ralph.ewig

She was incredibly fast, but the machine seemed indestructible. Without bothering to evade the continuous stream of projectiles, it took careful aim and fired its hissing weapon. She ducked, but not fast enough. It caught her in the right side, spinning her around like a puppet.

Watching the slender girl’s arm being torn at the shoulder, Rascor learned how to hate. With an uproar of emotions he charged at the metallic monster. A red mist of anger was descending over his mind, distorting his vision, eliminating all fear. Clenching the bar with both hands he smashed it down on top of the vehicle. It rang like a bell, with the shock of the impact.

Then he learned how to rage; an untamable urge to destroy crashed through his mind, to impale the damned thing! Its six wheels were squealing over the floor like a screeching banshee as it turned to face its new opponent. With an awkward jump he slammed on top of the low casing. Still on his knees he changed his grip on the metal rod and slammed the fractured point deep into the structure. A high pitched whining resulted as the thing jerked, trying to shake him off.

Then he learned cruelty; viciously he yanked the metal bar, twisting it and driving it deeper into his opponent. A sudden electric discharge arced out from the machine, running through his body with a sickening smell of ozone and burned flesh. The involuntary jerk of his muscles threw him off and he hit the ground hard, his ears ringing in the sudden silence.

From Chapter TEN of Eleuthera