He motioned with one stumpy finger for us to step forward.
Joele marched toward him, her fists clenched. Her tail lashed back and forth, slicing through the air.
Riley and Avery followed, tense and ready to take on anyone that ventured near them despite being hungry and tired like the rest of us.
One of the smaller Zinids stepped forward. “Tes ru dra zok” he growled, holding up a long baton in his pudgy hand.
I cringed as it arced with sparks, recalling the horrific torture the stick could inflict.
Joele put her arms out to her sides, gathering us behind her like a mother hen with her chicks. “They are taking us to the Krilex. Stay close,” she said.
She kept her eyes on our captors.
Olivia and I got closer to her, and one of them suddenly went for her, but she grabbed onto me in fear. Her nails digging into me.
I moved closer to Joele, avoiding getting hit by her angry, moving tail.
Riley and Avery both yelled at him, waving their arms but staying back far enough not to be reached by his pain stick.
I tensed my leg muscles, ready to run as soon as I could.
My heartbeat was thumping in my ears. I squeezed my hands into tight fists, digging my nails into my skin.
Joele roared and swung her clawed hand at the alien who was still gripping Olivia’s arm. The second Zinid darted forward and flung his shock stick toward Joele.
In the blink of an eye, she disarmed him and held the stick in her hand. The brave female struck the aliens face hard. The thwack of skin on skin rung out and the alien flew back, hitting the wall hard before falling to the floor.
When a series of blasts shook the building, I felt the vibration through my entire body.
The alien’s ugly face dropped. Ignoring us, he hastily left without reactivating the force field.
The cacophony of voices and clatter of footsteps outside grew louder with every passing moment.
Olivia trembled, and I put my arm around her shoulders. “We’ll stick together. It’s going to be okay.”
I wished to hell I could believe it myself.
As another immense blast echoed, the building shook so fiercely that the walls vibrated. The air in our small space was heavy with dust and dirt. Worsening the already unpleasant smells.
I coughed. The taste in my mouth was already unpleasant, but the gritty texture of sand made me cringe and long for a mouth rinse.
Chunks of the ceiling and wall rained down around us, causing Olivia’s face to go pale.
I ground my teeth together, determined to suppress the rising fear in my chest.
“What’s happening out there?” Olivia cried. Her eyes were saucers.
Joele moved toward the door with an angry flick of her tail.
She glanced over her shoulder; determination filled her eyes as she surveyed the group.
“It’s time to go.” She flashed a wide grin, showing off shiny white teeth with sharp fangs.
“About fucking time,” bitched Avery, wasting no time moving to Joele’s side.
“Stay low and let’s see if we can make it out alive. We’ll sneak around the building so the aliens don’t spot us.”
I grabbed Olivia’s hand and tugged her toward the exit with me.
