Lair by Carl Stubblefield (recommended reading TXT) 📕

it. The warmth was a welcome respite, even though the air kept circulating around him, ripping away what little heat he regained with indifference. Thunder began to crack, and he heard rain began to fall. Gus added more items to the fire from the mass of wood, seaweed and other things he’d collected. Some were slightly wet and began to smoke.

The annoying, constant wind did manage to pull the smoke away for the most part. However, it thwarted Gus’ attempt to move to a spot downwind, so he finally just picked a spot with the wall of the cave behind him and masked his mouth and nose. Staring at the large fire, Gus listened to the storm growing ever more intense. Thunder hit, closer now, and lightning flashed, slightly bleaching his display.

Gus rubbed the back of his neck and stretched. His eyes itched and burned, his fatigue finally setting in now that he had sat down. He tugged his backpack over and pulled out the putty mat and spread it out. It rolled over a small rounded rock which, thanks to the putty’s cushion, became a decent pillow.

Gus lay there gazing into the fire as it crackled and popped. He set his visor pot on the coals when the fire settled a little bit. He didn’t know exactly how long to cook the things but he figured better to let them cook for a while than risk raw food. As he watched the water stubbornly refuse to boil, he struggled to keep his eyes open but exhaustion soon overtook him.

A loud crack startled Gus out of his sleep. His campfire had burned down somewhat, and Gus moved to check how the crabs were cooking. The water was at a low boil, but Gus felt he should give it a bit more time. He added some more wood to keep the fire burning, and had almost lain down again when he noticed two yellow eyes peering out at him from the darkness. Gus tried his filters again, but the brightness of the fire washed out any detail from the dark. He blinked and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and took another look.

Yes, they are still there! The eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, and a chuff followed by a low rolling chirrup chased away any drowsiness Gus had held on to. The eyes moved to the left then right, pacing. Whatever it was, it seemed reluctant to approach with the flames. SO glad I stayed on this side of the fire.

The wind kicked in again, whipping and almost shrieking as it tore around the island outside. How long has it been staring at me? Gus gulped, trying to choke down some saliva. He took a quick look at his fuel, and the lion’s share of what remained were dried vines and minor detritus.

Can’t stay here forever. Maybe not even all night. A quick peek at his watch confirmed it was 11:21 PM. Gus groaned internally; this thing liked to hunt at night. When he was adding to the fire, he saw he had dropped a medium sized branch, half in and half out of the pit, just beginning to light.

Using Razorback Prime, he lifted the free end toward him enough to drag it away from the fire. One end was relatively unburned, the other smoked as it was removed. He waved it a bit and it began to burn in earnest.

Gus kicked some vines into the fire, and it flared to life briefly, giving Gus a peek at the creature. It was difficult to see, as it crouched defensively with the flash of light, but it looked to be the size of a panther. The brief light reflected on something that resembled scales, and there was definitely a greenish tinge to it.

The chirrup began again, and Gus felt a single drop of sweat track down his spine. It was so unsettling. A loud *ba-boom* echoed in the cave, accompanied with a simultaneous flash.

That one was close! Gus’ ears rang with a high-pitched whine. As he blinked away the effects of the lightning, he saw that the eyes were gone. A sudden vibration commenced, originating outside the cave.

What now? Gus grabbed Razorback Prime and the branch. He would have to make a break for it while he could. He slung his backpack on and waved the branch a bit to illuminate the cave as he prepared to leave. He sidled forward, leading with the branch, with Razorback clutched in his other hand. He peeked around the corner to look outside, but the creature was out of sight.

The darkness outside was absolute; only the flashes of lightning revealed the area ahead. Gus’ night-vision was severely limited. The fire made some things washed out and the heavy rain hid things beyond the cave opening. There was also a fog that floated across and made things even harder to see. Gus realized the branch was a beacon for his location and it wouldn’t last long in that rain.

He looked down at his clothing and realized it was practically no protection at all. He shivered with the drop in temperature, amplified by the massive doses of adrenaline in his system. At least out here he could use the spear a little better; it was cramped in the cave.

Another flash revealed some kind of turret or tower had pushed its way out of the sand, stretching out of sight upward. As if parting a curtain, the creature crept out of the rain back into the opening of the cave. Gus noticed its smell now that it was closer. It was a pungent scent that reminded him of his uncle’s house who had all sorts of reptiles. Its odd musky smell mingled with the distinctive scent of carrion.

The creature clicked its teeth together menacingly as it prowled. If that was supposed to be an intimidation technique, it definitely was working on Gus. Gus slid off his backpack and dropped the branch, grabbing the spear with