When Given a Lemon

Part 12

The remains are much more widely strewn about than before, a revelation I could do without ever having to witness.

The soldier's lifeblood paints the entire area leaving very little white. The opposite, I can imagine, is happening to my face. I can feel the blood draining with the more I see. Everything is awash with deep brown-reds that could be described as a vibrant contrast to the drab surroundings–if I didn't know what it was. Some areas are dark with congealed pools while others have bright arcing trails and spatters. The whole area smells worse than before, like an abandoned butcher's yard, even in the cold the rot has begun to set in.

We don't only see gore. In the center of it all are two nearly man-sized figures that evolved from nightmares. They're standing hunched over chunks of entrails and tissue, two large and horrific creatures. Their claws dig into the stained mixture of snow and innards as they tear into a larger lump of flesh that I wish I didn't recognize was a torso. They are unmistakably the same as the creature I had seen on the tarp back at camp. Since they are here, it doesn't take much to deduce that they are the same beasts that had hunted the team yesterday, returned to finish their feast.

My stomach churned with sharp lurches as I watched them rip into the torn flesh with their teeth and claws, strands of viscus dangling between them and their prize, trying not to imagine those teeth clamping down on me, tearing my flesh. I hope beyond all hopes that the lieutenant’s previous shot wasn't a one off because I have no idea how to fight that, or even defend against it.

We might be in a bit of trouble. One bit down on a hunk of meatiness, snapping through a bone with a wet crack of its teeth. No, I know we are.

That's all I have time to think before one turns its disgusting buglike, ruby dripping head, locking its inhuman eyes with us. Rising up, it releases a growl that makes my legs feel like they might turn to liquid, eliminating any ability to run before they both lunge at us, closing the distance so rapidly I don't even have time to blink or raise my weapon in defense.

Merryl’s blade is up and slicing into the face of one of the creatures in the time I have mine only halfway pulled free from its damn strap. Whoever designed this wants me dead, I know it! The creature screams, jumping back, the sound making a reactionary scream come out of me in response.

The shallow cut across its maw drips darkly. In my panic I struggle to rip my blade the rest of the way free, while the curved blade I had used against the trees lay forgotten on the ground where I'd dropped it.

I'm clumsy with my regular weapon on the best of days and barely able to maneuver it at all on every other, the latter of which is definitely now. Being in a life or death situation apparently is not enough to wake the hidden inner warrior in me. Shaking, I hold the blade up awkwardly, not knowing what stance to use to deflect or chop at a creature with such sharp teeth and claws. The fact it only stands to my chest does nothing to diminish its ferocity, nor my fear of it.

If only the lieutenant had shown me some moves to use with this blade, then maybe it might have been a different story, but they hadn't and here I am living proof I don't know what I am doing!l

An arrow whizzed by my head, the fletching scratching across my cheekbone, drawing a line of red, and smashing into the second beast as it came crashing into me. I hadn't even seen it, too preoccupied by the first horror being held back by Merryl's quick moves.

The monstrous body lands hard on top of me, crushing me under its weird mix of shell and fur. I'm Instantly half buried in the snow beneath the bug’s chest plate, with its unmoving claws digging into my shoulder while their weight twitches against my whole body as its lifeforce leaves it. Had the archer hesitated even a moment before letting fly the arrow, I probably would be dead, or well on my way to it. I try to push the thought out of my mind before it sends me somewhere I can't easily crawl back from. I know I'm already teetering!