Sprite ran as fast as she could, but Helen’s firepower was as ineffective as Sprite’s. They just needed something bigger.

The machine was only steps behind and gaining fast. Another moment and it would have her. A fleeting thought made her wonder what it would feel like to be yanked off her feet and be crushed by those large, metal hands, twisted, torn into two, and discarded.

She wondered if there was any way she might survive that.

If she did, would she want to?

“Sprite!” Helen yelled, still pointlessly but expertly firing her automatic. “Hang on!”

Not long now.