You’re not your father.
It wasn’t exactly a stunning revelation. But even so, it struck my outer surface like a cannonball. My heart pounded as the truth sunk in, all the way to my soul.
Steeling my emotions, I began to move more cautiously, taking care to avoid twigs and dry leaves. We passed through several gullies, retracing our steps. Finally, we climbed a small hill and paused at the top.
Donning my goggles, I switched on the night-vision. Air left my lips as I saw scattered bones and gory remains. The creature hadn’t just killed Stevens.
It had ripped him to pieces.
As I scanned the carcass, I noticed plenty of fleshy material. Why hadn’t the Grueler eaten its victim? Was it some kind of trap? Was the Grueler waiting nearby, hoping to snag additional prey?
I studied the surroundings, searching for paw prints, scat, and other signs of life. But I saw nothing.
“How’s it look?” Beverly asked.
“Clear,” I replied.
Slowly, I descended the hill. As I passed between leafless tree trunks, I cast a wary eye on the area.
Where the hell are you?
A gust of wind swept through the gully. It struck Stevens’ rib cage, causing small pieces of it to break away. Dirt kicked upward, soared around for a few seconds, and then dropped to the earth, partially covering the bones in the process.
I winced. Did he have family or friends? Were they starting to get worried? Had they gone looking for him?
Graham shook his head. “I wonder how Pagan got this way.”
“What way?” Beverly asked.
“Like hell.” Graham swept his hand in an arc, encompassing everything in sight. “The Grueler. Dead trees. Dry soil.”
“I don’t know about the Grueler, but the rest is probably due to CN-46,” she replied. “Simona’s drone sprayed a lot of land trying to kill us. And I’d be willing to bet she’s ordered similar attacks on other people in the past.”
“I suppose that makes sense. But then why didn’t she use CN-46 on the Pagan Nation?”
“Maybe she had something else in mind for them.”
While they talked, I fell to the dirt. For a couple of minutes, I dug a substantial hole in the soil. Then I used my boot to push Stevens’ remains into the hole.
Graham saw something in my face. “You okay?”
I nodded. “It just doesn’t make sense.”
“What doesn’t make sense?”
“The body. It’s all here, limbs and everything. I don’t even see teeth marks. It’s like the Grueler just killed him for sport.”
“Animals do that, you know. It’s called surplus killing.”
I hiked to a large stone. Picking it up, I hefted it to the makeshift grave. Carefully, I placed it on top of Stevens’ remains. Then I stepped back and bowed my head.
A twig snapped. Blood pumped through my veins. My gaze shot to the north. A large shadowy figure, cloaked in swirling dust, stood on the far end of the gully. A familiar hissing noise rang out, grating my ears.
“It’s the Grueler,” I shouted. “Run!”
Chapter 49
Pushing Graham ahead of me, I scrambled up the hillside and into a tree grove. Looking back, I saw a whirlwind of dust blaze through the gully.
The wind turned stronger, ripping through the trees and driving still more dust into the sky. I glanced back again. The Grueler was close, just twenty feet away. A small dust storm obscured most of it, but I could see its foremost head vibrating in rapid fashion. Its teeth looked shiny and razor sharp. They shifted up and down, side to side, over and over again.
We weaved through the trees. The Grueler slowed a bit.
The sky darkened as we ran to another hill. We hurried up its side, our boots slipping on the loose soil. At the top, I saw more dead trees, more dead bushes.
“Over there,” Beverly shouted. “Head for higher ground.”
A wall of boulders lay southeast of us. Beverly and Graham reached one first. Quickly, they climbed it, using crags and nooks for hand and footholds.
Benigno, Akolo, and Carrie hurried to another boulder. Benigno grabbed Akolo by the shoulders and thrust him at the rock. Akolo grabbed hold of it and scampered up its surface. Then Benigno and Carrie climbed after him.
I looked at their position on the boulder, at their slow climbing rate. The creature’s footsteps pounded behind me. I could feel heat emanating off its glimmering coat. I sensed its vibrating jaws drawing closer and closer.
They’ll never make it.
The creature, still cloaked in dust, hurtled over the hilltop. It ran straight at me. Twisting around, I veered away from the others. The creature’s claws clicked against dirt and rocks as it adjusted course.
“What are you doing?” Graham shouted. “Get the hell—”
The hissing grew louder, drowning him out. I ran to a separate boulder. A hot breeze pressed against my back. Claws slapped the ground, casting dirt onto my pants. More dirt swirled around my head, nearly blinding me.
Sprinting faster, I reached the boulder. Then I veered west.
A crash rang out as the creature slammed into the rock. Dust shot upward, cutting my visibility to inches.
I grabbed a handhold. Frantically, I scaled the boulder.
Hands appeared. They grabbed hold of me, pulling me upward. Moments later, I rolled onto the boulder.
I twisted around. Squinting, I tried to see the creature. But there was too much dust.
The air hissed. Distinct creaking noises rang out. The dust cloud shifted, expanded. Then sharp claws struck the rock.
“Come on.” Beverly hauled me to my feet. “We need to keep going.”
The hissing noise regained its normal pitch. As I followed the others, I tried to make sense of what I’d seen.
The creature had struck the boulder at top speed. The collision should’ve maimed it, maybe even killed it. Yet, it had lived. Not only that, it had enough strength to climb the boulder.
What the hell are you?
Chapter 50
The horrible hissing plagued my ears. The air tasted of dust. The creature’s scent, a foul, oily odor, filled my nostrils.
I charged forward, weaving through tree trunks, making sure to keep the others in front of me.
I burst into a small clearing. Looking ahead, I saw another small section of forest followed by what appeared to be a steep drop-off.
My boots pounded against the dirt, kicking up small clouds of dust. My breaths grew uneven. My legs started to feel rubbery.
I glanced over my shoulder. A cloud of dust shot into the clearing just thirty feet behind me. Claws slammed repeatedly against the ground. Dirt stabbed the air, retreated, and stabbed it again.
I headed deeper into the barren forest. Tree trunks towered above me. The ground felt harder under my boots. I kept my eyes moving, but saw no signs of life. There were no animals, no birds. Hell, even insects seemed in short supply.
A strong breeze kicked up from the south and I smelled salt. The breeze slashed at the soil, kicking more dirt particles into the air. The particles swarmed around us. They hid us from the Grueler.
But they also hid the Grueler from us.
Beverly veered to the southwest. We followed her, drawing ever closer to Pagan Bay. Ahead, I spotted a rock-lined trail. It was a straight shot through the forest, with no obstacles to slow us down.
Beverly ran onto the trail. Carrie and Benigno sprinted onto it as well.
Peering back, I saw the roiling dust cloud shoot through a grove of thicket and dead bushes. Dry leaves crunched. Branches cracked and snapped.
A yelp rang out.
I twisted my head just in time to see Akolo trip on a large rock that marked the start of the trail. His right knee struck the rock with a resounding smack. Clutching it, he rolled onto his back.