Science Fiction: Welcome to my Worlds

slivers of ice that curled around it’s legs but Darin could see it wasn’t going to be enough. It was going over the edge. Cesily screamed and Darin grabbed for the cat’s heavy tail as it whipped by and thumped him in the stomach, nearly knocking the breath out. Now he was being dragged along sliding behind the hill cat. He knew he should have gotten his old boots restudded.

Darin grabbed the climbing pick from his pocket and swung it as hard as he could into the ice under his feet. He felt a muscle tear in his arm as the pick dragged out a foot-long furrow, then they were stopped. The cat’s front paws dangled helpless over the edge. Cessily grabbed it’s tail too and together they managed to pull it back to firm footing. Darin could tell it was not a happy cat, but its rough tongue gave each of them a lick of thanks.

Cesily dropped to her knees, wrapped her arms around the cat’s neck and began to sob uncontrollably.

“Easy, easy. He’s okay. We’re okay. Everything’s—okay—now,” he finished a little lamely. Then Darin winced as his arm reminded him that not quite everything was as normal.

“You don’t understand Darin. Purz is all I have left. They killed my family. Everyone is dead.” A tear dripped from her cheek landing on silver fur. The big cat gave her another lick.