Bridgers 1-3: An Apocalyptic Alternate Universe Series (Bridgers Box Sets) by Stan C. Smith

Author:Stan C. Smith [Smith, Stan C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-12-09T23:00:00+00:00

14

SHELTER

August 27 - 8:12 AM

The slaughtered refugees’ screams reverberated through Desmond’s consciousness. The fact that the refugees had no idea of the horror they were bridging into made their fate seem all the worse.

For whatever reason, the thirdlings were allowing the two hundred or so surviving humans to take shelter within their formation, interspersed among the walking camels as they approached the village perimeter. Desmond turned to look back at the bridge-in site. A few orcs were still hunched over the slaughtered refugees, possibly feeding on them. But the majority of the creatures—about twenty—were now following the procession of thirdlings, camels, and naked humans. They were keeping their distance, no doubt aware of the lethality of the thirdlings’ bows. But occasional eruptions of aggressive screaming made it clear they were intent on continuing their rampage.

He turned to Infinity and Zachariah walking at his side. Infinity wore a tormented frown. She was no doubt agonizing over leaving the bridge-in site.

“There’s nothing we could have done,” he said. “The orcs will eventually leave the area. Then we can return to protect the rest of the incoming groups.” He tried to sound positive but suspected his despair seeped through.

She shot a glance at him. “There are only two scenarios for that: either we convince the thirdlings to help us defend the site, or we convince them to give us a few hundred weapons. Neither of those are likely.”

“But both scenarios are possible,” Zachariah said with characteristic optimism. “Particularly the latter of the two. They seem to have an overabundance of weapons on hand. For good reason, no doubt.”

As they entered the village, young thirdlings swarmed out the door of the combat-training facility to greet them. But then the kids saw the mass of humans, and they stopped and stared. Several thirdlings sang out a sharp message, and the children ran back inside the structure. The adult thirdlings ordered their camels to kneel, and they dismounted. They formed a line facing the stalking orcs, with their bows ready. They hadn’t taken the time to tie off their camels, and the creatures nervously bunched up and began moving parallel to the nearest pasture fence, headed away from the orcs.

The absence of the camels seemed to embolden the orcs somewhat, and they came to within fifty yards of the thirdlings, presumably just out of bow range.

Trying to avoid drawing too much attention from the thirdlings, Desmond and Infinity quietly beckoned the refugees to come together in a tight group behind the defensive line. Desmond worried that at any moment the thirdlings would decide the humans were not their responsibility, and that would almost certainly end in disaster.

The young thirdlings came pouring back out of the training center carrying maces and axes. They came straight for the humans, and for a moment Desmond thought they intended to attack. But instead they stopped in front of Infinity. The nearest one, a boy less than thirty inches tall, smiled at her and handed her a mace. He then turned and handed a copper-bladed axe to Desmond.

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