Harry didn't really have time to dodge before the creatures hit him square on the chest. One of them glanced off his rifle but the other one knocked the wind right out of his lungs and set him tumbling backwards, dangerously close to the plants invisible roots. He scrambled to regain his footing as he could hear concerned shouts from around him. This was not going well.
Yet another set of creatures jumped towards him and this time, already being off balance, he didn't really stand a chance. He found himself falling to the floor, his gun flying out of his hands as he collapsed on the rough ground.
The creatures leaped onto him and began nipping at him. Instinctively, he did the only thing that he could, backing up as he bent his legs and tried to find some leverage to get off the dangerous floor.
It was too late. There was a suddens snap and he could feel something snaking its way around his body. The plant had got him. There were several screams and Harry turned to see Daisy looking shocked as she stared at him. As he watched, she was also pushed over by the lizard creatures. It was his turn to scream.
The plant had gotten two of them. This was very bad. Harry couldn't help the slight sense of panic that crept up as he felt a root encircle him completely. His hands were already occupied with swatting at the lizard things, trying to stop them from getting a piece of him and he was powerless to try and stop the plant.
"Fall back away from the plant, we need to find a way to shoot the damn roots," shouted Aria from somewhere. At this point, the creatures were a few too many for Harry to be able to actually identify where Aria was. The world around him shrunk to just the creatures attacking him and the plant slowly dragging him to his doom.
He struggled harder, twisting and turning, trying to get the thing to release him. He kicked out, trying to do a flip and possibly snap the roots. Every move he made seemed to get countered by the stupid lizard things that clung to his clothes like their life depended on him. They'd stopped trying to bit him now. He didn't whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.
Then suddenly the pressure around his waist went slack. He took the moment to lash out in a burst of speed and dived forward, trying to roll but getting knocked totally off balance by the creatures on top of him.
There was a "THWACK" and something went flying.
Suddenly, there was only two creatures on him and he just about shook them off before two beams from a rifle fried them to ash. Harry stood, breathing heavily. In front of him stood Ryan, holding his rifle at the spot where the creatures had been. He nodded to the boy who nodded in return.
Harry immediately turned towards the tree. Aria and Kate were trying to get Daisy. Even as Harry ran towards them, Daisy was cut free. Just then the creatures screeched and started running elsewhere, running in some sort of semi circle skirting around them.
For a moment, Harry was confused. Then he saw the roots. The plant had woken up proper. Its roots getting cut must've set it off.
"We need to follow those things and try to get the heck out of here," said Aria, "this is very, very bad."
No one really had time to respond to that. The ground itself seemed to rise as a mass of roots rose from the soil, knocking Harry and Ryan to the ground. Harry desperately began to inch towards his rifle, managing to just about grab it with the edge of its stock as the plant's roots wrapped around an ankle.
Harry desperately whacked at his with the butt of the weapon, just about managing to get it to loosen as he wrenched his foot free. He staggered to his feet again and offered a hand to Ryan. Ahead of them, the girls were already running, firing blindly into the mass of roots as they followed the lizard creatures.
Harry gestured to Ryan and the two joined the charge as they played a deadly game of catch with hundreds of thick powerful roots. They dodged and swerved, using the rifles as much as possible. Harry already had recharged his one in the fight with the previous creature and now he found the counter reading dipping rapidly to zero. Soon, he'd have to use a second charge.
Suddenly, there was a clicking sound. Kate had run out. Up ahead, Harry could only watch in horror as the roots were suddenly able to wrap around the girls. Harry could see the edge of the plant ahead of them. They just had to make it a few more feet.
The minute distraction was enough for the roots actively attacking him and Ryan. Suddenly Harry found himself hugging the ground for the third time in three minutes and he was being dragged by the plant again. So near to the edge of the plant and yet so far.
Harry turned towards the plant, raising his weapon. He checked the charge. He had one shot left on this one. Next to him, Ryan was rapidly being wrapped even as he fought viscously. He tried to check on the girls and realized he was now wrapped too tightly to be able to reliably turn his head. He had to do something drastic or they were all dead.
He aimed towards the poison filled center of the plant. The poison could kill them if it sprayed too far, but if he did nothing, the plant certainly would kill them. To heck with it.
Harry squeezed the trigger.
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