The Blood Bargain

by Reeves, Macaela

  “I think they were dormant till you fired that blast. I just got mummy grabbed outside the file room.” There was something in the air...

  “Shhh.” I hissed.

  We stood, and listened.

  It was all around us, somewhere in the massive building there was a slow methodical pounding. The muted cries of the dead echoing from the air vents.

  Ben cursed, pulling his axe off his back.

  I eyed the fire exit sign by the wall behind me. The little red line told me everything I needed. Stairwell down the hall to the left. Although I doubted we’d be proceeding in slow single file.

  “Stairwell down the hall to the left, will take us to the roof.” I whispered.

  “Move!” Cole barked taking point. Ben filled in behind him, then Adam. Having the only ranged weapon, I covered the rear.

  As one we left the state office for the main hall. Our visibility range was nil, the sun had started to set so the little daylight that had seeped in previously was long gone. I cursed the generator up one side and down the other in my head for teasing us.

  We passed the door to the agriculture office; there was movement behind the clouded glass. Nothing against the door though, unless they had learned to turn knobs we’d be fine from those ones.

  That was unless they walked through the windows, not likely considering it was a government building. The stuff was probably reinforced enough to withstand an elephant stampede.

  According to the little diagram on the wall the stairwell was at a T intersection in this wing of the building, two hundred feet in front of us. The hall was too dark for comfort; I handed my candle to Adam and brought my crossbow around. In the dim orange glow at Cole’s belt, I saw movement.

  With a war cry Cole struck forward with his drawn weapons. The thud as his attacker hit the floor echoed in the darkness.

  So did the increasing wails of the dead, partially masked by the ones banging behind closed doors. They were close but it was hard to pinpoint the distance and our visibility was nothing. We moved slow, not because we wanted to, but because we had to.

  My light source shook as Adam’s hands were unsteady.

  The mangled face of a crawler came into view at my feet across the hallway to the right. I didn.t even think before I fired. The thing fell in a slump at the edge of our visibility.

  That was another arrow I wouldn't be going back for.

  Another thud in the foreground signaled Ben and Cole had their hands full.

  Knowing we had to be close, I grabbed one of the candles from Adam’s shaking hand and threw it down the hall over Cole’s head into the darkness.

  It illuminated the outline of a wooden door with a small plate that read a marvelous word; stairwell.

  No other bodies shown in the light between us and our destination.

  We picked up the pace, guard still drawn.

  Cole got to the door and flung it open, doing an initial check of the stairwell behind.

  One in. Ben ran followed close behind.

  Two.

  I was next.

  Adam banked around the corner of the door to the stairwell. A two fingered hand reached from the darkness to the left, grabbing his shoulder.

  Black coated teeth sinking into his forearm.

  Blood poured, there was screaming. I was screaming.

  An axe protruded from the thing’s head, causing it to release and crumble to the floor.

  Cole pulled me back, my feet refused to comply with the weight change and I fell against the metal stairs. I didn’t feel the pain I’m sure it caused my limbs.

  Ben pulled Adam into the stairwell, swinging the heavy emergency door shut behind him.

  There was blood everywhere. Adam’s arm was gushing like a broken water main, there was a circular tear where his muscle and skin had been ripped out, I could see a small white tint of bone in the dim light.

  “He’s been bitten.” Ben barked at Cole, taking off his tee shirt and wrapping it around the wound. His hands were shaking so I took over, holding pressure against the bite. It happened so quickly. I couldn’t do anything. Why hadn’t I taken up the rear...

  “Leave me...I’m screwed. Get out of here.”

  Adam mumbled to no one in particular, his eyes didn’t focus, head rolling from side to side. It had to have been shock.

  “We.re not leaving you behind!” Cole barked.

  Something bumped against the emergency door.

  “Ben can you carry him?”

  “Yeah...slow going up those five flights.”

  “We have all night.” Cole reassured the giant; although I’m not sure Adam had all night.

  “Come here you sack of potatoes.” Ben lifted the frail guy up and over his shoulder. I took a deep breath.

  “I’ll keep on the rear, if he starts to turn...” I stopped. This wasn’t any he, this was Adam. My friend. I looked at his unfocused eyes, trying to make contact.

  “Adam. If you start to turn I’m gonna have to shoot you buddy.” I’m not sure he heard me. Hell, I’m not sure I heard me. My mind was a muddy field at the moment, eyes blurry regardless of how many times I wiped them.

  The walk up that flight of stairs was purgatory.

  Not just because we had a man with a death sentence in tow, but because we were all filled with regret that his death would be for next to nothing. We had the name of some stupid project. That was it. The others didn’t have to speak; I could see the pain in each of their faces echoing

  my own.

  We had been so confident not thirty minutes before. Laughing and joking. We had beaten this. The alpha team.

  Really we were nothing but stupid. Stupid and brash. How could we not have learned? How come I thought this would be so much easier than last time?

  Cole kept trying to make small talk, asking Adam what girl he was going to go after at the bar that night. Telling him now he’d be good at working over the wall rather than in lookout.

  All wishful thinking.

  I remembered how mean I’d been to the guy when we’d met. After all he had easy street. Up there in that protected tower while we were in the wilds. I wished I could take back every mean face I had given him years ago, every snide remark.

  Dimitri had been right. Coming here was a mistake. This investigation wouldn.t change the past. Worse, it had cost Adam his future.

  I don’t know how long it took us to get to the roof, I didn.t have a watch. When Cole kicked out the roof access door I was thankful for the moonlight, my candle had burned low in my hand. I chucked it over the ledge of the roof, watching the little flame until it blew out from the velocity.

  I could see them in the streets below the building.

  Hundreds. Active. Their joined sound the new crickets of the night. I shivered in the fall night, wrapping my arms around myself.

  “What now?” Ben asked pacing.

  “We wait for D.” I said quietly, moving to sit by Adam. Fever was setting in, so was a cold sweat. Both signs he didn’t have long. Soon his breathing would stop.

  He would still for but a moment, then his eyes would open again and..

  “He’s gonna show right?” Ben grumbled, his boots squeaking across the rooftop.

  “He said he’d come. He’ll come.” I had faith D wouldn.t leave me here.

  “You better not have screwed us Liv.”

  “What are you saying Ben?” I didn’t like the venom in his voice.

  “I’m saying...” He stalked over to me, looming like the big oaf that he was.

  “...knock it off.” Cole cut in, in a tired voice. He was rubbing his eyes with his hands, shoulders slumped.

  Defeated was probably the best word for it. Thankfully Ben abided his request with a curse and went back to pacing.

  Then Dimitri was at my side, the strong scent of him filled my nose.

  “What happened to this one?” He asked me, while Ben jumped back about ten feet. I had forgotten to mention their little poof in and out abilities.

&nbs
p; Honestly how had they thought he was going to get here?

  “Adam was bitten.” I choked back tears while my friend moaned through the pain.

  “Time to go.” No apologies, no condolences, just factual. Anger rose in my chest, my mouth twisted in a sneer.

  “We can’t just leave him here.” I snapped, jumping to my feet.

  “He belongs to the dead now.” D’s tone was flat, his pretty accent did nothing to warm his words.

  “He’s not dead yet!” I stomped around the roof. It seemed so cruel. To just leave him here. Alone. Defenseless. No one should die alone.

  “Would you prefer to wait until he turns and comes for you?” Dimitri asked.

  “Liv. The fanger is right.” Cole spoke calmly to me, then turned to D. “No offense.”

  Dimitri smiled, revealing his extended white canines. “None taken.”

  I walked up to Adam, my throat tight. His eyes were shut, his face slack indicating he had passed out. I wanted to reach out and touch him, but fear kept my hands at my sides.

  “Goodbye old friend, you always looked out for me from above. I’m...I’m sorry I was such an ass when we met. You always looked after me even when I was. I’m so...so incredibly sorry I couldn’t do the same today. I’m gonna miss you and I hope....I hope you find your family and some peace wherever you go.” I stood, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand.

  Moving aside gave Cole and Ben the opportunity to say their goodbyes. Cole muttered to him about what a tough son of a gun he was while I walked back over to Dimitri. My dear vampire was looking particularly guarded at the moment, his face flat and emotionless. I would ask

  him what he was thinking, but at the moment I didn’t really care. I had my own issues to deal with.

  It took everything I had not to flat out bawl. I’d lost many people since this all began. Since the wall went up I hadn’t lost anyone that I was close to. Seeing Adam work through the stages of infection opened up all those old wounds all over again. He wouldn’t wave down at me from the tower anymore, wouldn’t save me a seat at the Garage. Wouldn’t settle down a bunch of hot heads or sweep some young girl off her feet.

  Tears welled in my eyes again, I wasn’t ready for this.

  Shirtless and shivering Ben rejoined Dimitri and me followed shortly by Cole. The four of us formed a solemn semi-circle on the roof.

  “Should we end him before we go? You know...so he’s not one of them?” Ben asked scratching at his arms, his eyes red as well.

  Those words set off an explosion none anticipated. The three of us started arguing, yelling and shouting at each other with venom we had never shown before. I couldn’t stand for them to kill the kid. He was our friend. He was still human. Cole called it euthanasia, putting him out of his misery. It didn't seem humane to me. Over the harsh words and exaggerated gestures a cold

  voice cut through the night.

  “I will take care of it.” Dimitri offered. To which I was pleasantly surprised that Cole nodded in agreement.

  With tears in my eyes I begged him to be swift about it.

  Dimitri bade us to take hands and in the blink of an eye we were just inside the wall. Miles away from our dying friend. Safe in the confines of Junction.

  Rest in peace Adam King.

  Chapter 16

  I lay in my night filled room, my eyes plastered to the ceiling. My nose was tormented by the smells of rot from the city intermixed by the rich copper of blood. I was sure all traces of either had been washed off by the rain when I walked home, but even gone the smell stuck in my nostrils. I’d been back in my house for almost two hours since Dimitri dropped us off. Since then I’d been

  laying here lost in thought. It began with my tears coming and going on their own accord, then they slowly receded like a gentle stop at an intersection. This time though, there was no hitting the gas to move forward. I was stuck.

  I laid there waiting, thinking maybe Dimitri would come home and somehow I.d feel better.

  He had yet to walk in the door.

  I groaned and fluffed my pillow, finding the dead quiet of the room and the soft rain outside too peaceful for how I was feeling. It was too calm; everything since we had wound up back in junction had been too calm.

  “What do we do now?” Cole had asked me. Ben had been at his side, equally perplexed. I had thought about that question over and over again since I had said my answer; even now as I lay here.

  “We go home.” My response had struck him by surprise.

  I rolled over in bed and rearranged my pillows. No matter the effort all I felt under my head was a bag of rocks; pointy uncomfortable stones that demanded that I remain conscious with my grief. What should I do now?

  What could I do? I can’t change the past.

  “We’ll meet tomorrow at Smittys.” He had said to me, his voice carrying the resolve of a marathon runner who had tripped on the first quarter mile. Despite this, I couldn’t have it. Enough was enough.

  I can’t change the past.

  It had started to rain. The water pouring down from above echoed that still falling from my eyes. The world was right to mourn his loss. The cold splashing against my skin and soaking through my clothes my teeth had chattered. The words I had spoken next were not like me.

  “No. We just go home. There are no next steps no plan. That's it. This is stupid and pointless and got Adam killed. I’m done.”

  I rolled over in bed again, facing the other wall.

  A flash of lightening brightened the room for only a moment. It hadn’t stopped raining since I got home.

  I’m done I’m done I’m done.

  It’s over.

  I took a deep breath.

  I can’t change the past.

  As those words rolled through my mind again and again, a certain weight lifted from my shoulders. The past...that's all it was. Was a time that was. The thought of it was so simple so silly that I found myself giggling.

  Lying in bed in the dark giggling.

  Perhaps I had gone mad?

  I don’t know when my laughter mutated into sleep. I did not dream, instead I blinked and the room was full of light.

  I stretched and got ready. My hair was starting to get long, now sticking behind my shoulders. I debated cutting it, and decided against it.

  In fact, I thought about taking a serious look at my day job.

  Breakfast was the usual...eggs and milk. There was a note for me on the counter.

  Meet me at Saint Augustine’s Center at nightfall.

  Dimitri

  I frowned. His handwriting looked a little off from his previous notes. Oh well, maybe it had been a hard night on him too. I shrugged on my jacket then took it off. It reminded me too much of the night before. Instead I went back into my room and grabbed a bulky sweatshirt out of the closet.

  I had the day off -which was a good thing I couldn’t imagine going to the wall and not seeing Adam staring down at me from his little perch- instead I made an effort at being a productive member of the colony.

  I went to my old home and helped Zoe with the laundry. The Dole twins with winter firewood prep. I even made an attempt at canning with Candice. All that hard work later the sun was starting to set in the sky and I was itching to see what D wanted with me at the old Christian center.

  Thinking back to his little dinner attempt, maybe it was something romantic? Yeah right, like he was a wedding bells vampire. Maybe it was a quiet funeral for Adam. My chest

  ached as I thought of it; Adam laying there on the altar all pasty and covered with a sheet.

  Father Flannigan couldn’t officiate, because technically no one knew he was dead or missing. Cole had covered his tracks at Adam’s homestead. All his blood relatives were already dead...

  I took a deep breath, not wanting to start bawling again.

  The center was on the North West side of the small town. A little brick building attached to the church that served varying purposes depending on the season.

  I jogged up
to the center’s front door and was met with a cheery welcome sign. I didn’t see much light inside but the windows were small and covered with blinds.

  “Hello?” I opened the door and tripped over something.

  A human foot. There were bodies...everywhere.

  The smell invaded my nose, assaulted my eyes.

  Oh my god...

  I immediately panicked. Expecting one of them to move, to rise and moan and...

  Nothing. Just piles of dead flesh, ripped to shreds and swarming with flies. The buzzing was so loud it was like music.

  “You are a rude little rat you know that? Never knocking, just barging in wherever you want to go.”

  Antonia.

  The bodies on the floor at my feet, there was a ripped Vikings jacket stained with blood.

  I thought of the distress signal I had received.

  The garbled message. They weren’t saying stone creek.

  They were saying saint center. The signal had come from inside the colony. The center was one of the few places that had an emergency transmission system from being an old bomb shelter.

  The missing caravan. They were kept here. Kept before they were killed.

  “You murdered the caravan from Lake City. All of them.” My voice wavered. How could I have missed that? Right under our noses this whole time, inside our very walls. Those people, begging for help…

  “Not all of them.” She smiled. “I split the spoils with the good doctor.”

  “You’re supposed to protect people.”

  “Correction. We.re supposed to protect the people in here.” She pointed to the ground then spread her arms wide. “Those wandering in the wilds are free game.”

  “They were from Lake City. Another protected colony.”

  With a smirk she circled me, her fangs extended down over her ruby lips. “The property of Zhang Qi does not concern me.” I didn.t know that name...must have been a vampire in Minnesota. I looked around at the dark body filled room. I needed to stall. No time to think, no time to plan. She was staring at me, her perfect blond brow dipped into a frown. I had to say something.

  “So, blood liaison's not enough for you?” I muttered, trying to sound curious rather than aggressive.