When they emerged from the sewers it was like Orpheus and Eurydice coming back from the underworld.
The putrid stench of the subterranean tunnels was replaced by the furnace of the Nefarien desert blasting them in the face.
The purple Sun stared at them in accusation high in the sky.
The white beam coming up from the mountain seemed stronger now.
They were encrusted from head to toe with filth but it was good to be free of that dark stinking dungeon.
They tried to let the unconscious policeman down gently,but they were exhausted and he dropped to the ground with a hard thud.
The traveler looked around to see where they were.
They were on the edge of a defile,the drop was at least two hundred feet to the jagged rocks below.
But they were safe for the moment.
Brail cradled the man's head in her lap,leaning against the wall.
At least they were in the shade.
"What do we do now?" the American asked.
"I honestly don't know,"he said."I lost my bag back in the chaos of the arena.I'm afraid we are without water or food.But there should be succulents still around.At least we can survive on the moisture."
"I keep seeing my mom,"she said dully."She's smiling at me.She looks so real."
"The planet has it's ways,"the Captain said."Ignore it.It's trying to lure you into madness.You see what happened to all those people back there."
"How the fuck can I ignore this place!" she screamed at him suddenly."Strelky's dead! I almost got raped by a monkey guy! My dog is in another world and I'm never going to see him again!"
"I'll find a way to get you back,"he said weakly,not believing his own words."There has to be a way."
"I'm never going home.This godamn place is hungry.It's eating me alive."
She was on the edge of hysteria,the poor child.She was caught in the middle of a private war and he was helpless to protect her.
"There's something called kroosh that we can suck moisture from.It's like a cactus.I'll go find some."
"Try to make it quick,"she told him."He's not looking good."
It took about an hour of searching but finally he spotted the plant near a sand dune.It looked like a sponge with tendrils.
By the time he got back it was dusk.
One look at Lance Morgan told him all he needed to know.
"He's dead,Brail.We will have to leave him here."
"You really are the world's biggest prick,"she said.
"We have the cover of darkness.Hopefully no one will see us walking at night There's no sense in sitting here any longer."
"Ok,"she said."Just give me a moment."
She looked at the dead man and smoothed back his hair.He was a cute guy.She wondered if he'd had a girlfriend waiting for him somewhere.Roger was probably screwing his wife or someone else.She had no more illusions about him,he was just using her like everyone else had used her.
"I can walk through the Valley of Death and I won't fear any evil,"she intoned."The Lord is my shepherd and I won't want anything because he's watching from Heaven...hell, I can't remember how it goes.I ain't been in a church since I was a kid."
"It will suffice,"he told her."At least he didn't die alone."
"Can't we at least bury him?"
"We don't have time for that,"he said."Every minute we remain here puts us in jeopardy.Zorikk is not done with us yet.I wish I could get you to safety.It's me he wants,Brail.I won't be your death warrant."
"When it comes I ain't gonna die easy,"she said grimly."Just promise me you'll take care of my dog."
"All right.I promise.But I wish you would stop talking like that.I'll get you home somehow."
"No you won't,Mr.Piddy.I'm going to die here just like everyone else.The desert told me so."
The air suddenly felt alive with static,like a lightning storm was near.
And then they saw why.
It was a silver pyramid with a huge eyeball in the center,and it was staring right at them.
Before they could run a door opened and Krustayshuss stepped out with a laser rifle trained on them.A mirror faced cyborg followed him.
"You guy's need a ride?" the monster laughed.
Brail screamed in rage and shot at him with her palm laser.She missed but got the cyborg in the chest instead.
Krustayshuss fired back and Brail Collingsworth would never get back to Los Angeles to see her dog again.
Captain Space saw her smiling fiercely as she dropped to the desert a charred mess.
At least she had died with her spirit intact,they couldn't take that from her.
Krustayshuss fired at him point blank but he ignored the pain and together they both went flying over the edge and into hell.
-
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