Hell on Earth Trilogy: The Complete Apocalyptic Saga

by Iain Rob Wright

  “I’ll join you, Captain,” said Lieutenant Tosco. His eyes were red and swollen, showing he’d been crying. “I just found out my wife is dead. If I can help you save your kids, then I’ll sail to England with you. Alice and Kyle are Americans. They need our help.”

  Tosco had been the last person Guy had expected to join him, but he was more than thankful to have his second-in-command along for the ride. “Thank you, Lieutenant Tosco. I’d be glad to have you.”

  More hands went up as more and more enlisted men volunteered. Almost half the civilians remained as well. The final voice in the crowd was Captain Lund’s. “I’d like to come too, if that’s okay, Captain Granger?”

  “Don’t you want to run things here, Skip? The voyage will be long and uncomfortable.”

  “Don’t consider things are going to be too dandy wherever I go. If I’m to risk my life, I’d rather risk it where I belong: At sea. I’ll be leaving good boys behind—they’ll take care of your civilians, but I want to join your crew, sir. One last adventure for a silly old man. I’ll pull my weight, you can be mighty sure of it.”

  “I have no doubt. Welcome aboard, Skip.” Guy looked for more volunteers, but none remained. About a third of the crew had opted to leave, but with the additional civilians, the Hatchet would end up being over-manned. They’d need to resupply before setting off, but that was a problem to be addressed later. For now, Guy just wanted to bask in the feeling of solidarity between him and his fellow sailors. He had truly expected to be making the journey across the Atlantic on his own. Even now, life could surprise him.

  “Get some rest, sailors,” he commanded. “We leave bright and early. Until then, think about your decision, and enjoy the land beneath your feet while you can. England awaits us.”

  ~Mina Magar~

  Hyde Park, London

  Mina had been sitting on the moonlit grass listening to her father’s angry voicemails when the first shot fired. It came from the edge of camp, over by Marble Arch, and when she looked up, she saw soldiers hastily gathering up their weapons and running to offer support. David had been sitting under a nearby floodlight, working through his notes and chatting to Carol on the phone. He came over now in a hurry. “Did you see what they’re firing at?”

  Mina got up and wiped grass off her butt. “It’s too dark to see. The creatures must be attacking again.”

  David hissed, “Let’s hope those soldiers know what they’re doing.”

  The gunfire increased, lighting up the darkness like a celebration. Radios squawked everywhere as soldiers communicated with one another urgently. Explosions joined the mix and gave Hyde Park its greatest ever fireworks show.

  “It’s bad,” said Mina. “The whole camp is getting involved.”

  Corporal Martin appeared from one of the nearby tents with Alice and Kyle hurrying behind him. “You need to take the children,” he ordered. “I need to get over there.”

  Mina gathered the frightened children to her side, but didn’t want to let the soldier rush off. “They’re attacking again, aren’t they? How many?”

  Corporal Martin looked at her gravely. “Just one.”

  “One? I don’t understand.”

  As if to address her confusion, a beastly roar echoed across Hyde Park, and something huge charged towards the camp. The giant scooped up a black taxi and launched it at the assembled soldiers, scattering them into cover. They spread out, pumping magazines full of ammunition into the creature and hitting it several times with grenades.

  Nothing slowed the giant down.

  A jeep skidded to a halt in front of it. When the soldier in the back manning a huge machine gun pulled the trigger, it sounded like a volcano erupting. The onslaught of automatic fire was enough to send the giant reeling, but it quickly recovered, dragged an elm tree out of the ground, and launched it at the jeep. The vehicle bucked, rolled, and ended up on its roof. The soldier who had been manning the machine gun fell awkwardly and snapped his neck.

  David shot Corporal Martin an accusing look. “Your men are dying.”

  “Which is why I need to go help them.”

  Mina grabbed the soldier’s arm. “No, you’ll die. Your weapons aren’t working on that thing.”

  “Uh, guys?” Kyle got their attention and pointed to the other side of the park. “There’s something else coming.”

  Screams filled Hyde Park as an army of charred creatures arrived from a dozen side streets and fell upon the camp. Soldiers began to fall, clutching torn open stomachs and mangled throats. Meanwhile, the giant continued its devastating march, crushing all in its path.

  “The battle is lost,” said David. “We need to get out of here.”

  Alice cried. Kyle put his arm around her, but looked close to tears himself. Mina smiled at the boy and tried to let him know it would be alright—even though it wouldn’t be.

  In the centre of the park, two choppers started up their rotors, each one loaded full of refugees. The army of creatures made for them, but was held back by the last smatterings of resistance. If those soldiers didn’t hold their ground, the civilians would be sitting ducks.

  Corporal Martin grabbed his rifle and prepared to head off.

  Mina grabbed his arm. “You’re not seriously going to go fight, are you?”

  “No,” he said. “We’re getting the hell out of here. Come on.”

  They raced after him as he took them across the playing fields towards the centre of camp. It was closer to the danger, but Mina understood the soldier’s motives. The vehicles were all parked in the centre of Hyde Park, and reaching one was their only means of escape.

  “Is that the thing you saw earlier, Mina?” David asked her as they sprinted towards the motor pool.

  “I only saw it for a moment, but yes, that’s definitely it.”

  “It has wings like an angel,” Alice said.

  “It’s not an angel,” said Kyle. “It’s a monster.”

  “A demon,” Mina stated, as sure of it as ever.

  “But it looks like a pretty man,” Alice argued.

  “It’s going to bloody well kill us if we don’t hurry up,” Corporal Martin shouted at them all.

  The burned creatures were no match for bullets and went down in clouds of gore whenever shot, but their sheer numbers gave them the advantage. They didn’t seem to fear death and were happy to sacrifice themselves if it meant that their comrades would reach their target.

  It was a Kamikaze attack. Unstoppable.

  Mina and the others were almost at the jeeps. All around them, soldiers screamed and begged for their lives, but they received no mercy. The demons tore out their intestines and left them to die in agony—they seemed intent on maiming over killing. The gunfire became less and less. Floodlights tipped over and shattered, allowing the shadows to claim Hyde Park. Alice screamed and covered her eyes. She stopped running and refused to move.”

  Mina tried to grab the girl, but was clawed away. “I want to go home. I want to go home. I want to go home.”

  “Sweetheart, you have to keep moving.”

  Kyle came and knelt in front of his little sister. “Hey, Ally. It’s going to be okay. Remember the bus? We were okay, weren’t we? You promised to do whatever I said, and I kept you safe then. I need you to run towards the jeep, okay? Do you understand, Ally? I need you to run. I love you, and it will all be okay.” Alice wiped away her tears and went to look back at the dying soldiers, but Kyle stopped her. “Don’t, Ally. You just focus on running and think about what you’re going to do when we get home. Mom and Clark will take us to Funtown, but first you have to get to that jeep over there, okay?”

  Alice nodded and finally got moving again, but they’d lost time they could ill afford. Hardly any soldiers remained between them and the murderous horde of creatures.

  The giant was now close enough that the ground trembled beneath their feet as they ran. A hundred metres away, the two helicopters hopped up into the air. They lurched away in separate directions, one heading sou
th, the other heading north, but the chopper heading south passed right over the battlefield.

  Right into danger.

  The giant leapt up and swatted the helicopter to the ground. The fuselage crumpled and the main rotor broke free and cartwheeled across the park, taking out several soldiers and demons. There was a small explosion from the chopper’s engines, but most of the damage came purely from the force of impact with the ground. Dismembered arms and legs spilled out from the wreckage. Mina’s mouth filled with vomit, but she forced it back down. There was no time for nausea.

  Corporal Martin made it to the jeep first, but he didn’t hop in behind the wheel. Instead, he hopped in behind the machine gun mounted on the back. “David,” he shouted. “The keys are in the ignition. Get us out of here.”

  David stumbled. “What? I… I can’t take the wheel. What if I crash? M-My nerves are shot.”

  Mina shoved him out of the way. “I’ll drive, just get the kids inside.”

  David nodded, relieved. “Okay, Kyle, get in the jeep, quickly.”

  Kyle shook his head. “Alice first.”

  Alice was shaking and trembling, but she hurried towards the jeep as her brother urged her to move. David grabbed the little girl under the arms and launched her across the back seat, where she seemed to take comfort in clicking in her seatbelt. Once secure, she looked over at her brother and waved her hand. “Kyle, come on!”

  “I’m coming, Ally.” He took a step forward, but as he did something yanked him backwards.

  David went to help, but then changed his mind and backed up against the jeep. “Kyle, run!”

  Mina and Martin shouted warnings too.

  Alice screamed.

  But it was too late.

  The demon had the boy firmly in its clutches.

  Kyle was brave. He punched and kicked at his attacker, tearing away strips of burnt, tattered flesh, but the simple fact was that the boy just wasn’t strong enough. The demon shook off the blows as if they were flies and thrust its skeletal hand right inside Kyle’s belly, ripping out a pink, glistening bag that could only have been his stomach. Blood exploded from his mouth, and he made the most pitiful whine, but then he fell to the floor, dead.

  Martin opened up the machine gun on the back of the jeep, and the demon danced as a hundred metal wasps stung him. Scraps of singed flesh flew into the air like ash, and tendrils of smoke appeared from every bullet hole. When the vile creature hit the dirt, it looked like a soiled rag.

  Alice tried to leap out of the jeep and go to her brother, but David grabbed a hold of her collar and kept her inside the jeep. “He’s gone, sweetheart. We have to go.”

  “Kyle, no!”

  Martin shouted across to Mina. “Get us the fuck out of this city.”

  “Don’t have to tell me twice.” Mina stamped on the accelerator and took off at full speed. Behind them, Hyde Park descended into darkness and terror.

  ~Rick Bastion~

  Devonshire, England

  Rick was glad he and his brother hadn’t got a taxi and travelled to drink somewhere further afield, for they were able to reach his home within ten minutes, and just as night fell. Keith led the group as if it were his own house they were going to, but Rick had no inclination to complain. After the losses at The Warren, their group now consisted of just him, Keith, Steve, Diane, and Maddy, but when they reached the thick iron gate that protected his property, they discovered a new survivor.

  “What are you doing outside my house?” Rick asked the man. The blond stranger—perhaps about thirty—wore a black t-shirt tucked into jeans and was smoking a cigarette. His heavy work boots made him look like an extra out of Grease.

  “Wow, this your gaff? Nice. I’ve been rattling away at the gate for the last ten minutes. Never considered you might be out.”

  “You weren’t rattling the gate just now,” Rick commented. “You were just hanging around.”

  The stranger waved his lit cigarette. “Fag break, mate. Try’na batter down an old iron gate is tiring work. ‘Specially after gettin’ chased by demons.”

  Keith held up his iron poker and seemed to examine the dark red blood staining it. “You think they’re demons?”

  “I know they’re demons.”

  “How?”

  “Believe it or not, I once studied to be a priest. Eventually, I was put off by all those rules they expected me to follow, but I learned a few things.” He looked at Maddy and winked. “Those things are demons though, you can bet your hats. I’m happy to tell you fine folks all about it, but I would much rather do it inside this fine mansion, and not out where we might get eaten.”

  There was something about the guy that Rick didn’t like—he was too casual—but he couldn’t turn a person away with so much danger going on. They would have to keep an eye on him. It wasn’t like they didn’t outnumber him.

  Rick pulled out his keyring and located the little key that connected to the modern padlock he’d installed on the gate. Before he let everybody in, though, he turned to the stranger and asked for a name.

  “Daniel,” came the reply. “And very pleased I am to meet you all.”

  “Nice to meet you too, Daniel. I’m Rick. This is my brother, Keith… Steve, Maddy, and Diane. We’re pretty much strangers, but we’re bonding quickly. If you want to stay with us then behave yourself.”

  “Yeah, of course, pal.”

  They crunched up the driveway while Rick closed and locked the gate behind them, before racing ahead to open up the front door. The alarm beeped, and everyone had to wait in the porch while he disarmed it, but then he invited them all into the lounge where they all sat down—exhausted. It had been a long time since he’d hosted guests, and it made him feel anxious—strange considering the day he was having. It shouldn’t have been important.

  “I’ll get everyone drinks,” said Rick.

  “Just water for me,” said Diane.

  “Me too,” said Steven.

  “I think we should stick to the water,” said Keith, although his pained expression made it seem that he wanted a drink as much as Rick. He really had got a taste for it tonight, hadn’t he, but unlike Rick, he had the willpower to say no. It upset Rick to realise that he was more like his father than Keith. Perhaps that was why they had always clashed so badly.

  “Suit yourself,” said Rick, “but I’m having a beer.”

  He made them all drinks and brought them over on a tray. A silence descended, and everybody’s gaze fell on the newcomer, Daniel.

  “You’re all looking at me like I farted,” he said.

  “We want to know why you’re so sure those things attacking us are demons,” said Maddy. She had unzipped the top half of her jumpsuit and let it drop around her waist, revealing a tight black vest and well-toned arms. Everyone appeared hot and sweaty, so Rick got up and switched on the ceiling fan while they continued talking.

  “When I was studying to be a Roman Catholic priest,” Daniel began, “I spent a little time at the Vatican. There were some interesting books there, I don’t mind telling you—many of which were strictly off-limits. But, even back then, I was a bit of a shit, so one night, me and some of the other novices got hold of a book all about Lucifer and the Fallen Angels. You know the story: Lucifer refused to bow down to mankind and went to war against God in Heaven. Got his arse handed to him and was cast down with the other rebel angels, yada, yada, yada. Well, this book was all about what happened afterwards. Lucifer set up a kingdom of his own and named it Abysseus. The Abyss.”

  “Hell?” said Diane.

  “Yeah, darlin’. Hell is exactly what it is. Anyway, God, in all his glory, protected the Earth from this kingdom of Abysseus by creating six thousand Heavenly Seals. Each one protecting a spot where Hell encroached upon the Earth. You see, Heaven and Hell are both tethered to the Earth, a bit like the ropes on a hot air balloon. Heaven is the balloon, it keeps everything afloat. Earth is the basket, it gives us all something to stand on. But hitching a ride on the bottom is Hell.
Hell is the ballast; it drags everything down, and drains away all the effort Heaven puts into keeping us all afloat. If Hell gains too much influence, we all go down, you understand? Anyway, to keep everything nice and separate, God created the six thousand seals.”

  Rick’s eyes narrowed. “The black stones are the seals?”

  “Yep, them stones are the six thousand seals the book mentioned. Each one protecting a gateway between Hell and Earth. If Hell gains dominion over the Earth, that’s a whole lot of extra ballast dragging down Heaven. Maybe that’s what this is all about: Another shot at ending God’s kingdom. But, hey, this was all stuff I read in a book one time. Make of it what you will.”

  Rick put his beer down and leaned forward. “If the stones were put there by God, why have they opened and allowed Hell to come to Earth?”

  “Dunno.”

  Rick grunted. “You don’t know?”

  “Hey, you’re asking me to speculate based on a dusty old tome I read as a teenager. My guess would be sabotage opened the gates. Nothing in Hell can affect the seals, so someone on Earth must have had something to do with it. Or maybe God was so pissed off that he summoned the seals and switched them all off himself. Like I said, I dunno.”

  Keith rolled his eyes. “We don’t have any reason to believe your story over any other.”

  Daniel shrugged. “Nope, you don’t. The only thing we need to agree on is that them things are dangerous. We should stick together and hope for the best.”

  “Good plan,” said Keith morosely.

  Daniel threw his arms in the air. “It’s the best I got, pal.”

  “We should barricade this place,” said Maddy seriously.

  Diane nodded. “Yeah, we should totally do that, like in the black and white zombie movies. We should hammer boards over the windows.”

  Rick frowned. “This isn’t a zombie movie, Diane. Do you have any boards on you?”

  “In the films, they used doors.”