![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fredbassettTitle : Flight or Fight
Author : fredbassett
Fandom : Primeval
Rating : 15
Characters : Stephen/Ryan, Becker, Nick, Connor, Abby
Disclaimer : Not mine, no money made, don’t sue.
Spoilers : None
Summary : Help can come from unexpected quarters.
A/N : I started writing this for Halloween last year but didn’t finish in time. I hope it’s a case of better late than never.
Stephen stared around at the dark woods. The fir trees were heavily-laden with snow, branches bowed almost to the ground.
The trees pressed in, providing cover for their attackers but no shelter for them.
Becker was working hard to prevent their retreat becoming a rout, but he’d already lost one man to their pursuers and red blood had defiled the once-pristine snow.
They’d had no choice but to leave the soldier’s body behind as black shapes had quickly crowded in.
They had fought against an unknown and unrelenting foe for nearly an hour now, and were no nearer to safety.
* * * * *
Their attackers had the bulk and strength of bears but moved through the forest with the speed and agility of wolves.
Short, heavy jaws set with bloodstained fangs gaped wide in anticipation of their next strike, but the creatures hunted in an unworldly silence that chilled Stephen even more than the snow.
At his side, Abby gripped a tranquilliser rifle but he knew she was running low on darts.
If the deadly game of cat and mouse continued for much longer, they would all be in the same predicament.
They needed somewhere they could defend, and they needed it fast.
* * * * *
The dull boom of Becker’s shotgun and the staccato chatter of automatic weapons fire pounded his ears and conscious thought increasingly difficult, but even Cutter had raised no complaints about the use of lethal force after having seen the bloody remains of a herd of sheep and their shepherd.
Stephen knew that without a miracle they wouldn’t live through the night.
Ahead of them, he saw a clearing open in the trees.
They were being herded in that direction but with the dense forest on either side, they had little choice other than to take the line of least resistance.
* * * * *
The clearing would allow them to regroup, but it would also allow the creatures to come at them from all sides.
Stephen stared around looking for an alternative but their attackers appeared determined to allow them no quarter.
A flash of something dark amongst the trees drew his attention. He saw a black-clad soldier go down on one knee, swing his assault rifle up to his shoulder and fire a concentrated burst at one of the bear-things.
It dropped to the ground and didn’t rise.
The man shifted position, his back to a tree and fired again. Another beast fell.
* * * * *
In the darkness of the forest, Stephen couldn’t tell which of the soldiers had now taken up the role of rearguard, but for a moment hope flared inside him as he thought he had recognised the man they’d been forced to leave behind.
The man they’d been certain was dead otherwise they would never have abandoned him.
Stephen faltered for a moment and nearly fell.
A hand grabbed his arm and hauled him back to his feet.
Becker’s face was almost as white as the snow lying all around them.
“I though he was dead, too,” the young captain murmured.
* * * * *
Together they ran.
Another man fell, dragged down by claws, finished by teeth.
Becker racked the slide on his shotgun and fired.
A voice that Stephen had never thought to hear again in this life yelled, “Keep moving! This is our work now.”
“Ryan?” Stephen stared into the swirling snow, falling now even heavier than before.
“There are more of them,” Becker breathed. “I thought I was seeing things. What the fuck?”
Stephen shook his head. “No time for questions. Do as he says.”
On a night like this he had surprisingly little trouble believing the dead could walk again.
* * * * *
They made their final stand in the clearing.
Abby had run out of darts and was now wielding the rifle like a club.
Connor and Cutter were armed with fallen branches that they had grabbed on their mad dash through the snow and were using them to good effect.
They all stood back to back, facing outwards.
At their side, the dead fought as they had fought in life, silently and with consummate professionalism.
Stephen didn’t begin to know or even to guess how this could be happening but there was little time for thought and even less for thanks.
* * * * *
He knew that if they could survive until dawn they would be victorious.
If not, they would be nothing more than bloodied lumps of meat and bone.
He thought there were some chinks in the armour of the clouds, some hint of grey behind what had previously seemed an impenetrable barrier.
At his side, Stephen’s once-dead lover followed his glance and nodded. “Not long now.”
But the wolf-beasts were gathering for a final onslaught.
“Can you die again?” Stephen didn’t really want the answer to his question but he asked it anyway.
“We’re about to find out,” Ryan said calmly.
* * * * *
On Stephen’s left, Becker racked the slide on his shotgun, pumping his final shell into the breach.
On his right, Ryan followed Abby’s example and swung his rifle hard; bullets long exhausted.
There were gaps in their ragged circle now, but with the creatures still coming at them on all sides, Stephen had no idea who had fallen and who was still standing.
The branch Cutter had been wielding was now no more than a stump. Connor’s was no better. Abby’s tranquilliser darts were long gone.
A growling shape hurtled at Stephen and then all hell broke loose around him.
* * * * *
Stephen rolled onto his back certain that dawn had not come quickly enough.
Darkness had given way to a world of grey shadows and swirling mist.
A strong hand reached down to him and pulled him to his feet.
He stared into the pale face of his dead lover.
“You can’t stay, can you?”
Ryan shook his head and pressed a cold kiss to Stephen’s lips. “Not now. Not yet.”
On the eve of the dead, it seemed all things had been possible, but as he watched, the black-clad soldiers faded and death claimed its own.
For the second time.
Author : fredbassett
Fandom : Primeval
Rating : 15
Characters : Stephen/Ryan, Becker, Nick, Connor, Abby
Disclaimer : Not mine, no money made, don’t sue.
Spoilers : None
Summary : Help can come from unexpected quarters.
A/N : I started writing this for Halloween last year but didn’t finish in time. I hope it’s a case of better late than never.
Stephen stared around at the dark woods. The fir trees were heavily-laden with snow, branches bowed almost to the ground.
The trees pressed in, providing cover for their attackers but no shelter for them.
Becker was working hard to prevent their retreat becoming a rout, but he’d already lost one man to their pursuers and red blood had defiled the once-pristine snow.
They’d had no choice but to leave the soldier’s body behind as black shapes had quickly crowded in.
They had fought against an unknown and unrelenting foe for nearly an hour now, and were no nearer to safety.
* * * * *
Their attackers had the bulk and strength of bears but moved through the forest with the speed and agility of wolves.
Short, heavy jaws set with bloodstained fangs gaped wide in anticipation of their next strike, but the creatures hunted in an unworldly silence that chilled Stephen even more than the snow.
At his side, Abby gripped a tranquilliser rifle but he knew she was running low on darts.
If the deadly game of cat and mouse continued for much longer, they would all be in the same predicament.
They needed somewhere they could defend, and they needed it fast.
* * * * *
The dull boom of Becker’s shotgun and the staccato chatter of automatic weapons fire pounded his ears and conscious thought increasingly difficult, but even Cutter had raised no complaints about the use of lethal force after having seen the bloody remains of a herd of sheep and their shepherd.
Stephen knew that without a miracle they wouldn’t live through the night.
Ahead of them, he saw a clearing open in the trees.
They were being herded in that direction but with the dense forest on either side, they had little choice other than to take the line of least resistance.
* * * * *
The clearing would allow them to regroup, but it would also allow the creatures to come at them from all sides.
Stephen stared around looking for an alternative but their attackers appeared determined to allow them no quarter.
A flash of something dark amongst the trees drew his attention. He saw a black-clad soldier go down on one knee, swing his assault rifle up to his shoulder and fire a concentrated burst at one of the bear-things.
It dropped to the ground and didn’t rise.
The man shifted position, his back to a tree and fired again. Another beast fell.
* * * * *
In the darkness of the forest, Stephen couldn’t tell which of the soldiers had now taken up the role of rearguard, but for a moment hope flared inside him as he thought he had recognised the man they’d been forced to leave behind.
The man they’d been certain was dead otherwise they would never have abandoned him.
Stephen faltered for a moment and nearly fell.
A hand grabbed his arm and hauled him back to his feet.
Becker’s face was almost as white as the snow lying all around them.
“I though he was dead, too,” the young captain murmured.
* * * * *
Together they ran.
Another man fell, dragged down by claws, finished by teeth.
Becker racked the slide on his shotgun and fired.
A voice that Stephen had never thought to hear again in this life yelled, “Keep moving! This is our work now.”
“Ryan?” Stephen stared into the swirling snow, falling now even heavier than before.
“There are more of them,” Becker breathed. “I thought I was seeing things. What the fuck?”
Stephen shook his head. “No time for questions. Do as he says.”
On a night like this he had surprisingly little trouble believing the dead could walk again.
* * * * *
They made their final stand in the clearing.
Abby had run out of darts and was now wielding the rifle like a club.
Connor and Cutter were armed with fallen branches that they had grabbed on their mad dash through the snow and were using them to good effect.
They all stood back to back, facing outwards.
At their side, the dead fought as they had fought in life, silently and with consummate professionalism.
Stephen didn’t begin to know or even to guess how this could be happening but there was little time for thought and even less for thanks.
* * * * *
He knew that if they could survive until dawn they would be victorious.
If not, they would be nothing more than bloodied lumps of meat and bone.
He thought there were some chinks in the armour of the clouds, some hint of grey behind what had previously seemed an impenetrable barrier.
At his side, Stephen’s once-dead lover followed his glance and nodded. “Not long now.”
But the wolf-beasts were gathering for a final onslaught.
“Can you die again?” Stephen didn’t really want the answer to his question but he asked it anyway.
“We’re about to find out,” Ryan said calmly.
* * * * *
On Stephen’s left, Becker racked the slide on his shotgun, pumping his final shell into the breach.
On his right, Ryan followed Abby’s example and swung his rifle hard; bullets long exhausted.
There were gaps in their ragged circle now, but with the creatures still coming at them on all sides, Stephen had no idea who had fallen and who was still standing.
The branch Cutter had been wielding was now no more than a stump. Connor’s was no better. Abby’s tranquilliser darts were long gone.
A growling shape hurtled at Stephen and then all hell broke loose around him.
* * * * *
Stephen rolled onto his back certain that dawn had not come quickly enough.
Darkness had given way to a world of grey shadows and swirling mist.
A strong hand reached down to him and pulled him to his feet.
He stared into the pale face of his dead lover.
“You can’t stay, can you?”
Ryan shook his head and pressed a cold kiss to Stephen’s lips. “Not now. Not yet.”
On the eve of the dead, it seemed all things had been possible, but as he watched, the black-clad soldiers faded and death claimed its own.
For the second time.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 04:13 pm (UTC)That was eerie and beautiful. And sad.
But there's the tiny little bit of hope there: “Not now. Not yet.”
Good one! Happy Halloween to you!
no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 09:55 pm (UTC)I was aiming for eerie, so I;m glad it came off.
Happy Samhain to you, too!
no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 04:37 pm (UTC)“You can’t stay, can you?”
Ryan shook his head and pressed a cold kiss to Stephen’s lips. “Not now. Not yet.”
Although they can't be together, protective ghost!Ryan is so beautiful.
So eerie, so gorgeous.
no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 09:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 05:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 09:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 06:55 pm (UTC)That's beautiful and spooky and heart-breaking ...
no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 09:57 pm (UTC)Thank you :)
no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 07:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 09:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 07:55 pm (UTC)*sniffs*
no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 09:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 08:11 pm (UTC)Lovely lovely Halloween offering.
no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 09:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 09:24 pm (UTC)Ryan shook his head and pressed a cold kiss to Stephen’s lips. “Not now. Not yet.”
no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 09:58 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 10:17 pm (UTC)Make them come back!!
Touching and spooky, I love it, but you make me weep again.
no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 10:19 am (UTC)I seem to have a bit of a thing for bittersweet ghost stories.
no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 10:44 pm (UTC)Spooky and just full of beautiful feelings.
no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 10:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 11:00 pm (UTC)Darkness had given way to a world of grey shadows and swirling mist.
This has a wonderful eerie atmosphere.
no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 10:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-31 11:00 pm (UTC)Liked this one a lot.
no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 10:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 02:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 10:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 08:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 10:21 am (UTC)*wibbles with you*
no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 09:52 am (UTC)*looks around nervously*
no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 10:21 am (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 10:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 10:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 11:22 am (UTC)“You can’t stay, can you?”
Ryan shook his head and pressed a cold kiss to Stephen’s lips. “Not now. Not yet.”
I need the big tissue pac now!
no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 11:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 09:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 11:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-03 05:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-03 07:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-05 12:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-05 09:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-06 12:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-06 08:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-10 12:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-10 07:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-10-27 09:30 pm (UTC)Beautiful but horrifying, too.
no subject
Date: 2018-10-28 06:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-10-28 07:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-10-28 07:10 am (UTC)