Ben Hammott - Ice Rift

The Mimic swiped the blades at the nearest two. Blood sprayed their comrades and the corridor walls when the two Hunters’ heads parted from their bodies. Three rushed at her. A blade stroked across one’s stomach, leaving behind a rip that spilled intestines. Another died from the blade that passed straight through its body, a twist and a yank up severed vital organs. The third was stabbed in the eye to penetrate its brain. As their bodies collapsed to the floor in a bloody heap, the Mimic stepped back.

The three remaining creatures glanced at the dead bodies of their brethren. Though the urge to feast upon them was strong, they had to kill the attacker first. All knew how difficult that task would be. They communicated a plan with grunts and shrieks. They stepped over the piles of tempting flesh and spread out in a line. The middle creature shrieked before it leapt. Its claws stretched out to slash and kill. The remaining two went in low to body tackle the Mimic and knock her off balance.

The blade that swished through the air severed the leaping monster’s claws at the wrists. It howled in pain and watched the blood pump from its wounds. The Mimic dodged to the side, and as the creature sailed past, she held a blade so the creature’s momentum dragged its body along the tip. Its insides slurped out before it crashed to the ground. To avoid the two about to tackle her, she somersaulted into the air and stabbed the blades behind her. Both blades found their target. The wounded Hunters howled in pain and turned to face the Mimic for a second attack. The Mimic spun on landing and, in one fluid movement, stroked a blade across both their necks. Blood sprayed from the wounds. The Hunters clutched at their necks, fell to their knees and flopped to the ground. After a few spasms they were still.

After she had shaken the blood from the blades, they reformed into hands. The Mimic admired her handiwork and glanced at the door the humans hid behind. For the moment they were safe. She turned and walked away.

Jane had pressed the button to close the door each time a monster in the corridor had pressed one to open it. The door that juddered back and forth was constantly hammered upon, but suddenly, it all stopped. Jack voiced his confusion with a shrug. A few moments later they listened to the sounds reaching them through the door and wondered what was happening outside. Jack thought the monsters had turned on each other. When the fighting fell to silence, Jack waited a few moments and nodded to Jane to open the door.

With the ice axe raised for battle, Jack poked his head out and peered into the corridor. His eyes flicked over the bloody corpses before he stepped through the doorway. The others cautiously followed and took in the gruesome, but welcome sight.

“What in hell’s name could have done this?” blurted Theo.

“Who cares,” said Richard. “I’m just glad they did.”

Jack thought it strange the killer or killers hadn’t remained to feast on the dead. Whatever was responsible, they probably weren’t far away. He glanced along the corridor partly lit by the flashing blue light. He fished the headlight from a pocket and switched it on. “If you have lights, switch them on,” he whispered.

In all the excitement in the cavern, the sudden appearance of the monsters and their rush to escape the falling ice, Jane and Theo had left their flashlights in the cavern. Richard though, still had his headlight. He slipped it over his head and switched it on.

“What’s the plan now, Jack?” Jane asked softly.

“We still need to find Lucy. If she’s still in the room where we left her, she’ll be behind one of these doors.” He approached the nearest door and reached out for the door control, but halted when a door farther along the corridor rasped open. Jack raised the axe. Richard moved to the back of the group.

Lucy stepped into the corridor a little unsteadily with a hand clutched to her head. She staggered and fell against the control. The door slid shut.

“Lucy!” called out Jane. Relieved to see her friend alive, she rushed to help.

Lucy jumped at the voice and looked at the group groggily. “What happened?”

“You fell and struck your head and were knocked unconscious,” Jane explained.

“We couldn’t carry you, so we hid you in that room so we could escape from the monsters,” Jack added.

Lucy looked at Theo and Richard. “Where are the others?”

Jane held her shoulder gently. “They’re dead, the monsters got them.”

Lucy was shocked by the news. “That’s horrible.” She glanced each way along the corridor. “We should get off this ship before we’re all killed.”

“Yeah, I agree, but that’s no longer an option,” said Richard. “We’re stuck on this damn ship with the monsters now.”

Jane quickly explained about the collapsed ice blocking their only exit.

Lucy was devastated by the news. “Then how will we escape?”

Jack gave Lucy a smile as reassuring as he could muster. “That’s something we’re still working on.”

A tremor swept through the ship with such force they had to place hands against the walls to steady themselves.

“Oh, yeah, another thing is that the ice we and this ship are entombed in is about to be set adrift,” said Richard.

“At least it can’t get any worse,” said Theo, forcing a smile.

The door Jack had deactivated rasped open with an ominous squeal.

They turned to face the new threat.

Framed in the doorway was a small figure. Even though the bald, pale-skinned alien was only a yard tall, he had an aura of confidence normally attributed to a much larger and powerful being. A red cloak wrapped across a shoulder reached just below its waist. A brown jacket fashioned from an unknown animal and with extra flaps of black on the shoulders running down the arms to the elbow, stretched past the waist of the figure’s brown trousers. A grey tunic of a softer material could be seen beneath the jacket. A black belt with a silver buckle held a holster that snugly fit the small, strange weapon whose handle could be seen protruding from it. One of its four-fingered hands gripped the larger rifle-like weapon of dark silver and black metal resting casually on its shoulder. Its large mouth, currently formed in an amused smile, revealed blunt, white teeth. Its brown eyes scrutinized humans that stared back.

The Web monster dropped from the vent and followed the strong scent of blood. Its hungry eyes swept over the corpses littering the corridor. It would eat well. Smoke tainted with the odour of burnt flesh curled from the neat round holes in some of bodies. The Web creature’s eyes flicked to the small creature facing away from it. He might be the one responsible for the slaughter; he would have to be disposed of first. It would be an easy kill. It crept forward, screamed a blood-curdling shriek and sprung at the creature’s back.

Without registering any fear or concern—or turning its head—the small alien fired the weapon slung over its shoulder. A ball of bright orange light shot out. When the light struck the Web creature, it screeched in pain, shot backward and slammed into a support strut before flopping to the floor with its neck bent at an odd angle.

The small alien spoke. “If you want to live, follow me.” He turned and walked away.

Jane, Lucy, Theo and Jack, looked at each other.

Richard glanced under his jacket, Lucifer’s fur was orange, an indication the small alien probably wasn’t a threat.

Theo waved a hand at the dead monsters. “Do you suppose Tiny was responsible for this carnage?”

“He speaks English, that’s good enough for me,” said Richard.

“Jack, what do you think?” asked Jane.

The small alien reappeared in the doorway and sighed. “When I said follow me, I meant now!”