Absolutely nothing. You have an ax, which means you have to get close to whoever comes through that door, to do any damage. Besides that, you’ve got a pile of bones. You are sooo not MacGyver.
Riley stomped over to the stone platform and stared at the remains of the pathetic soul.
God, I wish June were here. She’d probably come up with something brilliant. Riley paused. June, I hope you’re doing better than I am.
Riley slammed her ax on the altar, then closed her eyes and clenched her fists as the futility of her situation began to flood her. She was no match for the things coming after her.
You might as well climb up on this altar and offer yourself up as a sacrifice.
Riley opened her eyes. It wasn’t such a bad idea. It was doubtful she was going to fight her way out of this, but maybe she could talk her way out of being brutalized, or turned into a trophy.
And if that doesn’t work, I’ll have some impromptu weapons handy. Riley grimaced as she grabbed the leg bone of the skeleton. Sorry, she apologized as she picked up her ax and smashed the bone.
Riley hacked several bones in half. Their jagged ends would do some damage. She hopped up on the stone platform and scattered her weapons around her. Considering her accommodations, they didn’t look suspicious. She tucked the ax behind her back then waited.
“Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around, ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall.”
Riley was somewhere in the teens when a sound coming from the shaft captured her attention. She took in a deep breath then let it out as she pasted a smile on her face. When the door opened, Riley did her best not to reveal the shock she felt. The wormy Ubi, slithered out of the elevator then stopped when its hooded eyes landed on Riley.
“I’m so glad it’s you,” Riley declared as she scooted forward. “I didn’t know if you’d come.” She attempted to convince the worm she was happy to see it.
The Ubi straightened its slimy body, making itself appear taller. It was such a weird creature. Its mouth was a circular sphincter, with a stunted nub of a nose above it. The Ubi’s eyes were frighteningly human. Except they were eerily expressionless and blank.
Riley wasn’t sure if her load of bullshit was having an effect, but she continued anyway. She had to talk, and get it talking, if it could. Anything to keep the worm from doing something vile.
“You’re hurt. Those bastards hurt you.” Riley wanted to roll her eyes and herself.
“I will heal, Host,” the worm said with a garbled voice.
Riley didn’t like the way the slimy bastard called her Host.
“Oh good. Can we please get out of here? It’s dark, and dirty, and I’m cold,” Riley whined, like a scared little princess.
“I have to mate you before we can leave.”
“What do you mean? I’m scared. I’ve never mated with a male like you.”
“No, you have not, Host.”
The creature quickly slid forward.
“Please just explain it to me. Is it going to hurt?”
Riley held up one hand, while the hand he couldn’t see gripped the ax behind her. Surprisingly the worm stopped.
“No, Host, I will make sure the host of my swarm never feels pain.”
“Oh, thank you. How?”
“Let me show you.”
Riley watched in horror as a long tongue snaked out of the creatures round mouth. The end of it had a nasty series of hooks that angled backward.
“Just a slight pinch is all you’ll feel when I latch onto your abdomen. Our combined genetics are going to make an exceptional swarm.”
Oh god, it’s going to ram that tongue into my stomach and pump me full of some freaky alien seed.
“I admired your colorful markings from the moment I saw you,” the worm added.
It thinks my tattoos are something I inherited. Riley would’ve snorted at the absurd notion, if things weren’t so dire.
“Thank you.” Riley tried to look flattered by the worm’s compliment. “Can I touch it before you mate me?” Riley demurred.
“Yes.”
Riley had never met a man who turned down the opportunity to have his reproductive organ touched. She reached out toward the slimy appendage, avoiding the dangerous end. When she touched it, the worm closed its eyes. The cilia on its body vibrated.
I think it’s enjoying this, Riley gagged.
“I will honor you long after our swarm erupts from your body,” the vile creature warbled.
The iconic disturbing scene from the movie Alien entered Riley’s mind.
That is so not happening.
Her fingers circled the worm’s tongue. She gripped it tight as she pulled her ax. The slug’s hooded eyes flew open. Before he could tug the slimy appendage out of her grasp, or snare her with the vile tip, Riley swung the ax, severing the fleshy appendage.