Episode 34

The air was filled with the angry hum of beetle-bees on one side of the portal and the heavy drone of wings from their predators our the other. Sharp wasn’t sure which one would be preferred. The beetle-bees and their shiny, blood red stripes were freakish enough, but the flying leeches had orange, translucent wings that lifted their wet bodies of midnight purple into the air. From his vantage point, Sharp could see that each flying leach had bright yellow spots on their backs, too.

I’ve decided. I’d prefer the beetle-bees.

“I’ve got my cricket bat!” Cattleya ran up beside him and braced herself for combat.

“So far, they’re occupied with the hive, but we’ll be in trouble as soon as the gate changes.”

Sharp’s phone began to jangle with the ringtone of his friend.

Not now, Novell…

“Send a text to Novell. Include a closeup of the critters. ‘Battling beetle-bees and flying leeches. Having a grand ole time. Will send vaycay photos later. Kiss kiss.’”

Cattleya’s face was confused and in pain simultaneously.

“That’s a good look for you.”

“Never mind that! Whyever did you send your friend such a ghastly message? He’s a gentleman, not a scoundrel like you!”

“Yes, yes,” Sharp said in a patronizing tone, “but I like to tease Darity through…watch out!”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Several flying leeches had pierced the barrier, finished their meal, and began to swarm around Cattleya’s irridescent hair. As more flying leeches burst through the portal, they began to join the swarm.

“They’re in my hair!”

“Gimme the bat!”

“Don’t hit my horns!”

“I won’t!!”

Sharp took the cricket bat from Cattleya and began swatting at the leeches, taking care not to strike her accidentally. The air began to fill with more angry droning. Sharp couldn’t do anything about the ones already in Cattleya’s hair, but he began to make headway against the swarm. The bat swung through the air making hard squelching noises as it hit its hovering targets.

“Can you run around while I make a fire?”

“What are you going on about?”

Whack!

“On earth…”

Splat!

“…smoke calms down…”

Splortch!

“…angry bees. They’re a similar insect to these wasp-like things.”

Smack!

“Maybe it’ll work.” He took a few more swings, then shouted, “Take the bat! And run!”

“Where?”

“Anywhere! It’s a big room!”

Cattleya grabbed the bat and sped towards the back corner of the lab. Every few feet she would stop and swat the swarm with furious swings, then turn and run closer to the bathroom that was missing its door. Sharp hoped she remembered that small detail. Meanwhile, Sharp ran over to the pile of debris that he had never finished tossing through the portal. There were plenty of dry branches mixed in with the wet. The clumps of muck would be helpful as well.

He pulled his utility knife and beam lighterout of his pocket. They usually resided in his gear bag, but ever since he became trapped in this room, he kept them on his person. His original plan was to pull out some branches, start a fire, then light up some muck to smoke out the flying leeches, but he was so close to the portal that the flying leeches began to swarm him, too.

No choice! I’ve gotta hurry this fire along.

With a click, the electric beam lighter hummed to life with a short, blue, plasma flame. He pushed the flame against some leaves and heard them crackle. Very quickly the branches under the leaves began to catch on fire. Sharp grabbed a thicker branch without any leaves and patted some of the storm muck onto its end in a tight ball, then held the branch over the fire. It began smoking even more than the accidental bonfire he had created—just as he had hoped.

“Cattleya! This way!”