by Tania Hutley
Still, I hesitate for several long moments, tasting my own blood on my snout and wondering if I should do something to help her.
Giant metal creatures are already forming around her, emerging from the tower, putting themselves together as they lurch toward her. Entire portions of beams attach themselves together with nuts and bolts. They have sharp metal pincers, and gaping mouths filled with screws. They strut stiff-legged, and though they’re only half her size, there are dozens of them.
“Get up,” I yell, edging backward.
Aza doesn’t move.
The metal monsters hesitate around her, as though they’re waiting for a signal. Then they swarm over her.
I wince, backing away quickly.
Through the sound of crashing, thrashing metal comes a bellow from the crowd, their voices lifting together. They’re chanting Brugan’s name. Where is he? I strain my senses, searching with eyes and ears and nose, and catch a whiff of devil bear. When I climb one more level, I see him snarling and snapping, his claws tearing into a giant mass of metal. He’s battling the head of the Kraken. Tentacles seethe and its mouth, filled with wicked spikes, snaps at him.
Looks like the devil bear’s hurting it. Brugan’s in close, tearing off pieces, his muscled shoulders hunched against its blows. He launches himself at one of its giant, cybernetic eyes and thrusts in one claw. The creature lets a cry so loud, the blast threatens to tear me loose. Without pausing, Brugan jumps at the other eye. He slashes and the monster’s tentacles shudder and go still. Could it be dead?
Crouching, I get ready to leap past and chase Sentin to the top. But Brugan’s got his back to me and he’s not far away. A couple of big leaps and I could shove him off the tower.
No, bad idea. Better to get away before he sees me.
Too late.
Brugan turns, his huge chest rising and falling as he pants for breath. He’s got a couple of nasty gashes across his chest, and his torso is slick with sweat and blood. His scent changes when he sees me, and his wolfish lips stretch into a smile.
I’ve got to get out of here. I leap and my paws barely touch metal before I’m springing off again.
Catch me if you can, Brugan.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
I’m stopped by a flash of something shiny that’s moving fast. It’s something new.
There’s a fire burning nearby, blue-hot flames shooting out of a pipe. The metal of this part of the tower is pitted and rough, so the flames reflect off the shiny thing more than anything else.
It vanishes behind a pillar before I can make out what kind of creature it is. But when I jump to the next level, there’s another one waiting.
The creature is huge, its shape human, but bristling with spikes. It lunges for me, slashing with spiked hands. The sharp tips of its blades rip through my fur as I leap away. It doesn’t follow, but there’s another one half-hidden behind a beam.
Every inch of the porcupine-creature is covered with blades, except for its eyes. As I meet its gaze, I feel a jolt of recognition. It’s got the same cybernetic eyes I used to have. Same hideous model, cold and black. I’m looking into the nightmare of my old face. It gives me chills.
This one is injured. Its lower legs are gone, cut off at the knees. What could have hurt it?
A whiff of rotting meat comes from behind me. I spin around just in time. Max. The tiger hurtles at me, mouth open. His saber-teeth drip saliva. Cale’s familiar tiger smell hits me hard, but underneath is Max’s rotten stink.
Go!
Reflex kicks in, and I hurl myself away. This part of the tower’s harder to cross. The beams are thinner, the gaps between them wider.
I make the next beam, then leap again. He twists to follow, and he’s not far behind.
My back paw slips and I almost don’t make the next jump. No time to hesitate or try to find the best way forward, I need to keep moving to stay in front of Max. I’m faster than him, but I’d better not lose my balance.
He growls so loud I feel the vibration through my paws. He must be close.
There’s movement above me, glimpsed and gone again. Something’s up there, hidden behind a sheet of mesh and a wall of hanging wires. Not Brugan or Sentin, or I’d smell them. A metal creature? I’m don’t want to jump up there without knowing for sure, not with Max right behind me.
There’s a beam up ahead. I could use it to rebound off and turn. The same move I used on Cale.
Launching myself at the beam, I land on four paws, then twist and fly back at Max. My claws sink into his flesh before we skid and tumble across the metal platform.
I catch the side of a beam to keep from falling right off the structure, and I’m back on four paws in a second, ready to flee.
Max lies groaning on the beam, his side red with blood. Should I attack again while he’s winded?
Before I can move, my nostrils flare. I can smell the devil bear. Then Brugan leaps at me.
I try to jump sideways, but his meaty hand bowls me over and I smack hard into a pipe. I’m on my side, struggling to get up, when his weight lands on me, pinning me down. Gasping for breath, my nose fills with his stench.
He leans his weight on me, crushing me. I struggle and twist, and when I manage to get a claw free, I rake it across the open wound on his chest. He howls, slackening his grip, and I give a mighty jerk, putting all my strength in it, throwing him off balance so I can twist out from beneath him and scramble away.
When I’ve put a small distance between us, I turn to face him. Brugan’s got bloody slashes all over him and blood clumps in his fur, but his wounds don’t seem to be slowing him down.
Behind him, Max has managed to get back up. He’s standing, sides heaving, blood dripping from his muzzle.
“Bitch,” he snarls.
The word draws Brugan’s attention away from me, and he edges toward Max. Maybe he thinks Max will be easier prey. Max mirrors his movement, keeping distance between them. I move too, not letting either of them get closer. We’re circling, the three of us poised to react to any quick movement.
We’re all injured. Warm blood’s seeping into my fur, and my whole body hurts, especially my shoulder. The smell of blood is so strong, I can taste it deep in my throat. I’m not gulping in air anymore, but a mist of blood and sweat and adrenalin.
I don’t know where Sentin is. Not on this level, unless he’s hiding behind one of the vertical pillars. It’s more likely he’s above us, though there can’t be too many more levels to the top.
The kraken has grown silent, but clanging and crashing sounds still come from above. A spiked limb drops, ricochets off the beam I’m on, and clatters down through the levels. Sentin must be a few levels up, fighting the shiny porcupine creatures. Perhaps they’re easier to kill than Max or Brugan.
Brugan feints forward. I jump away, trying to make our wary circle bigger. Max is pacing, watching for his moment to attack. His eyes are hungry, burning up from the inside. When Cale was the tiger, his eyes were a beautiful gold. Now his eyes are glowing fires stoked with hatred and rage.
“She’s mine,” says Max, his gaze moving to Brugan. “I get to kill her.”
Brugan’s lips peel back again, this time in a gesture of contempt. “I’ll carve you both into pieces.”
Max growls, and Brugan answers with a loud snarl. Great. If I can get them attacking each other, maybe I’ve got a chance. But how, when I’m number one on both of their kill lists?
The crowd has hushed. They’re watching the beasts circle. Waiting for one of us to attack.
I’m faster than Max or Brugan so I need to outrun them. To get higher.
As my eyes flick up, both Max and Brugan leap at me. I spring away, twisting to escape. Max gets close enough for my blood and sweat to spatter him when I leap. Brugan sweeps out to the side, trying to trap me between him and Max. The devil bear is moving faster than I thought he could, and if he keeps circling, I’ll get stuck with nowhere to run. I need to go up, but if I jump too close to Sentin I could
end up with all three Skins trying to kill me.
Get Brugan and Max together, that’s my best chance. Risky, but I’ve got to try it. If they trap me I’m dead anyway.
Changing direction, I angle toward Brugan. I have to cut sideways which lets Max draw closer, but I keep ahead of him. Brugan turns so he’s rushing at me, on a collision course. I stare into his eyes as he jumps, just two beams away now and moving fast. His mouth opens, his nostrils are flared, teeth bared in anticipation. Max is so close behind me he’s about to plunge his claws into my back. Brugan right in front. One more leap and we’ll slam into each other. What’s below me? No time to look.
Instead of jumping, I drop.
Tumbling through the tower, I look frantically for something to grab hold of. Three floors of struts, platforms and beams plunge past as I twist in mid-air, reaching for anything to stop my fall.
My outstretched claws touch a beam, and I scrabble for it, almost managing to grab hold. My momentum yanks me free, and I slam hard into the beam below it.
The impact sends white-hot agony exploding through me. I lie frozen, unable to scream, fighting to pull air into my crushed lungs. If I were in my human body, I’d be dead.
My body’s a twisted mass of pain, starting with the side I landed on and shooting through every limb. Judging from how much it hurts, I’ve broken a few ribs. It takes me forever to scrape myself off the metal and stand on shaky legs. If Brugan and Max followed me down, I’ll be easy pickings.
Dropping out from between them would have left them on a collision course. Hopefully they’re busy ripping each other to pieces right now, but I can’t count on it.
Keep moving.
Legs trembling, I pick a close beam, an easy jump. It still takes huge effort. I move cautiously, scanning for enemies. I’m so weak the last thing I need is to blunder into danger. Slowly I climb higher. Back toward the beam I dropped from, where the others are. They’re still there. I can smell them now, the stink of devil bear and saber-toothed tiger. But mostly what I can smell is the warm, sickening stench of blood.
Flames flicker from below and spotlights play across the tower. Light dances and shadows jump. I keep my senses alert and my body hidden as well as I can, slinking along metal beams. Creeping quickly and silently, until I catch sight of Brugan’s back.
The devil bear crouches over Max, his muscled, hairy back blocking my view of the saber-toothed tiger. But I don’t need to see Max to know his life’s draining away. His blood’s splattered everywhere and I can hear rasping, popping breaths as he struggles to force air in and out of his lungs.
I ease forward, trying to see if Brugan’s hurt. The devil bear’s intent on his kill, on finishing the job. His claws are on Max’s throat, crushing the last scrap of life from his body. Even with everything that’s happened, Brugan’s ruthlessness still horrifies me.
I can’t let him see me. The fall’s made me too weak to be sure of getting away.
Something shiny catches my eye. One of those spiky creatures. Or rather, it’s the creature’s mangled body on a nearby beam. Three of its limbs are missing and half its face is gone. Did Brugan do that too, or was it Sentin? I glance up. Is the reptile still alive up there? Still fighting monsters?
My paw hits a piece of the creature, and metal skitters across the beam. I freeze. But the devil bear’s already raising his head and turning toward me.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Brugan growls and drops Max onto the beam. Brugan’s front is thick with blood. His fur hangs in heavy, sticky clumps and his eyes look red and bloated.
Max gurgles. It’s a horrible sound, wet and desperate. His paws twitch, scraping across the metal beam as though he’s trying to get up.
Brugan keeps his eyes fixed on me, but bends his knees and thrusts one long, evil claw at Max, plunging it through his throat. Finishing him.
That could have been Cale. I’m so glad it’s not I feel weak with relief. Doctor Morelle did me a favor when she kicked Cale out.
Sickened by Brugan’s brutality, I turn my head away. Even the crowd is silent.
As soon as my eyes are off him, Brugan attacks. I jump away, forcing my tired, weak body to make the distance to another beam. Brugan leaps a moment later and lands heavily. For a moment I’m hopeful that he’s hurt worse than I am. But as I jump again, so does he. He’s gaining on me.
We’re nearly at the top. So close. But I don’t think I can get there without fighting Brugan, and I’m too exhausted, too badly hurt to win. He’s too strong. I’m going to have to face him soon. What can I do?
I leap again, and almost land on a metal stick covered with spikes. The dismembered arm of one of the porcupine creatures. With my back paw, I flick the spiked arm across the beam at Brugan. A grunt of pain tells me I hit him, but he barely pauses.
I spin just in time to catch his arm in my jaws as he reaches me. I bite down hard. His momentum tumbles us both, but my jaws are clenched shut and I won’t let go.
Hot devil-bear blood fills my mouth as I tear into his flesh with all my strength. He roars, and his free arm slams into my side. It feels like he’s ripping my head from my body, but I lock my jaw. My fangs dig deeper, grinding against bone.
He rakes me with his claws, trying to shake me off, to get to his feet. He’s so big, if he gets his balance he could crush me.
Planting my back paws, I throw my strength forward, grinding my teeth into his arm and keeping him down. But the shock of my first strike’s gone. He’s thinking now, counter attacking. His strength against mine. He drives me back and uses his free hand to push himself up.
Before he can stand, I let his arm go and launch my body weight at his leg. My teeth close around his knee. He falls back, howling, but both his hands are free now. He digs his claws into me. This time it’s my flesh that’s tearing, my scream of pain forced out between teeth still clenched in his furry knee.
His claws rake my sides, opening huge wounds. Pain sears hot. Unbearable.
My jaw opens and I let go, stumbling backward. It hurts so much I’m panting. All I want is to curl into a ball.
I back up, whimpering, while he lumbers to his feet, swaying and snarling. Blood cakes him from head to foot. He drags the back of one big hand across his eyes, wiping blood away.
I need to run. I shuffle backwards, hit something sharp, move around it, and come up hard against a metal post. Can’t go any further.
Brugan steps forward, his bulk looming over me. There’s nowhere to run. I can barely move, I’ve got nothing left.
It’s over. We both know it. His lips peel back in a final, dreadful grin that shows his red fangs.
A piece of metal drops from above and glances off Brugan’s arm. It’s not big enough to hurt him, but he stumbles. It’s not much of an opening, but it’s all I’ll get.
Without the strength to jump, I half lurch, half fall onto him. We tumble together onto the metal, but I’m on top, and somehow I grab his throat in my teeth.
He takes hold of my body with both hands. My teeth lock. If he tries to tear me away, he’ll be tearing out his own throat. His claws rip into me again, but no matter how bad the pain, I can’t let go. If I do, I’m dead.
I squeeze my jaw together, crushing his windpipe. Blood pulses into my mouth. His breath rasps. His arms beat against me as his body thrashes and jerks, desperate to throw me off. I squeeze my jaws tighter. I can kill him. I can survive.
He’s getting weaker. Instead of clawing, his hands push against my face. My mouth and nose are clamped so tight I can’t breathe. I scream through locked jaws, bite down as hard as I can, sinking my teeth deeper into his flesh. My throat is thick with blood. There’s a loud roaring in my ears. The crowd cheers as Brugan’s life drains away in hot, staccato bursts.
When his body goes limp, I pry my jaws open and gag. Then I push myself off him, moving slowly, painfully. Every step sends bolts of agony through my body. I’m half expecting him to get up again, but the devil bear lies still.
I look up. The top of the tower is close, just two more levels to climb. All I have to do is make it up there, step into the light, and I’ve won.
Don’t think about Brugan. Don’t think about anything.
This’ll be over soon. Climb. Get to the top.
Every muscle’s screaming, but I drag myself up to the next level. The beams here are narrow and spaced wide apart. My legs don’t work properly and each time my left back paw touches the ground I scream with pain.
Keep going. I have to keep going.
There are more spiky limbs lying around on this level. A lot more. Pieces of the metal creatures are scattered all around the narrow beams. An epic battle’s been waged. This is where Sentin must have made his stand.
Could he have survived? I don’t see him. Nothing’s moving up here, no creatures, no Sentin. They must have beaten him. His body must be here, unless they threw him off the tower.
I stare down, as though I might see his Skin lying on the ground a hundred and sixty floors below. Of course I can’t see that far, there are too many crisscrossing metal beams. And looking down makes me queasy, so shift my gaze up instead. There are giant blimps floating up there. The screens are on the other side of the blimps, facing toward the crowd. I’m glad. I don’t want to see myself.
The crowd’s chanting my name. I ignore them. The top level’s just above me. Unlike all the others, the top level is a flat, solid piece of metal rather than just criss-crossing beams.
To get up to it, I need to make my way to the outer edge, where vertical beams are holding it up. With a broken leg I can’t jump, so I dig my sharp claws into the metal and drag myself up.
It’s too hard. My body hurts too much. So easy to let go. So easy to drop to the ground far below.
Tori speaks in my head, as clearly as though she were walking beside me. “You think you have it tough? Some of the shifts I’ve done at the factory were a lot worse than this, and all I earned were enough credits for a crappy bowl of noodles.”
The thought makes me want to laugh, but I think that’s only because I’m so close to passing out that I’m getting light-headed. Instead I pause, resting a second. Tori’s right, the pain’s nothing, it doesn’t matter. I’m about to get everything I want. I must be the only one left alive, and I’m about to win the contest.
