The Earthrise Trilogy (44 page)

"What...Snakes?" John asked.
 

"Yes, I saw two snakes just over there, they moved across our path."
 

Sam was not given to fantasy so they believed him. When they got to the spot, however, there were no snakes there, and no sign that there ever had been. "They were about three feet long, one green, the other black, and they were moving together, well, in the same direction at least."
 

This was all too positive to be a mistake, and Kay knew it.
 

"You may laugh," she said, "but I think they were here to spy out the land."
 

"Me too," Lisa confirmed, without hesitation.
 

Kay went silent and looked distressed.
 

"They're going to attack us," she said, "that's what I've been feeling."
 

She had a look of triumph on her face,
 

"Yes, that's it, now I'm sure of it. We'd better head back to the settlement."
 

Kay led off like a true leader, the others following close behind.

❧

The head serpent knew that two snakes had been sent to spy on the humans, so he sent for Bakal. Bakal was still hiding, but the guard snakes knew where to find him, Bakal was not the brightest of snakes, so this was easy. He slid into the head serpent's cavern,
 

"Yes master, you sent for me."
 

The head serpent was not angry, which made a change.
 

"You went with Kedal to spy on the humans, tell me what you found."
 

Bakal was beginning to shake, "Master, I have nothing to tell. I went with Kedal to the human's place and saw some children playing. They were the siblings of the slayer of Kellon-"
 

"So you ran away from them," his master interrupted.
 

Bakal remembered something.
 

"There is one thing master. The humans have blocked the tunnel, we couldn't get through and had to go over land to the human place."
 

Bakal could see that his scrap of information had saved him.
 

"So, they know of the tunnel, and have blocked it. They must be expecting our attack."
 

The master told Bakal he could go, and sat back on his throne thinking how he could turn this information to his advantage.

❧

Kay met with Jimmy. "I want you to coordinate our defences," she said, "use whatever means you have, to set up a defensive perimeter line."
 

"OK," Jimmy answered, "I'm on it." Jimmy left the room and Kay looked to heaven.
 

"Father we need your help, please give me wisdom."
 

"Don't worry, He has it all in hand." Kay turned to see Sam standing in the doorway behind her.
 

"I wish I had your faith Sam," she said, smiling back at him. Somehow things always looked better when Sam was around. Kay made to walk towards him, but stopped suddenly holding her stomach. She tottered a little and Sam rushed to her and caught hold of her just before she fainted. He laid her gently on the floor and felt her forehead. It was only a few moments and she came to and looked up at him.
 

"What?" She asked, on seeing his face.
 

"When were you going to tell me?" He asked, a little sternly.
 

"Tell you what?"
 

"About the baby."
 

Kay was just as stunned as Sam.
 

"Baby?...I'm going to have a baby?"
 

"You most certainly are my dear." Sam helped her up and cuddled her. "Congratulations, I think it's wonderful."
 

"Oh Sam," Kay said, beginning to cry, "I didn't know, honestly."
 

"That's all right love, don't fret about it. Sometimes these things do creep up on us. I
am
a doctor remember, so I should know."
 

He led her to the sofa where she lay down for a while.
 

"It's all too much Sam, we have the snakes to contend with and now this..."
 

Sam brought her a hot sweet drink, which she sipped slowly and then dozed off. Sam hadn't wanted to alarm her anymore than she was already, but he was worried too. The battlefield is no place for a pregnant woman.

Just then, Jimmy returned. "Shush, she's asleep." Sam warned him.
 

"Oh, sorry," Jimmy whispered, "I'll come back later."
 

Sam told Jimmy the news and asked him to be prepared to step in if needed. Jimmy nodded and left. He went straight to Chris and Shelley's house, Chris answered the door and brought him in.
 

"Chris, I've just been told that Kay is pregnant."
 

Chris' eyes lit up. "I know," Jimmy said, "it's great news, but we may need to help her out if things get rough."
 

"Yeah, right, Jimmy, no problem."
 

"Will you help me with the defences and Shelley help Kay personally?"
 

"Yes, of course we will, anything you need, anytime."
 

"Great, thanks guys. It may get very rough in the days ahead, but I'm sure we'll win -- we have to, it's the only acceptable option." Jimmy left and set about designing the defence perimeter.

❧

Jake and Zeek had moved the mining laser into the settlement and set it up on a mound where it had a commanding view of the lake.
 

"They may not come that way next time Zeek, but at least we have this baby to hand should we need it."
 

Zeek was not his usual self.
 

"All this talk about attacks is giving me spaceman's tummy. Do you really think they'll come?"
 

"I'm certain of it Zeek. They want to destroy Eden and all it stands for. The serpent tried to destroy humanity on Earth, and now he's here to try and finish the job. Well, I for one don't intend to let him."
 

"I do love it when you get all assertive Jake..."
 

They both laughed, they'd been friends for many years, and it was going to take more than a serpent to separate them.

Jimmy had used the laser to make a few 'holes' around the perimeter of the settlement. He'd lined them with flammable material and set a small charge at the bottom. He knew that fire was the great leveller, it destroys all living things, and no animal will go anywhere near it. He was right, but at this stage, he didn't know just what kind of animal he was up against. He went to see Kay to tell her what he had done, and they discussed the situation.
 

"The trouble is Kay, we don't have a fall back position. If they break through the perimeter, we've nowhere to go."
 

"I understand Jimmy, we'll just have to pray that they don't."
 

It was at this point when it dawned on her that Lark would be the safest place. "I'm so stupid," she said, scolding herself. "At the first sign of trouble we'll move as many as we can down into Lark."
 

"Perhaps we should start moving some right now," Jimmy said, "we might not get much warning."
 

"Then let's do it, at least, all the younger children."
 

The word was spread, and the school, together with all the youngest children moved out of Eden and down into Lark. Some of the children's families moved with them for support, should it be needed. Other than that, Danny, and all those his age and above stayed behind to fight.

Below, in the darkness, hoards were beginning to assemble. Agallon was sent to the head serpent to ascertain how many snakes were available.
 

"We lost several hundred in the last encounter with the humans, but there are at least a thousand left and ready."
 

"Good," Agallon sneered, "that's more than enough to annihilate these humans; come, its time."
 

The head serpent didn't like his snakes being used in this way, but he was afraid of Agallon, and even more so his master, to protest. The call was sounded, and snakes appeared from every nook in the underground domain. The army slid towards the central cavern where the ruler of darkness was waiting. The central cavern was easily big enough for all to enter. The ruler of darkness liked such gatherings, his arrogance and pride fed on them, and he loved making speeches.
 

"Serpents and snakes," he began, "the time has come to rid ourselves of humanity once and for all."
 

The cavern echoed to the sound of his pompous voice, and He strutted, like a peacock, in front of his somewhat captive audience, devouring every scrap of adulation.
 

"They are no match for you my warriors, they are but a few, and we are many. You will devour them easily."
 

The snakes, which are the lowest rank in the domain of darkness, cheered. The serpents were more subtle in showing their support, but nonetheless, they did. The demons stood silently around the edges, looking for those who were not enthusiastic enough to satisfy the ruler's voracious appetite for adulation. It was certain death to be singled out at such gatherings.
 

Bakal was, as always, near the front trying to be noticed. He cheered loudly, especially when the ruler was passing close by. The ruler went on.
 

"And once we have accomplished this, we shall live in peace, free from the tyranny of human prayer."
 

There were even more enthusiastic cheers.
 

"Once this boundary has been removed, we will all enjoy a better life, and darkness will once again rule."
 

His voice raising to a crescendo to signify the end of the speech and the start of yet more adulation. The cheers were expected to last at least as long as the speech, but the slaves of darkness always gave good measure; their lives depended on it.

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter 9.

The Battle for Eden

Some days had passed and the move to Lark had been completed successfully. Eden was almost bereft of people without the young children and their families. It seemed to those who were left, that the very heart had gone out of their community. In a way, it gave them more impetus to fight, a focus that they could hold throughout the conflict, and a purpose to win. No snakes were going to take away all that they had striven for, no matter how big they were.
 

It was late afternoon when they came. Chris Forester was on patrol near the laser when he noticed the grass moving in an unusual way. There was no breeze that he could feel, yet the grass was moving rhythmically. He called out to Jimmy who was on the other side of the settlement.
 

"Hey Jims, come and look at this."
 

Jimmy came over quickly and looked at the grass moving.
 

"That's them Chris, they're on the attack."
 

Jimmy sounded the alarm and all the Edenites came out and took up their positions.
 

"Keep a sharp eye out for movement in the grass, these are normal size snakes, not like the big one that Danny killed."
 

Everyone obeyed him and scanned the fields for movement. The snakes on Jimmy's side were getting closer, so he prepared to set off the charge in the pit he had dug on that side of the settlement.
 

"Wait for them to get right on top of it Jims, then let them have it." Chris said.
 

Jimmy didn't need to be told twice, he watched intently as the swarm came closer.
 

"Now!" Chris yelled, and Jimmy hit the switch. A sheet of flame shot up skyward blowing snakes every which way. The ones that had gone straight up came straight down into the flames and were destroyed. The grass caught fire in front of, and behind, the pit killing hundreds more of the tiny snakes.
 

"It's the babies," Chris yelled, to the others, "and there are thousands of them."
 

Still they kept coming, even across the line of chemicals that Gareth had laid as a second line of defence. At first, this stopped them, but those behind the front row just crawled over their dead comrades, and gradually formed a bridge that the main body of the attack could use to get past. Still they came. Chris fired up the laser and set fire to a line of grass behind the front ranks.
 

"Divide and conquer," he shouted to Jimmy, who was looking to see if any of the others were under attack.
 

It seemed that the attack was just on this one front so he called some of the others over to help out. The grass-fire spread quite quickly, and was soon raging over a large area on that side of the settlement. The snake numbers had been seriously depleted, and what was still coming, was no threat. Dave Thomas came over to survey the scene. There were still several hundred baby snakes coming steadily for them. He took a deep breath and yelled,