Leopard Collapses

Ron Koppelberger

Leopard Collapses

The Scarlet curtain was impenetrable and the mist availed nothing but the scent of sulfur. The surface of planet AngelLate otherwise known as 2876.1 was soft and yielding with the thick moss of a bidden plane. Hill Band moved through the crimson mist step by step looking for the downed probe. It had to be near, the homing device he held was going haywire almost as if he were on top of it.
He took a few more steps when he saw the leopard creature, it was baring it's teeth and breathing with great heaving gasps. Hill paused as a tremor of fear welled up from the tips of his boots. The Leopard thing moved a bit closer; it had large eyes almost giant eyes and a pair of fangs reminiscent of a saber tooth tiger. Hill reached for his pistol slowly so as not to alarm the creature when it suddenly stopped and collapsed. He stood there for a moment when he heard the low buzzing hum of a trumpet in the distance. Shadows played in the red mist and he turned to retrace his steps. The humming blare of, trumpets now, filled the silent horizon and Hill began to run as he heard the sound of what must have been hoof beats. Reaching the shelter of his landing craft he opened the access door and leapt inside. The door hissed shut behind him. He fell to his knees and thanked god, he had seen the hoard, the band of alien hunters and he knew that he had been lucky indeed. The labors of man and nature he thought as he prepared to leave, told by a moment.