The Novella Life of Illuscia Nester Himawari

    There was no way we were going to live. I saw that from the moment we had entered the room. The numbers were too great. I figured though that if I was going to die, the least I could do is see to it that Olivia and Caleb made it out alive. I could tell from the hunter's labored breathing that he wouldn't be able to help in this fight. So I shot at the closest of the drones and then shoved them both toward a side corridor of the labyrinth. " I'll hold them off! " I told the two of them as I gritted my teeth and watched the massive throng of beasts breathe down on me. Honestly it would have been over in just a few seconds. But I didn't count on the explosions. A set of detonations shook through the tunnel, ricocheting rocks and debris toward the horde. At first, I was sure the blast would not be enough to make a difference. Then in front of me the floor to this level of the mine simply collapsed. More rock, dirt,...

    As soon as the creature disappeared from the tree line with Caleb, the forest went silent again. Olivia jumped out of the van, her eyes frantically scanning for any signs of life as she called out his name. "We need to move on foot and do it fast, they've probably taken him to the nest," her father insisted. I helped him out with gathering our gear in one place, making certain I had everything to enact his plan along with that of his daughters. Caleb's sudden disappearance was enough to keep him distracted that he didn't really pay the extra bits of gear any attention. "What the hell is happening? What do they want from us??" Natalie screamed anxiously. That was a question I knew we didn't have time to ask, so once we finished loading up two backpacks, I helped Paul with his crutch and remarked, " I know you want to do this yourself. And you've proven that you don't let your disability stop you. Bu...

    We got out in the open and decided to take up the conversation on the road north. Paul insisted he would explain everything once we were safe, and after twenty minutes of driving I decided we had waited long enough. " Well, I think this is a good resting spot. It's getting dark, " I suggested as we turned on the roads toward the mountains. The storm was hovering over the forest in front of us, swirling and growling on the horizon. At least a dozen of those demons could be seen with each clap of thunder. "We can keep going," Kearny insisted. I sighed, my patience having grown thin. " Look, I've tried to wait; I really have. But this is getting old. Enough is enough; Either you tell the story, or I'll just come out and say it, " I warned. "What is he talking about?" Natalie asked. Olivia shared a good long glance at her dad before squeezing his hand and saying, "There's no need t...

    Three hours passed and the storm raged on. Natalie and I moved Jim's body into the rail car where we had decided to wait out the storm. But, as we sat there and I looked at the dead man and the unconscious one next to him; I was beginning to think that might not happen at all. Every half hour or so I checked Mister Kearny's pulse to make sure he was all right. He seemed to have no major injuries but after being unconscious for so long, there was no telling what the blow to his head had done. "I think we need to radio for help," Natalie said after another roar of thunder crashed across the sky. " The only way would be to reach Jim's laptop, and that's in the trailer remember? " "Those things are going to find us eventually, we have to do something! " she insisted. " I know, I know, " I said and trembled as the cold air pushed in again. It was luck alone that had kept us aliv...

    When I came to, the first thing I heard was the howl of the storm. Wind pressed against my face as I carefully opened my eyes, then I saw the damage that had been done. We were upside down. Natalie was dangling with her seatbelt on. Glass was scattered all across the roof along with everything else we had carried with us. Jim was injured but breathing, blood gushing from his side as he pulled out a piece of shrapnel and checked on his boss. "Paul, are you okay? Paul?" Laschar said as he checked the old man's pulse and head. "He's unconscious," he muttered. I crawled slowly across the broken glass to where Natalie was at. The whole front window was busted open and more dust and debris was being pushed in toward us by the second. Out across the train yard I saw the tornado continuing to wreck havoc, smashing up stray train cars and sending them flying in every direction. Besides that, there was the threat of the cr...

    Driving out of Emerald Bay the second time for a storm chase felt so much different than before, given all that I now understood. Especially when it came to the people who I now worked with. Natalie was at the wheel, her trim figure looking so minuscule against the bulky frame and yet I had seen quite recently just what sort of fighter she was. In the back Jim Laschar was watching the monitors, his eyes dashing back and forth between screens to get a better idea of where we were headed. To think of how many times he had been through this and yet he still always wanted more. Then there was Kearny. Paul Kearny was standing up near the very rear of the long camper, staring toward the road that we had been on as he used the door to prop his body up. From this angle as the sun dipped low again over the horizon, he looked like a captain at the mast of a ship; watching the open ocean as his crew set out for adventure. But this was...

    For the next hour we hunkered down inside the station and listened as the stronger creatures tore Martin's body apart like it was a chew toy. Kearny insisted we cover the monitors so we didn't have to see the carnage play out. Still, with each passing moment the rain pelted the building, the wind howled and then at last, it was over. In the morning light, we gathered to give the cameraman a small vigil. I wanted to go out and see if anything was left to bury, but Olivia said it still wasn't safe. So instead we gathered some of the corpses of our enemies and made a bonfire in the garage. None of the crew really had much to say, it was just a moment of silence. I didn't know him well but I had to admire and honor his sacrifice. But some of what he said still lingered in my head and as Jim bandaged the wounds I had gotten on my arm, I reflected on those words. " What did he mean when he said he was part of them now? ...