Feeding Fersia

by L. S. O'Dea

  The young prey stretched out his arm. Her claws brushed against the book. She couldn’t quite grab it. He was too far. She waved her leg, motioning him toward her.

  “Ahh...I can’t, Fersia. I wish I could but I can’t.”

  Maybe, he wasn’t so stupid or careless. She skimmed the tip of her claw over the book. She remembered the feel and the smell of the paper and cover. She’d spent hours with books. They’d made her happy.

  “Charlie,” called a voice from the hallway. “Where are you?”

  “Sorry. I have to go. My brother’s looking for me.” The young prey pulled the book toward his body, away from her.

  “No.” It came out like a squeak. “Wait. Stay.” She said, but he didn’t understand.

  “I’ll come back tomorrow and read to you some more.” He hurried out the door.

  Fersia stared after him. He was a Guard. She remembered that now. She wasn’t a Guard. She was...She couldn’t remember. She used to know but it was gone. She needed to remember. She needed to not forget anything else. The prey...the Guard Charlie had been her friend. He’d helped her before. She was sure of it. He could help her again. Help her to remember.

  CHAPTER 41: McBrid

  MCBRID SAT IN HIS office, staring at the film from last night. Damn Charlie. The young Guard had returned to visit Aranea19. He’d fire the kid except that was a death sentence and...the result of his disobedience was interesting. Aranea19 seemed to be interested in the book. Perhaps she was remembering, or perhaps she was trying to coax the Guard into moving closer. He’d speak to Charlie about his nocturnal visit but first he’d investigate the book angle. He stuffed the book on architecture into his backpack. She’d really enjoyed that one. It’d brought them closer. It may again.

  CHAPTER 42: Fersia

  FERSIA WATCHED AS THE prey walked into the lab. She didn’t understand why she was confused about this McBrid. Most of the prey she wanted to eat and the one called Charlie she liked, but this one made her angry and sad. She didn’t like those feelings.

  Jocko glided to the front of the cage, awaiting a command. The prey didn’t make Jocko angry. Jocko liked McBrid because McBrid fed them but there was something that Jocko didn’t remember. It was an ache that pulsed in her belly.

  “Fersia, I brought something for you today.” The prey stopped just out of reach. He was smart. He didn’t make mistakes. He held up a book and opened it. “Do you remember this? I loaned it to you.”

  Fersia couldn’t stop her legs from moving closer. Something shimmered in her memory—making her warm and happy.

  “It was one of my favorites. You said you liked it.” He smiled. “But you may have only been being polite. You were...are a kind...You are kind.”

  His smile filled her with joy. She pushed Jocko out of the way. He snapped at her but retreated to the corner.

  “It’s about architecture.” The prey positioned the book so she could see the pictures. “Buildings. Design.”

  She remembered this book. She loved this book. He’d given it to her to read. It’d been his and he’d loaned it to her. They’d played cards. Jocko had been sick. She turned to look at her mate. He’d been weak and sick.

  “I think you really liked this section.” The prey turned a couple of pages. “You talked about the old buildings a lot. This is the Lake of Sins community. It’s one of the first areas that our ancestors settled.”

  She stuck her arm through the bars of the cage, moving slowly to not frighten him. His breathing increased but he held his ground. He wasn’t close enough for her to touch and he knew it, but she didn’t want to touch him. She wanted the book. Her claw stopped, hanging in the air as close to the book as she could get.

  “Do you want this?” His voice was a whisper but it reverberated through her.

  “Yes.” She spoke the word knowing he wouldn’t understand, but he had once a long time ago. They’d talked. He’d helped her. They’d been friends but...something tickled at her mind like a spark waiting to ignite.

  He held the book out, shifting forward a little. She didn’t want to be angry. She wanted to be happy. She wanted to touch that book. She dragged her claw over the images of the buildings. They were solid–built to last with high ceilings and thick floors.

  “If you want...” His voice quavered, making her body vibrate. “I can slide it into the cage. You can have it. You can keep it. I’ll give it to you.”

  It’d be hers, not a loan. She pulled her leg back and waited, hoping he’d understand and he did. He was smart this prey. He bent and slid the book across the floor. She couldn’t wait for it to get to her. Her leg snapped forward, through the bars, and her claw captured the book, pulling it toward her. She grabbed it between her fangs and ran to the corner.

  Jocko reached for it.

  “It’s mine.” She snapped her claws at him.

  “What is it?” He moved closer.

  She turned so he couldn’t see it. This was her gift from her friend. “You get the ball. I get this.”

  “I want to see it.” His claws tapped impatiently on the floor.

  “Later.” She wouldn’t show him later. This was hers but she didn’t want to fight. She wanted to look at her book.

  He moved away, clicking his discontent. She turned the pages and memories like flashes of lightning flickered through her brain. She’d been happy. She’d liked the prey, McBrid. He’d been nice. He was an Almighty. A ruler but he’d talked to her like a friend. They’d eaten together. Played cards. He’d given her his food. Her claw froze on the page. He’d given them shots too. He’d made them sick. He’d turned them into this. Jocko had been a Servant. She’d been a Servant, but Servants were prey. She killed Servants. She ate Servants. She dropped the book and moved to her corner, hiding behind the bed and wrapping her long legs around her torso. She’d killed her kind, but they weren’t her kind. She wasn’t like them anymore, she wasn’t like anyone anymore, anyone but Jocko.

  CHAPTER 43: McBrid

  MCBRID PACED IN THE hallway. It’d been several days since Fersia had eaten – ever since he’d given her the book. It shouldn’t have anything to do with it, but he didn’t believe in coincidence.

  Charlie came toward him.

  “Good. I’m glad you’re here.” He grabbed the young Guard’s arm.

  “Did you sleep at all last night, sir?”

  “Sleep? Yeah.” He hadn’t slept much since Fersia stopped eating. If she didn’t feed, she’d die. He’d been ordered to separate the two Araneas, but he hadn’t had the heart. The male seemed to comfort her, lying next to her when he slept, but Conguise would return to monitor the progress soon. If they were still together and she was still curled up like a large, hairy ball in the corner, McBrid was in serious trouble. The professor didn’t want her spreading disease to the male—the male who obeyed.

  “Has she eaten yet?” asked Charlie.

  “No.” They’d offered her several Servants and even a young Guard. The Guards hadn’t liked that, but they’d obeyed. “That’s why I need you.”

  Charlie paled and backed away. “Sir. There has to—”

  “Not for that.” He reached for the Guard but Charlie dodged his hand. “I’d never, never do that to you or your brother.”

  “Okay. Good.” Charlie’s body was tense and ready to run—like it’d do him any good. If someone decided to feed him to one of these creatures there was nowhere the Guard could hide.

  “I need you to talk to her. Read to her or something.”

  “You think that’ll help?”

  “I don’t know.” He ran his hand down his face, wiping away some of the fatigue. “But I’ve tried everything else.”

  “Okay.” Charlie shrugged. “I’ll try.”

  “Great.” He started to grab the kid’s arm and stopped. “Let’s go.”

  CHAPTER 44: McBrid

  MCBRID LEANED BACK AGAINST his desk chair and rubbed his eyes. Charlie who was sitting cross-legged on the floor slid another book into the cage. The
Guard had been talking or reading to Aranea19 for several hours, but it wasn’t doing any good. He’d been fooling himself believing that even a tiny bit of Fersia remained in that creature. The only things in that cage were predators.

  The two Araneas huddled in the corner, watching. Every now and then the male would clean his fangs with his two front legs. Fersia...No, Aranea19 didn’t move. She just stared. McBrid could swear that sometimes her black gaze was on him but with so many eyes he really had no idea.

  Charlie was telling her about his life before he came here. McBrid rested his head against the back of the chair. Charlie’s life hadn’t been bad until his master had decided he couldn’t afford all of them. His eyes drifted shut. That happened to a lot of Guards. Charlie had been picked to go to the shelter. Louis and he had escaped before that could happen. Charlie’s voice droned on about their life as strays. Nothing uncommon, unfortunately.

  The scream made him sit straight up.

  “Charlie! Get back!” Louis stood in the doorway, still for a fraction of a second before racing toward his brother.

  Louis shouldn’t be here. Charlie was working with...Aranea19. His eyes darted to the young Guard but he was still on the floor, leaning over the line just a little and Aranea19’s leg was skimming over the pages. She’d moved. She was interested in something. She might live. That was all that stumbled through his sleep fogged brain until the male Aranea glided toward the front of the cage. “Louis! Stop!”

  The Guard’s step faltered but he continued on his path—straight toward his brother and right past the cages. Before McBrid could move Aranea54 had Louis by the waist, his long leg tangled around the large Guard like a rope.

  “No!” Charlie scrambled to his feet.

  McBrid’s eyes dropped to the floor. Charlie was over the line, not a step but several feet.

  Louis screamed.

  “I got you.” Charlie burst forward, grabbing his brother’s hand.

  The male Aranea snapped his fangs. Aranea19 watched from the front of the cage, her leg now wrapped around the bar. If she joined the attack both Guards were dead.

  “McBrid, help us,” yelled Charlie as he struggled to keep his much larger brother from being dragged closer to the cage.

  The desperation in the words snapped McBrid out of his haze and he ran to the hose. “Let them go.” He unraveled it from the reel as fast as he could but everything seemed to move in slow motion. Louis was sliding closer to Aranea54 and so was Charlie. He had to stall. “This will kill you...Jocko. Let them go.” He pointed it at the male Aranea, one hand on the nozzle as the other continued to unwind.

  The male Aranea ignored McBrid, his fangs dripping in anticipation of his meal.

  If he killed Aranea54, it wouldn’t be good. The professor wanted the male alive, especially since the female wasn’t eating. If she didn’t eat soon, she’d die. Her belly was already concave. If they both died he’d have to run because he wasn’t becoming some monster’s dinner. “Jocko, corner. Food. I’ll get you food.”

  Aranea54’s head lifted toward him for one second before he yanked and the two Guards flew forward.

  “Damnit, Jocko. This will kill you!” He shook the hose. It was unraveled enough. He hurried across the room toward the cages.

  Aranea54 continued to pull the Guards closer.

  “Please, McBrid,” begged Charlie.

  “Kill him,” yelled Louis, his eyes wide with fear.

  “Jocko, you’re giving me no choice.” He didn’t want to do it, but he would. He flipped the lever and...nothing. No water. No power. Nothing. “Son-of-a-bitch!”

  Charlie’s eyes were wide as they stared over his shoulder at McBrid.

  “I’ll...” He grabbed one of the long poles and raced forward, hesitating at the line for one second before running straight at Aranea54. He’d jab the thing in the gut where they were vulnerable. He was shoving the pole forward when a long, hairy leg wrapped around his arm, knocking the weapon from his hands. “Fersia,” he whispered.

  His eyes met Louis’ dark brown ones as he was dragged toward the female Aranea. They were both dead. Nothing could save them now.

  “Charlie, let me go.” Louis shook free from his brother’s grasp.

  “No!” Charlie wrapped his arms around Louis’ waist.

  “Go get help!” yelled McBrid. It wouldn’t do them any good, but Charlie would be spared seeing this. The metal of the cage’s bars pressed into his back. He tugged on the Aranea’s leg but it was like a vise, strong and unrelenting.

  “Yeah. Go get help.” Louis pushed his brother away.

  Charlie knelt in the center of the room, clinging to Louis’ leg as they were pulled closer to death.

  “Get out of here!” The kid didn’t need to see this. Aranea19’s hot breath drifted over his neck like smoke from a nearby fire—deadly and dangerous. Hot fluid dripped down his chest. Poison from her fangs. It was thick and sticky. She smelled of the earth but under that was a sweet scent like spun sugar. Odd. He’d never noticed it before. Of course, he’d never been this close to one except in death. He almost laughed. This would be death too, except his not the Aranea’s.

  “Please. Please Fersia, help him. He’s all I have.” Tears streamed down Charlie’s face as he turned toward them. “Help him. For me.”

  “Charlie, you need to go. Run.” McBrid had no idea why she hadn’t bitten him yet, but he’d use his last moments to save Charlie. “Get away from this place.” It wouldn’t end well for the kid when Conguise found out about this. “Go to Sarah Truent. She’ll help you.” She took in all sorts of strays and her family was powerful enough to fight Conguise.

  “Please, Fersia. Please.” Charlie grabbed his brother’s hand again and pulled but Aranea54 had Louis almost close enough to bite.

  Aranea19’s fangs pressed against McBrid’s chest and throat. He closed his eyes, the pain would only be for a moment. The vise around his torso loosened but no pain came. He opened his eyes. Her leg was gone. He didn’t bother wondering why. He lunged forward and grabbed Charlie, trying to drag the young Guard back to safety, but Charlie clung to his brother.

  “Charlie, we have to go!” She’d be back. She’d eat them both. McBrid pulled harder and the three of them flew forward so fast they all tumbled to the ground. He scrambled toward the other end of the room, the two Guards alongside him. None of them even bothered to stand, using knees and hands to hurry across the floor. His heart slammed in his chest as he pressed himself against the wall, as far away from the cage as possible, the two Guards next to him.

  Aranea19...No, Fersia was on the male, her fangs sinking into his back but she was weak from hunger. The male shook her off, his front legs raised for attack, claws snapping. Fersia danced around the cage, watching for an opening.

  McBrid jumped to his feet and raced to the control that lowered the glass. “Fersia, get on separate sides of the cage.

  She ignored him, darting forward and slicing at the male with her claws. The male screeched and thick, yellow fluid dripped onto the floor from the wound to his front leg. He roared as he raced toward her, his three-legged ramble beating an uneven rhythm on the tile. She jumped–an ability the male didn’t seem to have—but not before he caught her sensitive abdomen with his claw.

  She screamed and Charlie whimpered.

  “Fersia! Lead him to the other cage.” The glass lowered slowly, but it was the only chance she had. If she were fast enough, she might be able to dart under it before it went all the way down.

  She spun around, black eyes snapping with hate. She raced to the end of the cage and ran straight up the wall. McBrid’s mouth dropped open. He’d never seen them do that. She dropped on top of the male, her claws slicing into flesh as her legs wrapped around him. Aranea54 screamed and bucked but she held on tight, lowering her head and sinking her fangs into the section just below his head.

  He gurgled and twitched as he hit the floor, his large body finally falling still and then she fed.

  CH
APTER 45: McBrid

  MCBRID COULDN’T WATCH THIS. All he could see was Fersia and Jocko not Aranea19 and Aranea54. He headed toward the door, the Guards right behind him. He tripped over the hose. The one that hadn’t worked. The one that had almost gotten them all killed.

  “You all right, sir?” Louis’ voice was still shaking with fear.

  “I will be.” He stormed out of the lab and down the hallway, the Guards following him. They couldn’t be near him right now. “Go. Go back to the dorms. You’re done for the day.”

  “It’s early, sir,” said Louis.

  “Shit. You’re right.” That’d draw attention. “Go to the Brush-Man lab and-and rest. Lock the door and just rest.”

  “Sir?” Louis’ eyes darted to his brother.

  McBrid lowered his voice. “You can’t be involved in this. Charlie was the reason Aranea18 died. If Conguise...If anyone knew what happened in there....”

  Louis’ Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat and Charlie’s entire body shook.

  “Go and hide in the Brush-Man room. Don’t talk to anyone. If it comes up, you don’t know anything about the Aranea19 incident.” The scent of fear coming from the Guards was almost overpowering. He needed them to hide before others smelled it.

  “I...Laddie and Jorge know I was going there to look for Charlie,” said Louis.

  “Okay. We’ll change the story. Charlie was helping me in the Aranea lab. The Araneas had just mated and the female killed the male. It’s happened before. It’ll also explain why you’re shaken-up. Watching two of those...” He wanted to say things but they weren’t things. They were Fersia and Jocko, hidden in a monstrous costume of his creation. “Seeing that scares everyone.” He patted the Guard’s shoulder. “Go. Rest. I’ll be there shortly and everything will be okay.” His hand trembled as he moved it away from Louis. “Trust me.”