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Made from the robust vines I’d found, they were basic yet efficient.
These would loop around the creatures’ limbs, incapacitating them long enough for me to land the finishing blow.
Riley watched with quiet intensity, her eyes darting from one snare to another. “How does it work?” she asked, a quiver evident in her voice.
I explained the mechanics to her. “When the creature approaches, drawn to your scream, it will step into one of these loops. As it pulls away, the snare will tighten around its limb, holding it in place. That’s when I’ll strike.”
She nodded, trying to put on a brave face.
The trust she placed in me weighed heavily on my heart. “And if the beast avoids the traps?” she queried, her eyes searching mine for reassurance.
“Then I’ll be by your side, blade in hand,” I promised, offering her a comforting smile. “But I won’t let it get so close as last time. I promise.”
Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself mentally.
I guided her to the center of the clearing, showing her where each snare lay. “Stay within this perimeter,” I instructed, marking a small area around her. “If you move too far in any direction, you risk triggering a snare yourself. If that happens, just stay still. Fighting only makes the snare tighter. Stay put, and I’ll handle the rest.”
Her hand found mine for a brief moment, fingers squeezing reassuringly. “Okay,” she whispered, her gaze unwavering, locked onto mine.
It was a testament to her strength and courage, that even in the face of potential danger, she chose to trust.
I retreated to the underbrush, ensuring I had a clear line of sight to Riley, the snares, and any potential threats.
The stillness was deafening, interrupted only by the rhythmic beat of my heart and the subtle movements of the world around us.
Taking a deep breath, I gave her the nod, signaling for the next stage of our plan.
With another deep breath, she tilted her head back, letting out a scream that echoed throughout the forest.
* * *
The alien world seemed to go quiet in the wake of Riley’s scream, a vacuum of sound and action that made my senses heighten.
For what felt like eons, I stood frozen in the thicket, every instinct coiled and ready to spring.
But all too quickly, the silence was shattered by distant roars and foliage rustling with agitation.
From my vantage point, I could see an alien beast break through the treeline.
This one was even more grotesque than the last, standing about seven feet tall.
It was bipedal but walked with a hunched posture.
Rough, mottled skin, greenish-black in color, stretched over a muscular frame.
Jagged spines, oozing a viscous liquid, protruded from its back and shoulders.
Its face was twisted, eyeless, with two large nostrils flaring as it breathed.
But its mouth was the most horrific feature — a twin set of sharp teeth, each ending in a sharp barb.
On its arms, in place of traditional hands, were multi-jointed limbs ending in razor-sharp claws.
However, it was the strange, swollen lump in the front of its pants that drew my attention.
It was an overt display of the beast’s desire, a gross manifestation of its intentions towards Riley.
To my surprise, the creature halted just before entering the trap-laden zone.
