Death Walk (standard:science fiction, 1161 words)
Author: pjlawton	Added: Nov 24 2003	Views/Reads: 3133/2207	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A transport crashes on a remote planet. The crew must walk over 200 kilometers through very hostile territory. Will they make it?

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story


He covered another 10 kilometers that day. Twice more he fought off
light Gorlot attacks. He now had only two charges left for his blaster. 
He had better get to TerraDome soon. As darkness fell he found a small 
cave with just enough room to hide. He piled up some boulders in the 
entrance and settled down. He knew it was going to be a long night. 

He wasn't attacked during the night but several times he heard movement.
Scarier than the movement was the low rumbling growls made by the 
waiting Gorlots. He decided then that he would not be taken alive. He 
would save at least one blaster shot. 

*** 

As he came out of the low hills he could see a glint in the distance. It
had to be the bright sunlight shining off the dome. He was getting 
closer but he had almost been caught napping this morning. He had 
awakened just in time to kill several charging Gorlots. That had been 
several hours ago. He was now down to one last blaster charge. Only 10 
kilometers to go. 

He could definitely make out the outlines of the dome now. It was
painted with a gold paint that reflected the light and heat. Like the 
old see-through mirrors, people could see out but no one or better yet 
no thing could see in. He stopped for a moment to drink the last of his 
water. That was okay, there would have plenty more soon. Only four 
kilometers to go. 

Something wasn't right. He should be seeing all sorts of activity now.
There ought to be miners and security forces coming and going for the 
mining operation ran 24 hours per day. A large knot of dread and fear 
started to build in the pit of his stomach. Only one kilometer to go. 

The sickly sweet stench of death overwhelmed his senses as he stepped
through the open gate. He came to a dead stop giving his eyes time to 
slowly adjust to the dimness. It looked like the inside of a 
slaughterhouse. Human body parts and dead Gorlots were strewn 
everywhere. Somehow the beasts had gotten inside. The inhabitants had 
fought hard but hadn't had a chance, there were just too may Gorlots. 

In an instant snarling howling Gorlots appeared from every direction. He
pulled his blaster and fired and fired until his last charge cell was 
exhausted. He simply stood there staring at the large pile of blaster 
burned Gorlot bodies for the gruesome scene all around numbed his mind. 
 Although he knew his fate was sealed he still shivered when a low 
throaty growl came from directly behind him. The Gorlots were slowing 
moving in. 

An overwhelming sorrow engulfed him as he thought of the last few days,
the loss of his crew and hardships that had been endured. He smiled a 
small sad smile as he glanced at his now useless blaster and realized 
that he hadn't saved that last shot after all. 

End 

Pjlawton1@yahoo.com 


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