AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A floorboard creaked under my step, and it swung its giant head around, its tongue flickering out as it gazed at me with bright, obsidian, reptilian eyes.
It looked something like a Gila monster back home. Well, back on Earth. Not in New York, except possibly in the reptile house of the Bronx Zoo.
I opened my mouth to say something, and at the sound, it turned its body so it could see both me and Sandy at the same time.
Maybe it was better not to shout for Kaio, after all.
I didn’t know what kind of range my telepathic communication with Kaio might have, but this seemed like a good time to find out.
Kaio, I sent out, putting as much mental force behind his name as I could. We need help.
I added an image of the monstrous reptile to my message.
Within seconds, I heard footsteps pounding into the building as Kaio thundered into the building. He skidded to a stop in the doorway of the room.
“I thought you needed help,” he said, a crease forming between his eyebrows.
“We do,” I said in a hoarse whisper. “That thing might attack us at any moment.”
A slow smile curved across his lips, and then Kaio began to laugh aloud.
“Shut up. What if it attacks you? I can’t survive this planet without you.”
“Where is Trumble?” Sandy asked, her voice trembling.
“I don’t know where your partner went,” Kaio said to Sandy in a normal tone. “He was supposed to be watching the other end of the street, but then he disappeared.” He gave her a dark look. “I hope it was to check out something he heard or saw and that he did not simply abandon us all.”
“And what about this mini-dinosaur?” I asked, jabbing my finger toward the beast.
“It’s a fladi lizard,” Kaio said. “They’re harmless. Especially little ones like this.”
“Little?” I squeaked.
Kaio eyed it interestedly. “It looks like it’s the right size to harvest, though.”
“Harvest?” Sandy and I said at the same time.
“The meat is edible,” Kaio said. “As long as you get them when they’re almost grown. Wait too long, and it turns stringy and inedible. Too soon, and there’s simply not enough to make it worthwhile. But I think you might have found dinner for us tonight. And it looks like you found a weapon—shoot it, and I’ll prepare it for cooking.”
I swallowed hard. I had never gotten meat from an animal that I had killed myself. Hunting was something creepy rednecks did, not pharmaceutical saleswomen from New York City.
“I don’t think I can make the gun work.” I sent Kaio a hasty image of my attempts to figure out where the bullets went.
“I don’t believe that’s a projectile weapon of the kind you’re imagining,” Kaio replied. “You should be able to simply point it at your prey and pull the trigger.”
Could I? Really?
Oh, I was certain I could point it and pull the trigger—I just didn’t know if I could do all that while aiming at a living creature.
“Do we have anything else to eat?”
Kaio shrugged. “Dismor put some IBFS rations in my pack, but I promise you, the fladi lizard is the better choice.”
“IBFS?” I asked.
“International Bland Food Stores. It’s one of the companies sponsoring the Games, apparently.” Kaio rolled his eyes.
Sandy had begun edging her way along the wall toward the corner. The lizard swung its heavy head, watching her, but made no move to intercept the woman. When she got to the corner, almost behind the lizard, she made a break for it and dashed to Kaio’s side, ducking behind him, and then peering out around to continue watching the reptile.
