As the metal monster rocked in the wind, Lexi peered outside. She saw only fleeting glances of small creatures darting among the black vines that covered the ground. What could be worse than razor-cats?
When they took off again, Lexi saw the sky turn dark and flashes of light ripped through roiling masses of clouds. Water streaked on the windows.
“That’s one hell of a storm, isn’t it, Lexi?”
She nodded, transfixed by the sight.
“We’ll have to ride it. The winds up high are too strong to fly over it, and a man will grow old and die waiting for clear skies out here. Old Tom made it through chasing the sun; he reckons he can do the same running from it.”
Rain lashed against the outside, and sheets of water whipped over the windows blotting out the world. The metal monster bucked and vibrated, making Lexi want to find a clan-hold tunnel to hide from the chaos. Maybe I should have stayed behind.
The machine dropped and Lexi felt her stomach try to push into her chest. A bright flash of light lit the windows and the boom that followed sounded like the sky being torn apart.
“Close one,” Old Tom said, barely audible through her ringing ears. “Hold on, Lexi.”
The wind tossed them about the sky worse than ever. Her shoulders beat painfully against the straps that held her to her chair and she lost her stomach, leaving her mouth and throat stinging. Lexi closed her eyes and prayed to the sky spirits.
A sound hit her with so much power that her whole body reverberated. They bucked and tilted as if the metal monster had been dealt a physical blow. She risked opening her eyes and saw the lights in the window had changed, a picture of their monster rotated in front of Old Tom, parts of it colored in red like bleeding wounds.
“Got hit by lightning,” he shouted. “I’m picking up a beacon, maybe we can set down for repairs.” She could see the fear on his face, something she’d never seen before.
Lexi closed her eyes again and hugged herself tight as the bucking and vibrations worsened. The chaos seemed to go on forever.
“Dammit!” She heard Old Tom yell. The monster tumbled and shrieked as hard jolts pummeled her. She heard ripping sounds and something pounded her hard in the back of her head.