Corpseteeth’s lunge informed Richard his statuesque posture had failed. His feet frantically sought a footing on the slippery ground. His arms found leverage on the portcullis and dragged him through. Richard’s muck-stained boots disappeared under the gap. Corpseteeth slammed against the metal barrier, showering Richard in rusty flakes. To avoid the groping arm thrust through one of the gaps, Richard pushed himself away until the door halted his progress. Safe from its reach, he caught his breath as the adrenalin coursing through his body subsided.
Scared as he was, Richard realized the monetary potential of his current situation. He climbed to his feet and fished the camera from the stolen backpack. He wiped off the lumps of filth that had seeped into the bag as best as he could and clicked off a few photographs of the huge beast and a couple of the room. They would furnish evidence for the embellished story he would tell of his escape from the giant monster.
Each click of the camera increased Corpseteeth’s annoyance. He slammed the portcullis with a fist so hard Richard thought it would be knocked from its frame. Fearful its next blow might actually bring about that very thing, he climbed to his feet and opened the door. With a hesitant rust-grinding screech, the four segments separated and swung back into the walls. With eyes still focused on the blind giant, Richard backed through the opening.
Corpseteeth roared in frustration when the door closed with a resounding metallic clash.
Richard’s relief at having yet again escaped a grisly death was abruptly extinguished when he turned and saw the huge monstrous face staring at him.
CHAPTER 9
Alien Landscape
AS IT WAS CURRENTLY impossible for Theo, Max and Henry to return to the engine room due to the ship’s dangerous occupants blocking the only known route, their only option was to risk pushing forward. Even if that meant going through the same door through which the alien had recently made its appearance.
The door slid open.
What seemed to be daylight seeped through the widening crack and bathed the three anxious men in its bright light. They stepped through and discovered the source of the light. It emitted from rows of panels that stretched the full length of the room and lit up a landscape that could only be described as alien. The strange vista stretched out for a distance of at least half a mile and half that wide. A transparent wall surrounded the metal platform they stood on.
Before them, a transparent door led to a metal ramp sloping down to a stone path that stretched to the columned entrance of the huge construction filling the far side of the colossal cavern. The entrance, too far away and shrouded in darkness, revealed no hint of what lay within. The three gloom-ridden portals had seemingly been carved from rough rock and, stretched above the entrance one hundred yards high. The dark grey-toned edifice had the look of a gigantic engine part or generator that grew out of the rock surrounding its base and parts of the cavern floor. The main cylindrical body of the architectural oddity stood atop a base with tall, sloped sides. Thick ribs of the same material reached from the rock base and stretched over the top as if to anchor it to the ground. At the far end of the cylindrical body, a wide neck stretched out into a bone-like construction with the front fixed against the far wall, which they thought might be the outer hull. Two window openings, one in each of the oval globe endings, overlooked the cavern. Other openings of various sizes and shapes set in the sides of the building were filled with an unwelcoming blackness.
The path leading from the platform they occupied to the colossal edifice, passed through one of the tunnels formed in the trunk of a giant tree that grew horizontally across the room. Grasses covered the top and vines hung down its sides. On the far side of the tree, the path crossed a bridge that spanned the wide river surrounding the huge building. A tower rose from the far side of the bridge.
Large, thorny trees standing five yards high, bushes, and tall dark trees that dotted the ground and hills of rock covering this side of the river all had the appearance of being a long time dead. They stood like spooky sentinels.
“To say I’m surprised would be an understatement,” stated Henry.
Theo’s eyes swept over the landscape. “Every time we come across something new, I’m constantly amazed how a ship this size could ever be built, let alone move through space.”
“Just think of the advancements humans could achieve if we could learn even a fraction of this ship’s technology and method of construction,” said Max.
“Whatever we learn will be to no avail if we can’t find a way out,” said Henry.
Theo broke the silence that had fallen as the three men surveyed the astounding view. “So, do we go and investigate that building, or turn back?”
Henry’s eyes followed the path to the ominous openings. “Going back isn’t an option. Not yet, anyway. If we can’t find another route to the engine room that bypasses the cathedral chamber, we’ll need weapons to fight off the creatures that dwell there.” He pointed at the alien structure. “In there we might find the very weapons we need.” He opened the door and led them down the path.
They gazed up at the huge tree that had become larger with every step toward it. It wasn’t a single tree as it appeared from a distance, but thousands of yard-thick vines entwined together. Dark gaps between the growths hinted some areas might be hollow. The shuffling sounds and creaks of interior limbs drifted out of the openings, causing them to imagine things moving about inside. They quickly passed beneath and continued along the path.
A few steps later, Max glanced up at the lights. “Is it just me, or is it getting darker?”
Theo had also noticed the fading light and glanced nervously around at the landscape fast being swathed in shadow.
A worried frown creased Henry’s brow. “Night is coming.”
Theo looked at him. “I wish you’d said that in a slightly less ominous tone.”
Henry smiled and switched on his flashlight.
Max and Theo did likewise.
Jane, Lucy and Jack rushed along the corridor and paused at the latest door that blocked their progress. Hesitantly, Jane pressed the door control. All were surprised when light flooded through the opening. They entered, crossed to the large panoramic window stretching almost the full width of the wide room, and gazed down at the vista spread out far below.
Jack, worried the Clicker monster was still in pursuit, knew they couldn’t linger for long. He tore his surprised gaze away from the amazing landscape, stepped back from the viewing window and cast a look around the room. An opening each side led to two walkways set high above the landscape. Both led to a bridge that reached across the void to connect with the huge structure that dominated the far end of the impossibly large room.
“What is that place?” said Jane, voicing her astonished thoughts at the sight of the strange gargantuan edifice.
“Maybe it’s where the crew lives.” Jack pointed to the curved, bone-like structure. “That thing on top might be the control center.” He turned when the door they had entered through automatically closed. He returned his gaze to the alien landscape and pointed to the walkway on the right jutting out from the side of the ship. “That path connects with the building and might lead to the control room. If it does, we might be able to activate all of the doors preventing us from returning to the engine room. If the others have reached this far, I think they’ll come to the same conclusion, so perhaps we’ll meet up with them inside.”
Jane agreed. “Well, we can’t go back, so it’s as good plan as any.”
Lucy stared at the strange building at the far side of the alien landscape and wondered what horrors lay inside waiting for them. “I’m now regretting not listening to Henry when he voiced his doubts that entering this alien vessel would be a good idea. We should never have come aboard.”