CHAPTER 004
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RUN
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FLYING AROUND PANDORA IS SOMETHING ELSE.
I have flown in helicopters, fighter jets, helicarriers and samsons many times when I used to be a recon. Always on combat zones to assess enemy territory, but nothing compares to this.
Flying over the lush forest, over the cool water of a river and among some small creatures really made me feel like I was in one of those old adventure movies.
Just as Trudy asked me to, I'm at one of the samson's doors with a gun to my chest while I smile happily at the immense freedom I feel when flying.
I had forgotten how much I loved to be on the sky.
Observing nature from this high up with the cool breeze and air free from pollution really gives you a different perspective.
After a while in the air, we finally landed on a small clearing in the middle of the forest. The sound of the engine and the samson's propellers scared away the animals that were nearby, leaving the way clear for us to move more safely.
I jumped off the samson before it landed and raised my gun, aiming in any direction in case something jumped out from behind the plants and decided to attack us. Wainfleet, as I learned the other soldier's name is, was not far behind me doing the same thing.
"Shut it down, we're gonna stay for a while" Grace's voice reached my ears through the earpiece.
Norm, Grace and I are wearing chokers that serve as microphones so we can communicate with each other in the forest. Something that I find very efficient and more comfortable than carrying a walkie talkie around.
The samson's propellers began to slow down, so the strong breeze they caused began to slow down until there was no longer even a small draft coming from the machine.
I appreciated that and smoothed my hair away from my face. I had decided to give the Avatar my own style, so now I wear my hair in a half up half down style leaving my Tswin hidden. The long hair cascades down to my waist and although many may find it uncomfortable, I didn't at all. Besides, I had missed having long hair.
I got a little ahead of the rest, trying to secure the ground to keep us safe from any danger.
"Stay with the ship, one idiot with a gun is enough" Grace's comment made me smirk.
Grace's attitude towards me is like a roller coaster, with a lot of ups and downs. Sometimes she treats me nice, like the day I piloted my Avatar for the first time and other days she treats me just like today, showing me how much she hates the idea of me accompanying them on their little boy scout excursions.
Honestly, I don't pay much attention to it because I know that sooner or later, she's going to realize that despite her many attempts to get rid of me, I'm not going anywhere.
"This idiot is the one keeping your ass safe, carrots" she scoffed behind me while we ventured inside the forest. Just Norm, Grace and me.
"Like I need you to keep me safe" I wasn't looking, but I could feel her rolling her eyes at me in annoyance.
"Then I'll save myself the trouble and just protect Norm from predators" I stopped and turned around with my signature smirk to her "I'm sure you can take care of a Thanator on your own" I winked and without waiting for an answer, I keep moving with my gun raised and the scientists trailing behind me.
[>>>]
A while later, we came to a stop at some random trees where Grace finally decided to take her goddamn samples.
I stood guard while they entertained themselves with their science. I would be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little curious about their doings, so I walked a little bit closer and watched the screen Grace is holding. A picture of a lot of neuron looking things projected on the screen and I had to admit that it was something interesting.
Then they started talking in scientific language and that's when I lost interest. Even so, I preferred to stay close, at least until a noise not far away caught my attention.
Leaving them a bit behind, I continued walking through some trees where a small nature trail leads me to the source of the noise. I thought I was going to find an animal but instead, I found a strange group of orange plants with red reflections in the shape of a spiral.
It gave me some curiosity and I got a little closer, but not too much. I looked at each and every one of them, admiring their beauty and their vibrant colors, but I jumped when one of them sank to the ground.
With a frown, I analyzed it for a few seconds, my gaze now on another one of them. I reached for it with my hand slowly and when I touched the surface, the plant shrank just like the previous one.
A smile played on my lips and like a little girl I began to touch several of them, each one shrinking on their ground.
I started to laugh, the nature of this place is quite entertaining, but while I was laughing I didn't realize that the rest of the plants had shrank without me touching them. It was when I heard the ferocious roar of an animal that I turned around, raising my gun. A huge creature that looks like a cross between a rhino and a hammerhead wanting to charge at me.
"Shit" I cursed scared.
The voices of Grace and Norm faded from the background and for a moment I thought they had ran away by hearing the animal and left me alone, but then they both appeared through the trees keeping their distance from the animal's sight.
"Don't shoot. Don't shoot, you'll piss him off" Grace's voice came to me through the earpiece in my ear. Her instructions seemed somewhat ironic to me, considering that the animal is already upset.
"That's not very helpful, carrots" I said without taking my eyes off the rhino/hammerhead.
"That armor is too thick, the bullets are useless" as if it understood what we were saying, the huge animal swung its huge head sharply, breaking the trunks of two trees at either side of it. I put the gun away and held it tight against my chest, not quite knowing what to do. I should have taken Norm at his word when he offered to teach me about the wildlife of this damned place.
Damn Quaritch, he was right about the dangers out here.
"It's a territorial threat display, do not run or it will charge" her words only scared me even more because that thing will charge even if I follow her instructions.
"So, what? I just stay here and wait for it to kill me?" that thing roared again, even louder than before.
My ears were pinned against my skull and my jaw clenched. I'm gonna die.
"Just hold your ground"
God, I know I've never really believed in you but if you are up there, please save me.
I know that wasn't gonna help, but at this point I wanted to use all the resources I had left.
That thing didn't back down and charged at me, so, on the verge of death I decided to do something stupid and run towards it while I hissed at it in a threatening way. To my surprise, it seemed to work because it came to a halt and turned around, walking back to the rest of the herd.
I widened my eyes. I couldn't believe that I had survived that by just hissing. I took a step back and let out a deep sigh of relief.
"Fucking hell, I almost shit on my pants" I put my hand to my forehead and let out a nervous laugh because I'm still shaken with fear. I started to laugh to keep from crying, but that laugh gradually faded when I realized that neither Grace nor Norm had said anything.
I turned in their direction only to see them wide-eyed looking at a point behind me. Suddenly, I was conscious of a breathing at my back and with my ears pinned back once again, I slowly turned around to come face to face with a scary as fuck looking creature that opened it's jaws at me.
It leaped on me and I had to turn around immediately, I couldn't turn my back on it. The creature is huge, but not as big as that rhino/hammerhead. With skin black as coal, eyes yellow as the sun, enormous fangs, and claws sharper than a knife.
It's a fucking Thanator, the deadliest creature in the forest. And on top of that, it was looking at me with hungry eyes.
Immediately, I pointed my gun at it, hoping it's enough to scare it.
"So carrots" I started in the most calming voice I could muster at the moment, even though that it was a whisper "What about this lil'buddy?"
"Run, definitely run!" She instructed me scared and as if on cue, that thing walked closer.
"Shit" I turned around and ran as fast as these legs allow me.
I was running through the jungle trying to save my ass from that huge predator, luckily for me, I'm succeeding.
I came to an area where there is a huge tree, it's shallow roots giving me a temporary hiding place from the Thanator. Without thinking much about it, I slid along the ground until I was moderately protected by the roots. The thanator began to bite and break the roots, and I knew I had to keep moving. I also started shooting at him and although the bullets didn't do anything to him, at least they serve as a distraction. That is until it ripped the gun from my hands and snapped it in half with it's jaws.
With the Thanator a little confused, I crawled out of the roots on the other side and kept running at all that this body could give, but it managed to catch me between it's jaws by the bag with supplies. As I was tossed back and forth like some ragdoll, I knew I had to find a way to get rid of the bag, so I released the strap that held it to my back and slid off it, freeing myself. I stumbled when I landed and rolled down the small hill, but still got up and kept running.
Nearby, I heard the sound of falling water and to my luck, it is a waterfall. Without thinking twice, I jumped off the cliff and arranged my body to fall correctly into the water to avoid getting hurt. The current dragged me with force, but I was able to overcome it and swim to the surface, where I held onto a thick branch to prevent the current from dragging me away. Out of immediate danger, I was finally able to breathe correctly and calmly.
I looked up and the Thanator was looking at me even angrier than before, although I'm relieved to know that it doesn't swim and that I'm out of reach.
With some effort, I kicked myself up and landed facedown on the wet grass at the edge. I allowed myself to stay in that position for a few seconds to calm my erratic heart and then I decided to stand up using my arms as a push.
"Fuck" I groaned when I felt a tug on my right shoulder.
Standing up, I tried to turn my head as much as I could and I didn't like what I saw. The damned Thanator had struck me with it's claws and pierced my skin. The wound made by it's claws extends from my right shoulder to the bottom of my back diagonally, inches above my tail. I hadn't felt it because of the adrenaline but now that the danger had passed, I could feel the burning and the blood trickling down my back.
Without the backpack with the supplies, I have no bandages with which to wrap my wound, so I had to use my creativity and the little I carry with me.
I took off my pants leaving me in my white top and underwear. With the knife I carried, I sliced through one of the boots at my thigh height. I put my pants back on, leaving my left leg uncovered. I ripped the cloth halfway open and as best I could, I wrapped the wound and applied pressure, groaning at the pain.
With that "resolved", I tried to communicate through the microphone around my neck, only to discover that it had been damaged in one of the falls, leaving me incommunicated with Grace. I considered the possibility of going back, but I don't know the way back, I'm also very far away and if I go back, that Thanator might be in the area.
No means of communication, no supplies. Just a knife, matches, and my survival skills. The best thing would be to keep moving and seek shelter for the night. If I stay here, I'm susceptible to predators so I continued on my way and further into the dangerous and unpredictable forest of Pandora.
A/N:
HEYYYYY THERE.
I know it's not Friday, but I wanted to publish a chapter today just in case I'm not able to do it tomorrow.
So here you go. Aquila has gotten herself into trouble by running away, hope she survives.
Besos y abrazos.
See ya next Friday.