Shiver by Yolanda Sfetsos Page B

long to climb high enough to make the dirt below became nothing more than a flat, brown landscape.
    Speed was his main priority, so he didn’t care how much he pushed this cheap piece of crap. But he did want to get a feel of the controls before leaving this world. According to the fuel gauge, the tank was almost full so he’d at least get to the closest planet or moon, and then reassess how to complete his journey home.
    His pounding heart calmed as he coaxed the ship over the rugged terrain and eventually found himself flying above a choppy, blue sea. So the rumors of the ocean at the end of the desert were true. He’d doubted the dungeon prisoners who’d claimed it existed.
    The sea didn’t go for long before green filled his vision and quickly blended into white, icy land. Thick clouds surrounded him, and as he tried to maneuver above them, the first buzz of communication blared from the radio.
    “Keith, you were supposed to ask for clearance before breaching the perimeter. How many times have I told you about procedure?” a male voice yelled. “And why the hell are you so late? She’s been waiting for days.”
    Shit! What the hell was he going to do now? The person on the radio obviously knew whoever usually piloted this ship.
    “Keith, did you hear me? The bots were getting ready to shoot you down.”
    Knox pressed his index finger to the speaker and said, “Sure, I hear you.”
    Static crackled between them for a moment. Had the man realized he wasn’t Keith?
    He’d gained enough altitude to be lost in the thick cloud cover. The biggest problem now was the mountainous terrain, which stuck out between the clouds, and required intense concentration to maneuver between.
    “Is that you, Garth?”
    “Yeah, sure…it’s me, mate.”
    Another bout of static followed.
    Knox eased back into the pilot seat and yanked the lever toward his chest, until he’d successfully pointed the nose of the ship in the direction of freedom. He pushed the piece of junk to the highest speed, causing it to shake so much he held his breath when flames licked at the exterior. The ship was close to leaving the atmosphere and the higher he went, the more his unease melted.
    When he was about to sigh in relief, something hit the back of the ship—hard enough to make it rock sideways, and plummet.
    No, no, no. Heneeded to go up, not down.
    The dashboard lit with red warning signs he didn’t have time to address, and the automatic pilot kicked in. He released the stick. There was nothing he could do now, so Knox pressed the back of his head against the seat and prepared to let fate run its course.
    Turbulence tugged at his stomach so badly he thought he might throw up, but he gritted his teeth and kept it together as the craft spiraled out of control.
    When the ship hit the ground, the air was ripped from his lungs and blood pumped through his body too fast. He felt like a deflated balloon. Yet, even feeling boneless, he managed to yank off the harness and crawl out of the burning wreck.
    He moved one elbow in front of the other, dragging himself over the snow. It cooled his limbs and actually helped numb his aching body. He couldn’t feel his right leg and something was digging deep into his gut, scraping along the snow with his every move. He refused to look down or stop. Better to hold on to denial for a little longer.
    Sucking in several painful gulps of air, he could hear a wheezing sound and agony tore through him. Had he broken some ribs or punctured a lung? Every time he inhaled, a sharp pain shot through him.
    He closed his eyes, trying to breathe deep enough to keep the lightheadedness at bay. He didn’t want to pass out so close to the wreckage, where whoever had shot him down could find him.
    Knox used all the strength he could summon to crawl farther, before getting to his knees. Whatever had punctured his midsection dug deeper, and he hadn’t helped by wriggling on his stomach. He might not want to see the extent of