Humpty's bones

Fifteen

There are times you think your eyes are cheating you. It must be imagination, you tell yourself. Or I’m not seeing properly, or it’s a dream. Only when I backed away I clunked into the wall. It hurt enough to prove this was no dream. Picture this: An animal that’s bigger than an adult lion. The creature prowls into the tunnel. It has a massive head with two fiery orange eyes, big jaws and a mane. Apart from the mane, and tufts of hair on its paws, it has no fur. The skin is yellow with blood-red patches. Pitt was right, it does resemble the skin of a lizard. It walks on all fours. From its back swarm green tentacles. At least fifty of them, like the tentacles of an octopus. These don’t sag but writhe in the air. They move with a quick, muscular strength. Each one is perhaps ten feet long. They reach out to touch objects: the light fittings, the cable ducts, the plumbing pipes. It must be using a refined sense of touch to map its environment. That and its eyes and other senses must create a perfect understanding of where it is. And it’s not just how monstrous the Voggron looks, it’s that nasty trick it can do — to hurt you without even touching. The headache started in my head. My shoulders sagged as the strength seeped from my body. All of a sudden I found it hard to stand on my own two feet.

Despite his fear, Pitt was in awe. ‘Folks. Meet the Voggron.’

Adam gaped. ‘Earlier we all saw parts of it. Me, paws. Jenny, tentacles… ’

Jenny shouted, ‘RUN!’

The lion-like creature, with octopus tentacles writhing from its back, leapt forward. Its jaws opened wide to reveal huge teeth, sharp as steak knives. Slashing behind it, a long bullwhip of a tail. It lashed this flailing appendage in our direction. In absolute horror I saw that the tail ended in claws. Huge curving claws. The tail slammed into the wall above my head. Its wicked claws raked the tiles. As I ducked I saw the gouge marks. If that whip-tail had hit me in the face? Think of the savage cuts!

We all ran in different directions. It followed me at first. Its paws thumped the floor, then, when I ducked under a low doorway to a storeroom, it changed direction to race after Adam. At the same time one tentacle on its back snapped out to curl round Jenny’s waist. With an uncanny dexterity it gripped the back of her jacket. As it did that, it let fly with the whip-tail again. It struck a steel girder next to Pitt. Sparks flew.

Jenny was in deep trouble. It didn’t loosen its grip on her fabric. Quickly, it dragged the girl toward its huge mouth filled with champing teeth. Then it happened again. I found myself looking through Jenny’s eyes into the monster’s hate-filled face. The orange eyes blazed. Closer… and closer. The mouth opened. In total shock I yelled. A yell so loud that the Voggron glanced back for the source of the noise. Jenny took her chance; she slipped out of the jacket, leaving it swinging in the tentacle’s grasp, then she hid behind a row of water pipes.

Deciding to attack Adam from above, the beast chose to leap onto one of the cylinders but misjudged its landing. It slipped off the curving metal to fall into the narrow gap at the other side. Frantically, it struggled to free itself. Even so, it bellowed in fury. I could see tentacles whipping the air before they latched onto the cylinder. Once it had a grip it could begin to heave itself out. For a second I watched those thick, rubbery limbs in fascination. Suckers gripped the cylinder. I felt its effect on my mind grow stronger — the headache, the weakness. Lights grew dim. Jenny pushed me.

‘Come on! Now’s our chance to get back to the exit.’

Boy, how we ran! Summoning what was left of our strength, we belted along the tunnel lined with vehicles. Once we’d got some distance between us and the Voggron the ill-effects inflicted by its wicked telepathic power faded. The light grew brighter. Strength returned to our legs.

‘It’s coming!’ I yelled.

Adam gasped, ‘We’ll never make it.’

‘Adam, run!’

‘We’re going to die down here.’

‘Keep moving. Get up those steps.’

I was the last one to the stairwell that led up to the lounge. Quickly, I glanced back along that long corridor. In the distance I saw a yellow object. At first, just a little yellow blob. But it got bigger and bigger the closer it got. And that monster moved FAST. It soon became clear it was the creature from the cylinder store. The mane, the yellow body with red patches, the tentacles, the whip-tail with claws. Here it comes… the Voggron… legs pounding, jaws open wide. If those tentacles should grip your head? Slimy, wet suckers. And just imagine its teeth sinking into your throat. Taking a deep breath, I followed the other three as they clattered up the steps.

I shouted, ‘I figure we’ve got fifteen seconds before that thing reaches us.’

With a cry Adam collapsed. ‘I can’t run any further. I’ve got a stitch.’

All three of us grabbed him by the arms, then heaved him to his feet.

‘Keep moving,’ Jenny urged. ‘We’ll lock the lounge door. It won’t be able to follow us.’

When we reached the living quarters door I groaned with disappointment. ‘The lock’s broken. It must have done it when it escaped.’

‘What now?’

I shouted, ‘It’s coming up the stairs! We won’t reach the exit in time.’ Heavy paws thumped. ‘Scatter… hide… anywhere.’

‘It’s no good,’ Adam groaned. ‘It’ll find us.’

Yet fear drove us to find hiding places. We ran by sofas, looking for rooms to lock ourselves in. Only they had flimsy doors that the monster could shred in seconds.

Adam curled under the kitchen table. ‘We’re going to be eaten alive!’

I raced by the big TV screen — if only that six foot wide square of glass was a doorway to the outside world! An onscreen message read, GAME PAUSED.

Then — BANG! The door shattered. The Voggron flicked aside what panels remained as if they were shreds of paper. Then it prowled into the lounge with all the menace of a hungry lion. Its tentacles curled in the air. Then a strange thing happened. The tentacles darted out to open cupboard doors, so it could check inside. Maybe it thought we’d hidden in them? And it was all so fast. Flick, flick — glance, glance. Those strange words it had used before came in a soft growl, ‘Neefer-ratt-saaar.’ The whip-tail came up as if to stroke the ceiling. Despite, the tail moving only slowly its formidable tail claws scratched deep groves into the plasterwork. It took pleasure in the action. An orange lip curled back in a weird smile. Sharp fangs glinted.

Remember, its hatred for humans? That shredded poster? And didn’t I sense its raging hunger? That it longed to sink its teeth into a fresh, living body.

So what are we? Snacks on legs?

Jenny hid behind a sofa. I ducked into a space between the kitchen sink and a dishwasher. Adam stayed under his table. Pitt stood with his back to the wall beside the giant TV screen.

All useless hiding places. The Voggron moved with fluid grace across the room.

As it approached, the headaches started. My legs turned wobbly. Pitt’s eyes became dull as if he’d fall asleep. And the blood-thirsty Voggron came ever closer… and closer.

Despite the pain in my head, and the way the monster could affect my eyes so it seemed to be growing suddenly darker, I forced myself to watch it. And I could tell it was vicious. Even the faint hum of the refrigerator enraged it. With one of its front paws it struck out. Easily, it ripped away the fridge door. Then it swept all those chocolate bars out over the carpet. The ketchup bottle cracked open. Sauce splashed out onto the carpet like blood had been spilt.

Soon real blood will be splattering the floor.

The Voggron saw Pitt standing by the TV. Those ravenous orange eyes fixed on his face. He froze, not daring to move. It took a step nearer. Sniffed the air. Then it took another step toward him. When he flinched it opened its jaws. Fangs glistened. Tentacles danced in the air. A snarl began in its throat. The weird mind effect kicked in. I caught glimpses of what Pitt was seeing. I saw through his eyes. I felt his fear. And all the time the monster’s face grew larger and larger the closer it got.

Jenny jumped up. ‘Naz! The remote controls on the table. Grab it!’

I stared at her like she’d gone mad.

‘You’re the closest,’ she hissed. ‘Quick, before it attacks Pitt.’

For some reason I grabbed the remote control but I didn’t know what good it would do. I could hardly thump the monster with it, could I? It wouldn’t even bruise its yellow lizard skin. Also, I was so dizzy by this time. The headache blurred my vision. Once again it happened. For a split second I saw through Jenny’s eyes. I saw ME standing there with the remote control hanging limply in my hand. My eyes were dull… as blank as dead TV screens… as if my mind had been disconnected from my body. Naz is in shutdown. He’s gone zombie…

Snarling, the Voggron moved closer to Pitt. The boy stared death in the eye.

Jenny hissed, ‘Naz. Hit Resume Play.’

‘Why?’ Her demand baffled me. Everything seemed hazy. Far away.

‘Remember, it’s a war game. The Voggron’s meant to fight enemy soldiers. You might be able to distract it long enough to — ’

The yellow monster took another step toward Pitt. Now only ten feet separated them. It tensed itself, ready to attack. The remote control felt as heavy as concrete in my hand. If it slipped from my fingers I’d be too far gone to pick it up again. My head throbbed… everything just so woozy… dream-like.

‘Naz!’ Jenny shouted. ‘You’ve got to press the button.’

I stared. My head hurt. All the strength had gone from my fingers.

Jenny pleaded, ‘Naz, you’re Pitt’s only chance. HE’S GOING TO DIE!’

Pitt, die? No! How I managed I don’t know. Bosh! I hit Resume Play. Instantly a silver android appeared on screen. It raced forward as if about to run from the TV. Bigger and bigger. In a second the android nearly filled the screen. It had long silver legs and steel body armour. The Voggron reacted instantly. It turned its attention from Pitt to the menacing android. But did it realise it was only a computer game? Did it really fear the silver warrior could hurt it?

‘Run, Pitt, run!’

The Voggron roared. Its claws ripped furrows in the carpet. The whip-tail lashed. Ceiling lamps shattered. Before it could lose interest in the TV I hit the Fire button. Purple flame shot from the android’s blaster.

The next second the Voggron attacked the screen. Glass exploded. Claws ripped at cables. High voltage in the electronics zapped it hard. Tentacles yanked out circuit boards. Flashes. Smoke. Sparks. Then it bit the mother-board. Bang! The TV exploded. The Voggron’s snarl became a scream. All of a sudden it dropped down to the floor. There it lay. Not a sound came from it. Tentacles flopped down limp. Instantly, we felt okay again. The headache and exhaustion vanished.

Adam was amazed. ‘You’ve killed it.’

Cautiously, I took a closer look at the dead monster. ‘It will have been made in a laboratory. It was never even properly alive.’

Jenny headed for the exit. ‘Time to leave, guys.’

Soon we were out in the fresh air. The hot sun shone like it was the birth of a new world. Its brilliance dazzled us. We headed across the grass toward the hole in the fence. The quicker we were away from the bunker the better.

At that moment a motorbike roared up. The rider stopped the machine next to us and then grinned at Pitt. He especially took notice of the cut on his mouth.

‘How’s the lip, Pitt?’

‘Brian, we don’t want any trouble.’ Pitt shook his head, exhausted. ‘We’ve had more than enough already today.’

‘Oooh, the lip still looks sore. Did Momma put some creamy-weamy on it for you?’

Pitt leapt at Brian. For a moment Brian was astonished that this boy, who was a lot smaller than him, had decided to attack. Pitt dragged him off the motorbike as an object seemed to drop from the sky.

‘It’s the Voggron,’ Jenny shouted. ‘The electric shock only stunned it!’

Brian scrambled away in terror. Pitt ran, too. We fled into the bushes. The Voggron directed its fury at the motorbike. The noisy motor angered it. The monster ripped away the seat with its claws, then it bit big black chunks out of the tyres. Meanwhile, its green tentacles tore the brakes and handlebars into little pieces.

For a moment the engine raced out of control. The noise was so loud it made the creature even more furious. It reared up on its hind legs then smashed down with both front paws onto the bike. The crushed remains blew out a jet of oily smoke then the motor stopped dead.

Brian’s voice was croaky with fear. ‘What is that thing?’

‘The Voggron,’ Adam told him.

‘Where did it come from?’

Pitt looked grim. ‘Never mind where it came from, the problem is what it’s going to do to us now?’

Brian sagged to his knees. Either through fear or the telepathic effect from the monster.

Jenny called out, ‘It’s up to us, guys. No-one else can save us. We’ve got find a way to fight that thing.’

‘How?’ Adam swallowed.

‘We use our brains. There’s a way to figure this out.’

‘Jenny’s right,’ Pitt said. ‘It doesn’t like noise. Look how it’s taking that motorbike apart. It’s making sure it never works again.’

‘Which gives us a few seconds to come up with an answer.’ Jenny glanced from face to face. ‘Apart from noise, what else doesn’t it like?’

‘Us,’ Adam whispered.

‘What else?’

‘Think quickly,’ I said. ‘It’s starting to lose interest in the bike.’

Pitt stared at the bunker door. ‘It took a lot of trouble to break out of there, but then it went back into the tunnels. Why?’

This time Adam came up with an answer. ‘It doesn’t like being outdoors.’

‘Why?’

We all looked up at the brilliant sun shining down. This June day was going to be a hot one. The light seared our eyes.

We all shouted at the same time. ‘Sunlight!’

I peered from the bushes at the snarling Voggron. ‘Look at that thing, guys. What’s happening to it?’

Out there on the grass by the shattered motorbike the Voggron grunted. It shook its head as if angry at something we couldn’t see.

All of us, apart from Brian, who was frozen in fear, studied the creature.

‘Something’s different.’ Adam frowned.

‘What’s wrong with its skin?’

‘It wasn’t like that before. It’s changing colour.’

Jenny added triumphantly, ‘Sunburn!’

She spoke too loudly because the Voggron realised we were in the bushes. It took a lurching step toward us. The tail whipped angrily.

But I realised something else now. Yes, the once yellow skin had turned to a sore-looking red. And as for its eyes?

I hissed. ‘It’s eyes were orange. Now they’re white.’

Pitt whooped. ‘The sun’s hurting its eyes. It can’t see properly.’

‘But it can hear us,’ Adam groaned. ‘It’s coming this way.’

It darted toward the bushes. The tentacles reached out to feel the branch of a tree. Even though it couldn’t see much, it could hear… and with those tentacles it could feel. And there was nothing wrong with its sharp teeth or that whip-tail with the claws. If it grabbed us that would be it. Dead meat.

‘Spread out,’ Jenny said. ‘Then start calling.’

We did as she said.

After running to different parts of the fenced compound we all started yelling out loud. All apart from Brian, that is; he curled up under a bush and whimpered.

We shouted:

‘Here.’

‘No, over here!’

‘Come and get me!’

‘Yahoo!’

Those shouts from all different directions confused the Voggron. Disorientated it. The beast whirled round. Sometimes it attacked a bush with its teeth, or whipped a tree trunk with its clawed tail. Splinters flew.

Jenny hollered, ‘It can’t find us! Keep shouting.’

The creature’s skin turned crimson. Its eyes were pure white now. Blind… sightless… But the monster’s fury increased.

‘We can’t keep shouting forever,’ I called out. ‘Pitt! Help me with this.’

I grabbed at the sign bolted to the fence. It bore the stark warning:

CAUTION!

RESTRICTED MILITARY ZONE

DO NOT PASS.

DANGER OF DEATH!

This was the same sign that Pitt thumped angrily before we entered the bunker. The danger notice had been printed on a big metal sheet, then fixed to a wooden backing. After all these years the metal had started to peel away. Pitt didn’t know what I’d figured out but he helped me pull the steel sheet away from the timber board. Although the screws had rusted away, making it come free easily, it was almost the size of house door: so awkwardly cumbersome that it needed both of us, working together, to carry it. Then trouble. The metal sheet was bendy. When it wobbled it made a loud metallic Wub-Wub-Wub. The noise alerted the Voggron. It turned menacingly to the source of the clanking.

Snarling, the monster took a step toward us.

‘This better be good,’ Pitt said, ‘because in five seconds that thing’s going to chew us to mush.’

‘Turn the sign round,’ I told him.

When he saw the other side of the danger sign was bare, silvery metal — as bright as a mirror — he whooped. ‘Bingo! Naz, you’re a genius!’

The Voggron homed in on our voices. It ran across the grass. Jaws opened wide. Teeth! So many, sharp murderous teeth.

Then — whoosh.

We used the metal sheet like a giant reflector. Sunlight bounced off of it into the face of the Voggron. It must have known that it had been blasted by an even brighter light than the June sunshine because with a roar it stopped running toward us. Then, like a dog chasing its own tail, it began to spin. Round and round. Faster and faster. It spun until the green tentacles, mane, whip-tail, and red body became a blur of colours. What happened next caught us all by surprise.

The colours vanished. They were replaced by black… deep, deep black.

‘It’s gone,’ Pitt uttered in amazement.

‘Keep the light on it,’ I told him. ‘We’ve got to be sure.’ So we held the metal sheet so it reflected intense, blinding sunlight on the monster. Seconds later I realised that the spinning blackness was a swirling dust cloud. Just black particles. A twister made from dark grains.

‘Okay, we can stop now.’ We let the danger sign fall down into the grass. After that we all gathered round where the monster had done its last mad dance. All that remained of the Voggron was a pile of black dust.

Jenny heaved a sigh of relief. ‘The sunlight you reflected onto the creature killed it.’

‘Like I said,’ I managed a smile, ‘I don’t think it was ever alive. Not properly anyway.’ At that moment, I realised my smile was a false one. Because a sudden doubt smacked into me. Listen, the Voggron affected me in a way that was completely different to what the other three experienced. Briefly, I’d seen through their eyes, knew their thoughts, felt what they were feeling. Why me? What made me different to them? Had the Voggron infected me in some way? Or did it go further back than today? Am I different to them because of what happened when I was younger?

The truth is, I’m adopted. The man and woman who became my parents found me in a cardboard box when I was baby. That box had been in the lane just outside the bunker fence. Both tell me they remember that night well. The moon shone bright.

And for the first time in their lives they’d seen that the bunker door was open. Wide open. A ghostly blue light shone inside. In the morning the steel door was locked shut again.

The shiver that ran up my spine made my back itch. A squirmy itch that made the skin on my back so sensitive I couldn’t bear the pressure of even my T-shirt against it. If anyone else noticed I was troubled they didn’t mention it.

Adam looked into the distance. ‘Army helicopters. See? Four of them. They must have received an alarm call from computers in the bunker.’

With an effort I made that false smile on my face even bigger. ‘We’ll leave the experts to clear up the mess.’

Jenny noticed Brian still gawped in shock at the wreckage of his bike. Before we headed home, she said to Pitt. ‘You saved Brian’s life.’ She grinned. ‘Something tells me he’s never going to even think of bullying you again. Ever.’

They were laughing with relief that the danger was over. I laughed, too, though I found myself thinking hard about the Voggron. For a while back there in the tunnels, my mind had evolved into an uncannily powerful instrument. One that could reach into other people’s minds — just as the Voggron had done. When my back gave that itchy squirm again I asked myself the question:

Is this story really over?

Or, for me, had it only just begun?