A New One

71.

The creature emerged from the water, or more the water fell away from it in beads. It was the entire size of the water it emerged from, Gilbert almost laughed at the idea he'd been literally casting on top of the creature he was looking for. It looked like a huge worm or leech, just a long tube of teeth emerging frighteningly fast. Clarissa fired a couple arrows into its side, a green fluid came from where they impacted but otherwise didn't seem to slow or even show any kind of outward distress to the creature.

"I'm shooting it, I don't see it doing any damn good." Clarissa was running out of arrows.

"Should have brought some damn dynamite, but I didn't assume what was doing the killing was this big." The only good thing about the size of the thing was how slow it was moving, Clarissa and Gilbert were easily able to out pace it. Gilbert figured it must have killed the other people by them being dumb enough to jump in the water with it. Gilbert did have his sample bag, he was trying to think of what was really toxic in there. The creature despite its size was catching up because of all the brush and water blocking their way.

"Open to some ideas Gilbert I don't think we can make the van."

"This might do, but I worry about the environmental impact." Clarissa snatched the vial from Gilbert hand and threw it at the creature. It shattered against its skin and for a moment nothing happened and then the impact turned brown and started to melt through the flesh. The worm stopped in its tracks and vomited, parts of the game warden simmons splashed on to the ground.

"Well that worked."

"Clarissa we need to talk about your technique, you can't just grab things and throw them at creatures, that substance is incredibly toxic, this is a wild life conserve..."

"There is a body right there, partially digested, the creature behind us dead, I think the greater concern was it eating us." Gilbert frowned.

"We'll have this conversation some other time." Gilbert kept his frown when looking at the corpse of Simmons, he started to doubt he'd get paid by the state for the job.

"So does that mean we don't get paid?"

"It becomes considerably harder yes."

"Wonderful, mosquito bites, almost getting eaten by a worm, not getting paid, today was great, happy birthday Gilbert."

"You know I almost forgot, but thank you, did you get me anything?"

"A ride home?"

"Hardly feels..." There was noise behind them, an even larger worm creature burst through the brush.

"You know what I'll take a ride home, lets get the fuck out of here."