The Captain stands by the edge of the cot, looking down at the corpse. Where the head should be, flaps of skin lie limp around the bloody stump of the neck. ‘You mind explainin this son?’
‘That’s Trooper Davidson, sir.’
‘A pulse mine do this?’
‘No, sir. He, uh, got stung by a blue wasp-like creature. Said he felt fine. Then not twelve hours later he said he had a tummy problem then the next thing I know, his goddamn head explodes.’
The Captain frowns. ‘Jesus.’
‘What do we do sir?’
The Captain pulls the cover over the body. ‘Keep on-route. And don’t get stung by any blue wasps.’
Paddy Dobson
10th June 2021