Read The Mountain and The City: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale for Free Online

back at their nest, I understand what it is. It's the New Largest of the group. I know how Munies work as well as anyone can know them, so I know the New Largest always has the most to prove. They need to stay on top. Show the others they're not weak.
    It sniffs and starts to move, slowly testing the Cavern Air, so I push the small one close to the Wall and out of its path to let it pass in the black, and we stay quiet, quiet as possible.
    Suddenly it turns and looks into my Eyes. It isn't possible, Munies can't see in the dark. It tastes the Air with its Slime Beast tongue and it knows. It knows I'm here.
    Without the Mask on it tastes me in the Air.
    “Run.”
    The Munie jumps on me before I can move. My Side slams into the Wall and the Light Gun falls from my Hand and I hear it bounce once, twice on the Rock as the Munie holds me against the Wall by my Head. With the terrible croaking in my Ear I punch it, kick it, try to get its dirty fingers away from my Face but it's like I do nothing. It doesn't move, only hisses and holds me, breathing Bastard Air into my mouth and nose, making me choke.
    The Munie shows it teeth to my Neck, ready to make me Supplies. Then it screams in my Face and I shut my Eyes because I don't want to see the Death come. I've kept it away so long I don't want to see its face now, so all I can do is keep them shut and wait for the Death.
    The Light Gun has failed me, and I've failed the small one.
    But the Death doesn't come.
    After six seconds my Eyes open and see the Munie's head pulled back, howling, but not the victory howl that comes when they hunt Supplies and bring the Death. This is a rare howl, the pain howl. The Munie lets go and I fall to the Ground, my Legs under me and my Back against the Wall. I'm surprised to see the small one's face when I land, not just in front of me but biting the New Largest Munie, her small, sharp teeth stuck in its leg. Her tiny face is scared but ferocious, like when she faced the Hunter Beast by the Steep.
    I hear someone laugh and realize it's me, glad to have her with me.
    The New Largest Munie pries her loose and tosses her away. She folds to the Ground with its filthy, black blood on her lips. The others, still at the far Wall where the Water disappears, have heard the howl and are croaking their way over with dirty fingers stretched. I look all around for the Light Gun as the New Largest finds the small one, grabs her and picks her up, and she squirms in its hands but it shakes her and then, listening to the dark, throws her into the rushing Water.
    It turns back to me, proud of what it's done the way the teeth show. I shouldn't think of Munies as having emotions but sometimes it seems like they do. Behind it the small one is being carried away, her small hands reaching out for help, her eyes full of Water-terror.
    The Light Gun is in front of you.
    I see it half in puddle and reach forward and grab it, aim it at the Munie's croaking head. To my right the others are coming. The only reason they haven't reached me is their blindness, otherwise I would be covered in them. The New Largest can't see me either but it can smell danger the way Munies can.
    Make the Munie regret what it did to her.
    I pull the trigger. My need for revenge is is strong I forget to close my Eyes and become blinded by the burning Light. I can't see but I hear the Light Bullet hit the Munie, and it screams, louder and more terrible than when the small one bit it.
    You don't have much Time.
    I stand blind and go forward, tripping over the Munie thrashing and shouting on the Ground, and I can hear the Water somewhere in front of me. My sight starts to come back in blobs and flashes, shadows on shadow. I see the Stairs to my left, the Munies to my right, and the rushing Water at my Feet.
    This is it. Time to choose.
    The Water is cold like winter and just as strong when I hit. The Night Eyes die on my face, but they show me one last thing before they go: Munie hands. They reach for me