The Hunger by Whitman John

Author:Whitman, John [Whitman, John]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub, mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

He reached the glowrod and froze.

The glowrod lit up the sentry’s head, but not the rest of his body.

The rest of his body was gone.

CHAPTER 8

“Swamp slug,” some of the Children said.

“Dragonsnake,” said others. “They can crawl across dry land.”

“Giant spiders,” argued still others.

But most agreed with Galt’s conclusion. Staring at the horrible sight in the middle of their little village, Galt whispered, “It’s the imp.”

“Imp? Imp?” Platt said, pacing back and forth, her blaster held tightly in her hand. She had been more angry than frightened since Zak had awakened everyone with his gruesome discovery. The smuggler had been under her command, and she felt responsible. “I’ve seen a dragon-snake.

And I’ve been attacked by a swamp slug. But what’s an imp?”

“It might be Imperials-” Zak started to say.

“A creature that is supposed to live in the swamp,” Hoole interrupted. “The Children say it has strange powers. But I think,” he said, lowering his voice,

“that it is merely an imaginary creature.

Remember, these survivors have had no parents to guide them since they were small. They really are still children, and I suspect that this imp is merely a leftover creation of childlike minds.”

Platt was still fuming. “Well, it’s not as if we need made-up creatures to go along with the real ones. Anyway, something killed one of my men.”

Hoole remained calm. “It is a tragedy. But what shall we do? Take revenge on the entire swamp? Platt, I suggest you put your blaster away before you hurt someone.”

Grimacing, Platt reluctantly holstered her weapon.

“Now,” Hoole continued. “The sooner we can free the ship, the sooner we will be out of here. Until then, we shall have to keep our eyes open.”

“Uncle Hoole,” Zak said insistently, “we can’t just sit here. Something’s wrong. I can feel it.”

Hoole looked at Tash. “What do you feel?”

“I’m the one with the bad feeling!” Zak protested.

Hoole put a hand on Zak’s shoulder. “We have all come to rely on Tash’s instincts, Zak. You know that.”

Tash cast a sympathetic glance Zak’s way. “Sorry, Zak, I just don’t feel the same way. I mean, there’s definitely something dangerous here .

. . but I think that’s just the swamp, and the animals. They’re all …

well, I get this feeling that everything around us is hungry. It’s like the whole place wants to swallow us whole. But I don’t feel as though something is wrong.”

“This place reminds me of D’vouran,” Zak grunted. Tash shuddered, and even Hoole gave a slight twitch at the unpleasant memory. Over a year ago-it seemed like a lifetime now-Zak, Tash, and Hoole had been trapped on a living planet that fed itself by absorbing the creatures that lived on its surface. They had barely escaped with their lives.

“The feeling of danger is only a small part of it,” Tash went on.

“There’s something good here, too. Uncle Hoole, I’m sure we’re safe here.

I don’t know why. But I know we are.

Platt sighed. “And that’s good enough for you, Hoole?” Hoole nodded. “Yes, it is.”

Zak bit his lip and thought, Tash is wrong.

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