Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 48929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 245(@200wpm)___ 196(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 245(@200wpm)___ 196(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Henry cries out when my arms vise around him, only making his tears fall harder. He’s the most important thing in the world to me. What if I do try to save the monster and fail? I could kill us all in the process for no reason. What if I let him die and one day Henry realizes what a terrible thing it was in a long, long list of terrible things I’ve done?
Could he live with knowing his mother was capable of such things? Would he turn out to be the same?
I growl, frustrated with myself. In one quick movement, I lift Henry into my arms and move to the bedroom. I sit him on the bed and lock the door behind me. His cries follow me back to the broken door, but I can't hesitate, or I'll change my mind. He'll be safe there for now. I hope.
The metal door is wedged tightly from the damage. I don't even know if I'll be able to get it open. It would be my luck that my one act of kindness would be my last. The damage from the monsters has also left deep furrows with deep edges in the frame. Sharp metal slashes my fingers as I attempt to pull the door open. I hear a masculine cry from the other side, and I don't know if it's because he’s warning me or because the animal is killing him. Fear slices into me as deeply as the metal.
My hands are no match for the door, but I don't have time to waste. I look around the office and grab the metal rod I’d used to bar the door, wedging it between the frame and the door, hoping the lever will allow me to pry it open. My muscles cry out in protest as I lean all my weight against the bar. The metal groans and at first I'm not able to make much progress. It feels hopeless. But I can’t give up. Little by little, I'm able to wedge the lever in more, widening the gap. Through the opening, I can see the beast attacking one of those aliens.
I think his name was Galen.
Naming him makes it feel so much worse.
It makes him feel real instead of monstrous. Instead of a nightmare.
It makes him almost human.
My determination renewed, I throw myself against the bar once more and finally the door comes open with a protesting scrape of metal on metal. The scent of blood meets my nose, causing me to gag. Bile rises to the back of my throat. I don't have time to be sick. Galen has no time. The beast is gnawing on Galen's arm. I can see bone through the blood and torn flesh.
Seeing them both makes me want to throw up what little food I've managed to keep down. It's like something out of a horror movie. There weren’t a lot of movies on Earth II. Only the few the government had saved from before they’d abandoned this planet. I never liked horror movies. They never ended well and so much about life is already horrific. I hope what I’m about to do won't make me as dumb as some people in those movies. But I have a feeling it will.
Running is always better than fighting.
There's a god-awful screech as the door scrapes against the frame when I push it open. I pause for a second, hoping the beast didn’t hear me. My heart thumps audibly in my ears. The seconds stretch into what feels like years. The beast continues gnawing on Galen's arm. It doesn't seem to have noticed me. Or maybe the scent of blood is so strong it's consumed by the hunt.
I don't know if that's better because it may decide it wants to hunt me.
While it's distracted, I slip through the pitiful door that’s taken a lot of abuse today. Hopefully, it'll close when it's time for us to return. Especially if there are more of those things out there listening. Stalking. Starving.
I creep out into the corridor, petrified to my core. The musky scent of feral animal fills my nose. Galen's gasps of pain make me cringe as I move forward. I never wanted to hurt him. I only wanted him to save us. Selfish, yes. But so much of survival is selfish. I’d be willing to do anything, sacrifice anyone, if it meant Henry would be safe. I’ve failed him in many ways. I won’t fail him now.
With the metal rod heavy in my hand, I try to be as silent as possible. Inside the bunker, I can hear Henry's cries from the other side of the door. It makes me want to run back to him, but I know I only have one shot. Either I kill this thing, or we’re all dead.