Chapter 10
Reunited
Michael carefully piloted his pod to the wreckage. He spotted Alexys waving her arms frantically. "I can see you," he chuckled. The pod slowly descended. His stomach grumbled; he realized he hadn't had any food or water since the crash. Adrenaline had been sustaining him. His mouth was parched, and his lips were starting to crack. After doing some digging, he found a water ration stowed in one of the pod's compartments. He popped the seal on the pouch and slowly sipped the water, being sure to save some for Alexys and Sammi.
The pod touched down near the wreckage, and Michael dashed out as quickly as possible, stumbling as his feat hit the uneven ground. Alexys let out a sigh of relief when she saw Michael running toward her.
"Sammi's alive but barely!" Alexys shouted at Michael as he approached.
"We'll get her to Harold, and he can fix her up," Michael said, hoisting Sammi's limp body over his shoulder. "Can you walk?" he asked.
"Not very far. My leg is numb."
"It's only about a hundred feet to the ship."
With great difficulty, Alexys stood up and made a mad dash for the ship's ramp. She collapsed on the cool metal floor. Somehow it soothed her. She felt Michael stumble past her and lay Sammi on the floor. He used the pod's one weapon to break her free. The escape pod lifted off the ground, and Alexys drifted off, her face resting on the cold metal.
"Alexys?" Tessa said, gently shaking her. Light entered her eyes but not the natural light of the sun. It was artificial light.
"Where?" she said drowsily, unable to finish her sentence.
"Inside Harold," Tessa responded.
"How's…." Alexys paused. "Sammi?"
"Sleeping. She should be fine," Michael said.
"What about the others?"
"We've located Julian, but Brian is either too far away or…" Tessa stopped. "Dead."
Brian slowly opened his eyes. There wasn't any more smoke, and he wasn't on fire anymore. The sun had set, and his clothes were soaked. Must've rained, he thought. There was no wind, yet the grass around him rustled.
A jagged bolt of lightning streaked through the sky, illuminating the terrifying beasts that approached. Brian noticed that his paralysis was only temporary, and he shakily stood up. Another bolt. He ran furiously away from the nightmarish creatures which soon pursued. They were faster than Brian had expected, but he was always bad at estimating things, considering how it was his fault that they had crashed on this planet, seventeen light-years short of their destination. He just hadn't bothered to tell anyone yet.
To be continued….