Earth Force

Kristy whispered nervously to Laura, “I just hate traveling across this frozen lake. I’m always so afraid we’re going to fall in. And even though it’s warmer today, I’m still freezing.” “Don’t worry. The ice is thick because it’s been so cold. And here, duck down by me to get out of the wind,” Laura replied. Although Laura was trying to reassure Kristy, Laura also felt afraid every time they traveled across the frozen lake. In fact, Laura played a game during these trips, pretending she was traveling on a dirt road with her parents on the way to the meadow to have a picnic. Twenty minutes later the horses began to act up again. Henry glanced over his shoulder and noticed a winter storm approaching from the east. The predawn light was nearly extinguished by ominous clouds billowing in from the east, and the boardinghouse was no longer visible. As the children squinted into the approaching darkness, they spotted what appeared to be a pack of wolves traveling across the ice. This wasn’t an uncommon sight for this part of the country, for wolves often chased deer onto the ice to feed. However, these wolves weren’t chasing deer. Instead, they were running directly toward the wagon. “Mr. Henry, are those wolves?” Kristy asked. Henry quickly cocked his head, then snapped the reigns and yelled, “Yah, yah, get, get,” to the team of four horses. Instantly the horses broke into a full run. “What do you make of that?” Christopher asked, as the wolves quickened their pace. “Don’t know,” Michael replied, “but it looks like they’re chasing us.” “I’ve never seen wolves that big,” Laura said. “You’re right, and they don’t run like wolves,” Joey added. “Why in the world would they be chasing a wagon in the middle of a frozen lake?” Kristy asked. “Dang, I don’t know, but look how strange they are,” Michael said. Suddenly the children lurched sideways as Henry turned the wagon. Henry barked to the children, “Hang on, young ones, we can’t outrun these beasts! Not these foul creatures!” “You know what those things are?” Michael yelled while pointing at the wolves. Henry snapped the reins into the horse’s sides. The horses objected, kicking their legs high into the air. After much encouragement, the horses took off in a full gallop. They were now heading directly toward the creatures. Seventy yards and the wolves kept coming. Fifty yards and the wolves kept coming. At twenty yards, the children noticed the wolves weren’t wolves at all. Or at least not like any they’d ever seen. The five wolf-like creatures were three times as big as the Timberwolves in the area, had armored scales on their heads and backs, thick brown hair on their bellies, and long sweeping tails. Their legs were short and powerful, and their jaws were long, pointed, and fanged. Over twenty feet long, they were emitting a series of howl-like sounds as they moved across the lake. Although they were heavy beasts, they moved well across the icy terrain using their short, powerful legs. A collision between the horses and beasts was just ten yards away. “Hang onto the sides of the wagon. Hang on to anything you can! And whatever happens, don’t get out of the wagon!” Henry screamed. At five yards, two of the beasts launched themselves on top of the lead horses. With morbid brutality, the wolves crushed the horses’ necks with their massive jaws. As the lead horses came crashing down to the ice, the two rear horses hit their dead comrades, launching the wagon into a violent end-over-end tumble. Henry went airborne with his rifle flying one direction and he the other. He had barely hit the ground when the beasts were on top of him, slashing with grotesque fangs and razor-sharp claws. Henry jumped to his feet, brandishing a knife and hatchet. Hacking at the wolves, Henry temporarily kept them at bay. But then in one coordinated motion, three of the beasts lunged at him. Henry lay motionless on the ice. After three flips across the frozen lake the wagon finally came to a crashing halt, amazingly right side up. The wagon was nearly smashed to pieces and lost all four wheels, but the children only had bumps and bruises and miraculously managed to stay inside. The children were in shock as the wolves moved towards the wagon. Suddenly, the wolves saw something that triggered evil grins across their horrible snouts. Laura had been thrown from the wagon and lay motionless on the ice, her head oozing blood. The beasts froze as they focused on this helpless creature lying just twenty steps in front of them. In unison the wolves changed direction and headed toward Laura.