Hunted: Sand Fall, #2

By Neil Mosspark

After crashing on a desert planet, being attacked by the local predators and pursued by an unseen scavenger, Tricia and Adam have somehow brought their groups of survivors together.

A mysterious communication from across the desert promises them safety and escape. Suspicion is high, as infighting begins over dwindling supplies and the leadership of the group. The true danger may be their own human nature.

With each step, mysterious forces follow at the periphery urging their demise. 

Will they overcome their baser instincts and survive... or succumb to them and perish?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Neil Mosspark
• Release date: Apr 21, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386214298

Neil Mosspark

I was born in British Columbia, Canada and grew up in the rockies before traveling to see the world. I’ve been writing Science Fiction and Fantasy for more than a decade, but only recently have decided to share my work through eBooks. Currently I have a backlog of novels that I am editing and publishing on various platforms. I write the type of Science Fiction and Fantasy that I enjoy reading. Most of my work takes place in the same ‘universe’ with subtle crossovers that allow fans of my work to pick up on the nuances, while new readers don’t have to play catch up. Please feel free to leave a review, I always love hearing from readers. If you want to chat, you can find me on twitter @NeilMosspark or email [e-mail].   Thanks for reading!

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Tricia knelt in the desert sand opposite Adam. Behind him she could see the metal of the life raft, half buried from the last sandstorm. Around it, the survivors of the ship he had crash-landed looked at them suspiciously.

She was trying to understand how the parasite had infected him. What it was doing, and why. The medical part of her needed information so that she could save the man she loved.

The parasite attached to the back of Adam's body spoke through the pilot's voice. I'm not sure he is alive anymore.

It's okay. Tricia reached up and touched Adam's bruised face. She knew it wasn't okay. The body of the man she loved was infected by an alien parasite that was keeping his heart beating and lungs breathing but had done nothing to fix the unequal pupils and head trauma. Tell me again what happened? How did you get infected?

The shoulders of his spacesuit slumped. I...Adam woke up. The ship was off course. He tried his best, but the ship had lost power.

Dr. Lang knelt down next to Tricia and placed a medical kit between them. He survived the crash, though? Dr. Lang asked as Tricia reached to open the kit, looking for a vitals monitor.

Adam's face winced at the thought of the impact. He survived. Adam lost his hand. Adam's body lifted its left arm, showing the missing appendage. The suit sealed it before he bled out, but he had a head injury. It made him confused. I can still feel it. The pressure feels like it's behind his eyes.

Dr. Lang nodded. What then?

He went looking for you. The parasite looked at Tricia. He needed to know that you were alive.

Tricia plugged the vitals monitor into his suit and snapped it to the universal mounting on the front. She could check on his vitals as long as the suit was still working. You said he fell.

Adam's body sighed. Yes. He opened the back of the cockpit. It had been attached to the life rafts originally. But because of how the ship crashed, it opened off the edge of the cliff. In the sandstorm, he fell, hit his head again, and landed at the bottom of the crevice at the bottom of the cliff.

Where you found him? Dr. Lang prompted.

Adam's head turned to the older man. Yes. I found him there. I don't know how long he had been lying there, but he was buried by the sand. A day. Maybe more.

A lump caught in Tricia's throat, and she fought to maintain her clinical composure. What then? Tell us how it works. How you infect things.

I was attached to a grass eater. In the dark, I didn't see the crevice. We fell. The grass eater broke its neck. I had to detach.

And you found Adam there, Dr. Lang said.

I found what I thought was an animal. I thought it was a mindless sleeping animal. I would never have attached to a sentient.

Because it's wrong? Tricia asked.

Adam shook his head. No. Maybe. My kind isn't smart on our own. We use the mind of the host; it's still there. It has wants and needs. A sentient isn't a good host. It's bad for both of us. There is too much conflict.

Tricia stopped her inspection of Adam's vitals monitor. Then why are you still attached?

The parasite paused. A small part of his brain wanted to find you...and if I detach, his body stops breathing.

Can I see it? See what you look like, again? Tricia asked.

Adam's body turned to exposed his back to her. Dr. Lang pulled the unzipped space suit apart.

Beneath the material, a centipede-like carapace sat along Adam's spine. It extended to just above the top of the suit, where the helmet would have attached. The centipede-like red carapace sat along Adam's spine. It extended to just above the top of the suit, where the helmet would have connected.

Staring back at her, four onyx eyes sat in depressions on the top half of the parasite.  Fang-like legs dug deep into the skin along the vertebrae, hugging the alien close to the man's back. Dried blood encrusted around each wound indicated that the depth was far more than superficial.

A swish in the sand behind Tricia made her turn to look. Emmett, their self-appointed security guard, had been drawn to the huddled excitement.

On seeing the alien creature attached to their injured pilot, he quickly retreated a few steps. What the hell is that!? Emmett's pistol was out of his holster before anyone could answer. You got some friggin’ bug stuck to your back, man! Emmett paced behind them, leaning in to peer at it. Doc. Get that frigging thing off him!

Adam's body turned back around and looked at Tricia. I'm sorry that I am not who you think I am. He could see that she was confused, and rightfully so.

She blinked away the emotions and reached up to hold his good hand. What happened next?

She looked into his blue eyes. One pupil was huge and the other a pinpoint. Both were bloodshot and sat in bruised hollows. There was a small trickle of blood coming out of his nose.

I .... we climbed out of the crevice at the bottom of the cliff. I was intending to walk back to the north. To the grass eaters, when I saw this life raft. I fought with the hunters. One cut my...Adam's head with a spear. I killed all three of them. They would have eaten everyone.

She turned took the med kit from the other doctor before resuming listening.

Adam's voice continued. I was disappointed you were not in this life raft. He wanted to see you. To know you were okay.

Tricia looked back up and struggled to find words.

Seeing the awkward moment, Dr. Lang placed a kind hand on her shoulder. He hasn't let me give him any medical attention. He was pretty obsessive over getting everyone awake so we could leave and find you. You might have better luck cleaning him up.

The pilot tried to save everyone, the parasite recalled. He is...was...a good man. I know that much about him. I don't think he is still alive, though. When I found him, he was dying. I would have died there too. We needed each other. Maybe me more than him, but his body would have died there. You would never have seen him again.

Emmett interrupted and opened a blade before he attempted to hand the doctor a multi-tool, his voice shaky and fearful. Just cut it off him! Emmett was still brandishing his pistol at Adam's back.

She looked up at Emmett. Shut up! Taking the multi-tool, she threw it away into the sand. And point that gun somewhere else! You're not helping!

Emmett’s sneer reflected back at her as he stormed off to pick up his tool.

Her tone softened. Go on. Tricia started wiping away the caked blood and dirt. Doctor Lang assisted, handing her water and medical sponges.

Adam's face projected worry and guilt. You have to understand that I had no choice. It would have been a waste just to die there in the bottom of that pit. We needed each other.

She placed a soft hand against his cheek. It's okay.

He breathed deep, and she could hear the wheezing from his chest. An awkward thought crossed his mind as the parasite tried to formulate his next words. His face became sad. Part of his brain that allows him to work is broken and might be dead. I can feel it.

Can he talk to me? she asked.

No. I don't even think he is alive, the parasite said. I get flashes of memories and places I have never seen, but I don't feel 'him.' It's like he is missing.

Tricia caught the guards congregating away and to her left. She could see the guards of both groups gathering, talking. Emmett was handing out more work for the others.

Dr. Lang handed Tricia another wet sponge. He came and woke us up. He knows enough to operate our equipment. How to interact with us, he knows everything that Adam knew. Including how to pilot a ship.

Tricia nodded. He needs some medical care. We need to get him to the habitat section as soon as we can. There is brain swelling, and possibly a bleed. I need the scanner and—

Dr. Lang calmly interrupted, raising a single finger. And we will get him to that. However, the man you see right now is not the pilot. He has access to some of the memories and speaks English because of the host; the pilot knows how. The parasite is keeping the body alive. It needs nothing from us. It is functioning as the pilot because of his experiences, and his training, but we have an entire expedition that has gone sideways. We need to keep the big picture in mind. We still need to survive and get off this planet.

I'm not sure what you are getting at, but we need to get him to a medical facility. She became more forceful as the emotional tension started to show.

Dr. Lang raised his hand in defense. I can see that there is some connection between you two. But I wanted to warn; no, caution you, that this is not him. It wants to help. But it's not the pilot. If you remove the parasite, we may lose a way of getting off the planet.

Doctor Lang motioned to the pilot to turn around. The pilot calmly turned, unashamed of the situation, impartial to the commotion, and she could see the red centipede creature again. Its bony prominence was like an external spine. Its red carapace was locked to the pilots' spine.

From atop the life raft, Emmett called out, Okay, that's just creepy.  Are we cutting that thing off him or what? He strolled back. The closer he got, the tighter Tricia gritted her teeth.

Adam's body turned to look at Tricia. This body will die almost immediately. I'm sorry. I can't relinquish it right now and have it continue operating, but I can keep part of it alive. Part of him alive. He would most likely die soon afterward. He is damaged beyond his ability to heal.

Emmett pointed the gun directly at the parasite. I think you're lying. I think if I shoot it, the pilot wakes up. I think that this thing is just screwing with us!

What the hell are you doing? Tricia yelled. She stumbled to stand between the guard and the pilot. She shoved the tall green jumpsuit, but her force only caused him to take a step back to keep his balance. Emmett lifted the pistol then lowered it.

The older man stood up, trying to establish a bit of calm. Easy there.

Shut it, old man, the guard said, trying to decide what to do. Everyone was staring at him now, but the other guards were standing behind him. Tricia could see the anger and fear had brought blood to his cheeks.

You're not going to shoot it, Doctor Lang stated calmly. He's our pilot.

So frigging what! Emmett yelled. Others had started gathering, watching how things were playing out. He raised the gun again. This gets really easy if we kill it. We can't have creepy bugs making us into zombies.

Tricia slapped Emmett's gun hand away. He needs medical help! If he dies, how are we supposed to get off this planet? Do you know how to fly the habitat? I certainly don't! Her face panned around the other guards. Do you? Or you? Her voice was filled with contempt for the guard as she protected the last vestiges of a memory she loved.

Everyone please calm down, Dr. Lang interjected, laughing a little nervously. He stood to keep his hands where the guards could see them.

The situation was less than amusing, but his calm attitude and composure seemed to leech the stress from the air. We can still find other survivors. We can still get to the rear sections of the ship. Besides, there is a fully functioning operating room, food, water, and best of all, we can move it to where we might find long-term resources. We might be stranded but we’re not out of options. We can work this out. Things will get a lot easier from here on in if we keep our cool. We can't just implode. We have to work together and keep moving forward.

Some iota of common sense prevailed, and Emmett holstered his weapon, still glaring at Tricia with his fire-filled eyes. She knew that he was like a lot of other men, quick to make