Harrowing Hill Nick Armbrister

 

Mt Tannuca

An ammo or bomb explosion? That’s what happened here. It’s gonna get you! The hiker got the secrets out of the rain. They dragged him back to the past. The mountain bomb crater by the old enemy fighting position was now gone.

 

He was now with animated Japanese soldiers. They chatted away and were busy fiddling with a big machine gun. Suddenly one pointed up to distant approaching planes. His comrade swung the gun around and aimed. His mate loaded a long strip of shiny bullets. The firer let loose a burst. The noise was unreal. The hiker followed the glowing orange bullets. They went wide but got the attention of the aeroplanes. They turned and dived as one.

 

“What the Hell? Where’s the bomb crater? Why are their soldiers here with a machine gun firing at the planes?” the hiker was confused. Then it dawned on him. “Oh no! I’m here before the bomb fell. What the Hell happened?”

 

The soldier fired again. His fire hit a diving plane but didn’t stop it. It came on and fired. Bullets fell around the gun crew. The loader put in more bullets but fell down dead. Half his head was missing. His mate fired and shouted Japanese curses. The first plane roared overhead trailing black smoke. He fired at the one behind. This one released a bomb.

 

“Oh God no not a bomb! I’m going to be blown up with the Japs. Here it comes…” the hiker muttered. The soldier either ignored him or didn’t know he was there at the trench edge. It whistled as it fell.

 

The gunner was out of bullets. He fumbled with a new ammo strip while the bomb got closer. The third plane just fired its guns, dropped no bomb. A bullet hit the climber as the bomb hit home and detonated in a huge yellow flash. The whole universe ceased to exist…

 

 

 

Third Peak

The peak was far from the city. It was named Third Peak for it was the number three mountain on the big island of Vonustranala. Why it wasn’t called First or Second Peak was a mystery. It had once been a volcano and scientists hadn’t ruled out future eruptions. This didn’t stop hikers and professional climbers.

 

One climber hiked the upper slopes with his camera. He’d spent three days there taking photos for his online blog and also for a print magazine. Due to the location he wasn’t able to upload them directly. The infrastructure here was minimal.

 

The climber, Randolf, used a top of the line camera. The memory card was a big one. He’d captured thousands of images. They included day and night shots, long and short exposures, colour and black and white and much more. One image was unique and would be historic. His photo caught the unthinkable. He clicked a random pic of the peak in profile. The volcano shape was unmistakable and superb.

 

Suddenly a bright light arrowed down. Then it was gone. Replaced by a BANG! He felt rather than heard. In a bright flash the photographer vanished. It was like he was never there.

 

Just a damaged camera and scorched rucksack remained. Much later when they found his camera they saw the photo of the century. They knew the photographer had been here from his hotel booking. He had vanished when the volcano exploded as had several other local people.

 

The photo showed a laser light entering the volcano crater, clearly visible against the blue summer sky and sun. The volcano was at peace; seconds later it erupted. A memorial to a vanished man incinerated by the volcano set off by the meteor he snapped.

 

 

 

 

Blue Peak

The alien ship circled the mountain and fired its blue laser at the hunter. He returned fire with his hunting rifle. His bullets pinged off its hull. Laser fire sparkled through the tree leaves setting them on fire. It was uneven but not one sided battle. The hunter ran into a clearing and stopped. He was a clear target for the chrome coloured craft. In an act of defiance he raised a middle finger and grabbed his crotch. The meaning was obvious to everybody except Earthlings – Fuck You!

 

He was rewarded with another blast of blue laser fire. The beam made a whistling sound. It singed his hair and made his clothes. He still got time to fire a round from the hip with his rifle. He clearly heard the ping. An evil grin filled his face.

 

The trees around him were an inferno. There was no way through; it was fine. He ran to the only way of life. A small cave opening covered by burning branches was there. In seconds he was out of sight. Where he’d been the very ground burned. Blue laser beams zapped into the cave hitting the rocks and making them glow orange. The hunter was round the corner, a laser couldn’t turn the corner! Assholes he thought. He checked his rifle and reloaded it, chambering a round. He had plenty of ammo left.

 

Advancing further into the cave he wondered if the ship would land and send in a ground party after him. He hoped their metabolism wasn’t for an oxygen one gravity type world. Maybe something odd like Venus or Neptune. If and when things got close he had his old commando knife and brass knuckles. And then his karate skills.

 

The ground suddenly shook. The hunter grimaced. The aliens were dropping bombs or other ordnance. Good job I know these caves. If they get in here I’ll pick the bastards off one by one, he thought. I’ll check the other entrance to see where they are.

 

The hunter wound his way in the cave tunnels and came to the other entrance. He slowly advanced crouched low with rifle ready. But it was fine; there were no aliens or their craft waiting for him. He surveyed the landscape before this entrance; it was clear.

 

Quickly he left the cave and looked about. The alien disc was hovering over the other side of the hill waiting for him at the first cave entrance. They’re so fucking stupid, I’ll teach them a lesson. Goddamn assholes!

 

He checked his gun again and hid behind a boulder. Shouldering his rifle he zeroed in and aimed. He fired the round in the chamber and five in the mag, rapidly working the bolt. Every shot hit the craft and pinged off the hull. Or so he thought.

 

The craft rapidly rose and hugged the peak. It was him! He reloaded and fired again. The craft fired the laser again. The boulder melted. Suddenly there was an almighty flash. The silver disc disappeared when its fusion reactor detonated. One of his rounds had hit the cooling gear.

 

A nuclear fireball completely enveloped the pointed peak. A huge boiling mushroom cloud rose up and the very rock turned to lava. The peak was a short lived volcano as the fusion reactor’s power and radiation combusted. The hunter ceased to exist as did his rifle and cave. Only ash remained. He had always been a crack shot.

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