MN - 8 - Face Spray

He felt in fine shape, his body well-tuned, his legs moving easily. Liu entered another room. Where was Princess Kitana? He looked left, right, ahead... and a patch of the gray stone wall seemed to come to life directly in front of him.

Liu had only a moment to react. He dropped into a defensive stance. The odd patch of living wall opened a pair of pale green eyes. A misshapen head broke away from the wall, its mouth opened, and a mist of greenish vapor sprayed out of the creature’s mouth into Liu’s face.

The vapor hit Liu before he could react. His eyes burned, his mouth and nose felt like they were on fire. It was all he could do to avoid screaming, avoid dragging the stinging mist deep into his lungs. He fell to the ground, curled, and rolled away from the attack.

He could feel his face burning. His eyes were shut tight. He listened. The only sound he heard was the footsteps of his two companions. They were approaching.

Watch out! he wanted to cry, but even drawing air into his lungs was painful.

Sonya and Johnny both spotted Liu lying on the floor at the same time.

“Keep watch,” Sonya snapped at Johnny, at the same time dropping to her knees beside Liu.

“Acid,” Liu managed to whisper.

“It’s okay, trooper,” Sonya said. “I’ll fix you right up.”

She unsnapped the canteen at her right hip from her pistol belt and twisted off the cap. Then she gently washed the acid out of his eyes and away from his exposed skin.

“Looks like a first degree chemical burn,” she said shortly. “Slight reddening of the skin, a little edema, not too bad. Can you open your eyes? Can you see?”

Liu opened his eyes a crack and squinted up at her.

“Yeah, I can see. Thanks.”

“Right,” Sonya said, standing and returning her canteen to its pouch. “Report.”

Liu got to his feet. “There was something, there...” he pointed. “In the wall.”

Johnny walked over to the spot where Liu had indicated. He examined the wall closely, touching it and pressing on it.