Summer Crash (Zerralon 1.1)

Part 10: Hunting Humans

“Christy!” Kevin rushed for the door, reaching out to his little sister.

She reached out for him, as well. Already out of reach, clutched and screaming to the side of the angular Vordac robot hovering over the nearby sidewalk. A sidewalk Kevin had dreaded crossing only a short time before. How he wished his biggest worry for the day was how badly he would do in sports. He would give anything to only have that worry again.

Another arm snaked out. Aimed right inside the hovercar. Aimed right at him.

Kevin ducked and jumped out. The arm brushed his back, pushing him to the side, causing him to trip as he hit the ground. His hand slammed down on the side of the hovercar as he fell.

“Kevin! Get away!” Christy screamed, as if calling him and warning him at the same time.

Somehow he kept from completely falling on his face. The metal robot arm thunked against the interior of the hovercar while he twisted and ran away from it. Into a park where no organic willingly went into right now.

His surroundings blurred into greens, the tan of the sidewalks, the gray of the parking lot, to the dark of the robots hunting in the park. So many obstacles, and not enough places to hide.

Out in the open now. He would get captured for sure. Both him and Christy, never to see their family again.

His feet tangled, stopping his headlong flight. He crashed to the ground on something with smooth but unforgiving curves. His back came to rest against something else, something that made noise and echoed as it bounced against him.

Even as he struggled to right himself, he realized what he’d tumbled into. Nanny-Bot and the garbage can she fell against when the raid first started.

Trapped between them, with the front of the hovercar another barrier in a third direction, Kevin twisted and shoved with hands and feet. The trash can rolled away just as he managed to get Nanny-Bot on her side. She rolled back down on him, her weight surprising.

The snake-arm shot forward again. Kevin ducked down, flattening himself as much as possible, rolling Nanny-Bot away to give himself more room. Maybe he could wiggle under the front of the hovercar again.

The arm caught the arm of Nanny-Bot where it was still held out from her attempt to lead Kevin and Christy back to the hovercar. Nanny-Bot flew off of Kevin and into the air. As Christy beat on the side of the robot with her tiny fists, the robot tilted in the direction of Nanny-Bot.

Too heavy for it, too?

Maybe not, it was still in the air. And it still had his sister.

Kevin’s elbow hit a sharp edge. The top of the garbage can, having come off when it fell to the side. He picked it up and flung it towards the robot, shouting, “Let her go!”

The lid didn’t go anywhere he intended. It flew into the air, and then veered off to the right. The swiveling head of the robot tracked its flight as it continued to pull up Nanny-Bot. The weapons on the side of the body tilted, moving to follow the path.

Christy wriggled, putting both hands up at once. Straight up. As she would when Mom was dressing her.

Kevin ran forward as her wriggle grew more violent. With a sudden drop, she slid out of the metal arms without her dress.

He got under her just in time, floundering as her weight hit him. He didn’t know how he kept his feet, but he did. Caught her, and turned.

As if in slow-motion, he ran for the hovercar, a shivering Christy in his arms. Her arms came around his neck, threatening to strangle him in their fierce grip.

He threw her into the closest seat as soon as he reached the open door. He scrambled in, slamming the door down behind him.

A metal arm hit the window, bouncing off. Kevin didn’t pause. He dared not. A robot like that? It could open a hovercar door easily. Bust out a window if they stayed still. It still wanted them.

Too bad. It wouldn’t get another chance at them. Not if he could help it.

TO BE CONTINUED…