by Ben Hammott
“Then I suggest you be on your best behavior.” Kathryn looked at the unwelcoming mine entrance. “Are we going to do this before I see sense and change my mind?”
Richard led the way inside.
The light intruding through the entrance faded as they went deeper. Kathryn took out her phone and switching to the camera’s version of night vision mode, used it to guide her way. Walking to the side of the narrow-gauge track with their senses alert for danger, they cautiously turned a curve in the tunnel. Not much farther, they entered a small cavern littered with old mine equipment and a large rock.
Richard crossed to his meteorite and gave it a quick check and was relieved to see it was undamaged by its second fall from the heavens.”
Staring at the phone screen depicting the view in eerie greys, Kathryn swept it around the cavern and screamed in fright when a ghostly image appeared.
Fearing one of the creatures was attacking, Richard spun to discover what had startled her. A man stood against the wall, his eyes glazed, his expression serene. “Is that one of your friends,” he asked quietly.
Kathryn nodded. “It’s Greg.”
Calming from the shock, she held back the tears that threatened to flow and quietly asked. “Is he alive?”
When Richard cautiously approached Greg, he noticed his chest moving shallowly in and out. “He is breathing, so I guess he’s alive.”
“What do we do?”
Richard swept the flashlight around the room; there was no sign of the other two. “I assume you still want to find your remaining friends?”
Kathryn nodded.
“Then, we’ll have to explore farther to see if they are in here.” Noticing Kathryn’s fright, he added, “You can go and wait outside if you want while I search for them.”
Kathryn shook her head. “I’m coming with you.”
“Okay, but whatever we come across, don’t scream again,” he warned. “Those creatures might be close by.”
She switched off her phone and slipped it in her pocket; seeing Greg in the ghostly grey was not something she wanted a repeat of if they found Claire and Wayne. Kathryn followed Richard around the ore carts and into the far tunnel.
Spotting faint light ahead, Kathryn leaned to Richard and whispered, “Is that daylight?”
Richard shrugged and pressed on.
Halting a short distance from the cavern, they crouched to observe the movement they had noticed on the far side. The aliens were forming something out of thin black strands they extruded from their bodies, similar to web-building spiders.
Richard turned to speak softly to Kathryn. “Let’s move a little nearer.”
Although she would rather be heading in the opposite direction, Kathryn nodded. She had to find her friends.
Richard paused at the edge of the cavern. He couldn’t see any sign of Kathryn’s friends. He crept forward a step, looked around the side of the wall, and almost gasped in fright when he saw them. Standing as still as statues, their eyes open and vacant, they stood in the corner, shrouded in gloom. Although certain they were infected, no worms were in evidence.
He moved back and informed Kathryn of what he had seen.
“But they are still alive?” she whispered.
“Alive yes, but infected.”
“We still need to save them,” she pleaded.
“If we get too close, they’ll likely infect us,” warned Richard. “That won’t help anybody.”
“But we have to try.”
Richard was of an opposite notion. He wasn’t going anywhere near them. “Okay. Let me think, but first, I need to get the meteorite outside. Let’s head back to the entrance.”
They were almost at the exit when Kathryn, who led the way, stopped suddenly. Almost barging into her, Richard peered past her and discovered the reason. Bathed in daylight casting creepy elongated shadows, five black aliens had entered the mine. He grabbed Kathryn’s arm to jolt her from her fright. “Follow me.”
They hurriedly retraced their steps to the first cavern.
Richard turned to Kathryn. “Whatever you do, don’t make a sound, or we’ll both likely be killed or worse.” His eyes flicked to the scampering sounds of the creatures almost upon them. He dragged her into the corner and whispered, “Stand like Greg, and don’t move.”
Avoiding looking at Greg, Kathryn copied Richard and pressed her back against the wall beside him.
The five aliens entered and glanced their eyeless body heads around the cavern. Kathryn almost whimpered in fear when their gazes passed over her. The creatures rushed forward and entered the far tunnel.
Richard turned to something brushing his arm and dodged away from the probing movements of the worm tendril stretching from Greg. It had sensed a fresh victim nearby. As Kathryn turned to see what Richard was doing, she stared in horror at the worms emerging through Greg’s skin.
Richard blocked her view and ushered her over to the exit and along the tunnel.
When they stepped from the mine, Kathryn grabbed Richard’s arm. “Those… things I saw are inside them?”
Richard nodded. “They’ll be full of them.”
Somehow, Kathryn managed to hold back the tears that again threatened to flow. “Then there really is no hope for them.”
“None that I can see.” Richard turned his thoughts to more pressing matters. He needed to get the meteorite out of the mine and onto the back of the truck. He turned to Kathryn, who was still focusing on the dreadful plight of her friends and threw her a modicum of hope. “Before we parachuted out of the airplane, the SEAL commander contacted someone who has arranged for a specialist quarantine unit to come here to handle things, probably the CDC. They should be arriving shortly. I’m not saying it is possible, but if anyone can reverse the effects of the alien parasites in your friends, they’d be the ones to do it.”
Kathryn’s face lit up with the news. “You really believe so?”
Richard shrugged. “There might be a slim chance, but until they arrive, we have other things to do. You need to back the truck over to the mine.”
Kathryn glanced at the vehicle.
“If the winch cable is long enough, we’ll drag the meteorite along the tunnel and use the crane to hoist it onto the truck. Then we go and inform the clean-up unit about your friends and warn them about the aliens in the mine.”
Kathryn remained where she was.
Richard urged her gently into motion. “Let’s do this before more of those creatures turn up, and this time, leave the engine running.”
Kathryn, still a little bewildered by recent events, headed for the truck and slowly reversed it over to the mine entrance.
Richard climbed into the back and dragged the winch cable out. He dropped it onto the ground and handed the winch control to Kathryn when she joined him.
“When I tug on the cable twice, reel it in.”
“Won’t they hear us dragging the meteorite?”
“If they have ears, probably. But they seem fixated on whatever it is they are building, so I’m hoping they’ll ignore it. If not, and I have to make a run for it, be ready for a quick getaway.”
Kathryn watched Richard drag the cable into the mine until the darkness swallowed him. She could not work out if he were brave or foolish, and all for a lump of rock. She directed her gaze to the trees when a branch swayed more violently than could be attributed to the breeze and picked out Boris perched aloft staring down. Probably wondering what they were doing, thought Kathryn.
Keeping a constant tug on the cable, Richard made his way along the tunnel and drew in some slack when he reached the cavern. After checking there were no creatures about, and avoiding looking at the creepy figure in the corner, he wrapped the cable around the rock and secured it in place with the hook. He stepped back and tugged the line twice. Almost immediately, the winch took out the slack. The cable twanged taut against the weight of the rock, and slowly it slid along the rails. The grinding of stone on metal resonated through the confines of the
tunnel. Richard risked shining the flashlight into the dark shaft across the cavern. So far, there was no sign of the aliens.
The Alpha moved to the front of the black construction and directed its head at the noise. After pondering the event for a few moments, it touched tentacles with three others. Once it had conveyed its instructions, they broke from the pack to carry them out. Two of them slipped into the bodies of their chosen humans via the cuts in the back of their necks. The third headed along the tunnel to seek out its host in the other cavern.
With his attention focused along the tunnel, Richard backed along the passage to keep level with the meteorite. He glanced behind when the tunnel exit came into view. Just as he thought he would make it undetected, hurried footsteps echoed through the mine. When Kathryn’s three friends appeared at the end of the tunnel heading for him, he quickly pondered his options. With hindsight, he would have brought Kathryn’s shotgun with him; unarmed, there was no way to fight them without getting close, something he was not about to do. He turned and sprinted for the exit.
Hearing Richard’s running footsteps, Kathryn peered into the dark mine entrance.
“Get in. We’re leaving!” shouted Richard.
Kathryn dropped the controller into the truck bed and climbed into the cab. Richard ran from the mine, jumped onto the truck, and grabbed the winch control.
Kathryn leaned out the window. “Are the creatures coming,” she asked fearfully.
“Sort of. Drive!”
Kathryn gunned the truck into motion. Richard grabbed the crane to prevent himself from falling and pressed the winch button. The meteorite, trailing behind on forty feet of cable, smashed through the remaining planks barring the mine entrance. Cracked timbers sprayed out as it thudded on the ground and was dragged along behind the truck. The rock had survived its fall from the heavens and a plane crash, so Richard was not unduly concerned its latest bout of harsh punishment would damage it. Swayed by the erratic movements of the truck, Richard held on tight and kept his finger on the winch button, steadily hauling it in.
The three alien-controlled humans rushed from the mine and spotting the fleeing truck, ran after it. Realizing the inadequate humans were not fast enough to catch it without the improvements they had no time to activate, the three creatures abandoned their hosts and pursued it on their own. No longer under the creatures’ control, Wayne, Claire, and Greg halted and stood still.
The meteorite struck buildings in passing and collapsed one to the ground as Kathryn navigated between them. When the vehicle began to climb the sloping track, Richard looked at the rock still thirty feet away and then at the three aliens catching up fast. The truck jolted when Kathryn changed down a gear and gunned the engine to speed it up the hill. They were only halfway up when two of the creatures jumped onto the back of the truck. Richard glanced about for something to use as a weapon. He snatched up the unlit torch and faced his aggressors.
One ran along the side of the truck and sprung at him. He swung the pickaxe handle club at it. It clung onto the makeshift weapon that had swept it up. Richard dropped it and raised a foot to stamp the creature dead, but it jumped back onto the side of the truck. Glimpsing movement on his right, Richard turned to see the other one moving along the crane arm toward him. They were coming at him from both sides.
The third creature took a shortcut through the undergrowth and jumped onto the bonnet. Kathryn reached for the shotgun on the dash as soon as it landed. It leaped onto the roof and appeared at the open passenger side window. Dropping onto the seat, it pounced as Kathryn turned the weapon and fired. It exploded in a gooey mess that splattered the door and roof as the pellets tore through its body. Placing the gun beside her for quick retrieval, if needed, she focused on driving and turned left at the top of the hill.
Startled by the loud shotgun blast and the ping of pellets off of the cab behind him, Richard shared his gaze between the two creatures he couldn’t fight. Just as he was about to abandon the vehicle, something landed on the crane; it was Boris wielding a tree branch. He splattered the crane creature into a pulpy mess before throwing the makeshift weapon to Richard, who caught it and swung it at the remaining creature. Distracted by the sudden appearance of the hairy human-like beast, the alien faltered in its attack and received a hard thwack that crushed it into oblivion for its hesitation.
Richard nodded his thanks to Boris. Noticing the tiny worms amongst the creatures remains on the club, he threw it away. He picked up the winch control and continued reeling in his precious space rock. When a glance behind picked out no more alien creatures in pursuit, he tapped on the cab with his elbow. “You okay?”
“I’m fine. You?”
“I’m good. You can stop now.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?”
“No, but I need to get the meteorite on the truck. Boris will keep a watch out while we work.”
Kathryn slowed and stopped the truck. Boris climbed to the far end of the crane and kept lookout as Richard winched in the rock. Leaving the engine running, Kathryn cautiously climbed from the cab as Richard jumped down.
Richard flashed her a smile. “See, that wasn’t so bad.”
“Yeah, a walk in the park. Let’s hurry up and get this damn rock of yours on board before more of those things turn up.”
“I need to do something first. We can’t risk taking any aliens into town.” Richard pulled the jar of gunpowder from his pocket and held it up. “And no, I’m not going to blow my meteorite up.” He handed Kathryn the lighter. “Light the torch ready.”
As Kathryn fetched the remaining torch from the back of the truck and lit it, she watched Richard pour the black powder into the meteor crack the aliens had first crawled from, poised ready to dodge back if another appeared. When the jar was empty, he placed it in his pocket and brushed any gunpowder residue into the thin crack. Richard ushered Kathryn back and took the torch from her.
“Won’t it make a noise?” she asked, concerned it would draw any nearby aliens to them.
“A whoosh of flame at the most, I hope, but stand farther back just in case.” When Kathryn sheltered by a tree, Richard threw the torch at the meteorite and rushed to the side. A whoosh of igniting gunpowder burst into brightness. Flames and dark smoke billowed from the crack as the powder within was consumed. A few moments later, it was all over.
They approached the meteorite where smoke drifted from the blackened crack.
Richard retrieved the torch. “If there were any aliens in there, they’ll be burnt to a cinder now.”
The man was resourceful, Kathryn conceded. “What’s next?”
Boris jumped down when Richard extended and lowered the crane boom. The suspension, long past its prime, creaked when Richard slipped the hook under the cable attached to the rock and raised it until the meteorite was above the truck bed. After retracting the crane arm, he lowered it gently until its full weight rested on the truck.
Richard turned to Kathryn, gazing anxiously around. “That’s it. All done.”
Kathryn peered nervously at the forest, where she imagined the aliens creeping up on them. “Good.”
Kathryn climbed into the driving seat. Richard grimaced at seeing the splattered remains of the creature on his side. Avoiding getting close to the tiny worms wriggling in the blood, he moved the shotgun onto the dash and slipped into the middle seat. When Boris appeared at the door to get in, Richard shook his head. “Not safe. Get in the back.”
After voicing his complaint with a moany chatter, Boris slammed the door and climbed into the back. Shaking her head at their strange friendship, Kathryn pulled away.
CHAPTER 13
The Wolves
Halting their feasting on the carcass of the deer they had happened upon, the four wolves turned their bloody snouts to the approaching rustling. Believing another creature had picked up the scent of the kill and was coming to steal their food, they spread out and snarled warnings for whatever appeared to stay away.
Their snarling
ended when a lone fox stepped from the undergrowth and looked at them. When the expected fright at seeing its larger, vicious outnumbered opponents, and the fox’s hasty retreat never materialized, they were again surprised when something they had never witnessed before happened; the fox casually padded over to them.
Although confused by the fox’s strange behavior, the wolves were not about to give up the chance of another easy meal. They attacked and yelped when tendrils lashed out from the fox’s body and, in seconds, had them overpowered.
They experienced fear when something they sensed was evil, crawled from a rip in the fox’s back, and moved to its head. After looking at each, it swelled to three times its size. The wolves frantically struggled to be free, dragging the fox a short distance before the tendrils tightened, constricting their ability to breathe. The wolves yelped when something sharp and painful struck them. They relaxed a few moments later. The tendrils constraining them slithered back into their host, and the fox rested on the ground observing them.
The alien creature waited for the spores flowing through them to evolve. It had sought out the wolves for a purpose, and soon it would relay the Alpha’s instructions to them before continuing with its primary mission.
CHAPTER 14
Barricade
Driving out of the forest, Kathryn headed for the barrier manned by the deputy and some of the townsfolk and pulled to a halt.
With a shotgun resting on his shoulder, Deputy Rickmeyer walked around the barricade formed of two cars bumper to bumper. Glancing nervously at the meteorite in the back of the truck, he was startled by Boris jumping onto the top of the cab. He slapped the shotgun into a palm and aimed it at the chimpanzee.
Richard climbed out and pushed the shotgun barrel down. “Relax deputy; he’s with me.”
Rickmeyer lowered the weapon. “What you got a chimp for?”
“It’s a long story that’ll have to wait for another time.” Richard peered past the people manning the barricade, and along the street. “Any sign of the men from the airplane?”