Chapter 2

Two days later…

"Haven't quite gotten rid of the Sklaks I see." Megan watched Ted Riggins cast Megan a glance as he hefted the box of powder off the counter.

"Nope. Damned things are destroying my crop this year. I believe I found their nest on the west side of Mably Lake. Going to light up some fireworks tonight. Want to come and watch?" The old man smirked and gave Megan a wink. She remained stoic, not showing how even a wink from a harmless old man repulsed her.

"Thanks for the offer, but it would take a wink to get the stench out if a part of those things got on me.

Mr. Riggins laughed and flashed a courtesy wave as the sliding doors closed behind him.

"Marco feedin' time again, is it?" John Reese gave a pleased smile as he eyed Megan over his bifocals, which were perched precariously near the end of his nose.

"He does love your feed Mr. Reese." Megan looked at the rack of tools that were neatly organized on the wall behind the shopkeeper.

"I would also like one of those hatchets." Megan pointed to a small hatchet with its blade wrapped in a leather sheathe. Mr. Reese cast a concerned look.

"You wouldn't be looking to get some Wrick cane for your own are you? You know old man Jarvin would have a …"

"No, I am not going to steal any of Will's precious Wrick. Although everyone knows he could afford to lose a few stalks."

"Well apparently someone else thinks the same of his livestock. Came in here yesterday afternoon complaining of missing Jashuin as well as Dalton running off again."

"That dog probably got tired of working for him. I know I would."

Megan gripped the hatchet in her hand as she steered the small Jotun with the other. She looked back over Marco's feed, hoping it would stay put as picking it back up to place into the cart was not a chore she enjoyed.

Private Evans slammed his fist down on the Jashuin's head with a loud crack. The foul animal would not quench his craving, but at least the rest of it had shut the others up for a while. Around him the sounds of animals in agony sounded as infection forms found targets and latched on.

Combat forms attacked others not suitable for infection and tore them apart, each enjoying their own portion of the bounty.

Private Evans viewed them with restrained contempt.

Such mindless creatures.

Powerful in their own rights, but easily controlled and manipulated whenever a Gravemind is formed. Still, this was to his advantage. It would be easy to control them.

Private Evans was about to bite into the exposed brain matter when a muffled thump resonated under his feet. Looking to the west, he noticed a small stack of smoke rising against a reddening sky. A triumphant yell reverberated across the pond and through the thicket that hid the feast.

The heads of his rotting brethren stopped eating and looked in the smoke's direction. Private Evans snarled and threw down the Jashuin's head, letting them quickly know they would not be feasting on whatever was out there. This would be his bounty.

Ted watched one of the remaining Sklaks scurry from the large burrow and begin digging another. The rancher raised his shovel and brought it down behind the small creature's head, severing it. Its small hind legs continued attempting to push the animal into a hole.

Another one ran flaming past him and died on its way to the water's edge. The stink of dead animals was all around as pieces of the small mammals continued to rain down.

Satisfied, Ted looked at the field around him. Risen ridges crisscrossed the large field in front of him, tunnels the now-deceased Sklaks had once used to get to his crops. He slung the shovel over his shoulder and walked back to his Jotun.

Ted tightened the straps holding the individual sticks of Cycoline. The clamp ratcheted down slowly until the straps were taut. He paused for a moment when he heard movement behind him. He swung around quickly but saw nothing there. His eyes darted across the softly swaying grass and the moon-reflecting lake.

Another noise came from the other side of the Jotun. A quick grunt followed it and Ted took up his shovel in both hands. As he rounded the boxy front end he was met with Private Evans' staring eyes. The sight of the decaying form shot fear through the rancher as he stumbled backwards, trying not to lose footing.

Private Evans rose to his full height and began stalking Ted. The creature could smell the Ted's fear and contorted his face into a smile as a tooth fell out.

Ted steadied the shovel and then swung it forcefully. There was a satisfying pang as it connected with the monster's head, but to Ted's surprise did not knock it down. Instead the head was shifted into an odd angle. A broken neck.

Private Evans stopped and gripped his head, violently twisting it with a loud crack as it snapped back into place.

"What in the hell are you?" Ted looked, frustrated that it was blocking his only chance at escape. His age and knees prevented any chance of running.

Private Evans must have heard the noise at the same time, as both he and Ted looked to the former Sklak burrow as two more crawled out unharmed. Babies squealing for their mothers who were currently busy feeding fish.

Seeing a chance to strike, Ted lunged with the shovel, its point aiming for the monster's chest as it continued to look away. Surprise swept through his body as Private Evans moved out of the way with little effort and grabbed the shovel. The handle end of the shovel jammed hard into Ted's stomach as breath escaped him. He dropped down to hands and knees as he struggled for air.

Ted felt Private Evans grip his forehead with sharpened fingers. Immense pain surged through his body as his scalp was ripped open.

Ted screamed with all he had until Private Evans drove his other hand down into the man's exposed head, shattering his skull and driving its fragments into his brain. Private Evans retracted his hand from the man's head as Ted dropped lifelessly to the ground.

The flood form dipped his finger into the blood flowing freely from the man's head and licked it clean as saliva flowed freely from his mouth. Raring back Private Evans screamed into the night.

Megan dropped the bag of feed she was carrying to the shelf. The sound was like nothing she had ever heard before. It sounded far away, yet she could not have imagined hearing such a sound up close.

Deciding she needed to quickly finish what she was doing, Megan hefted the heavy sack and forced it up onto the shelving. She gripped the ax sheath that was now affixed to her side as her heart continued to race, and her mind tried to make sense of the sound.

Mably lake? Megan stood staring in the direction the sound had come from as a thought jolted her. "Mr. Riggins!" Suddenly fearing for the old man, Megan unlocked the trailer to head down to the lake, but turned around to see Travis standing in front of her.

"Just where are you going?"

"Not that it is any of your business, but I am going to the lake. Mr. Riggins wants me to help him get rid of some Sklaks."

"Mr. Riggins? I don't believe you need to be 'helping' Mr. Riggins with anything."

"I have to go Travis, just get out of my…" Travis grabbed Megan's arm tightly as she tried to walk past and pushed her up against the cold steel of the Jotun.

"I think you need to stay here and help me instead." His voice was cold as he ran his hand up her arm and grabbed her breast. He began kissing her neck as Megan pushed him away.

"Leave me alone Travis. I have had enough."

"So have I." Travis punched Megan across the face, knocking her to the ground. Megan placed a hand to her jaw tightly as it throbbed. She tasted blood.

Travis leaned down and took her chin gently in his hand. With a quick jerk he turned her to face him. "Now, I would be careful out in the fields if I were you. That Jashuin could have killed you hitting you like that. Accidents happen all the time Megan. Please see to it that you are extra careful next time, OK?"

Travis kissed her and stood. He hovered and quickly kicked Megan in the side. Pain coursed through her whole body as she curled up and clenched her side with her arms. It seemed like the pain would never stop, as each breath brought a new wave upon her. She heard gravel crunching as Travis walked away quickly.

Once the pain began to subside, Megan stood to her feet. She looked to her parent's house, wishing somehow they had seen the whole thing; that they would have rescued her from the pain she was in. Megan relaxed her arm from her aching side and felt it brush against the leather holster on her side. Looking down, Megan drew the hatchet from its sheathe and looked at her reflection.

Her cheek had already puffed up and was turning blue. Pain shot through her jaw and head as she rubbed it lightly. A tear washed over her swollen jaw as her hurt became something else. Megan looked past the reflection and rather to the deadly tool in her hand.

"Yes Travis, accidents do happen."

Travis stomped out into the field and rolled up a cigarette. That was one of the nice things about Livinia, the damned regulations on synthetic tobacco had never been enforced, and he was free to enjoy another vice. He took a drag and exhaled slowly as euphoria gripped his body.

How he loved to smoke.

Venturing out further into the field, Travis found himself surrounded by an endless array of stars. He didn't care about them though. He wanted Megan. Her body always felt so warm and soft as he had sex with her.

Such a nice little piece of ass.

Travis thought about going back to find her again when he heard a sound coming from a nearby thicket. Squinting, Travis looked into the foliage and noticed a Jashuin moving through it slowly.

Damned things are so stupid. Probably got itself stuck in there.

Travis rounded the side of the thicket and stared in bewilderment at the creature. Its sides bulged and it walked with an unsteady gait.

"Pregnant? How the hell can it be pregnant this time of year?" Travis rubbed his hand down its side. He felt movement.

"Well you look about ready to p…"

The Jashuin let out a shrieking yelp as its sides suddenly expanded beyond their limits and exploded. Blood and gore littered the scene as six small creatures began scampering along the ground toward Travis.

"What in the hell!?" Travis turned to run but was too late as the creatures launched themselves at him and landed on his back. A large spike shot into his spine and Travis screamed until suddenly he found he could no longer make any sound. Pain continued to course through his body as he felt tendrils traveling through his body. As they did Travis felt himself losing control of that part of his body.

Numbness began spreading throughout and he heard his flesh ripping and tearing as the infection form began to dig itself into his skin. There was a sudden shift in his thinking and sight, as his vision blurred and a hunger began to grow within him. Looking back to the remains of the Jashuin, Travis fell onto hands and knees and began to feast.