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Metallic Genealogy
Metallic Genealogy
The Fanzer Stip Trilogy
Book One:
A Faint Glimmer of Metal
by Stuart Bedlam
Chapter 20 Bilford Clarigone
Chapter 20 Bilford Clarigone
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20: Bilford
The way up the mountain was clamorous and undignified. By the halfway point, Bilford's feet were tired and his pant cuffs wet and heavy from the snow. On top of that, his nose was beginning to run.
The way up the mountain was clamorous and undignified. By the halfway point, Bilford's feet were tired and his pant cuffs wet and heavy from the snow. On top of that, his nose was beginning to run.
"You don't have to do this," he shouted to the hunters who were continuously poking at his bottom with spears. "I'm sure I could be of use to you in some way."
"You don't have to do this," he shouted to the hunters who were continuously poking at his bottom with spears. "I'm sure I could be of use to you in some way."
The hunters only grumbled to themselves.
The hunters only grumbled to themselves.
"Be quiet," one of them yelled, in a not-too-friendly tone.
"Be quiet," one of them yelled, in a not-too-friendly tone.
The winds began to surge and Bilford decided to follow that advice for the time being. Not because he had run out of things to say, but rather because of the luck he was having he was afraid an icicle might fly into his mouth and stab him in the back of the throat.
The winds began to surge and Bilford decided to follow that advice for the time being. Not because he had run out of things to say, but rather because of the luck he was having he was afraid an icicle might fly into his mouth and stab him in the back of the throat.
"Maybe we should have waited," Bilford heard one of them say. "The snow's getting mighty thick."
"Maybe we should have waited," Bilford heard one of them say. "The snow's getting mighty thick."
Bilford's heart leapt. If only they would postpone their intentions for another day or two, then perhaps he could find a way to escape.
Bilford's heart leapt. If only they would postpone their intentions for another day or two, then perhaps he could find a way to escape.
"The time is...," the other man attempted adamantly to say. However, a blinding flash of light arrived and chiseled out a window into his brain before he could finish the thought. In another few moments, and several other similarly bright flashes, the entire group was writhing on the ground, moments from death.
"The time is...," the other man attempted adamantly to say. However, a blinding flash of light arrived and chiseled out a window into his brain before he could finish the thought. In another few moments, and several other similarly bright flashes, the entire group was writhing on the ground, moments from death.
Bilford looked around frantically. In the distance, he could see a faint glimmer of metal coming through the snowy sheet. Running wildly, he managed to find himself under the safe cover of a grove of hearty brush which had produced itself through a break in the blinding blanket of sleet.
Bilford looked around frantically. In the distance, he could see a faint glimmer of metal coming through the snowy sheet. Running wildly, he managed to find himself under the safe cover of a grove of hearty brush which had produced itself through a break in the blinding blanket of sleet.
"It's that robot," he whined through his chattering teeth. "And it's come to murder me." Bilford ran deep into the brushy hillside, hoping to put as many obstacles as he could between himself and the lightening-like laser fire.
"It's that robot," he whined through his chattering teeth. "And it's come to murder me." Bilford ran deep into the brushy hillside, hoping to put as many obstacles as he could between himself and the lightening-like laser fire.