MINE! [New World Book 8] by C.L. Scholey

After her cavern experience, the occupants, or perhaps dead non-occupants, stopped fazing her.
    “Talk about your drama queen and king,” Becky muttered under her breath. “Shakespeare would have a field day here.”
    A huge bush with soft lush branches came into view. Becky parted the branches and grabbed a handful as an afterthought. The velvety mint green foot long, moist leaf in her hand would make the favorite bathroom tissue company cringe in envy—if it still existed.
    “This better not be some kind of poison ivy or oak or my ass will be on fire.”
    Finishing her morning ritual, refreshed and thankfully not rashed, Becky emerged from the bush and decided to wander. Huck would find her, of that she had no doubt. She imagined his tracking skills would supersede the Terminator. The ground beneath her bare feet was soft with her leisurely stroll. Huck informed her the replicator wouldn’t know how to make her shoes, and she didn’t protest. As long as her clothes covered her vulnerable areas, she could live with naked feet.
    The trees on the planet were no more than eight feet high with massive leaves of all shapes. The bushes slightly bigger and rounded. Rays of sun danced from one bush to the next making the bushes and leaves tingle and flutter for a few moments. Foliage was the only life on the planet, the only real life, and she was grateful to smell real scents. She jumped a few times when coming across shadow creatures. They appeared out of thin air as though seeking an audience. Becky wasn’t in the mood and skirted around them. The animals of various sorts were more interesting but dead. The concept was mind boggling.
    A strange noise to the left caught her attention, and Becky stood still wondering if Huck had found her. The sound was creeping closer. It had to be Huck; he explained there was no life on the planet.
    “Huck?” she called; no answer. Huck wouldn’t play games it wasn’t his MO.
    Becky’s heart hammered in her chest and every sense a female possessed began sending off neon signs, bells and whistles. The noise was getting louder, closer. Shadow death shouldn’t make a sound. Becky was no wimp but the planet was creepy enough without wondering what other gems or diabolical themes it had in store for the unsuspecting. Her fists raised pro boxer style. She centered herself ready for battle. After the mental fight she already had earlier, she was spoiling to bash something senseless.
    When Raymond stepped from the bush, Becky cried out in relief. Her arms and hands relaxed. No more Huck, she could escape. No more mating threats, no more un-mating threats. No more stupid planets, well probably more, but at least Ray was back. Their shuttle must have survived the entry into the atmosphere. She could get the hell away from Sybil and his Tonan mood swings.
    “Raymond,” she called.
    Raymond looked stunned, then strange, blinking, until he smiled. When he approached, Becky took an unconscious step back. A dark ring clung to his semi-permeable outline. His face was pale and haggard. Dark circles deepened his hollowed eyes resembling sockets. He looked like a walking ghost. But when his hand lifted to push a branch, he made a connection and she relaxed, he couldn’t be dead.
    “Raymond, are you all right?”
    “I’m hungry. I’m always hungry. Why am I always so hungry?”
    “What do you mean?” Becky shivered. Raymond was the last person in the world to scare her. Becky’s skin crawled as he moved closer.
    “Hello, Becky.”
    She spun confronting Jack and the others. The others looked different than Raymond, hollower, scarier, dead, yet alive. Her breath caught when they moved, fluttering over the ground with no contact. She was soon surrounded. Becky looked to each man in turn. All were drawn and wary, scared, they looked terrified. Raymond cocked his head at her in a questioning manner. Closer he came, arm outstretched. Every instinct screamed run, but Raymond was her