The First

Chapter 29

This chapter is for adults only. 

Graphic violence and violent sexual references follow.

Urine trickled down the inside of the little girl's left leg. Her eyes didn't blink or move, like one of his own daughter's ragdolls.

A stream of white electricity shot from Ross's spine to his toes. Turn around Ross. Don't be a pussy. Be strong for this girl. Somewhere behind them lurked a predator. He'd seen the carnage left in its wake. Sweat trickled off his nose as he prepped for the attack. No way in hell he'd go down without a fight.

Moments crept like slugs up a slide. He took one arm off of the girl and gripped the hand cannon he'd stuffed in his belt. I hope you reloaded this thing. The sheriff laid on the cot as if taking a catnap on a slow day. Blood from his head wound soaked through the pillowcase bandage.

Its shadow crept across the cell wall in front of Ross, unnerving, motionless. Over his shoulder, the silhouette in the exit doorway loomed in a vicious stance. The warm glow of street lights shone off its bald head. Not as thick as a bodybuilder, the creature had tight, defined muscles. Those you'd find in a men's fitness magazines. One apparent anatomical issue stood out. It had no genitals. Yet it looked male. Like a Ken doll with glowing eyes, rows of jagged razor sharp teeth, and claws as long as a man's fingers. Its eyes had a soft red glow; heavy with intent. They dipped, resting on the girl.

She hugged Ross tighter and hid her face in his stomach.

With his left arm, he pulled her close. Her body trembled against his. He'd set his shotgun down, but still had the sheriff's pistol.

The girl whispered into his chest, "Daddy said don't make sudden moves, just back up really slow."

"Shhhh." Ross rubbed her on the back.

The Trill seemed to stay in the doorway as long as they didn't move. Then an appendage peaked out from between two flaps of vertical skin between its legs. The snake-like form slipped until it dangled back and forth like a sick pendulum. His eyes burned dark amber as they settled on the girl.

What now, Ross?

The limp appendage thickened.

It's gonna pounce. Ross cringed.

While it appeared to be a man's normal, large erection, a three hundred sixty-degree hood flared around the head. Barbs flexed in and out towards the creature's torso like the hood of a horned lizard. Ross understood where the damage to the women had come from.

"It's going to kill us, isn't it?" The girl pressed her face further into Ross's chest as if she wanted to crawl inside and hide.

"No, sweetie. I'm not going to let it."

The creature lunged forward.

Ross shoved the girl to the back of the cell. She stumbled and landed on her rump. He dove to the cell door as the creature raced down the hall. One of the bent bars caught on a straight one and the door wouldn't slide shut. His eye clenched as he whipped out the pistol.

Heavy machine gun fire snapped through the hall.

Ross scooted as fast as he could and covered the girl. "We're gonna be okay, sweetie. My guys are here to save us."

The force of the bullets slammed the Trill against the wall several feet before it reached the cell door. It retreated further down the hall, a small trickle of blood followed.

"Cease fire! We're humans!" Ross called out.

The tap, tap, tap, from the guns stopped.

Ross's eyes followed the trail of blood. He prayed the Trill had crawled off to die. Obviously, a few of the bullets had hit soft tissue on the creature. But where? How long before it recovered? Maybe SWAT had specialized bullets? Those questions would have to be answered later. The safety of the girl and sheriff had to be his priority.

Several heavily-armed, fully-armored men hurtled down the hall. Two followed the Trill; two entered the cell.

"Agent Harris?" The smaller one put his gloved hand on Ross's shoulder.

"Yeah."

"We got your message."

"Thanks, guys. You saved our lives." Ross hugged the girl and looked at Sheriff Lawson. "Take the girl." Ross handed her off to the man. She lunged back into him and wrapped her arms tight around his waist.

Ross hugged her and nodded toward the SWAT member. "It'll be okay, sweetie. Go with officer...er..."

"Franklin, Sir."

"Go with Officer Franklin. He'll keep you safe."

Franklin knelt next to the girl. "What's your name?"

"M..Mich..."

"Mich?" Franklin looked up at Ross.

He shrugged. Damn. Forgot to ask her name.

Again the girl nodded.

I gotcha Mich. No more monsters. Will you come with me?"

Mich let the man pick her up.

"Let's get you out of here. You ever seen the inside of an armored truck, Mich?"

With tired eyes and skin still white with fear, her hair shook in front of her face.

"Well, have I got a treat for you. There's lots of fun stuff inside. I might even have some candy."

Mich folded onto Franklin's shoulder and he whisked her down the hall, making sure her eyes stayed covered with his neck.

Ross looked at the other man. "Help me get the sheriff."

The SWAT members down the hall stared into the doorway on the left, shrugging and whispering. Without warning, they opened fire. The Trill appeared out of nowhere and slammed his hands into their chests. Blood sloshed against the wall behind them.

"Take him." Ross helped hoist the sheriff onto the large man's shoulder.

The officer waddled down the hall, with his burden in a modified fireman's carry, knees buckling under the weight.

Streams of blood from the hunks of human flesh in the Trill's fists flowed down his arms and body. Strands of other organs still attached dangled from the hearts like tentacles. The Trill held the meat to his nose and sniffed long and hard. He took a large bite of the heart in his right hand, chewed, swallowed, and bit into the next one.

With his foot against the opposite wall, Ross heaved at the door. The bars scraped and screeched as it loosened in the frame.

The Trill turned its attention to Ross. It dropped the half-eaten hearts and raced toward him. Ross dove forward and to the right. His shoulder slammed into the wall as the Trill sailed over him, crashing into the back of the jail cell.

With all of his strength, Ross kicked the door shut. "Got ya! You ugly motherfucker!"

It turned and slammed into the tough metal. An inhuman high-pitched wail, as if the balls of several men had been kicked at the same time, came from the Trill. It continued to ram into the bars.

Ross covered his ears. "I caught you. You murderous fuck." 

Can Ross keep a full grown Trill at bay in a jail cell?

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