Page 46 of Ruby
It shouldn’t even be possible, but I push back against him in grim determination, not taking my eyes off of the disgusting blob in front of me.
The alien chortles, obviously finding humor in my display of grief.
“Nothing to say now? I knew we should have taken away your speech too. Those shriveled brains wouldn’t let me make any decisions.”
Losing my voice would be a far crueler punishment. Before I can think of speaking again, the hunter beats me to it.
“Listen, I have all day but I will not waste it on you. Get away from that thing or I will put a bullet through him. It would give me great pleasure.”
His flipper-like hand approaches what must be the trigger on the weapon and I can tell he is serious. I know he is not kidding because anger is blazing behind his beady eyes and his body is shaking and oozing more pink slime. It is truly a disgusting sight but I can’t let that stop me.
“No, you won’t.” I say, keeping my body angled to cover Szhe’ka’s vital areas. “You won’t take another thing from me. Let him live; it’s me you want so deal with me.”
I hope that isn’t enough to push him over the edge.
I can’t bear the thought of losing my protector due to my insolence but this is essentially a game of chicken; if I blink, he might just knock me out and drag me off against my will, leaving Szhe’ka to bleed to a slow death in this forest so far away from his home. Just the thought of it hurts my chest.
“It is you I want, yes,” is all the alien says, his gun only slightly lowered as he runs his tongue over his lips in a manner that almost makes me retch. “I will take as much from you as I want to and there is nothing you can do about it.”
I don’t know what else to say; my head is blank, and my mouth is opening and closing like a fish. I look at the hunter and then Szhe’ka. I cannot be the reason he gets killed.
Ree could have died because of my carelessness on the ship and my gentle giant guardian has nearly died dozens of times because I was still playing the Bitch. This may be my only chance to save his life.
I could really use a good idea right now.
19
Ani
“Don’t kill him. You already cut off his wings and shot him... I don’t think he’ll make it anyway. And what more terrible way to die than slowly after watching the person you were supposed to protect get captured?”
It kills me to even say it. But as it stands, talking recklessly is the only way I can keep my life. Bargaining isn’t exactly an option for me since he can drag me away.
“Just let him die naturally and I will go with you,” I add.
He lets out another honk. “He will waste away on the ground and get his carcass eaten by things he has never seen,” the alien gleefully says as he aims his gun at Szhe’ka.
I continue to follow the path of the barrel, making sure it is pointing at me at all times. I have to say, it is terrifying, but I try to be brave mostly because that is all I can be.
Be the Brave Bitch, be the Brave Bitch, I chant inanely to myself.
Unfortunately, the only way I can do that is to surrender. If the only way I can save Szhe’ka is by leaving him, then as much as I would really not want to, that is what I have to do. This time, I’ll have to do it all by myself. I already know that escape is possible because of Ree and I know it’ll be harder to accomplish with their eyes on me. However, quitting might as well mean death. I’ll survive and I will come back for him, no matter what happens.
I swallow hard, hoping as soon as I pull away from him his body doesn’t topple over, then step forward. When there isn’t a thump behind me I let out a puff of air, then shakily step toward the alien.
“Just back up until you are out of range and I will do whatever you want,” I say, careful to keep the tremble out of my voice.
It surprises me when the alien does as I ask, matching me step for step until there are enough trees between us and where Szhe’ka is slumped.
Helpless. My heart aches that I am leaving him with that injury, but another part of me feels powerful that I have done what little I could to protect him.
It helps take some of the sting out of the situation when the dance I am in with the grey blob shifts and he is walking me by gunpoint through the woods.
It was a capitulation, I remind myself. I am not completely powerless.
Still, surrender and defeat hurts. Another tear falls out of my left eye and I wipe it away quietly so that the bastard doesn’t see.
Without Szhe’ka’s intimidatingly large body to shade me, the sun burns hotter, the forest seems even more intimidating, and it just doesn’t feel right.
