Fear me, Love me

Message for Rabbit

The plane's engines rumbled. Hannah stood at the open door, gripping onto the hold above her head and stared down at the land below. The wind whipped at her raven black hair and the strands flew out around her head in an inky wave beating against her shoulder blades. She turned to face the armed soldiers all looking to her.

"Give them hell!" They cheered. She called to the pilot. "Ready when you are!"

A loud roar made Chaga snap his head up. He stared up at the expanse of blue sky. The air seemed to tremble and Chaga peered harder. Suddenly a flash of purple tore across the sky and a high shriek made him fall to his knees. A fighter plane materialised above his head - and then another and another. Soldiers descended from the sky like angels.

The slavers shrieked and a siren blared across the site. The ground trembled as demons flooded from the underground barracks and spread out over the building site. Gunfire erupted and Chaga got to his feet and ran. A slave ahead of him was shrieking hysterically and Chaga rugby tackled the woman behind a wall. He kept their bodies close to the bricks and looked up - his eyes bright with excitement.

Hannah landed easily on the ground - the stone cracking beneath her feet. Around her soldiers glided down on parachutes of white silk. Demons took off - their fleshy wings slapping the humid air as they made for the planes that were letting rip machine gun fire. Hannah leapt - intercepting as many as she could. Her fist sending them crashing back down to earth. She glared up at the tower - a mighty obsidian fist punching the heavens. Today Wabyt would learn that humanity was not yet defeated.

A plane landed. Soliders spilled out and called over the slaves. Chaga's heart pounded in his chest. It was a rescue mission. He looked down at the woman clutching his ankles and yanked her to her feet.

"STAY CLOSE!" He bellowed over the noise of the choppers blades.

Hannah was encircled by snarling demons. Her dark, bewitching eyes blazed as she scanned their numbers. Behind her one of the planes burst into flames, black smoke billowing from its rapidly descending tail. A wave of heat rolled over them and Hannah stepped to the side just as one the engines crashed down to the earth, crushing two demons to pulp beneath it.

Heat scorched Chaga's cheeks as he ran toward the allied planes. Bullets ricocheted in every direction and he ducked behind a crumbling wall. He looked around them and spotted a cluster of people ducked behind some tarpaulin. A bullet brushed against Chaga's ear and embedded into the brick centimetres from his skull. He ducked down, protectively shielding his companions head.

Demons were firing at the soldiers parachutes - cutting down their numbers before they'd even touched down on the ground. He made eye contact with one of the huddling slaves. "Follow me!" He commanded. They looked terrified and shook their heads. "There are planes to take us out of here. It's your one chance at freedom. Now come!" They nodded. He took the lead - darting small distances at a time - signalling for them to follow - scanning the area. The resistance were outnumbered - badly.

Hannah punched a demon in the snout, sending it skidding in a dust cloud. She turned and blocked her face as a demon slashed at her with grim talons. Her wounded arm healed, only a smear of blood on her wrist remaining, and Hannah kicked the creature in the gut- throwing it high into the air.

They made it to the soldiers. Chaga helped everyone onto the plane.

"YOU TOO!" He shook his head - gesturing for a gun.

"I CAN FIGHT!" The solider assessed him - taking in Chaga's burly build. He nodded and handed over a rifle. Chaga turned and reassessed how the fight was going. A demon fired from the air down at him. Chaga cried out as a bullet crazed his shoulder. "Son of a -" he fired up at it. The bullet embedded into its skull right between the horns and the creature plummeted.

Chaga ran toward one of the demon bunkers and ducked behind a pillar. Demons were flooding out of their underground entrance. Gritting his teeth he darted out and opened fire. Demons fell in a heap - blocking the entrance. Chaga caught movement in his peripheral vision and spun just in time to catch a demon that had snuck up behind him. It slumped but its wings caught on wiring, stopping it from falling to the ground and leaving its limp body suspended.

Demons charged at him. He fired at one but didn't have enough time for the two swiftly charging after it. Grunting with effort he brought up his rifle to block his face - shoving the demon back - giving him enough time to smack the next demon in the stomach with the stock. The metal was hot, singeing his damp palms. The demons continued to come at him like a tidal wave. He ducked down and rolled - managing to get behind them and gain enough space to open fire once more.

Suddenly Chaga was seized from behind, the talons of a demon yanking him briefly into the air and slamming him against the wall. He grunted in pain and the rifle slipped from his grasp. The clicking of the slavers sent shivers down his spine and flash of fear briefly paralysed his movements. The slaver struck him from behind - slamming his head against the wall. He felt warm blood trickling down his forehead. Growling in anger he pushed off from the wall and raked the creature with his nails. A claw bit painfully into his waist and Chaga kicked his legs up - catching the creature in the chin and sending it sprawling backwards.

He grabbed his gun but the firm grip of a demon encircled him, pinning his arms to his sides so that he could only fire uselessly at the ground. He felt the demons clammy flesh against his back and gagged in disgust. Fear gripped him, making Chaga scrunch his eyes shut as he writhed and thrashed against the punishing hold that was slowly crushing his ribcage. Sudden gunfire erupted around them. Chaga was flung to the ground. He looked up, groaning as his ribs protested, soldiers stood over him looking glorious in the sunshine. One leant down and helped Chaga to his feet, offering him support as they ran back toward the plane.

Hannah growled as she sent another wave of demons plummeting to the ground. One of the planes flew close by her. Dust billowed up around her and her jacket flapped in the breeze - her top riding up to expose the bottom of her ribcage peeking out through her painfully thin stomach.

"IT'S TIME!" A soldier bellowed over to her. Hannah looked around them. All the planes were in the air - they'd rescued as many as they could. Hannah nodded. She ran with incredible speed, her body melting with the wind, heading for the tower. The walls were under construction. Hannah clambered up the scaffolding, her breathing steadily becoming more laboured. Demons flapped around her, clawing at her arms and legs. Talons dug in painfully and Hannah could feel the trickles of blood soaking her socks. She hissed in pain. Suddenly the creature shrieked and let go. Hannah looked around her. She thought she saw movement to her left - a whisper from the shadows - but peering harder she saw nothing.

Sweat coated her brow when she reached the top. Looking down - the ground was dizzyingly far below her. The scaffolding swayed unsteadily and Hannah's heart pounded in her chest. Moving quickly with trembling hands she pulled off her rucksack and unzipped its contents. The machinery inside was bleeping. She switched the dial and straightened - leaving the backpack in place. A message for Wabyt - who so complacently thought that she ruled the earth.

A plane hovered overhead. The doors were open and a soldier hung out of it, his hand outstretched for her. "KEEPER!" Hannah bent her knees and leapt into the air. She soared, her hair billowing out around her and caught the soldier's strong grip. Hands came to her aid, pulling her into the planes hold.

"GET US OUT OF HERE!" She shouted to the pilot. The planes doors shut and they flew for the horizon. There was a flash of purple across the sky before the planes suddenly dematerialised. An almighty blast erupted and the demons screamed. The earth trembled and flames engulfed the tower as it collapsed upon itself - its foundations shrieking in protest. Heat engulfed them. When the ground stopped shaking the tower was gone - reduced to a mighty dust cloud being licked upon by the flames. Black smoke obscured the sun and ashes danced in the hot air.