Read Online In Solitary by Garry Kilworth - Free Book Online

on something. Then she hissed, ‘Soal.’
    Fridjt froze and looked at her face. Then the three of us began running back towards the crack on the hill. It took a little time to find the hole in the dark, but we did, and managed to scramble down into the security of our hay-floored nest again. The belly of a rock-lined world is a comforting place when you are hunted by a ruthless predator.
    We were prepared to wait in the hole as long as necessary – but how long is
necessary
? Would Tangiia come and tell us when the Soal had gone (if indeed they had ever arrived – we only had Stella’s intuition to guide us)? I doubted he would come.
    Have you ever sat, in the darkness, and waited for something that you were sure was not going to happen? Time slows down, almost to a stop.
    I waited, and waited, my hands tying knots with themselves and my mind counting my heartbeats. Finally I could not take any more.
    ‘I’m going up,’ I said, jumping to my feet.
    ‘No,’ cried Stella. ‘Stop him Fridjt!’
    But it was pitch black and Fridjt was clumsy.I was halfway up the ladder while he was still crashing about below thinking I was still there. At the entrance hole I paused, but having come so far I was not going to return without information.
    My progress was slow but as I neared the clearing where we had left Tangiia I heard voices – one of which was in the halting, high-pitched accents of a Soal.
    I went down on my chest and eased my way through the undergrowth, making sure not to make any noise – Soal hearing was not exceptional at low frequencies, but it was still able.
    Once I could see some figures I paused. The fire had died considerably since the alarm had been given, and now just a red glow lit the figures that surrounded it. I counted – there were four Soal, all armed, and Tangiia. Probably there were another one or two Soal in the craft, which I could not see.
    Suddenly I heard a voice which I recognized, and one which made my heart pound inside my chest. It was the second Soal to the left of Tangiia that had spoken. I stared hard at this alien but the light was too dim for me to be sure. Then Tangiia truculently kicked a log, making it flare and my eyes, not having moved, immediately recognized the features of my old enemy Endrod. The sight left me trembling and I cowered in the grass, burying my head deep into its roots.
    I stayed in the same attitude for some time – until I felt a tap on my shoulder and looked up in relief to see Fridjt kneeling by my side. The Soal had gone and Stella was standing beside Tangiia, who had a broad grin stretching his already wide mouth. I climbed to my feet and when he saw me he came lumbering over and hugged me with his huge sweaty arms.
    ‘My friend,’ he cried joyfully. ‘You killed Soal,’ the last word was uttered in admiration.
    I pointed accusingly at Fridjt.
    ‘So did he,’ I answered excitedly.
    ‘But you,’ Tangiia laughed, now holding me at arm’s length, ‘you are brave one. He,’ a hand flicked in Fridjt’s direction, ‘is big and strong and does not think too well. With him it is almost mistake.’
    Funnily enough Fridjt did not take exceptionto this remark – in fact the fat fool grinned too. I had to suffer a vice-like but supposedly playful squeeze on my shoulder from that direction.
    ‘How you kill this Soal?’ asked Tangiia. ‘Tell me friend, how you kill this stink-sucking birdman? You rip his wings off, yes?’
    ‘Firstly,’ I replied, backing away out of reach of his loving arms, ‘I’m not your friend, though. I realize it is probably the only affectionate term you know, and secondly I am not used to story telling – however in this instance I’ll make an exception.’
    ‘You tell me, but not so long words,’ he smiled.
    So I told him all the events that led up to the killing of the Soal officer and his companion and then proceeded to relate the way in which we escaped.
    ‘… the vehicle was hovering just outside our segment