Part 5
They made it to the top of the hill before the pack of caterpillars erupted from the cave. They seemed slow and confused, unsure which direction their quarry had gone. Kylie dropped to the ground to keep watch as Burt went to the truck.
"I've got just the thing," Burt announced, jumping in the back to dig through his supplies. "Keep them occupied while I set it up."
"They spotted us, I think," Kylie called, turning to Burt uncertainly. "Some of them are coming this way."
"Shoot any that get too close," Burt said, working quickly.
"They're too close now," Kylie complained, getting to her feet and taking aim.
"Then shoot!"
Kylie fired. The lead caterpillar slowed down, and others nearby stopped to investigate. This didn't take long, however, and they continued toward the truck. She fired again, then twice more, then they started swarming toward her. "That was a great idea," she muttered. Kylie shot another one, which didn't stop it, and had to shoot it again. "Burt! she shouted.
"Just a minute!"
Kylie fired again. Then again.
Burt glanced up. "Put it on full auto!"
"You said I'm not ready for full auto yet!" she wailed.
"You just graduated!"
Kylie turned the selector and pulled the trigger. The muzzle flew up, but she dragged it down toward the caterpillars.
"Hold on to it!" Burt shouted.
"I'm trying!" she shot back, firing again. "There are too many of them! Burt, I can't do this!" She paused to pop out one magazine and shove another one in.
"Yes, you can!" He insisted. "Just hold them off a few more minutes!"
Kylie growled her frustration but kept firing. Even when four more of the creatures piled over their dead and rolled toward her, she kept firing. When the last of them were less than ten feet away and Kylie needed to reload, Burt took a stance in front of her and turned a dial on the flamethrower he'd finally assembled.
Burt pulled the trigger and a burst of flame shot from the end of the tube, engulfing the creature. It reared up, screaming and writhing in agony, shooting burning green slime and flames in every direction. Burt dove at Kylie, knocking her to the ground and covering her body protectively with his own. The beast's fight didn't last long, though, and with a final stream of slime, it crashed to the ground.
Burt sprang to his feet and reached down for Kylie. He kept her hand after helping her to her feet, and pulled her around the burning creature when she would have remained rooted in place, staring.
"We need to hurry," Burt said, picking up the olive green backpack he'd dropped at his feet when he started the flamethrower. He helped her shrug into it then started toward the cave, pulling her along. "They might be due for another wave of traffic, and we want to be in and back out of the cave before they get here."
"I could wait outside if it will speed things up..."
"Negative," Burt began. "I'll need your help to plant some charges."
"Charges?" Kylie echoed, almost running to keep up with Burt's much longer stride.
"Explosives," Burt explained shortly. "C-4. They're in the pack you're wearing."
"I'm wearing bombs?" Kylie squeaked. She tried to stop in her tracks, but Burt pulled her mercilessly along. "Burt! I'm gonna blow up here! Slow down!"
He spared her one quick glance but didn't slow. "You won't blow up. I've got the detonators here." He indicated the pack he wore strapped to his waist. "We'll set charges at the entrance to the big cavern and a few more strategic locations to bury the young ones. I'll burn the eggs, then pick off the bigger ones as they return to base. I'll need you to guard my back while I do this." He glanced at Kylie again. "All right?"
She nodded. "Sure, you know me. Always game for a good time..." She gave a fleeting glance over her shoulder to the backpack she wore. "Just tell me what to do and I'll..." They reached the cavern and Burt slowed at last, scanning for any activity inside before they entered. "...follow you into the gates of hell, apparently," Kylie finished on a whisper. "As long as you lead the way."
"Good girl!" Burt murmured.
"Stay put and keep watch," Burt ordered in a whisper as he turned Kylie away from him and started digging in the backpack she wore.
Kylie turned her head this way and that, panning the light from her headlamp in every possible direction a caterpillar creature could approach. She nervously fingered the M-16 that hung from her left shoulder and bounced against her hip. Burt's HKG41 rifle she held ready. They'd gotten to the back of the cave without being attacked, and she hoped their luck would hold long enough for them to get back out.
She heard Burt cross the cave and fought the urge to follow. She wanted more than anything just then to sidle up next to him and let him hold her in his arms. but he'd told her to stay put, so she did. She made another quick scan of the cavern, then turned back to watch Burt.
He tore off a piece of what looked like the clay Nancy used from the block he held and pressed it into a crevice in the rock wall. Then he took a dart-like implement and inserted it into the clay. After a quick glance around, he moved to a spot further along the wall and repeated the process.
Kylie heard some rustling from behind her and spun, raising Burt's HKG41 to her shoulder. She aimed, pivoting at the waist to keep the rifle and the light from her headlamp aligned. When she found nothing moving, she shaded her light and crept to the cavern entrance to peer over the boulders concealing the activity below.
When Burt and Kylie had reached this section of the cavern, the creatures were quiet, in an almost dormant stage. Burt suggested they might be in a sleep phase, or perhaps some kind of food coma like the assblasters went into. Whatever it was, it was at an end. The creatures were beginning to stir.
"Burt!" she hissed. His light snapped toward her. "They're waking up!" His light bobbed as he nodded, then turned back to his work.
Soon, he was coming toward her. He spun her around when he reached her and dug in her pack again. He got out what he needed and zipped it back up. She turned to him and watched as he broke the block of clay in two and molded both into round balls before he stuck a dart in each. "Watch how you handle the detonator," he said, indicating the dart, then handed her one of the balls. He took her arm and pulled her toward the cavern entrance.
They turned off their headlamps and looked at the scene over the boulders. The creatures were definitely starting to stir. A few of them looked like they were making their way over their fellows toward the entrance.
"We need to throw these as far as possible toward the other side of the cavern," Burt told her. "Think you can do that?" She nodded. "Try to get as close to the wall as you can. Throw it then run like hell toward the entrance. I want to set two more charges before we get out of here."
"Are these going to blow up when they hit?"
Burt half nodded and half shook his head. "The C-4 is stable, but the detonators can be sensitive. If they hit just right, we could be in trouble."
Kylie stared at him.
"Throw and run," he repeated. "Ready?"
Kylie shook her head. "Yes." She got ready to throw.
"I'll take the left, you take the right. On three. One...two...three!"
Kylie felt Burt throw as she wound back and lobbed her own explosive into the cavern. She ran into the darkness, in too much of a hurry to fumble for her headlamp. She followed Burt's bobbing light, trusting him to warn her of any obstacles.
Burt skidded to a stop around the next bend in the cave and Kylie ran into him, nearly knocking him down. He caught and steadied her, but didn't pause long. Once she stood on her own, Burt reached behind her and got another block of C-4 from the backpack while she turned on her headlamp by feel. He tore it in two and handed her half, then gave her a detonator. "Pack the C-4 into a crack near the floor," he instructed, "then insert a detonator."
Kylie nodded and turned, already looking for a likely crevice, when Burt took her arm.
"Gently insert the detonator," he clarified, "after the C-4 is in the crack."
Kylie nodded again. "Got it." She turned and knelt, pressing the explosive gingerly into the hole she found. "Thanks Burt," she muttered. "I wasn't scared until you said that..." When the C-4 was as far into the hole as she could get it, she took the detonator, made a quick request of her Goddess, and set the detonator against it. She closed her eyes and slid it in. Then let out the breath she hadn't been aware of holding when she didn't blow up.
She stood and half turned just as Burt skidded into her. "Shhh!" he hissed, flicking off her headlamp. He herded her quietly around the corner and took his rifle from her.
That's when Kylie heard them. The rustling that signified the caterpillar's progress through the cave. The creepy rippling squeal an undertone to their movement. They were returning and she and Burt didn't have a handy alcove to hide in this time. She stood close behind Burt and wrapped an arm around his waist, burying her face in his back. His hand came up to pat hers reassuringly then rested there while they waited, hardly daring to breathe, for the caterpillars to pass.
There couldn't have been more than two or three of them, by the sound they made. They were nearly past their position when something in the sound of their progress... changed.
Suddenly Burt's hand patted hers urgently and he broke away from her. She saw the muzzle flash as his rifle took out the first one. She flipped on her light in time to see the second creature climb over the one Burt had killed and scramble toward them. She plastered herself against the cave wall when the second one started spitting before Burt could kill it.
As suddenly as it began, the cave was silent again, save for the fitful struggles of one of the dying creatures.
Burt thrust his rifle at her. "Reload!" He took her M-16 and hurried toward the entrance.
Kylie trudged after him, reloading his rifle as she walked, alert for any more telltale shuffling. The ones in the back had to have heard Burt's shots. They'd be coming all too soon.
Once they reached the entrance chamber, Burt pulled something from the backpack and hung it over Kylie's neck. "This is the radio detonator," he explained. "Flip these up," he pointed to the two covers, "and flip the two switches underneath simultaneously." He held her shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Think you can do that?"
She nodded, reaching for the two covers.
He pulled the radio detonator out of her hands. "After we get out of the cave."
"Heh." She gave him a weak smile.
"I want you to go wait on the hill and keep watch while I finish up," he said, pulling the flamethrower's nozzle from the tank at his back.
"Why don't we just toss a few more bombs around?" Kylie asked.
"I'm not sure we'll get all the eggs that way," Burt explained. He turned and started flaming the eggs and Kylie started for the entrance.
She didn't get far before a shadow darkened the cave. "Burt!" she screamed over the roar of the flamethrower.
He turned, but didn't stop flaming. "Shoot it!" He started backing toward her, flaming the walls as he went.
She fired, dodging the caterpillar's green spit, then detoured around its body for the opening. She paused, snaking a look around before going out into the fading light.
Her caution proved necessary as two more of the caterpillars approached the cave, both carrying dead sheep. "Burt! They're coming!" she shouted, and opened fire on the two nearing the cave.
Burt was having problems of his own. The caterpillars from inside the cave were leaving and they'd finally reached his position. He turned from the eggs and used the flamethrowers on them. One reared back and shot the green slime at him. He staggered back, but some sprayed into his leg. The burning started immediately. He pointed the flamethrower's nozzle into the creature's face, engulfing the creature in fire.
He turned and staggered toward Kylie, ripping the pack at his waist off and swabbing off as much of the green slime off as he could. He paused, briefly, to shoot a wall of flame at the clump of eggs nearest the opening.
Then Kylie was at his side. "We've got to go!" she shouted. "Now! There's more coming."
"My leg," Burt grunted out, turning off the flamethrower and hooking the nozzle to the tank. He reached into Kylie's backpack while she bent to examine his leg and got the last of the C-4 out. He molded it into the nearest wall and plunged the last detonator into it. "Let's go." He took his rifle from Kylie after she reloaded it and fired at the caterpillar coming through the entrance. It wavered and reared back, then fell over the other caterpillar across the opening, dead.
Using the bodies for cover, they scanned the area. There were three more coming, carrying animals. "I think we can make it," Burt shouted, and started running.
Or tried. His leg was on fire. He saw the slime had eaten away at his pants, revealing the angry red skin underneath.
Kylie ducked under his arm and took some of his weight. He switched his rifle to the other hand and tucked the stock underneath his arm. It would have to do. He clutched Kylie's shoulder and they ran, awkwardly, Kylie doing her best to support him as they went. The three incoming caterpillars didn't seem to notice them and kept heading toward the cave. Kylie lifted her rifle.
"No!" Burt hissed. "Let them get in the cave--the explosives will take care of them!"
Staggering up the hill toward the power wagon, Burt kept watch over his shoulder. He stopped and sank to the ground at the top of the hill, taking Kylie with him. He waited for the three to climb over the bodies of their fellows and enter the cave. "Now!" he shouted. "The radio detonator!"
Kylie grabbed the box around her neck and flipped up the two covers. After one quick glance to Burt, who nodded, she flipped both switches.
Immediately, they heard a great rolling boom from inside the cave and the sky above them was filled with debris. Burt threw himself down but watched Kylie fly back from the blast. He crawled to her and covered her, shielding her from falling rock and body parts.
When the torrent slackened, Burt struggled to his knees, rifle at the ready, searching for any caterpillars trying to escape the cave. Fire from the explosion lit the approaching darkness.
Suddenly Burt heard a loud thrumming noise over the crackling of the flames. He started to turn his rifle, but it was too late. It was on him.
A huge moth, almost as tall as he was, took him from the side. He was on the ground, struggling, trying to hold it off, using the rifle. Both wings and feet beat against him, attempting to hold him and keep him from escaping. It had a long, tube-like proboscis, just as the caterpillars did, and extended it toward him, trying for his face. Burt twisted his face to one side, then the other, but it was a loosing battle. The thing was just too fast to avoid. The tube smashed him in the face, breaking the skin, but Burt thrashed to the side, breaking free. Then it got its two foreclaws around his head, and Burt saw it rear back for the strike.
There was loud report and the moth jerked. Another, and it crumpled, wings still half-heartedly beating the air. Burt scrambled away as it fell, in time to catch sight of Kylie just lowering the rifle from her shoulder. She was pale and wide-eyed. He crawled toward her as she started to sway.
Kylie sank to the ground and clambered toward Burt, kneeling next to him, then pulling one leg into his lap as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. They clung tightly to each other as they both stared at the moth, gasping.
Kylie turned to Burt, opening her mouth twice before she could finally speak. "I'll never be able to watch Mothra again..."