Hybrid: The Awakening

Chapter 13-Asher

Date on Earth: Friday, October 6th

I didn't know why I did it.

Maybe it was deliriousness from a lack of sleep.

Maybe it was teenage hormones.

Or maybe, just maybe, it was the need to feel useful that urged me to do it. That I was so desperate to help that I used myself as a piece of bait.

But whatever the reason was...

I am such an idiot.

My heart pounded loudly in my ears as I weaved through the forest clumsily. I used my makeshift cane to keep me balanced as I jumped over fallen trees.

Struggling to catch my breath, I took a risk and looked behind me. The two Axones were running in long strides, keeping their weapons pointed at me. Unlike the guns they had carried during their first attack, the guards now had long spear-like weapons that were double-sided. And I couldn't help but be grateful for the convenient weapon change. As long as I stayed out of their range, I would be safe.

But of course, just when those thoughts passed through my head, I bumped into something hard.

There was a moment of paralyzing fear when I looked up at the wall of trees and vines.

It was a dead end.

I turned around, pointing my stick forward. The two Axones caught up to where I was easily, malicious grins painted on their faces.

"Hey guys." I tried my best to be as calm as I could.

Stall them. Buy Tristen and Tesha as much time as you can.

"Beautiful day," I continued. "It would certainly ruin the day if someone died, wouldn't it?"

The aliens didn't respond. Instead, they just crept closer, their spears continuously pointing at me.

I tightened my grip on my cane. "Do you guys speak English?" I asked. They made a series of grunts.

"No English. Okay, that's fine. Never a big fan of it myself. Well actually, English is my language, so I do prefer it, but it always seemed so boring compared to other languages, y'know?"

I was sure the Axones could hear my heart as it hammered in my chest. One Axone did what looked like a smirk and moved even closer. I didn't know what they were saying, but I could imagine it was something like, "Puny human, you have nowhere left to run. We eat your kind for breakfast, and you look like you would taste good with a side of toast."

Looking around, I searched for a place to escape. Surely there had to be somewhere in the wall of trees that I could slip through.

But the more I looked, the more I came to the conclusion: the only way to escape was to go past them.

The only question was, how?

Soon, my back was pressed against one of the trees, the rabbit from the night before making its way back up my throat. I put my hands against the tree trunk when I felt the vines that grew up the tree. A half thought out plan started to form in my mind.

The two Axones were no more than three feet away from me when I jumped up, clinging to the vines that thankfully supported my weight.

One of the gray aliens jabbed their spear at me and I swung to the side, the weapon barely missing me. I scrambled up the tree, heart skipping a beat when I made a misstep. Putting my walking stick in my mouth, I reached for the nearest branch.

Suddenly, a sharp pain erupted in my leg. I groaned loudly, biting down on the stick.

Using my other leg, I kicked at the Axone, making it let go. Quickly, I grasped onto the branch and pulled myself up. Then I gripped onto the next one, climbing higher and higher.