He turns and I see a row of spines like thorns jutting out of his skin. Each one is as thick as my thumb and just as long.
“I can’t climb on your back, you have spines.” The skin around them is red, but the blood is already crusted like the injury happened hours ago, not minutes.
He uses the end of his tail to feel for them. “Oh. Well, that explains the pain through my spine, Horn, or should I call you Michael?”
“I don’t know,” Michael says with a frown.
Tail gives me a look like he’s actually worried, before focusing on Michael. “You need to carry her until we find a place to stop for the night.”
Michael drops to one knee so I can get on his back. I wrap my arms around his thick neck and my legs around his waist, and then we are moving again.
This morning they’d wanted to move cautiously. But perhaps all they’d been looking for was the first fight, so they could gain extra strength before we faced bigger monsters. As my two monsters cover the ground far quicker than I could even at a sprint, I dread what will happen to them as we get closer to the center.
19
Julie/Prey
Iwake to the sounds of someone screaming for help. At first, I think I’m dreaming, until my grip loosens, and I almost fall from Michael’s back. He reaches around and grabs my ass with one hand and my wrist with another as he comes to a stop.
My eyes are gritty, and it takes a moment for the fog of sleep to clear and for me to put everything back together. By the time I realize what is going on, Michael is dropping to one knee, expecting me to climb off his back. I do, and I stumble. I’m not sure how long I’ve been on his back, or for how long I’ve been asleep, but my legs tingle as blood returns to my deadened limbs.
“What is it?”
Michael stands and turns his head, slowly scouring the desolate landscape. I hadn’t imagined the screaming if he is looking for something. He lifts his hand as though to silence me.
So I wait. The seconds sliding by.
Then I hear it again, a man crying and yelling.
Tail swishes back to us. “There’s a man stuck in a puddle. It’s a big one, and he has drawn a lot of attention. No one has made a move yet.”
It’s then I notice we are in a heavily puddled area. Some bubble, and some are icy, and some have the bones of the dead sticking out of them as a warning. This area is more puddle than dirt. “Why are there so many?”
Tail shrugs and his bony frill lifts and lowers. “Many people arrive here. The lucky ones arrive further out where you did.”
Lucky because the monsters are smaller and friendlier?
I scan the puddles, searching for the man. At first, all I see is the gathering of monsters on the edge of the puddle, which is more of a large pond. I scan the surface of the pond, wondering if, like me, he is close to drowning. Then I see him, chest deep in the water. His dirty blond hair, never styled or brushed like it used to be, is far too familiar.
Bret.
“What is he doing here?” I take a few steps toward my ex before Michael’s hand wraps around my arm to stop me.
“Who is he?” Michael grumbles.
“My ex. The man who stole the necklace that protected me.” He’s the reason I am here. The reason that Michael and Tail are taking me to the center. The reason they are risking more changes and even death.
I push down on the anger that wants to erupt. Just this once, it would feel so good to release it. I want to tear free of Michael’s grip and tell Bret exactly what I think of him.
“Him?” Tail snaps. “He’s pathetic.”
So was I. I see that now. Always cowering because I was so afraid of what might happen. Now the worst has happened and here I am. I am stronger and smarter than Bret will ever be. I take another step forward and Michael lets me go.
The monsters on the other side of the lake watch. I don’t get close to the water even though my throat is dry, and I want to drink, but I’m close enough that Bret can see it’s me.
I point my finger at him. “You stole my necklace.”
“Julie? Is that really you?”