Page 81 of Explorer's Revenge
My hands shake as I stare at him until the phone finally connects, and I hit speaker. “Maeve, is that you?” Ajax asks.
“It’s me! It’s me!” I rush out. “Where are you? We need you. Logan is hurt badly, really badly.”
“We are on our way. Fifteen minutes out. The others?”
“Alive,” I reply. “Rick is hurt, and so is Wilder, but Logan—please, Ajax, hurry.”
“We’ll be there. We have your position. I have two medics with me, just don’t move, do you hear me? Do not move! Now, let me talk to Wilder.” I hand the phone over. “Okay, Wilder, talk me through his condition. They are listening, and we might be able to help while you wait.”
Wilder hurries to his brother’s side, and I step back, watching them.
A hiss behind me has me turning, and I see the creature in the jungle, ready to attack again. They are all oblivious as they work on their brother, trying to keep him alive. Gripping the gun tighter, I spare them a look.
They won’t be safe while that thing is here.
They saved my life, and now it’s my turn to save theirs. I’ll buy them the time until Ajax gets here. I allow myself one last look at them before I turn away, wishing I could tell them how much they mean to me, but they are focused on Logan, and if they realized what I planned to do, they would stop me.
No. I need to save them and give the rescue team time.
Silently, I head toward the jungle and dive into the brush. Grabbing a rock, I toss it at the creature. It hisses but moves farther away, so I grab another one and slice the palm of my hand so I’m bleeding, then I toss it again.
It turns as I keep throwing more, and I walk backwards into the jungle as it advances on me. I need to lead it away. I’m also running out of ammo, so I need my shots to be true.
“Come on, you ugly motherfucker!” I growl as it snaps and shuffles after me. “You can’t have them, you understand me? They are mine!”
Smacking the gun into my side, I make as much noise as I can as I back up. “Come on, you prehistoric bitch. Are you hungry? I’m right here! Finish what you started!”
Glancing back, I see a huge rock on my right, and an idea comes to mind. It’s a truly terrible one, but it’s all I have. I back toward it as the croc snaps and hisses, lunging at me as I taunt it. I don’t care how long this creature has been here or that we stumbled into its home and it’s defending itself—I won’t let it hurt any more of the guys.
I’ll keep them safe no matter what.
“Come on!” I yell as I back up close to the rock, feeling it behind me just as it lunges.
My back hits the massive boulder hard, and I curl into it, screaming as the croc charges me, opening its mouth. It snaps into the rock, missing me, and moves back, shaking its head, and I see a tooth come loose.
It’s working. The way the rock is slanted means it can’t get to the curve in the middle. It’s the only chance I have. I need to be close to kill this motherfucker. Raising the gun with steady hands, I feel everything in me go cold as I blow out a breath and extend my arms.
One of us will die here, and it won’t be me.
I have too much to live for.
“Come on!” I shout. “I’m right here. You want to kill me? Go ahead. I’m taking you with me.” It hisses again, and I snarl, “I’m right here! Come on!”
It finally lunges toward me.
I fire into its open mouth as its jaws close over me, hitting the rock above and the ground below. It struggles, trying to snap its mouth closed, but it’s caught, and I keep firing, my arms and sides being torn by those vicious teeth as it tries its best to eat me.
I keep firing until the gun clicks empty, and it’s only then I realize it isn’t moving. Blood drips down my body, and I blink, breathing heavily as I look around. It’s dead—it has to be. I slide up higher on the rock, freezing as a hiss escapes its mouth, and I swear its jaw clamps down before it suddenly snaps again. Screaming, I scramble for anything to help me as it shakes and struggles. My hand connects with something, so I lift it and stab. I keep stabbing as its mouth snaps again. Reaching through its sharp teeth, I swing over and over at its head with a bellow. I’m wild with my need to kill until my body gives into exhaustion. Heavy and done, I drop my arm and see the blood-covered tooth of the beast in my grip.
It’s frozen, and I worry for a moment it’s a trap until it collapses, seeming to deflate.
It’s . . . It’s dead.
Panting, I struggle to slide out from under it. I have to crawl, and I feel my back shred against its teeth before I crumple on the wet ground, bleeding and exhausted.
The creature is dead and unmoving.
“Eat that, motherfucker,” I rasp.
