Forty-eight
As soon as Brice saw the ghoul burst from the trees and race to the Proteus, he jumped. His friends were there, and he couldn’t let them get into any more danger.
He hit the ground, stumbling, his whole body aching. His legs were heavy, and he gritted his teeth, forcing himself on.
But he was no match for the ghoul. The creature tore across the open ground, and bounded onto the roof of the Proteus. Brice heard the crash when he was only half-way between the two craft.
The ghoul jumped, and Brice thought he saw the Proteus shake. Then it bent down and grabbed a section of the roof.
The emergency hatch.
Brice reached the Proteus and reached up, grabbing metal with hands that throbbed white heat. He scrambled his feet, gasping loudly, his heart hammering, and he climbed.
Th
