Everworld 07 - Gateway to the Gods by K. A. Applegate

Author:K. A. Applegate
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 1999-01-02T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter

XI

I fell, rolled, down and down, slamming rock and dirt. Down past levels of burning, charred steps and ladders. I was rolling down through the destruction caused by our earlier torches. Ashes in my mouth, fluttering ashes in the air.

Down toward the thousands of Hetwan who waited, blocked by the mess we'd made of their ladders.

I grabbed at dirt, tore my fingernails, scraped my face, slowed.

Stopped.

For a long moment I lay there, frozen, breathing hard, choking on smoke. Then I looked up through stinging, weeping eyes. The plateau was far above me. I could see Hetwan and Greeks in battle. I saw swords flash. All so far away. The noise was so far away suddenly.

I was lying between two smoldering stairways.

My torch was gone. I had no weapons. Nothing. And the black rage was gone, evaporated. I felt pain in every part of my body.

I looked down and saw the Hetwan there. They stared up at me with malevolent insect eyes, their greedy mouthparts working as always. I was equidistant between the Hetwan below and those dying above. But the steepness of the hill kept the Hetwan at bay, at least as far as their climbing up after me. The Hetwan couldn't take the grade. I was beyond Super Soaker range.

I started climbing. Slid as much as I rose. Dug my sneaker toes into the crumbly dirt and tried to get traction. Tried to grab on with torn, bleeding fingers.

Then the Hetwan rose, a dozen or more. They flew. They flapped their wings and began to rise up after me. Oh, God, I couldn't get away. Oh, God. They were going to kill me, like I had killed them.

"Help!" I yelled. "Help! Help! David!"

The Hetwan flew slowly, but they didn't have far to fly. They loomed up, matching my height, then came in for the kill. I rolled onto my back, absurdly hoping to kick them away, but when I rolled over I slid down another ten feet.

Oh, God, face-to-face, I could see them, so close, ready to launch the burning wads that would eat into me, burn me alive, oh, God save me!

Suddenly an arrow appeared in the closest Hetwan. It simply appeared, sticking from his back between his wings. He fell. Fell and slammed into the ground just beside me.

I grabbed the body, grabbed the weak arm and a handful of crumpled wing, and with a burst of terror-strength rolled him over on top of me. Not a split second to spare. The Hetwan fired their venom. Numerous hits struck my dead Hetwan shield. I smelled burning bug.

The dead Hetwan's mouthparts were pressed against my face.

They moved still, slowly, without force. I cowered and babbled and prayed, please save me, please let me live.

Arrows flew. Hetwan fell. But then, no more arrows. No more arrows, and still four Hetwan hovered within range, closing so they could get a shot around their dead comrade.

But again, arrows appeared. Someone above me had reloaded. Or a fresh archer had been brought up.

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