by Ben Hammott
Jack wore a mask of worry. “I think something's stalking us.”
Jane scanned the area for a clue to his anxiety.
A distant shriek filtered though the undergrowth.
Though the creature sounded far away, and he saw nothing in the immediate vicinity to threaten them, Jack remained uneasy. He felt with all his senses that eyes were upon them. A rustle of leaves, no stronger than a gentle breeze would cause, alerted him to its presence; there was no wind in the ship. A killer was on the prowl. He turned to his companions cowering in his shadow and bade them to silence with a finger to his lips. He pointed back the way they'd come and whispered, “It's over there.”
A rustling of branches confirmed to Jane that he was correct. Lucy's trembling hand gently gripped her arm in search of comfort and reassurance. Though uncertain it was something she could honestly provide, she nevertheless placed a hand on Lucy's and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Maybe it's Henry or one of the others?” she whispered.
Jack shrugged. “Perhaps, but I'm not willing to risk our lives finding out. We'll head away from it.”
Lucy stared at the sound of something creeping through the undergrowth. Its slow movements sounded purposeful and sinister. When fear threatened to take hold of her senses, she forced herself not to panic. “What do we do?” she asked, nervously.
Jack had no idea, but he thought staying still and silent was a good first step until they'd identified its exact position. He relayed this to his two frightened comrades.
All three hardly dared to breathe while their eyes and ears scanned the lush vegetation surrounding them in an effort to pinpoint the object of their fear. The only noise was the rapid beating of their hearts and the trickling waterfall, the sight of which only a few moments earlier had painted a tranquil scene that had belied the horror that lurked nearby.
The monster's urge to satisfy its ravenous hunger had increased when it caught the faint scent of the strange intruders and was set on seeking them out so it wouldn't remain unfulfilled, but it was out of its element. The dark corridors had not been too dissimilar to its preferred hunting ground; dark tunnels formed in rock and earth. This area, crammed with growth, blocked its sonar hunting capabilities, making it unable to use its preferred method to locate its prey. The strong scent of some of the plants and trees also made its prey invisible to its sense of smell. It was though not completely hindered; it had its hearing. It turned its head slowly in an attempt to locate its prey. It heard nothing except the sound of flowing water. Its prey must have detected its presence and remained motionless. It would have to flush them out. It moved toward the position it had last detected them.
Jack thought he detected something indistinct moving through the undergrowth, a twisted lurking menace that stalked its prey while seeking the opportune moment to pounce and kill. “I think it's moving in behind us,” he whispered. He noticed Lucy's fear-drenched expression. “Are you okay?”
She shook her head slightly. She had never felt so terrified. “Not really.”
Jack knew how she felt. “We should move. With a room this large there has to be another exit somewhere. Shift past me as quietly as you can and I'll try and keep between you and whatever's following us.” When he received a nod from the two women, he backed into the bushes to give them room to squeeze by. Jane and Lucy headed through the undergrowth, careful not to disturb the foliage more than could be avoided. Jack, fully alert for danger, followed behind.
Though an occasional rustle of leaves and branches came from behind him, Jack didn't think the stalker knew where they were, but was searching for them. A glance ahead revealed a branch they would need to duck under. Jane went first, placing her feet carefully between the large trees roots snaking out from its massive gnarled trunk. When she was clear, Lucy ducked and crept forward. Her foot slipped off a root, tripping her to the ground. Though she'd barely made a sound, it had been enough to alert their pursuer.
Jack spun. Something crashed loudly through the foliage toward them. Though the vegetation hid it from his sight, the increasing sounds of its expectant rush indicated it would soon be upon them. He helped Lucy to her feet, ducked under the branch and looked at their frightened faces. “Run!”
Jane and Lucy turned and fled.
Jack stayed. He needed to slow the creature down or none of them would escape. After a quick examination of the low branch, he moved along its length and grabbed hold near its end. When he bent it back toward the trunk, his feet skidded with the strain on the moist leaf-strewn ground. He regained his footing and bent it back as far as he thought possible without it breaking. He waited. His muscles strained to hold the force back while the creature's noisy approach grew nearer. He would only get one chance. The creature appeared out from the foliage, paused, sniffed the air and looked at its prey. Jack was so shocked by the sight of the monster's eyeless face, he forgot to let go of the branch. When the air trembled from the beast's ferocious roar, his senses returned and he released his grip. The monster screeched in pain when the branch slammed into its chest. The force knocked it off its feet and flung it into the bushes.
Jack ran to catch up with Jane and Lucy.
The two women were at the far end of the room, trying without success to slip past the girth of the thick tree that had chosen to plant its seed in this corner. Free from any crew to cut it down, it had seized the opportunity to grow in wanton abandonment.
Jane and Lucy heard the snapping of twigs and disturbed leaf-adorned branches caused by something's rapid approach. They'd heard the creature's howls and feared the worst― that Jack had been killed. Both wore fearful looks when they turned to face the approaching menace. Relief washed over them when Jack appeared and shot them a reassuring smile.
Jane's eyes darted to the undergrowth behind him. “Is it still coming?”
Jack nodded. “I'm afraid so, though I delayed it for a moment.”
“We can't get to the door,” explained Lucy, on the verge of panic.
Jack's eyes quickly took in the gap between the trunk and the exit clogged with branches and vegetation; they'd never get through. If they had the time they could break some of the stems to make room, but the monster on their trail made that choice obsolete. He glanced up the trunk and noticed windows set in the wall overlooking what was once a verdant paradise in the ship of hard edged metal and conformity. A thick branch that had sought room to grow had pushed through one of the large windows. It offered them a means of escape. “We climb.”
Jane glanced up the tree to assess the merits of such a plan. Though a difficult climb, she saw it was possible. The many branches offered a series of platforms they could use to climb to safety. “Lucy, you go first.”
Lucy offered no argument. With a hoist up from Jack, she grabbed hold of the lowest branch and pulled herself onto it.
“Don't stop whatever happens,” Jack told her.
Lucy shot Jack a worried look.
“I'll be right behind you.”
Jane studied Jack as if he were a painting and one she found particularly pleasing to the eye. Even in moments of sudden and imminent peril, he'd shown exceptional coolness. “Does anything scare you, Jack?”
Jack smiled. “Don't let my cool exterior fool you. Inside I'm a terrified wreck with panic hiding just below the surface.”
“And yet you hold it all together.” She leaned forward and gave him a peck on the cheek. Yep, it was as she thought― bristly.
With a puzzled frown, Jack asked, “What was that for?”
Jane smiled. “For being you.” She glanced up the tree. Lucy had cleared the first branch. “Are you going to hoist me up, or stand there all day gawping? You give the impression you don't get kissed very often.”
Jack hoisted her up. “I must admit, it's been a long time.” As soon as Jane was clear, he leapt, grabbed the branch and hauled himself up.
Though some of the gaps between branches were wide, they were never too far apart to prevent their rapid ascent. When they wer
e little over a third of the way up, the creature emerged from the tall undergrowth. Jack warned the others to be still. Jane paused awkwardly with her body half over a branch and observed the monster below sniffing the tree trunk. At two yards tall, covered in pink creamy hairless skin mottled with green specks, sinewy limbs tipped with claws and a head that tapered into a tusk at the back, it truly was a terrifying vision. Its lipless jaw lined with curved teeth, didn't hinge open like a normal human jaw, but parted vertically to stretch skin and muscle and reveal the thick saliva dripping tongue that occasionally slid over its wicked teeth in a hungry manner. But what made it even more horrifying was its lack of eyes. Jane wondered how it hunted and managed to move through the forest without bumping into things.
Lucy also watched the monster. She prayed it wouldn't discover them.
The creature sniffed higher up the tree, gazed its sightless head up into its boughs and emitted a series of clicks back and forth. Like bats, it used sonic waves to locate its prey and the layout of its environment.
Jane's awkward position was sapping her strength. She didn't think she would be able to hang on much longer. Though the monster seemed to stare at each of them in turn, it was having trouble distinguishing them from the tree's rough contours. Apparently satisfied its prey wasn't in the tree, it turned its evil face away and headed into the bushes. Jack followed its progress by the foliage it disturbed. Jane could remain still no more― she was losing her grip. As quietly as she could, she clambered onto the branch.
Jack gazed up at the two women and whispered, “I think it's gone. Climb as quietly as you can.”
They resumed their climb.
CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!
It had been waiting for them.
A howl rung out.
“Climb!” Jack shouted.
Lucy screamed.
Jack followed her point of focus.
The clicker monster leapt from the bushes with clawed hands stretched out and grabbed hold of a branch. Jack didn't wait around to see more, he climbed and urged the others to move faster.
Her fear of what climbed up to them was all the encouragement Lucy needed. She raced up the tree and soon reached the branch that protruded through the window. Without a pause in her stride she raced across the limb, kicked out the inch thick pieces of jagged glass around the frame and clambered through.
When Jane crossed a few moments later, Lucy carefully picked up the largest of the glasslike slivers and threw them at the Clicker. One piece glanced off its shoulder, opening a rip in its skin. Though it howled, the wound seemed to cause it little concern and failed to slow its climb.
Jane glanced around the large room dotted with tables and chairs. The dim light picked out a room at the back which seemed to be a kitchen area, an indication this was where some of the crew would have eaten― unexpected normality in the chaos. The view of the trees, shrubs and waterfall would have been a relaxing background while the crew feasted. Twenty yards away on the right, Jane spotted an escape route in the form of a door.
Jack scramble along the branch and jumped to the floor.
Jane pointed out the exit. “We can escape through there.”
Jack glanced down at the Clicker. It would soon be upon them. “We need to slow it down again as it knows how to open doors.” He looked at Lucy. “Go find out if the door opens. If it does, wait there and as soon as we're through, close it.”
Lucy rushed off to do as instructed.
Jane looked at the resourceful man and waited to find out what he'd do.
Jack glanced at the kitchen area at the far end of the long room. He thought there might be knives there, but it was too far away. He tried to lift one of the tables, but it was firmly fixed to the floor. He had more success with a chair. Though heavy, it should do the job he had planned for it. He turned it over so the backrest was uppermost and pointed forward, and lifted it onto the branch.
Without being told, Jane quickly crossed to the other side of the branch and grabbed hold of the chair. She smiled nervously at Jack. “As soon as it reaches the window, we ram it, right?”
Jack nodded. “As hard as we can. We probably won't kill it, but if we can knock it out of the tree it might break a limb. At the very least it'll buy us some time.”
Jane and Jack glanced across the room when the door opened. Lucy gave them a thumb up okay sign. Their eyes darted back to the broken window.
The Clicker climbed onto the branch, pointed its face at the broken window and sniffed the air.
Jane and Jack froze.
CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!
Its sharp claws left a trail of gouges in the bark when it cautiously slunk forward like a grotesque panther. As if sensing danger, it halted at the broken window and directed its eyeless face around the room.
CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!
CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!
It stared at Jane. A globule of saliva dripped from its mouth.
“Over here, you ugly son of a bitch!” shouted Lucy.
The Clicker's head darted toward the voice. CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! It rushed forward.
With the chair gripped firmly between them, Jack and Jane rushed at the monster.
The edge of the chair back smashed into the Clicker's chest. It toppled backward and slipped off the branch. Clawed hands lashed out to procure a hold. Its fall halted when they found a grip. It began to climb back up.
Jack snatched the chair from Jane's grasp and threw it aside, jumped onto the branch, rushed through the window and stamped on the monster's hands. One of its claws snapped. The creature shrieked with each blow. One claw released its grip. The second quickly followed. It bounced off branches it failed to grab during its plummet to the ground. Twigs snapped when it landed on a bush and thudded to the ground.
Jack peered at the unmoving creature and wondered if it was dead.
CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!
The monster moved.
Jack retreated through the opening and followed Jane's rush across the room to the open door. It swished shut when they passed through. A swipe of the axe Lucy held ready smashed the button in the hope it would prevent the Clicker monster from opening the door.
They ran.
*****
Max raised a hand to halt his two companions and pointed at the bush off to his right. “Are you seeing that?”
As the false sunlight grew brighter and its leading edge spread across the verdant forest, plants bloomed in its wake. All around them beautiful flowers unfurled their petals to soak up the light. It seemed every species of plant had their own colour scheme; red, blue, green, yellow, orange, purple and black blossoms surrounded them. Their pungent scent, ranging from sweet and sickly to vomit gagging, filled the air. The light and fusion of strong scents acted as a signal for other life-forms to wake and the drone of insects quickly followed.
Theo, Max and Henry continued on.
A loud energetic buzzing came from ahead. Max cautiously pushed aside a branch. The drone came from a large, mottled brown growth―four yards in height and two wide―clinging to the side of a large tree. Theo joined him to observe the oddity. The small head of something― a head that wouldn't have looked out of place on a predatory dinosaur― appeared at the opening near its base. The small creature crawled out and scampered up the nest into the light and spread two red, bat-shaped wings. Each of its six legs ended in a sharp spike, and the red and black stripes covering its ten-inch long body, combined with the long yellow stinger on the tip of its tail, indicated it wasn't something you'd want to annoy. Max carefully let the branch fall into place, turned to face the others and whispered, “I think it's a type of alien wasp.”
“Did you see the size of its stinger?” Theo asked. “I was stung by a hornet once; it wasn't a pleasant or pain free experience, I can tell you. I imagine a sting from one of those things would be a hundred times worst, and that's an awfully big nest.”
“I think it's best we give the nest a wide berth,” said Henry. “The flowers will attract the
m, so back up a bit, and Theo can lead us around.”
Pollen of varying colours clung to their clothes when they brushed past the flower-adorned bushes. Before long it looked as if they were covered in sugar sprinkles.
The low hum of wings alerted Theo to the approaching bug. He ducked to avoid the bird-sized insect, which except for the sharp teeth and porcupine-like spikes covering the ridge of its back, loosely resembled a dragonfly.
Henry stared at the alien dragonfly hovering in front of his face. Its flapping wings moved so fast they were a blur. Its two beady, black eyes seemed to be examining him, perhaps as a meal or a threat. Henry remained motionless and after a few moments it flittered away. The draft from its wings ruffled Henry's beard when he turned to watch it leave. “This place is full of amazing creatures. It's a shame we won't have time to study them.”
Theo showed none of Henry's disappointment. “It's more of a shame that most of them consider us food. It would be a brave man who wanted to hang around to get up close and personal with any of them, and I'm glad to say that man isn't me. The sooner we're out of this jungle, the better I'll feel.”
