Learning to Dance

where February would be heading-
Away from Up.
The starship’s lights flashed red as she raised her zapper
high. “Come and get me, you stupid bugs! Sígueme,
sígueme! Follow the leader!”
Suddenly a sharp, deep stabbing sensation struck her in
the back. “What the -”
A second stab. The pain hit then, and it was unlike
anything she’d ever experienced - almost like someone was
digging into her with a dull spoon. She could feel the
mosquitoes’ venom spreading out from the wound into her
bloodstream, icy and burning all at the same time. A
strangled sound came out of her throat, and she felt her
knees give way. She barely felt the third stab, just struggled
to take in enough air as she lay immobile on the floor and
listened to the horrendous sucking sounds of three giant
mosquitoes drinking her life away.
Well, she never thought this was how she was going to
go.
“Taz!”
Up?
“Oh, Taz!”
He came after me.
She tried to say his name, but all that came out was a
whimper.
“Get off her, you damn bugs!”
Suddenly the pressure on her back lessened, and she felt
the mosquitoes’ proboscises slide one by one from her
body, each with a sickening lurch. With great effort, she
turned her head to see what was going on.
“You bugs want blood?” Up growled, unbuckling the
straps of his utility belt. What was he doing? “Then take
it!”
No, Up -