14. Ree

14

Ree

I hear a crack of a branch breaking behind me and to the left and whip around toward it.

I can't see anything, but I hear more sounds.

Shit. Time to go.

I try to move as silently as possible to the right, which is back toward the broken trail of trees left by the crash.

My heart hammers in fear and my muscles quiver with the urge to just break out into a run. I know I can't do that quietly, though, so I force myself to maintain my current pace.

It isn't fast enough, or nearly quiet enough, because I hear a shout behind me.

I crane my neck back that direction and see what I assume to be slimes in some sort of hazmat suit. The shape is incredibly strange, but it matches their profile and I glimpse bulging black eyes and gray skin through a glass-covered face mask.

I can only see two of them, but have absolutely no interest in finding out if they have guns. Or heat seeking lasers or some other sci fi shit.

I run as fast as I can, but am quickly hampered by scattered debris and exposed tree roots.

There's a thumping sound in front of me and I glance up to see a silver canister break open with a hissing sound.

I can't see anything coming from it, but my eyes instantly start to burn and tear up, making it impossible to maintain my current speed. I try to hold my breath as long as possible as I scrabble away.

I trip over something, and the breath whooshes out of me as I hit the ground hard.

Although my lungs are screaming at me to take a breath, I continue to move away on my hands and knees. Moments that feel like hours later, I'm unable to stop myself from breathing in, then hack back out the breath in a sharp cough.

I can't see and can't get myself to move forward because of how debilitating the coughing fits are.

Whatever they're using feels even more concentrated than the torture gas from the ship. At any moment, I expect to be captured or shot, but instead hear a loud crashing sound, then a roar.

It startles me enough that I look back to the sound instead of trying to get my body to move away, but I can only make out a blurry image of bright green trees, the white blobs that must be the hazmat suits, and a streaking orange movement rapidly closing in on them.

I assume it's the source of the roaring, because it happens again, this time sounding closer.

The orange streak closes the gap with the white blobs, then I hear a whipping sound, followed by an impact, then a long, keening scream. The same process happens again, with the same screaming at the end, now doubled and I assume to be coming from both of the slimes.

Holy shit , I think between coughing fits.

Whatever it is appears to be more than a match for them.

I continue trying to cough up my lungs, swiping at my eyes in between and trying to clear them enough so I can see what in the hell is going on and if I'm going to be the next one screaming.

"I'm not . . . very . . . tasty," I tell it between coughs.

Another few moments later the screams die down to nothing and I'm the only one making noise.

I'm acutely aware of how bad an idea drawing attention to myself is, but have absolutely no control over my body as it tries to expel the gas. I know from previous exposure that once it dissipates I won't have any lasting damage from it.

Considering what I assume is one of the planet's apex predators is likely eying me up as a tasty dessert after it finishes with the slimes, that offers little comfort.

"Guar-anteed . . . indi-gestion," I say inanely.

I'm not sure why, but the predator simply stands still for several minutes as I continue to hack away. I try to move my body, but the seizing of the coughing just takes over and it's all I can manage, my lungs burning and my neck and stomach muscles straining from overuse.

I don't understand why the creature isn't eating them. Or coming over to see what is going on with me.

It just stays in the same position, though my eyes are too blurry to make out details. I try to speak again, but my lungs are cramping in agony now between coughs.

The orange blob goes from low and close to the ground to what I assume is a standing position and holds itself still for another few moments.

Then it turns toward me.

I don't have the air to scream, or I would do it loudly right now.

I tense my body, waiting for the same attack it used to such a quick and dangerous effect on the slimes. After weeks of terror and surviving a crash, it would be particularly cruel to die right now.

As orange, and now that it's closer, black and purple, fill my vision no attack comes. Instead, I hear a purring sound, then the feel of powerful hands under my shoulders and knees right before I'm lifted into the air.

I continue to cough as I'm gently pressed against soft fur and move away on an odd, shifting gait.

It only takes about a dozen steps before I feel the urge to cough diminishing, then a few more after that to feel like I can pull in a full breath.

Although I'm still terrified to move and draw attention to myself, I can't stand the thought of no longer being able to see. Between coughs I creep one arm up closer to my face until I'm able to swipe at my eyes.

When I look up, it's into luminescent golden eyes.