Iron Mike by Patricia Rose Page B

ruined. Finally, when the sun was high in the sky again, they went to work!

Kari
     
    Kari woke as the sky lightened and watched Mike flexing his arm experimentally. “It’s better,” he told her, but he accepted the ibuprofen she handed him without complaint, so she suspected he was lying.
    “I should check the bandage,” she offered, but Mike shook his head firmly.
    “Nope. We’re going on a hike, remember? We’re getting an early start so I figure we’ll be at Fort Knox by sunset. Let their docs check it.”
    Mike opened his door and stepped out. He was pleased it hadn’t snowed any more during the night. He walked off a bit into the woods to relieve himself. By the time he returned, Jenn and Kari were passing out chicken and country fried steak. He was pleasantly surprised at what a little mother hen Jenn was turning into. As he passed her, he nudged her deliberately with his hip, almost knocking her off balance.
    “Watch it, Iron Mike!” she grumbled.
    Mike turned to her, a surprised scowl on his face. Jenn smiled innocently. For a moment, she had her stupid big brother back, not the strange grown-up that had taken over his body since they left Gran’s. She made a mental note to call him “Iron Mike” as often as possible – at least until the barb wore off.
    “Dork,” he replied, popping the cargo hatch and reaching in for his quiver.
    “Dork? Is that all you got? You buy that comeback on eBay?” Jenn teased, and turned away before he could retort, handing a chicken leg to Ariel and grinning at Kari, who winked back.
    Mike worked on consolidating the backpacks, pulling out nonessential items and re-packing everything, even the small backpacks the children would carry. He considered the tent but left it and most of the camping gear in the SUV – they wouldn’t need it today, and he could always come back for it later, if no one stole it in the meantime. He threaded the sheath of his hunting knife through his belt and hooked his quiver to a loop on his jeans.
    The stock of one of Poppa’s rifles poked out from the backpack. He double checked to be sure his takedown kit was at the top of the pack, glancing around to ensure everyone was occupied. Everyone was busy going to the bathroom or finishing breakfast. Mike unlocked the console and stuffed the Ruger into the small of his back. He was as prepared as he would ever be to get the kids to safety.
    “Iron Mike, Iron Mike! Miss Kari!” It was Nathan’s voice, shrill with excitement. Mike looked over at the boy who was standing at the edge of the woods.
    “What is it, Nathan?” he called.
    “You gotta see this!” the boy shouted back. “It’s the biggest worm ever! It’s ginormous!”
    Mike frowned, looking at the other children still getting ready to leave. “I’ll go,” Kari smiled at him. He nodded gratefully. She was a lot better at the parenting thing than he was. Hell, Jenn was a lot better at it.
    Mike pulled both sleeping bags from where they were wedged into the window and rolled Jenn’s up tightly, strapping it in place. He was pulling out the heavy tarp when he heard Kari call him.
    He walked over to her. She had both hands on Nathan’s shoulders, and was obviously holding the boy back. “What’s going on?” Mike asked, and then he looked. “Holy fuck.”
    “That’s a bad word,” Nathan reprimanded, but there was no heat in the accusation.
    It was the biggest worm ever. And there was absolutely no way it was indigenous to Earth. It made the hairs on Mike’s arms stand up, pebbled by gooseflesh. It was about eight feet long and four feet around, grayish in color. Rings of muscle lined its skin and it undulated repulsively, its head swaying as though it were trying to scent the air. As Mike and Kari stared at it, it moved toward them. Mike instinctively stepped back, pulling Kari and Nathan with him.
    The worm stopped, and then it sank into the ground. It didn’t dig or tunnel its way down – it simply sank. As they