Predator’s Chase
Her heart pounded with a rhythm that echoed the relentless pursuit. She’d never seen these creatures without their bio-suits on and wondered what they really looked like, not that it mattered. Their alien technology had transformed hunting into a lethal art of efficiency. They’d find her in a matter of minutes, but she couldn’t think about that. She may be their prey, but she wasn’t going down without a fight.
The bleak terrain seemed to stretch forever, its monotony broken only by jagged rocks and dying flora. The milieu felt designed to cause despair. Desolation seeped into every pore until resignation seemed inevitable. She shook her head and picked up her pace.
A thought ignited in her mind. She abruptly stopped running, dirt and pebbles skidding under her worn-out boots. She turned and scanned the horizon. Light glinted from a metallic form heading toward her. The creature was fast, its movements swift and calculated. Her heart raced—she was almost out of time. But they didn’t appreciate what she carried within her—a potent cocktail of human resilience and desperation. No human had ever managed to kill one of these creatures, but she would try to the bitter end. And if, by some miracle, she succeeded, it would send a powerful message to the alien colony. Creatures confident in their dominance didn’t like being proved wrong.
She turned back around and surveyed her surroundings, searching for a hiding spot. For this to work, she’d have to take the creature by surprise. She spotted a jagged boulder that looked like a serrated weapon partially embedded in the ground. It was close enough for her to make it before her pursuer caught up. With a burst of adrenaline, she sprinted toward the boulder and took cover in its towering shadow. Leaning against the cool stone, she counted her breaths and waited.
In less than a minute, the alien predator ran past the boulder at an astounding speed. She circled around the other side of the boulder to maintain her cover. Seconds later, the alien stopped. She held her breath, knowing its sensors were scanning for signs of movement. After what felt like an eternity, it spoke in an amplified, robotic voice, “Surrender now and I will show mercy.”
She scoffed silently at the offer, having seen firsthand what it considered merciful. These creatures showed no compassion or empathy toward their prey. To them, she was an inferior life form—a bug to be squashed. She peered around the edge of the boulder and saw the alien raise its weapon. A blue light pulsed on the tip of the device, primed to incinerate anything in its path.
When the alien turned to do a full scan, she lifted the stone she’d chosen from the rubble at the foot of the boulder and hurled it at the creature’s head. The stone hit its mark with a satisfying clank and the alien stumbled backward. She leapt out from behind the boulder and tackled the alien to the ground. The ground fell away a few feet from where she hid, and they tumbled down a rocky incline, each wrestling with the other for control.
The alien hit a large, jagged rock and lost its grip on its weapon. She dove for the weapon, somersaulted, and fired. The alien went limp on the ground. She grinned fiercely. She walked over to the creature, pulled a sharp but incredibly lightweight sword from a sheath on its back. Swinging it back and forth, she got a feel for the weapon. Then she raised it over her head and cut through the creature’s neck with almost no resistance.
Bright green blood pooled on the ground, bubbling and steaming. She marveled at the sword. The alien bio-suit was incredibly strong. Curious, she pressed the tip against the bolder and goggled when it sunk into the stone with almost no effort. She pulled it back out and smiled.
Not only was this an event that would ripple through the ranks of both predator and prey, but it was a fundamental shift in the power balance. She collected every weapon from the alien and began her search for a location that would make a suitable hideout. She still had to figure out food and water. But when she did, the hunter would become the hunted.