Fade

Part 6

-- -- Unknown Planet, time not known

    Without thinking, Julia's body had followed the trail right up to a cave.  Julia slowly walked in with caution.  She didn't want to end up like...
    She saw his empty eyes.  The wolf-creature.  The blood.  She heard the scream.  The cry.  The shout.
    "Agg!" she cried, holding her head as if she could physically remove the memories.  That's how she got by: she pushed her memories and emotions away.
    She stumbled to her knees.
    After a few seconds, she recovered and stood.  She strained to see in the cave's perpetual darkness when—"
    "Over here!" someone in the gloom shrieked.
    Julia hurried over to the sound. She pressed her suit's light button and a steady stream of light poured out onto a pile of suits.  And more excitedly, there were alive humans in them.
    She rushed over and said, "Why didn't you get out of here?  Why are you here?"
    One answered, "There appears to be giant, evil crow creatures.  They must'v brought us here in our sleep.  And why we don't leave?  They've been guardin' us.  Not too lon' before you, they left to go huntin' or somethin'.
    "Well, let's go!  Come on!"  Julia ushered.
    CAWWW!
    As everyone was about to leave, the strange birds walked in.
    CAWWW!
    There were two black, ostrich-like creatures swaying side to side.
    CAWWW!
    "Run!" a man said.  "I'll hold them off!"
    Julia looked as everyone else ran.  The birds didn't bother with them.  She saw the men, the women, the children, and the one lone man.
    "NO!" she cried and jumped at him, pushing him away, just as the birds stuck their sharp beaks at him.  One beak grazed Julia's rib.
    Her side flared in pain.  It felt like flames were working their way into her skin.  Now acid.  Now lava.
    The man grabbed her and ran with her in his arms.