by Ryan, Matt
Poly looked away and gasped at the sight of Harris behind them. His pale face looked weary, but he grinned. His left arm dangled, blood dripping from his fingertips, right hand held his gun.
Poly looked back at the horde pile. “Who was that?”
“Len. If they sent him, they really meant business.”
“You okay?” Hank asked, getting up.
“Don’t worry, it’s just a gun shot.” Harris moved his left arm. “I’ll be fine.”
“How long have you been back there?” Julie brushed the leaves off her shirt.
“Long enough.”
The burning roof collapsed, a cloud of smoke mushroomed out from the wreckage. The flames covered the entire building. Grinners climbed into the burning pile, grabbing for any bodies still left. A few stumbled out from the building on fire, but none made it further than a few steps.
“We solved one problem and caused another,” Julie said.
“Yeah, how can we get to the stone now?” Lucas asked.
“I didn’t plan on the building burning down,” Harris said. “What do you guys think?”
Poly sighed, she remembered him doing this with Joey. She stared at the grinner nearby, holding her knife in its head. She would retrieve the knives when things calmed down.
“I think we should get to that stone as quick as possible, I bet MM will send backup soon,” Julie said.
Harris nodded, “Yeah, I bet they will.”
“What is there, like thirty of those things left?” Lucas said. “If we finish those off, we can get to the stone.”
“The sooner the better, I hate this planet,” Julie said.
Poly lowered her head, she felt the same hate for the planet at one point. Now she felt sympathy for what had happened. MM destroyed a world, full of people, thoughts, families, dogs, and ambitions. Now they were forced to live in small hideaways to survive.
“You okay?” Harris asked, looking at her.
“Yes . . . no.” She wasn’t good at explaining her feelings, but she needed to push her agenda a bit more before they got back to Preston. “This planet was twisted into this reality by MM. If we have hate, we should direct it to the ones who hurt us and those around us. My hate is for Marcus, for Max.” She hated a man she never met. “And if we can get to that stone, we are one step closer to fighting back. One step closer to Joey.”
Julie looked at the ground. “I didn’t mean it literally,” she whispered.
“Let’s get to killing,” Lucas said and placed an arrow in his bow string. His arrow flew and hit a half-on-fire grinner in the head, he fired six more arrows. “That’s it, until I retrieve.”
“I have twelve shots, but mine draw attention,” Harris said, holding his gun in his right hand. “Ready?”
Poly retrieved her knives and held them in her hand.
“Am I the only one that realizes the building’s on fire?” Julie asked.
Poly lowered her hand, looking at the flames and smoke bellowing from the heap. She turned to Harris.
“I saw a storm bunker door behind the building. I think it leads to the stone,” Harris said. “Let’s stick close together, I’ll lead. But once I run out of bullets, Poly and Hank need to take the front line.”
Poly stared at the group still ravaging the seven’s body. She wouldn’t let that happen to anyone in her group. Harris walked past her and into the clearing, grinners perked up at the sight of the live prey and began to amble toward him. He shot the front six and holstered his gun, grabbing the one on his left hip, shooting another six. The shots echoed through the clearing like a dinner bell. Harris turned around, holding onto the dagger Poly handed him, and walked behind her. She swallowed, gazing at the grinners coming.
Hank stood next to her and gave her a nod, holding his stick-staff. She pulled out her sword and stood the length of a person away from Hank, matching his steps. A grinner approached her and she cut its head off and in the back swing chopped into another, she could feel the wind from Hank’s staff as he crushed the heads of grinners on his side.
“Shift left,” Harris commanded.
Poly sidestepped with Hank, and from the corner of her eye, she saw Lucas pulling arrows out of dead grinners. She stabbed the eye of another, and cut the head off. She turned to Hank to see him kick one in the chest. An arrow flew by her hair and into the head of an oncoming grinner.
The wind shifted and the smoke blew into their faces, making a thick, gray cloud. She could feel the heat of the fire and heard the cracks and pops from the remains of the dying building. Four grinners emerged from the smoke, an arrow stuck one and she sliced two more. Hank chopped down on the head of the fourth.
“Keep moving,” Harris said.
Poly coughed, hot smoke filling her lungs, she lost her sense of direction. She kept Hank at her left, not letting him get more than six feet away.
“Here’s the door,” Harris said.
Poly held a hand over her mouth, coughing uncontrollably. A grinner trotted through the smoke toward them. She swung her sword, one handed, cutting his face in half. She almost threw up at the sight, which didn’t mix well with the coughing. She needed to get out of there.
The door looked like a storm shelter door, lying above the ground a foot. Harris flung the door open, thick smoke spewed from the opening. Harris took a step back and when the smoke cleared a bit, he peered down the doorway.
“Hank, do you have some water in your bag?” Harris asked.
“Yeah,” Hank coughed and set his bag on the ground.
“Everyone, take this water.” Harris handed the bottles around. “Pour it on your shirts and cover your mouth with the fabric.”
Poly poured water on her mouth and neck, letting it run down her neck and soak her shirt. Harris did the same and pulled his wet shirt over his mouth, holding it there.
“We’ll only have a minute or two down there before we pass out from the smoke. The wet shirt will help, but only a little. We can’t get separated, we have one shot to make it to the stone. Stay low and hold hands.”
With the shirt over her mouth, Poly muffled a protest at the crazy idea of going into the smoke filled stairway, but Harris held out his available hand and Poly grasped it. She looked over her shoulder and Hank took her hand, Julie and Lucas behind him. Harris pulled her into the dark stairwell, smoking like a train, making the outside smoke seem like a fresh summer day. Poly had the instant urge to turn back and run up the stairs, but Harris held her hand firm, pulling her deep into abyss and down the stairs.
She bit her wet shirt, breathing through her teeth. The moist air felt good in her lungs, but the rancid smell of burning papers and plastics filled her nose. She let go of Hank’s hand to cover her face from the inferno pouring out an office door. Harris quickened his pace past the fire.
The thick smoke stung her eyes and tears dripped down her face. She couldn’t see the floor or the walls, only Harris’s hand holding hers. She stumbled and coughed, accidentally spitting out her shirt, and sucked in a mouthful of the black smoke. She let go of Harris’s hand, covering her mouth, but the smoke stayed in her lungs and she couldn’t stop the coughing. She inhaled more smoke with each spastic cough. Her knees hit the floor and her vision blurred, Harris’s hand disappeared in the smoke.
She felt arms from behind her, wrapping around her like a bear, carrying her. Bouncing in those arms, she heard words yelled, but they were distant sounds to her. She battled to get the smoke out of her lungs, while trying to not breathe in new smoke. Both ends, she failed.
Then she heard a familiar humming sound, a sound that meant they were going home.
POLY OPENED HER EYES.
Charred branches of oak trees spread across the sky. Wisps of smoked fluttered through them and disappeared. She breathed deeply but coughed it all back out. She smashed her face into Hank’s chest.
“We made it,” he said between coughs.
Poly moved her leg and Hank lowered her to the ground. She hunched over in a coughing
fit and struggled to stand straight, as she took in her surroundings. Julie coughed as she leaned next to Lucas, embracing her. Harris staggered near the edge of the circle, holding out a dagger, gaze darting around.
This can’t be home. The bushes were burnt sticks, the trees were blackened and leafless. The air, while clear, held the smell of smoke. Not the rancid smell of plastic, but the sweet smell of a campfire.
Julie screamed. Poly spun to face her. A few feet in front of Julie, a dead Arrack lay. Flies buzzed around its body.
“What’s going on, Harris?” Poly asked in a fit of coughing. “Where are we?”
Harris looked her in the eyes before his own rolled back. He staggered backward and fell hard on the ground—soot flying out from around him as he landed. Poly and Hank ran to his side. His pale face didn’t move. She clasped his hand, happy to see his chest moving up and down in slow breaths. Closer to him, she saw his black shirt had concealed the several bullet holes in his body.
“It’s the kids.”
She knew the voice and turned as Rick ran into the circle. A bow and quiver bounced around on his back. Black rings hung under his eyes and bandages wrapped his arm. The smile on his face didn’t match his appearance. She saw Rick counting them, stopping on his son’s face.
“Lucas.” He ran and wrapped Lucas in a big hug. “You made it, my boy.”
“It’s good to be back, dad, but we didn’t all make it.”
“This is . . . everyone?” Rick asked, his brief happiness turning to grief.
Minter ran into the clearing next, skidding on the ash littered ground. With a gun in each hand, he scanned their faces. “Where’s Joey?” he asked.
Poly’s heart sank. She had to live it, seeing Joey carted away with Max, but telling his father what happened brought the feelings to the surface. “Marcus has him,” she said coughing, tears running down her soot-ridden face.
Minter fell to his knees, his distraught face pointed at the sky. Poly’s coughs mixed her sobs. She looked into Hank’s blood-shot eyes and dirty face and then back to Minter.
“I’m so sorry,” Poly said.
Minter closed his eyes and slumped forward. “Why couldn’t you protect them, Harris?” Harris didn’t respond and Minter moved next to him.
“He’s shot,” Julie said. “He’s the only reason we got here.”
Rick kneeled next to Harris and grabbed his wrist with two fingers. “Hank, carry Harris to Minter’s house, Beth can help him. Run, go now!”
Hank picked up Harris and ran in the direction Rick pointed.
Poly watched Harris’s head bob around Hank’s shoulder as he ran away with him, his feet kicking up dirt. The blackened forest spread out around her, nothing green for hundreds of feet.
“What’s happening here?” Lucas asked with his arm around Julie.
“They came.” Rick pointed to the dead Arrack. “They’ve been coming here ever since you left,” he said, adjusting the bow on his back. “Sometimes one at a time, like that one. Sometimes a few more. They are either looking or waiting for you. We have constant shifts watching this circle.”
Minter stood and interrupted Rick. “Where have you been?” he asked with tear-filled eyes.
Poly shook her head, staring at Joey’s dad. “We’ve been chased . . . everywhere.” She coughed into her hands, her lungs and throat hurt. Anything more than a tiny breath sent her into a coughing fit.
Minter walked next to her and handed her a bottle of water. She took it and drank, feeling the cool liquid soothe her throat. She put the lid back on and tossed it to Lucas who handed it to Julie.
Minter paced the circle, kicking up dirt and soot. “Get back to my house. There could be more here any second.”
Poly nodded and put a hand on Minter’s shoulder. “We’re getting him back.”
He stared at her with his cold, blue eyes. She saw hints of Joey in those eyes, just with more mileage and pain. He nodded. “Samantha as well. We’ll get both of them back.”
“Wait, what?” Julie pulled away from Lucas.
Poly stumbled back, shaking her head. Marcus had Samantha? She couldn’t blink, even though her eyes stung from the smoke. Samantha and Joey . . . both held by Marcus? No, it couldn’t be.
“Simon took her, we were too slow.” Rick stood close to Lucas, turning his head in every direction.
Poly covered her mouth with her hand. “We had no idea.” Her throat seized at the end of her words.
Julie moved to Poly and hugged her. Poly felt the wet tears from Julie’s face on her neck as she stared at the stone.
“When?” Lucas asked.
“Right after you left, Simon grabbed her while we were all on the ground.” Minter’s attention darted around the forest. “You guys need to go, I don’t want to lose anymore of you. It’s not safe here.”
“Come on,” Lucas said.
“We’ll be at the house soon, son,” Rick said. He held onto Lucas’s arm, until he stopped and turned to face him. “I can’t tell you how much it means to see you back here.”
“Let’s not get all sappy now, dad.”
Rick put his hand on his shoulder. “Don’t get all macho with me.”
Lucas smiled and hugged him. He let go and hurried to the edge of the circle, next to Julie and Poly. Poly held Julie’s hand and pulled her along, following Lucas. After a while, the burnt forest turned back into dark green foliage. The news of Samantha lingered on Poly and her mind raced with awful thoughts.
They didn’t speak as they left Watchers Woods and walked through Minter’s grass field. Poly recognized the cars and trucks parked in front of the house. She saw Trip standing on the porch, holding a shotgun. He smiled as they approached. His blood-shot eyes took each of them in with enthusiasm.
“So glad to see you back,” Trip said as they walked up the steps to the front porch.
“Good to see you.” Lucas hugged him.
Julie left Poly’s side and ran into Trip’s arms. He petted the back of her head. Poly walked to Trip and took a spot next to Julie and let him pull her in for a hug as well. She felt secure in his large arms. He had tried to warn them. He’d been the one who told the rest of the parents to train and prepare them. How could Simon have gotten Samantha from such arms?
Bull let out a bark and stood up to put his front legs on Julie, trying to get into the hugs. Poly turned and knelt down to Bull. He sniffed around her face and then moved around her body. She knew he was searching for Joey. “I’m sorry, boy.” She petted him on the head.
“Let’s get you inside and cleaned up,” Trip said walking them to the front door and opening it.
They walked in to hear Beth, Julie’s mom, yelling directions from the kitchen. “Get me another bucket of water and clean towels.”
Karen ran from the kitchen, she slid in her tracks when she saw them. “Oh, look at you two.” She darted to Poly and Julie. “And Lucas. . . .” She glanced at the doorway, her face crunched up in agony.
“I need those towels,” Beth bellowed from the kitchen.
Karen jumped at the words and bounded to the bathroom, coming out with a hand full of towels. Poly edged near the kitchen door. She’d seen too much death, too much suffering and she didn’t want to see more, but she rounded the corner and saw Beth hovering over Harris, pulling his shirt up as he lay on the kitchen island.
Blood seeped from several holes and Beth commanded Karen push towels over them. Poly turned away and covered her mouth, as Beth rolled Harris to his side and he groaned out in pain.
“The bullets went through, all we can do is control the bleeding,” Beth said and rolled him back on his back. “Opal, hold it firmly here.”
“Mom,” Poly called. She hadn’t seen her standing behind Beth.
Opal dropped the towel and ran to her, hugging her tightly. Poly felt the knives hidden around her mom’s shirt as she hugged her back. She felt safe in Trip’s arms, but she felt at home in her mom’s. She hadn’t realized how much she missed her mom and
home, until that moment.
Beth, noticing Opal’s departure, spotted Julie and ran past Poly to grab her in an embrace, keeping her bloody hands away.
Opal used her thumb to wipe the tears from Poly’s cheek. “You guys okay?” she asked, gazing at each of them.
“Yeah, were fine,” Poly said and coughed.
“It wasn’t easy getting back here,” Lucas said.
Karen sighed and pushed the towel on Harris’s stomach. He groaned and moved his arm.
“They took Joey,” Poly said through gritted teeth.
“Hank told us,” Opal said. “Is he going to be okay?” Julie pointed at Harris.
“I don’t know.” Beth set a large first aid kit on the kitchen island next to Harris.
“Can’t we take him to a hospital?”
“Gun shots are reported to the cops, and I don’t think we can explain this,” Beth said, while turning Harris on his side and placing a towel on the exit wound. Harris moved his hand and pulled open his jacket.
“The white,” he said and then his arms fell to his side.
“Harris?” Beth said and rifled into his jacket. She yanked out a small white pouch and stared at it.
She pulled the tab off and pushed Karen to the side, smearing the cream over his wounds. “We’ll put some bandages on and just hope that cream is enough.”
“Look, there’s nothing you kids can do, let’s get you cleaned up in the bathroom,” Opal said. “Lucas, you want to take Julie to the upstairs bathroom?”
Poly let her mom push her from the kitchen and into the hall bath. She put her hands on the white tile countertop and beheld her face in the mirror. The person in the mirror was unrecognizable, as her familiar features were covered in gray soot. Her blood shot eyes looked darker. She blinked. A cup with a toothbrush sticking out of it sat at the back of the countertop. Joey probably brushed his teeth at that very sink, looking into that mirror.
Her mom ran water on a washcloth and pushed the warm cloth on Poly’s face. Poly took the cloth and wiped away some of the filth from her face. She wiped some more and saw her tan skin peeking through. She stared at her half clean visage, thinking about Joey on the roof and Samantha’s face next to the Alius circle. Her friends were gone and she felt guilty having any kind of pleasure, like a washed face, while they needed her.
