Pike twisted his head and glanced at the trail of bulges in the roof made by the monster moving to the front. He refocused his attention forwards. He had to do something. The frightening head appeared upside down in the windscreen. Pike slammed on the brakes. The vehicle’s sudden halt shot the creature off the roof. Caught in the glare of the headlights, Pike saw the full effect of the monstrosity that had invaded the camp. Its pale body, claw-tipped limbs and a mouth not built for kissing was a vision that would haunt him for the rest of his life, which he thought might not be that long. The monster kicked up snow and ice when it landed and tumbled across the ground. Pike gunned the engine and let the clutch out.
Scott ran from the storeroom. He witnessed the creature thrown from the roof and heard the Sno-Cat’s engine rev. Pike was going to ram the creature. The vehicle lurched forward to an abrupt halt. In his panic Pike had stalled it. Scott rushed across the camp.
Pike turned the key. The engine stuttered, but failed to start. “Just like in the damn movies,” he cursed.
Pike glanced out. The creature rose to its feet and staggered, as if dazed. The engine started. Pike shoved the Snow-cat in gear and coaxed the machine forward before the monster regained its senses. He peered through the snow and ice at the splash of colour he’d glimpsed behind the monster; it was Scott. Though he’d no idea what his friend was up to, Pike was glad he’d returned. He brought the vehicle to a halt; if he struck the creature with Scott so close, he might kill them both. He gunned the engine to keep the monster’s attention focused on the Sno-Cat.
Scott threw something over the monster’s head. The creature gagged, clawed at its neck and staggered back. Scott deftly avoided the claw that lashed out at him, ran around the struggling monster and over to the Sno-Cat.
When Scott drew closer, Pike noticed the coil of wire in his hand. Scott disappeared from view when he knelt by the front of the vehicle, but quickly reappeared and looked at Pike. “Drive!”
To avoid stalling again, Pike gradually pulled away to get traction and then pressed hard on the gas pedal.
The Hunter ripped at its skin, drawing blood in its frantic attempts to free the thing wrapped so tight around its throat it bit into flesh. It barely managed to dodge the speeding Sno-Cat. The corner struck its side and sent it spinning. Pike drove ten yards before the wire yanked taut. The loop of wire around the monsters neck snapped closed. Blood sprayed from its neck when its head flopped to the side and landed face up in the snow. Pike witnessed the monster’s decapitation in the mirror. He brought the vehicle to a halt and climbed out. Blood spraying from the creature’s neck froze to form gruesome ice crystals the wind carried away. The body toppled to the side and flopped to the ground.
Pike walked over to Scott and looked at the horrific face of the monster; even in death it was terrifying. “Where in Hell’s name did this demon come from?”
With a worried frown upon his brow, Scott stared across the ice. “Though it belongs in Hell, that’s not where it came from. It could only have come from one place—the rift.”
CHAPTER 18
Return to the Ship
JACK, JANE, THEO, AND RICHARD watched the Hunters advance.
The tremors started again. One was so forceful it almost spilled them to the ground.
Jack kept his eyes on the approaching Hunters when they split apart. He thought they were either wary of the flames or planned to attack the two on the edges, Jane and Theo. He swapped places with Jane. The nearest monster snarled at him. Jack lunged and prodded the fire at its evil face. It leapt back.
“They are afraid of fire,” stated Theo, happily. “Hold on, Jack, I’ll nip back and make a couple more torches. Richard, come and help.”
Glad to be moving away from the two monsters, Richard readily followed Theo.
They returned a few moments later with three more flaming torches. Theo handed one to Jane. They spread out in a line and waved the flames at the creatures. The Hunters hungry eyes constantly observed the humans behind the flames when they reluctantly backed away. Monsters and humans swayed unsteadily when the ice again shook violently; the rift was definitely on the move. Loud crashes echoed from along the tunnel behind them.
Richard glanced back. Large chunks of ice crashed to the ground. “The cavern’s collapsing!”
Cracks appeared in the ice tunnel walls. Another tremor brought down more ice. A large lump fell between the team and the monsters and exploded on contact with the ground. Confused about what was happening, the Hunters howled.
Jane glanced at the cracks forming in the ice tunnel before her eyes. If they didn’t hurry they’d never leave. “The tunnel’s breaking up. Move or we’ll be buried alive.”
As if to emphasize her warning, the end of the tunnel where it met the cavern collapsed. A wave of falling ice sped toward them.
Jack shot a glance back at the approaching avalanche of ice. “Let’s go.”
The Hunters also recognized the danger. With the humans on their heels, they turned and fled down the tunnel. They reached the bottom, dived into the ice tube and slid to the bottom.
The humans arrived a few moments later. Accompanied by the disconcerting ice crashing to the ground all around them, the four survivors crowded the top of the ice tube.
Worried about re-entering the ship, Jane peered down the uninviting tunnel. “They could be waiting for us.”
“I’d be surprised if they weren’t, but we’ve no choice,” Jack answered. “I’ll go first and hold them back if they’re there. The rest of you follow me down.” He turned to Richard and held out a hand. “I’ll need an axe.”
Richard reluctantly handed it over.
Jack sat at the lip of the sloped tunnel and pushed himself off. He jumped to his feet with the torch held out when he arrived at the bottom. He turned and stared at the rip in the ship’s hull. No monsters were present, though he suspected they weren’t far away.
Jane came down next. With the flaming torch held before him, Jack cautiously thrust the torch through the ragged opening. No shrieks or sounds of movement greeted the flames. He peered through. There was no sign of the Hunters.
Theo arrived and stared nervously at the hole.
Jack noticed his anxious gaze. “Wary of the flames or frightened by the falling ice, they seemed to have gone in search of easier prey.”
Theo scoffed. “I’d be surprised if there’s easier prey than us down here.”
Richard sat on the top of the tube and waited for Theo to move. He turned when ice crashed to the ground behind him and sprayed him with ice. He glanced up. The roof collapsed. Tons of ice fell toward him. He pushed himself down the tube. Large and small pieces of ice slid and tumbled down behind him.
A loud rumble caused those at the bottom to look up the tube.
“Inside!” ordered Jack.
Richard slid across the ice. Jane grabbed his hand and yanked him into the ship as the avalanche arrived to fill the space outside, spraying ice into the ship.
When it had settled, they stared at the opening highlighted in the flickering torchlight. It was packed solid.
“We’re trapped!” stated Richard, ominously.
“There’s one consolation,” said Jane. “No more monsters can escape.”
It brought Richard no comfort whatsoever.
“But neither can we,” said Theo. “How will we get out now?”
“Let’s go find Lucy, and then we can worry about escaping.”
“I’m already worrying,” said Richard, worriedly. “From the increase in tremors it’s a good indication the ice this ship is trapped in, will soon be adrift.”
“Then I suggest we hurry,” Jack told him. “Form a circle so we can protect our flanks from a surprise attack.”