The monster shoved her ahead, and the tank opened a deafening cannon fire, 20 mm shells exploding, but all striking the back of the creature named Carl. Smoke rose from behind him, shrapnel cascaded and clattered everywhere, and Carl’s body shook with the impact.

  Dekka ran for the door, into a tunnel carved into the rock with only the floor paved smooth for the tank.

  “Keep going,” Carl cried. “It comes up through Tower Two. Go to the top, there’s an emergency escape pod there!”

  “Show me!”

  Carl gripped her arm with one irresistibly powerful claw, the titanium nails stopping just short of cutting her flesh. “My name is Carl Pullings. I’m from El Segundo. Find my mother, tell her . . . not this. Tell her . . . tell her Carl loves her.”

  “Come with me!”

  The massive head shook slowly. “You don’t understand: they see me. The dark ones, the eyeless watchers, they’re in my head. They hurt me! They hurt me! It’s pain!” Carl screamed the last word. “Kill me! Kill me now or I swear I’ll kill you!”

  He released her arm and pushed her away. He was blocking the door, cannon fire apparently having no effect as the tank emptied its magazine in futility.

  “I’ll find your folks,” Dekka said. She squeezed his arm. “Thank you.”

  Dekka raised her hands, opened her mouth, and Carl flew apart into pieces of gore. Dekka fled, fled in panic and an agony of the spirit, racing down the dimly lit tunnel with tears blurring her vision.

Monster, Chapter 13