Animalia by Cristian Johnson (free novels to read txt) 📕

“So where are the others then, it's not like you're the only one alive???... Right….?” Emma says with a sincere tone.

“Well,..” Isaac lies down looking down at the ground. “I’m afraid most of the animals that have been fighting are gone, and if not separated. When I was fighting, your friend erh- Luke I believe the chaps name was, had my back making sure none of them was sneaking or ready to strike from up top. As we were advancing too large cracked buildings were overhanging us and looked very unstable….If only we knew what was going to happen. Small pieces of thread of silk where connections between the buildings, so thin to not be seen yet so strong that it can act as an invisible tripwire that would end the battle much faster. Luke was getting battered and cornered by some mutants as he slashed and stabbed them all while to help comrades that have fallen and need a hand….He-....” Isaac shuddered and took a deep breath with a tear in his eye.

“Your friend, tripped against the silk, as the buildings soon fell on them with most of the entire pack. I saw so much rubble was laid down in front of me. Most of the council leaders have fallen, all crushed by the same stone we have built long ago. Several mutants did die in the process, that crab who laid that trap killed almost everyone.” Isaac says.

“Wait...but where's Luke..” Chris asks as he stares at Isaac.

“Do not fret, Chris, your friend did take a large hit from the building but is still alive. He lost a large portion of his antlers sadly, and God knows how many bones he might have fractured, but I was able to hide him in a bush and covered him in dirt and mud, in hopes maybe if anyone else survived they can take him back to the nursery without the mutants smelling his blood.” Isaac says.

“YOU WHAT!!!!” Chris yells furiously as he steps closer to Isaac, “THAT WAS MY BEST FRIEND!!! AND YOU JUST LEFT HIM TO DIE??!!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!!1 WHERE IS HE!!! TELL ME NOW!!!” Chris says straight into Isaac’s face. “YOU THINK I WANTED THIS TOO. I NEVER WANTED TO HAVE A BATTLE AND LOSE MOST OF MY FAMILY. I KNEW THESE FELLOW ANIMALS FOR A LONG TIME AND I JUST LOST THEM, YOU THINK I'VE BEEN FEELING ALL POSITIVE AND EVERYTHING.!!!”

Isaac roars as loud as he can, but knows deep in his heart that he had made a mistake. “I’m sorry... I don’t even know if my wife nor children have survived… we just have to collect ourselves.“ Isaac says as he gives out a large sigh. “There is still hope like I said, but just know I can not keep a promise if Luke is still alive. We will have to go around, and most likely going to have to face waves of mutants that could be looking for Luke right now.” Isaac says.

“Perhaps, we could go guns blazing, like in the old days right Isaac?. If we two provide an aggressive push and as Chris and Emma being swift they can go around us and fetch for Luke and try to bring him back to the Smoky Den and hope to find the others who have survived the crash.” Reginald explained.

“You know Reggie, you're quite insane at times even though you have much wisdom with your age.’ Isaac says.

“I know I do, so let's go and bring back my grandson!” Reginald said. Isaac and Reginald begin to scout ahead and look around the surrounding buildings briefly and then tell Chris and Emma to move forward. The more they continue forward the more tense the elders are feeling when no noise is being heard. Alas the forewarned wave they have been discussing has come now, as multiple mutants leap out from the top of buildings ambushing them.

“ALRIGHT THIS IS WHAT WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT MOVE MOVE MOVE!” Isaac shouts as he removes a mutant off his back and paws it to death. More and more mutants come now as Reginald goes after them and Isaac lunges back and forth to remove the threats away from Emma and Chris clearing a path to the hidden grotto. Chris outmaneuvered the mutants left and right as he was tail swiping them if they got too close. For Emma’s case she has been avoiding the jaw as they gape forward and try to grasp him mercilessly.

“Hey Emma, why not hitch a ride on my back? It will be a lot easier.” Chris says to Emma.

“I better hope it’s not a bumpy ride,” Emma replies to Chris.

Chris gains more momentum as Isaac and Reginald continue to clear the way. At last he has a sight on the large bush where Luke’s body should be. He stops for a minute and quickly surveys the area and sees only the mutants targeting the adults. This was their chance as Chris sticks his head into the bush and finds Luke covered in mud. He hears a groan and this time unfortunately he didn’t have much of an antler to grasp with his teeth. “This is gonna be much harder than I thought…” Chris says

“What do you mean? Can’t you just rush him back to the Smoky Den??” Emma replies.

“Well last time I grabbed his antlers and it was like a 5-minute pull though. This time I have to grasp barely anything without harming him, and pull him through possible mutants and a 15-20 minute trek into the city.” Chris starts to panic for a bit. Emma looks around the bush and thinks for a while.

“Why don’t I just dig underneath Luke and then you can lodge your body beneath him and lift him with his face and legs dangling. You will be able to carry him back to the nursery in no time. Just one small issue…I would need some time to dig him out.” Emma says.

“Alright if you say so, I’ll cover you as you continue to dig him out,” Chris says to Emma.

She gets right to the job as she begins to dig Luke’s body with her paws. The more she digs the more noise it makes sending some of the sound-sensitive mutants to their way instead of sticking by the elders.

“Hmmph…Why are they not staying with us?! And what’s taking so long for Emma and Chris to dig your grandson out?” Isaac said as he paws another mutant to the face.

Reginald looks up and notices Chris standing there with small clumps of dirt flying out of the air. “It looks like Emma is digging and Chris is watching over her. I think they need our support over there Isaac..” Reginald tells him.

He nods “Ok, you go and get them, and tell them they only have some time left before the rest of the mutants continue to spread the area. I think Roberts will have to show his face right here and now!”

Reginald runs towards the direction Chris is as he is getting attacked by more mutants, Chris lashes with his claws impaling the eyes of the mutants and ripping out chunks with his sickle claw while keeping them in place. Emma continues to dig and she is almost done with the burrow. Reginald charges in as a mutant crawls towards him, but is no use as he crushes the skull of the mutant making a large splatter in the area. Another stares at him and growls as he runs at him, then lowers his head as the mutant runs full force at his trunk. He grabs it with his trunk and launches him to another mutant in front of Chris. Chris looks up in confusion

“Wait? Aren’t you supposed to be fending them off instead of coming over here?” Chris asks.

“Well he is my grandson…first of all, and well you are taking a lot of time to just bring him out,” Reginald replies.

Chris explains to Reginald what happened and as he finishes up Emma is also done with the opening for him to retrieve Luke. He squeezes into the dirt and wiggles his way underneath his friend and raises him slowly. Luke might be an elk, but he weighs a significant amount, he struggles to keep Luke balanced on his back as he continues to adjust to keep him comfortable.

“Hey big guy…your gonna be ok alright, we're just gonna play capture the flag alright….and you're the flag.” Chris says to Luke. “Heh……heh……” Luke chuckles faintly. “Ok, are you 3 set to go back to the Smoky Den home? I should go back with Isaac and make sure he is alright.” Reginald says as he walks back to Isaac.

“I’ll lead the way, I know a shortcut that will take us back faster.” Reginald returns only to see so many mutant corpses and Isaac’s golden fur has been tainted by the black blood. “Are you alright?” Reginald asks Isaac. Isaac pants in exhaustion

“Yeah….. it's just there so many, and it doesn’t stop…” Isaac replies faintly.

From the shadows the familiar tall figure of Roberts comes out, and looks at Reginald and Isaac. He snaps his fingers as the mutants stand still blankly looking into nothing and become non-aggressive.

“You……” Isaac says to Roberts.

“I’m surprised the leader of the animals survived a man-made landslide, but it's not that too surprising when you think about it coming from a former friend…” Roberts says to Isaac.

“Reginald…make a run for it…I can hold him here and make sure the younglings have a chance too.” Isaac whispers to Reginald.

“No….I can’t leave you here to fight this freak…. I lost Chris’’s father and I’m not going to lose you too..” Reginald whispers back.

“Too late…” Isaac says as he looks down at a corpse, and flicks black blood at Roberts's face. Roberts covers his eyes in reels back in discomfort as he tries to remove the blood from his eyes. With this moment Reginald sets off charging back towards Chris and Emma, and Isaac takes a deep breath as he watches closely and lunges at Roberts.

“YOU HAVE TO PASS ME BEFORE YOU GET THEM!!!!” Isaac roars as his fangs bear getting closer to Roberts's neck. Roberts looks up and rolls out of the way. “I am surprised you do not recognize your former colleague in arms Isaac… There is so much that has been going on since our last chat in Kenya..” Roberts says to Isaac.

“You think I care about talking with you when you just SLAUGHTERED HALF OF MY DAMN PRIDE!!!” Isaac roars as he steps forward.

“Oh don’t blame me, it was his idea after all to trap you, I was just as surprised as you all,” Roberts says with a sly grin on his face.

“Although on the contrary it does leave a sting in my heart that most of my followers died in the trap as well…” Roberts says.

“YOU CALL THOSE THINGS YOUR FOLLOWERS?! THEY ONLY LIVE TO EAT FLESH AND IF NOT EAT THEMSELVES!” Isaac again shouts to Roberts trying to intimidate him. “Well I wouldn’t call myself a deity, to them I am more of a leash for them. I let them explore freely, and if they stray too far then some of them will have their collars choked upon. The ones who behave and do what they say have more freedom and more food. You would understand this wouldn’t you? You do this all the time with your comrades and look at what happened. You let your leash so far that your pets ran into the road for a piece of food only to die minutes later from a man-made object.” Roberts says to Isaac as he sits down.

Isaac is breathing through his nostrils heavily lowering his eyes glaring as he lies down in a pouncing position.

“Oh….wee lamb, cat got your tongue?” Roberts says to Isaac. Isaac has enough as he runs towards Roberts.

“You have made the