Ice Rift (27 page)

“Go back to the spaceship!” said Richard, appalled at the idea after having spent so long escaping from the monsters within. “You can't be serious.”

The falling chunks of ice increased.

Jane glanced at Richard and smiled. “You can stay here if you want.”

Richard scowled at her. He felt the creature hidden beneath his jacket move.

Two howls rang out. Richard sighed.

Their glance alongside the lake revealed the approach of two more Hunters.

“We can't let them escape like the last one,” said Jack, defiantly. He snatched up the flaming torch and moved into the tunnel to prevent them from scaling the walls like the last one.

Jane retrieved her thrown ice axe and along with Theo also armed with an axe, they stood beside Jack.

Richard shook his head in dismay, retrieved an axe from the stack of supplies and joined the others.

The monsters advanced.

SCOTT SIPPED HIS STEAMING mug of coffee and stared out the window at the raging blizzard caught in the powerful lights positioned around the camp. When another strong gust shook the cabin his thoughts turned to his friends in the rift. “I hope they're okay.”

Pike, busy reading
Ben Hammott's
latest novel,
The Lost Inheritance Mystery
, a humorous Victorian mystery revolving around the search for a lost inheritance worth millions, dragged his attention from its pages and looked at his anxious friend. “If they're in the cavern, they'll be fine.”

Scott noticed something move outside― a shadowy form. His eyes peered at the spot, but detected no other signs of movement. “I think someone's out there.”

Pike joined him at the window and peered at the storm raging outside. “Are you sure?”

Scott shook his head vaguely. “No, but I'm going out to check.” He placed his cup on the table. “It might be Eli lost in the blizzard.”

“Okay, but don't go too far, or you might not find your way back.”

Scott staggered and was almost blown off his feet when he exited the hut and stepped into the biting wind. He pulled the door shut and scanned the area, but saw nothing that could be a person. Hunched against the storm, he made his way to the position where he thought he'd seen someone. His eyes scanned the ground for footprints. If there had been any, the wind had wiped them clean. He set off to search the camp's perimeter.

When he passed the storage sheds he heard a noise that sounded like something banging. A few more steps brought the swinging door into view. He was certain he'd latched it shut. Either the wind had freed it or someone had entered. Believing it might be Eli seeking refuge from the storm, he entered to find out.

The cabin shook and creaked with the wind gusts beating furiously against it, and ice pellets constantly pinged against its metal sides. He switched on the light, casting yellow illumination through the storeroom, and slid the dark goggles onto his brow. His eyes scanned the length of the room, halted on a dark area at the far end and focused on a slightly lighter form amongst the shadows, but it was difficult to tell exactly what it was.

“Is that you, Eli?”

No answer.

Though he sensed something was wrong, he couldn't pinpoint the reason. When he advanced a few nervous steps, the pale form moved further into the corner until it was out of sight behind some stacked crates. The way it had moved, more like an animal than a human, creeped Scott out.

He moved a few steps closer and thought he heard breathing. He pushed the parka hood over his head. “Is anyone there?”

When he received no reply, he moved closer until he drew level with the end crate.

He couldn't explain his hesitation or sense of apprehension. There were no large animals in Antarctica, so it could only be one of the group, Jack or his passenger. He forced his nervousness aside and stepped nearer. There was something vague hunched in the shadow-filled corner. He fished a small flashlight from his pocket, switched it on and shone it into the darkness.

What shivered in the corner wasn't human. Its head turned to look at him. Claws lashed out. Scott staggered back and fell. The terrifying monster climbed upright.

The screeching cry that reverberated throughout the hut brought Scott to his senses. He threw the torch at the nightmare made manifest and rushed from the cabin. He slammed the door shut behind him to trap the monster. The build-up of snow in the entrance prevented it from closing. The pale form emerged from the corner and skulked forebodingly toward him. Scott shoved the door harder. The snow bunched up against the base of the door when it juddered forward. A final forceful shove rammed it into its frame. He slid home the metal latch and backed away. The door shook when the monster slammed into it.

Scott's gaze fell upon the door catch; it wouldn't last long against such force. He desperately searched the area for something to block it with, but there was nothing. Everything had been stowed away before the storm hit. His eyes rested on the garage door and pictured what lay within. He rushed over to the garage, pulled the doors open and climbed into the remaining Sno-Cat. He turned the key. The engine turned, but didn't catch. The second attempt brought it to life; it roared. The headlights sent two light arcs across the camp. They roamed across the buildings when Scott drove out of the garage. Hundreds of individual pieces of snow and ice flashed through the light beams before disappearing into the surrounding gloom. Scott steered the vehicle over to the storeroom and edged closer until the front jammed tight against the door. Whatever that thing was, it was now trapped.

“You've gone crazy man,” Pike replied when Scott told him about the creature. “There ain't any monsters here or anywhere.”

Scott pointed out of the window. “Then why did I block the storeroom door with the Sno-Cat?”

Pike saw the hazy red shape of the vehicle through the driving snow. “Because your concern for the team out on the ice has made you stir crazy. You're seeing things. It's the only rational explanation.”

Scott looked at his friend. “Come on Pike, you know me. Do you really think I've suddenly gone mad?”

Pike scratched his head. Scott was one of the sanest people he knew. He shrugged. “But what other explanation is there? I can't believe something like you've just described is out there, trapped in the storeroom. It's not possible. No!”

“If our roles were reversed, I'd think the same. However, it's out there.”

Pike shot a nervous glance through the window. “You're really creeping me out, man.”

“You're lucky, you didn't see it. It's like something that's escaped from the underworld or a horror movie set.”

Though skeptical a monster existed, Pike thought his friend believed he was telling the truth.

“Come on. You want proof, I'll give it to you.” Scott headed for the door.

Pike knew he had to find out for himself to reassure himself Scott hadn't gone crazy and locked one of the team in the storeroom. “Okay, I'm coming.”

The two men approached the shed and stood beside the front of the Sno-Cat.

Pike stared at the door. Nothing banged on it. Apart from the vehicle jammed against the door, everything seemed normal. He wore a frown when he looked at Scott.

Scott knocked on the door. Nothing happened. “It probably realized it can't get out and stopped, or maybe it froze to death.”

Pike wasn't reassured about the man's sanity. If he'd gone temporarily crazy for some reason, someone might be imprisoned inside; they wouldn't last long in this cold. “Maybe we should move the Sno-Cat and take a look inside.”

A loud metallic squeal cut off Scott's reply. It had come from around the side of the hut. They cautiously moved to the corner and peered around the side. A flap of metal that formed the end of the hut was bent out. Insulation flapped in the wind.

Scott grabbed Pike's arm and shouted, “It's free! We have to get back inside. We're sitting ducks out here.”

Though still not convinced a monster existed outside his friend's mind, Scott's obvious fear was very convincing and very unsettling. Pike followed Scott's hurried dash to the main hut.

Pike watched Scott strip off his cold weather gear with a worried frown that refused to go away. Though something seemed to have forced its way through the side wall, it wasn't necessarily Scott's monster that was responsible; a man could have done it. His doubts remained only because Scott's present behaviour was so far outside his normal character.

Scott noticed Pike's concerned expression and mistook the reason for its presence. “Don't look so worried. It can't get us in here.”

Pike followed him into the mess hall. “Are you certain you saw what you believe you saw? You said it was dark. Maybe it was Eli or one of the others?”

Scott walked over to the window and peered out. “So you still don't believe me?”

“Shit! I don't know. I want to, because that'll mean you're as sane as I am, but if what you say is true, there's a vicious monster on the loose out there somewhere. Something I'm finding very hard to come to terms with.” He joined Scott at the window. “You have to admit, it's a bloody difficult thing to believe.”

“That doesn't mean it's not true, and I assure you, that thing wasn't human.” Scott turned, picked up his cup from the table and sipped of the cold coffee.

Suddenly, a monstrous face with peering savage eyes and hungry gnashing teeth slammed against the window.

Pike screamed, staggered back and toppled to the floor.

Scott stared at the monster. The cup slipped from his grasp and smashed on contact with the floor.

The monster scraped a claw down the window. The high pitched screech sent a shiver down their spines. It slammed a clawed fist on the toughened glass, but failed to break it. The monster glared at them and disappeared.

Scott looked at his shocked friend. “Do you believe me now?”

Shaking with fright, Pike nodded.

The Hunter monster slunk around the hut in its search for a way inside. It paused at a stack of angle-iron left over from when the huts were constructed and stared at it for a few moments while its brain processed their usefulness. Snow cascaded from the length it picked up. It crossed to the nearest window and struck the glass with the metal bar.

Scott helped his friend to his feet.

A boom reverberated through the hut.

“That wasn't the wind,” Scott stated. “It's trying to get in.”

The two men rushed into the hall when a second boom rung out.

Pike pointed at a door along the corridor. “It's coming from Henry's room.”

Caution guided their nervous approach to the door. Scott turned the handle and pushed the door open. The window shattered. Glass sprayed into the room. Snow and ice borne by the howling wind rushing through the broken window, picked up loose sheets of paper and swirled them erratically around the room. The monster poked its head through the window and growled savagely. Scott pulled the door shut. There was no lock and no chance to barricade it.

With a fear-shrouded voice, Pike asked, “Do you think it can open doors?”

The monster slammed against the door. Wood splintered.

“I don't think that's going to be a problem for it,” said Scott. “Let's drop back to the mess hall.”

“Then what do we do?”

Scott glanced at Pike. “I haven't thought that far ahead.”

Wood splintered. The door collapsed into the hallway. Carried by its momentum, the Hunter smashed into the opposite wall and tumbled to the floor.

Scott paused outside the mess hall door. “Grab your cold weather gear, I think we're gonna need it.”

They grabbed their clothes and entered the mess hall.

“Give me a hand to shove the table against the door. It should buy us some time. ”

Pike grabbed the other side of the table and together they carried it over to the door. “Now what? That won't stop it for long.”

The Hunter climbed to its feet and moved along the corridor.

Scott knew his friend was right. His gaze around the room halted on the window. “Put your gear on. We're going outside.”

They hastily pulled their cold weather clothes on and climbed through the window. Scott glanced at the door when the monster slammed its weight against it. The table juddered an inch. He dropped down into the snow.

The door burst open. The table screeched hesitantly along the floor. The Hunter entered and turned its head around the room. Its eyes settled on the windblown ice pouring through the open window. It crossed the room and peered out. One of the two legs was standing a short distance away. Sensing its next meal would shortly be upon its lips, it climbed through the window and rushed at its prey. Though the defenseless creature backed away, it made no attempt to flee. The Hunter sensed a trap. Its prey's eyes briefly flicked to the side. The Hunter turned to see what had attracted its attention. Something large and red filled its vision.

Just when Scott thought his plan would be successful and the monster would be struck by the Sno-Cat driven by Pike, it leapt into the air a moment before the vehicle hit. The monster had the reflexes of a mongoose. It landed on top of the Sno-Cat uninjured and angry.