November 10th 2013: Just Another Day in Space

Hi all,

I'm not sure I wanted to post this short story or what I THINK a short story is...... because this is my first time to put any of my written items for public view. I'm not really a writer so I'm sure there are tons of mistakes. Here it goes.....

Quazi176 [Non-Writer]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sound of the alarm exploded in my head. “Aaaa-Aaaa-Aaaa……..”

I opened my eyes to a smoke filled hallway as I laid hunched up against the wall. My neck was at a weird angle from being flung from the blast that tore through the sealed entry door. I could move my neck, so thank God it wasn’t broken. So much for our supposedly cloaked space station. “Aaaa-Aaaa-Aaaa……,” that accursed sound was in rhythm with the red lights of the evacuation alarm making the hallway an eerie dark tunnel. I had to get to the escape pods before the alien race boarded. They were unmerciful, always ready to cause death and destruction. I hoped they didn’t bring their quadruped attack animals with them like they so often do. Those beasts can tear through bone and skin without a second thought.

We were at war for three years with the Sgnilhtrae. Both sides took heavy casualties. The Sgnilhtrae were becoming more clever, more bold, no doubt back engineering our downed craft, allowing them to find a way to detect our cloaked ships. This space station is just an observation post which monitors the alien blue planet below and it’s atmosphere. I studied the Sgnilhtrae language significantly over the past three years and came to adopt their way of speaking as a way to annoy my brothers-in-arms, who find it repulsing. My comrades, as the Russians would say, don’t have a sense of humor.

“Aaaa-Aaaa-Aaaa……..,” I got to my feet and staggered down the hallway using the wall for support. My sergeant was further down the hallway helping a fallen lab worker while beckoning me to hurry. It felt like everything was happening in slow motion.

That’s when I heard the growling.

I managed a quick look behind me as a tall hairy alien biped stepped through the destroyed space door carrying a huge weapon in one hand, no doubt one that could cut you to pieces with a single blast, and in the other, it was gripping two chain leashes which held, not one, but two fearsome beasts. Red saliva dripped down their maws from a fresh kill. Their eyes glowed red and struggled against the restraints, sensing their next kill…….me. I raised my side arm and fired in a blind panic as the alien grinned and released its hold on the leashes. My particle beam slammed into one of the blood thirsty animals, killing it instantly. I hobbled down the debris filled corridor towards the escape pods noticing, for the first time, blood running down my left arm which hung useless at my side. I could hear the remaining beast grunting as it closed the distance.

The escape pods were just around the corner…….

I think I’m going to make it.

I snuck a quick look behind me as the beast in pursuit lunged, razor sharp teeth spread wide.

Oh crap, I’m not going to make it!!

A second explosion shook the hallway collapsing girders everywhere knocking both me and the animal to the ground. The pod was just out of my reach.

I heard growling behind me and I clawed my way to the escape hatch door and flipped over on my back to get a better shot at the beast, but my gun was gone. I must have lost it in the second explosion. The animal was up on all fours, head down, growling, ready to pounce, like it knew it could get me before I opened the pod door. It was toying with me. I was doomed. It shot forward……

I opened my eyes to sharp teeth clamping shut just inches from my face. The beast’s chain was caught on a piece of metal. It tried to pull free, but that gave me time to get the escape pod open. I crawled up onto the three foot chair that was perfectly molded to fit our genetically reproduced bodies. I placed my grey, three fingered right hand on the three fingered pad on the console and mentally commanded the escape pod to eject.

I was free to wreak havoc upon the human race another day!


Quazi

reply to post by Quazi176


Nice twist at the end.

Looks like you weren't the only one to get away…

images2.wikia.nocookie.net...

reply to post by intrptr


Thanks intrptr. I was quite nervous to post it.

Quazi

reply to post by Quazi176


Good first effort! You leave me wanting to continue reading, and that's the mark of a writer. Keep up the good work!