The Thing | Windows

A Way Out

MacReady's POV:
The temperature was continuing to drop. It was going to be even colder soon. "Where's the tractor?" Caspian said. "It's over here." I replied. I turned around to look at Caspian and Windows. Windows was falling behind. "Stop." I said to Caspian. Windows trudged through the snow, trying to keep up. "Go ahead. It's just up there." I pointed and Caspian said "are you sure?" "Yes. I gotta get him. Or wait here. It's up to you." Caspian nodded and held onto the guide line. I walked back to where Windows was. "Hey, you gotta keep up." He looked up at me and said "I can't. It's too cold." "Windows, come on. Hold onto the guide line and walk." "Mac, you guys are going too fast. It's f-freezing." I looked at Caspian who was waiting for us. "Listen to me, you can't give up. If I come back without you, Frankie is going to have my ass. And if I come back without Caspian, Echo is going to have my ass. Either way, I'm going to be screwed. So I need you to follow me and keep up. We're almost there." Windows looked up ahead of us and said "it's just up there?" "Yes. Go ahead of me. I'll be right behind you. But I need you to hold onto the guide line and go. This storm is gonna get worse. And it's gonna get colder." Windows looked down and I said "you can do it." He nodded and began to walk again. "I'm right behind you." Windows held onto the line and began to walk. Caspian did the same. I followed. Once we got to where the tractor would be, inside of the shed, I closed the large doors. Caspian looked at the tractors inside. "Which one would we take?" He said. "Whichever one isn't broke." I replied. Windows shivered and said "what about that one?" He pointed to the one on the farthest side of the room. "I'll check it. Stay here." I walked over to it. It looked like it hadn't been used in years. But it wasn't broken. It was just old. It had some room inside the cabin, four to five people might fit inside. There was eight of us if you counted Childs. Bess and Blair didn't count since they were things. I wasn't about to tell them that only five of us could fit at the most. I checked the other two and said "these two are broken. But the one over there could work. It's just really old. I have no clue if it'll even start." "Do you think we have a chance?" Caspian asked. I nodded and said "yeah. I do. Now we need to go back." The lights went out once again and but then lights in the shed came back on. The lights in the shed were probably running on backup power. Windows said "what happened?" "The damn generator. Blair is up to something." "H-how are we going to get back? The lights are out. It's freezing. I can't go back out there." Windows said. I grabbed him by his jacket and said "this is not the time to freak out. Do you know why I brought you and Caspian with me instead of Garry or Nauls?" Windows shook his head and I said "Cause I trust you two. I know Garry and Nauls are human but I still don't trust them. Windows, I'm going to need you to step up. Stop hesitating. It's going to get you killed. Frankie is strong but you need to be stronger. You need to be able to protect her. I've been watching out for you this whole time. I understand you're scared. We all are. But you can't give up. You're gonna walk your ass through that snow, through that storm, back to Frankie. Same goes for you Caspian." "Ok, Mac." Caspian said. "Windows, do you understand me?" He nodded and said "yeah." I let go of him and a bump was heard. Caspian gasped and took a step back. Windows looked behind me and his eyes widened. "Mac." I watched their eyes go up, like something was above us now. Windows cowered and I turned around to face Bess. Except her body was mangled. Her arm was this alien looking thing, along with her leg, but on opposite sides. Her left arm was grotesque with a large tentacle. I looked at her right leg, which seem to have spikes coming out of it. Her face was bleeding, blood coming from her eyes, the tissue of her cheeks were exposed. She shot the tentacle at Caspian who dodged it. "We gotta get her away from the tractor." I said to Windows, being careful that she wouldn't her. Windows nodded and looked around for a weapon, picking up a fire axe. I went for the doors as Windows distracted her. "Hey! Look over here!" I quickly opened the doors, Caspian getting her attention to come outside. She was freakishly tall. Windows swung the fire axe at her human leg. A screeching sound came from her as the axe was now stuck in her leg. Windows pulled it out of her leg, blood slinging on the ground. "Bitch! Come on!" I said. Caspian motioned for her to come where we stood. Bess-thing stomped her way outside, Windows closing the large doors behind her. I lit up my flamethrower and aimed it at Bess, beginning to torch her. Inhuman screeches erupted into the air and I said "Windows, grab the guide line and come on! Caspian start heading back!" Caspian began to walk alongside the guide line. Windows went to get past Bess-thing who tried to block him. "I can't get around her!" I stepped a few feet away from the guide line and got Bess to follow me, even though she was on fire. Windows quickly got past her and I made sure he was in front of me before I followed the guide line. Bess walked away from the tractor shed and towards the tool shed, which had the spaceship under it. I saw that Caspian had made it back to the building which was in the dark. I looked behind us to make sure Bess wasn't following us. We were clear. "Windows, keep going!" I said. He staggered but pressed on, making it inside. I held onto the guide line for dear life, wishing I could get inside quicker. Once I made it to the door, someone pulled me inside, slamming the door behind me. Caitlin stood with her back pressed up against the door. Garry was holding a lantern along with Nauls. Echo was hugging Caspian. I looked for Windows, he was sitting to my left. Frankie was standing in front of me. "You guys were gone for a long time. And then the lights went out." She said. "We had to deal with Bess." "Did you kill her?" Echo asked. "No. But she's out there. And she's one ugly son of a bitch." I said. Caitlin locked the door and I said "I have a plan. But I need all of you to listen to what I have to say." Frankie sat down next to Windows, holding him. "We need to burn this entire place down. We need to blow it up. Then we're going to get in the tractor and go as far as we can away from here. I'm going to need everyone to help me destroy this place. Including the generator room." I said. Nauls and Garry nodded. "We'll help you with everything you need." Frankie said as she rubbed Windows' back. Echo nodded in agreement and I said "I hope you're all ready for this."

Here's the update!!
~skylar🪐🛸🪐🛸