Critical Threshold by Brian Stableford

Author:Brian Stableford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: science fiction, space travel, sci-fi, space opera, arthur c. clarke
Publisher: Wildside Press
Published: 2011-09-12T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Karen began to reach for the rifle. I put my hand on it quickly, held it down. When she looked at me I shook my head. She shrugged, and reached, instead, for one of the packs, to look for one of the flashguns. I waited for her to dig it out, then I turned down the intensity of the light inside the tent. The larger lamp, outside, was not switched on.

I strained my ears, trying to catch the sound of any slight movement outside, but I heard nothing. I moved the flap aside tentatively, and peered out. Though it was not too long since sunset the night, aided by the trees, was already pitch dark. I was tempted to bring the rifle, but I left it, and took the flashlight instead. I eased my body out of the tent to let Karen take up a position by the open flap before switching it on and playing its beam in a low circle.

The moment I switched it on there was another barking sound, brief and explosive. This time it was less like a cough. I tried to follow the sound with the beam of the torch but couldn’t quite catch up with it. I found a thicket, with the boughs of a tree trailing the top of the bushes, and something moved within. I couldn’t see what it was. It had moved back, but it paused. All that the light picked out was the curtain of green.

“Ready with that flashgun,” I said, stepping forward. I held the torch out before me, ready to thrust it out to fend off anything that came out of the thicket at me. Experience told me there was nothing to be afraid of, but my heart was racing and I had second thoughts about the rifle.

I stopped, close to the bushes. Nothing moved. The stillness seemed strained and my spare hand began to shake. I rested it against my side, keeping it under control.

“It’s in there,” whispered Karen. “I can feel it.”

It wasn’t exactly a comforting remark. She had leapt swiftly to the conclusion that there was an “it” rather than a “he” or “she,” but I agreed with the judgment. The second cough had been the noise of a startled animal.

I looked around for a stone to throw into the bushes, but there was nothing near my feet except for a fruit-stone which had probably been abandoned by an animal earlier in the day. It wasn’t heavy enough to make much impression on the thicket. I stepped backwards, making my way to the large lamp without turning my back on the hiding creature. I knelt, and carefully activated the fuel cell. The lamp glowed and slowly gained in brilliance until the beam of the flashlight became rather redundant.

Nothing happened.

“It’s still in there,” said Karen.

“Thanks for reminding me,” I replied, dryly. There was still nothing close to hand which I might throw.

“Scream,” I said, suddenly.

“Do your own bloody screaming,” replied Karen.

It wasn’t necessary. Perhaps the light and the conversation were too much, or perhaps it simply got bored.

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