Read Online Critical Dawn by Colin F. Barnes, Darren Wearmouth - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Colin F. Barnes, Darren Wearmouth
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the same diameter as the hole rose up.
An eerie, yellow light came from the front of it as it kept on climbing.
Luke screamed when he saw it.
Charlie’s spine went cold when he saw electricity flicker on the shape’s surface. He tried to lift his legs as the machine within the smoke came closer, but he wasn’t quick enough, and a bolt of electricity shot out, striking against his leg.
His vision closed to tiny specks, consciousness dancing on the edge, the darkness consuming him, taking him away until he could no longer feel anything. His last image was the light at the top of the sinkhole, the small silhouette of Pippa looking down at him.
He wanted to scream a warning, but it was too late.
Chapter Eight
The door raised to waist height, revealing stocky legs covered in dark gray rubber trousers with a meshed appearance. Shiny, black-gloved fingers curled around the bottom edge and pulled upward.
Ben decided to help. He gripped the bottom left of the door and heaved. It quickly rumbled upwards and banged fully open.
Blinding light filled the room, surrounding the silhouette of a person outside.
Ben squinted away, eyes in pain. “We’re from the Operations Compartment. We’ve been ordered down for stasis preservation duties.”
A single pair of footsteps entered.
Erika’s nails dug into Ben’s arm. Her grip sprang free. She screamed, dropping to the ground, head slamming against the dirty metal floor.
Ben looked down. Two arms ripped the prone Erika out of the room by her legs.
He cupped his eyes, trying to get used to the light. Images started to become clearer.
Maria screamed next. “Oh my God. Ben.”
Outside, a large platform came into focus. A vehicle stood on the right side. It looked like a futuristic motorcycle apart from the lack of wheels. In the middle was a large man in a gray suit adorned with various pieces of body armor around the chest, shoulders, upper arms, and thighs. He pulled Erika to her feet by her hair.
Ben could see blue sky, trees in the background on one side, the edge of a forest stretching as far as the eye could see.
Ethan shook his shoulder. “Have we crash landed? Ben, what’s happening?”
Ben brushed off his hand and stepped toward the exit. “What the fuck are you doing?” he shouted.
The man on the platform ignored him and grabbed a handle protruding from a long, thin pocket on his thigh with his spare hand and slid out a glinting blade with a serrated edge on one side. Circular holes ran along the middle.
“Help me. For God’s sake, help …” Erika flailed her arms, thumping against his unmoving, sturdy frame.
Ben rushed out.
The man’s head twisted around toward him. His reflective helmet visor shone with a blue sheen and glinted in the light. Ben froze a few yards short. Two tubes ran from his helmet to a square backpack. Metal spikes ran along the back of his boots.
He thrust Erika into the air by her ponytail as if lifting a trophy. She frantically kicked her legs to little effect.
“Get off her,” Ben said as he stepped forward. “Now.”
Erika’s eyes widened, and she opened her mouth. The man plunged the blade into her chest three times in rapid succession before Ben could act.
“No,” Ethan said.
“What do we do? What do we do?” Maria said from behind him.
The man threw Erika off the side of the platform without ceremony. He continued to face Ben, wiping the blade clean with his gloved hand.
“Holy shit,” Ben said. For a moment, he seemed glued to the spot. “Quick. Round the side of that vehicle. To the edge of the platform.”
“Where are we?” Ethan said.
“Save the questions,” Ben said. “We need to find something, anything.”
He darted behind the vehicle, skidding to a halt at the right ledge. The drop below appeared at least sixty feet. He frantically tried to process events.
Maria crouched next to him, quivering. Ethan panted behind. The man circled the blade above his head, stalking around them in a wide
An eerie, yellow light came from the front of it as it kept on climbing.
Luke screamed when he saw it.
Charlie’s spine went cold when he saw electricity flicker on the shape’s surface. He tried to lift his legs as the machine within the smoke came closer, but he wasn’t quick enough, and a bolt of electricity shot out, striking against his leg.
His vision closed to tiny specks, consciousness dancing on the edge, the darkness consuming him, taking him away until he could no longer feel anything. His last image was the light at the top of the sinkhole, the small silhouette of Pippa looking down at him.
He wanted to scream a warning, but it was too late.
Chapter Eight
The door raised to waist height, revealing stocky legs covered in dark gray rubber trousers with a meshed appearance. Shiny, black-gloved fingers curled around the bottom edge and pulled upward.
Ben decided to help. He gripped the bottom left of the door and heaved. It quickly rumbled upwards and banged fully open.
Blinding light filled the room, surrounding the silhouette of a person outside.
Ben squinted away, eyes in pain. “We’re from the Operations Compartment. We’ve been ordered down for stasis preservation duties.”
A single pair of footsteps entered.
Erika’s nails dug into Ben’s arm. Her grip sprang free. She screamed, dropping to the ground, head slamming against the dirty metal floor.
Ben looked down. Two arms ripped the prone Erika out of the room by her legs.
He cupped his eyes, trying to get used to the light. Images started to become clearer.
Maria screamed next. “Oh my God. Ben.”
Outside, a large platform came into focus. A vehicle stood on the right side. It looked like a futuristic motorcycle apart from the lack of wheels. In the middle was a large man in a gray suit adorned with various pieces of body armor around the chest, shoulders, upper arms, and thighs. He pulled Erika to her feet by her hair.
Ben could see blue sky, trees in the background on one side, the edge of a forest stretching as far as the eye could see.
Ethan shook his shoulder. “Have we crash landed? Ben, what’s happening?”
Ben brushed off his hand and stepped toward the exit. “What the fuck are you doing?” he shouted.
The man on the platform ignored him and grabbed a handle protruding from a long, thin pocket on his thigh with his spare hand and slid out a glinting blade with a serrated edge on one side. Circular holes ran along the middle.
“Help me. For God’s sake, help …” Erika flailed her arms, thumping against his unmoving, sturdy frame.
Ben rushed out.
The man’s head twisted around toward him. His reflective helmet visor shone with a blue sheen and glinted in the light. Ben froze a few yards short. Two tubes ran from his helmet to a square backpack. Metal spikes ran along the back of his boots.
He thrust Erika into the air by her ponytail as if lifting a trophy. She frantically kicked her legs to little effect.
“Get off her,” Ben said as he stepped forward. “Now.”
Erika’s eyes widened, and she opened her mouth. The man plunged the blade into her chest three times in rapid succession before Ben could act.
“No,” Ethan said.
“What do we do? What do we do?” Maria said from behind him.
The man threw Erika off the side of the platform without ceremony. He continued to face Ben, wiping the blade clean with his gloved hand.
“Holy shit,” Ben said. For a moment, he seemed glued to the spot. “Quick. Round the side of that vehicle. To the edge of the platform.”
“Where are we?” Ethan said.
“Save the questions,” Ben said. “We need to find something, anything.”
He darted behind the vehicle, skidding to a halt at the right ledge. The drop below appeared at least sixty feet. He frantically tried to process events.
Maria crouched next to him, quivering. Ethan panted behind. The man circled the blade above his head, stalking around them in a wide
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