Ellie stumbled blindly through the tunnels of the Solar Forge. Clumsily bouncing from one wall to another as fast as she dared. She moved with arms out before her, beside her, reaching, hoping and fearing for something to touch. Feet scraping the floor. Desperate. Alone. Seeking escape. Her thoughts tumbled over themselves, each moment becoming more jumbled, more senseless.
He's here. Behind me. Or up ahead. Typhon. He's coming for me. Like he said he would. He's going to hurt me again just like he promised. I need Tila. I won't be able to stop him. Tila won't be able to help me. No one can help me. She couldn't beat him. No one can stop him. I won't see him coming in the dark. He's behind me. He could be anywhere. He could be up ahead.
Ellie shuffled through the dark. Edging each foot forward forward as fast as she dared go without falling. She pushed herself on, willed herself forward, wished herself already back at the ship and safe. She would be safe in the cockpit of her ship. Any ship. No-one could catch her when she flew.
I'll be safe there. He can't catch me when I fly.
The wall changed. Some kind of threshold. A door? Ellie felt along the edges, felt for the controls. Controls that were usually illuminated. Not here. She found something and pressed and hit the what she imagined to be the button. Nothing happened. No door opened. No lights came on. She would have to keep walking. She took one shuddery breath. She pulled the sleeve of her flight suit tight over her palm and wiped her eyes. Crying wouldn't help.
She sniffed noisily and moved forward on unsteady feet. Her third shuffled footstep scraped something along the floor. The sharp sudden noise split the dark. Ellie froze. Would anyone have heard that? She remembered the echo of the grenade as it rumbled back and forth for ages. Maybe it was as trick of the environment, but Ellie felt sound carried here.
She lifted her foot and bent to pick up the object. It was cold metal, with smooth bevelled edges, like a thick coin. Maybe a washer? She had seen things in Malachi's workshop that reminded her of this shape. She tucked it into her flight suit. She didn't want to put it back, that might make more noise. Something that would lead them to her. Lead him to her. Best to be quiet.
Ellie clamped one hand over her mouth and pressed forward.
YOU ARE READING
The Dead Fleet (Juggernaut #3)
Science FictionTales from the Juggernaut #3. The dead keep their secrets. Having narrowly escaped Typhon on Parador, Tila, Ellie and Malachi have a new clue in their search for the truth behind the colony mission, and a new destination: The Dead Fleet. Drifting ar...
