Evolution Read Online Free PDF Page B

to explode. I could see the white blur of her sneakers and the pavement that seemed to stretch for an eternity before us. The long slender vines started to snake out from beneath the wreckage dropping more and more pod rats in our path. Mother Nature’s attempt to trap us no doubt. A sick attempt to lead us to our own demise and it may have normally worked if it wasn’t for a single moment of clarity.
    It was at this moment that I realized fear itself has a comparison syndrome. It is fluid, changing its face into many different masks. The pod rats now seemed utterly harmless compared to the vicious baboons rapidly gaining on us. I kicked them; I felt their tiny bodies smash into little green rodent apple sauce under my boots. We ran. We ran and for some unknown reason, even if was just a tiny victory, I smiled.
    Alex seemed to snap out of her trance and started screaming for Boomer. Her voice was brutal. The fear it carried was like a sharp dagger sinking into the fleshy bits of my heart. Panic in its truest form. I had to be brave for her; I had to lead her out of this nightmare and into the Zen of life.
    I remembered the brave man that fell to his death just this morning, his screams of pain and the badge of honor. I was him, for a gleaning moment, I was the fearless hero fighting for our survival. My thought was cut short by a sharp pain in my side. It was so sudden and so fierce that it about dropped me to my knees. I knew I couldn’t run much longer, I was done. I screamed at Alex to run, keep going!! She looked at me blankly and stood very still, more afraid of being alone than of death.
    We watched in horror as the baboons closed in on us. The rats already taking advantage of our delay were surrounding us ready for us to fall; ready for the feast the foul beasts lived for. A large meaty hand gripped my shirt and lifted me, almost angry with me I felt a shake so hard that my body jarred and my teeth clattered. I heard Alex shouting in delight and heard the smash of bodies under his boot. The entire moment was surreal, the scene unveiling in bits, showing me life in slow motion.
    The loud screech from our enemy rose into the air, filling it like a thick fog just before dawn. That sound will haunt my dreams for all of eternity. Snapping out of my daze I sprinted with all my might, following them, zigzagging this way and that, clueless.
    That was the word, clueless. Yet I didn’t question, I just followed the two through the jungle of abandoned vehicles and carnage. That is when I spotted it, the cherry red Buick with the doors still open, surrounded by vines. Boomer more threw than pushed Alex into the passenger seat and slammed the door on her. I watched the car drop lower to the ground as he sat in the backseat. The slam of his door indicated something else that scared me. I had to drive.
    Our very survival at this moment depended on me doing the one thing I never learned how to do. I jumped in and slammed the door. Out of instinct I rolled up the window and locked the door, knowing all too well it wouldn’t help much, just slow down our death. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. Turning the key I felt the car strangle itself, choking on many days of idleness.
    I stomped on the pedal and tried again, this time it choked twice and died. I made the mistake of looking in the rearview mirror, All I seen were fangs, green nasty pointy fangs with a sadistic desire to sink themselves into my warm flesh. In a panic I tried a third time, understanding how close they were I closed my eyes and prayed for a break, a small break, just one tiny little spark of salvation.
    I got what I asked for. I felt the rumble as the engine finally woke from its slumber. I stared blankly ahead for a second in disbelief.  Now what? I thought. Boomers large hand rose seemingly from nowhere slamming the shifter into reverse. My foot still on the gas I pressed down hard and felt the collision of bodies against the bumper.
    I felt the car bounce