Kraken Orbital Read Free Page B

hermit. Blood is matted
right through my blonde hair. I definitely need to get that cut
too. It’s longer than most women’s. My face is battered and bruised
too. I’ve only just noticed how aged I look. My face has the first
signs of wrinkles on it with crow’s feet around my eyes and
cavities in my cheeks when I force a smile. At least I think that’s
what a smile looks like. It’s been a long time since someone put
one of those on my face. So long ago that I’m not sure what face to
make when asked to smile.
    Kolt thought
for a moment. ‘It can’t have been no.’ He
finally decided. ‘I have walked for a long time. The days have
melted together as one and I have not kept a record.’ I was going
to have to fill in the gaps later. He had saved me but clearly had
his own problems to work through. One thing was for sure though. We
needed to get out of this place and try to find some way of getting
rescued.
    Kolt must
have thought the same. He has loaded up a bunch of supplies and has
collected a lot of water from the sprinkler system that saved my
life and the bridge itself from fire.
He’s resourceful. I’d never have thought of that. I remember lying
in pools of water when I first came to. They’ve gone now. He must
have soaked it all up using that cold compress. Then rung it dry,
squeezing the water into bottles, all with his bare hands while I
was unconscious.
    ‘What time is it?’ I ask him.
    ‘I’m not
certain.’ But he is ready to go. He lifts the sizeable backpack of
supplies onto his shoulders and stands waiting for me by the heavy
blast doors that lead to the outside world. I don’t even know where
he’s thinking of going. I don’t know even why he has been walking
for so long.
    ‘ Night has
fallen. That is the best time for us to make a start on our
journey.’ He says while waiting for me patiently by the door. I
didn’t notice how tall he was before. It was hard to tell from
where I was laid out on the floor. He reaches an impressive eight
foot at least. He isn’t wearing armor either. I can see his muscles
through that silly uniform of his. He is built like a formidable
tank. I hope I never end up on the wrong side of him.
    ‘Where are we going?’ I ask him and pace
gently over to the door. My hand falls naturally into my pocket.
I’m looking for the key card that I used before. It’s not there. We
had been planning to get out right after the fire was doused but me
passing out put a swift stop to that.
    ‘I have it.’ Kolt says, remembering himself,
and takes it from a pocket concealed behind his caked leather
apron. ‘I remember that my ship has communication technology on
it.’ He answers my question and holds the card to the instrument
panel. It beeps irregularly and the door twists into life. It is
still broken. It squeals and sparks fly but it gradually begins to
open with a horrible grinding sound.
    ‘Then why
didn’t you use it to call for help yourself?’ I ask him without
calculating my words. I still find him a little edgy and I should
have thought twice about how I asked him. Not that my question
isn’t a valid one. I could have predicted his answer
though.
    ‘I do not know.’ He states. The frustration
he feels leaks out through the tone of his voice but he keeps his
composure. I want to push the issue so bad. My inquisitiveness is
burning and I just have to know. If I’m supposed to trust this man,
then surely, I tell myself, that I deserve to know something about
him.
    ‘You don’t
remember?’ I p ut a lot of effort into
that question. I made sure that I sounded as empathic and
sympathetic as humanly possible. I made sure there wasn’t even a
scrap of sarcasm in there.
    ‘ After the
fire I just remember walking, dazed,
confused, isolated and feeling more alone than any man has ever
felt before me. The thought of seeking rescue had not occurred to
me. And still does not.’ The door finally, after scraping and
howling, finally gives way in a burst of