It was different with someone beside me. Only a few scant minutes ago, it had been the disaster of wandering in the dark that had made me terrified. The lack of contextual evidence had made the creature terrifying instead of pitiable. But now, it had been enlightened into a mere horror. but not for long … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 44)
Cassandra caught my eye and obligingly turned the light towards me so I could fumble with it. Then the com flipped open. “Gale,” Excelsior’s voice rumbled through the Mic. “Everything alright? We heard another awful noise.” “I’m with them,” Hands said, muffled. “Elevator’s gone. Looks like it was rigged to keep anyone who wasn’t staff … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 43)
Cassandra’s gun swept wide arcs through the dark corridors. “An entire research complex. Scary to think this was covered by just one bomb.” “It probably ate all the oxygen out of the air,” I said, following after her. “Or turned the air hot enough to burn everything else. I remember reading about a weapon that … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 42)
Cassandra’s shotgun was a gleaming black; military, polished, well oiled. Spoke of advanced contracts with defence companies that had fled America in the intervening years, as markets that needed more advanced support opened up in other countries. I couldn’t even recognize the model, and I’d gone through the same recognition courses as every other D-ranker. … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 41)
“Do you also dream of green Towassa?” It asked, from the ceiling, spreading wide the jaws and the teeth, long lines of mucus and saliva linking together each so that it glistened in the fading light. My sense of the air shifted as I stared at it with great legs, human, sprawled out like a … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 40)
My fingertips slapped against pipes, barely slowing my fall and my legs were struck by more of them, ricocheting off of armor and sending sparks to illuminate the inky darkness, and I hit the floor below with a clatter of limbs. Air gushed out of my open mouth, bringing foam with it, and frantically I … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 39)
My fingertips slapped against pipes, barely slowing my fall and my legs were struck by more of them, ricocheting off of armor and sending sparks to illuminate the inky darkness, and I hit the floor below with a clatter of limbs. Air gushed out of my open mouth, bringing foam with it, and frantically I … Read moreGale Rising (Part 39)
The morning past, and Hands showed up around the right time, radio playing in the SUV. Her smile was strained, and her uniform was still dirty. “Rough night?” “Mom wasn’t happy when I told her I was going back to Dauphin island,” Hands muttered. “Do we need to say anything about it?” Colton asked. Hands … Read moreGale Rising Chapter 38
I woke up in the middle of the night, eyes full of the Lost Boy, arms outstretched, hurtling down towards me, and I felt the impact of broken bones like sugar glass and tasted hot tar across my tongue, his hands covered in the face of a child and his eyes as dark and innocent … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 37)
“And now, we stretch,” the physical therapist said, leaning forward. Mary took a trembling step forward, then swallowed, her fists clenching, and agonizingly bent her spine into shape, and forced her leg into the position. Her balance was awful, but the line of muscle rimming her arms were taut as corded knots. “Hold,” The physical … Read moreGale Rising (Chapter 36)