CHAPTER ELEVEN

Cordie glanced at the red numbers on her wristwatch. “Okay, it’s ten forty. You guys are gonna leave now, right? ”

“There’s no point waiting any longer, ” Robbins said.

“You’re right. ” Cordie took a deep, trembling breath. “What’re you gonna do, try and get to a road? ”

“Eventually. We’ll keep heading east, and try to get out of Krull territory. ”

“Yeah, well, good luck. You too, Ben. ”

“Cordie? ”

She wiped her sweaty hands on her jeans, and looked away. Ben took a step toward her. “No. Don’t, Ben. You go with the others. ” She turned and ran. She heard quick footsteps, and knew Ben was following. She ran harder. Damn it, he wasn’t supposed to come. “Go with them! ” she called over her shoulder.

Reaching out Ben grabbed her shoulder. He dragged her to a stop.

The others were out of sight.

“What do you want to do? ” Ben asked. “Get yourself killed? ”

“I can’t leave. Mom and Dad are out here. I’ve got to find them. ”

“I’ll go with you, then. ”

“No, don’t. ”

“I haven’t got a choice, do I? ”

“Go with the others. They’re headed out. They’ve got a gun. ”

“I can’t. ”

“Ben, please. ”

“I can’t leave you. The same reason you can’t leave your parents. I love you, I guess. ”

“Oh Ben. ” She pulled him tightly against herself. She kissed his mouth. Twisting a handful of his hair, she pulled back his head. “I hope you don’t regret it, ” she muttered.

“I won’t. ”

“Let’s find my folks, and get our tails out of here. ”

“This way, ” Robbins said.

“Shouldn’t we go after them? ” Neala asked.

“They made their choice. ”

“We’re better off without ’em, ” Sherri said.

“Come on. ”

Neala, still with her back to the tree, squinted at the place in the darkness that had kept her filled with dread. She didn’t move.

“Neala? ”

“No, there’s… Over there. Someone’s hiding. ”

“I’ll check. ”

“No! ”

“Don’t worry. ” He walked toward the place, unslinging his rifle and holding it ready.

“No! Don’t, Johnny! Let’s just go. ”

He looked back at her. She thought she saw a smile on his face.

“Let’s just go, ” she said more softly.

“All right. ” He turned away from the place Neala feared, and walked toward her.

She watched behind him. Her heart lurched as she glimpsed a quick movement. Something pale. A face? Whatever she’d seen, it vanished in an instant.

Johnny, seeing her alarm, looked back.

“It’s nothing, ” Neala said.

“You sure? ”

Sherri stepped up beside Johnny, blocking Neala’s view. “What’re we standing around for? ”

Neala shook her head.

“I’ll take up the rear, ” Johnny said. “We’ll head east. ” He pointed in the direction they’d been heading before they stopped. “That way. Not much civilization out there, but we’ll be okay once we get clear of Krull territory. ”

“How far’s that? ” Sherri asked.

“About twenty miles. ”

“Oh shit. ”

“Let’s get started. ”

Neala pushed herself away from the tree. She glanced behind Johnny and Sherri, but saw nothing in the darkness.

She led the way. Sherri followed, staying close, and Johnny kept behind Sherri. At first, she ran too fast for the terrain. She tripped, and Sherri stumbled over her, stepping on her leg.

“You all right? ” Sherri asked, gently helping her up.

“I’ll live. ”

“Don’t count on it. ”

“Thanks a heap. ”

Sherri patted her rump. “Think nothing of it. ”

With Sherri in the lead, this time, they started running again. Neala ran more slowly than before. She tried to watch where her feet were landing, but the darkness hid all but glimpses of the ground.

The second time she tripped, she saw what did it.

A hand.

She yelped as she dived forward. The ground slammed her breathless. Rough hands turned her over, and a bony, white‑ skinned creature scurried up her body.

A man. A hairless man with the hollow face of a death’s‑ head. He bit her mouth, and laughed, and wetness dripped from his eyes.

Neala heard an awful thud. The head jerked away from her. The man flopped off, onto his back. She gazed at his erection, a loathsome thing like a rigid, pale snake. Then Johnny blocked her view. The rifle butt smashed into the horrible face, breaking through it.

“It’s all right, ” Johnny whispered. He helped her up.

Neala shook her head. She wiped tears from her eyes. Her shirt hung open, leaving her right breast uncovered. She closed the shirt. Not before noticing the fingernail scratches. They felt like burns on her tender skin.

“Did he hurt you? ” Johnny asked.

“A little. I think I’m okay. ”

“The filthy pig, ” Sherri muttered. She stepped close to the body. “Christ, look at him. ”

Neala didn’t.

“A fucking albino. ”

Neala tried to fasten her shirt. The buttons were gone, so she overlapped the front and tucked it in.

“Shit, ” Sherri said, still inspecting the body.

“We’d better get moving, ” Johnny said.