My Xenomorph

CH 14: Still Alive

Xaez and I were about half way around the base. I kept looking at it while we walked. 'They wouldn't want me if they knew what I've done, they'd never like me. They'd probably kill me if they found out... Even if they didn't Xaez would kill them.'

I looked over at Xaez who was just a few feet in front of me, he seemed less agitated and I was happy about that. I looked at the markings I had left on his back and ankles, the ones on his spikes were still there but the ones on his ankles were covered with mud and looked like they were beginning to fade.

"Hey Xaez." He looked over at me but continued to walk. "We should get some more spray paint, your markings are going to end up fading sooner or later."

Xaez growled and nodded at me. He looked forward again. 'I wonder where he's taking me too, he leads me places but I still don't know where we're headed exactly.'  It seemed really quiet, with only the sound of my muddy shoes crunching leaves and twigs.

Xaez stopped and growled, I didn't notice at first, but as it got louder I could hear a chorus of hissing coming from the bushes and trees all around us.

"More Xenomorphs?" I asked walking up next to him, I looked around and tried to find out where they were. Xaez hissed softly to me. 'Great... Maybe it'd be better if a Xenomorph killed me, then Xaez wouldn't hurt anyone else, and I wouldn't either...'

I took out one of my pistols and held it in my hand. 'But thats a terrible way to die... Those people, Prone, Mom, Dad... There all gone.' The hisses and screeches were getting louder now, and I could see shapes moving amongst the tree's.

I screamed with surprise and fell back as the Xenomorphs suddenly leapt out of the shadows. "Xaez!" I shouted frantically, I could see three of them making their way towards us.

They were all screeching and snarling and I shot wildly at any that tried to get close. I tried to push away from them, but one pinned me to the ground. It was so heavy that I could hardly breathe, then it was suddenly torn off as Xaez slammed into it, tearing into it's flesh as it squealed in agony.

He turned from its remains and hissed at the other two Xenomorphs and tried to keep their attention, swaying his head from side to side. I looked around and saw two more Xenomorph's coming toward us, they slowly circled back and forth as Xaez moved between them and me.

Two of them made a move and Xaez intercepted them, but the other two headed towards me. I sighted one of them with my pistol and fired several rounds, one of the shots hitting it in the head spraying acid across the ground and leaves.

Abruptly I was smashed into a tree, my pistol falling out of my hands. I grunted and fell to the ground, feeling light headed and dizzy. I looked up, the Xenomorph was right on top of me, pinning me down by the shoulders. It drooled as it slowly opened it's mouth, and I could see its tiny jaws.

I tried to wrench free of its grip and cried out in pain as it dug its claws deeper, I started to feel warm blood running down my shoulder. I struggled and thrashed against it, but it hurt so much. I stopped and slowly looked up, all I could see were those tiny jaws. I closed my eye's, and hoped it wouldn't hurt anymore.

I heard a shot and felt its claws wrench painfully to the side, I opened my eye's and saw the Xenomorph next to me, dead. I sat there against the tree and looked around dazed, and I could see three Marines moving in between bursts of covering fire. My shoulders hurt, my left one wasn't too bad, but my right shoulder had large scratches and blood was soaking through my jacket.

I saw one of the Xenomorphs hit the ground spraying acid and viscera from its torso right next to Xaez.. He screeched as he saw the encroaching Marines, he moved towards me for a moment before retreating to the trees. The other Xenomorph snarled and leapt at them, it didn't get far, its shoulder and left side getting raked by burst fire. The marines kept firing as it thrashed, spraying blood that spawned plumes of acrid smoke as it scorched forest debris.

Then everything was quiet again. One of the Marines made some hand motions, and the other two took up positions and started watching the forest. He came over and knelt down beside me, looking me over. "Hey, you still with us?", he said as he waved his hand in front of me, snapping his fingers.

I tried not to look at him, and just stared down at the ground terrified. 'No! Just go away! Just go away.. Xaez will come back, I know he will. Just go away... Please...'

He reached out and shook my shoulder, "Hey, can you hear me?" I winced in pain and tried to move away, "Well that answers that, are you hurt anywhere else? Can you walk?". I just wanted them to leave, it felt like I was being crushed inside. 'This is all my fault..'

I just stared blankly. "Are you out here alone? Is there anyone else with you?" He asked. The question unsettled me and I shifted uncomfortably. 'There was... Amy, Derek... Vaxer...'

He signaled one of the other marines to come over, and they started whispering to each other, sometimes looking back at me. It was like a group of popular kids gossiping about a different kid.

'What are they talking about?... Maybe they know what I did back at the store! Maybe they saw me and followed me and Xaez over here.' Just for a moment I was beginning to panic but I tried to stay calm, 'They couldn't have, Xaez wouldn've seen them coming... he would've killed them...'

I swallowed and suddenly felt my shoulder throb again. I closed my eyes to try and make it feel like the pain wasn't there. It hurt way to much, and I felt so tired.

"You okay?" I lazily opened my eye's at the sound of his voice, both of them were looking intently at me. I heard the Marines whisper to each other again. I tried to listen to them but they were being to quiet.

"Right, we need to get you checked out.", The marine who was crouched in front of me reached over and took my hands, gently pulling me up to stand beside him. I stumbled abit, and my legs felt like bricks. He steadied me by putting his hand on my back and we started walking towards the lights of the military camp.

He snapped his fingers and made some hand motions, the third marine left his position and fell in behind us as we walked. 'Xaez isn't going to like this, maybe I can make a run for it through the woods? Its dark and they'd have a hard time finding me if I hid somewhere.' I felt really tired though and didn't want to run, my feet dragging as I walked.

'Maybe I can try what I did last time, stay and leave when they sleep, I don't think Xaez will want to tangle with a bunch of Marines.' I just focused on the ground ahead of me and worked on putting one foot in front of the other. 'I should go, and leave... Hopefully this time this plan will actually work properly.'

I looked up and suddenly we were at the tree line and I could see the lights of the base I had seen earlier. The one I had tried to avoid. I nervously glanced back at the forest. Xaez was no where to be found. 'He'll come back, he always does... But he might come back angry.'

We crossed the field towards the base and I noticed there weren't as many people as I thought there would be, there were close to a dozen not including the three with me. Some were on watch, others messing with equipment, or around a big Vehicle. Some of them looked at us, me, as we approached.

"Kat?" I fixed my eyes on the person who said my name, staring blankly. There staring back at me, was my brother Roman.