Isolation

Chapter 48

"Right? End it now and ask questions later. That thing is a danger to everyone on the ship."

She checked her comm.

"The ship's long-range scanners still aren't finished? Geez, what's taking so long?"

"That's a lot of data to go through," Cassidy said. "And it's repeated to find a consistent pattern. If it scanned just once, it could find a single island on an ocean planet and call it habitable. Better safe than sorry."

"I guess."

Phil leaned down and put his tape away in his bag.

"That's everything," he said. "I'm going back with the crew."

"Thanks, Phil," Sara said.

"Sorry I gave you extra work," Cassidy apologized. "If I had thought about it, I would have done different."

"You did good, kid," he said. "No harm in trying to save people. I'm used to cleaning up messes, anyway. I used to be the janitor at the academy. This is nothing."

"I thought I recognized you," Cassidy said. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Not to be a creep, but I watched you go inside the academy after hours and on weekends. I kept you under the radar when teachers would show up. I know you were working hard in school."

"Oh! Well, thank you!"

"No problem. Well, I best go grab something to eat. I'm famished."

Phil picked up his bag and waddled away.

"I like him," Cassidy said. "I always wondered who left those snacks at the door for me."

"Must be your guardian angel."

"Heck yeah, dude. I might have died ages ago if it wasn't for that guy. He deserves a medal."

There was a shout. Cassidy and Sara shot up and ran toward the source of the noise. It was Phil. He was standing by the Frag Drive's containment chamber. He shook his arm. Sara could see something dark moving on his sleeve.

"That's it!" Sara shouted.

She ran forward and grabbed his arm. She dug her fingers into the creature. It burned her skin, but she ignored the pain this time. Cassidy grabbed her belt and helped her pull. Sara used her nails to keep a firm grip. The creature screamed, parts of it detaching from Phil's sleeve.

"It's working!" Sara said. "Keep pulling!"

More parts snapped off, whipping onto Sara. They pulled harder. In a snap, the creature came off. Everyone fell. Sara tried to hold it in her hands, but the creature had other ideas. It grabbed her face and coverd her mouth and nose. Her eyes were blinded by black. She tried to scream, but it was already going inside her mouth. She clawed at her face, but she couldn't get it off. Cassidy caught what was happening too late. The creature disappeared in her mouth.

"Sara!"

Cassidy grabbed her by the shoulders. She reached in to grab the creature. Sara's teeth bit down on her finger.

"Ow!"

Sara started convulsing, her bloodstream filling with the creature.

"Oh, no..."

Cassidy got up and helped Phil regain himself.

"What's happening to her?"

"The creature's got her," Cassidy said. "Oh, God..."

Sara stopped shaking. She turned her head, eyes bathed in black. She stood up on wobbly legs like she was walking for the first time.

"This is a good host," the voice that wasn't Sara's voice said.