The Belly of the Beast

Ch. 55, Little Fox

"Well, little fox," he said, turning his knife over, which was three times the size of mine. "I was wondering when you'd pop up." He looked up at the silent, looming mouth of the machine, wariness on his face. "Strange place..."

Don't let him put it together.

I pointed my meager weapon at him. "Couldn't let you have all the fun and get all the fans. Four of us go to the next Trial. It may as well be us."

His eyes focused on mine again, interested and suspicious in equal measure. "Us? As in an alliance?"

I shrugged. "Four of us make it. Why not the four strongest?" His eyes narrowed, and I worried the flattery was too much.

"Seems like I've got a stronger group behind me with the others." He turned over his shoulder and called out, "Boulder, Tug, it's just the girl." Two others stepped out from the shadows. They must have been waiting to see if it was a trap. Instead they found only little ole me.

"Remind me," I said, taking another step back, "how did you all survive the last Letter Trial?"

Skull laughed, and stepped over the red line painted on the floor, the two others now just a few feet behind. My heart skipped a beat as beneath me, the ground trembled. Nuka had started it; would they notice? But Skull kept walking forward, the two following close behind, all missing the deep, slow vibrations of a beast waking.

"It's an interesting proposal, little fox," Skull said, his grin building. "But the way I see it, I've already got two men stronger than you behind me. What do you have to offer?"

"Sudden death," I whispered, and the machine roared to life. It was like a spark to gasoline— there wasn't time for hesitation. I dropped the knife and dove. The sickening scream and crunch of the two men behind Skull followed me, my body burning with adrenaline.

Run to the red line, and stop. Wait three seconds. Go!

My world became panic, adrenaline, and surging movement, all underwritten by the words of a child. Nuka's words repeated endlessly in my head as I lunged forward, then stopped, the machine crushing and roaring all around me, ready to rip me to shreds.

"Z, help!"

My name, coupled with desperation, made me turn.

Only Skull remained.

Sweat ran down his face, and the terror in his eyes made him a different man, one I barely recognized. He must have been following my movements, but now a thick, sliding knife separated the two of us, and he needed to move backwards a step or he would die. There wasn't time to decide. Only act.

"Take a step backward!" I screamed. "Then to the red line!" He jumped back and, just before the machine fell, scrambled forward.

What the hell are you doing Z!?

But inside the pounding, screaming machine, letters and trials didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was the man following me. My voice grew hoarse, screaming instructions over the din of metal crashing and shaking, but I didn't stop.

It was a dance of death, but I couldn't leave him.

It was over as suddenly as it began. We ducked out of the end of the machine, the blinding fluorescent lights beaming down on us once again. Air that seemed thick and smoggy before now tasted clear and cold as if it had come straight from Second Earth. We both staggered free, dripping sweat and gasping for air. Only then, heart pounding, hands trembling, did I finally look up and realize my mistake.

I was now at the mercy of Skull.

"You should have let me die, little fox," he whispered. Then he stepped forward, and lifted his knife.