But it was too late, Jane had already directed the beam below to pick out the horror Lucy imagined. It climbed up one of the metal walkway supports. The light picked out its grotesque, red form, mottled with patches of black. The creature halted its slow methodical movements with one of its long arms poised a few inches away from the metal strut, and slowly tilted its head. Its gruesome, disfigured features made Jane gasp, which heightened Lucy’s already nervous disposition.
The crack in the creature’s fleshless skull, along with a torn withered leg hanging from its torso, was evidence of wounds from previous encounters with the ship’s residents. A gnarly pale growth over one eye continued down its face and covered the corner of its jagged-toothed mouth. Its remaining good eye, a sinister crimson orb, stared up at them.
Now that its presence had been discovered, it abandoned its previous stealthy approach, grabbed at the support and swiftly climbed.
Jack recovered from the latest shock to confront them and pulled Jane away from the rail. “It’s time to go.”
Their footsteps slamming on the metal walkway echoed through the cavernous room when they sprinted for the door on the far side.
The creature in pursuit gazed at the erratic light beams dancing in the darkness above race across the path. They were escaping. It changed direction to intercept them. Its long powerful arms sped it along the metal framework and enabled it to leap the wide gaps between the struts. When it gained on those attempting to flee its wrath, it swung up and over the edge of the walkway.
Lucy screamed when the hideous creature landed on the path, blocking their escape route. She stopped so abruptly she would’ve teetered into its clutches if Jack hadn’t yanked her out of its extensive reach, almost spilling her to the floor. Jack steadied her and the three frightened victims retreated along the walkway.
Though its paunchy body covered in crusty flaps of bulbous skin was only a yard long, its arms were twice the length and ended in three elongated skeletal fingers, which, unusual for the ship’s monstrous inhabitants thus far encountered, lacked any claws. This didn’t mean it was defenseless. Its functioning muscular rear limb, a fraction of the length of its arms and also equipped with skeletal fingers, gripped a long, sharp-bladed knife with stains on its surface that hinted at past kills.
The creature stared at them for a moment, as if calculating the threat they posed and which one it would kill first.
Lucy noticed its saggy breasts. “It’s a female.”
The creature stretched out its two long limbs and rested its knuckles on the metal path. It seemed to smile at its prey. It opened its mouth and roared shrilly. It leapt forward and propelled itself toward its prey like someone with a broken leg on crutches, quickly moving its arms forward ready for the next bound. The walkway shook each time it landed.
Jane, Jack and Lucy fled back to the exit. When it became apparent they’d never outrun the swiftly approaching menace, Jack formulated a plan to save his friends and stopped. “You two run for the door while I hold it off.”
Unable to remove her terrified gaze from the approaching monster, Lucy was equally horrified by Jack’s sacrifice. “You’ll be killed!”
Jack shot her a quick glance. “But you two will survive. Now run, you don’t have much time.”
Though Jane understood the sense of Jack’s action, she was hesitant to let him sacrifice himself. She also wasn’t keen on moving through the ship without him at her side. “I thought you weren’t the hero type?”
Jack, his eyes never leaving the approaching threat, shrugged and flashed a nervous smile. “Guess I was wrong.” A puzzled frown appeared on his face when the monster abruptly stopped!
“What’s it doing?” asked Lucy. Though she wanted to flee, she was terrified any movement would entice the creature to attack.
Jack was as confused by the creature’s sudden halt as his friends. He was even more confused when it leapt over the side of the walkway, which shook when it grabbed hold again, and climbed down.
Jane peered over the edge. Her flashlight picked out the creature dropping from level to level until it fell from the light’s reach. She looked at Jack. “What just happened?”
“I’m not sure, but I don’t think we should dwell on our lucky escape. There could be more of those things down there, or something else more willing to kill us. Let’s move while we have the chance.”
They sprinted for the far door.
When the Mimic, who had been observing them since they entered the dormitory, had shunned its cloak of invisibility to save them, the sight of her presence had been enough to halt the attack. A previous encounter between her and the species had left many of them dead and wounded. Its sudden departure was verification it didn’t want a rematch.
The Mimic watched the three strangers head for the door she required them to pass through. Though she didn’t need them all to survive, the many dangers they faced while trapped within the ship made it prudent for her to help conserve their numbers when the occasion arose. When they reached the door safely, she leapt over the balustrade and dropped into the void.
CHAPTER 13
Lucifer
RICHARD HAD BEEN WANDERING through the ship since leaving the purple control room. During this time his thoughts had been occupied with three matters: were the others still alive, and if so where were they? Would he encounter any more monsters? And his primary consideration, how was he going to get off this hell ship?
Not for the first time, he caught a whiff of the stench that shrouded him. He longed to step into a warm shower, but that wouldn’t be happening any time soon. Though he had encountered doors in the left and right corridor walls, he’d decided to keep to the main path. He would only risk entering a side exit if danger presented itself, something he was certain eventually would.
Though fear was his constant companion, he’d managed to hold it in check. Confidence gained by his recent escapes from what he’d first thought was certain death encouraged him he could do so again if the need arose. He just had to make sure he didn’t panic. If he did, he would die.
He paused at the door that blocked his progress. The unknown behind each was the most nerve-racking part of his exploration. At a distance that put him as far as possible from the door and yet still able to operate the control, he stretched out an arm and pressed the button. As the door opened he took a few cautious steps back.
When the rusty rasp had faded, he cocked an ear at the dark opening. He heard only the constant groans of the stressed hull. His headlight picked out another door a short distance away. He glanced at the edges of the open door; it was three times the thickness of the normal doors. He approached the second door and pressed the button. The door behind him slid shut. When its edges met, the door before him opened. A breath of warm air washed over him and crimson light bathed him in its blood red glow, which raised his apprehension a few notches. The room his eyes roamed wasn’t the continuation of the corridor he’d expected; it was much larger. A cocked ear detected no growls, shrieks or claws scraping across metal, only a low hum as if from a distant electric-powered piece of machinery.
His head poked through the opening and looked at the nearest source of red light—a transparent container set in a rack similar to the thousands, both small and large, lining the walls of the room. Though he briefly considered turning around and leaving, there was nowhere else to go. He had to find an exit or a means to escape from the ship of terror and moving forward was his only option. Hesitantly, he stepped into the room and switched off his headlamp, which he removed from his head and dropped into a pocket so he could wipe away the build-up of sweat on his forehead.