Colony by Benjamin Cross (ready player one ebook .TXT) 📗

hands down either side of Darya, knocking her from her feet. It then swiped at her with its claws, attempting to swat her. She rolled just out of reach as it struck again, but this time its claws found her forearm, smashing her wrist. She screamed out in pain as her bones shattered, then again as a follow-up swipe sent her tumbling towards the edge of the island.

As her body slipped over, she dug the fingers of her uninjured hand into the surface of the rock and clung on with every last ounce of her strength. She screamed for help, as the muscles in her arm strained and her legs kicked frantically against the sheer rockface for purchase that wasn’t there.

The creature crouched down beside the edge and extended its head towards her. Mouth gaping, it hissed and raised its arm.

On the edge of the island, Callum dropped to his knee and went to fire. As his finger closed over the trigger, a hail of bullets streaked above his head and into the creature’s back. The accuracy of the hits meant only one thing: Koikov.

The creature dropped its arm and howled in surprise. Then it turned from Darya to face Callum. Mistaking him for the source of its pain, it narrowed its eyes and charged.

Callum opened fire. The bullets tore into the male’s flanks, stopping it momentarily in its tracks. It scratched at the bullet holes as if they were nothing more than insect bites, before leaping forward and lunging at him with its hind leg.

He dropped to the floor, feeling the rush of air as the scythe-like claw sliced just above his head. As the creature then raised its leg to stomp on him, he fired again. He was aiming for its chest, but the bullets flew past and stung into its shoulder muscle. It was enough to send it stumbling backwards, but still not enough to stop it.

Darya’s voice rang out suddenly: “The sacks!” she screamed. “Where he puts the eggs!”

Callum clambered back to his feet and brought the rifle to bear on one of the pouches bulging from the creature’s chest. He fired three rounds into it, watching as it shrivelled slightly, and a viscous sap of blood and yoke oozed from the bullet holes.

The creature bellowed with rage as he unloaded the rest of his magazine into the same pouch. It turned its body to protect the remaining eggs, but it was too late. Koikov had identified its weakness too, and another volley of rounds thudded into the opposite pouch. This one burst open like the head of a pustule, spilling a soup of blood, yoke and shell down the creature’s abdomen.

At this, it spun around and leapt from the platform. Arms clamped tightly to its sides, it looked for a second as if it might dive straight down into the magma. Then its arms opened with a rush, spreading its wings, and it soared upwards, its body lifted on the super-heated air.

“My fingers, they are slipping…”

“Darya!” Callum raced over to the edge of the island, as she finally slid free, and made a diving grab for her hand.

4

Landing on his chest, Callum skidded over the edge, until only his waist and legs remained on the platform. His upper body was now dangling over the precipice and he was staring down into the magma as its breath rushed upwards to scorch his face.

He closed his eyes and scooped his arms downwards in a desperate arc.

Time stood still.

He reopened his eyes to see that his hands were clamped around Darya’s wrist as she swung over the fire. Her beautiful green eyes were wide with terror, her skin tear-streaked and pale.

“Please,” she begged him, her voice barely breaking through her sobs. “Please, Callum, do not let me go! Please!”

His heart was pounding. His palms were slick. He was certain that she was sliding from his grip. “Hold on to me!”

He felt her shaking fingers close tight around his wrist. Then, he unclamped one of his hands, grabbed on to her jacket and heaved with all his might.

As his biceps curled, the thought that he might not be strong enough to lift her raced through Callum’s mind. But he blocked it out and, with a determined scream, he hauled her up into his arms. She clung tightly around his neck with her good arm, and he worked his way back up onto the island, dragging her with him.

Time had yet to restart. For what seemed like hours, but passed like seconds, they sat there, immobilised with adrenaline, panting with exertion, locked in each other’s embrace. With her arm still wrapped around his neck, Darya finally peeled away and kissed him. He kissed her back, pushing his forehead against hers. “Remind me to never let you distract me ever again.”

Time. A screech rang out behind them. One of the bullets had obviously damaged part of the male’s wing and it was struggling to keep itself aloft. It careered into a cluster of female creatures along the perimeter, knocking several of them off into the magma and causing the rest to scatter.

It scrabbled a distance up the side of the wall and then propelled itself away again. Its damaged wings spread, but once more they faltered. Blood raining from its various bullet wounds, it swerved out of control back over the magma pit and made another landing, this time on a different clutch. Struggling to balance, it stumbled on the eggs, crushing most of them, sweeping others aside.

“The eggs…” Darya panted.

Callum knew exactly what she meant. Something was wrong. It didn’t make sense that the male could be so concerned about his eggs one minute, and then so careless about them the next… “They’re not his,” he announced suddenly.

“What?”

“They’re not his eggs!”

At that moment a roar sounded and a second male scurried up from below the nest. Bigger still, it hissed furiously and faced off against the intruder. The injured male lowered its head, eyes narrowed, teeth bared, and brayed back.

Callum