NOVEL NEXT 36) Boom box
36) Boom box
At first, it was just one or two of them down at the bottom of the ramp, then a few more.
But even as the first of them began slinking forward on all fours, eyes fixated on mine, I could see that there were others holding back around the corners to either side.
“Dammit. They're learning.”
They had bum rushed me last time and ran right into the other five coming in behind me. Then they rushed after them as they ran away with my old butt tossed into my cart, and got caught in a crossfire from the army guys as they came out.
This time they were sending only a couple at a time after me to see what would happen.
Well, what was going to happen was me finding out if a shotgun and a coyote were enough for me to handle what was heading my way, or I was going to run right back out the exit and let the army guys deal with anything that chased me out.
I put the putter back into my storage space, and picked up the shotgun from where I had set it across the top of the cart with the barrel pointed to the left away from where Wilyna tended to slink along beside me.
My head was a little clearer this time, since I remembered that there was a round already in the chamber, and didn't pull back the clickety clack part and send the shell flying off to land on Wilyna’s head by pumping another shell into place.
The creatures wouldn't have the cultural context to recognize it as a way of warning them I was dangerous, but they did somehow have enough experience to know that pointing the shotgun at them meant that I was about to unload on them as the four of them that had started coming up the ramp began to charge at me.
"Stay!" I shouted as I stepped to the left of my cart opposite from Wylina figuring that I should at least try not to hit her, and began shooting as fast as I could.
The first one up the ramp took a full round of buckshot in its face and got flipped over backwards, as I tilted the shotgun while I pumped the next round in. Noticing in passing that with the stock braced firmly against my shoulder it didn’t hurt shooting it as badly this time.
I mean, I was going to need an ice pack after this, and I was going to have trouble sleeping on that side even with pain pills, but the shock of the gun jerking back into me wasn’t rocking my whole body this time.
The next one was nearly at my feet and getting ready to jump by the time I pumped and aimed the shotgun. I saw a flash of brown fur out of the corner of my eye leaping at the one going for Wylina on the other side of the cart as my next shot, this time braced against my hip, took the head off the one in front of me.
Readying the next shot I saw the fourth one jump forward to the right side of the cart as Wylina yelped in pain.
"No…" I stepped forward sweeping the shotgun around in front of me, hoping I had a shot… and slipped in the bloody mess left on the floor from the one I had just blown apart, ending up landing flat on my ass just below it on the ramp.
As I lifted my head, I could see the ones that had been waiting below to either side merging together as they began to race up in one big bunch.
Turning my head, I could see another one turning from where it had been trying to tear into Wylina to lunge at me, before falling face down on the ground with me just of its reach as my coyote clamped her jaws around its foot even as the first one she had jumped on was clawing at her belly.
Too close, I could use the shotgun, it’s too close to get the end of the barrel between me and it. The revolver? I twisted my belly over and away from the Lasher as it reached for me with its hooked claws.
The shotgun had been dropped when I fell, I didn’t know where it had gone. So, pull the gun, thumb the safety, push my hand past its claws as one of its hands closes on my arm and the claws dig in, then pull the trigger…
A bang, followed by two more as I put shot after shot into its face.
I glanced at Wylina as she let go of the foot of the one who had come after me and rolled to her back she twisted around to deal with the one with a bleeding shoulder that had clawed up her belly with crisscrossing bloody lines dug into her.
Rolling over, I got my feet under me onto some part of the ground that gave me enough traction to push myself up as the gun in my hand went off on its own. I used that hand to stand up and the shock of it going off by accident nearly made me fall over again.
I can hear the Imps behind me as I pull myself halfway up the side of the cart, and grab that one ring…
Wylina, is she clear?
Turning my head, I can see bits of the bloodshot whites of the lead Lasher's narrowed eyes as it lifts its claws hands to catch me after it leaps.
No time to check. Sorry girl… I pull the ring to my right, toward the back of the cart.
There is a sound and something, the cart, slams into my chest and lifts me nearly to my feet before it throws me back into the air.
Everything is silent and is moving in slow motion as the cart tumbles in the air and begins to topple over on its side towards me.
The green cases spill free of the cart and my back hits something hard and narrow. Right in the kidneys.
There is pain, but my stats are so high now, from the +2 for being all alone, that I don’t get to pass out.
Instead, everything speeds up, as my back bends over backwards against the guard rail before I drop and hit the floor, the cart lands on one of my feet, and I see my coyote running out of the dungeon, wide eyed and with her tail between her legs.
“Clever girl…”
I watch her leave, then look down the ramp.
It’s a mess.
There is blood and some more solid bits on the ceiling, and the walls. The bits on the floor are thicker and heavier in clumps of orange and red. Some of it falls from the ceiling, and other chunks are beginning to slowly slide down the ramp in bits and pieces that catch in some spots and start other… parts, into motion.
Then some of those parts start to rise up to their feet.
...that’s bad. That’s very bad.
I tried to lean over to my side, to start to push myself up with my left hand, but my back let me know that wasn't going to happen, I tried to brace myself with my right hand and I heard metal hit cement.
Oh, I still got the gun, with… two bullets in it?
I turn my head again and see several bloody broken Imps working their way to their feet and hands, and one already in motion, and another, and the one Wylina had bitten is even closer and looks like the bomb missed it, but it is beating its one good hand against it left ear with its eyes closed.
It can wait, I aim the revolver at the one on its feet heading towards me and fire.
It’s covered in so much blood I don’t know where that first shot hit, but the creature almost falls as it twitches, which makes it hold still long enough that my last shot hits it in the chest with a splurt of thick orange blood.
It falls back and opens its mouth in a silent scream.
There are still loose bullets in my pocket… I set the gun down in my lap as I pull out a handful, Some fall out from between my fingers as I spill what’s left into where my hoodie is pooled up below my gut and begin working them into the gun.
Work the gun to flip the cylinder open, stuff the bullets in the hole, rounded end first dumbass…
Turn the round part to get to all the holes, close the cylinder, check the safety, then turn the gun on the first of the Imps which haven’t wasted any time crawling their way up the ramp over their own dead to get close enough it reaching out to sink it’s claws into my leg as it used me as an anchor to pull itself closer.
I grit my teeth at the new pain as I hold the gun in both hands to make sure that I don't miss and waste another bullet.
One shot to its head. Then another into the arm of the next one along. It doesn't kill it but it does slow it down. Two shots into the next one that only seems to be missing its eyes.
The first shot misses as it lurches to one side, and the next catches it in the neck.
I take a moment to pull the claws out of my leg by grabbing the limp arm of the one that reached me. I notice the deep slashes in my leg are filled with blood pooling up in the open holes, but it doesn't spill out.
Stabilization. Thanks… Foraker? Was that her name?
Another two shots, one of which hits and I see the cart move.
Wylina Is back and pulling it away from my leg. She gives me a glance as she pants, then takes a step forward, ready to guard me even as she trembles in pain.
Poor girl is probably whimpering. Good thing I don’t have to listen to it.
Dammit. She ran out all cut up, then came back. I know it hasn't been an hour yet, but where is everyone?
I take the chance to reload as Wylina glances at me again and again. Another one gets close enough that she has to dash forward to grab its arm and shake it before I press the gun against the side of its head as I hold it down with one hand and finish it off.
Another four shots, and then nothing else seems to be moving anywhere on the ramp.
I beckon Wylina over to me and get her to lie down as I channel warmth into the wounds on her belly.
She’s a young mom… living in pain isn’t something she’s used to yet. And you take care of the ones who depend on you before you take care of yourself.
...Which is why I’ve tried to avoid having anyone depend on me all this time. Isn’t it?
...Not the time or place Intuition.