by Jacob Rayne
‘You ain’t gonna shoot me,’ Abbott said.
‘Now I want some answers,’ Kyle said, taking the gun out of his daughter’s hand.
‘Are you shitting me?’ Abbott said. ‘We’re doing this little Q and A here?’ he held his arms aloft to indicate the danger that remained; more mutants had appeared on the far side and were throwing themselves into the sewage. There were so many of them that they were forming a bridge. Others were walking across their backs, safe from the threat of drowning.
The leers on their faces suddenly seemed all the more mocking.
‘He’s right,’ Simone said. ‘Let’s get somewhere safe.’
The tunnels on the other side seemed relatively clear, but the pursuing mutants were still giving chase; they could hear their ragged breathing and shambling footsteps behind them.
‘How did you know where to find me?’ Kyle said, aiming the gun right in Abbott’s face.
‘Easy. That little tracking device in your phone? I can track it,’ Abbott said. ‘I got Blake’s little suicide note too. If I had the time and the inclination to read that litany of godlessness that he sent me I’d know almost as much about this little fuck up as you do.’
Kyle blanched a little.
‘So, I need the serum,’ Abbott said. ‘A friend of mine is in a bad way.’
‘The serum is gonna help my wife,’ Kyle said.
‘If she makes it that far,’ Abbott said.
‘She will make it,’ Kyle snapped.
‘We’ll see.’
‘I’m in charge here anyway. You don’t get to give out orders.’
‘Lucky I took all the bullets out before I let her take it, ain’t it?’ Abbott said.
Kyle’s eyes narrowed.
Abbott stared him in the eye, a triumphant grin on his face.
While Kyle tried to think if the gun was loaded, Abbott darted in and shoved the underside of his arm upwards. The gun went skyward, the blast bringing down chunks of brickwork on their heads.
Kyle grunted. Abbott hit him full in the face, buckling Kyle’s legs and sending him to the floor.
He pulled his wrist round sharply, gaining a pained cry from Kyle.
‘Let go of it, ’fore I snap your wrist,’ he growled.
Kyle did so.
Abbott took the gun and clubbed him round the head with it.
‘I should blow your fucking head up the wall,’ he hissed. ‘For your part in this.’
Kyle cowered from another shot.
Abbott hit him again, bursting his nose across his face. Blood snaked down from both nostrils.
‘Where’s the serum?’
‘Alright alright,’ Kyle spluttered, blood spraying from his burst lips. ‘It’s not far from here.’
Winters pulled into the parking lot of Milly’s – the seemingly derelict diner on the east highway. The neon sign was extinguished, all but one of the windows obscured by graffiti-covered boards.
The brake lights of Craggs’s car blazed in the darkness of the lot. Duggan got out and went over.
Caitlin was leaning out of the driver’s window, smoking a roll up. Duggan couldn’t help but notice how attractive she was. Craggs sure was a lucky man.
‘We all made it ok, I see,’ Duggan said.
‘What’s the plan?’
‘You know the area better than me. What’s a safe place to go?’
‘Not sure,’ Craggs said. ‘Depends what we want.’
‘Somewhere easy to defend.’
‘I’ll need a think.’
‘Tell you what. I need to get Hennessee and Carroll from the hospital. You wait here. Take Weiland and his family. Find another car. Think of somewhere we can go. By the time we get back, you should be sorted.’
‘Fair enough. Don’t be too long though.’
‘We won’t.’
The hospital was only a few miles up from the diner. Duggan ran in and demanded to know where Hennessee and Carroll were.
The receptionist wouldn’t tell him, but Duggan fixed her with one of his trademark stares until she relented.
Duggan thanked her and ran up to the room. Hennessee looked confused but much better than the last time Duggan had seen him.
‘Randall, glad you’re ok. We need to get you out of here.’
‘What is it, Jim?’
‘The redneck assholes took the van you were trying to defend. It crashed into the dam and the water blew the fences out. The creatures have overrun the town.’
‘Ah sweet Jesus.’ Hennessee quickly found his shoes and gun and rushed out.
‘We need Carroll too,’ Duggan said.
‘He’s a few doors down,’ Hennessee said. ‘I saw him earlier on.’
Carroll was in bed, reading a boxing magazine. He looked up and smiled at them.
‘We gotta go,’ Duggan said.
‘What’s up?’
‘The town’s full of those fucking creatures,’ Hennessee cut in.
‘Fuck.’
Carroll got ready and rushed out, a horrified look on his face.
‘Hey, shouldn’t we let everybody know?’ Carroll said.
‘I doubt they’d believe us, but it’s worth a shot,’ Duggan said. He ran up to the reception desk.
The receptionist from earlier fixed him with a furious glare. ‘Yes?’
‘Please, don’t interrupt me. Write down everything I say. Rook’s Foot Canyon is overrun with bloodthirsty creatures. Evacuate Rook’s Foot Canyon and the towns surrounding it.’
‘You can’t be—’
‘—Lady, I’m entirely serious. Please spread the word. I have to go, but if you’ve got any sense, you’ll start by evacuating this place.’
As Duggan, Hennessee and Carroll ran out, they heard the receptionist read out Duggan’s message over the PA system. Seconds later, pandemonium broke out.
They got in the car and drove back to the diner. Craggs had found a car for Weiland and his family and he had a place in mind. Scar Island, it was called.
‘It’s in the middle of the harbour, coupla miles out. There are bridges to it, but we could take them out. There’ll be plenty of food and guns in the prison.’
‘How far?’
‘Few hours’ drive. Will we need to go that far?’
‘Trust me, these things will decimate everything in their path. The further away the better.’
‘Kay. Let’s go.’
The remaining townsfolk in the police station were starting to calm down after their initial panic. The creatures seemed to be ignoring them for now. There were plenty of guns here and a few cops. Not much food, but you couldn’t have everything. There were certainly worse places to be.
They took it in turns to sleep and to keep watch. It seemed that the creatures had forgotten about them.
One of the three cops in the station put himself in charge of communications. He warned the outside world of the dangers in their town, hoping that help would come.
Instead, the outside world seemed to leave them to it, not daring to come in and risk a bloody death at the clawed hands of the mutants.
It did not occur to the townsfolk, or the outside world, that the creatures would make their way out of Rook’s Foot Canyon.
VI: Fortification
The tunnels were dark and twisting but the smartphone in Kyle’s quaking hands kept them on the right path.
Kyle and Simone were pretty much dragging Vanessa along now. She seemed comatose, mere inches from death’s door.
Abbott still had his arm round Marla’s throat, but he had relaxed his grip. He could read people well and he knew he’d broken the scientist. He had no intention of hurting the kids, unless it was absolutely unavoidable.
‘Let’s hope there are no surprises round here,’ Abbott said, thinking of the mutants and the hideous thing that had bitten Mark.
The entrance to the labs was a bloodbath. Bodies lay in torn piles, limbs and heads strewn across the blood-soaked floor.
Even Abbott blanched a little. The wea
pons the guards held had clearly been of no use against the tide of mutated humanity pouring out of the test facilities like diseased blood from a vein.
He scanned carefully.
‘We’re royally fucked if they’re still here, mind,’ he said, shaking his head at the savagery inflicted on the guards and scientists.
Kyle bowed his head.
‘Just what the hell were you pricks thinking when you created these things?’ Abbott said, shaking his head in fury.
Kyle said nothing.
‘You can tell me later,’ Abbott said. ‘We’re wasting valuable time.’
He poked his head in through the open doors, and took in a scene which resembled the floor of a butcher’s shop, all blood-spattered and coated with chunks of dismembered flesh.
The glassy eyes of the dead seemed to follow him as he moved over the bodies.
‘Doesn’t seem to be anybody here,’ he said. ‘You gonna get your asses in here or are ya gonna wait out there?’
‘Tough call,’ Simone said, thinking of the mutants in the sewers.
‘Get in here,’ Abbott said. ‘Where we going?’
Kyle pulled up the map on his phone and led them through the tunnels.
In the corridors, bodies lay torn and bloody. They were less common than in the entrance to the facility, but still enough to sadden and sicken the survivors.
‘It’s in here,’ Kyle said, scanning his hand into the palm reader mounted on the door.
The door slid back with a swish of soft air.
The scent of blood hit them like a sledgehammer blow.
‘Look lively,’ Abbott said, noting footprints in the blood. They looked distorted, more like claws than feet.
‘The antidote is in the locked room at the back,’ Kyle said.
‘Well whatcha waiting for? Get your ass in there and get it.’
Kyle gulped.
‘You created this fucking mess so I’m fucked if I’m going in there first.’
He met Abbott’s gaze, looked away again. The marine’s hand was clenched tight and his jaw set in a determined grimace.
He dropped his gaze. ‘Here goes nothing,’ he said.
‘Ladies, you want to wait out here?’ Abbott said, indicating the body-strewn corridor.
Simone nodded. They set Vanessa down carefully. Strands of bloody drool began to pour out of her lips. Kyle saw the concern on Simone’s face and urged himself on.
‘I hear something,’ Abbott said. ‘So watch your step in there.’
Kyle gulped. Looked at his wife. Closed his eyes and counted to ten. Then he stepped into the room.
Abbott raised the crossbow and followed him in.
Kyle looked round to Abbott and saw him gesture with a sideways nudge of his head. He followed his gaze but couldn’t see anything.
Abbott tapped his own chest then pointed to where the threat was. He indicated for Kyle to go around the white bench towards the corner.
Kyle nodded, his hands trembling around the butt of the gun.
Abbott could hear low breathing, and he was certain that a nasty surprise waited for them behind the laboratory benches. He counted to three on his fingers and circled to his left. Kyle went round the other way.
Abbott’s finger stopped on the trigger when he saw what waited for them there.
Chuck and Jon found themselves at the foot of an enormous cave system. There were a few creatures lurking around, but nowhere near as many as they had feared. Still, they were wary and did their best to be quiet.
‘I don’t fancy the look of those caves,’ Jon whispered.
‘No, me neither. My gut’s telling me to avoid it like the fucking plague.’
They set off to the left of the caves, seeing as most of the creatures seemed to be guarding the entrance.
Taking as much care as possible, they navigated their way along the outside of the caves.
An hour into their journey to Scar Island, Hennessee’s phone blared.
‘It’s Lennon,’ he said.
‘Randall? Glad you’re ok.’
‘How are you?’
‘Not bad, considering. Few nasty wounds, but at least I’m alive.’
‘Where are you?’
‘I’m headed for Scar Island. Thought that would be the best place to go.’
‘Snap.’
‘I guess great minds think alike. I’m glad you lot are getting out too. I felt like such a coward, but there’s just no stopping them.’
‘Duggan and a few others have killed some of the creatures. I’ve just gotten out of hospital.’
‘Yeah, I’ve managed to choke a few of the scaly cocksuckers myself, but there are fucking legions of them.’
‘I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing their numbers yet, but Duggan has given me some idea of the scale of it.’
‘Listen, I’ll see you at Scar Island. Good luck.’
‘Same to you, Lennon. See you soon.’
Hennessee turned to Duggan and said, ‘Lennon’s on his way to Scar Island too.’
‘Excellent. More the merrier.’
The few survivors in the police station had become terrified when the creatures outside had taken a sudden interest and begun peering in at them through the windows.
‘I suggest we get ready for trouble,’ said Forbes, the highest ranking officer.
The townsfolk took up their weapons and waited for the creatures to make their move.
It wasn’t long before the creatures outside the station began to seek a way in. A rock came flying through one of the windows, landing on the desk. Forbes levelled his shotgun at the window.
A creature’s face appeared in the gap in the glass. Forbes fired, splashing its head up the wall. In perfect unison, a creature dived through each of the six windows, landing in front of the line of terrified people.
Forbes and a few of the townsfolk opened fire, ripping holes in the creatures. Three fell, three stood.
Another six came through the windows.
‘Back up,’ Forbes shouted.
The creatures rushed him, taking a bloody gouge out of one of the women’s throats. She fell back into the crowd, her spurting throat throwing gore over those nearest her.
Jefferson and Marshall, the other two officers, ran towards the back exit of the station.
A group of creatures filled the space where the door had been.
‘Shit,’ Marshall said.
They were stuck between two increasingly large groups of creatures.
‘In the cells,’ Jefferson said. ‘Got an idea.’ He ran to one of the doors at the side of the cells. After a bit of fumbling with the key, he managed to open the cell.
He appeared, a shit-eating grin on his face, with a pair of jump leads and a car battery.
Marshall and Davies gunned down two of the creatures as they lunged for him.
Forbes opened fire again, taking down another few creatures.
Jefferson pulled the key out and fumbled it into the lock. Pulled one cell door open. He opened the next one to it. The first five people climbed into the left hand cell. Jefferson slammed the door behind them and applied the jump leads to the terminals of the battery.
The creatures brayed on the bars, trying to pull their way into the cell.
Jefferson touched the jump leads to the bars and the creatures retracted their grips, hissing in rage.
Forbes and his group fired again. Davies and one of the other townfolk fell to the creatures outside the cells. Forbes and the surviving man and woman ran past, forgetting about shooting until they were safely behind bars.
Forbes swung the door shut on one of the creature’s heads. When he pulled it back for another slam, a few pairs of strong hands pulled it open. Two creatures darted through the door.
Forbes fired on the nearest creature, but the second fell on him, pulling his throat out with its teeth. Every gun in the station tore into the creature. It slumped forward, spraying blood across the floor, but it didn’t seem to be dead yet.
The cell door swung open.
The remaining two survivors in the cell ran to it, desperate to pull it shut. The creatures pulled it open, allowing one of their kin to enter. Jefferson gunned down one of the creatures that held the cell door open.
They slammed the door shut. The creature inside mauled Officer Jacques, before the shotguns tore holes in its head and chest.
Maya Winters slumped against the wall, caked in blood and pieces of reptilian skin. She stared at the remains of creatures and the men in her cell.
‘It’ll be ok,’ Jefferson said. ‘They can’t get us now.’
‘But we’ll starve anyway,’ Maya piped up.
‘It’ll be a long time before we starve,’ Marshall said, pointing to the bodies in the cell.
‘You gotta be joking,’ one of the other men said.
‘Na, it’ll feed us. We’re not exactly in a position to be choosy.’
‘It’s fucking barbaric,’ the objector said, backing up against the bars.
‘Careful,’ Jefferson said.
But the creature’s teeth bit on the man’s head, taking off the top of his skull. The man fell into his companions, his blood spraying onto them. They all screamed, except for Jefferson and Marshall.
‘Ah shit,’ said one of the men.
‘Then there were five,’ said the remaining townsman.
The creatures tried their best to get into the cells, but they seemed to be held at bay for the time being.
As Duggan’s small convoy pulled across the huge transporter bridge onto Scar Island, Hennessee’s phone lit up.
‘Lennon again,’ he explained.
‘Hennessee, I’m in a small car park about half a mile from the toll bridge.’
‘We aren’t on the toll bridge, we’re on the transporter bridge.’
‘Ah, that’s the next one along. Let me check the map.’
Hennessee heard rustling and Lennon clacking his tongue.
‘It’s not far then. Pretty much a straight road. There’s a huge Miller Time billboard overlooking the park.’
‘Ok, see ya soon.’
He turned to Duggan and said, ‘We need to keep on for about half a mile and look for a car park with a big Miller Time billboard. Lennon will meet us there.’
