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Message: <blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 5001699" data-attributes="member: 3285">Landscrapes: Part 5 – Forest for the TreesThe explosion was so powerful that it knocked Hammer down, yards away, and blew out all the glass in the greenhouse. The tree burst into flames, stopping in its tracks.  What was left of the work shed disintegrated in a flaming pile of wreckage."Jimmy?" Hammer shouted into his cistron.  "Jim?"  No response.Hammer caught sight of a streaking red line moving along the ground.  He sprayed wildly with his Glock, missing it.It darted back into the copse of trees.  And another oak, this one larger than the first, painfully tore up its roots.Hammer, jaw set, knew what he had to do."Come on!" shouted Hammer, setting the gas can next to him.  "Come on you son of a bitch!"The tree awkwardly, slowly, stumped towards him.  It would have been comical under different circumstances.Hammer backed up, rifle at the ready.  The tree strode within yards of the gas can.  "Come on," whispered Hammer.  "Just a little closer…"The tree stopped.  It waved one huge limb, curling branches around it in the chastising gesture of a human finger, as if to say, "Nah ah ah!"Hammer swore.  It was smarter than he thought.Dropping his rifle, he changed tactics.  He charged towards the gas can.The tree was slow to react.  Hammer's new tactic was unexpected.  It swung towards him in a mighty arc.  Leaves slapped Hammer's head and back, but it was a glancing blow.Gathering the gas can up in one hand, Hammer threw it up into the tree's limbs.The tree was torn between trying to disentangle itself from the gas can and swinging at Hammer.  It took a swipe at him instead.Too late, Hammer was already out of range.  Hammer drew both of his pistols.  He was better shot with his Glocks in any case.The tree loomed over him.  Hammer took careful aim with one of the Glocks and fired.The shot was a million to one.  Igniting a gas can with a bullet was no easy task.  Hammer had to hit it just right – strike the metal, the gas, and at the same create a spark.  He hit it just right. The gas can exploded, engulfing the tree in flames. The tree immediately froze, burning.  Hammer watched, squinting, for any signs of movement along the ground.The red glob darted out from the burning roots.  Hammer was ready.He fired a single shot.  That was all it took.  But it was a perfectly aimed shot.The red glob, propelling itself along the ground at high speed towards the copse of trees, exploded in a pile of spattered ichor. Hammer lowered his pistol with a sigh of relief.His cistron crackled.  Hammer looked over at the pile that was once the work shed. Some of the wreckage shifted as a bloody hand clawed its way out.",,,explosion was bigger than I expected," grunted Jim-Bean.</blockquote>

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