She moves away from the wall, keeping a close eye on the gate. If it doesn’t move, they’re dead. Simple as that.

  She waits and Gerty roars and shoots her rifle at the things struggling to get through the passageway into the chamber. The ones still alive, they dig their way through the bodies. Through their dead. Ripping and splashing black blood everywhere. Gerty picks each one off quickly, but how much ammo does the Marine have left? Is she still using her rifle, or Rip’s? Alyx doesn’t know and there’s no time to worry about it. Either the gate goes up, or it’s good-bye Dead World.

  And the gate remains shut. The floor still shakes, the walls crack, but the gate doesn’t move at all.

  “Did you fall asleep on me?”

  Alyx kicks a skull. It bursts into dusty pieces. “No. The gate isn’t moving.”

  “What?”

  “I said, the gate isn’t moving.”

  Gerty takes out two creatures trying to wriggle out of the bottom of the pile of dead bodies. “Then you better figure it out. Running low on ammo over here.”

  “Whose gun are you using?”

  “Rip’s. Any longer and I’ll need to use the flashgun.”

  Alyx blinks. “Wait, what?”

  “Huh?” Ge
rty pumps a few rounds into a beast clawing through the right side.

  Alyx snaps her fingers. The idea of simply melting through the gate takes up most of her mind. “Give me the flashgun.”

  “Are you…” she shoots into the pile of dead things. “…fucking crazy? Do you even know how to shoot one?”

  “No. But it might be our only chan—”

  A loud, reverberating shriek cuts through everything. Even the beasts fall silent. Gerty half turns, rifle barrel smoldering.

  The shrieking noise grows louder as the gate shakes, then shudders upward. It’s about thirty inches from the floor, then shivers to a stop.

  Gerty faces the dead pile and shoots anything that moves. Over the gunfire she shouts, “Your call, Alyx!”

  But she’s already calculating. Thirty is more than enough for either of them to fit under without their packs and gear.

  This next part is the trickiest. They need enough time to scoot their packs under and shimmy under the gate before the beasts can catch them. But there’s also another hitch. Once they make it out, how are they going to keep the creatures from following?

  As Alyx shrugs off her pack, she hopes there’s another keyhole on the other side. If not, well…

  “Toss me your packs,” she tells Gerty.

  “What?”

  “Just toss them to me.”

  Gerty manages the task, and sets the packs aside, not really able to toss them and keep her focus on the dead pile of creatures as the living ones try eating their way through like rats. Alyx retrieves the packs, one of them containing the ashes of the fallen soldiers, including Row and Rip. She runs to the partially open gate and shoves all the packs through.

  She shouts, “Now. Run as fast as you can!”

  Gerty fires off the riffle in crisscrossing pattern, then bolts toward the gate.

  “Run,” Alyx shouts.

  Gerty slides under the opening of the gate to the other side and Alyx yanks the artifact out of the keyhole. The floor once more begins to quake. The grinding sounds within the wall erupt. The gate quivers and begins to lower.

  “Alyx,” Gerty nearly screams from the other side.

  Enough is enough. Alyx sprints to the gate just as the remaining creatures break through their dead brethren and scramble after her.

  She slides under the gate, losing her John Deere cap in the process.

  She pats her head, eyes wide. “Shit.”

  Inches before the gate slams home, she reaches under, snatches her cap and yanks it to the other side with her. Dust plumes as the gate settles back into the floor.

  Alyx snugs the cap on her head and rolls away from the metal bars.

  The creatures slam into the gate, growling and snapping their toothed maws. Long claws curl around the bars. But they can’t get through.

  Gerty helps Alyx to her feet. “You really risked an arm for that hat?” Gerty chuckles.

  “It’s good luck.”

  They blink at each other for a moment, then both burst into laughter. On the other side of the gate, the beasts bellow and whine…and eventually begin to howl.

  TWENTY-ONE

  “Holy shit,” Connors manages through breaths as they round the corner. “Thought I’d never see you guys again. I…” He frowns. “Where’s everybody else?”

  Gerty sighs. “Dead. C’mon, man. Let’s get topside.”

  Hustling to keep up, Connors says, “What happened in there?”

  Alyx grunts. “Bad things.”

  “Like what?”

  “Let’s just put it this way, kid.” Alyx manages a ghost of a smile. “You were the smart one to stay outside.”

  Connors’s freckled face wrinkles in a deep frown. “When that door closed, I…I tried opening it again but couldn’t find a way.”

  Alyx nods. “It’s okay.” She makes sure the artifact is secure in the pack and sets her attention to the tunnels above. “We have bigger fish to fry anyway.”

  “Bigger fish to…what?”

  Alyx, still staring at the tunnels, shakes her head. “Never mind.”

  And, just as she assumed, there’s a way to bring the step back and reenter the tunnels. Much to Gerty’s dismay.

  The venture back, however isn’t as treacherous as the first time through.

  At least until the end.

  TWENTY-TWO

  The man standing in front of the steps leading topside isn’t one of the men Vilas sent with the rest of the team. No, this guy is much larger…and he’s holding a grenade launcher.

  “Halt,” this behemoth bellows.

  Alyx stops the other two and says, “We’re what’s left of the exploration.”

  “Dr. Wick? Is there a Dr. Sullivan with you?”

  “He is.”

  The man cocks his head to the right, as if listening to something only he can hear. “Dr. Sullivan is older. From what I see there are two women and a scrawny boy.”

  “Well, I didn’t say he was with us in the flesh, asshole, now did I?”

  He points the grenade launcher at Alyx. “Sweet dreams, bitch.”

  “What if I said I have the artifact?”

  The large man cocks his head to the right again.

  “Is that like a nervous tick or something?” Gerty whispers and Alyx restrains a giggle.

  “Let me see it,” the man says.

  “Then put that damn gun down and let me show you,” Alyx says.

  The man lowers the gun, though not entirely.

  Still, Alyx brings it out of the pack and holds it up. “Let us pass.”

  Once more, the man cocks his head.

  Then Alyx gets it. She turns to Gerty. “He’s an android. Every time he cocks his head like that, he’s receiving new information.”

  “How do you even know that?”

  Alyx shrugs. “I don’t. But it makes sense.”

  “Or he’s just got a nervous tick like you said, Gerty,” Connor says.

  Both women give him an exasperated glance. Gerty says to Alyx, “So what’s your plan?”

  “Shoot him. Because next he’ll probably ask for me to hand it over. And if I do, he’ll shoot me and both of you.”

  “And what if he’s human?”

  “I really don’t care at this point,” Alyx says. “He’ll shoot us no matter if he’s human or not. Vilas is footing the bill and—”

  “Give me the artifact and I’ll take you to see Vilas,” the large man says.

  Alyx tips Gerty a wink and the girl rolls her eyes.

  Holding the artifact up with her left hand, she starts forward. “Okay. We just want to get off this planet now. Vilas can have the damn artifact.”

  The man cocks his head. When he straightens he says, “Very well. You will be transported back home by the rescue squad.”

  “Sounds good.” She’s about fifteen feet away from him now.

  “That’s far enough,” the man says. “Place the artifact on the ground and return to your friends.”

  Alyx stops, still holding the artifact up. “I thought we were going to be transported?”

  The huge man nods. “And you will. But first I need to authenticate the artifact.”

  She stoops to place the artifact on the tunnel’s floor, and in one fluid motion draws her revolver and shoots out his left knee. The man drops, making an audible grunt. He lifts the grenade launcher.

  “Shit,” Gerty shouts. “Run!”

  Alyx points her gun at the man, pulls the trigger. Click.

  She stares at the gun stupidly for a split-second, realizing it’s empty. Because of course it is. Any time she truly needs the damn thing it’s always out of bullets. Along her belt are the remaining six. Her backup when time is critical.

  Alyx manages to load a single bullet when the man says, “Last chance. Place the artifact on the ground and step back, or you’re dead.”

  “Alyx,” Gerty says.

  But she ignores the girl, slams the cylinder home, aims the revolver and squeezes the trigger a moment before the ma
n fully lifts the grenade launcher. In less than a blink a large portion of his face disappears, splattering the air with a strange, greenish liquid. The man’s head cocks to the right, jitters there, then slams to the left. The launcher rises and falls, rises and falls.

  She hears the gun blast a second before the man’s head explodes in a glut of goo. His body jerks, lurches, falls flat as the pale green liquid spurts from the stump of its neck. The launcher, still in his hand, clacks against the stone floor as his body stills.

  Gerty pats Alyx’s shoulder as she brushes by, gun barrel smoking. “Got your back, babe.”

  Alyx stares after her, swallows. “Thanks.” The word comes out in a breathless tone. The man would’ve killed them all if Gerty hadn’t acted. There was no way Alyx could load another bullet before he fired.

  They stand around the headless thing. Connors picks up the grenade launcher and slings it over his shoulder, almost as an afterthought Alyx notes.

  “Android,” Gerty says and kicks the AI’s side. It doesn’t move.

  “Didn’t I say—”

  Gerty waves a dismissive hand. “Yeah, yeah. I know. How about we go kick some ass now, okay?”

  Alyx smirks. “Damn right.”

  They hurry up the steps leading topside and all Alyx can think about is punching Valis’s wrinkly, smug face in.

  But the moment they emerge from the tunnels, the land is utterly deserted. All gray rock and nothing else. A complete wasteland as it had been before.

  Gerty sucks in deep breaths of relatively fresh air and blows them out. She smiles. “Finally.” She glances around. “Where is he?”

  Alyx stares off toward the woods. “We need to move. Now. I think Hannah is in danger.”

  “Hannah? But why would he…?”

  “Because he wants a way off this rock,” Alyx says. “The rescue team is either dead or sent away. He wants to look like the hero in all this.”