Roth

by Jessica Frances

  I hold out the match, assuming the head covered in red is the end I’m supposed to light, and then scratch it along the side, just like Hunter has said, but nothing happens. I try again, holding my breath, feeling sweat dripping down my face, yet still it doesn’t light. I’m almost ready to give up except I know Kane will think I did it on purpose. He’ll assume I failed so the nest could survive. That would put Mattie back at risk of his volatile temper.

  With the moisture in the cooling air mixing with the heat from the eggs, the air feels sticky and thick. I wipe my brow and give the match another go. The small stick breaks in half in my hands. I curse, holding the small end, and thankfully, this time it catches alight. Unfortunately, it burns quickly down the short stick and it takes every ounce of discipline not to drop the match as it burns my fingers.

  I lean over to the bomb and light the end of the string attached to it. It catches on fire quickly. I leave the match still burning on the ground, jumping out the way as I find it lighting the egg close to it on fire. The heat intensifies and I don’t look back now. I edge out of the nest just as I hear the all too familiar cries of the Claws, watching as one of their unborn young burns alive.

  I back towards the safety of the trees, watching a different Claw jumping over the nest, heading for me just as the bomb goes off.

  Nails, bolts and other shrapnel flies through the air, and the fire that was beginning to lick the nearest eggs quickly enflames the entire lot. The Claw that was leaping over the edge, trying to get to me, is directly over the bomb as it goes off. It is hit with the worst of the shrapnel and falls down over the nest, disappearing in the flames that continue to build higher.

  I don’t wait around to see if the other Claw has survived the blast. I don’t care to look to see if the forest surrounding the nest has also caught fire. I don’t wait for anything because, when I hear shots being fired in the distance, I am suddenly desperate to see Mattie and make sure she is safe.

  Chapter 13

  Mattie

  I can’t believe it. Of course Kane didn’t just agree to have Marduke and me come along because he wanted us to help or even needed us to. He was just looking for a sacrifice. I knew he was angry. I knew he was closed-minded when it came to the brainwashed humans, but how could I be so blind to this? How could I have allowed this to happen? I dragged Marduke out here just so he could be bullied and killed.

  Hell, no.

  I watch Marduke walk into the nest, risking his life for me again, and I know we have to leave. There is no way we can trust Kane now. He has crossed the line.

  I have tried to step forward with Marduke as he moved into the nest, not wanting to be apart from him. However, Hank already guesses this will be my next move. He holds onto me and every instinct wants me to scream and fight him. But then I would cause the creatures to hear us. I would let them know we are here and put Marduke’s life in even more danger. So I stay still and quiet, watching Marduke’s every move to ensure his safety. I don’t want to lose sight of him for even a moment.

  Hank does something I am not expecting then. He changes his position and crouches down, wrapping his arms over my legs and lifting me in the air. My stomach settles over his shoulder, causing me an incredible amount of discomfort and pain, and then he starts running. My head knocks into his backpack and my own backpack sags low over my shoulders, almost falling off completely.

  I reach out, attempting to grab hold of something as we run through the forest, but I can’t get any friction with the plants and trees; Hank is moving us too fast. Just as I decide I am going to scream, force him to drop me so he can stop me from giving away our position, he swings me back over his shoulder so I’m upright again. My feet touch the ground, and Hank’s arms slide up so they are wrapped around my waist and I’m leaning against him.

  Dizziness bombards me, but I ignore it and slap him hard across the face. I want to punch him, however from the position he’s still holding me with, I can’t get a proper angle to do any damage.

  “What the hell is wrong with you? Let me go!” I demand.

  He releases one arm from around my middle and then wraps it around my head, pulling me close to him as his hand comes around my face to cover my mouth. “Quiet,” he whispers in my ear. “Something is coming.”

  When I calm down, breathing heavily through my nose until he finally releases my mouth, I realise he’s right. The same rustling that we heard before is here, the same vibrations moving from the ground and up through our feet.

  The forest is always eerily quiet because there is no wildlife or insects that live here. There is always an unnatural vibe when we are in here, but this is different. Goose bumps cover my skin. The air feels even thicker than normal and the smell changes from metallic to something sickening. You can smell the death and decay those creatures carry with them, and I know we are close to at least one.

  Hank walks us slowly forward, past several trees where we find Hunter on the ground, his backpack open in front of him as he works away. He’s creating another bomb.

  Why?

  Kane brushes passed us, signalling with his finger to stay quiet and then just to our left a tree snaps in half. Its trunk is as thick as a telephone booth, yet the creature coming for us is able to cut it in half with just one snap of its claws.

  Kane draws his gun, aims, but as he clicks the trigger to shoot, his gun jams.

  The creature roars at us, sounding so feral and loud my ears deafen and my eyes water. It jumps in our direction and Hank dives us out of the way, tumbling us straight into a tree, my stomach taking the brunt of the roll. Fresh panic surges inside me. After what has just happened with Hank carrying me and me hitting this tree, is there any chance the baby is still okay?

  “Move!” Hank screams at me, and I blink at him in a daze, unable to move for a moment. The creature is running straight for us as I jump up to my feet, briefly aware there is also another creature on the loose.

  I don’t think about anything else then. I just run, weaving through trees and leaping over small bushes. My only advantage is that I am quick and small. The creature that is chasing after me isn’t, and the only reason it hasn’t caught me is because it’s charging through the forest, knocking down trees as it goes, which slows it down.

  I swing my backpack to my front, still looping it over my shoulders. I rip open the zipper, trying to feel for a weapon that might be hidden inside.

  I feel soft fabric, hard plastic and soft wrappers. I scoot my arm further in, my attention drifting to the bag for a moment and I look up in time to crash straight into a bush. I am now tangled in it, and just as I stand up, facing the way I had just come through, the creature finds me.

  Its claw moves in front of me and crunches down over my sides as it picks me up. My feet swing in the air, my sides constricting as the vest tries to withstand the strength of the creature. My hands are still elbow deep in my backpack while I again search for a weapon, my hands shaking.

  I pray to whoever is listening that I find something. When I do, it’s not a gun, it’s a hunting knife.

  I pull it out, letting my backpack fall off my shoulders to give me a better swing and then I stab the claw around me. The shell is too hard and the blade barely makes any impact at all. I stretch my arm out longer, finding where the claw begins and I swing along it, trying to cut as deeply as I can.

  Black gunk oozes out, but the creature doesn’t appear hurt enough to notice. It slams me into the ground, bringing me back up and then doing it again. I spring my legs, trying to take most of the force. I am horrified when it moves me closer to its head. With its mouth open wide, saliva dribbling out, and the smell of rot assaulting me, it appears as though it has decided to eat me since it can’t crush me.

  It tips me forward and its breath hits my face. I’m only inches from the sharp teeth. It’s now or never. I swing my arm wide and aim with the last of my vision as I am edged closer to its terrifying teeth. Then I let the knife fly into the creature’s eye and it sq
ueals in pain. The cry coming from its mouth is so powerful that a wind blows directly into my face and I dry-retch from the horribleness of it.

  It drops me to the ground, and I land on my feet before I fall backwards. I shuffle away, my eyes never leaving the creature as it flails around wildly, the claws knocking everything in its path in a wild fit of agony, not straying far from where I am. As I get to my feet, it finally drops, a puddle of black blood oozing around its head.

  I take one look at the knife imbedded far enough that most of the handle has disappeared and decide there is no way I am pulling that out.

  When running footsteps alert me to company, I look up to find Hank and Kane winding through the clearing the creature has made around itself.

  “Shit!” Hank gasps, staring at the creature for a moment longer before running over to me. “Are you okay?”

  “I think so,” I reply, sounding breathless. It feels as though something is lodged in my throat and tears fall freely down my face. I feel faint, so I sit down and concentrate on breathing, telling myself that I am not alone now and the creature is dead.

  “How did you kill that thing? You don’t have a gun, do you?” Kane stares at me suspiciously.

  “I found a knife in my bag and I shoved it in its eye,” I explain, sounding far away to my own ears.

  “That’s insane! You could have been killed,” Hank reprimands me.

  “I think it’s actually rather impressive.” Kane leans over the creature, and I watch him lean in and take hold of the knife. He places his foot against its head to gain leverage to yank it out.

  I gag again. The smell is suddenly all I can focus on and I can’t handle it. I crawl forward, ignoring the voices calling out to me. When I feel up to it, I get onto my feet and stumble forward, using the large trees that haven’t been knocked over to propel me forward and keep me standing. When I can no longer see that creature, I stop and lean against a tree my hands shaking against it.

  Kane appears at my side, his unexpected presence causing me to feel even worse.

  “Go away,” I mutter, wishing I sounded more forceful, but I’m afraid if I speak too loudly I will instantly vomit.

  “Back there, you had a look about you,” he says, his eyes staring intently at me.

  “What look? What are you talking about?” I lean back against the tree, suddenly wishing Hank would find us, or even better, Marduke.

  His eyes glaze over and an almost wistful expression takes over. I don’t think I have ever seen Kane not look angry or annoyed before.

  “Charlotte. You had the same look as she did. She was so fearless and beautiful. She had the same blonde hair as you, the same blue eyes. The first time I met her, she kneed me in the balls and punched me in the gut because I looked at her tits. She told me that her eyes were not situated over her boobs, and if I ever looked at her again, I would soon be missing my dick. I had never met a woman who was so cocky, so brave, and fucking hot. I fell in love instantly.”

  I hold my breath, afraid to break the spell that has obviously taken over Kane. His lips quirk up into a smile and I feel sadness for him. He’s talking about the girlfriend he lost in the invasion.

  He might be an asshole who scares me, but I can’t blame him completely for being the way he is. We’ve all lost someone and no one deserves that. Kane is just in pain, and unfortunately, Marduke is taking the brunt of his anger.

  Kane’s focus moves back to me, leaving his memories. When he sees me again, his frown returns.

  “How did you get her to change her mind?” I ask him quietly, already seeing in his eyes that he’s shut down again. Only anger remains there.

  “None of your fucking business,” he growls, storming off. I watch him leave.

  As soon as he’s gone, Hank finds me and steps over to me, his hand touching my shoulder gently. “Are you okay?”

  I nod, needing to clear my throat before I can attempt to speak. “I think so. What happened with that other creature?”

  “Kane shot it dead. We came after you next, but I guess you didn’t need us. Seriously, Mattie, I don’t know whether to be impressed or scared of you.”

  I ignore his sort of compliment, not feeling very brave or impressive right now. “Where is Marduke?” I glance around, hoping he’ll suddenly appear so I will know he is all right and my heart can go back to beating normally.

  “We haven’t seen him yet. We heard the bomb go off, so he set it up fine.”

  “What if it went off while he was still in the nest? What if he’s hurt?” I find new strength from my fear and stand up straight.

  “We’ll find him. Are you sure you’re not hurt? Your sweater is ripped at the sides.”

  I glance down at myself, seeing I have ruined another jumper and t-shirt in the exact same way as I had before. The vest is visible underneath again, but because of the material look, it doesn’t appear like anything other than a thick shirt or tank top.

  “I’m fine. I just want to find Marduke. Where is Hunter?”

  “He’s still where we left him. We stumbled upon another nest. That’s why we were attacked. He’s getting the bomb ready.”

  “So Marduke can risk his life again to plant it in there? That is, of course, if he’s still alive,” I hiss, knocking Hank’s arm and forcing him to take a step back to right himself. “Kane is taking this too far. I won’t stand for it. We’ll go and I’ll leave you behind if I have to,” I threaten.

  “I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t know he’d be this bad. But we’re doing important work, Mattie. If Marduke successfully took out that nest and we can eliminate this one Hunter is working on, then that will be two nests gone. Plus, we’ve killed three creatures already. We’re working well as a team.”

  “You played basketball for how many years? You know exactly how a team is supposed to work and this is definitely not it,” I snap.

  “Please, Mattie, I need you—”

  I poke him hard in the chest. “You need me and Marduke to risk our lives because we’re considered expendable to Kane.”

  He wraps his hand around mine, pulling my finger away from his chest. “You’re not expendable to me. You’re one of my best friends, and I’ll die before I let anything happen to you.”

  My glare softens a little at his words. “I love you, Hank, I really do, but I’m not going to allow my life and Marduke’s to be sacrificed just because Kane hates us. I love Marduke. You wouldn’t allow Lisa to be threatened each time Kane wanted you to risk your life, so don’t expect us to put up with this, either.”

  “I know.” As Hank lowers his eyes, I know he feels shame and guilt over what Kane is doing. He might not have been certain of what Kane had in store for us, but he did talk me into coming out here with him.

  “I’m sorry to bring her up like that. While I hate that you’re not able to be with her, I’m sort of relieved she isn’t here to see this.”

  As always, his face shows his devastation as soon as Lisa is mentioned. “But what if wherever she is right now, she’s facing the same thing, and I’m not there to protect her?”

  I think about Marduke’s words and how, if his father is behind this, he’ll never allow this to touch Oden. Lisa, Hannah and Logan have to all be fine. They most likely don’t know any of the horrors we’re facing. But to assure Hank of that, I would have to tell him more about Marduke than I am comfortable with.

  “Is that why you wanted me with you? So you could keep an eye on me?”

  “I have to believe we can do this; that I can get off this planet to find Lisa. Every time I close my eyes I imagine what will happen when I finally see her face again. And while I’ll admit that I think about reuniting with Lisa in a more private way—”

  “Thanks for that image,” I grumble.

  “—I can’t imagine you not being there when I see her for the first time. I see us all together, laughing and hugging, and finally back on Earth. We’ll realise that we’re all going to be okay and we’ll get through anything life throws at us
. The girls will be there, and Lisa and I can be together permanently.”

  “Wow, that’s some commitment,” I say in jest, but I have known since Lisa and I met Hank that they had a thing and it is the forever type. I always knew they would eventually get together and probably marry one day. To hear it coming from Hank sounds a little strange, though. I assumed Lisa would have to wait awhile before a ring appeared on her finger.

  “Having constant near-death experiences sort of speeds things up and puts everything in perspective. Just look at you and Marduke.”

  “What about us?” I hold my breath, afraid he’s about to talk about finding love with someone from another planet. Has he figured out the truth? Is he actually about to say something supportive about it? Does he understand my position?

  “You were strangers when you met, and now you’re together and I know you love him. I know he would do anything for you. He’s constantly throwing himself into harm’s way to shield you from it. He’s a good guy. I think, maybe you saved him when we found him in Vancouver.”

  “We both pulled him out of there, Hank,” I remind him, recalling how the machines were trying to kill Marduke. He was covered in glass and unconscious when we found him.

  “I know, but I think he had given up fighting them. You saw how he was just standing there motionless in front of that machine. They brainwashed him and he was ready to give in. Then he saw you and you changed him. You gave him a reason to keep fighting.”

  Hank’s impassioned speech makes me cry because he really has no clue who Marduke is, and if he did, he would not be singing his praises.

  “Can we please find him now?” I ask, wiping away the tears even though new ones replace them immediately.

  “Yes, of course.” He hands me my backpack, which I reluctantly place back on.

  We walk back through the wreckage and I am shocked by how far I’ve run. Kane joins us along the way, and by the time we make it back to Hunter, he is running towards us. I realise he’s already set the bomb. We race back a few steps and hear the explosion. For him to have made it this far away from the nest before it went off means he gave himself a longer fuse. I glare at him for doing that.