The End of Us

by D, Hannah

  When the man finally approached them he had to stop for a minute to try and catch his breath. All of their eyes were trained on him and eventually he met their eyes, finally ready to speak.

  “They want the meeting tonight” The man said.

  “Tonight? But we asked for tomorrow night?” Michael asked him.

  “They have more free time tonight and they don’t want to wait any longer t hear what you have to say to them” The man said.

  “But that doesn’t give us enough ti..” Arthur began before Sophia nudged him in his ribs to keep him quiet from revealing too much.

  “Tonight’s fine” Zoe told him.

  “They’ll meet you in that restaurant as soon as it’s dark so if I were you lot I’d start making my way down now” The man told them.

  “You got it” Zoe said.

  As soon as the man was out of earshot the questions from everyone started firing around. Zoe found it hard to keep up and to figure out who to answer first.

  “One at a time guys!” Zoe told them.

  “How do we do this? We’ve had no time to map it all out!” Arthur said worryingly.

  “Alice, John and Alex will stay up here where its safe whilst the rest of us go down to meet them. I don’t think they’re that stupid as to leave the majority of their group elsewhere so we need pretty much everyone to go down” Zoe told them.

  “Won’t that just tip them off that we’re up to something?” Mark asked.

  “I think they already know. I’m not buying that bullshit that they can only do tonight. They know we’re up to something” Zoe said.

  “Okay. We’ll stay up here and get things ready to go. I guess that means our escape route is through the Pentland Hills?” John asked.

  “I think it’s the best option we have. More places we can hide from anyone who wants to follow us. Also when it’s dark it gives us the advantage of not being seen as clearly” Zoe said.

  “Makes sense. Hide the guns under your clothes. I know they might already be tipped off that we’re up to something but they don’t know about the guns and we don’t want them to take them off of us before we go into this meeting” Michael said.

  “Good idea. Lets get ready to head down” Jeff said.

  As they unzipped the bag with the guns inside and got ready Zoe felt her stomach start to turn again. Something just didn’t sit right with her about this plan and how Rachael and Brian wanted to meet with them tonight. Zoe felt that something was just completely wrong about the situation.

  “I don’t feel right about this Jeff” Zoe whispered to him as they tucked their guns into the waistband of their jeans.

  “We’ll be fine and we’ll manage this Zoe. Trust me” Jeff said as he squeezed her hand.

  Once they were all ready and Jeff and Sophia had said their see you soon to Alex they all started to make their way back over the Pentland Hills. Zoe could hear the moans from the skin eaters below that seemed to be following them. When Zoe reached the bottom of the hill she saw the skin eaters coming around the corner and towards them. Climbing back up the second hill was the quickest they had climbed any of the hills so far. They didn’t want to waste anymore time by killing the skin eaters to get to this meeting.

  “We’ll get them on our way back” Jeff said to Zoe.

  “Yeah, not a problem” Zoe said between breaths.

  Zoe could feel their watchers following them as they climbed over the Pentland Hills. Zoe had no idea how many stayed back with Alice, John and Alex to watch them but Zoe guessed probably only one or two and Alice and John could take care of them easily enough.

  All of a sudden Zoe panicked as a thought jumped into her head. Zoe rushed up to Jeff as they were climbing the hill to tell him.

  “The people watching us would’ve seen us with the guns. We have to take care of them before they can say anything to Rachael or Brian” Zoe said panicked.

  “Shit you’re right! Hold on, let me go tell Michael” Jeff said as he rushed forward to speak to Michael.

  Zoe kept on climbing as though she wasn’t suddenly panicked so as not to tip off their watchers that they were going to have to do something to them so they wouldn’t tell Rachael or Brian. Zoe couldn’t believe that they had been so stupid as to have paraded the guns so much in their watchers faces and thinking they were being sneaky when they had given themselves away at the first instance.

  ‘God we just don’t think clearly sometimes!’ Zoe said to herself.

  As Zoe made it to the top of the hill, dead last, she saw Michael, Jeff and Mark standing their with rocks poised in their hands. Zoe gave Jeff a questioning look but he just placed his finger over his lips to tell Zoe to keep quiet.

  Zoe walked over to the rest of their group over by the small dip they’d need to cross to get over to the next hill and watched as the scene unfolded right before her eyes.

  Jeff, Michael and Mark hit their watchers over the heads with the rocks as soon as they appeared at the top of the hill. Zoe heard the thud as the rick hit their skulls and heard them cursing and yelling as they fell back down the hill. Zoe walked over to the edge and saw them lying at the bottom as the skin eaters surrounded them. There were four of the watchers lying down at the bottom, the three that had been hit on the head had taken the fourth one down with them.

  Zoe saw as the skin eaters bent down to them and started to tear into them. The men’s screams seemed to echo up to them and it sounded pretty close like they were all standing right beside them as this happened.

  “I didn’t even realise there were skin eaters down there” Mark said as he dropped the rock that was in his hand.

  “They got what they deserved” Michael grunted.

  “Cruel way to die though” Jeff sighed.

  Zoe agreed with both Michael and Jeff. Their watchers did deserve what they got but to be smacked so hard on their heads with rocks and then eaten alive by skin eaters did seem cruel. However it was new world order now where anything goes.

  Zoe kept on looking around her to make sure that there was no one around who might have seen what they had done, especially to make sure that no one from Rachael or Brians group had witnessed that. It did seem that their luck was in as no alarm got raised and no one seemed to have heard the men’s screams which had stopped completely now. Zoe guessed that they would see how much of those men were left when they made their way back. Probably not much of them would be left, skin eaters seemed to eat their human meals to the bone.

  They managed to make it to the restaurant with no further incidents happening and Zoe could see flashlights coming from inside the restaurant. Zoe could also make out the figures standing guard at the doors and around the sides of the restaurant.

  “Looks like they’re already here waiting on us” Mandy commented.

  “Also looks like you were right Zoe and they brought a lot of their people with them” Lewis said.

  “I knew they would. They’re not the kind of people who agree easily to demands” Zoe said.

  “Just means we’ll have more of a fight on our hands but I think we can pull it off” Mark said confidently.

  “I hope you’re right” Zoe sighed.

  “I hope Sue’s alright” Mike said worryingly.

  “They know the risk of hurting her and for them to lose us to get them all of their supplies. Don’t worry too much” Sophia said, trying to sound positive.

  The closer that they got to the restaurant the more that Zoe’s guts seemed to turn and her brain trying to tell her to just go back in the direction they came. There was just something very off putting about the whole situation.

  “Lets get down there and get this over with” Michael grunted.

  Zoe decided to stay at the back to take in everything that was happening. Zoe spotted shapes moving in the bushes and didn’t know if it was skin eaters or humans. As they got closer to the restaurant Zoe spotted the people guarding the outside come around to the front, it was almost like they were being boxed in as soon as they w
ould walk through the doors.

  “Jeff, seriously, this isn’t right. Somethings going to go horribly wrong” Zoe whispered to him.

  “I’m starting to see that now but it’s too late for us to do anything or turn around. We have to go with it” Jeff whispered back.

  ‘Please God, let us make it out of here alive’ Zoe prayed to herself.

  As they walked into the restaurant Zoe spied Matt standing right inside at the door. He had a massive looking axe balanced over his shoulder and towered over all of them but not towering that much over Michael. Michael would probably be the best one to take on Matt if it came to a fist fight.

  “Nice to see you again” Matt winked to Zoe.

  “Yeah well I can’t say the same to you” Zoe scowled at him.

  “Oh how harsh! My feelings are hurt! I look forward to the next show of you and your boyfriend there” Matt grinned wickedly.

  “You really are a pig of a man” Zoe said disgusted.

  “Come on Zoe. He’s not worth anymore of your time” Jeff said as he pulled Zoe away from Matt.

  “Bye Sweetheart!” Matt said to Zoe as he gave her another wink.

  Zoe had to swallow the sick that was rising from her stomach and up her throat. That man was one of the most vile men that Zoe had encountered. He made her top five list of vile men. Maybe Zoe would fight him and not Michael, she felt that angry at him.

  Zoe turned her attention to the scene in front of her. It was like a courtroom they had entered and everyone in Zoe’s group was on trial.

  Rachael and Brian were sat in the two chairs in the middle with a chair on either side of them accompanied by someone from their group. They all had weapons sitting in their hands and from the looks that Rachael and Brian were giving them it was like they were expecting a fight to erupt at any given moment.

  “Oh how lovely to see you all again” Rachael said a bit too sweetly.

  “Thanks for turning up even if it was a night earlier than we planned” Michael said.

  “Well we are a bit busy tomorrow night and thought tonight suited better” Rachael smiled.

  “Well even better then” Sarah told them.

  “So tell us, whats this new deal you have for us?” Brian asked them.

  “I would like to see my wife first to be sure she hasn’t been harmed” Mike spoke up.

  “Tell us the deal first then we’ll show you Sue” Brian said coldly.

  Zoe was about to object to this but Arthur spoke out before Zoe could say a word. Arthur told Rachael and Brian the fake deal that they were proposing and Zoe watched their faces as they listened to it.

  They did not seem to believe it in the slightest which made alarm bells go off in Zoe’s head.

  “Seems a bit surreal this deal. Not sure we believe you” Brian said.

  “We’ll do whatever was said in the deal only if you give me my mum back” Arthur told them.

  “See I’m not so sure. I feel like we’re getting lied to and I really do despise liars” Rachael commented.

  “We’re not lying. We just want Sue back” Mike said.

  “Hmm I don’t think you are telling us the truth. What do you think Brian?” Rachael asked him.

  “Yep, definitely lies” Brian said, narrowing his eyes at everyone.

  Zoe saw people moving in on them and she automatically went to reach for the gun that was tucked into the back of her jeans. The only thing that stopped her from pulling the gun out was seeing Mike step forward and into the middle of the floor.

  “Please can you at least let me see my wife” Mike pleaded with them.

  “We just want to make sure she’s doing okay” Arthur said as he stepped forward to stand beside Mike.

  Zoe saw a look pass between Rachael and Brians and it wasn’t a look that Zoe liked. It was like they had a dirty secret and they didn’t want to air it out. Zoe saw a few of their people start to shuffle their feet and look anywhere but at Zoe and her group and not one person looked at Mike or Arthur. The hairs on Zoe’s arms stood up.

  “Show us Sue right now!” Zoe demanded.

  “Alright Alright! But you asked for it” Brian said as he clicked his fingers at someone from behind him.

  Zoe saw two people disappear from the room they were all standing in as they went out the back door. Nobody spoke in the room and Zoe felt anxious as they waited on Sue to appear. Zoe knew that something had happened to Sue since they were being so reluctant to bringing Sue out for them all to see.

  Zoe started to hear a slight shuffling of footsteps and an almost growling noise coming from the back doors. Zoe placed her hand back against her back, ready to pull out her gun as she knew this next part wouldn’t be pretty.

  As the back doors swung open Zoe first spotted the backs of the two people who had left to go and get Sue. They seemed to be struggling with her and Zoe hoped that she was putting up one hell of a fight.

  Sue was putting up a fight but not for the reason Zoe had hoped for.

  As the two people turned around to face everyone, they had Sue in between them. Or what used to be Sue.

  Zoe watched in horror as she saw Sue who was once so mothering and caring now turn out to be a human eating skin eater. She was looking at them all with hunger clear in her eyes and her teeth clamp together. She was pulling against the two people holding her in place, not caring if I hurt but now she wouldn’t feel any pain.

  Mike had crumpled to the floor in agony, screaming out the pain that he felt as he saw his wife now become a skin eater. Mike had lost his wife. Arthur was stood still on the spot, his eyes locked on his mum. Zoe noticed that he had went into shock and they had to get both Mike and Arthur out of here before they ended up getting themselves killed.

  “We’re very sorry but the dead got into out camp and managed to take out a chunk of Sue here. We did forget we had her tied up” Brian said with a sickening smile.

  “We offer our condolences of course” Rachael said with fake sweetness.

  That was when Arthur seemed to snap out of his shock. He reached around to the back of his jeans and pulled out his gun. Aimed it at Rachael. And fired.

  Rachael went down to the ground with a thump. A bullet shaped hole through her head and her mouth opened in shock.

  “Paybacks a bitch!” Arthur cried out, tears rolling down his face.

  ‘At least Rachael won’t be coming back as a skin eater’ Zoe thought as she looked at the hole in Rachaels head.

  That was when the place erupted. There were yells and people coming towards them. Zoe managed to take her gun out and aimed it at the man coming towards her but ended up missing him. She dodged his saw by inches as she felt it brush her ear. Zoe turned and punched him in the back before he could turn back around to face her and he fell to the floor. Zoe lifted her leg and smacked him right in the face with her boot and he went unconscious. Zoe didn’t have enough time to kill him as more people started coming toward her and her group.

  Zoe noticed Arthur fighting people off around him and Mike. Mike was still sitting on the floor, crying his eyes out and wailing over his now lost wife. Arthur was letting all his rage and anguish out on killing those who had let his mum die and turn into a skin eater.

  As Zoe fought off another person who came towards her she turned around and found herself facing Matt. He had a big Cheshire grin on his face and Zoe watched as he came barrelling towards her. Zoe lifted her gun but wasn’t able to fire it as Michael had stepped in her way, landing a punch directly into Matt’s face.

  “Zoe! Get everyone out of here now!” Michael yelled.

  Zoe didn’t argue and she guessed everyone had heard Michael anyway as they started running for the doors to take them back outside and over the Pentland Hills.

  Zoe made her way over to where Arthur was still fighting and Mike was on the floor. Zoe also spotted that Sue, now a skin eater, was free and beginning to eat the people who were closest to her. Mike and Arthur did not need to see that.

  “Arthur get your dad a
nd lets go!” Zoe shouted in his ear.

  “Not until they’re all dead for what they done to my mum!” Arthur shouted.

  “We have to get out of here now before we’re overpowered and all dead! You killed Rachael for your revenge! Your mum would want you to go now and get to safety!” Zoe yelled to him.

  Arthur gave Zoe a fleeting look that he understood and bent down to pick up Mike from the floor. Mike let Arthur pick him up and guide him out the door.

  Zoe turned and spotted Brian making a run for the back doors to escape. Zoe lifted her gun and aimed it at Brian. Her finger was on the trigger, ready to pull when Sue stood up in front of Brian, filling Zoe’s view of her face, dead eyes and her mouth covered in blood. Zoe lowered her gun as she saw Sue start to make her way over to her, spitting out blood and human parts, her arms stretched out toward Zoe.

  “I’m so sorry Sue” Zoe said to her.

  Zoe lifted her gun back up again. Put her finger on the trigger, took a deep breath and felt a tear roll down her check as she shot Sue in the head.

  Zoe saw Sue’s now lifeless and completely dead body hit the ground before her. Zoe bit back a cry of pain as she turned to follow the rest of her group out the door and back up the Pentland Hills.

  Zoe ran past a now unconscious Matt and she didn’t know if Michael had killed him or not. Not that she particularly cared anyway. After seeing what they had done to Sue she didn’t care who was dead and if they were in pain when they died. Zoe hoped they were in a lot of pain.

  Zoe saw her group just a little in front of her and ran to catch up with them. There were no more people hiding out here for them as far as Zoe could see. She hoped the sound of gun shots made them flee. There were a few skin eaters bodies lying on the ground around her group as she reached them however. The noice of the fight obviously had reached them.

  “My Sue. They killed my Sue” Mike cried out, again crumpled on the ground.

  “I’ll kill them all one day. I promise you that mum” Zoe heard Arthur whisper to himself angrily.

  “We have to go back and get her. Kill her and bury her” Mike whimpered.