10 R 2 2

Unexpectedly, my demon turned around and ran. Smoke chased and another hissing pop landed in our path. More treacherous smoke reached for us. I felt like sinking in molasses and monster's flesh started closing up over my hands. His arms squeezed me to his core harder, although I wasn't even struggling. My head got enveloped in something elastic and it was all dark.

I was inside him. I curled up. There were no teeth, I was whole and unhurt. Air was heavy, thick and there was not much of it. And he was still running. Have I ever seen him move this fast? The growl was varying but I could not discern words. He didn't need to spell it out. That white cloud was bad news.

The rocking of his leaps wasn't even anymore. He certainly tripped that time. Fell, now. And didn't get up. Growl has ceased and it left me feeling emptier than I would have ever imagined. I stayed bunched up, even when it became hard to breathe.

I spoke to him, all sorts of incoherent nonsense to coax out a snide reply but there was nothing. No sound, not a twitch. I was so dizzy and only partly because of suffocation.

When I heard voices I could not bear it any longer and began clawing my way out of the body. There were gunshots. Scalding pain; disgustingly warm liquid covering my leg. I pulled it back in and gripped with effort to staunch the flow. It hurt more.

"Wait! Stop! Stop! I'm human!" I shouted through the cacophony as lifeless corpse absorbed worst of the barrage. Corpse. There had been no doubt of the fact in my hazy mind now. What I considered an opportunity for freedom not so long ago, now coloured my black and red world with regret.

Another friend was dead. Friend. Perhaps not quite yet but he had potential of becoming so. After all, he was one of few on my side. I snorted at the absurdity and told the corpse all about it. No response.

Juices were oozing off the stomach walls as though salivating. In actually this body was rapidly decomposing. It immediately smelled different. Not sickeningly sweet like this world's meat, just as though nothing held all this mass together and separate components re-emerged. I screamed more words whilst gripping the flesh around me but all I managed to grasp was more of the ooze.

Feeling the lull more than hearing it and drowning now on top of suffocating from bad air, I forced myself out. Mouth and nose were full of the foul mucus but I was able to pull in a couple of breaths. I kept muttering that I am human to all the barrels pointed at me. Wasn't offended. I would be wary of gut-surfing swamp monsters too.

Specialised unit stood cautious but wasn't shooting anymore. Several were aiming flaming hoses. Others held high calibre launchers. Most were spread out and spraying some other mist over the field. Everybody wore gasmasks, even though there was no sign of the drifting death anymore.

Frogs were silent and mosquitos didn't bother me for once, albeit thick layer of mucus would have probably stopped them anyway. I stared at the corpse. Then the other similar gathering in the distance. A bulky vehicle was backing up towards a container.

Over. That part of my life ended abruptly and all too quickly again. Perhaps I can finally just go back home and forget that last month has happened altogether. Forget the death that followed me.

Glanced back at the suited up faceless men. All of them twitchy and vigilant. Yeah, I was far too optimistic about my future prospects.

They looked like they were still in a presence of monster. Considering circumstances and my appearance, I didn't blame them. I was lucky they didn't shoot me… Scratch that, they did, but I was lucky it wasn't a headshot yet. I probably need to work towards keeping it that way. Rather than unconvincingly repeat that I was human and therefore undeserving of their bullets I chose to engage in a fuller conversation.

"Outstanding rescue, boys, but where's the hot cocoa?" I croaked, throat still full of transparent slime which I choked on and subsequently got into coughing fit over. Which was far too jerky for these fine, jittery men who valued their lives above mine. I forced myself to stop, clawing at the ticklish throat.

"Nothing? Not even sweet tea? How ill-prepared," I attempted playful chastising, but my voice was thing of nightmares and I was turning red from holding in the cough. Not my best look. "I'll settle for water?"

A canteen dropped at my knees. Someone took pity and I smiled at one of the masks. The others did a dance from leg to leg or throw a glance towards the good samaritan. So the camp was split between the unsure and wary. Good, I can work with that. Daugas, I read on raincoat uniform of the bleeding heart and filed information under just in case.

Right after I took a greedy drink – which still did not clear my mouth of the monster juice - a smaller figure strode in and stood safely right behind the line of fodder. Someone in charge, then. Woman spoke sternly, "I was told this one communicates?"

"This one has a nice cup of coffee, would you like some?" I graciously saluted her with the canteen.

"Good work. The pod for mouths is on the way. Stay sharp," woman said and strutted off.

I reeled and even though I was already sitting, felt like sinking even deeper. "Hold on, lady! Wait. I'm human!"

I tried to get up but circle of guards got restless and started shouting. I remained in my puddle and in just a moment more, threw up the weirdest looking glob of slime. How very human of me. This one was no longer transparent. I, along with all the soldiers, half-expected it to grow legs and run off. We stared. It did not.

I had this nagging feeling that once I am put in that pod that would be the end for me. It was also utterly pointless to beg or try to convince the disposable men in the frontlines. And yet I babbled on, "It's gonna be so awkward for your boss in a little while. Does she have a boss?"

Well, okay, I guess they had to make sure before letting a potentially dangerous creature go. But all that work just to salvage one deadbeat human? Yeah, unlikely.

I pulled out the cigarette which remained miraculously dry in my inner pocket beneath the coat but all three remaining matches refused to light. Perhaps it had more to do with my shaking fingers. The same one guy with conscience started digging under his raincoat and eventually threw me a waterproofed box of his. The little kind gesture felt like cement on top of my grave.

Helicopter started buzzing above as the doomed man worked on his last smoke.