(29) My Body Gave Up

I steadied myself as I aimed my ray gun at the creature staring at me through the door. Its eyes were black as night, with only a thin ring of red around the outer edge in a perfect circle that grew wider as it registered my weapon. The long face with the terrifying mouth which cut its way back to the bat-like ears barred all hundred of its razor sharp teeth. The thin slits that served as nostrils flared and a guttural growl escaped its hairy throat. It was nearly bent double to fit through the doorway it had cut, its body was a good twelve feet tall, the wiry build and lean muscle mass made it only more terrifying . There was no doubt in my mind that it could and would tear my body apart in a matter of seconds, were it not still concerned about my weapon. The charge that my gun had built was enough to blast the Beast’s head off, but it would not do much damage to the next one came through the doorway, and that one would kill me for sure. 

The standoff lasted long enough for me to register out of the corner of my eye that the elevator had reached my floor. I looked at the console long enough to place my finger on the hold button, when I looked back I saw that there were two Beasts in the room. 

They were lightening-fast, but the elevator was there. I only had to give John as much time as I could hold out for. Then he could get away, he could live along with everyone else. I was prepared to die for the greater good, and the one I loved about all else. One of the Beasts moved toward me and soon was within one of its long arm’s lengths. Foul breath escaped its lips and surrounded me with the smell of rotting flesh. I was sure now that I would be eaten as soon as the life escaped my body, if not a little before. I was not needed for information any more. It was not like before. Now they knew where John was and all they had to do was smoke the lowest level and his fate would be decided. I was going to give the survivors their best chance. I took careful aim and let my gun go off. 

The nearest Beasts’ head blew into a million shreds of skin, blood, and brains. 

The wall behind it was splattered with the gore and, as my gun began to charge, the decapitated body fell to the ground at my feet. A shot to the head with a short burst knocked the second Beast down but it was not strong enough to penetrate the thick skull. It swiped at my feet and knocked me to the ground. I lay there, helpless, with the wind knocked out of my body as my gun tried to gain enough power to save me. More Beasts scrambled into the room. The one that knocked me down was on top of me now, raising its arm poised, to claw my stomach to shreds. 

Suddenly! A loud explosion knocked all the Beasts in the room to the ground violently. One of them fell on top of me and its weight nearly crushed me. The heat from the explosion washed over me. The Beast’s body was shoved roughly off me and a familiar face swam in my blurred vision.

 John! I was saved. He lifted me into his strong arms and carried my body over those of the Beasts that littered the floor. I relaxed against his comforting chest, my hand winding in the black hair at the back of his neck. My body, under all the pressure of the last few days, especially the last several hours, quit on me and I lost consciousness.