Cascade Collection

by Phil Maxey

  The warehouse was of medium size, with a ceiling that was at least forty-foot from the ground. Windows high up on both sides allowed light to stream in and light up rectangular areas of the oil-stained floor. Fiona moved her flashlight around the empty space, illuminating walls of graffiti with plaster holes, like it had been the backdrop of a firing squad. Moving into the warehouse their torches darted in different directions trying to verify they were alone. Apart from damp wooden crates the warehouse was empty.

  “I’ll try Bravo camp again. Jacob you got this door covered? Cal and Fiona, best check out that other door,” said Zach, gesturing to the far wall, some eighty yards away.” Cal and Fiona walked forward quickly, guns trained on the far door.

  “You okay, Dee?” said Abbey. Dee was looking scared.

  “I left my chess set in the truck.”

  “That’s okay, we will get it later. For now let’s sit down here and have some water.” Abbey and Dee sat on a damp wooden crate. Michael joined them.

  Ray paced around, but kept looking up at the windows. “If something comes through those windows, we’ve got a problem.”

  “We won’t be here long,” replied Abbey.

  “How do you know? We were warned not to come here! They might not send anyone. We need to get out of here.”

  Dee looked more agitated.

  “Ray, we got an armory with us, we will take care of whatever comes our way,” said Michael. Ray looked exasperated and sat down on a different crate.

  “I can’t get anything on the radio, we might be in a black spot again,” said Zach.

  Fiona and Cal slowed as the approached the far door. It looked like it had already taken a beating, with a few inches of wood at the bottom missing. The sun shone through the gap pushing the grayness back a few feet. Fiona lay flat to the ground, and tried to see through the gap.

  “Hard to see, can’t see anything moving, but I can only see into the parking area,” said Fiona, who got up and wavered slightly on her feet, causing Cal to put his arm out to grab her.

  “I’m good, just a bit light-headed, give me a sec.” Shaking her head slightly, she then put her hand on the rusted handle and slowly turned it. Cal had the M4 raised at the door. She opened the door about a foot and looked through the gap.

  “Oh shit.” The same leafless trees that they saw before were moving and shaking, but this time the reason was obvious. Wet looking dark forms each about the size of a small car, were writhing and pushing amongst the trees. She looked to the left and right, but the tree line ran for miles in both directions. Pulling her head back in, she closed the door quickly but gently. “Fuck.”

  “What did you see?” Cal asked.

  “I don’t know, looked like some kind of frog-like creature, huge, the forest was full of them.”

  “Are they coming in this direction?”

  Just as Fiona was about to answer, a loud deafening deep gravel croaking noise bellowed out from all around them. The sound immediately made everyone cover their ears. Dust fell from the steel beams above their heads and the glass rattled in its frames.

  “We need to secure this door!” Fiona shouted to Cal, who started looking around for something to do that with. Grabbing a crate he smashed it on the floor, breaking it into four-foot long planks, and rammed a few into the gap under the door to act as a wedge and another up against the handle.

  Fiona ran back to the others. “There are things out the back, hundreds of them, I think they know we are here.”

  “We can tell.” Shouted Michael as the creatures bellowing continued.

  Zach looked upwards. I need to get higher. He then looked around at the walls. About fourteen-foot off the ground a thin pipe ran along the entire length of one. Probably too high to grab by jumping, but with the crates maybe.

  “Help me stack these crates,” Zach shouted. They started grabbing the splintered wooden crates and pushing them up against the wall. He then took the rope from his backpack and tied a piece of wood to the end of it, also tying it around his waist so he would have both hands free.

  “Try and hold them steady,” shouted Zach as he climbed onto the highest crate, meaning he was about five-foot already off the ground. He then jumped and grabbed the pipe which immediately lagged where his hands held it, but it resisted breaking. The constant droning of the creatures outside made him feel as if his skull was being shaken from the inside. He started to wonder if this was one of the super abilities which Brad talked about. Pulling himself up on the pipe, he got both boots on it, then clinging onto what holes in the bricks he could find, pulled himself upright. Looking up he was still a good seven-foot from one of the steel beams, which stretched across the width of the warehouse. Untying the rope from his waist, he swung it around then let it fly in the direction of the closest beam, looping over it, and falling down the other side. Grabbing the other end of the rope he made a knot and pulled on one end sending the knot up to the beam, to secure the rope. He then let go of the wall and with both hands pulled himself up to the horizontal beam. Trying not to look down, he pulled himself along the beam on his backside, until he was near the windows. It was only at this point that he allowed himself to look down.

  Damn that’s some way down.

  Abbey, Ray, Michael and Dee were frozen watching him climb, but the others were trying their best to secure both doors. Zach gave a little thumb up to the watchers to try and sway their nerves. His view out of the small square window was mostly obscured by the building next door, but in the distance to the far left he could see these creatures moving slowly towards the back of the warehouse. Amphibian E.L.F’s.

  Pulling the transceiver out of his leg pants pocket, he held it up and instantly the sound of voices burst from it. “Roswell group, are you there. Over.”

  Just as he was going to reply, the sound the creatures were making stopped and the sound of silence flooded into his ears instead. He steadied himself. “Yes. The E.L.F’s are close, what do you advise. Over.”

  “Good to hear from you Zach. We’re going to try an air evac. There’s a chopper inbound, ETA. fifteen minutes. Can you hold out until then?” Zach recognized General Trow’s voice.

  “We will try. Over.” His body was starting to ache, holding himself steady on the beam.

  “The chopper will land out front, close to your vehicles, most of the E.L.F’s are attacking from your north, at the back of the warehouse. Over.”

  “How do you know that? Over.”

  “We have a UAV overhead, unfortunately it’s not armed. Try and keep the E.L.F’s at the rear of the building, if they surround you we will have a problem. Over.”

  “Understood. Out.” Zach put the radio back in his leg pocket and looked down. Getting down looked a lot more difficult than what he did to get up. He went to grab the rope, when something heavy and solid slammed against the far door, Cal immediately kneeled, pointing his gun towards the door, Fiona did the same. The door rattled but held. Zach leaned back to have one last look out of the window to the far left, when something flashed past his view.

  “What the…” Zach pulled his head away from the window. It looked like something or someone had thrown a rope or some kind of cord past the window, then it snapped back, all in an instant. He went to lean forward again to try and see what had caused the projectile, when the glass in front of his face shattered as a pink slimy looking cord streaked past his nose missing him by inches. Zach flung himself backwards and lost his balance. Falling from the beam he pushed his hands out in the direction of the rope and managed to grab it with his right. The rope slid through his hand, burning his skin but he managed to hold on then grabbed the rope with his left as well. Dangling on the rope he banged up against the wall.

  He hadn’t heard the yelp from below, but looking down he could now see Abbey and the others looking up at him in horror.

  “I’m okay, but I don’t know what the fuck that was.” He shouted out, lowering himself down from the rope then onto the pipe.

  The
back door was slammed again, this time it shook hard enough for the hinges to loosen.

  “This door is not going to last much longer,” shouted Fiona towards the others.

  A loud crash came from above as more windows shattered by the impact of these long pinky looking cords, that instantly snapped back to their source outside. With glass shattering around him, Zach jumped down onto the crates, which partially collapsed sending him falling onto the floor.

  “It’s tongues,” said Ray, not liking the words.

  “What?” said Abbey.

  “Tongues!” Ray pointed to his mouth. “They said they were amphibious right? Well these things have tongues like a chameleon, they flick out.”

  “Yeah, but those windows are fifty-feet from the ground!” said Michael.

  Zach got to his feet. “They’re sending a chopper, maybe thirteen minutes until it’s here.”

  “You’re bleeding,” said Abbey, pointing to his face.

  Zach felt his cheek. It felt sticky and warm. “I’m fine, we need to keep the creatures at the back of the building. They will try and land out front.”

  “Fire,” said Dee quietly.

  “What was that Dee?” said Zach. Ray answered for him.

  “Fire! The kids a genius. Look at all this wood, we pile it up out the front…” Before he could finish his sentence the back door exploded open, and a lumbering dark gray hulk fell through the gap, its feet sliding around underneath its weight. Dark eyes the size of small boulders swiveled around as it tried to understand its surroundings, but before it made another moved multiple rounds of M4 bullets landed in its side making it squeal, and fall backwards.

  “Again!” shouted Fiona, as she joined in with the handgun. This second round of bullets stopped it from moving, its carcass lying in the doorway.

  Fiona and Cal looked past the body of creature and started to walk backwards, almost tripping on their heels. The car park at the back of the building was filled with these creatures, sliding over each other, and most looking in their direction.

  Cal suddenly sprung forward, and kneeled against the body of the fallen creature, placing his M4 on top of it and started firing.

  “I’ve got this! Go,” he shouted. Fiona hesitated. Jacob moved past her, kneeling down doing the same as Cal, and started firing. Multiple squeals filled the air around them.

  “Fiona, we’re going to build a firewall out-front, can you hold the back for a few minutes?” shouted Zach from the other end of the warehouse.

  Fiona looked back and saw the others, arms full of wood, running through the door to the office.

  “Yes! Go!” she shouted. Just as she was turning to see how Cal and Jacob were doing one of the creature’s tongues flew over their heads and past her, but as it snapped back it rolled around her waist, its stickiness burning into her skin causing her to scream. It then yanked her back pulling her off her feet in the direction of the doorway. Fiona grabbed at the air as the creature pulled her backwards, but she couldn’t get a hold on anything.

  Cal dived and grabbed at her, pulling her body to ground with the tongue still trying to pull on her. Seeing the pink and purple cord holding her, Jacob fired and severed it. Fiona fell forward and pushed what was left of the creature’s tongue onto the ground.

  More tongues flew past them, making them all duck. Fiona lifted her shirt, her stomach had bruises around it, but no broken skin.

  “We can’t hold this, we need to retreat,” shouted Jacob. Fiona looked back towards the office door, the others were still ferrying wood out of the door.

  “I’m getting low, just one more clip left,” said Cal to Fiona. The bodies of the fallen creatures acted as a makeshift barricade, but more of them continued to slide over and make it to the door.

  “Okay, pull back,” shouted Fiona. Her, Cal and Jacob got to their feet, and ran to the other side of the warehouse, just as they did one of the creatures climbed over the body in the doorway and looked in their direction.

  “They’re inside!” Fiona shouted. The creature leaned back then leaped forward, flying through the air covering the entire length of the warehouse and landed ten-feet from them. Jacob and Cal had already started firing at it as it was airborne, and by the time it landed, it just collapsed on the spot.

  Zach appeared from the office. “Everyone out now!”

  They all ran through the small office. As soon as they appeared back into the sun, the smell of smoke filled their lungs and eyes. A large ring of broken flaming wood arched around the forecourt in front of the loading bay and vehicles. A few of the creatures moved around beyond the flames but most were still at the rear of the building. When the last of them were through the office, Zach threw some lit pieces of wood onto a heap of papers in the office and slammed the door closed.

  The tongues of the creatures out front kept flying forward then snapping back instantly as they felt the heat of the ring of fire. Zach went to try the radio again, but stopped when he heard a low rumbling sound. The all looked at the sky as the sound got louder. “Cal, watch the roof.”

  The chopper descended through the smoke and landed in the center of the available space, thirty-feet from the truck. A soldier jumped out and beckoned in their direction.

  “Run, run now!” said Zach to the others. They all started running towards the chopper. Fiona and Michael got there first and jumped in. Cal and Jacob were shortly behind. Abbey, Ray, Dee and Zach were the last to run, and made it to the chopper just as a small pile of wood collapsed and one of the creatures stumbled through squealing from the pain of the burning hot cinders.

  “My chess set!” shouted Dee, who turned from the chopper and ran back towards the truck. Abbey made a forlorn grab for him, but he moved too quickly and was a few feet away from her while another of the soldiers inside was strapping her into her seat.

  “No!” she screamed.

  Zach and Ray turned and moved towards Dee but as they did pink thick cords streaked across the cement pushing Ray off his feet and Zach back into the side of the chopper knocking him unconscious. One of the soldiers grabbed Zach and pulled him into the chopper.

  “We have to leave!” shouted the soldier. Cal and the others tried to unfasten their belts, but were pushed backwards by the soldiers inside.

  Ray staggered to his feet, seemingly unclear on his surroundings. More tongues flew past him, but none connected. He then looked towards the truck and saw Dee climb in. Quickly glancing at the chopper he ran towards the truck, ducking best he could. He made it to the side door in a few seconds and climbed up on the rail.

  “Dee, we have to go!” he shouted into the cabin. Dee pushed the chess set into his backpack and climbed back into the front seat. The creatures were now in front of the truck and behind.

  “I’m scared,” said Dee.

  “You and me both, kid.” Ray felt blood dripping down his forehead. He looked over at the chopper and saw the soldiers shooting at multiple creatures all closing in on them. The chopper started to rise.

  “Kid we gotta go. I’m going to lift you up onto the roof of the truck, okay?” Dee nodded. Pushing the truck’s door open, Ray immediately fired four shots into a creature that was only ten-feet away. One of its eyes exploded and it fell to the ground writing in agony.

  Dee slid down beside Ray, who then lifted him up.

  “Climb Dee, climb up,” Ray said, his arms quickly losing strength. Creatures fell all around, as the gunner in the chopper let rip with the mini gun, hovering just above the truck. Pink cords flew towards the chopper, some connecting with the sides, making it wobble as it hovered. Dee climbed up onto the roof of the cabin then onto the roof of the truck. Go on kid Ray said to himself as he fired off the few remaining rounds in the Glock. Ray grinned as pink reams of cord all slammed into him, knocking him from the truck onto the cold tarmac ground. As the creatures moved towards him, he looked up seeing Dee climb into the chopper then it slowly rise into the sky.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Nobody spoke apa
rt from one of the soldiers, whose words seemed to float in the air as the chopper flew over the fields and trees. Dee sat in the arms of Abbey both silently crying. The other soldier who had a white and red armband was checking on each of them, and paying special attention to Fiona and the bruises on her midriff.

  “Are you Zach?” One of the soldiers said, shouting.

  Zach nodded.

  “I’m Sargent Jones. ETA at camp Bravo is ten minutes. There will be a medical team on the ground when we arrive.” Zach nodded again, and looked around the group. Dee and Abbey huddled together, Michael hugging his backpack, Fiona, Jacob and Cal looking drained, and everybody covered in black soot from the fire.

  Zach looked out of the window at burning buildings and creatures, many he had not seen before, moving across the landscape. The overwhelming feeling that someone is missing started to bear down on him, and he clenched his fists. His mind went back to that first moment when his cell door opened and Ray’s voice echoed around the hallway outside. Ray called it right from the start. It was the end of the world.

  One the horizon a thin gray line appeared, enveloped in mist. As the chopper grew closer, the thin line grew thicker, and buildings could be seen beyond. The group’s attention was now outward rather than inward and they all sat in silence watching their approach to a scene of a landscape giving birth to a city. From this height it was possible to see over the wall, into the scrawling buildings and bustle that was happening on the other side. What was once mostly countryside had been transformed into a mini metropolis, buildings of all shapes and sizes all jammed into each other spread out as far as the eye could see. Streets filled with people jutted between the buildings, and where there was space, there was construction. From this height it was easily possible to imagine there really was almost fourteen million people between these walls.