Page 32 of When Monsters Rise
Asthe celestials close in to deliver their final blows, every hair on my body stands to attention.
Inhumanscreams blast the air.
Thecelestials pull back, light dimming so that their horrified faces are visible.
“No!”Michaelyells.
Itwist my body away from them and see my heart cradled in a monster’s arms.
“Shem!”Ruereaches for me, andKabielthrows her at me, shouting at us to move.
Icatch her neatly then fling myself out of the light and into the shadows.
Thereis no time to look back and watch as my devolved brethren decimate the celestials.Notime to stop and bathe in their revelry as they feed fully for the first time in a decade.
Theeasiest route is blocked by rubble, so we take the eastern route.It’slonger, but we can still get to the escape tunnel via it.
SarqandImake it first, withPenemueclose behind,Amaroshanging limply over his shoulder.
Aroundus, the mall creaks and cracks.Thecelestial invasion has weakened the structure.Thiswhole place is about to collapse.
“We’llbe safe in the tunnels,”Sarqgasps out.He’slosing blood, and his gait is wobbly.
“You’rehurt!”Ruecries. “AndAmaros…”
“We’llworry about healing once we’re at a safe zone.”
Shepresses herself to me, allowing me to carry her, andIknow she’s hurt too.Shechanneled to get the creatures to follow her.There’sprobably internal damage to her body.She’llneed time to heal.
“Thisway!”Sarqshoves through a set of fire doors into the corridor that leads down to the basement level and the new set of tunnels.
“Whydidn’t you tell me?”Rueasks. “Whyhide thatIcan fix theMorningstar?”Sheshakes her head. “Youtold me you were the only one who could fix it.Howdid you manage to lie?”
“Ididn’t lie.IbelievedIwas the only one who could fix it.Butas time went on,Irealized just how strong your connection with theMorningstarpower is.You’remore than a channel,Rue.Youhave direct access, and you can use that to bring the pieces together and allow the fragments to heal.”
“Butyou didn’t tell me.”
“Ihoped you’d never need to carry that burden.Youhad enough to worry about.”
Thelights flicker, and the ground shifts.Istop and brace myself, andSarqlets out a warning cry.
“Fuck!”Penemuefumbles, trying not to lose his grip on an unconsciousAmaros.
We’reon the move again, a minute, no more, before a loud aching creak swells around us, followed by the sound of metal and joists bending.Then, with an almighty crack, the ceiling ahead of us comes crashing down.
Sarqbackpedals, and we come to a halt as the dust cloud settles to reveal rubble and metal and no way forward.
“We’retrapped,”Penemuesays. “Wehave to go back to the red door.”
“Wecan’t do that,”Sarqsays. “Thedevolved will tear us to shreds.”
“Kabielwill—”
“Nothing.Hecan do nothing.They’rein a feeding frenzy.”
“Andthere is no way out for you.”Michael’svoice booms from behind us.
Ruegoes stiff in my arms asIturn to face the bastard. “You’rejust as fucked as us,Micheal.”
