Dead World

by Lucas Pederson

  She’s dealt with her fair share of people suffering from claustrophobia, and everyone is different. Luckily, Gerty is tough. She might be scared, but her training and strong will help shove her fear away. Besides, the girl had gone through a traumatic experience. From what Alyx gathers, her dad put her in the trunk of the car because she was being too loud. Doesn’t make sense to Alyx’s brain, but some parents can be the harbingers of serious traumas and mental issues.

  “Thanks, Alyx,” Gerty says after a moment and straightens. “Don’t tell Rip about this, okay?”

  “Not a word. But I thought you two were close?”

  “We are, he just doesn’t know what my dad was really like. He doesn’t know the horrible things that man did to me.”

  Alyx pats the girl’s shoulder. “I promise. Not a word.”

  After a moment or two more, Gerty starts walking again. This time with moreforce. She doesn’t falter and moves quickly. So quick Alyx has a hard time keeping pace at first.

  “There you two are,” Rip says hurrying to them. He glances from Gerty to Alyx, eyes wide. “Everything okay?”

  “We’re good,” Gerty says. “Just a little…claustrophobia.”

  Rip cups the girl’s face in his large hands. “You never told me you were claustrophobic.”

  Gerty sighs. “I thought I was over it.” She cocks a thumb over her shoulder. “Alyx helped me.”

  Rip smiles, just a bit and gives Alyx a nod. She nods back.

  “Okay,” Rip says, leading Gerty onward, “let’s catch up to the others.” He stops and looks at Gerty. “The ceiling gets lower up ahead, sweetie.”

  Gerty snorts. “I’ll survive.”

  He kisses her forehead, smiles as he steps back. “I know you will. Let’s go.”

  They follow Rip and before long, the ceiling brushes along the top of Alyx’s baseball cap. Rip has to hunch over and walk sideways in order to make it through. If the tunnel gets any tighter, he might have some serious problems. Getting stuck is one of the worst things that can happen in narrow tunnels.

  This close, cool air filters out of the baseball sized holes in the walls. A sensation Alyx can do without. There’s just something creepy about the holes she can’t put her finger on just yet. She’s too focused on making sure Gerty’s breathing remains even. Too worried about Rip making it through okay.

  After a few minutes, though, they meet up with Row and Vilas’s men. Which is kind of a relief, because as soon as they’re all together, Gerty calms down even more.

  The tunnel winds back and forth, like a slithering snake, the ceiling getting lower and lower. More jagged. Rocky spikes hang, making the passage lower still and Alyx can’t help but think of the time when she was searching for the lost Bromia Stone. A stone said to contain the real Christian God.

  The tunnels were much like this, only not as narrow. One had room to breathe better and not worry about stabbing a rock through their skulls. Nevertheless, those tunnels had been wretched. It took her and her two-man crew a full day to find their way through. And when she found the Bromia Stone, it was just a purple stone. No God within, as far as she could tell. The stone, however, fetched her a good sum of money. So…not all bad. Those tunnels, though…

  How the others aren’t gagging on the minty air right now, is beyond Alyx. None of them wear their masks. It almost makes Alyx want to retract hers. Almost. But that stink is just too much. The last thing she wants is to vomit in the presence of Marines.

  Of course, she doesn’t care what they think, but having their respect is a crucial survival skill. They have the big guns, after all.

  Not that they have to worry about much. True, they’ve encountered small hostiles, but other than that, the rest of the world seems dead. Or not as dangerous as Hunt led them to believe. Comparing this planet to others she’s visited, it’s not so bad.

  As she walks by a series of holes, a strange hissing noise wheezes out. She pauses, frowning at one of the holes. Her internal warning synapses snap and crackle.

  “Guys,” she says, but they don’t hear her and continue on without her.

  Alyx focuses her lights on the holes. The hissing grows louder.

  “Shit,” she manages. She glances up the tunnel. “The holes! Watch out for the holes!”

  Gerty stops, looks over her shoulder. “What?”

  Alyx makes her way to the girl. Rip, practically crouching and appearing miserable as all hell, shoots her a concerned expression. Beyond him, Row and the other two stop.

  “The holes,” Alyx says. “Keep an eye on them.”

  “Okay,” Rip says. “Why?”

  Alyx shakes her head. “I…I’m not sure. But something feels wrong. Just stay alert, okay?”

  The big man sighs, and tells the others. Row shoots a look at Alyx down the tunnel. One that almost says, “Are you serious?”

  She nods, hoping it conveys. It does, because he nods in return. Everyone directs their focus to the holes. The ragged burrows. Yes, that’s it. Burrows. Not just your average holes. Something—

  It happens fast. A pale snout full of translucent teeth darts out of one of the holes and chomps into Rip’s left arm. He roars, pulls away until his back is pressed against the right wall. Alyx draws her revolver, pushes Gerty aside and shoots the thing from the hole. A gout of gray blood splatters Rip. He tears the jagged maw off his arm, panting. After a few seconds, he gives Alyx a thumbs up.

  The big man brings out some gauze from the med pouch in his pack and quickly wraps his forearm. Blood drips everywhere, but as far as Alyx can tell, the wound isn’t too bad.

  “Take some antibiotics too,” she says.

  Rip frowns, then injects the antibiotic from the med pouch. He replaces the syringe, sighs, and says, “Thanks, Dr. Wick.”

  “Just watch the holes.”

  “You think there’s more?”

  Alyx shrugs. “I don’t know. But better to be aware than not, right?”

  Rip grunts. “Right.”

  The hissing from the holes wavers. Alyx eyes those closest to her, but only darkness stares back at her. If anything is inside, it’s watching from deeper within. It’s waiting for the right moment.

  “Shit,” Gerty says. “I’m getting sick of being attacked by little creepy things.”

  “Better than big creepy things,” Rip says as he shuffles along.

  “Not really, but hey, whatever helps you sleep at night, man.”

  Rip chuckles as he shimmies through a tighter spot of the tunnel. He makes it through without too much effort.

  “You have that flash gun all ready, Rip?” Alyx asks.

  “Always. Why?”

  “Because, if shit gets real in here, you might need to use it. If I’m right, all these holes are connected, or like a honeycomb. You shoot fire into one and it’ll spread.”

  The big man nods. “Well, let me know when you want to burn the bastards and I’m game.”

  “You two sound incredibly corny right now,” Gerty interjects.

  Rip chuckles. “Someone has to do it, since you’re stuck in permanent teenage angst forever.”

  “Go sit on a stalagmite, old man.”

  Row motions for them to hurry up.

  “Guys,” Alyx says. “I hate to break up family time, but we’re being hailed.”

  Rip and Gerty laugh and they make their way to Row and the two men. Alyx wants to tell the two to be quiet, but also understands stress relief when she sees it. And both Gerty and Rip appear a little more at ease as Row points at something ahead.

  “The tunnel opens up a bit,” Row whispers. “Might be the end.”

  Alyx wants to tell him tunnels like this will sometimes widen from time to time, but decides to keep silent. Another truth about tunnels…they’re unpredictable more often than not.

  Hissing from the holes in the walls are the only sounds as they venture toward the opening.

  Her gaze drifts from side to side as they near the opening of the tunnel.

  “Shi
t,” Row says.

  Alyx’s sight shoots to him and all the air leaks out of her lungs. The man is stuck right where the opening should have been. And now she sees where the confusion came in. The walls are wavy in this section, creating an optical illusion.

  One that fooled even her.

  Vilas’s two men try pulling the Captain out.

  “Push,” Alyx says. “He’s about halfway. It’ll be easier if you push.”

  Without a word, the men turn and shove at Row. His teeth grit in obvious pain.

  Then he begins to scream.

  Blood spurts from his mouth. His entire body quakes.

  Vilas’s men back away, bodies stiff, hands up as if they’re afraid to touch Row now. As if the man has become a spontaneous disease.

  Rip pushes the men out of the way. “Cap?”

  Row screams, body jittering, blood bubbling out of his mouth. His eyes are wide, near to bulging.

  Rip grabs onto Row’s gear and yanks backward.

  “Push,” Alyx says, but the big man doesn’t listen.

  Instead he pulls. He places a giant boot on the wall and roars as he pulls and pulls and—

  A loud squeal erupts through the tunnel. Alyx blinks at the holes, then looks at Row. His body has gone limp, eyes wide and unblinking as Rip tugs and pulls to free the man.

  “Traps,” Alyx says. “Why does it always have to be traps.”

  “Huh?” Gerty slices a glare at her.

  Alyx shakes her head. “Nothing.” She shimmies by Gerty. “Rip, he’s dead.”

  “No,” Rip shouts. “He’s just hurt. Help me get him out!”

  As the big man tears free of the stone walls, she catches a glimpse of something pale buried into Row’s stomach.

  “Stop,” she yells. “It’s a trap!”

  Rip frowns, sweat trickling down his bronzed face. “A what?”

  Before Alyx can stop him, Rip gives Row’s body a final yank. Rip stumbles over his own feet, falling into Gerty. Both of them go down. Row drapes over them.

  “Oh god,” Gerty shrieks as blood seeps out of Row’s gaping mouth onto her shoulder. “Get off, get off!”

  All Alyx can do is stare as three, white, eel-like tails writhe out of Row’s back. Blood oozes. The muffled snaps of bones shudder the air. Another of the tails, this one protruding from Row’s stomach, whips wildly. And it’s not until a small, bony back leg rips free, when Alyx realizes it’s trying to work its way out of Row.

  Rip roars, heaving Row off him. The Captain plops onto the floor face first at Alyx’s feet, splashing blood onto her boots. She sucks in a sharp breath, as if slapped, and points the revolver at one of the things wriggling out of Row’s back.

  “Wait,” Rip says, his tone growly. He unclamps the flash gun from his back and motions for Alyx to move out of the way.

  Gerty joins her and they step quickly away from Row.

  “Oorah, Captain Row,” Rip says and pulls the trigger.

  A bright flash blinds Alyx for a moment, there’s a brief crackling sound, some intense heat, then it’s all over.

  Row, like Fern, is now nothing but a mound of ashes. Rip clamps the flash gun in place and brings out a containment tube. Very slowly, he kneels and sucks up Row’s ashes. A single tear trickles down the man’s face.

  Beside her, Gerty sniffles and wipes most of the tears away before Alyx looks at her.

  “He was the best,” Gerty manages through sniffles. “A real leader.”

  Alyx nods. She has to agree. Row proved, in just the short time she knew him, how cool and collected and strong he could be. Also…how caring and kind. The man showed compassion, which is a rare thing for a commanding officer, at least in her experience anyway. Most of them are arrogant assholes.

  She lowers her head in mourning.

  Rip places the tube with Row’s ashes in his pack and clears his throat. “He was the greatest captain I’ve ever served under. A man that cared and—the hell did they go?”

  Alyx lifts her head a bit. “Who?” But then she knows.

  She spins around, finding the tunnel empty behind her.

  “Those pieces of shit,” Gerty says.

  Vilas’s men snuck away during all the commotion. Either because they were scared, or Vilas called them back. Both conclusions are possible.

  Alyx faces Rip. “Fuck’em.”

  He frowns at her, eyes hard as steel.

  Then Gerty giggles. “Damn right, lady.”

  Rip’s expression softens. He sighs, shakes his head and releases a small chuckle.

  “They were pussies anyway,” Gerty spouts.

  “I don’t think they were here to help us. They’re scouts. Spies. They got info from us and how far we made it. Now they’re returning to their boss.”

  “Vilas?” Rip lifts a dark eyebrow. “That old man is playing us?”

  “It’s what he does,” Alyx says. “I tried to tell everyone that.”

  Gerty and Rip are quiet for a moment, then Gerty says, “We should go kick his ass.”

  But Alyx shakes her head. “We need to finish this.”

  Again, the two Marines are silent.

  Alyx opens her mouth to maybe speak some encouraging words, when hisses blow out of the holes around her. Scratching noises dance with the hisses.

  She gulps down a heavy lump in her throat. “We need to get out of here. Now.” She points at the spot where Row got stuck. “Got anything to blow that a little wider?”

  “Shatter grenades,” Rip says.

  “But won’t that cause a cave-in, or something?”

  Shaking her head, Alyx says, “This is a natural tunnel. It’s strong stone all around. Might cave a bit, but not much.”

  “Even a bit scares the shit outta me, Alyx.”

  She shoots Gerty a smile. “Trust me.”

  Without anything further, Rip unclips a blue grenade from his belt and pulls the pin. “You got five seconds. Run like hell. Now.” He tosses the grenade between the narrow walls as Alyx and Gerty sprint down the tunnel away from it. Rip follows, catching up to them and—

  Boom.

  The explosion is beyond deafening. It’s world quaking. The force of it throws Rip into Alyx and Alyx into Gerty. All three collapse as sharp rocks pummel them. The world is a chaotic stew of pain and confusion.

  Then it’s all over.

  Rip grunts, shaking broken rock off him and removing himself as their shield.

  “Well,” Gerty says as she stands and dusts herself off. “That sucked.”

  As the dust settles, Alyx sighs relief. The grenade definitely opened it up, and with only minimal cave-in, a small pile of stones a few feet from her.

  Then she sees them.

  The creatures from the walls. The ones that killed Row. Or rather, their brethren. Whatever. They lie in tatters all over the broken floor. Gray blood pools on the floor and drips from cracked walls. The smell worse than the minty stench and Alyx almost secures her mask again when Rip says, “With Row gone, I’m next in command.”

  Alyx says, “Of course. You okay with that?”

  “Hell no, I’m not okay with it. Row was the man.” Rip shakes his head. “I’m no leader.”

  “You’re more of a leader than you think you are. The way you treat Gerty and I. The respect, that’s one of the signs of a good leader. You got this, and we’ll follow.” Alyx smiles at the man and he smiles back.

  “Thanks,” he says.

  “Fuckin’ A, right,” Gerty spouts. “Now can we get the hell out of this shitty ass tunnel with its white weasels? Because, damn.”

  Chuckling, Rip leads the way through the slightly wider passage. Beyond this, the tunnel actually does widen, opening up to nearly the size of the main tunnel. There are no holes in the walls and the air cools down a few degrees. Nothing drastic. But cool enough to be able to breathe easier.

  As they move up the tunnel, Alyx listens to the clinking of the tubes in Rip’s pack.

  Ashes of the dead, she thinks for no reason at a
ll.

  Ashes of the dead.

  ELEVEN

  “Dr. Wick.” Static. “Come in, Dr. Wick.” Static.

  Alyx stops and glances at Rip and Gerty.

  “Sounds like the bastard above,” Gerty says. “And not the celestial one.”

  “Yeah,” Alyx says. “He’s going to feed us a bunch of bullshit now. Ready?”

  Both Gerty and Rip nod.

  She sighs, and touches the throat mic. “This is Dr. Wick.”

  A bunch of static follows, then…

  “Hello, Dr. Wick. Vilas speaking.”

  Alyx rolls her eyes. “I figured that out.”

  More static, then, “I have an update on the soldier in my care.”

  “Lance,” she says.

  Static. “I have done both internal and external scans. So far, there’s only a high fever. All tests, this far, are inconclusive.”

  “I see. Why didn’t you contact Captain Row of this?”

  A long section of static. Then, “I tried. He isn’t answering. Perhaps his coms are broken.”

  If the man was here right now she’d bash his head in with Rip’s rifle. “He’s dead, like you didn’t know.”

  “Oh no. I did not know that. My condolences.”

  “Right. How are Tweedledee and Tweedledum doing?”

  “Beg pardon?”

  Gerty snorts. “Tell him we know about his bullshit. See what he says.”

  Alyx turns her mic off. “It won’t matter. He doesn’t care one way or the other. As long as he gets what he wants.”

  Rip frowns. “Then what does he want?”

  Alyx turns her mic back on. “Why didn’t you answer Row when he asked for assistance?”

  But all that follows is more static. She knows he heard her. She knows he’s still listening. As he is, Vilas will ignore everything unless it involves him.

  “Is it because you don’t care?”

  More static.

  Alyx shoots Gerty and Rip a cockeyed smirk. “This is what he does.”

  “I still don’t see what he wants out of all this,” Rip says.

  “Isn’t it obvious? He wants the artifact Sully was sent to find, and now I’m here to help find it too. He wants the thing that will give him the most power. An artifact that will create planets…? Yeah, he wants that.”