Page 23 of Citrine

"No!" I scream out, clawing at the ground with my free hand.

I throw a hand behind me, hitting whatever I can reach with my fist, trying to dislodge the creature. It hisses, the sound like steam escaping from a pressure valve, and tightens its grip.

Desperation fuels my struggle.

I twist and turn, trying to free myself. My mind races, searching for a solution. I remember the makeshift knife I fashioned from a sharp stone earlier. With my free hand, I reach into the pocket that formed as soon as I thought of one and pull it out, my fingers trembling.

"Get off me!" I scream, stabbing at the creature's snout.

The blade connects, and the creature releases a guttural roar, jerking away from me. Its grip loosens, and I yank my hair free, stumbling backwards and falling onto the shore.

"Diablos," I yelp.

As the turtle-like creature lunges at me again, it leaves the water, its entire body surging onto the shore.

In the moonlight, I realize my mistake. This is no turtle.

It's an alien alligator, and a massive one at that. I fling my body to the side and its jaws snap shut with a bone-chilling clack, missing my face by mere inches. I feel the wind from its bite, the raw power behind those jaws terrifying.

The creature's eyes gleam with hunger as it lands, its huge tail slapping the water, causing a violent splash that drenches me further.

I crab walk backward, panic clawing at my throat. It's preparing for another attack, its body coiled like a spring, ready to unleash its force.

Before I can even think to move, the alligator lunges at me with even greater force.

"No. no…" I huff.

My heart pounds in my chest, and my legs feel like they're made of lead. The monstrous predator is almost upon me, its jaws wide open.

I close my eyes tightly, preparing for my fate, but it never comes.

I open my eyes. It's being held by a tentacle.

Six more, strong and sinewy, shoot out of the water and wrap around the alligator, halting its attack. The creature thrashes violently, water churning into a frothy chaos around it.

I'm frozen in place, wide-eyed and unable to comprehend what I'm seeing.

It's him.

The creature who left me earlier, the one who threatened to crack open my skull and feast on my brain like some sort of zombie kraken.

He's holding the alligator back, his tentacles constricting around the predator's body, keeping it from reaching me. I watch, gobsmacked, as the scene unfolds before me.

"Dios."

The alligator lets out a guttural roar, its powerful tail whipping through the water, sending waves crashing against the shore. The tentacles flex, tightening their grip, and the two titans begin their epic struggle.

The alligator twists and turns, trying to free itself from the killer's grasp. Its jaws snap viciously, trying to bite down on the tentacles holding it. The octo-man lets out a low growl, his upper body half-submerged in the water, using his strength to keep the alligator contained.

It's a savage battle, the kind you only see in nature documentaries or horror movies.

The alligator manages to get its teeth into one of the tentacles, tearing into the flesh with a sickening squish. The octo-man roars in pain, his grip faltering for a moment. But he quickly recovers, using another tentacle to deliver a powerful blow to the alligator's head.

Dark blood begins to mix with the water.

The sound of the impact is brutal, a wet, meaty thud that echoes across the lake. The alligator's eyes roll back in its head, but it isn't done yet. It thrashes harder, its claws raking through the water, trying to find purchase.

The tentacles are relentless, though, wrapping tighter and tighter around the creature.

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