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The Death Crawler emits a great roar before falling into deadly spasms. Green ooze spills from the wound. When the beast falls to the floor, I swing to the ledge of the arena.
Though the crowd goes wild, the intercom blares: "If you do not let go, we will electrify the barrier. We'll give you five seconds."
Good, I think. Let's light this puppy up.
I bait the crowd, screaming my own insults.
"Five. Four..."
Somehow, the Death Crawler rises from the ground once more. Except, this time there are two of them. The crowd stops roaring and watches as both worms eye me.
"Three. Two..."
With incredible speed, they move in my direction, stingers pointed and ready to pierce right through me.
"One."
They jump into the air, and for a split second, I wonder if two giant fucking worms might actually kill me. As I dive out of the way, I hoist my legs up and over. The Gerkis turn on the electrified barrier.
One of the Death Crawlers moves to plunge his stinger but I jump out of the way before it can gut me. It hits the barrier and explodes with electricity.
Quickly, I use the chains to pull myself into the audience. The entire place breaks out into total chaos. The aliens run for the exits as guards tear through the stairs. I pounce on one of t
he alien thugs, crack his neck, and steal a gun.
I unload on the bastards.
One thing leads to another, and I've got the whole fucking village chasing after me. There's only one person I want to see, so I fire at will and run toward the physician's ward.
Anna. I'm coming for you.
Anna
It takes eight hours to comb through the Red Sands, and it's not without difficulty. The sun is hot and taxing to the mind and body. The sand weighs and reflects every step taken. It pulls on my heels, eating my energy until I collapse.
I tuck my legs to my chest. I am ready to give up. I am near to being broken.
Worst of all is the thought of Ax, alone and forced to defend himself without me there. He doesn’t deserve the pain.
I've never felt more alone in my life.
Eventually, the sand changes color and density. Palm trees form around a large body of water. Vibrantly colored birds fly through the cloudless sky. That's where I find a small settlement. It is a town for travelers, a place to trade and find refuge. I am halfway to my destination. Once I cross the Kalyx, I’ll be… home.
I walk through the markets where street vendors yell to grab my attention. Many delicious and exotic smells waft into the air, but I have no appetite. Near the water, I keep my head down as fishermen gather up the final catches of the day.
This place is beautiful and tranquil, but that is not why I came. I look past the harbor and dwell on what I may come across on this journey. What I may lose… well, I’m trying my hardest not to think about that.
Eventually, I’m just breathing. Rather, I’m struggling to do just that. I’m holding back every emotion as if they might explode the world into pieces if I let them out. I need Ax.
Going back to the EF is the right thing to do. So why does it feel so wrong?
"Anna Longdale. Put your hands in the air," I feel a pressure on my back and realize it's from a weapon.
I freeze. Carefully, my eye drops to the ground. I see a black shadow. It’s a human wearing a cloak. "Get your gun off of me," I say.
Finally, I glance back, but the figure behind me pushes me forward before I get a good look. He is tall and slender. Above average build. He wears a mask, and his robes are in tatters. Above all else, the man knows how to hold a gun.
The figure points to a small innocuous boat. "Get on board," the figure commands.
