In the middle of the hunt

Chap 7.

With a shriek that sounded like a banshee, the black four legged monster leapt from its place and pounced on the larger alien. The two slammed through a solid stone bench, turning it to nothing but rubble. I scrambled from my seat and ran to Weyland as Lexa helped the dumbfounded Sebastian up.

"We have to go!"

I waved for them, pulling Weyland along. The two behemoths struggled on the floor, the room filled with shrieking. They vied for power, their strength evenly matched.

"Come on!"

I pushed Lexa and Sebastian forward as we raced to the end of the room and up some stairs.

"Keep moving!"

We raced up the stairs then up another set. Weyland was dragging his feet struggling to stand, to walk, to breathe. Sebastian ran over and grabbed the other side of him, holding his arms as we forced him to walk up another flight of stairs.

"What were those things?!"

Sebastian looked at me and Lexa and she shook her head.

"You tell me, your the pyramid expert!"

"I've got to stop, I've got to stop"

I grunted as Weyland let his legs buckle and we lowered him to the floor on the steps. I kneeled, grabbing his jacket I looked at him.

"We can't stop, we have to keep going!"

"Cass"

Lexa grabbed my hand and gently pulled it off Weyland. I looked at her and pulled away.

"Shit"

I stood, pacing on the step as Lexa kneeled by his side as he gasped for breath.

"Weyland, Weyland"

She grabbed his flailing arms as if he was trying to physically catch a breath.

"Look at me. Look at me"

Lexa turned him and he faced her, his skin was clammy with sweat and his lips a light blue as oxygen avoided him.

"You have to slow your breathing down. Slow, deep breaths"

Weyland gasped for air but followed her instructions, taking slower deeper breaths. I looked down at my rifle. It was bent at the barrel. There was no way I could use this.

"Shit!"

I cursed softly, tossing the gun to the side as I ran a hand through my hair. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. I unhooked the ice pick from my belt and looked down at it in my hand.

"Are you alright?"

I turned back to see Sebastian standing behind me.

"Yeah. Don't worry, we'll find a way out"

I smiled at him softly then looked forward. No we weren't. I sighed, then turned around. Especially if we didn't get moving right now.

"We need to go. Now"

"I can hardly stand"

Weyland looked at me, with that look. The look of a man who knew what had to be done.

"Weyland, come on"

Lexa pulled on his arm but he sat firm.

"I'm not going to let you die down here"

She gripped his arm and he smiled lightly.

"You didn't"

"There's another one!"

I looked down the stairs quickly and sure enough another one of those armoured warriors entered. I gripped my pickaxe tightly and looked back at them.

"Go, I'll by you as much time as I can"

Lexa looked up quickly at me and shook her head.

"What? No, no we're all getting out of here"

Lexa walked down the step and grabbed my arm tightly, frowning.

"You are"

We both looked to Weyland as he struggled to stand and he looked at me, straightening his back as much as he could to carry a directness.

"Get them out, Cassandra. That's your job"

I looked at Weyland softly. I knew it. He knew it. He was slowing us down. But I couldn't ask my boss, let alone another human, to stay behind and die. But I couldn't sacrifice the healthy for the sick either. I walked up to him and squeezed his shoulder softly.

"I'll do my best sir"

"What? No"

Lexa reached for Weyland and Sebastian grabbed her.

"Wait, Weyland!"

I pushed on Sebastian lightly and he started dragging the struggling Lexa up the stairs.

"Run!"

Weyland pulled out his own pickaxe and raised it with two hands. We started sprinting up the stairs, Lexa now running on her own. As I reached the top of the stairs I glanced back when I heard a whoosh. Weyland was kneeling, the monsters back to him. He held a can of something and a flare. The flame created by it was huge and went up the monsters back. It turned around once the flame was gone, unscathed. It extended its wrist blades and drove them into the older man. My heart twinged and I turned, running after Lexa and Sebastian. Sebastian's watched started beeping.

"Wait!"

He looked down at his watch then up at us. The ground beneath us started to move, sliding upwards.

"Go!"

I shoved them forward and they took off. The hallway ahead was small and the floor started to raise up.

"Go, go, go!"

Sebastian grabbed Lexa's leg and hoisted her up with a grunt. I pressed my back to the raising stop and pressed my hands together, Sebastian stepped into my grasp and I gave him a push up. I turned around, leaping I grabbed the edge of the sliding stone and lifted myself up. I saw Sebastian almost at the end but crawling on his stomach, the gap tiny and closing fast.

"Cassandra!"

I heard Lexa call for me and I sighed softly, dropping back down onto the floor. I would be crushed before I reached the end.

"Cassandra?!"

"No matter what keep going!"

I stepped back as the stone slammed shut with a crunch, cutting us off as Lexa called for me again. I turned around and ducked behind a statue as that hulking monster entered he room.