Alluvium by Nolan Oreno Read Free Book Online Page B

something was utterly inhuman. Its translucent skin was crystallized, reflecting the Martian sun back in multiplied brightness, and the glare blurred Hollis’ gaping eyes. Hollis lifted his hand above his visor to shield his eyes from the light hoping get a better look, but before doing so the apparition leaped into the deep ravine and out of sight.
    “No!" he screamed. “Wait!"
    Hollis approached the canyons precipice in slow and steadfast strides. At its edge, he peered overboard in both fear and awe as if he were on the deck of a ship watching the strong ocean tides crashing at its bow below.
    The diverging fractals of the valley cracked deep into the planet's surface in ever-extending roots and endlessly spread to the horizon. The Sun struck the rippling rocks in the valley in golden light and cast shadows against the slopes. From this view, Hollis continued his inspection of the descending canyons, hoping to find the animal within. His eager eyes followed along the ruptures of the walls, and the layers of rock and time rolled by until he found the canyon's bottom. But he found only just that. Whatever it was that he saw, it was gone now.
    The sound of upturned gravel from behind urged Hollis to turn around in a quick spin. Another Crawler was parking beside his, next to the outlook station, and another colonist in an exosuit emerged from its cold metal structure. Hollis made out the red hair behind the helmet. It was Autumn Florentine, the colonial meteorologist.
    “Autumn, here!" Hollis yelled to her to join him, and he hastily turned his helmet back to the valley’s bottom looking for the ghost.
    Autumn warily approached him up the incline. “The valley? It’s gorgeous isn’t it. My favorite place in the colony," she spoke solemnly. “We use to come here all the time together, remember?”
    She joined beside Hollis at the edge, visibly upset behind the glass barrier of her visor. “I knew that I would find you here," she said.
    Hollis persisted, still invested in the disappearance of the spirit. “No, I just saw someone! Something! I swear to you there was something here just a moment before you came, but it jumped into the valley! It was like a human, but different, and it had these great wings on its back!"
    “Hollis, there’s nothing down there," Autumn said, and raised her voice. “Listen, everyone is back at the Hub dealing with Asnee, and you should be there too. He’s been trying to kill himself since we found Janya, but a few of us managed to restrain him. He’s safe for now, but we need you there for him. He’s your best friend, and he needs you to start acting like it." Autumn took a moment. “We all need you, Hollis."
    “I’m telling you there was something here! It’s down there somewhere, right now!" cried Hollis manically still searching the valley.
    Awareness swelled to Autumn, and she took a step forward. “Hollis, what’s wrong with you?" She looked far into his dilated and twitching eyes behind the mask. “Fuck, Hollis, you’re high aren’t you! You’ve been using those sick drugs of yours again! How could you do that at a time like this!"
    “But there was something-" Hollis stumbled. “A visitor."
    “No, Hollis! There’s no one there! There’s nothing else on this entire planet but the nineteen people back at the Hub who need your help! They can’t afford to have you wandering throughout the desert losing your mind! Come on, let's go! You’re done doing this shit!”
    “I can’t go! It might come back, don’t you see! Maybe it has the answers! Maybe it can save us!" Hollis cried.
    “Hollis, there’s nothing here but us, don’t you see that? No one is coming to save us. No aliens, no humans, no God! It’s only just us now!" she was crying and moving closer to him. “But that’s okay! We’ll get through this together! So come to me, please! Step away from the edge!" Tears trickled down her cheeks and formed a pool at the bottom of her visor. “There is