Sharkrilla

by Sara Lufrano

A large cargo truck sped down a jungle road. The only lights where from the dirty, dim headlights. The driver, a scientist named David, struggled to not hit small overgrowth that bled into the road.

The container on the back swayed even when the rest of the truck didn't.

“Don't do it you bastard!” David yelled at the rearview mirror. His lab coat was filthy and stained with old blood.

David fought the steering wheel as the weight in the back of the truck seemed to be driving. The truck was pushed to the side of the road into the brush. David yelped and with stiff arms and white knuckles got the truck back on the packed dirt.

“You fucking beast!” He yelled at the mirror again. “If you weren't worth more than your weight in gold, you shit! I would have killed you!”

Swaying as he drove he came up on a roadblock. People dressed in camouflage. David couldn't tell who were men and who were women. Their faces were painted a black and green and they had rifles in their arms, knifes on their sides, ammunition belts strapped all over them. They looked like columns, all of them. Dangerous killer columns that, if necessary, would take out one block of the jungle at a time.

David kept the truck running as he got out.

“Good evening, Panthers.” David removed his old, disgusting coat and draped it over his arm.

The cargo hold swayed and grunts and growls followed. The diesel engine was a faint hum compared to the sounds.

“You've got my money, yes?” David's said. His forehead and armpits heated up.

One of the Panthers came forward with a large black case. The Panther opened the case and started extending pieces inside. It was a remote satellite computer. The Panther typed in a few commands and looked at David.

David pulled out a satellite phone from his lab coat. He dialed. “Good Morning to you, Stacy, can you please check something for me? Of course.” David smiled at the Panthers while thinking about his sweaty armpits. “Just looking for an account balance, and if it is what it should be split it through all of my accounts.” He laughed. “Yes, yes, don't worry. Oh, and please book me a flight to Germany leaving tonight, my time. Thank you, Stacy. Bye.” He hung up.

David held up the keys to the truck with a newly confident smile on his face. “May I have my motorcycle keys now?”

A Panther threw keys to the ground and pointed to the bike in the dark. David threw the keys to one of them, they worked together like a cell so it didn't matter which one got them.

“Be careful.” David said while putting on his coat and walking to the bike. He mounted it but waited to start it. He watched the Panthers approach the truck with caution. They surrounded the truck. What was inside was silent. One opened the cab door to climb in and then the cargo box jolted to one side, a large dent bubbled. The group jumped and drew their weapons.

A Panther yelled a command to lower their weapons. David jump started the motorcycle and lifted it off its kickstand.

Another jolt shook the box and the metal burst open like a star being born. Hundreds of teeth and giant grey hands came from the hole. Someone opened fire and hit leaves, trees, and open sky. The hands ripped open the side as more erratic shots were fired.

David watched it come out and dart to the closest people. His heart thumped in his ears but he didn't pull down the throttle to leave.

Panthers screamed and yelled in a mix of terror, pain, and commands to stop defending themselves.

“Tranquilizers! Tranquilizers! Tranquilizers!” A Panther yelled.

The creature came from the dark and the noise, grabbed more people and seemed to stuff them into its teeth to silence them. Others were hit hard with another part of the monster and held down until it could get its teeth into them. It got as many people within reach and then looked at David.

David pulled down on the throttle and sped off into the jungle. The creature broke after him and barreled through the vines, ferns, and trees. David's heart felt as if it was foot in front of him and that it was working harder than the engine. He wanted to think about how this was the worst idea he'd ever had and question himself as to why he did it but the thoughts wouldn't form.

He couldn't even think about how dying would feel. He couldn't think of his partner, Liam, who would walk into the lab in the morning and find nothing but a broken lock.

The beast roared and ran, grabbed onto strong trees and swung itself closer to David.

David's mind sparked and he thought of a clearing he knew of very well. He took a hard left on a small path. The clearing quickly opened in front of him and he laid on the horn and started to scream and yell. From the clearing rose tens of gorillas all on high alert. They pounded their chests and ran to meet David and the to defend their territory.

They hooted and roared, stood on their feet and threw rocks as David slowed down to draw more of them out. The gorillas kept up their posture even as the creature barreled out of the jungle. The creature saw the gorillas and tried to stop but ended in a violent ball of hands, teeth, and tail. David sped away.

The gorillas quieted as the creature rose from the dirt. It shook dirt from its gills and adjusted its large jaw by flexing it open and closed. Rows and rows of razor teeth seemed to move like waves as it dropped it head to look at the black cluster of animals.

The gorillas started to posture for their territory again. The creature shunned and ran the other way.

David burst through his makeshift home's door and ran to the bathroom to throw up. He flushed and got up to wash his mouth.

“David.”

David was startled and fell into the wall as he brought up his hands to fist fight. “Who's there?”

The person pulled the cord for the hallway light. It was Liam.

“Where is he, David?” Liam walked closer to David but stayed out of range from his fists.

“The jungle. Or dead.”

Liam was older than David. He was wide shouldered and tall. He had a square face with a bump in his nose.

“You released him?” Liam's face looked calm but his light blue eyes grew dark with intensity as David's knuckles grew whiter and his palms became wet.

“I'm getting out of here, Liam. I'm done with you and this place! I've got enough money to run from you and the government for the rest of my life!” David sobbed as he yelled.

Liam brought up a gun and shot David in the shoulder. David fell and looked at his shoulder.

“Tranquilizer.” David said lazily.

“You're not going anywhere until we get him back.” Liam said.

David lost consciousness and Liam put away the gun.

David woke up in the lab that borne the monster. He was in a chair with his wrists and ankles zip tied together. He mumbled as his eyes rolled.

Liam was sitting at a desk with a tablet in his hand. He looked at David after hearing him start mumbling. He held the tablet as he walked to David.

“He trusted you David.” Liam pointed to the tablet.

David made better sounds but still no words. Liam grabbed David's bobbling head and made him look at the screen.

“You lured him into the truck! Where did you take him?” Liam shook David.

“Paaa…paaa…esss.”

Liam let David go and put the tablet down. He looked around the lab. It was messy and gross. Jars of chemicals everywhere and dried blood all over the walls, some of it was theirs but some of it was from the creature. The floors were covered in dirt.

They weren't doctors, which the people on the island thought they were. They were scientists with a purpose. Or more like Liam's purpose. David stopped believing in Liam's cause sooner than he'd ever admitted to Liam but he hadn't controlled his own decisions for a long time.

Liam ran his fingers through his greying, thick hair. “David, I'm trying not to get mad but it's getting more difficult the longer you can't talk. Pull yourself together and tell me where you took Sharkrilla.”

David was able to look to Liam. “Annnthhhaaaa….”

Liam walked back to David. “That's not a word, David.” Liam picked up the tablet. The surveillance video kept playing. David was leading the creature out, signing with it as it followed.

David didn't know about the extra cameras Liam had set up and his eyes glossed over with tears.

“Are you scared? Or are you worried about how disappointed I am in you? Or both?”

“Pppaaannthharrsss….”

Liam stared at David with unchanging eyes. David was able to focus on Liam. Liam took the tablet and slammed it against the side of David's head. It didn't hurt as much as it could have since he was still coming down from the large dosage of tranquilizer. Liam dropped the tablet and started hitting David with his fists.

“My work! My life! You sold him to the Panthers! You sold him!” Liam was repeating as he struck David.

Soon he lost energy and left David where he was, bloody but not feeling much.

“He kkkkilled tthhhemm allll….”

Liam sighed and dropped his head. “He's just out there, then.”

David nodded.

Liam sighed. “He'll come back for you and probably me because, why not? He'll kill everyone on this island. And you know what David?” Liam walked to David and put his face right in David's. “Since he can swim in the ocean he's going to go far, far away from here and kill all of those people too.”

David closed his eyes in shame.

“We're not a secret anymore.”

Liam went the hardwired phone and dialed a number.

“Commander Fillion, please.” Liam waited. “Commander. Yes. Please, to the lab.”

Liam hung up the phone and sat at his desk. “You killed my work, David. You killed Sharkrilla.”

Skarkrilla galloped through the brush and trees not knowing where he was or where to go. He was 10 feet tall if he stood straight up on his feet. His skin was that of a shark, his body was of a gorilla, with a tail that dragged on the dirt. It seemed as though his entire body was hard muscle. His head was shaped like a gorilla but his snout was a triangle with rows of teeth that he couldn't hide. The gills under his arms and dorsal fin on his back were useless while on land.

He was outside for the first time in the cool night air. He rolled around in the dirt and climbed trees. He scanned the areas he was running through for water but there were only small streams so far. He ran along side them to find what they were feeding.

He watched the stream so intently he didn't realize it lead off of a fifty-foot cliff until he was falling. He slammed into the dirt and rocks shoulder first. He lay there looking at the pool that the stream feed and his eyes closed as he stayed unmoving.

Back at the box truck the few live members of the Panthers were taking the guns and ammo from the dead and moving them under the overgrowth. The sun was coming up as they laid the last person under the large low leaves and moist ground.

One Panther, Dia, brought the group together. “When we find it shoot it, but not to kill. The boat is still set to take off tomorrow at zero six hundred.”

“We should wait for backup.”

“We don't have time. We die here trying or the general kills us himself for failing.” Dia looked at the small group of soldiers she had left.

Commander Fillion slammed his hand on the desk. David was fully conscious and untied. Liam stood calmly.

“God damn you both! When I get on a boat at two in the morning I'm not expecting that you let the thing out!”

“I didn't let it out, Fillion.” David defended himself.

“Shut the fuck up. Shut the fuck up. Don't you say a fucking word to me.” Fillion put a finger in David's face. His anger showing by his red neck. “You let it out.” Fillion turned to Liam. “And you want us to not kill it. You want us to capture it and bring it back?”

“Yes.” Liam said.

“And I say no. It dies out there and you two come back to base where this sort of shit doesn't happen anymore.”

“Fillion, please. This is my life. Just capture him and he and I can be hidden away. But don't kill him.”

Fillion got close to Liam. He felt bad for Liam. “That the Panthers know it exists is a problem that we can't undo.” Fillion pointed to David. “I'm sorry he ruined this for you but we're here to clean up this mess.”

Realization started to sink in with Liam. His life's work was going to be destroyed.

Liam walked over to David who was sitting next to a soldier. Liam started punching a very unprepared David in the face. The soldier jumped and pulled Liam off of David but not before David had a bleeding lip and nose.

The soldier sat Liam down. “Sir?” He looked at Fillion.

“He's fine. I would do that same.”

Liam held his head in his palms and began to cry. David held his shirt to his bleeding face.

Sharkrilla opened his eyes and stretched his jaw, displaying his rows of teeth. His eyes adjusted to the light and came into focus. There, just in front of him, was the clear pool. He dragged himself to the pool. Once at the edge he slipped in without a ripple and swam under the surface so only his dorsal fin showed.

He gave a thrust with his tail and ended up under the small waterfall. He climbed the slippery rocks a few feet up and let the water run over him.

He could process the air in salt water but not fresh water.

He dropped back down and swam for a bit longer before he left the pool to continue his way to the coast. He wanted salt water.

The science lab turned into an army outpost with guns, ammo, satellite computers, digital maps, trackers. There was a loud blip from one of the computers.

“Sir!”

Fillion went to the soldier. “We got him, boys. Suit up and let's roll out. He's on his way to Imperial Bay. And then to open water. If we go around the Golden Road we may be able to cut him off.”

Liam grabbed Fillion before he left with his troops. “Please,” Liam said.

“Better luck next time.” Fillion said looking into Liam's eyes.

Fillion pulled Liam's hands from him and walked out the door.

They pilled into their three jeeps and sped off to kill Sharkrilla.

Liam ran back to the supply room and grabbed all of the tranquilizers they had left.

“Liam?” David said.

He threw a rifle at David. “Get in the jeep. Hopefully having Sharkrilla go after you first gives me time to save him.”

Fillion hung from the window of the moving jeep and held the binoculars up and watched the tree line. He saw the treetops shake as something large moved through them.

He looked to where the monster was projected to come out and saw seven black objects waiting on the beach.

“What the fuck is out there?” He asked the jeep.

“Sir,” a soldier started, “the thermal scans show seven heat signatures on the beach.”

Fillion looked plainly at the soldier. “I should have asked, why didn't you tell me that sooner?”

“Apologies, Sir.”

“Can this piece of shit go any faster? Come on!” Fillion said.

The Panthers stood silently poised on the beach. The waves broke behind them and the water crept up the beach. Trees snapped and leaves rustled as if in a storm. A few of the gun barrels shook with the holder's fear.

“Hold!” Dia whispered loudly. “Hold.”

From their left the jeep trudged onto the beach. All of the Panthers pointed their guns to the jeeps but did not pull the trigger.

Fillion and the soldiers exited the jeeps but stayed behind the doors for protection.

“We've got bigger guns here, Panthers.” Fillion yelled to them.

“We don't have issue with you Army man.” Dia yelled back.

Fillion smiled. “Oh thank God. I mean, we've never shot people that were trying to keep us from our objective.”

Dia knew that the seven of them wouldn't have enough ammo to defend themselves against the soldiers and have enough for Sharkrilla.

“We will not interfere with what you are going to do.” Dia lowered her gun.

The other Panthers mumbled to themselves and gave side-glances to Dia while lowering their guns as well.

Just then Sharkrilla burst through the wall of green onto the beach. He kicked sand into the air with his movements and took a few rolls before noticing the group of people who met him.

Before Fillion could give an order soldiers were firing. The bullets either didn't hit or only glanced Sharkrilla leaving cuts in his grey, thick skin.

Sharkrilla wailed at the shock and pain. He roared and opened and flexed his jaw. His tail swished and threw more sand in the air. He followed where the shots were coming from and launched himself at the jeeps. He landed on top of one burying the front of the jeep in the sand. He grabbed the two soldiers that were on either side and slammed them together over and over until their bodies were limp. He threw them at one of the other jeeps knocking over two more soldiers.

“Open fire!” Fillion officially yelled and they all began shooting again.

Sharkrilla jumped down from the jeep and used it to shield his large body the best he could. The soldier that still remained with the crushed jeep was paralyzed with fear. Sharkrilla picked him up with one hand and bit him almost in half. He spat out the bite and looked toward the soldiers.

The Panthers opened fire as well. They shot a mix of bullets and tranquilizers. The tranquilizers hit and fell away from Sharkrilla as if they were shooting pencils. The needles weren't sharp enough to piece his dense, thick skin.

“Shoot the soldiers!” Dia yelled. The Panthers began shooting the soldiers and taking more strategic shots at Sharkrilla.

“Oh, hell no!” Fillion watched one of his soldiers fall to the sand with a dart hanging out of his shoulder. “Shoot everybody!” He yelled.

Fillion shot wildly with frustration in the direction of the Panthers. As he fired, a shadow fell over him. He looked up just in time to see the crushed jeep flying through the air at him. He and his other soldiers jumped to the sides before the crushed jeep landed on top of the other. Sand filled the air and Fillion covered his eyes and mouth. When it blew away and he lowered his arms he saw Sharkrilla where the jeep had been. His muscles bulging and his mouth hanging open as he panted.

Fillion, who hadn't gotten a good look at Sharkrilla yet, thought how grotesque this thing was. So human like with a body that was a perfect mix of both deadly animals.

Sharkrilla took a heavy step forward sinking into the sand. Fillion couldn't think of anything else that might have weighed as much as it. Sharkrilla dropped his fists into the sand and galloped toward them.

Fillion fired at Sharkrilla. His bullets buried themselves in his skin but the hybrid beast didn't flinch at the pain any more. Sharkrilla jumped over the pile of jeeps and landed on two solders. He ground them into the sand with his feet and hands feeling their bones breaking and crumbling under their skin.

“Shit!” Fillion and his three remaining solders ran to the last remaining jeep. “Is the rocket launcher in this car?”

“Yes Sir.” The solider said.

“Get it and shoot that fucking thing.” Fillion said.

The soldier that was sent to retrieve the launcher went down with a tranquilizer in his neck.

“Will you fucking quit it?” Fillion yelled at the Panthers.

Sharkrilla turned his attention to the Panthers. He ran over and snatched up the closest person. He bit the person's head off and ground the bones in his teeth. Bullets were burying themselves in Sharkrilla's skin. He picked up another person and dug his hands into their skin as if he was opening an orange.

Fillion went to get the rocket launcher himself. He loaded the rocket launcher and positioned himself with it on his shoulder. He followed Sharkrilla through the scope. Sharkrilla was pulling another person apart and ripping at them with his teeth when Fillion's scope was blocked.

He looked up and saw David falling out of a jeep with Liam running to Sharkrilla.

“Liam!” Fillion yelled and chased after him.

Sharkrilla turned when he heard Liam's name.

Liam and Sharkrilla locked eyes. Sharkrilla was covered in blood. His body heaved as he panted. His muscles were like steel cords under his skin.

Stop, Liam signed as he neared Sharkrilla. Please stop.

“Hold your fire!” Fillion yelled to his remaining troops.

All of the chaos stopped and Sharkrilla and Liam were in the eye of the storm.

I go to water, Sharkrilla signed.

You can't.

Sharkrilla looked at the water that was three meters away. His body softened, his shoulder slumped, and his eyes were sad. He wouldn't look Liam in the face.

You have to come back, Liam told him.

Sharkrilla's true size was put into perspective beside Liam.

A single shot broke the silence and Sharkrilla and Liam looked toward the cause. David was shaking and squirming against a soldier who was trying to take away his rifle.

Sharkrilla threw his arms in the air and tightened his muscles again. He roared and took off toward David.

David screamed watching Sharkrilla run toward him. The soldier let him go.

Liam ran after Sharkrilla.

David ran as well but the sand kept him from moving quickly. Sharkrilla slammed his shoulder into David. David hit the ground hard, all the air leaving his lungs. David gasped. Sharkrilla hung over him.

“No, please.” David pleaded after catching a few breaths.

Sharkrilla lowered his teeth to David's face and showed them; blood and skin were caught in the rows. David tried to crawl away but his body was like putty. Sharkrilla held him down.

There was a pop and Sharkrilla looked at his gills. A tranquilizer dark stuck out of the thin skin there. He looked past it and saw Liam lowering his gun.

“Liam!” David yelled.

Sharkrilla pulled out the dart. He turned back to David who continued to struggle. Sharkrilla casually picked David up with both hands and bit off his right arm.

David heard his bones crack and felt the cold inside his body. He felt lighter and saw his own blood and skin in Sharkrilla's teeth. Sharkrilla shook him once like a rag doll and dropped him. David couldn't move. He thought he was going to be hot soon. But he got colder and colder.

Sharkrilla ran and jumped into the water. Once the water was deep enough he was gone.

“Well, fuck.” Fillion said.

Fillion and one of his soldiers carried David into the lab. Liam knocked all of the jars and bottles off the metal table and they laid David down. Liam went right to sticking him with needles and fluids.

Liam rushed around getting knives and sutures, stitching needle and gauze.

“What can I help with?” Fillion asked following him.

“Take his clothes off.” Liam said.

“All of them?” Fillion said.

“God damnit, Fillion! We're trying to save his life!” Liam said.

“Alright, alright.” Fillion went to removing David's clothes.

His arm and shoulder were gone. His chest and face were covered in blood. Fillion took David's clothes off as if he was only drunk and getting him ready for bed.

Liam pushed Fillion out of the way before he could finish. Liam sprayed something on David's side that caused the blood to bubble. David didn't move.

“I think he's dead.” Fillion said.

“He's not dead.” Liam said with certainty.

“He probably wants to be.”

Sharkrilla kept his arms close to his long body as his tail worked side to side. His gills filtered the water for him to breath so he never had to resurface. He went deep into the ocean, as deep as his body could handle and then headed back to the lighter blue of the semi deep salt water.

The water was cold and thick, tougher to swim in then his pool in the lab. Other creatures that he didn't know swam by him. He watched them but they seemed to not notice him or acted like they didn't.

Hunger struck him and as these creatures came by him he'd snatch them from the water like it was air. The first thing he captured was flat and had muscles that made it flutter in the water. He ate all of it except the long flat tail that was like a fencing sword.

He swam into a swarm of little fish. He kept his mouth open as he moved with the shimmering cloud of fish.

As he moved in circles with them they all the sudden split into two columns and he faced another shark. It was almost twice his size and bluish white. He held his hands out to make himself look bigger than he was. The other shark noticed him then.

It started to swim around him like a boxer in a ring. Sharkrilla hung in the middle watching it. It flicked its tail and darted toward Sharkrilla. He flapped his arms and kicked with his tail away from the giant shark. The shark came back at him quicker and hit Sharkrilla in the head with its tail. It stunned him and he floated there waiting for his senses to come back.

It came around again before Sharkrilla was able to clear his head. It bit onto his leg and pulled him. He roared but only bubbles came out. The air left his lungs and he felt like he was choking and drowning. His gills weren't processing the water.

He thrashed around in panic and the shark bit down on him harder breaking his thick skin. He bubbled again and went down and took hold of the shark on either side of its triangle-shaped head. He squeezed hard and was able to bend enough to sink his teeth into its head. He pulled and bit further down and pulled again until the shark let him go.

The shark was bleeding like he was. Their blood mixed in the water. Sharkrilla hadn't noticed that he was able to breathe again and went after the shark again. The shark swung its tail and was off into the deep dark part of the water. Sharkrilla chased but was unable to catch it before it was undetectable in the dark.

Sharkrilla swam back to the surface and treaded the water feeling the sting in his leg. He dipped back under and saw another shark, smaller, and then another. They started to swarm him and he knew why. He swam as fast as he could to the shore and came out on his one leg and arms.

He looked back at the ocean and snorted as he went back into the jungle, blood trailing behind him.

David's eyes fluttered. He heard Liam and Fillion talking but didn't know what they were saying. He thought his ears were full of water. When was I near water? He felt himself being slammed in the sand. Were they filled with sand? His bones, muscles, and tendons ripped from his body. Maybe they're filled with blood, he supposed.

He tried to move and say water but nothing happened.

Liam came over and said something. He couldn't hear it. Liam signed to him.

You shouldn't be awake. I'm putting you back under.

Okay, David thought. That will get the blood out.

“We're going back out to get him. And don't fuck it up this time.” Fillion said to Liam.

“You'll never find him in the ocean.” Liam said.

“It's called thermal sonar. I thought you were a scientist.” Fillion said.

“I am.”

Fillion acted like he didn't hear him. “My guys are headed down there now to meet the boats that are coming to pick us up.”

“Can I try again to convince you not to kill him?” Liam said.

“No.” Fillion said.

Liam hung his head.

Fillion's satellite phone rang. He answered it and okay was all he said. He put the phone down. “He's back on the island.”

Liam gasped in surprise. “They saw him?”

“Yeah. The thermal scans showed him come up and go into the jungle.”

“Take me with you!” Liam grabbed hold of the straps on Fillion's bulletproof vest.

“First.” Fillion held his finger in Liam's face. “Get your hands off me.”

Liam let him go.

“You're not coming with us. But if you get in our way again I'll shoot you myself.” Fillion went to the front porch of the lab to wait for the car.

Sharkrilla made his way slowly and deeper into the jungle. Birds chirped and fluttered above him but no other animals showed themselves to him. His dark blood dripped from his leg. He stopped and tightly held the wound together to pause the bleeding.

As he grimaced at the pain, showing his teeth, a black gorilla showed itself. It didn't flinch when Sharkrilla turned to it and looked into its eyes. Another gorilla showed itself behind the first. Then another.

Sharkrilla stayed where he was in a mix of curiosity, instinct, and pain. More gorillas showed. The group followed as the leader went to Sharkrilla.

Sharkrilla signed to it. I half gorilla.

The gorilla didn't know what signing was but didn't take Sharkrilla's movements as threatening. It came up to him, hit its chest, baulked a bit and then walked past him. Sharkrilla watched it. After they all passed, the leader looked back to Sharkrilla and lifted its head in a motion that signaled for Sharkrilla to come with them. Sharkrilla got up and followed.

Fillion sat in the passenger seat of the jeep with his last remaining troops.

“Sir,” one from the backseat started, “We're tracking it, a large group of smaller creatures, and a small vehicle at nine o'clock.”

“Copy. And that's Liam. Fucking idiot.”

The group continued on its mission.

Sharkrilla, once reaching the gorillas' territory, had to stay on the fringe. The alpha male did not like his presence. Even though he couldn't be with the other gorillas he felt better being near them while wounded.

Dia and the Panthers tracked Sharkrilla through the jungle and readied themselves. They watched the gorillas move between themselves and get closer and closer to Sharkrilla. Sharkrilla stayed at the distance he was allowed, keeping his eyes down to those that approached him.

“Fire on three. Remember, don't kill it,” Dia said. “One, two, three.”

Shots hit all around. Sharkrilla was hit on his arms, legs, sides. All glancing shots that cut his skin to look like he was showering in his own blood.

Gorillas were shot as well. They did not fare as well as Sharkrilla. They screamed and yelped as bullets tore through their bodies and heads. Most ran but those that ventured closest to Sharkrilla all were killed.

Sharkrilla stared at the dead. The Panthers were reloading their weapons. More bullets rang out. Sharkrilla was hit in his open wound from the shark bite. He threw his head back in pain and then looked to the line of sparks from the gun barrels.

He slammed his fists into the ground and roared, his teeth making sparkles of their own. He galloped to them, picked up near by rocks, and threw them at those that fired.

The Panthers all ducked but in that time Sharkrilla came close enough to tower over them, casting a dark shadow. He buried his teeth into a man's chest, blood splashed onto the closest people.

“Fire, fire, fire!” Dia yelled.

Sharkrilla reached out and was able to grab the gun barrel but was shot through the hand before he grabbed hold. He yanked the gun from the Panther and beat him to death with it.

Dia's eyes widened knowing that as the final two, she and her last Panther, they could not win. “Run!” She turned and ran into the jungle but her fellow did not make it.

Sharkrilla snatched his leg from under him, lifted him above his own head, and ripped him almost in half. Blood rained down mixing with his own. He roared in the direction Dia was headed and slammed the lifeless body parts into the dirt over and over again.

He turned to the gorillas that were gathered around their dead. His anger was overflowing as he watched the animals mourn.

Just then a jeep burst through the overgrowth followed closely by a motorcycle that Liam was driving.

Sharkrilla was surprised but without thinking rushed toward the jeep. He threw his body against it stopping it, before it was ready to break. Fillion and the last of his soldiers slammed forward against the dash and seats.

Liam dumped the motorcycle ten yards behind from the crash.

Sharkrilla shook his head clearing it of the fog the collision left him with.

“Sharkrilla!” Liam yelled.

Sharkrilla looked at Liam and stumbled toward him. Fillion and his men fell out of the jeep and opened fire. Sharkrilla was hit in the back repeatedly. He roared at the pain and dropped to his knees.

“Liam! I told you not to come out here!” Fillion yelled and aimed his gun to fire.

Liam ran toward Sharkrilla but was stopped short when bullets tore through his shoulder and knee.

“Oh shit!” Fillion yelled and looked to where the shot came from.

Sharkrilla's eyes grew wide as Liam fell to the ground, blood pouring from his body.

Dia stood, arm out, holding her gun. “Sharkrilla!” She yelled.

Sharkrilla picked up and held Liam. Liam looked up at him. Blood soaked the left side of his body. Sharkrilla's stared into Liam's fading eyes.

You're my creation, Liam signed with his good hand.

Sharkrilla nodded.

A bullet hit Sharkrilla in the shoulder. Sharkrilla looked over to Dia who fired the shot. “I will not shoot again if you come with me peacefully.”

“He can't understand you, stupid!” Fillion yelled.

Dia quickly turned her gun to Fillion.

“Nope.” Fillion shot Dia between the eyes. She dropped like a bowling ball. “I told you we kill who we want, when we want.”

Fillion turned his gun toward Sharkrilla and opened fire. Sharkrilla's anger flared again as he shielded Liam.

Liam looked up at Sharkrilla and signed, Kill them all.

Sharkrilla laid him down and darted to the right to get out of the line of fire. Fillion and his team were slow to adjust and Sharkrilla was barreling toward the jeep. He slammed his body against it and flipped it over, crushing one of the soldiers.

They continued to fired. Sharkrilla stood holding his muscles tight. The bullets seemed to bounce off of him.

Sharkrilla grabbed a soldier and crushed the man's head in his good hand. The other soldier he bit into, taking most of his side and hip.

Fillion had started running before his last man was attacked. There should be a boat off the coast, he told himself as he ran. A boat with giant guns.

He reached the sand but just as he did he was bowled over. There was a knee in his back. Sharkrilla pushed him deeper into the sand as he lowered his mouth to Fillion's ear. He snapped and Fillion yelped. Fillion squirmed and Sharkrilla let him up. He got up and ran straight to the water. Sharkrilla followed closely behind him and almost playfully clamped onto his arm with his teeth. In a smooth motion he took Fillion into the waves.

Sharkrilla took him under the surface. The same school of sharks was still in the area from before. The scent of the blood filled Sharkrilla and he knew the others in the water felt it as well.

Fillion was quickly losing air and violently struggled against Sharkrilla's hold. He pulled and pulled, kicked his legs, threw slow punches to Sharkrilla's nose. Sharkrilla, floating still in the flurry of bubbles Fillion made, let Fillion free from his teeth. Fillion flailed in his moment of freedom but soon Sharkrilla pinned Fillion's arms against his sides.

Fillion's eyes fluttered as he took in salt water. Sharkrilla shook Fillion giving him one last jolt. Fillion focused his eyes on Sharkrilla. Sharkrilla bit off his head, cleanly and completely.

Sharkrilla let go of Fillion's body and it slowly fell down toward the other sharks. He swam to the surface and looked around. Open and empty as far as he could see.

David was carried on a stretcher to the small boat that was to take him back to home base. The Captain was there to meet him. He was hooked up to a morphine drip.

“Sir?” The Captain said loudly wanting to get David's attention.

David's head bobbed but he was able to focus for a bit.

“What happened?” The Captain asked.

“Sharkrilla killed everyone.”

“You'll have to tell this story to the General when we dock.”

David slipped into sleep again.

Sharkrilla shook the salt water from his body as he walked across the beach and into the jungle. He swung through trees and rolled through the over growth until he reached a clearing. Gorillas moved about and he sat and watched them.

Everyone he knew was gone. There was no one to talk to. He signed to the gorillas that came close but they did not respond.

He picked up the smell of the ocean as he watched the gorillas. No humans, he thought. Good.