Pahnyakin Rising by Elisha Forrester Read Free Book Online Page B

waited for the beings to return their attention to the Gaia.  Her lungs burned and the visitors looked away just as she forcefully exhaled. 
    Dresden’s entire body was trembling as she watched the Pahnyakins.  In fear of being caught, she could barely keep her body propped up.  The Gaia continued to shriek and lifted her chin towards the sky in a pained howl. 
    In an instant, the glowing being collapsed to the surface of the Wotomack Bridge and the surrounding Pahnyakins sprinted towards the area in which Dresden was hiding.  The mechanical creatures were fast; she could feel the ground shake under her palms as the beings sprinted closer to her. 
    Making a decision based on a flood of fear and courage meeting face-to-face, the teenager stood and ran full-speed towards the center of the bridge.  She knew she was spotted by the Pahnyakins that moved in her direction, and she knew it was likely that one would grab her, but she pressed her toes to the ground with every step and propelled herself forward.  She was unsteady on her feet as she attempted to keep her heels off of the ground.  Each time one of the wedges touched the earth, her ankles wobbled and she feared falling. 
    Clicking and high-pitched screeching combined to fill the night air.  She thought she could hear a pack of coyotes in the distance, but it was hard to tell with the noise from the alien race clouding her focus.  She neared the Pahnyakins and hoped the beings would be shocked that the spy they wished to catch was running towards them.  Maybe it would buy her some time to evade them. 
    She was soon the one in shock.  The group of Pahnyakins were not running to catch her.  They were fleeing.  None of the six reached out to grab her.  Instead, their visors flashed golden speckles that Dresden had never seen before.  She felt worried and overwhelmed with curiosity at the same time and could not stop herself from running, despite the ever-growing fear that swelled in her stomach and crept up the back of her dry throat.
    Her boots stomped on the white loose planks as she reached the bridge and as she neared the center, the Gaia in front of her writhed in pain.  She slowed her movements and cautiously approached the being.  Dresden inched nearer to the Gaia and threw her head over her left shoulder to see what the other beings were doing; they were standing in a horizontal line beyond the bushes where the transmitter was hidden.  They stood motionlessly and looked onward. 
    As Dresden walked forward, the Gaia’s purple emission grew in brightness. 
    “Can you understand me?” the teenager asked the being.
    The Gaia’s visor was cracked near the its crown and the alien’s flat hand opened. 
    “Are you hurt?” Dresden asked in a broken voice. 
    From the ground, the Gaia hissed.  The warning did not stop the teenager.  Dresden stood at the Gaia’s shins and knelt beside the robotic creature. She reached her hand towards the Gaia’s visor and the creature let out a sound that left Dresden incapacitated.  Dresden pulled her hand back and her bracelet caught on a rusty nail.  It slipped from her wrist. 
    The teenager, once again, pressed her palms to her ears but it was not enough to drown out the noise.  She felt a stream of warm liquid on her palm and saw speckles of blood dripping to the peeling white paint below her.  Dresden attempted to stand, but she could not find the strength.  The creature at her side grew brighter until the bridge and surrounding area lit up like daylight.  Dresden clamped her eyes shut as the emittance of light and sound became unbearable.  She was engulfed by a burning sensation and an explosion of purple light was visible even through her clenched eyelids.  The 17-year-old shrieked in pain as she felt her flesh singe. 
    Like the Gaia, Dresden crumpled to the surface of the bridge.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    -7-
     
     
     
     
    She moaned and attempted to roll to her side,