They sat at the entrance of the cave, waiting.

Outside, they still could hear the wurm’s thumping sound, though it now was more distant.

“How much longer?” asked Kaine.

Val clicked her tongue. “Five minutes less than the last time you asked.”

The man made a face as he shifted his weight and glanced toward the snowy sky.

Val looked at Rodger and noticed he kept darting glances in every direction.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he said.

Val frowned.

“You look nervous to me.” She glanced at Kaine and pointed toward their guide. “Doesn’t he look nervous to you?”

“Sorry to break it to you, buddy, but you do.”

Rodger grunted.

“It’s just... This place isn’t safe.”

“What are you talking about? You didn’t seem concerned at all, earlier.”

“Yes, well, earlier we didn’t have a wurm roaming out there.”

“Didn’t you say they couldn’t dig through rock?” asked Kaine.

“They can’t, but that’s not the problem.”

Val crossed her arms, glaring at the man.

“Well, spill it out already!”

“The constant thudding can draw other things out,” he grumbled. “The longer it lasts, the more likely they will come.”

“They?”

“Smaller critters, but nasty all the same.”

Kaine hit the back of his head against the rock wall.

“This was such a great idea, Val. Thanks a lot.”

Ignoring him, she stared at the guide.

“Do these things dig through rock?”

“Not exactly.” He looked in the direction of the pit. “They sleep in alcoves and crannies throughout these tunnels. It’s a sound sleep that can only be disturbed by... well... something like that.” He pointed toward the snow-covered plains outside. “And they do not like to be woken.”

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“So you’re telling me we’re surrounded by dangerous creatures and you never deemed useful to mention it?”

“As I said, their sleep is heavy, it’s usually not a problem. It would take something extreme like this to wake them.”

“How long before they wake?” asked Kaine.

Rodger shrugged. “I don’t know. The wurm seems to be moving away, so if they haven’t woken yet, it’s possible they won’t wake at all.”

The man’s wristpad emitted a beep and he looked at the screen. Though the concern did not dissipate, he nodded his head and looked at the other two.

“They’re almost here.”

“The wurm’s still close,” remarked Val.

Their guide made a face. “We’ll have to make do.”

He stood and took a step toward the entrance, glancing toward the sky.

“Shouldn’t you warn them it’s still here?”

“They know. Ship sensors would have picked it up. It’d be too risky to land, so I’m guessing they’ll hover above us. On the plus side, that means they’ll be able to come closer to the cliff. Less risk also of the wurm coming for us.”

“Why do I feel like there’s a ‘but’?”

He glanced at her, then back at the sky.

“Well, the ship’s engine will be very loud at this range...”

“Don’t tell me that could wake your critters too?”

He just nodded, without a word.

“Damn it!” growled Kaine as he stood. “How will we get into the ship?”

“Rope ladder. We’ll need to be quick.”

“You think?”

Looking at the sky, they saw a black dot in the distance. It grew and grew, until the shape of a shuttle became obvious. As Rodger had suspected, they remained in the air, coming very close to the cliff.

The engine roared and they all shuddered as they glanced back in the tunnel.

The distant thudding grew louder as well and they looked at each other.

“Is it coming back?” shouted Val so the others could hear her over the noise.

Rodger looked up and waved his hands at the ship. A panel at the bottom opened and a ladder dropped out.

“It must be attracted by the shuttle. It won’t be able to come very near, but I’m concerned about the sound.”

Even as he said this, they all heard hissing and piercing shrieks from behind them.

“Crap. They’re awake.”

Rodger’s face had gone very white.

He pulled at the ladder and grabbed Val’s arm.

“Go up! Hurry.”

She glanced down the tunnel even as she reached for the ladder. Dark shapes were pouring out of the walls. Slowly. Noisily.

“They’re still half asleep,” yelled Rodger as she started to climb. “Now you,” he said as he pulled Kaine toward the ladder. “Quick, quick! We’re running out of time.”

Kaine looked back and got a glimpse of red blinking eyes turning toward them. Louder hisses resonated as the small lizard-like shapes stirred and woke. More and more of them appeared.

And suddenly, a dozen of the critters rushed toward them.

Kaine gulped as he jumped up and climbed the ladder.

He didn’t look back but felt the rope move wildly under him as Rodger followed.

And then came a piercing scream. He couldn’t help but look down.

Rodger had been pulled down, and the creatures were now all over him, slashing and tearing at his face with their fangs and claws. He tried to pull them off him, but there were too many.

Some of the creatures jumped on the rope and started to climb. Their bodies were not suited for this, so they moved slowly, but still they came.

He looked up and saw that Val had reached the ship. She leaned down and reached for him, then pulled him up with her. He fell to the floor, breathless.

“We need to cut this!” she screamed as she looked down.

“You can unhook it!” yelled back a man’s voice from the cockpit.

The shuttle rose into the sky, so the critters could no longer reach the ladder, but four of them still hung on to it, making their way up, hissing and glaring at them.

“Quick! Help me, Kaine!”

She went to one end of the ladder while he went to the other, and they unfastened the rope.

The closest creature was almost upon them when the last hook gave, and the entire ladder fell.

The critters hissed and flapped their legs and paws in startled surprise, but they could not stop the fall.

And even as they fell, the ground beneath trembled, cracked, and opened.

An enormous jaw sprung out, filled with thousands of sharpened teeth, and it swallowed the critters, along with the rope, before going back down and disappearing into its hole.