I repeat it over and over again as I step to my feet, holding the spear forward.
The velociraptor has been stalking me for days. Constantly waiting in the bushes, hiding in plain sight. This is his arena but he doesn’t know who he’s picked a fight with. He doesn’t know who he’s fucking with. If he did, he would be on the other side of Zandipor, hiding.
I wipe my sweaty palms on my shorts as I scan the bright hues of the forest looking for Veddy. That’s what I named him.
My heart is racing as something moves the leaves of a nearby bush. Every rational thought in my head is screaming at me to crawl back into the safety of the cave.
I’m done crawling. I scream back at the voices urging me to take the cowardly way out to shut the fuck up. This ends now. I’m done being the prey.
“I am the predator,” I whisper. “I am the killer.”
I creep forward with a firm grip on my spear. It feels good to be the hunter. To be the one doing the stalking.
I was never made to back down. To run. I was made for this.
The leaves of the bush shake as Veddy comes into view. I gulp as his head slowly pops out from behind the yellow leaves.
“Holy shit.”
Fists I can handle. Teeth not so much.
I suddenly remember why I’ve been hiding in the cave for nine days.
The sight of his teeth takes the strength out of my legs and my knees nearly buckle.
What good is an alpha wolf against a straight up monster?
I flex my muscular arms and grit my teeth, trying to get some of that adrenaline back but it’s all dried up. All I’m left with is a stomach that feels rock hard and a horrible taste in my mouth.
He steps forward on his enormous feet with the razor-sharp claws the size of sickles, and I glance over at the entrance of the cave. I’m too far. I’d be able to reach it but he’d easily grab my feet and yank me out before I could crawl inside.
It’s fight or flight time. And there’s no way I could outrun him.
I squeeze the homemade spear in my hand which feels incredibly flimsy now. His tan skin looks so tough, like thick leather. This spear is going to snap before it pierces his rough hide.
“I am the predator. I am the killer.”
But Veddy disagrees. He raises his head and lets out a chirping sound that makes me wish I was back on the alien spaceship that abducted me and brought me here. Actually, I wish I was anywhere but here.
“Stay back,” I warn, thrusting the spear forward. He tilts his head as he watches me curiously with his chilling yellow eyes.
“I’m not going to be an easy meal,” I say, keeping my chest thrust out as I walk backward. “You want to lose an eye just to try an earthling girl whose muscles are going to make her taste too tough anyway?”
He steps forward as I back up. Shit.
“Alright, fucker,” I hiss, gripping the spear. “Losing an eye it is. Come on!”
I step forward, swallowing my fear and letting rage take its place. I picture all of my friends and family, everyone I’ve ever known, dead. I picture the aliens who took me, the fucking robot who harassed us, the two new friends I made, Avery and Mandy, only to lose them and have them drowned or eaten by one of Veddy over there’s cousins.
I plant my feet wide apart, just like my trainer showed me to do when I was six-years-old. I take a deep breath and grin. This is a warrior’s life. A warrior’s death.
I’ve always strived to be a warrior and I’m not about to hang it all up the moment that I’m finally tested.
I push down the fear, the doubt, the shakiness, the panic.
And what’s left is pure rage.
“I am the predator. I am the killer.”
I am Rolanda fucking Vogel.
The velociraptor hisses as it lowers its head ready to charge.
“Come on fucker,” I say, crouching forward as I bring the spear back. “Let’s do this!”
He charges forward in a blur and just like that, it’s on.
two
The swift and strong Cookie Monster pulls back the feathered arrow notched on his bow and aims up at the boomercan swinging from branch to branch of the enger tree. Cookie Monster aims for the beast’s soum. A quick death is what the beast deserves.
Creepe does not agree. He places a hand on Cookie Monster’s bow and lowers it down as the boomercan gets away. He cannot get away. It has been a long march and Cookie Monster is hungry.
“Watch the vigorous Creepe take down the beast with only an ax,” Creepe says, lifting his stone ax over his head.
Cookie Monster cringes as the ax takes to the sky, spinning blade over handle until it sinks into the back of the boomercan. The helpless creature shrieks as it falls from the enger tree and slams into the ground of the forest.
Creepe turns around with a smug grin. Cookie Monster does not like him.