Page 15 of Caveman Alien's Heat
“What you doing?” Riley asks.
“I may have to kill it. Or chase it away.”
Her eyes widen. “Really?”
“Really.” I reach for my sword. “It’s about to knock the saucer over on its head.”
The familiar weight of the weapon steadies my thoughts. If I kill the beast, we gain much. Hide for warmth. Fat for fire and food. Meat that could feed us for many days, if it can be eaten. Some Bigs have meat that’s too sour or stringy to eat.
But Bigs are dangerous. This one is big, but still a predator. I spot the dried blood on its snout.
Riley sits up fully, the furs gathered around her. “Could you make it push the saucer over instead?” she asks. “Up right way?”
I glance again at the creature’s position. “Not like this. It stands on the wrong side.”
The beast snorts and scrapes its foot against the ice. Then it turns its head toward the viewing wall. Toward us. For a moment, its yellow eyes stare straight through the glowing surface of the saucer, as if it senses us inside.
Then it slams its shoulder against the hull. The whole ship shudders.
Riley gasps.
That decides it. I move to the hatch and open it. A blast of cold air rushes inside.
Riley hurries over and grabs my arm. “Be careful.”
I nod once, then linger for a moment because I really like the way she holds onto me with her cool little fingers. Then I drop down onto the ice.
The cold bites immediately through my boots. The glacier wind whispers along the walls of the crevice.
The Big turns its head when it sees me.
For a moment, we stare at each other.
Then it roars. The sound echoes between the walls of ice like thunder.
The creature lunges.
I leap aside as its jaws snap shut where I stood a moment before. Its breath stinks of blood and old meat.
My sword flashes. I slash at the thick muscle of its leg as it passes. The blade bites deep, and dark blood sprays across the ice. The beast bellows and swings its heavy tail. I duck beneath the blow and slash again at its flank.
The creature snaps at me, jaws wide enough to bite a man in half.
I roll aside across the ice.
Its teeth crash together where my shoulder had been as I surge to my feet and strike again, this time across the side of its neck.
The beast roars in pain, and for a moment, it hesitates. Then it turns and runs.
I step back to avoid the final, murderous arc of that spiked tail, then chase it several steps across the glacier, hoping to bring it down before it escapes.
But the Big moves faster than its heavy body suggests. Within moments, it pulls away.
I stop and watch it run. It would have been good to kill it, but for one man, the danger wouldn’t be worth it.
6
- Riley-
