The Genome Project (The Evolution Gene Book 1) by Aaron Hodges

Author:Aaron Hodges [Hodges, Aaron]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The National Library of New Zealand
Published: 2019-03-17T16:00:00+00:00

25

The second Liz had seen the stone-grey eyes of the Chead, the memories came flooding back, and she’d found herself back in her parents’ house, in the home she’d been raised in. Once, it had been a safe place, a sanctuary amidst the harsh world outside.

Now though, in her memories, a perpetual shadow hung over its wooden hallways, sucking away the light, the life it had once born.

In her mind, she saw again the rubble-strewn corridor, the broken floorboards and pooling blood. She saw herself turn the corner, saw the body lying in the corridor, strangely whole, while those outside had lain in pieces.

And her mother, standing over the body, her grey eyes staring.

With a scream, Liz tore herself from the memory, returning to the present, to the room, and to Chris.

And to the Chead.

Still reeling, caught in the clutches of remembered horror, she’d barely heard the conversation between Chris and the Chead. She had only woken when Chris had pushed her from the path of Chead’s charge. Anger had lit in her stomach, waking her from the fear, restoring her to life.

Now, as she edged sideways around the Chead, she let that anger grow, fed it with every injustice she’d ever suffered. It was her only weapon now, her only strength against the sheer ferocity of the creature standing between them. Opposite her, Chris faced the creature, drawing it away, until its back was turned to her. But before she could strike, the Chead leapt for Chris.

Fear chilled her stomach as blows crashed against flesh. To her surprise, Chris did not go down. Edging closer, she saw him deflect another blow, his arms moving faster than thought, the crack of fists connecting with bone ringing from the walls.

Liz stared, her mouth wide with disbelief. What she was watching was not possible. Chris was keeping pace with the violent speed of the Chead, matching it blow for blow, punch for punch. Her eyes could barely keep up with their frenzied movements. The air itself seemed to shake with the strength of each clash, and still Chris stood, holding his own.

What have they done to us?

Her skin tingled as the question whispered in her mind. But there was no time to contemplate the answers, no time to consider the implications. Instead, she gathered herself and slid closer, searching for an opening.

Then, an attack slipped beneath Chris’s guard. It slammed into his stomach, driving him to his knees. The color fled his face as the Chead stepped in, raising a fist to deliver the final blow.

Seeing her chance, Liz sprang forward and drove her heel into the back of the Chead’s knee. Idly, she hoped whatever changes had been wrought on the Chead had not removed the cluster of nerve endings located behind the kneecap.

The boy’s bloodcurdling shriek answered her question. The Chead’s leg crumbled beneath the force of the blow, sending it crashing to the ground. Clenching her teeth, Liz stepped towards it as Chris rolled away.

She swung a kick at its head, but the Chead was already recovering.

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