‘It’s no good,’ Adam groaned. ‘It’ll find us.’
Yet fear drove us to find hiding places. We ran by sofas, looking for rooms to lock ourselves in. Only they had flimsy doors that the monster could shred in seconds.
Adam curled under the kitchen table. ‘We’re going to be eaten alive!’
I raced by the big TV screen — if only that six foot wide square of glass was a doorway to the outside world! An onscreen message read, GAME PAUSED.
Then — BANG! The door shattered. The Voggron flicked aside what panels remained as if they were shreds of paper. Then it prowled into the lounge with all the menace of a hungry lion. Its tentacles curled in the air. Then a strange thing happened. The tentacles darted out to open cupboard doors, so it could check inside. Maybe it thought we’d hidden in them? And it was all so fast. Flick, flick — glance, glance. Those strange words it had used before came in a soft growl, ‘Neefer-ratt-saaar.’ The whip-tail came up as if to stroke the ceiling. Despite, the tail moving only slowly its formidable tail claws scratched deep groves into the plasterwork. It took pleasure in the action. An orange lip curled back in a weird smile. Sharp fangs glinted.
Remember, its hatred for humans? That shredded poster? And didn’t I sense its raging hunger? That it longed to sink its teeth into a fresh, living body.
So what are we? Snacks on legs?
Jenny hid behind a sofa. I ducked into a space between the kitchen sink and a dishwasher. Adam stayed under his table. Pitt stood with his back to the wall beside the giant TV screen.
All useless hiding places. The Voggron moved with fluid grace across the room.
As it approached, the headaches started. My legs turned wobbly. Pitt’s eyes became dull as if he’d fall asleep. And the blood-thirsty Voggron came ever closer… and closer.
Despite the pain in my head, and the way the monster could affect my eyes so it seemed to be growing suddenly darker, I forced myself to watch it. And I could tell it was vicious. Even the faint hum of the refrigerator enraged it. With one of its front paws it struck out. Easily, it ripped away the fridge door. Then it swept all those chocolate bars out over the carpet. The ketchup bottle cracked open. Sauce splashed out onto the carpet like blood had been spilt.
Soon real blood will be splattering the floor.
The Voggron saw Pitt standing by the TV. Those ravenous orange eyes fixed on his face. He froze, not daring to move. It took a step nearer. Sniffed the air. Then it took another step toward him. When he flinched it opened its jaws. Fangs glistened. Tentacles danced in the air. A snarl began in its throat. The weird mind effect kicked in. I caught glimpses of what Pitt was seeing. I saw through his eyes. I felt his fear. And all the time the monster’s face grew larger and larger the closer it got.
Jenny jumped up. ‘Naz! The remote controls on the table. Grab it!’
I stared at her like she’d gone mad.
‘You’re the closest,’ she hissed. ‘Quick, before it attacks Pitt.’
For some reason I grabbed the remote control but I didn’t know what good it would do. I could hardly thump the monster with it, could I? It wouldn’t even bruise its yellow lizard skin. Also, I was so dizzy by this time. The headache blurred my vision. Once again it happened. For a split second I saw through Jenny’s eyes. I saw ME standing there with the remote control hanging limply in my hand. My eyes were dull… as blank as dead TV screens… as if my mind had been disconnected from my body. Naz is in shutdown. He’s gone zombie…
Snarling, the Voggron moved closer to Pitt. The boy stared death in the eye.
Jenny hissed, ‘Naz. Hit Resume Play.’
‘Why?’ Her demand baffled me. Everything seemed hazy. Far away.
‘Remember, it’s a war game. The Voggron’s meant to fight enemy soldiers. You might be able to distract it long enough to — ’
The yellow monster took another step toward Pitt. Now only ten feet separated them. It tensed itself, ready to attack. The remote control felt as heavy as concrete in my hand. If it slipped from my fingers I’d be too far gone to pick it up again. My head throbbed… everything just so woozy… dream-like.
‘Naz!’ Jenny shouted. ‘You’ve got to press the button.’
I stared. My head hurt. All the strength had gone from my fingers.
Jenny pleaded, ‘Naz, you’re Pitt’s only chance. HE’S GOING TO DIE!’
Pitt, die? No! How I managed I don’t know. Bosh! I hit Resume Play. Instantly a silver android appeared on screen. It raced forward as if about to run from the TV. Bigger and bigger. In a second the android nearly filled the screen. It had long silver legs and steel body armour. The Voggron reacted instantly. It turned its attention from Pitt to the menacing android. But did it realise it was only a computer game? Did it really fear the silver warrior could hurt it?
‘Run, Pitt, run!’
The Voggron roared. Its claws ripped furrows in the carpet. The whip-tail lashed. Ceiling lamps shattered. Before it could lose interest in the TV I hit the Fire button. Purple flame shot from the android’s blaster.
The next second the Voggron attacked the screen. Glass exploded. Claws ripped at cables. High voltage in the electronics zapped it hard. Tentacles yanked out circuit boards. Flashes. Smoke. Sparks. Then it bit the mother-board. Bang! The TV exploded. The Voggron’s snarl became a scream. All of a sudden it dropped down to the floor. There it lay. Not a sound came from it. Tentacles flopped down limp. Instantly, we felt okay again. The headache and exhaustion vanished.
Adam was amazed. ‘You’ve killed it.’
Cautiously, I took a closer look at the dead monster. ‘It will have been made in a laboratory. It was never even properly alive.’
Jenny headed for the exit. ‘Time to leave, guys.’
Soon we were out in the fresh air. The hot sun shone like it was the birth of a new world. Its brilliance dazzled us. We headed across the grass toward the hole in the fence. The quicker we were away from the bunker the better.
At that moment a motorbike roared up. The rider stopped the machine next to us and then grinned at Pitt. He especially took notice of the cut on his mouth.
‘How’s the lip, Pitt?’
‘Brian, we don’t want any trouble.’ Pitt shook his head, exhausted. ‘We’ve had more than enough already today.’
‘Oooh, the lip still looks sore. Did Momma put some creamy-weamy on it for you?’
Pitt leapt at Brian. For a moment Brian was astonished that this boy, who was a lot smaller than him, had decided to attack. Pitt dragged him off the motorbike as an object seemed to drop from the sky.
‘It’s the Voggron,’ Jenny shouted. ‘The electric shock only stunned it!’
Brian scrambled away in terror. Pitt ran, too. We fled into the bushes. The Voggron directed its fury at the motorbike. The noisy motor angered it. The monster ripped away the seat with its claws, then it bit big black chunks out of the tyres. Meanwhile, its green tentacles tore the brakes and handlebars into little pieces.
For a moment the engine raced out of control. The noise was so loud it made the creature even more furious. It reared up on its hind legs then smashed down with both front paws onto the bike. The crushed remains blew out a jet of oily smoke then the motor stopped dead.
Brian’s voice was croaky with fear. ‘What is that thing?’
‘The Voggron,’ Adam told him.
‘Where did it come from?’
Pitt looked grim. ‘Never mind where it came from, the problem is what it’s going to do to us now?’
Brian sagged to his knees. Either through fear or the telepathic effect from the monster.
Jenny called out, ‘It’s up to us, guys. No-one else can save us. We’ve got find a way to fight that thing.’