“Take a look at this.”
Garret groaned a silent complaint and then started to move. He settled in next to Rowan and took in the view.
“They’re not even following us,” Garret said after a long look. “Where do you think they’re going?”
Rowan shrugged. They watched the morbid parade until the last stragglers passed in front of the building. Rowan divvied up a small portion of the remaining food as Garret settled in. Neither of them said it, but they both appeared to understand that time wasn’t on their side. Rowan took the opportunity to explain what he saw down in the valley beyond the trees.
“Did you see their faces?”
Rowan heard the question and knew what it really meant. Garret was looking for his mother. Rowan shook his head and then started for the other side of the building. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do. There was a good chance that if Mia was alive, she was down in that valley, maybe Jonah too. Something told him that if he ever went back there, he’d never make it out again.
His dilemma was abruptly interrupted. The view from the far corner of the rooftop included a wide section of the outlands beyond the city boundary. Movement caught his attention and held him still. The infected pushed through the grass in long rows, evenly spaced with several yards between them. The size of the force no longer frightened him, but something between the rows grabbed hold of his heart.
“Come here.”
The words came out in a whisper, as if the distant infected group might hear him. Garret pushed himself up and made his way across the blacktop. The two stood next to one another watching the field in silence. The rows of bodies marched in a uniformity that was difficult to believe. The sudden, sporadic movements between the lines were noticeable outliers.
“Are those people?” Garret asked.
Rowan nodded, not entirely sure.
“Are those our people?”
“There’s no way to be certain,” Rowan said.
“What are they doing?”
The answer struck Rowan with a vicious blow. “They’re taking their food with them.”
Garret’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. He swallowed hard and then headed back across the roof.
“Where are you going?” Rowan asked as he went after him. “You need to rest.”
“You think they’re going to rest?”
Garret was at the ladder railing when Rowan finally caught up with him.
“We don’t even know where they’re going.”
“Does it matter?” Garret asked. He slipped his leg over the side and found his footing. “There’s nothing left here for us. We’ve got two choices.” He slowly lifted his injured leg between the railings and brought his foot down on a rung. “We follow them or we go back to that place you found.”
Rowan knew he was right.
“Which will it be?” Garret asked.
Rowan looked back at the corner of the roof. The view of the grassland was lost between the taller buildings, but he had a clear picture in his mind. He believed the uprising meant the infected were evolving as Jacob had said. They were flushing every living thing out of the city. He also believed a lack of food supply was the drive behind the shift in behavior.
“They’ve found something,” he said. “More people, I’d guess.”
“And the survivors are meant to sustain them until they reach their goal,” Garret surmised.
Rowan nodded. They were over the side of the railing heading for the alleyway a moment later. There was no sign of the dead, but the silence alone was startling. Rowan dropped down onto the hard alley floor, and the impact rode all the way up his spine to the back of his head. He did his best to help Garret soften the blow.
They headed north along the front face of the building. The dead were easy to find. The mass continued forward like mindless sheep, falling in behind the line of infected now far out in the grassland. Rowan and Garret stopped short of the tall grass barrier and peered back at the city.
“I don’t think we’re ever coming back here,” Rowan said.
Garret nodded slowly. “There’s nothing left to come back to.”
They turned their backs on the city for the last time and plunged into the outlands.
14
“I…I can’t.” Mia backed away from her father and then pushed herself up off her knees. “I can’t do that.” The difficulty of leading the sad remains of her tribe to safety was a forgotten burden. Her father’s last request was beyond anything she could’ve imagined.
“There’s not much time now,” Arkin said. He tried to pull away from the wall but lacked the strength to move his weight. “You know what’s going to happen.”
Mia stared at him with horrified sadness. She couldn’t bring herself to consider his request. Her body trembled as she looked to Jacob for support. The old man wouldn’t look her in the eyes. Arkin’s cough brought her focus back to him. He struggled to get his breathing under control.
“You must,” he said.
Mia clenched her fists. She wouldn’t allow herself to break, she couldn’t. She managed to stop her quivering, but her father’s request was still something she couldn’t yet comprehend. How could she kill her own father?
“It’s time to go,” Arkin said, ignoring Mia’s rebuff. “If the way is clear then you need to move now. There’s no telling how long before another group will pass this way.”
As he spoke, several veins running down the side of his neck darkened to a deep, violet hue. The sight was more than Mia could take. She turned away from him and headed toward the door. She steadied herself before looking back at the others.
“Gather your things,” she said. “We’ll go out one at a time. Stay close and be quiet.” A number of the survivors glanced at Arkin before acting on the instructions. Mia settled her mind on her role and then looked to Jacob. “Can you take the lead?”
Jacob was up, nodding as he stepped away from Arkin. He met her at the door.
“It won’t be fast,” he said.
Mia nodded. “Just keep moving,” she said. “We need to be in a safe place before we lose the light.”
He pushed on the door and held it open wide enough to look down the road in front of the building. The way was clear. Mia walked in between the people, helping them get their meager things together. She picked out a number of them who looked strong enough to use a weapon. There were an assortment of knives among the belongings and one other bow besides her own. The children needed encouragement to step back out into the open. Mia made sure the last of them were out the door before she built up the nerve to approach her father.
Arkin was barely breathing. It took him considerable strength to look up at her. The moment they were alone, Mia let down her mask. Her eyes swelled up in an instant and tears ran down her face. Barrick had handed her her father’s weapon in passing. She had fond memories of the sword. Arkin took considerable time showing her how to use it properly when she was younger. It felt heavy in her hands, the blade hidden within the hand-carved sheath.
She took a step toward Arkin but couldn’t will herself to continue. He looked up at her with a golden hue covering the whites of his eyes. His mouth opened but he couldn’t speak. Arkin’s shoulders lurched forward and then he fell over on his side. Darkening veins crisscrossed his face and the skin along his exposed chest.
Mia forced herself to take step toward him then another. She stood over her father, looking down on him through blurry eyes. Arkin groaned a terrible sound and focused his stare on her. Gasping for air and clinging to the last moments of life, he managed to get out a single word.
“Please.”
♦
The line of survivors moved with cautious steps, each one following the figure in front of them. Jacob walked quickly across an open road, urging the others to speed up as they followed. There was no sign of the dead or the infected, but a distant sound of dead-speak hung in the air in every direction. The afternoon light was fading fast, and the fear of being ca
ught out in the open after dark clung to everyone.
Mia walked in a daze, oblivious of her surroundings. Jacob kept close to her, several times having to stop her from walking out into the middle of the street. She’d followed through with her father’s last request and part of her hated him for it. She was incapable of piercing the morbid agony clouding her mind. Jacob understood enough of what she was going through not to ask.
They continued the forced march until they caught a glimpse of the tall grass of the outlands. The street came to an abrupt end a few blocks ahead of the group. Jacob used Barrick as a mouthpiece, understanding most of the tribe’s members would only take orders from one of their own. The entire formation sat down, leaning against the side of a crumbling building. They quietly worked through what supplies they had, passing the portions around. The heat of the day was gone and the coming darkness led a chilling wind into the city.
“Well, there it is,” Jacob said.
It took Mia a moment to process his expectation of her response.
“What?” She blinked back to the moment and looked down in the direction he was pointing. “Now what?”
Jacob stared back her and his brow rose slightly on his forehead. “I was hoping you were going to tell me that.” He grunted something to himself and wiped the sweat off his face. “What have I gotten myself into?”
Mia rested her hand on the hilt of her father’s sword, now tied off at her waist. It felt good to have the weapon close to her. “We should clear out one of these smaller buildings.” She took a glimpse back at the line of figures along the sidewalk. “I don’t think most of them will be able to continue for much longer.” A few of the children were lying flat on the ground, some with their heads on the laps of the adults. She took a moment to count and stopped short of two dozen. “So few,” she said under her breath, trying not to think of how many of her people were lost forever.
Barrick stepped away from the others. He walked in close and motioned for Jacob and Mia to join him in a tight circle. The lines in his face highlighted his fatigue.
“You can’t push them anymore,” he said. “There’s only a handful that could fight if they had to, the rest,” he peeked back, “wouldn’t last very long.”
Mia knew the situation before he said it, but his point was well taken. She turned her attention to the two-story directly across the street from where they’d stopped. The main door and first floor windows were boarded up. Chances were that the last occupants were long dead. If Mia and the capable fighters could dispatch the undead that were sure to be inside, the building might prove to be a safe hideout for the night. She made up her mind quickly, but her announcement was interrupted by an all too familiar sound.
“Which way?”
Mia spun around on her heels and followed Barrick and Jacob’s glare down the road behind them. The first of the undead staggered around the corner of a building from a side street. A heartbeat later and there were more than she could count, but it was the first sight of rapid movement that pushed Mia to act.
“Run,” she yelled. “Get up, go.” She ran along the side of the building helping people to their feet. The first screams erupted from the children among the survivors and the sound of their cries appeared to encourage the dead to move faster. “Don’t look back,” Mia said, making sure everyone was on the move. She caught Barrick’s attention. “We need to stay behind them and do what we can.” The dead were moving fast and a handful of infected had pulled free from the group and were now running out in front. There was no time for fear. Mia unsheathed her sword, held it out with both hands, and side stepped so she could watch both directions at once.
“Everyone’s moving, get out of there.”
Mia heard Jacob, but she couldn’t see him. She took one last look along the building for any stragglers. Barrick pulled on her arm and got her moving. The infected were closing in when she turned to run.
The scent of the dead washed over them in a wave of putrid mist, soaking every inch of their clothing. The aroma quickly combined with moaning calls for flesh, and the combination was enough to send the racing survivors into a frenzy. Mia stayed in the back, turning every few steps to get a look at the haunting view of what was catching up to them. Barrick was close to her and his gasps didn’t bode well for him keeping up the pace, let alone being able to defend the others if he needed to.
Mia was torn with indecision. They were heading for the tall grass, but she knew the endless maze would most likely be the death of them. She also knew that even if they could pile into one of the few buildings between them and the city boarder, they’d be trapped inside until they starved to death. Neither solution set well in her gut, but a hasty look over her shoulder revealed that it wouldn’t matter. Mia resigned herself to give the rest of the survivors as much of a chance to escape as she could.
“We have to hold them off.”
Her announcement came as she stopped and turned to face the advancing infected. She stood ready, counting the half-dozen raging figures sprinting toward her. She held her sword up in front of her body, the tip running directly along the center of her face. A stream of images rushed through her mind: the faces of Rowan, Jonah, her father, and an assortment of the lost members of her tribe. She used her sorrow and anger to fight off her fear.
“They’ll focus on us.”
Barrick’s voice helped to calm her. She knew she wasn’t alone. Mia braced herself for impact. The fight would have to be quick if they hoped to survive. She didn’t move until she could see the yellow hue of the infecteds’ eyes as they reached out for her.
Mia swung with deadly precision. The first cut severed a head below the Adam’s apple. She side stepped a set of raking fingernails and brought her blade down for another attack. Barrick closed in tight, stabbing as he went. Two more survivors took up the fight, the first of which was overwhelmed before she ever knew what was happening.
The sides were even when Mia was able to catch her bearings. The remaining infected showed incredible restraint. They opened their mouths and growled, gnashing teeth at their prey. It took a moment for her to realize they were holding for a reason. She backed away, encouraging Barrick and the other man who stayed behind to follow her retreat. The three remaining infected spread out, two of them on the outside, attempting to get around the flank.
“They’re trying to slow us down,” Mia said. She looked past the wretched things toward the massive undead flock drawing closer. Her eyes swelled when she realized several figures were pushing through the dead, racing out in front. “Run.”
The tribesman ahead of her turned around and the nearest of the infected was ready to pounce. The foul thing’s graying skin pressed down on him, smashing him onto the street. Mia moved to help, but one of the others rushed her. The weight of the infected woman hit Mia with enough force to knock the wind out of her. She fell with her arms extended and the impact caused her to drop her weapon. Mia slipped her arm under the infected woman’s chin before her jaws pressed down close enough for a bite. A petrifying roar erupted from the black pit between her snapping teeth, and the smell of rotting meat smacked Mia in the face. Gashes along the sides of her cheeks revealed the festering muscle beneath the skin. Haunting golden eyes stared down at Mia with lustful hate as she lashed back and forth.
Mia pushed the woman’s face back, pressing into her throat. Nails dug into Mia’s side, tearing through her shirt and digging into her skin. She reached out for her sword and her fingertips slipped over the hilt. The infected woman’s hands pressed down and her nails dug further into Mia’s ribs. A searing pain caused her to cry out, and she gave up her outstretched hand in favor of doubling down on her defense.
Mia wrapped both hands around the woman’s throat and squeezed. The infected woman gasped as Mia tightened her grip. The skin around her eyes darkened as she gagged. The woman convulsed one last time before her entire body went limp. Mia rolled to one side, letting the woman’s lifeless shell slide onto the concrete as she got o
ut from under her.
She barely had time to consider her situation before Mia found herself a step away from another attacker. Barrick’s lifeless body lay on the sidewalk. A long splotch of fresh blood highlighting the face of the infected man in front of her told the story of Barrick’s end. Mia was defenseless. The infected man took one step toward her and then froze. His body shuddered before the tip of a knife popped out one of his eye sockets, bursting the eyeball as it did. He fell forward, leaving Jacob standing directly behind him.
“Come on, we have to go.”
He reached out for her. Mia snatched her sword off the ground and then grabbed his hand. She took one last look at Barrick before focusing on the view behind them. The host of the dead was near with another pack of infected running out in front of them. There was no way Mia and Jacob could get away.
“Let’s go,” Jacob said, “no use watching them.”
The old man started first and Mia didn’t move until the yank on her shoulder forced her to. She could hear the smacking steps of the infected bearing down on them the moment she turned her head. She cringed, anticipating the full force of them throwing themselves on top of her. An echoing sound pulled her thoughts from the certainty of death.
“Get down.”
Mia heard Jacob, but she didn’t understand the direction. It wasn’t until the front line of the tall grass erupted in bursts of explosions that she complied. The eruptions continued for several seconds. Jacob started moving again, but this time he was fixated on what was following them. Mia was lost when she got to her feet. A look back showed the infected were lying on the ground, covered in their own blood.
Jacob dusted himself off. The immediate threat was gone, but the dead were still coming. Mia’s head spun back and forth between the bodies of the infected and several figures stepping out of the grass along the city boundary. They were dressed head to toe in bizarre patterns of browns and greens. One of them pointed at Mia and waved them forward.
“What was that?” Mia asked, still trying to wrap her mind around what happened. “That noise…how did they do that?”
The Decaying World Saga Box Set [Prequel #1-#2 & Books #1-#2] Page 56
