Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Skylar Industries. The name meant nothing to me, not here, not now. The silver lettering was far from pristine, caked with dirt, dust, and whatever other particles of swamp matter might be in the air.

That was the company that owned the building. Past tense. Because now it belonged to some horror of the apocalypse. Maybe the corporate drones that worked here suffered a fate not so different than their norm.nove(l)bi(n.)com

My plan fell through. It had been a stupid plan to begin with. I didnt know how to siphon gas and even had I known, was I supposed to just waltz in and start dousing the place?

My eyes, shadowed, drifted over to the wandering people below. Twice Id seen the wolves come for one of the thralls only for the rest to come to their aid instantaneously. Three times Id witnessed the same for goblins, only they hadnt fared well, unable to run away.

I stared at the parking lot.

Elsewhere, across the swamp, and far from the Field Boss, Nicholas raised a brow.

Siphoning gas? He asked. Whered that come from?

In case we run into a car, I guess. First shrugged. The question came off as a non-sequitur without context.

In a swamp. He said plainly.

If we ever get out of here, that is, I replied. It might come in handy, who knows?

He sighed. Guess thats just how we have to think about things now. He said. Siphoning gas? All you need is a hose, your mouth, and a container. One end in the car, the other end in your mouth. Suck until the fuel hits then move the other end to the container.

Huh, I wasnt really expecting an answer, I said, blinking.

They came from above, thickening as they rose into the skyscraper. Which meant the main body of the thing had to be on the higher floors. That was perfect for me.

I looked at the floorplan posted there on the wall, some strange vertigo overcoming me, checking something so normal. Was it wrong that being in this building was more comfortable than the weeks Id been in the swamp?

I dumped the gasoline on the floor, around the walls, desks, and anything remotely flammable. I hoped that the Field Bosss roots werent as waterlogged as the swamps. But even then, with enough heat, it shouldnt be a problem.

I stared at the relatively small section of soaked floor and took a breath. It would take a while to cover the whole floor and douse everything. Longer if I wanted to be more thorough and try the other floors. I wasnt naive enough to think I might be afforded a second chance.

Then I saw the goblin. Wandering down the hall. Oblivious to me, at least, in a general sense. Its eyes followed me, some perceptive instinct ingrained into its body, but its purpose was obviously a patrol of some kind. The [Rootmother Hivemind] saw nothing.

It walked right past me, a sapling embedded its neck.

I nearly attacked it on wild instinct but I immediately calmed myself, remembering what happened the last time I attacked a thrall. The place had been flooded with other similarly possessed.

That small restraint probably saved me a whole lot of trouble. I needed easy access to this floor and setting the rootmother off would not be ideal.

It made sense that the heart of the Field Boss would be more protected. And, checking the first floor, I found there were only two other goblins. They hadnt even moved in response to me but then I hadnt bothered to other ends of the floor yet. There were only three and they wandered practically aimlessly.

Enough for a warning and nothing more, if they were to see something.

Still, the oversight led me to the center of the building. A large hole was taken out of the skyscraper. Cored like an apple. In its place, a mass of roots and tendrils, leading upward to an inky blackness my eyes couldnt penetrate.

I saw blood on the floor. I realized I was looking at where the thing ate.