CHAPTER 15
Different Paths
THE TEAM’S STEADY PACE through the corridors carried them nearer to the staircase to the lower level and so far it had been free of monsters, but when they passed the opening to a corridor that led off to their left, they heard something to indicate their luck was about to change.
CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!
Lucy trembled as the memories of her previous encounter with a Clicker flooded into her thoughts.
CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!
Without halting his stride, Theo aimed his flashlight down the dark corridor the sound had come from. The yelp of surprise that burst from his lips was drowned by the monster’s high pitched shriek when it leapt at him with claws outstretched. Theo stumbled and fell to the floor.
Jane, directly behind Theo, saw the sightless creature caught in the light. The cut on its shoulder indicated it was the Clicker that had chased them through the forest room. Before its claws pierced Theo’s flesh, she lashed out a foot. The power-laden blow slammed it against the corridor wall with a loud shriek.
Coming swiftly to his senses, Theo jumped to his feet and backed away.
The Clicker bounced off the wall and rolled when it made contact with the floor. CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! With swiftness the shocked onlookers found difficult to believe, it leapt to its feet and lashed out at its attacker.
Jack yanked Jane out of its reach and pushed her behind to join Lucy and Richard as they backed away.
Max moved to attack. The Clicker head him move. It spun around to face the new threat. Max froze with the ice pick he’d planned to slam into the creature’s head raised above his shoulder. CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! The monster stepped to the side, splitting the group.
CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! The creature snarled at Max.
Realizing it didn’t need eyes to see him, Max retreated.
A series of clicks drifted along the corridor, proof the monster wasn’t the only one of its kind. They grew louder. The Clicker shrieked. Its comrades answered.
Jack raised the ice axe and lunged at the Clicker. Its keen senses alerted it to the new attack. It lashed out an arm as it turned. Claws swiped past Jacks face, so close the draft carried in their wake caressed his skin. Jack glimpsed the group of approaching creatures caught in the beam of Theo’s fallen flashlight, rushing along the corridor. He glanced at Max. “Keep moving. We’ll find a different route to the engine room”
The Clicker lunged at the voice as Theo, Max and Henry fled. Jack swung the axe. The Clicker grabbed his arm, halting the attack. Jack kicked it in the stomach. Winded, the Clicker released its hold and slammed back against the wall. Jack had no time to move in for the kill; the Clicker’s friends were almost upon him. He turned and ran to catch up with Jane, Lucy and Richard who’d fled back along the corridor.
The sound of their running footsteps blended with those of Max, Theo and Henry as they fled in the opposite direction.
The Clickers split into two groups and followed their respective prey.
Max, Theo and Henry fled down the long corridor, turned left, moved through a door, along a short corridor, and another door until they reached the staircase. They rushed down to the lower level that was lit by faint blue light.
A distant CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!
A short while later they arrived at a door blocking the passage. Max thumped the button.
CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! A little louder.
The door slid open. They peered through into the darkness. It was free of monsters. They stepped through and shut the door, drowning out the approaching Clickers.
The familiar bone-like struts highlighted by the faint blue lights, gave Theo hope they were heading in the right direction. “This might be the far end of the corridor leading from the engine room that we left to enter the cathedral room.”
“We won’t make that mistake again,” said Henry, panting.
They sprinted for the engine room. It was a straight run now. All they had to do was keep ahead of the Clickers and hope the cold prevented them from following up the exhaust tube.
The door rasped open behind them.
CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!
Theo glimpsed another door ahead. The engine room couldn’t be far now.
They ignored the intersection they passed and kept heading for the back of the ship.
CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!
When they reached the door they encountered another problem. Their escape would not be as straightforward as they hoped. The buckled hull had bent the door frame, jamming it shut.
Theo cursed.
Panting from their run through the ship, they all needed to rest. All knew they would die if they did. They turned to backtrack and seek out another corridor, but froze.
CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!
The Clickers rushed at them.
They were trapped.
Sensing their prey had stopped and would soon be theirs, the Clickers rushed excitedly along the corridor, but after a few strides they stopped and sent out a series of clicks down a side corridor. All were aware they had wandered into another’s territory, but the promise of food had overridden their caution. Now they’d sensed another creature’s presence, their caution returned.
With confusion upon his face, Theo gazed at the stationary creatures. “Why have they stopped?”
“Whatever the reason, I don’t expect it’s because they’re scared of us,” said Max.
Clawed footsteps drifted out from the side intersection. A few moments later a Hunter’s blue-lit shadow crept into the corridor. The Clickers reluctantly backed away.
Theo’s eyes quickly scanned the ceiling for something he’d noticed in other parts of the vessel. On spying what he sought, he rushed over to the small square vent in the ceiling. “Max, give me a hand,” he whispered, urgently.
Max turned. Theo was standing beneath a vent with cupped hands. Max guessed his plan and silently praised the man’s quick thinking. He rushed over, placed a foot in Theo’s hands, gripped his shoulder and heaved himself up. He reached out. His fingers slipped through the metal vent slats. He pushed it up and slid it to one side. Theo hoisted him up and he scrambled into the vent.
The Hunter creature emerged from the intersection, turned to stare at the Clickers and howled a loud warning.
The Clickers turned and fled.
The Hunter focused its attention on the sounds coming from the opposite direction. It sniffed the air. It liked what it smelt and followed the scent.
As soon as Max had cleared the opening, Henry quickly followed. Max pulled and Theo lifted. Henry slithered into the vent. After Henry had crawled past him, Max laid on his stomach and leaned through the hole with his arms outstretched. “Your turn, Theo.”
Theo shot a glance behind. The Hunter rushed at him. Theo leapt. Max grasped his wrists. Theo’s weight dragged Max along the smooth metal. He jammed his boots against the sides of the small shaft in an attempt to anchor himself. It failed. Henry grabbed his legs, but the smooth sides of the vent offered no purchase to stop their slide.
Theo realized he would pull Max down if he didn’t let go. He dropped to the floor. A quick glance along the corridor revealed the monster almost upon him. It howled. He looked up at Max blocking the opening. “Get back!” Fear and adrenalin fuelled his leap. He gripped the edge of the hole and pulled his head and shoulders through. The monster’s footsteps grew nearer. Max grabbed Theo under the arms and heaved. Pain masked Theo’s face. The monster had him. Theo was yanked back, pulling Max with him, who refused to let go. Max jammed a foot against the edge of the opening for leverage. He felt the Hunter tugging Theo. He tugged back. Theo grimaced in pain from the claws ripping his skin. He kicked out blindly with his free leg. He felt his boot connect with flesh, but the monster’s grasp remained firm. Theo knew there would only be one winner in this tug of war.