A Scripta

For some reason, I write a lot on Thursdays. This was a new topic introduced on the boards. I'm still unsure of the title's reasoning. But I had an opening in the first post of the topic that the characters heard fighting outside.

Rules of Engagement

"I will kill you!"

The two men outside looked at each other and raised their guns. The huge creature lumbered forward on legs too small for its huge frame and swung one huge arm at one of them. The bullets bounced off its armor, as one claw caught the top of the man's shoulder and its momentum ripped through the man's chest to his waist, splashing the creature's armor with blood. As the body fell, the creature stomped on it, turning its attention to the other man with the gun.

The armored creature roared, and all the blood fled from the other henchman's face. Another swing, and this man's heart was also torn out of his chest.

So tired. Then the creatue saw a flash out of the corner of his eye. He stumbled forward - and couldn't hold onto the form anymore.

Masonry appeared, looking back and forth, slightly confused at how he got here - everything seemed to have been a dream, until he saw the open, unseeing eyes of the dead man in front of him. Oh my God...oh, my God... He closed his eyes to stop himself from hyperventilating, trying to calm the thought of I did that? And I enjoyed it?

He pushed open the door slowly and got shot repeatedly by bullets from an automatic rifle. He let the door swing wide as he stepped back outside - the bullets hadn't quite bounced off him, but they didn't hurt as much when they hit. He heard the clinking of casings rolling around on the floor, and the sound of men in heavy boots trying to be quiet.

He saw movement above, near the cabin. As he turned his attention from the boathouse to the cabin, he flew directly upward and headed right toward the opposite side of the cabin. Whatever it was wouldn't be alive after he got through with it, guaranteed.

This was written by Ice:

Scott landed in a small clearing in the trees just within sight of the cabin. From that distance, it appeared that the cabin seemed intact—well, as intact as Betsy had last reported it. No smoke billowed from the cabin or the boathouse, which he took as a good sign.

His brother alit beside him, frowning. "It's too quiet," Thad whispered.

Scott nodded silently in return. Based solely on Emerald's message, he expected some kind of activity, but the place seemed deserted. He considered calling ahead, but breaking communications silence might both betray their position and possibly endanger Emerald and the others.

"You getting anything?" he asked his brother, peering through the bright sunlight toward the cabin.

Thad nodded, his expression one of concentration and mild puzzlement. "Yeah, something . . . not sure what."

"Bits or Kit?"

There was a brief pause before Thad answered, shaking his head slowly. "Don't think so. Not sure."

Scott frowned, considering the situation. Emerald seemed urgent, but not panicked, so it couldn't be too bad. Yet he also knew how quickly the situation could change on the battlefield. Standing where they were and continuing to just look, though, was unlikely to solve anything. "Okay," he said quietly. "Let's go in."

He led the way, beginning to perspire in his armor in the hot afternoon sun. That damned winged thing must have damaged the air flow system. He looked around the area, seeing signs of debris. That alone did not worry him. Betsy had told them that she had made a mess of things. And she's not exactly the tidiest person in the world. It took him a moment to release that the dark lump a few meters ahead was not a garbage bag of cast-off parts.

"Bro!" he hissed to his brother, motioning toward the still figure lying on the dirt. They both hurried over, Thad kneeling to examine it.

He looked up at Scott, shaking his head. Scott felt something hollow inside his stomach. What happened? Were they too late? He saw a similar look in his brother's eyes. Without another word, they raced toward the cabin. Their speed increased as they saw the door ajar. Dashing inside, they came to a quick halt at the sight of two additional bodies inside.

"Oh gods, Bits . . ." Scott whispered.

Thad moved ahead toward the kitchen, swearing under his breath. Scott could feel his brother's fury building, followed not too distantly by his own.

"No one's here," Thad announced, standing in the empty kitchen. Dark smears through the floor told a story that something had happened here. "Damn it, bro!" He grunted. "We're too late."

Scott allowed himself a deep breath. But no bodies yet . . . He was startled by the sharp chime from his comm unit. "Yeah?" he asked, silently hoping for a familiar voice.

"Scott, it's Emerald."

Scott released a deep sigh of relief. "Where are you?"

"I'm at the base." There was a brief pause before she continued. "I have someone here you two should meet."

Scott turned toward his brother, his expression lightening into a smile. "Okay," he said, almost laughing with relief. "Bits, and everyone else with you?"

There was another pause. "Betsy, Anne, and Hope are with me." Another pause. "Kit is safe . . . for the moment."

Thad stared at Scott with suspicion and concern at the announcement. "Explain that, Em." He shouted into the open comm link.

Pause. "I think we'd better discuss it here."

Scott saw Thad's jaw tighten and he nearly snarled with frustration. "Fine," he snapped. "We're on our way." He turned to Scott. "Let's go."

Scott studied his brother for a moment. He wanted to stay a little longer and see what else they could find, but could see that Thad was not about to be deterred. "Okay," he said evenly. "Em," he spoke into the comm unit. "Prepare for transport."

Before he received her acknowledgment, he heard a deep, animal-like roar and a large, muscular figure stormed through the doorway. It did not slow and Scott had no time to react as it hit him straight-on. He felt himself lifted across the room, landing against the far wall. The wall started to crumble behind him as the full weight of his armor struck it.

He blinked, trying to focus on the shape taking large, lumbering steps toward him. He turned, trying to dodge the next blow, but blackness overtook him.

My response (and I spit it out in 20 minutes):

He flew into the cabin and his consciousness was yanked back, as if someone had pulled him by the scruff of his neck and tossed him like a rag doll to the floor. This time Ben didn't bother to cushion it in cotton, dreamlike stuff; he went running into the kitchen at seeing a flash of green and black.

stop...

Masonry's voice was pitifully lost among the roar of the creature as it slammed into the green and black figure standing there. Ben swung his huge arm and cold-cocked Scott for good measure.

It's Scott! Stop!!!!

The creature turned to see Thad, and chuckled. Of course, Nathan, and fled as Thad sent out a painful mind scream at him. Masonry got the full brunt of the attack, which felt like it scrambled every synapse and neuron in his body and also threw him against the wall opposite Scott. He slumped against the wall, dazed.

"Oh, shit, Mase?"

He moaned in reply. He seriously thought that if someone would rip his head from his neck, he'd feel a whole lot better. He opened his eyes to see the world fuzzy and with purple auras around them. Better to close them, I think...

"Mase, what--"

"Scott," he moaned. "Is he okay?"

"Yeah, he's just unc--"

Then they all heard a blood-curdling scream that made Masonry snap his eyes open despite the pain. Now the world was just fuzzy.

"That bitch!"

"You brought friends?" Masonry tried to joke as he stood up. Kheldians were nothing if not tough, and he had been tough enough to take punishment before anyway.

Then the roof gave way as a red streak plowed through it, heading right for Scott. Masonry flew and broad-sided her, wrapping his big hands around her shoulders and neck, yanking her up and away, so they both made the front doorway about five feet wider.

"Get him out!" Masonry yelled, then released the creature and assessed it.

Damn. What a big woman. Pretty wings. Under other circumstances...

She roared at him.

"My what big teeth you have, grandma."

The creature tackled him and he let her carry him out to the lake. Give them time, Mase, give them time...