Defender // Rim of the World Gabriel

JPL

The alien crashed onto the hood of the car, and Armstrong howled. Gabriel pulled me closer, as if by instinct. Alex and ZhenZhen screamed, and the car swerved again. The alien bashed its head into the glass, and Dariush started to curse. Armstrong barked as the alien punched through the glass.

"Alex, duck!" I kicked at his shoulder, then looped Armstrong's leash around my hand.

The alien disappeared from sight, and Armstrong turned his attention to the ceiling, howling again.

"Wait, it's on top of the roof!" Gabriel shouted.

The claw came through the top, in between the seats, trying to grip anything it could.

"Hang on!" ZhenZhen screamed, then swerved the car into an abandoned bus stop, sending the alien flying.

"Shit! Where's it at!" Dariush screamed as we drove away.

Armstrong barked again, but we didn't see the alien nearby. I patted his head, trying to soothe him as we forced ourselves to breathe.

"It's gone!" Dariush sighed.

I turned back into Gabriel and hugged him, hand in his hair as he wound his arms around my waist and pulled me as close as he could against him. Armstrong howled a third time, and then barked. I screamed as I saw the alien latch onto the back of the car, breaking the glass.

ZhenZhen swerved the car onto a bridge, but the momentum of the alien only moved us back and forth dangerously. It was roaring on top of us, and Armstrong was growling, his ears back. I tugged his leash, trying to get him closer, away from the alien.

"Jump!" ZhenZhen shouted at us.

"What?" Dariush screamed.

ZhenZhen and Alex opened their doors and hopped out. Dariush pushed himself out, and Gabriel and I jumped, landing on the floor as the car kept going. I looked down to my hand to see the leash gone.

"Armstrong!" I got up and sprinted, crying out.

Gabriel and Alex were right behind me, and the car was right at the barrier, still going full speed. They both screamed something, but I couldn't hear anything. I called for him again, and I saw him scurry through the open door, right as the car passed over the edge.

"No!" I screamed again, diving onto my stomach to catch him under his front legs.

I looked over as I saw Gabriel next to me, grabbing him under his back legs. Armstrong howled and squirmed as the car crashed below us. I felt myself shaking and I got dizzy. We slowly pulled him up, putting him down on the ground. He yelped, running around us in circles. I closed my eyes and things got blurry.

"Hey." Gabriel grabbed me, pulling me to lean against him. "It's okay. He's okay."

I closed my eyes and tried to breathe, my throat sore. Alex came to our side and buried himself into a hug, crying. I cradled his head against my shoulder, lungs aching.

"Alex, he's okay." I tried to calm him, but my head felt like it was getting lighter.

I slipped, but Gabriel caught me and lowered me to sit with him. He looked me over, but I wasn't hurt. I leaned against him with a deep sigh, feeling comfort in the feeling of his arms around me as Armstrong circled us once more and then dropped in front of us, head in Gabriel's lap. I scratched his forehead, feeling a bit better. Gabriel rocked softly, kissing my forehead.

"You okay?"

I nodded, blinking back the faintness in my head. "Yeah, just got scared is all."

"Guys?"