Slimer

Chris is still alive. That thing hasn’t got her.’

Linda said wearily, ‘I think it has. I’m sorry, Mark, but that’s what Alex told me…’

‘Alex?’ queried Paul.

She described what had happened after he and Mark had left her alone with Rochelle. ‘It got her first, then Alex and then.. Chris. It was with us in the cabin all the time — disguised as Ro — and we didn’t realise it,’ she concluded grimly.

‘You mean Alex was with us. By the sound of it he was running the show.’ He shook his head with disgust. ‘I guess it’s to be expected, knowing him. He probably feels right at home sharing a body with a man-eating shark. They must get on like long-lost relatives.’

‘No,’ said Linda. ‘He was in control, but only temporarily.’ She told him the way Alex had behaved before changing into the creature. ‘It was like he was under attack. He sounded terrified. Whatever’s in control of that thing now isn’t Alex.’

‘Good,’ said Paul, ‘I think I’d prefer to face a walking-talking shark than an invulnerable Alex.’

Linda shivered. ‘I don’t want to face either of them again. But did you notice, Paul, that the creature looked different? It wasn’t the same as when it attacked us in the rec room.’ ‘Yeah. It’s like it’s going through some kind of metamorphosis. Apart from the temporary shape changes it’s as if the original shark is still evolving…’

‘Evolving into what?’

He grimaced, ‘t hate to imagine. How do you feel now? Think you can walk? I’d like to get started.’

She got up. She still felt dizzy but she was determined not to delay them any longer. She didn’t feel safe in the kitchen. She kept seeing things out of the corner of her eye — movements in the shadows. Was it her imagination, or.?

‘I thought we could go outside on this level and then climb up the gangway to the roof,’ said Paul. ‘I don’t fancy going up through all five levels inside.’

Neither did she. ‘But will we be able to get out? With the power off won’t the automatic doors just stay closed?’

‘If they’re shut we’ll have to shoot our way out. They’re only glass.’ He handed her a torch and picked up his Ml6. Then he said to Mark. ‘Bring the flame-thrower and be ready to use it at a moment’s notice…’

‘No,’ said Mark. ‘I’m not coming. I’m going to keep searching for Chris.’

‘Mark, get it through your head, she’s gone,’ said Paul brutally. ‘Thanks to you. You left her alone to go have your damn fix and that thing got her. Well, it’s too late to help her now.’.

‘No, don’t say that!’ cried Mark. ‘It’s not true. She’s alive. ’ '

‘The way I feel about you right now I’d be happy to leave you down here and let you throw your life away,’ said Paul, ‘But Linda and I need your help so you’re coming with us. Now mow.⁵'.,

Mark shook his head. ‘No. I didn’t kill her. I love Chris.' I’ve got to find her. I know she’s here somewhere…’

‘I’m here, Mark.’

Chris stepped through the doorway. She looked dishevelled and tired but otherwise normal. Mark gave a cry of relief. ‘Chris, thank God. I knew you were okay…’ He dropped the flame-thrower and was about to rush forward but Paul was too fast for him. He stepped in front of him and gave him a hard blow in the solar plexus with the butt of the Ml 6. Then, as Mark doubled over, he swung the barrel towards Chris.

‘Don’t come any closer!’ he warned.

Chris halted. ‘Hey Paul,’ she said with a tired smile, ‘take it easy. It’s me…’

‘Sure. And I’m Harrison Ford. We know the real Chris got taken by that thing. Right Linda?’

‘That’s what Alex said,’ Linda agreed, staring at Chris with horrified fascination. It was almost impossible to believe that this wasn’t Chris. She — it — looked so real.

‘Alex was lying. You know what he’s like. I got away from him but of course he’d never admit that.’

‘No,’ said Linda slowly. ‘I think he was telling the truth. He gave details… said you were already dead by the time it got you… that only bits of your personality survived…’ ‘This is ridiculous,’ said Chris. ‘How can I convince you of the truth?’ She looked imploringly at Mark who was still doubled-over, trying to recover his breath. ‘Mark, make them understand. This is me.’

Paul raised the gun. ‘I’m sorry but we can’t take the chance…’ But before he could pull the trigger Mark leapt up with a wild cry and flung himself on Paul, knocking him over. The M16 clattered to the floor. Linda saw a gleam of triumph in Chris’s eyes as she started forward again.

Hoping with all her being that she was doing the right thing Linda ran to the gun and scooped it up with her right hand. Then, resting it awkwardly on her stiff left arm, she fired blindly at Chris. Chris was less than four feet away and the stream of 5-63 bullets almost cut her in half. Her body was flung violently backwards as if pulled on invisible wires. ‘No!’

The scream came from Mark. Leaving Paul he ran to Chris’s body. ‘You’ve killed her!’

But Paul was already up and-after him. He managed to grab Mark before he could fling himself on Chris and pulled him away.

‘That’s not Chris, you idiot!’ he yelled as he struggled with Mark. ‘Look at her!’

From her open mouth a black, shiny tendril had emerged, rising up like the head of an inquisitive snake. Linda felt a wave of repugnance go through her as she watched.

Mark stopped struggling. He gave a low moan of despair as Chris’s body began to collapse in upon itself.

‘Quick!’ said Paul urgently. ‘Move yourselves! Before it can attack!’ Hustling Mark ahead of him, Paul ran to the discarded flame-thrower and picked it up, then ordered Mark to grab a lamp and a flashlight. ‘Out the other door, hurry!’ he cried. ‘Linda!’

For several seconds Linda watched, almost hypnotised, as the tendrils of black slime flowed out from the rapidly disintegrating shell of Chris’s body. Then, as one of them began to pick up speed in her direction, she came to her senses and ran.

Again she found herself running down a dark corridor but at least this time she was not alone…

When they’d put about fifty yards between themselves and the kitchen Paul called a halt. Panting he lit the burner on the flame-thrower then shot a brief jet of fire down the corridor behind them. The harsh red glare revealed no sign of the creature.

‘Okay,’ said Paul, ‘now we follow my original plan. We’ll try and get outside and head for the roof…’ He turned to Linda. ‘How are you feeling? Do you think you can make it?’

All Linda really wanted to do was lie down and sleep for a hundred years but she nodded and said, ‘I’ll be fine… look outP

Her warning came to late. Mark brought down the heavy flashlight and Paul staggered as the blow caught him on the side of the head.

As Linda rushed to help him Mark whirled round and ran off into the darkness.

It was too much for him to bear. There was no way to avoid the truth. Chris was gone — and he was responsible. He couldn’t live with that knowledge, not without a fix. A big one…

He headed for Alex’s cabin. Paul had taken the three packets of heroin from him earlier so he was making for the remainder of the supply stored in the money belt. He hoped it was still under the mattress where he’d left it. If it wasn’t he didn’t know what he’d do.

He ran through the corridors without making any attempt at stealth. He didn’t care about the creature. He didn’t care about anything. Only the fix he was going to give himself soon. The fix that would banish all the demons that plagued him. The fix that would provide an entrance into a world where nothing mattered…

He found his way back to Alex’s cabin almost by chance. He shone the torch briefly around the interior, stifling the painful realisation that this was where Chris had been killed by the thing, and then tore the mattress off the bunk. The money belt was still there.

Next he went to his cabin and picked up the hypodermic and spoon he’d hidden in a cupboard. His final