Chapter 224: (Hesstla) (2/2)
There was a low bass roar that trembled the bones.
”Help me to your car,” the biped said, holding out its arms. ”Drag me. We don't have much time.”
She tried, pulling on the bipeds arms, but she couldn't move it.
”You're too heavy. I'm sorry,” she said.
The biped looked at her. ”Oh, Chromium Christ on a quasar powered rowboat, you're just a little kid, aren't you?”
Dambree nodded, still crying.
The biped looked past her.
”And you've got kids in the car?” it asked. Dambree thought it was a male as she nodded.
”Well, fuck,” it said.
”Fuck?” Dambree said. ”Fuck? Fuck! You're a Terran!” she said. ”Oh, please, save my siblings, Mister Terran! Please?”
The Terran looked up and coughed. ”I can't, kid. My legs are broken,” he sighed. ”Move, I'll try to pull myself...”
A stilter chose that moment to burst out of the grain fields. It looked the wrong way at first, then toward Dambree, the Terran, the car, and her siblings.
YOU BELONG TO ME! the stilter roared out into Dambree's mind, making her siblings scream in pain. It's legs extended and it went from only a foot above the ground to nearly ten feet up.
”GET FUCKED!” the Terran yelled back, pulling around the rifle that was on its back.
”EAT A DICK!” Dambree screamed.
The Terran fired, hitting the front leg. The stilter jerked, the leg shattering, and rushed forward. The Terran shifted the rifle even as Dambree cried out, covering her ears, and fired again at the same time as the stilter fired a bluish bolt with a red core that hit the chest of the Terran.
The bluish glowing globe shattered. Then the other. The stilter lurched to the side and the Terran cocked something on the bottom, aimed, and fired the weapon again, this time getting a dull sounding thump.
The top of the stilter exploded and it crashed to the ground.
The Terran was laying on the ground, gasping, his clothing on his chest scorched and smoking. He rolled slightly and coughed, then rolled back.
Dambree grabbed the straps that went from his belt over his shoulders, and screaming as loud as she could, started to drag him backwards toward the car.
Another stilter came out of the grain. Then another.
Like the previous one the looked the wrong way first. The stilts were retracted, collapsed, but Dambree knew when they saw the Terran and Dambree, they would suddenly stand up.
The Terran fumbled at his waist before holding up the pistol. ”Security interlock disable, authorization two two niner alpha niner five.”
”Disengaged,” the pistol said in a female voice.
The two stilters began to turn around.
”Take this, kid. Get out of here. Use it on the littles first, then yourself. Push it against the temple,” The Terran gasped.
Dambree let him go, taking the pistol.
The stilters saw them.
YOU BELONG TO
”EAT A FUCKING DICK, STRETCH!” the Terran yelled back, Dambree mostly joining him.
The two stilters rocked back.
”Run, kid,” the Terran said, bringing his rifle around. He glanced at the magazine jutting from the bottom and sighed.
Dambree turned and ran as the Terran started shooting. She dove into the car, looking behind her as she heard and explosion. One of the stilters was falling to the side, the top burning, as the Terran cocked the weapon again.
The second stilter rushed him.
Dambree looked at the pistol. It had a red button that she pushed and it turned green. The weapon somehow felt heavier in her hand as she carefully wrapped her hand around the grip.
The Terran was shooting.
She raised the pistol, climbing half over the seat and looking down.
Her little brother and little sister looked at her, their eyes wide, the fur on their faces wet with tears. Blood had run from their noses and ears.
Beyond them the Terran blocked the first tentacle strike with the rifle.
”I love you,” she told her brother.
The Terran blocked the second strike but it yanked the rifle away even as two other tentacles lunged forward. He slapped one away but the second grabbed an arm.
”I want momma,” her brother said.
Dambree swallowed thickly. ”Do you want to see her again?” she asked.
The Terran smacked away the second tentacle but a third grabbed his other arm.
Her siblings nodded.
”Close your eyes,” she said softly, watching as the Terran was lifted up, looking at both of her siblings who were on either side of the Terran being lifted into the air by his outstretched arms.
They both closed their eyes as the tentacle came down on the Terran's head.
She lifted the pistol, putting it next to her brother's temple.
The tentacles dropped the Terran. One of the globes went white. It had four other blue globes.
She closed her eyes, trying to will herself to press the firing stud.
EAT A FUCKING DICK, YOU METAL COCK SUCKER! EAT ALL THE DICKS! roared out in her mind.
Her brother and sister screamed, clapping their hands to their ears and falling to the floor. The baby began screaming.
Dambree opened her eyes and stared.
YOU THINK I'M INSIDE HERE WITH YOU? YOU'RE IN HERE WITH ME, YOU METAL BRAIN SUCKING LOSER! the Terran was somehow screaming.
Dumbree looked at the Terran. It was limp in the road. She looked up at the stilter.
One of the globes was red. Bright, shining, enraged crimson.
The tentacles came up and began slamming into the other globes.
She didn't know why, but she knew the Terran was somehow doing it. She turned around, sitting back down, and dropped the pistol into her lap as she slammed the accelerator to the floor.
The car whined as it spewed dirt from under the tires, blocking the view of the stilter dancing and capering around even as the tentacles slammed into the crysteel globes.
OLLY OLLY OXEN FREE! COME OUT COME OUT WHEREVER YOU ARE! the Terrans voice shouted. I SPY, WITH MY LITTLE EYE, SOMETHING THAT BEGINS WITH... BRAIN!
She was crying again as she rounded the corner, leaving behind the maddened gibbering capering machine.
There was an explosion behind her that lit up the night.
Dambree kept her foot on the pedal, heading toward the wavering wall of light.
They're mad. They're all mad.