A sudden blast of wind and a passing shadow overhead caused her to freeze. “What’s that?”
She craned her head, looking for the source, but saw nothing. A few seconds ticked by while she sat, unable to move. Finally, she jumped up and pulled on her pants. Another shadow passed overhead, and the leaves rustled. Something was in the trees, and it likely wasn’t friendly.
That thought galvanized her into action, and she sprinted toward the vehicles. For the moment, the pain in her leg was forgotten. She burst through the trees and into the open, waving her arms. “Look out!”
An ear-splitting shriek caused her to falter, and she looked back over her shoulder. A large shape flashed through the canopy, and its wings caused a rush of air to wash across her face. Another shape joined it, and another, and another, until the treetops shook with the force of their movements. A beam of sunlight revealed a glimpse of a long beak and membraned wings which confirmed her fears.
“Oh, crap. It’s flyers,” Rogue cried.
“Hurry up,” Seth said, waving at her.
“Faster,” Jessica added.
Tony, Imogen, and David jumped into the van, and the engine roared to life. Bear started the Jeep, while Seth and Jessica took a stand inside their seats. They aimed at the area above her head with their guns moments before the canopy exploded.
Rogue stumbled as a tornado of winged beasts nearly pushed her off her feet, but she kept going. Seth and Jessica fired at the Pterosaurs, and a couple of bullets found their mark. Pained squawks filled the air, and one flyer crashed to the ground.
The other Pterosaurs swooped past Rogue and attacked the Jeep. Seth and Jessica ducked down into the vehicle, still snapping off shots. Another flyer dove at Bear, opening a gash in his scalp. He swung his hammer at the creature but missed.
The flyers attacked again, and the Jeep rocked back and forth until it threatened to topple over. Jessica screamed, and Seth grabbed hold of the bars. With a resounding crash, the vehicle flipped over onto its side. Metal screeched and glass shattered.
Bear crawled away from the wreckage, dragging his hammer behind him. Jessica lay prone in the dust, helpless. A Pterosaur dove toward her, and Bear brained it with his hammer. It flopped about, beating its wings until it slumped into death.
Rogue dashed into the fray and helped Jessica to her feet. “Come on. Get up.”
“What happened?” Jessica mumbled.
“Don’t worry. You’re okay,” Rogue said.
“I’ve got her,” Bear said. He grabbed hold of Jessica’s elbow and pointed Rogue toward Seth. “Get him to the van.”
Rogue nodded and ran to Seth’s side. He was already on his feet, shooting at a flyer overhead. She ducked beneath a snapping beak and tugged at his arm. “We need to get to the van.”
“You first. I’ll follow,” he replied.
“We go together,” she said, grabbing his hand.
As one, they sprinted toward the waiting vehicle. Bear and Jessica got there seconds before them and jumped through the open side door. Rogue and Seth were hot on their heels, and they tumbled inside as another Pterosaur swooped past.
Imogen slammed the door shut and screamed. “Get us out of here, Tony!”
He jammed his foot on the gas, and the van sped up the road. For a few minutes, it was rough going. They bumped and swerved across the rough terrain, battered by the Pterosaurs. Finally, the flyers gave up the chase, and Tony was able to slow down.
“Is everyone okay?” he asked.
One by one, they all gave the thumbs up. They were alive, and that was enough for the moment.
“Well, get settled in. We’ll reach Fall City soon, but in the meantime, this van is your home,” Tony said.
A shuffle of bodies followed as everyone found a spot. It was a tight squeeze with so many people plus a load of supplies, but they managed to fit everyone into the cramped space.
Imogen shot Rogue a look and dragged her first-aid kit closer. “I’ll have a look at your ankle right after I patch up that gash on Bear’s scalp.”
“Of course, go ahead,” Rogue said, waving her off.
She shifted into a corner, cradling her injured foot. Now that the danger was past, it hurt more than ever. Her stomach didn’t feel so hot either, and sweat beaded her forehead. I hope I’m not coming down with something.
“Are you okay?” Seth asked with a worried look. He touched her forehead. “You’re burning up.”
“It must be all that running,” Rogue said with a faint smile.
“Maybe,” he replied, clearly not convinced.
The moment Imogen finished with Bear, he waved her over. “There’s something wrong with her.”
“Let’s have a look, shall we?” Imogen said with a bright smile.
First, she took Rogue’s temperature and checked her pulse. Next, she removed the bandages from Rogue’s ankle and examined the wounds. Little by little, her smile faded. “I’m afraid I’ve got bad news.”
“What is it?” Seth asked.
“She’s got sepsis,” Imogen said.
“Sepsis? How’s that even possible? It’s only been a few hours,” Seth exclaimed.
“It’s possible. She got bitten by a feral dog, and its mouth was probably teeming with all sorts of nasty bugs.”
“Yeah, but she disinfected it straight away,” Seth said.
“She must’ve missed something, and her immune system could be down because of several reasons: Stress, fatigue, a recent injury.”
“Well, I’ve had plenty of that,” Rogue joked.
“This isn’t funny,” Seth said.
“I know,” Rogue said, shaking her head. “Why are my ears buzzing?”
“What?” Seth said. “Your ears?”
“Uh-huh,” Rogue said.
“Rogue, look at me,” Imogen said. “Can you follow my finger?”
Rogue tried to focus on the finger Imogen waved in front of her face. “I… I can’t.”
“She’s sicker than I thought. The infection is progressing quickly,” Imogen said.
“What does that mean?” Seth said.
“It means, we have to get her to a hospital within the next few hours, or she
