by Phil Maxey
They did, and saw some of the creatures hovering while others swooped and landed close to the convoy.
“Well damn,” said Evan.
“I’ll make a believer out of you yet,” said Abbey smiling. She then slowly approached one of the creatures. It was three times the size of Mo. As she got within around fifteen feet of it, it opened its wings. Abbey was momentarily stopped by the impressiveness of the creature’s fifty foot wingspan, but as she moved forward, the creature brought its wings back in and kept dipping its head and making mild noises. Everyone in the convoy watched frozen. Zach had his rifle pointed squarely at the creature’s head.
Mo swooped and landed ten feet away from Abbey, and started flapping his wings and hopping on the spot.
Abbey smiled and put her hands up slowly. “It’s okay, Mo.” She then reached into her pocket and pulled out a cookie, and held it out to the larger creature. The adult Simivem reached out slowly at first, then snatched the cookie and sniffed it. It then started crunching it within its sharp looking teeth. The huge feathered creature then chirped and took off causing Abbey’s hair along with sticks and the grass to lift upwards, until the creature was circling above. Mo, chirped as well and hopped closer to Abbey.
Zach walked up to her. “That was one of the damnedest things I’ve seen and I’ve seen some strange things over the past few months.”
Abbey forced a smiled and walked past Zach back to the others. “Hopefully they will now follow us.”
Everyone got back into their vehicles and they were soon passing out of the city and back to the wintry fields and trees.
Wyatt smiled excitedly. “I can feel them.”
“We all can kid,” said Evan.
“That was so cool what we did and then with what happened with Abbey and the large one. I wonder if that was the pack leader or something,” he turned to Michael. “You must be used to that kind of thing?”
“Hmm, no, not really.”
“Leave the soldier alone, he’s got better things to be doing, like covering our asses,” said Evan.
“It’s cool,“ said Michael. “Abbey and Cal only knew what they could do recently, like all of you, so this is new to all of us.”
Wyatt smiled with the excitement of a kid who had discovered a new toy.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
The dark haired middle-aged woman screamed, as more pieces of broken wood were thrown onto the heap.
“I don’t know why that creature was near me!” she pleaded as the procession of men and women each one with a piece of wood, walked slowly and solemnly forward to play their part.
“You have to listen to me. I’m not like those freaks! I hate the creatures as much as you do!”
Geneva stepped forward onto the balcony. The crowd fell silent, while the women struggled against the chains that bound her to the wooden post.
“Friends!” he raised his hands. “Alice should have our pity… she did not choose to be changed by the Cascade, to become… one of the fallen. You see her now, how she pleads for her life. But know it’s an illusion, inside she is laughing at all of us, because of how she existed amongst us, without any of us knowing her true self!”
The woman looked up, her eyes wide. “No, please Geneva, I beg you, I’m not what you think I am. That… that creature it was just there, I wasn’t controlling it… I.”
“Do you hear? Do you hear how she deceives us even now?” Some of the crowd shouted for her to be burned. “Yes, I hear you my friends, shout loud and proud, what do you want us to do with her? With this inhuman thing?”
“Burn! Burn! Burn!” rang out around the concrete steps and brick facades.
Geneva looked down to a hooded man close to the mound of wood and bound struggling woman and nodded. The man, then dowsed the wood with gasoline, lit a small torch and threw it onto the wet pieces of wood. All throughout the woman did not stop her pleading, but as the flames took off, her words aim switched from Geneva to God.
The crowd fell silent, and the woman’s cries bounced off the walls of the enclosed space. Geneva placed his hands on the railings and stared as the woman suffered. The door behind him opened, and Clovis came out, leaning close to Geneva so as to be heard over the woman’s screams.
“They have left.”
Geneva turned, acknowledged and returned his gaze to the burning woman on the stake.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
After two hours the convoy moved through Jacksonville and the height and thickness of the trees around them increased. The limited blue sky which they all enjoyed earlier had now been eclipsed with gray and light rain started to fall.
Abbey felt the silence in the cabin. “Sam, how’s the bar doing?” as he was replying, she felt a rush of tingling. “Sorry, but there’s E.L.F’s, maybe five coming towards us fast.”
Zach clicked on the radio and the convoy stopped. “Which direction?”
“Hmm from behind the tree’s to our right.”
“E.L.F’s on our right, from the south. Over.”
Abbey got out, and Zach sighed. Each encounter with the creatures, wasn’t getting any easier for him.
She stood on the highway and tried to see through the bushes and trees but they were too thick to see more than a few yards into them. Cal walked up to her, followed by the others from the truck.
“They will be here soon,” said Cal.
Evan stepped forward looking fed up. “Do we need to hold h…” Before he could finish a creature which looked like a saber-toothed tiger but larger and with a row of fins down its back sprung out from the trees and ran straight towards Evan who stood transfixed by what was coming at him.
“Evan, concentrate, you got this,” shouted Abbey.
The creature kept coming, bounding over the bushes and snarling.
“I can’t, I can’t think…”
“Fuck,” said Zach, aiming at the head of the creature. This is going to be close.
Abbey closed her eyes, and felt the creature rushing towards Evan. She let her consciousness expand outwards to greet the creature, and then she opened her eyes.
The creature slammed into Evan, knocking him off his feet and into the side of the Humvee, everyone else ran for cover. Abbey stood, shocked. “What? I don’t understand.”
The creature skidded to a stop, and whipped its head around spotting Abbey. As it moved towards her, the flying creatures above started swooping down, causing it to swipe at the air. Mo landed to her side and spread his wings out.
Zach ran to Abbey, “It’s not working, you need to get back inside.”
She pulled his hand off her arm, and stepped towards the creature concentrating with all her might. Cal stepped to her and started doing the same. The large cat like creature, started to shake its head, then stopped and looked at them both, visibly calming down. The creatures above, stopped swooping.
The large creature moved off to the edge of the trees, where others of its kind were sniffing the air and looking on.
Dr. Chapman ran and kneeled down near Evan who was unconscious. Zach and Abbey ran to them.
“Is he…” said Abbey.
“He’s unconscious. We need to get him into the back of the truck then I can take a better look at him,” said the doctor.
Zach and Cal, carried him to the truck, and helped him onto the inside of it. The doctor jumped up and started examining him.
Zach pulled Abbey to one side. “You could have been killed!” he said urgently while trying to keep his voice low.
“I’m fine Zach. I don’t know why it didn’t stop.”
Zach shook his head. “We don’t understand any of this stuff,” he looked over to the side of the road where the cat creatures were silently watching. “What if your hold over them goes and they decide they want to attack? They’re so close we wouldn’t have time to do much.”
“It doesn’t work that way Zach, once we connect to them, their aggressiveness towards us leaves them. Those E.L.F’s over there are now harmless to us unl
ess one of us chooses to change that,” she put her hand on his shoulder. “Trust me, it’s okay, and next time we will be better prepared.”
He sighed, and pulled away, going back to the truck with Evan and the doctor in it. Evan was sitting up, feeling his shoulder. “How is he?”
“His shoulder was dislocated which I just fixed, it will be sore for a while. He lost consciousness for a short while, but he seems to not have any lasting effects, but he needs to be watched closely. No more strain for him for at least twenty-four hours.”
Zach patted his boot. “You did good, but get some rest now.”
“I did? I don’t really remember much.”
“Yeah, you were real brave,” said Wyatt sitting close by, everyone else nodded in agreement. Evan smiled.
Zach walked back to the Humvee, Abbey was already sitting inside, she gave him a hopeful smile when he sat back in the driver’s seat. Clicking on the radio he told everyone they are moving on.
Within two hours they were passing through the town of Catacomb where weeks earlier they had tried to salvage the drone.
“Three more hours and we’re at our stop for the night,” said Zach. He looked across to Abbey but she was sleeping. He caught her eyes moving rapidly under their lids and wondered what she was dreaming about. Even though he was trying to resist, he could feel her pulling away from him. He wondered if she felt the same about him. Their experience during the early days after leaving their cells in New Mexico brought them together, but since she had learned she was a Cascader that bond felt frayed. She was always a rebel, someone who liked to be different, and now she really was. He couldn’t imagine being in the crazy monster filled world without her, but it wasn’t his choice alone to make.
Looking in the rear mirror, he saw Sam and Isaiah were both also sleeping. Sam’s head was resting on Isaiah’s large shoulder and Zach couldn’t help but laugh. Of all his days, he had not seen two finer soldiers. He then looked in the right mirror and saw them a few hundred yards behind, bounding along the highway, the large cat like creatures. It was a surreal sight and for a moment he felt he was in a circus leading a parade of animals. He sighed, and focused on the road ahead.
As the rainfall increased the sun started to set. Abbey awoke with a start. She touched her forehead, feeling the sweat. Reaching forward she opened her pack and pulled out a bottle of water. She then stopped as if remembering something and peered upwards.
“They’re still up there,” said Zach. “And the others. I’ve been slowing down every now and again to let them catch up.”
Abbey smiled and took a sip of water. “How far left.”
“We’re almost there, maybe another forty minutes.”
“Has anyone sensed anymore E.L.F’s?”
“If they have, no one has mentioned it.”
“Ahh man, you been dribbling on me, what the hell,” Isaiah protested. Sam sat upright, and blinked. “How far?”
“Not far,” repeated Zach.
“Anymore creature encounters?” he croaked. “Anyone got any?” Abbey leaned back and gave him the bottle. “Thanks.”
“No,” said Abbey.
The sun had been below the horizon for a while when they entered the outskirts of Jackson. Bass ordered the tank crew to take the same directions as the last time they were there, and soon they were pulling up in the same parking lot in front of the pharmacy.
As Zach, Cal, Abbey and Fiona switched on their flashlights and walked over the broken glass of the entrance, rain pounded down outside. The others soon filed in to escape the downpour, while the tank and Humvee were positioned close to the entrance forming a barrier.
Wyatt looked wide eyed at the aisles, sweeping his flashlight’s beam over them. “There’s still so much here,” some of the other Cascaders ran forward grabbing what they could.
“Hey people, slow down it’s not going anywhere,” said Bass as most of the eleven people with abilities gleefully started opening cans of soda and chips.
Abbey walked forward with two sleeping bags into the darkness and stood near the large counter, facing everyone. “Find a place to bed down for the night, it’s quite safe in here, take a can of soda if your thirsty or some chips if you’re hungry,” she then hopped over the counter and out of sight.
CHAPTER FORTY
Abbey looked out over what she thought was a bay, but it was unlike any she had seen before. Strange exotic creatures climbed and smashed back down into the ocean, while others emerged from the depths moving onto the heavily overgrown concrete walls and disappeared into the undergrowth.
The heat was intense. She turned her attention from the sea back to the Cathedrals of vine and flowers that stretched high into the sky. Most were alive with creatures that lived within. She walked forward best she could and realized that beneath the alien life all around her was a human city, one of stone and marble, that once stood proud, but was now hostage to these new invaders.
A stone doorway with markings was just visible, so she made her way too it, pushing the branches back until she was inside. A huge cavernous space opened up before her, while creatures skittered and scattered back to their holes. Ahead of her a being stood of humanoid form. Its skin was of a blue-purple hue, while horns protruded from its angular head. A tail and wings flapped and slid and its lizard like tongue flicked and tasted the air around it.
It moved towards her and she backed up against a cold pillar, her fingers reaching for something to use against this creature. Closer and closer it came until it was just a few feet from her. Then it spoke. “Home Arclight.”
Abbey woke into darkness and immediately pushed her hands out in front of her to stop the creature from coming any closer, but she then realized there was no strange being there, only shelves of packets and bottles of pills.
The candles they had lit some hours earlier had gone cold, and there was only intense black around her. She reached for her backpack and pulled out the water and gulped some down. The dreams were getting worse. A feeling of panic started to creep over her mind. Is the same thing that happened to Cal, happening to me? No, that was when he was transitioning, I’m already past that stage. This is something else. But what? What or where was this strange city? Who was this being that mentioned her hacker name again? And a reference to home? Boston?
She slowly got to her feet and walked to the counter, carefully climbing over it. She could see mild light coming from the front entrance, so walked to it, trying not to walk into any of the shelving units or tread on anything that would go pop. The sun was coming up on what looked like a half decent morning. The ground was covered in frost in the parking lot, but it was not raining or snowing. A noise from behind her made her turn around.
Fiona smiled. “I thought I was the only one that got up at this hour.”
“I had a bad dream,” although she wasn’t sure if it was ‘bad’ now she was awake to think about it.
“Yeah there’s a lot of that going around. But not really surprising that people can’t sleep properly after the world was ended by monsters.”
“That’s not how I see them anymore.”
“If you’re not a Cascader they still want to kill you.”
Abbey smiled. “You have to remember, that the world is just as new to them as it is to us, maybe more so. Entire species were born just a year ago into our world, and they did what they needed to, to survive.”
“Yeah by killing millions. You make it sound that the things out there are victims of circumstance.”
“In a way they are. I’m not saying humans shouldn’t be wary of E.L.F’s they of course should, but they are the new animal life of this planet, and we need to deal with that fact.”
Fiona wondered if Cal felt the same. “Well, I’m going to get some coffee, do you want some?”
“Sure, thanks.” Fiona left and Abbey sighed. She didn’t blame humans for not understanding how the world had changed. She didn’t herself, but she was beginning too. She squeezed through the gap, between the e
ntrance and tank, and stood outside. The skies were clear above, but a breeze brushed against her face, making her wish she should have brought more than one blanket with her.
Above she sensed something. Mo was hovering hundreds of feet up, circling. She then noticed the other creatures laying amongst nearby trees. Still here.
Bass tapped Zach’s arm, making him wake up. He was holding a steaming cup of coffee.
Zach uneasily sat up. “Well, this is how I like to wake up,” he said smiling.
Bass sat down next to him. “With the kind of day we got ahead, every little bit helps.”
“I hear that,” said Zach trying to sip on the hot coffee. “Get any sleep?”
“Some.”
“Any news from Ops?”
“No.”
After a short while, everyone was gathered around inside the large shop area, with the aisles around them.
Zach stepped forward. “I’m going to go through the plan one last time, so we know exactly what each of us has to do. Two groups of Cascaders. Headed up by by Abbey and Michael. They will be taking control of each group of the E.L.F’s outside…”
Wyatt interjected. “What if more E.L.F’s come long?”
“Good question. Whichever group is closest to the new creatures, they are going to have to deal with it.”
Wyatt smiled, proud he asked something useful.
“The tank, four soldiers and one of the trucks will be staying here. This is our link to the camp, and our final fall back position if things go south. This location is called Echo.”
“The tanks a bit exposed just out front, we should find a location with more cover,” said Bass.
“Agreed. Everyone who I did not mention as part of the Cascader groups, will be part of two more groups. A defensive group, to protect our position on the outskirts of the city which we are calling Tango, and an offensive group whose mission it will be to find Geneva and take him out. The defensive group will be Sam, Isaiah, Bass, Dr. Chapman, Greggs, and private Groves and Bailey. The offensive group will be myself, Cal and Fiona. Everyone clear so far?” everyone agreed or nodded. “The Cascaders are going to be used to create distractions. Once we find out where they have their main base of operations, we will use the E.L.F’s to attack it, this will hopefully draw their people towards the E.L.F’s and it might force Geneva out from whatever hole he’s hiding in. We will get as close into their base as possible to be able to take him out, when he appears. As soon as he’s down, we get the hell out of there, and return first to Tango, and then back here to Echo, then back to the camp. If you’re in trouble, that’s also the order you escape too. First try to get to the base on the outskirts, and then here. You all have your own weapons, and supplies.”
