Hacker

Chapter fifteen

A mut sprang at Alison and she twisted her torso, bending backward painfully so that it rocketed past her. She ran her sword down it’s flank as it flew, wrinkling her nose at it’s foul breath. It squealed shrilly and splashed into the mud. Alison had no time to see if it would get up as two more of the beasts bounded into the small clearing. She dropped her satchel, knowing she would need both hands. Bringing her sword up she barely deflected the larger of the two from ripping her throat open. The mut bared it’s teeth, now stained red from where she had slit it’s muzzle. It licked it’s lips.

The other beasts were keeping well back as if cautious or waiting for the leader to signal. The pacing beast attacked, shooting straight for her heart. Alison side stepped feeling the fur of it’s coat tickling her cheek.In unison the pack leapt. She was being overwhelmed. A mut clamped it’s jaws on her thigh and Alison brought the handle of her sword down on it’s forehead. She heard the sharp crack of bone breaking. Alison staggered.

And then a heavy weight pushed the small of back, knocking her off her feet. She fell face first in the mud and instantly flipped onto her back. A large mut the size of a small motorbike bounded on top of her, pressing her firmly into the ground. Alison gritted her teeth and tasted blood. Her sword was pinned beneath the beast, and she felt it digging into her ribs. Alison gulped short shallow breaths. The mut’s long teeth grazed her hand as she punched it in the mouth. Wow, that was really a stupid idea she thought as her entire hand blazed with pain. It snapped at her face. She punched again and swore. The mut recoiled momentarily and then dived at her. Alison threw up her forearm and held it’s saliva coated jaws at bay. Spit dripped onto her face and her arm shook and trembled. Teeth inched closer to her jugular. She shut her eyes hard and turned her face away. Deep growls vibrated in the muts chest and she felt it in her own

The growl morphed into a yelp and Alison’s eyes flickered open. Theodore kicked her attacker in the ribs. He snatched her collar and dragged her upright. Alison plucked up her sword and kneed the mut before turning tail and running.

"I thought you were right behind me" Theo spat as they sprinted for the mountain. She stared at him, stumped. Why the hell had he come back for her? The idiot could have gotten killed. Shaking her head she began to scale the mountain with Theo at her side. He kept on glancing at her like a mother would a child, his forehead creased.

The slope was almost vertical now and everything from Alison’s calf to neck hurt. She drew in quick, sharp breaths whenever the strenuous climb tugged or used her stomach. The pain threatened to render her unconscious. She heard a ringing in her ears. Left foot rotting TV cabinet, right hand water pipe, right foot, now left foot Alison recited and nothing else existed but reaching the top of the mountain.

The muts bayed below, circling and jumping up the steep incline only to slip to the earth. They let their frustration be heard. Left hand bent handle bar, right foot table leg, right hand nothing. Alison paused as her hand kept waving in thin air, the was no more mountain to climb. A warm hand gripped her own and Theodore heaved her up onto theplateau. She pulled away from him, swayed and he grabbed her fore arm before she could fall. He helped her to sit down and took a place next to her with his knees drawn up.

"Well that wasn’t too bad" Ali puffed, unsure whether she wanted to vomit or pass out. Her only consolation was that she had not eaten anything to throw up.

"I’ve never been so frightened in my life" Theodore said looking rather pale and eyes far away.

"Yeah, I understand. No one is in their right mind after their first fight" Alison said, her mind wandering back to when she was twelve. She had stolen a loaf of bread and a guard had noticed. Alison winced, the memory too fresh. She had only just been able to run fast enough then. Other days she had not been so fortunate.

"When was yours?" He asked, curiosity washing the exhaustion from his face.

"A very long time ago" Alison said surfacing from her memories. She stretched her legs out in front of her and whimpered.

"Let me see" Theodore said, his words soft like newly washed clothes.

"What?"

"You’re hurt" He admonished, forehead creasing.

"I just got a bit knocked around that’s all" said Alison unsuccessfully hiding the pain in her voice. She did not meet his eyes, instead glancing down the precipice to see the muts stalking angrily, back and forth at the base of the mountain

"I’m a doctor, I think I can tell if someone is injured" He said drolly with an eyebrow raised.

"Aren’t you are med student?" Alison concealed a smile as his face dropped.

"Essentially I have most of the skills of a doctor just not so much experience" He retorted, turning slightly pink.

"Hmmm, no"

"Come on, I won’t hurt you" He said coaxingly. Alison snorted.

"Are you scared?" he smirked, changing tact. Alison glared at him fiercely and thrust her scratched fist forward. The knuckles were darkening already to a deep purple and two thin lacerations ran across them. He took it gently, tenderly examining the cuts and frowning slightly.

"How did you get this" His voice was formal and businesslike. Alison wanted to roll her eyes at his seriousness but stopped herself.

"I, umm sort of punched the mut" He cracked a grin.

"How did that work out?"

"Not well" Alison said.

"Okie dokie" Alison grinned at his words. She could not help but note that he was still holding her hand "We’ll need to disinfect this and bandage. Lucky, there will no stitches and it was a close thing too, this one" He hovered a fingered over the deeper of the two cuts "is particularly nasty"

"Bandages?" Alison asked her mind suddenly fogged.

"Yes, bandages. They’re like white cloth that you wrap around wounds" Theodore explained, eyeing her oddly. Alison was not listening to him, she was thinking at a million miles a minute.

"Bandages" She murmured and dashed to the edge of the rubbish cliff. She groaned. Below the muts circled, awaiting their prey. At least seven of them were down there, Alison could see the leader- it’s yellow eyes roving the incline of the mountain. Not two paces away from the beast lay her satchel. Sitting harmlessly in the drying mud full of bandages and disinfectant. And the cure.

------

Hey, thanks to everyone reading this Hacker has reached 1K reads. Seriously, I love you guys. I don't usually keep to project for very long but this has been different and I'm really happy I stuck to it. I am sorry about the length of this chapter but I had a lot on and a massive case of writers block. Vote or comment if you wish and have a truly fantastic day :)