"What about creatures?" Greg asked. "My grandma had trouble with birds nesting in her chimney."
"Birds I've heard of, and we have the equivalent." Adena shook her head. "There's nothing that would seek such a nesting place out there."
Penny jerked her thumb at the storerooms. "I'll check these, there may be some old crates or something we can use for fuel."
Adena rummaged in her pack for rations. Greg began to ease off his boots, but Adena stopped him. "Keep 'em on. We need to be prepared to move in a hurry — " Penny's scream rang through the cavern. "Like now!"
She sprang to her feet, snatching up her carbine. Greg drew the revolver from the holster on his hip, fumbling with it through unfamiliarity. Penny's scream faded into a strange gasp which set the hairs on Greg's neck on end.
Adena turned pale. "Oh no, not them!"
"What? What do you mean them?" Greg was wide-eyed as she tugged a bandanna from around her neck and poured water on it.
"No time to explain, do as I do." Adena tied the soaked bandanna over her nose and mouth.
Greg blinked but complied.
"Now follow me!" Adena commanded.
Together they ran toward the storeroom Penny had entered. Adena held out her hand to stop Greg while she glanced in. "Ah, no, not Penny..."
Penny laid on the floor, eyes closed, a blissful smile on her face. Standing over her was the biggest mushroom Greg had ever seen. The thing had a smooth hide in a sickly dead white color like the belly of a fish, and it looked taller than his own six feet. It moved toward the fallen woman with a repulsive sucking sound. Others like it stood around the large room amid the debris of boxes, barrels and sacks. As they entered, the things began to move toward them.
Adena knelt, cocked the carbine and fired in one fluid motion. The heavy slug pierced the trunk of the mushroom and burst out the back in a cloud of gunk. The thing swayed back. Gills opened under the broad cap and a gush of dust shot out, enveloping Adena. She rolled out of the way, holding the bandanna tight against her face.
"Use your knife, Greg!" she cried around the muffling.
He drew the knife, uncertain how to approach the creature.
Adena rolled her eyes and made urgent chopping motions with her hand. "Slash with it!"
Greg soon realized it would be the only thing that would cut through their hide and do damage. He edged forward toward the mushroom. The thing had recovered from the bullet strike and showed no ill effects. It oozed toward Penny, lying grinning like an idiot almost at its base.
Greg slashed, missed, slashed again. This time the heavy knife struck. His strength and the weight of the blade carried it through the creature's tough hide, opening a gaping hole like a mouth. A gush of dust — spores? — covered Greg. The wet bandanna prevented most of the dust from reaching his lungs, but what little passed through the cloth made his head spin and the world turn bright pink.
He felt Adena grab his belt. Greg stumbled as she hauled him out of harm's way. The pink faded to amoeba-like spots that swam before his eyes.
"Grab Penny," Adena called, diving past him. He saw she had her short-sword drawn and murder in her eyes as she went for the creature threatening her crew member.
Greg stooped and grabbed one-handed at Penny's clothing, tugging her backward as best he could. Adena covered their retreat, her blade opening grievous wounds in the gigantic mushroom until it swayed and fell over with a sickening splat.
Other creatures had drawn near during the combat. Two were close enough to squirt spores at Adena. Greg saw her slash at one, opening a deep cut across its trunk. She swayed as if groggy. Hauling Penny back a few more steps, Greg reached the doorway to the room where he figured she'd be safe for at least a few moments.
Taking a deep breath steadied his nerves and dispersed most of the pink amoebas. Sheathing the knife, he drew the revolver. Holding it out, he blasted the entire contents of the magazine into the mushroom nearest Adena, forcing it back.
Dropping the empty gun, he grabbed Adena’s arm as she'd grabbed his, and pulled her out of danger. Pushing her out the doorway, he returned his attention to Penny, and hauled her by main force out of the room.
The mushrooms crowded into the doorway but came no further. Greg grinned until he heard Adena say "Oh no..." in a voice heavy with resignation.
Chapter 15
Adena's voice and a rattling sound made Greg turn. He swallowed when he saw the figures pressing up against the barred gate. Night-black skin with a leathery sheen, almost imperceptible features, wings sprouting from their shoulders compressed now with the press of more bodies of their kin building up behind them.
Greg groaned. "Murriks!"
Four of the beasts gripped the gate and shook it, the bars shedding flakes of rust that fell in a gentle patter on the floor. The chain creaked. Greg regretted losing his revolver. A glance at the storeroom doorway showed the strange mushroom creatures drawing nearer the entrance.
"What do we do?" he demanded.
Adena hefted her carbine and worked the bolt. "Fight."
She raised the weapon, aimed, and loosed off three quick shots at the murriks. One gave a bubbling cry and fell back, but it was replaced instantly by another.
Penny groaned and looked on the verge of coming-to. Greg hoped she'd recover in time. Her pack laid near her head, and his gaze fell upon the stoppered ceramic flask stuffed in one of the external pockets. Lamp oil. He remembered Adena's words earlier. Kneeling, he tugged the flask from the pocket and unstopped it.
"Adena, hold your fire! Bring a
