Edward Lee - Slither

I'm alive! was her first genuine thought.

She was slowly treading water, to stabilize her metabolism out of shock. Her chest heaved as she sucked in breaths.

I have to get back to the others, she knew. But…

But…

What had that been?

Not the worm, but the abutment she'd backed into just after decapitating the worm?

Something not right…

Her confusion waylaid her. She was swimming back down to the trench, knife in one hand, flashlight in the other.

What the hell was that!

She had to know. A culvert of some sort? An oil pipeline? But what purpose could such things serve twenty feet beneath the Gulf of Mexico near a useless island? She knew there were more worms down there, yet her curiosity seemed fevered. The worms had more than likely swum away, and the enzymes from the one she'd killed would have dispersed in the current. So…

I just have to see. She felt driven. What was that thing I backed up against?

Her flippers pumped furiously; she swam back down to the trench. Crystalline water glittered, prism-bright. Ys and Ws of coral branched out from the bank, skeletal fingers that seemed to be pointing to secrets.

Nora slowed her descent, then stopped.

The trench stretched onward, probably several hundred feet, and widened to thirty. The sun's angle kept the underwater gouge blotched in cool, teeming darkness. She couldn't see what she'd touched, and only knew that it felt out of place, but…

Something's there, she noticed through a squint.

She'd have to surface for more air in another minute, but not till she got a look.

She reached back out into the inkiness and felt it again: a smooth, flat surface, slightly curved. Like metal.

That's when Nora-mildly alarmed-veered the waterproof flashlight around.

She became severely alarmed when her eyes registered what she was seeing, and then she shot herself back to the surface, gulping air.

That's-that's-that's… CRAZY! she thought.

What she'd seen lying in the trench was an object that could only be a naval submarine…

(II)

He was supposed to be here an hour ago, the sergeant thought. He checked all of the rooms in the old control station. Where the hell is he?

The sergeant wasn't the overexcitable type. When something went wrong, he simply fixed it, with a calm professionalism. He'd sent the corporal out a while ago, to retrieve the climate sensors and the little bit of field equipment that had been posted outside, but there was no sign of him. Just what I need. A man away from his post when the mission's winding down…-

He was about to check the monitors when he heard footsteps coming down the hall.

The major walked in. "Good news, Sergeant. All of the project's findings have been logged and processed, and every duty protocol has been completed. It's time to leave. The colonel's very pleased with the mission's success."

"That is good news, sir."

"Looking forward to getting back to the post?"

"Yes, sir."

"Get the collection and security gear ready to take out. I'll be securing the specimen data. We'll debark tonight."

"Yes, sir."

The major eyed him. "You seem… reserved, Sergeant. Is something wrong?"

The sergeant sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Yes, sir, it appears that there is."

"It appears…" The ranking officer looked around the room. "Where's the corporal?"

"I sent him out in the field earlier to take the climate sensors off-line. He should have returned by now."

"So he's away from his post without authorization, is what you're saying?"

"Yes, sir, at this point, I'd make that conclusion."

The major muttered something under his breath, then leaned over the security monitors. "He's not in any of the surveillance sectors. I know he was thoroughly screened before this assignment. Do you think he abandoned the mission?"

The sergeant was sweating now. "No, sir. I just can't see that. He knows that we'd find him."

"Does he have any abuse problems?"

"I don't think so, sir. Things like that are usually easy to detect on missions like these. But…"

"But what, Sergeant?" the major asked sternly.

"He may have a problem with unauthorized interaction."

The major went silent for several moments. "Don't mince words, Sergeant. You mean you think he's out there fucking one of the populace."

"I suppose it's possible, sir. Just based on some comments he's made."

The major shook his head, blank-faced. A blank face, the sergeant knew, was worse than a tirade from any other officer.

"If anything botches this mission, Sergeant, we'll all be ruined. The colonel won't stand for it. He'll be busy for a while so… let's suit up. We've got to find the corporal ourselves and get him back here."

"Yes, sir." But the sergeant groaned to himself. This was one of the worst things that could happen. – - -- – - – - – -

He grabbed his protective hood and mask, thinking of the corporal. I should've known. I'll kill him myself, if the major doesn't beat me to it.

(III)

Part of him felt gypped. These people here were obviously into some bizarre sexual shenanigans. The blonde was hanging on the tree, already naked.

All ready for me, the corporal thought.

He knew it was risky… but he also knew there was no way he'd end this mission before getting a piece of her. At least he wouldn't have to fight with her-she was hanging there for him, like a suit of clothes in a closet. Less time fooling around. I'll be able to get right to the goods…

But her nakedness did make him feel a little gypped. One thing he'd been looking forward to all this time was the thrill of ripping her clothes off.

Neither of them had seen him watching. The man was on his knees, getting to business. That's when the corporal stepped out and jacked him in the head with his service tool.

The blonde had seen him in that last second. The look in her eyes was delicious: pure horror. Yeah, the corporal thought. He liked that. She'd only had a second to scream when-

Clack!

The corporal jacked her out, too. She hung limp from the tree now. Had he killed her?

Who cares?

The corporal had to make this one quick, real quick. The sergeant thought he was out pulling in some field equipment, but the corporal had already done that. If I got caught out here, that would be it for me.

But this blonde was too much. Some things were worth the gamble…

There were other risks, too-the worms and ova, especially. But his field suit and hood would protect him. The thalate and ethylene fibers in the fabric would repel the worms like tear gas, at least that's what they'd been told. The corporal unzipped the front of the suit down to the crotch.

He degloved, too. He had to touch her.

Oh, man, this is some prize, he thought, kneading the plump breasts. His hands slid down her sides, reveling at the sensation of warm, damp, tight skin. He could stand only a few moments of this before he lifted her down and dropped her to the ground.

The rape was simple and precise. No frills. Too bad you won't be conscious for the best fuck of your life, he thought. He just climbed on and did it. One, two, three.

For some reason, it was always more satisfying when it was against their will.

Now you have something to remember me by.

She hadn't moved a muscle throughout. Again, he thought she might be dead, but then after he made a last grab on her breasts, he felt a heartbeat. The idea of killing her crossed his mind, but the corporal knew he didn't even have time for that. I better get back to the field station before the sarge gets wise. He zipped his suit back up and redonned his gloves.

Yes. The corporal really liked these field assignments.

He took a last look at the blonde, who lay crumpled and spread-legged, wrists lashed over her head.