Day 36 - Baby It's Cold Outside
Feb. 5th, 2009 11:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wolfsbrideContinues this post, and this post.
Standing slowly, BD shook his head, willing his eyes to work properly. He blinked a few more times and things started to come into focus. It wasn’t any better a picture than when he could hardly see.
Lurching toward the tunnel entrance, BD counted the bodies as he stumbled past and over them. It was all he could do not to stop and try to drag them to safety, but it was already too late for them and with the tunnel collapsing all around him, if he didn’t hurry, it would soon be too late for him. He was being pummelled by the falling rubble and his knee and shoulder ached where a large chunk of rock had slammed into him, knocking him to his knees.
After limping for a few minutes, he was close enough to the entrance to see the light from outside. He was just thinking he was almost to safety when the sound of panting seemed to fill what was left of the ruined tunnel. BD turned slowly; his hands went to his rifle, glad for the strap that had kept him from losing it in the turmoil. What he saw made him freeze.
Shadows. That’s what the thing stalking down the tunnel seemed to be. It was a crazy thought, but it was the only description BD could think of. The creature was cat shaped but huge, almost as tall as he was. The eyes, which were now focused on him, were a deep red, glowing from within the dark shadowy face like embers. The mouth was full of jagged teeth with over grown incisors making him think of the depictions of sabre-toothed tigers from his old science class.
BD brought his weapon up, then paused. He had no idea what this creature was or where it came from. He had no idea what affect the bullets would have. It might make the whole situation worse. While he was hesitating, more of the same type of creature appeared behind the first, until the tunnel was filled with darkness and glowing eyes.
“Oh, this is not good.” Turning, BD touched his headset. “We need to blow the entrance as soon as I’m clear. We have multiple animals of unknown origin and strength.” He was moving toward the entrance as he spoke. He could hear the huffing of breathing coming up behind him. Over his headset, someone was coordinating with the pilots. “Do not let them get free. If you need to, blow it even if I’m not out.”
It was going to be close. The opening to the tunnel was just ahead, partially blocked by several boulders that had probably shook loose during the quaking. In back of him, the animal noises were closing in. BD forced his battered body to go just a little faster and dived through the opening, leaving a lot of his skin behind.
He hit the ground outside hard, rolling over and over a few times before scrambling to his feet. He didn’t pause to check behind him. He started moving again and slapped his headset. “Now! Blow it now!”
In a moment, the din grew louder as the pilots converged on their target. Missiles streaked away from their launchers and impacted solidly, bringing down dirt and rocks and nearly half the mountain. The shock wave tossed BD through the air and onto the ground several yards away.
Yawn!
Standing slowly, BD shook his head, willing his eyes to work properly. He blinked a few more times and things started to come into focus. It wasn’t any better a picture than when he could hardly see.
Lurching toward the tunnel entrance, BD counted the bodies as he stumbled past and over them. It was all he could do not to stop and try to drag them to safety, but it was already too late for them and with the tunnel collapsing all around him, if he didn’t hurry, it would soon be too late for him. He was being pummelled by the falling rubble and his knee and shoulder ached where a large chunk of rock had slammed into him, knocking him to his knees.
After limping for a few minutes, he was close enough to the entrance to see the light from outside. He was just thinking he was almost to safety when the sound of panting seemed to fill what was left of the ruined tunnel. BD turned slowly; his hands went to his rifle, glad for the strap that had kept him from losing it in the turmoil. What he saw made him freeze.
Shadows. That’s what the thing stalking down the tunnel seemed to be. It was a crazy thought, but it was the only description BD could think of. The creature was cat shaped but huge, almost as tall as he was. The eyes, which were now focused on him, were a deep red, glowing from within the dark shadowy face like embers. The mouth was full of jagged teeth with over grown incisors making him think of the depictions of sabre-toothed tigers from his old science class.
BD brought his weapon up, then paused. He had no idea what this creature was or where it came from. He had no idea what affect the bullets would have. It might make the whole situation worse. While he was hesitating, more of the same type of creature appeared behind the first, until the tunnel was filled with darkness and glowing eyes.
“Oh, this is not good.” Turning, BD touched his headset. “We need to blow the entrance as soon as I’m clear. We have multiple animals of unknown origin and strength.” He was moving toward the entrance as he spoke. He could hear the huffing of breathing coming up behind him. Over his headset, someone was coordinating with the pilots. “Do not let them get free. If you need to, blow it even if I’m not out.”
It was going to be close. The opening to the tunnel was just ahead, partially blocked by several boulders that had probably shook loose during the quaking. In back of him, the animal noises were closing in. BD forced his battered body to go just a little faster and dived through the opening, leaving a lot of his skin behind.
He hit the ground outside hard, rolling over and over a few times before scrambling to his feet. He didn’t pause to check behind him. He started moving again and slapped his headset. “Now! Blow it now!”
In a moment, the din grew louder as the pilots converged on their target. Missiles streaked away from their launchers and impacted solidly, bringing down dirt and rocks and nearly half the mountain. The shock wave tossed BD through the air and onto the ground several yards away.
Yawn!
