Nancy turned to see plants, just a few metres away, shuffling uphill towards them. Others were heading across from the other side of the road. There were plants behind them too, lurching down the hill. The cold air was suddenly filled with the plants’ awful whispering sound as they surrounded them.
“They’re everywhere!” Krish yelled again, unable to hide his fear. The sky was growing lighter with every minute, and Krish could see more and more shapes appearing all around them.
He climbed off his bike and let it fall just as a plant lashed out at him. He felt the rush of air as the sharp leaves missed his face by a whisker and raked across the tips of his spiky black hair.
Startled, Krish fell backwards over his bike. The RipSaw was still in his hands, and as the plant moved closer, Krish pressed the trigger. But the plant towered over him, a flailing mass of creepers. There was no way he could fight it lying on his back. He felt a sharp jab in his ankle, followed by a tightening grip as the creepers wrapped around his leg. Krish screamed, full of fear and pain.
And then the plant began to drag him closer.
“No way!” Nancy shouted as she ran to Krish. She attacked the tangle of creepers wrapped around his leg. “No! Way!”
Her RipSaw spun. Sap and digestive fluids splattered everywhere. Nancy hacked into the creepers, then shoved the blade into the thick of the plant. She ripped through the main stem, tearing it to pieces.
As soon as it was dead, Nancy helped Krish to his feet.
“Are you all right?” she asked, breathing heavily.
“I think so,” Krish said, checking himself for damage. “But there are more of them. They’re everywhere.” He looked around at the plants moving closer.
“Come on,” Nancy said. “Pete needs our help.”
In the field, Pete was in trouble. As he battled the first plant, two more moved in beside him. Another three approached from behind.
Pete held the RipSaw firmly and turned in a circle, trying to defend himself, but it was hopeless. The spinning blade sliced into one attacking creeper only for it to be replaced with another.
Spiky leaves tore across Pete’s winter coat, grabbing hold. Creepers tangled around his legs. They coiled around his waist and wrapped around his neck.
Pete fought as hard as he could, but the creepers tightened, making him drop his weapon. He struggled, fighting for his life as the plants pulled him closer. They lowered their stems, opening their flowers like deadly birds of prey ready for a feast.
Nancy and Krish rushed into the field, dodging the plants. When they reached Pete, they sliced into the creepers holding him and pulled him to his feet.
“Thanks,” said Pete. “I thought I was a goner!”
“Stand back to back,” Nancy shouted. “And don’t split up again. Stay together.”
“Good plan,” Pete agreed. He picked up his RipSaw and pressed his back against Nancy and Krish’s. It felt good knowing his friends were there, protecting him just as he was protecting them.
The three of them stood back to back as the plants circled them, moving closer and closer.
“We’ll never make it,” Krish grunted as he sliced another creeper.
“We will,” Nancy said, fending off two more.
“Defo,” Pete agreed, pressing the trigger and going to work.
They acted like one person. Like a machine. They hardly said a word as they turned one way then the other. They kept their backs pressed together, sensing each other’s movements. They knew when to shift clockwise or anti-clockwise.
Before long, they took their fingers from the RipSaw triggers and stood in the silence of the murky morning. They were surrounded by the torn and tattered remains of Variant 42 plants.
“I think that’s it,” Nancy said, lowering her RipSaw, arms aching.
“No,” Pete told her. “There are more.” He pointed further into the field, where more shapes were moving in their direction. “Come on, we’ll—”
“Wait,” Krish said, looking back up the hill. “Someone’s coming.”