Stellar

Chapter 7: Friend Or Foe

"What happened that made this place fail and and go out of business?" Robert asked while limping through the halls following the rest of the group.

"Well, it started last year. We were testing the creatures on the planet when one breached the containment it was in and went on a rampage in the process. It freed all the things in our lab. Even the one thing that never left, which is actually the thing that you guys met on your way in." the man explained.

They all were in awe as they thought to themselves what it would've been like when everything went down with fear in their eyes. Robert then asked, "Why are we going to the second floor?"

"It's a shortcut" the man explained. The three cadets looked at each other in fear, wondering if he is really trying to let them out of the lab or not. They walked through the halls with their flashlights when they all came upon a wall at the end of the hall.

"Why'd we stop?" Livy asked.

The man explained. "We gotta go to the-" He was interrupted by crashes and bangs coming from behind them. The cadets looked around in fear wondering if it was coming. "It's just the walls settling." The man assured them. "Now... give me your bag and flashlights!!" He pulled out a laser pistol and aimed it at them.

"What the HELL MAN? We trusted you!" Robert yelled.

"GIVE ME THE BAG" the man continued to demand, aiming at them more aggressively than before. They threw the bag over to him and right as he grabbed it, he was bitten by a giant black creature with huge teeth almost like a giant cat but with feathers and claws and teeth. The man screamed uncontrollably and was thrown into the air and swallowed whole, his screams cut off as he is swallowed.

"RUNNN!!!" Yelled Jake. The three ran down the hall, holding up Robert on their shoulders. As they ran, they lost their way, but ended up back at the entrance. They ran out.

"Close THE DOOR!" Livy yelled. Jake dropped Robert, grabbed the dead scientist's hand and closed the door. The three cadets heard a slam as the beast ran into the door, trying to break out but unable to do so. They all breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"That was terrible." exclaimed Robert. They sat in silence for a moment trying to comprehend what had just happened to them. They stared at each other and then Livy and Jake both turned to Robert and looked at him and his hurt leg and the dirt and dried blood that covered him. They then all looked at one another and saw that they were all covered in dirt. Robert looked up at the sky and laid down. "It's getting dark. We should probably find some shelter so we don't get attacked at night while we rest."

Livy and Jake picked up Robert again and they looked around for a possible shelter, but there was nothing.

"What are we gonna do?" Livy whines.

"We can lay against that cliff over there. We should have a good view over the land to know what's coming and going in the middle of the night." Jake explained. They all walked over to the edge of the cliff and laid down. They fell asleep fast and quietly in the dark night of the planet that they hope to one day escape from.

Later that night, they all jerked awake. "What was that sound?" asked Jake.

"It sounds like it's getting closer." Robert commented.

"Look over there in those bushes." said Livy. "Wait that a..." She got cut off as the beast leapt onto her. She screamed in agony as Robert and Jake watched Livy in shock as she was mauled to death by this beast.

Jake got woken up by Livy and Robert shaking him. "AAAH" Jake yelled.

"Jeez! Dude, are you okay? You were screaming at the top of your lungs before we woke you up." Robert explained.

"It was just a nightmare. Nothing to worry about. Sorry for waking you guys up." Jake explained.

"It's okay." Livy said, hugging him.

"WAIT!" Robert yelled abruptly.

"What?" They both asked, confused about why he's yelling.

"M... My... B... Bag! I left it in the lab when we were running!" Robert exclaimed to them in a worried tone.

Livy and Jake looked at each other, wondering why the bag was so important. "So why is this bag such a big deal?" asked Jake. Robert looked at him as if he was an idiot.
"Well if you must know, that bag I lost had our flashlights, our food, and the semi created map of where we've been so far that I've been creating."

Livy looked at Robert and Jake and said, "Yeah, that might be just a tad bit important."

They all looked at each other, concerned about the journey back inside the lab to reach the bag. "Does anyone have a flashlight?" Jake asked.

Livy raised her hand. "I do! I do!"

Robert took it and said, "Okay then, this mission is looking up for th..."

He got cut off by Jake. "You can't come Robert. Your leg is too hurt and you limp everywhere! You'll just slow us down!"

Robert looked at them, sad in a way. "But we're a team!" He exclaimed.

"Look Robert... Okay, yes, we're a team, but we won't be if you're dead, so here. I'll leave you with my laser pistol in case anything comes. How does that sound?" Jake suggested. Robert looked down in the dumps but agreed. Livy and Jake walked away towards the lab.

"How long have you had that laser pistol?" Livy asked.

"Since that guy was murdered by that thing. He dropped it when it ate him and I picked it up."

Livy looked at Jake and asked, "Is it even loaded?"

He then explained "I think he has about one shot to make it count or he's done for."

Livy started to worry.

They continued to walk to the lab. When they arrived, they noticed that the door had been breached and the outsides of the door seemed to be covered in slime.

"What the hell happened here?" asked Jake. Livy looked at him, confused on what's going on.

"Jake... there's nothing there. The door is just closed." Livy said.

Jake shook his head a little and blinked his eyes. His eyes refocused on a completely normal door. "Wait, you're right. I'm so confused. I don't know what's happening... Let's just grab that bag and get out of here before our friend Robert out there gets his other leg injured."

Livy looked at him slightly concerned for his health and agreed. They unlocked the door with the dead scientist's hand and proceeded inside the building.