We dozed again in the truck in the early hours of the morning. We were probably about 10km from the anomaly and approaching Soph’s limit. Time might increase the limit, but we don’t have that right now. To go closer, we would need to actively repel the essence, which is not too bad.

I woke to Buck growling. I looked out to the dawn, and there was a large mob of kangaroos moving through the area. Mutated kangaroos. I woke the others and got the camera going. Some were obviously mutated with extra limbs and things, but others looked normal.

We stayed quiet, trying not to draw attention to ourselves. Soph was holding Rich, and I had Buck. We were in the truck, so we should be safe enough.

We had been updating the base regularly and shared our experiments with acclimatising to the essence. The soldiers that were mutated here should acclimatise faster than us. The base was being fed data from the truck on our position, and two outside cameras were feeding direct information. Yesterday, we spotted an aerial drone keeping tabs on us every now and again.

Carla had changed inside the Truck out of sight of cameras. I made sure we were not recorded constantly. We had not planned to spend the night in the zone, but Base was pleased when we did. This expedition is generating a huge volume of data for them.

So, with the cameras and the drones, why were we not warned of the mob of kangaroos?

Oh. I turned the radio off so we would not be disturbed, and there was no phone reception out here. Oops.

The mob was moving slowly and just grazing. I saw some Joeys. That was interesting. What would young born in the anomaly zone be like? Would they mutate in the womb or pouch, in this case? It is a whole new field for someone to study.

Buck and Rich were tense but in control, right up until a kangaroo jumped and missed the landing because of a mutated foot and banged against the side of the truck.

Buck let out a Power Bark before I could stop him. The kangaroo spasmed and froze, but all the kangaroos turned to look at us. I grabbed the truck ignition to start getting it moving when the bonnet of the truck collapsed under the weight of an absolutely massive kangaroo- obviously mutated to that size. The bonnet caved, as did the axle of the front wheels. We are lucky he landed on the bonnet and not the roof, or we would be crushed.

“Out out out.” I scrambled for the door. Buck slipped out ahead of me, and Powered barked at the monster, drawing its attention. It didn’t spasm. It might have twitched. It jumped after Buck, but Buck was quick.

I rolled out, and I saw Soph and Rich come out my side. Carla was on the opposite side of the vehicle. Buck came racing back toward us, unfortunately bringing the kangaroo with him. Rich started barking as well.

The rest of the mob was just watching or backing off, which was good. That was right up until Carla started firing one of the two rifles we were given. That caused a stampede.

It was a standard EF88 with a 30-round magazine. I think she held the trigger down until it was empty. Some hit the monster. Many others hit other kangaroos, adding to the stampede. Soph and I stayed low, out of range of her somewhat erratic fire.

The monster was bleeding but not down and went for Carla. This time, he landed partly on the roof of the truck, crushing it. Carla clicked empty, and there were kangaroos bouncing everywhere. I heard one of the dogs yelp in pain, but I lept for the monster kangaroo. My knife barely dug into his fur, showing how he survived a dozen rounds from the EF88. I was pumping Boosted poison into his fur as fast as I could. I only think half of them penetrated, but it was potent.

I saw a flash of scales as Carla went flying, and then I was flying. I hit hard and rolled. Luckily, I didn’t hit a tree or anything. I was winded, but my lungs weren’t my only source of oxygen. In the dry outback air, I did need my lungs.

Carla was up OK. She was still limping from her ankle but otherwise seemed OK. Rich was going at the monster Kangaroo and had its attention. I couldn’t see Buck anywhere. Then, the second rifle we were given started firing. I saw Soph braced against the wrecked truck, carefully firing controlled shots, and I saw several hit the Roo on the head. That hurt it, but they couldn't have penetrated the skull. The Roo had a broken main leg now, which I assume was Carla’s doing. Soph must have realised the skull was too thick and aimed for the last main leg. Then she ran out of bullets.

I got up and realised my ribs hurt. I opened the rear of the truck and pulled out the spear gun. I dodged forward, and the Roo tried to push me with its forearms. I ducked and put the gun under its jaw, and put a spear into its brain. Even then, it had time to punch me and then fell on top of me, and I heard my ribs crack.

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

Carla limped over. “I’ll lift; you drag yourself out.”

She disappeared again, and then the weight eased, and I dragged myself out as best I could. I just lay there, catching my breath as I could. All the Roos had gone. My hearing could pick them up, getting further away.

“Fuck.”

Carla held out a hand to help me up, “Come on, Soph needs us.”

“Shit, Buck?”

She nodded. We helped each other around to the other side of the truck, where Soph was on her knees, cradling Buck’s broken body. Buck was still alive, but it was clear his back was broken, and his back legs had bones sticking out.

Fuck. We knelt beside Soph as she wept and poured some water into the cup of her hand for him to lick. Rich was whining nearby.

Fuck, buddy, don’t you do this to me.

Fuck, what the hell am I going to do now? Tears dripped off my cheeks. Shit, I never cry.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Then Buck’s eyes closed, and he stopped breathing.

Fucking hell, what am I going to do now. Both Soph and Carla had their arms around me. I guess they could both sense how I felt in their different ways. Soph must be hurting so bad, and all I can do is kneel here and cry.

The three of us held each other. Then Soph said, “Wait, Rich!”

He had gone silent. I looked around, and he was lying on the ground twitching. Fuck! He is mutating.

Soph picked him up and carried him to the back of the wrecked truck. We all watched for a while. He had blood on him, but I don’t know from where.

I walked away and picked up the rifles first. I checked them, reloaded a new magazine, and leaned them against the side of the truck, just in case. Shit, my ribs are definitely broken.

I grabbed a spade and started digging a hole under the nearby tree. Carla limped over after a while, handed me a drink bottle, took the spade, and completed the hole. She stayed with Rich as Soph, and I buried Buck. We had no words. Just tears.

Fuck.

I left Soph there and went over to Carla. After a while, Carla grabbed a knife and went over to the dead Roo. She cut out a number of large hunks of meat and stripped a good portion of the fur on the upper side off. She brought both back to the truck, got out the camp stove, fired it up, and started cooking the meat.

None of us had spoken. Silence was the best. When she started cooking the meat, I raised an eyebrow. She just shrugged. Whatever will be. That was how I felt as well.

Soph came over and sat to watch Rich. The smell of cooked meat started to spread. Then I saw a movement in the bush line, and I grabbed a rifle. It was a while before the first dingo ventured out to the Roo, and when we didn’t respond, others followed. They started tearing at the carcass and feeding. I watched to make sure they stayed there. The flies were also gathering.

We had Roo stakes for lunch. They were a bit gamey, but it was good. I saw the aerial drone appear and circle the scene. I bet they were wondering why we had gone quiet and why their feeds had stopped. The drone circled us three times and then flew off. Nobody was coming in to rescue us.

Rich was in distress. He was twitching and whining, and I could see the stress in Soph as she did what she could through her bond. She was trying to cool his body with water. There was a large container of water in the rear of the truck, and it was intact. We needed plenty for the trek out of here.

It was probably a two-hour walk out of the zone, but I had cracked ribs, and Carla was limping. I estimate four to five hours until we can get somewhere we can be picked up. We were not going anywhere while Rich was mutating.

The afternoon wore on. It was hot. The carcass started to smell. I kept watch.

Carla led me to the back seat of the truck, which I could crawl into, and I dozed for a while as she kept watch. I woke as the sun was going down.

I crawled out, then jumped back, startled at the monster in front of me. The monster licked my face. “Shit, Rich?”

Two evil women laughed.

It was Rich. He still looked like a Staffordshire Terrier but was now the size of a Rottweiler. No bigger, maybe the size of a small pony. He used to be 40cm high at the shoulder. His shoulder is now at my waist. His head used to be knee height, but it is now past the waist and bangs my stomach. He is bulked to match.

“You got your teeth into the Roo, didn’t you?” It was the only place the mutation could have come from.

“He has been hungry as,” Soph said. “He has been digging into the carcass even though it has been going off.”

“When you got to eat, you’ve got to eat,” I said sagely.

I got dry rations to eat.

“Do you want to leave now or wait till morning?” I asked.

“You are the only one who can see in the dark,” Soph said.

“Morning it is.”