Text copyright ©2017 by the Author.
This work was made possible by a special license through the Kindle Worlds publishing program and has not necessarily been reviewed by Nicholas Sansbury Smith. All characters, scenes, events, plots and related elements appearing in the original Extinction Cycle remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Nicholas Sansbury Smith, or their affiliates or licensors.
For more information on Kindle Worlds: http://www.amazon.com/kindleworlds
Table of Contents
THE RULE OF THREE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
EPILOGUE
AFTERWORD
Text copyright© 2017 by the Author.
This work is made possible by a special license through the Kindle Worlds publishing program and has not necessarily been reviewed by Nicholas Sansbury Smith. All characters, scenes, events, plots and related elements appearing in the original Extinction Cycle remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Nicholas Sansbury Smith, or their affiliates or licensors.
For more information on Kindle Worlds: http://www.amazon.com/kindleworlds
THE RULE OF THREE
(AN EXTINCTION CYCLE NOVELLA)
BY
ADRIAN J SMITH
Kindle Worlds
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Nicholas Sansbury Smith for encouraging me to write in the Extinction Cycle world. I wish you all the success in the future. Thank you.
Check out the best selling Extinction Cycle series and more like this one.
http://nicholassansburysmith.com/.
Cover design by Libby Cameron.
Edited and Proofread by Laurel Kriegler.
This book is dedicated to my mother, Christine Toye
who encouraged me to read from an early age
Thank you for the gift of imagination.
Also, to all those that experience bullying.
Hope is being able to see
That there is light despite
All of the darkness
Desmond Tutu
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First I would like to again take this opportunity to thank Nicholas Sansbury Smith for encouraging me to write in his amazing Extinction Cycle world. You continue to amaze and inspire me every day. Thank you so much.
To Frances Liontakis, thank you for your words of encouragement and reading every single draft of this novella. Much appreciation for your friendship.
To Nathan Yokoyama, for reading an early draft and making some vital suggestions, thank you.
To Rodger Mintel for your humour and keeping me sane. Barbara Giannavola and Phyl Lamattina, thank you for reading the first draft, and for your encouragement.
To the Street Team, you guys are awesome. Thank you so much for your friendship.
To all my Beta readers, thank you. To Col(Ret) Russ Olson and Steve Konkoly for your invaluable military RT input, and Susan Harmon-Sanders for your medical advice. If you find any mistakes, they are entirely my fault.
To my editor, Laurel Kriegler, you deserve a huge thank you for taking a rough pile of notes and turning them into something readable. I’ve learnt more about writing in the last few months than I have in all my years leading up to this one.
And last but definitely not least, to Libby, my long-suffering partner. Thank you for taking a chance on me and always having an encouraging word. You let me sound out ideas and made me see things from a different view when I needed it most. Thank you.
PROLOGUE
Three weeks without food…
Jack’s fevered mind chanted it like a buddhist mantra, over and over. The proverbial rule of three. Problem was, Jack had no idea how long he’d been here.
When they scampered around, their bones and joints made strange crackling, popping sounds. And when they came to harvest their human captives, their weird mouths made a sucking, smacking sound. Jack hated that sound. And the stench they exuded was disgusting, a rotten fruit smell. It reminded Jack of the Durian fruit he had tried once in a Thai market, in a happier time before hell had descended on the earth.
Three days without water…
The agony of the deep gash in Jack’s thigh kept him semi-conscious with moments of lucidity. Occasional screams cut through the warm damp air, jolting Jack fully conscious each time, but the surrounding darkness and environment remained the same. Stuck fast to a wall with some sort of gluey membrane, Jack struggled against it in sheer terror and panic. He only managed to move his arms and legs a few measly inches.
Three hours without shelter…
A humming sound in the background reminded Jack of high-powered electric lines, while the cold, damp hardness of concrete pushed into the back of his legs and head, chilling him to the bone. The constant scurrying, and the smacking sounds the creatures made, haunted his fragile psyche, making him flinch whenever he heard them. Never a religious man, Jack found himself praying to any higher power he could think of. There are no atheists in a foxhole. Well, what about down here in the dark?
Three minutes without air…
Twisting his left arm back and forth, and scraping skin off in the process, Jack could almost reach the valve of his water bladder. Miraculously, his hiking pack was still on his shoulders. With a final effort, Jack grasped the valve in his hand. Bending his arm and pushing his head as far forward as he could, Jack was agonisingly close to that life saving liquid. He bellowed in frustration.
A cracking and popping sound alerted Jack to the monsters’ approach. Jack cursed at his stupidity. Holding his breath and keeping his body rigid, Jack squeezed his eyes shut.
Not me not me not me not me…
The rotten fruit smell lingered on in his nose and mind. A tearing sound, followed by the sickening thud of a body hitting the ground, made him scream silently in terror.
Not me not me not me...it’s not me…it’s not me this time.
CHAPTER ONE
Jack gazed up at the stars, captivated by the serenity and majesty of the little pinpricks of light. As many times as he looked at the Milky Way, he never grew bored of it. He inhaled deeply, the fresh forest scents lacing the chill air. He loved it up here in the mountains, away from the rat race. As much as he loved technology, the wild was where he felt at peace, at home. A conflict, as usual. The silence was enchanting, just the echoes of the stars.
For three days he had enjoyed the wilderness, off the grid. Reaching the hut earlier in the evening, Jack had enjoyed a couple of hours restful silence. Taking one last look at the Milky Way stretching from horizon to horizon, he dug into his pack and reluctantly pulled out his phone.
Immediately after booting up the phone, it alerted him to a message. Looking at the screen, Jack saw that there were several messages from Dee, the first sent three days ago, each one seeming to be getting more and more panicked. Jack frowned. He opened the last one.
JACK, PLEASE PLEASE CALL ME HURRY PLEASE...ELE...ELE...JACK NOW NOW!!!
He gasped. ELE! Extinction level event! Holy crap! Really? Is this a joke?
Pushing the phone icon, he held his breath as the phone rang. It sounded distant and tinny. After what seemed like hours, Dee answered.
“Jack? Thank God!” Without letting him answer, Dee continued, “Listen, it’s all over the news. They’ve closed all the airports, all the ports, everything is closing or closed down. You need to get home now,
please, Jack. It’s horrible, it’s crazy, it’s…”
“Dee, slow down. What are you talking about?”
“It’s some virus thingy in the States. It started in Chicago. It’s already been reported in London, Paris, Sydney...everywhere!”
“Virus? Like an outbreak?”
“It’s worse Jack. It turns people into monsters! They are calling it the Hemorrhage Virus!” Dee was now shouting.
From the panic in Dee’s voice, Jack knew this was for real, no joke. They had finally done it.
They had killed the world.
Whoever “they” were.
Was it true? Had the end of the world come? A virus outbreak? Monsters?
So many thoughts swam through his head. He loved movies, comics and sci fi. Jack had daydreamed about this sort of thing happening plenty of times. He had even convinced Dee to get an isolated cabin in the woods for this kind of eventuality. But that was just a fantasy, right? This sort of thing doesn't really happen, does it?
“Jack? Are you there? JACK?...JACK!” Dee’s screams cut through his thoughts. “You have to come home. I need you!”
He looked at his phone. Then put the phone back to his ear.
“No. The city won’t be safe. You have to come to me. If the virus reaches New Zealand, it’ll turn bad real quick, desperate people and all that.”
“I think it’s already here. Th…there’s been conflicting reports. Jack, I’ve never been to where you are, and regardless, walking along the Kaimai Ridgeway to our cabin would take too long. I think you should come home.”
Jack thought quickly. “Yes, you’re right, sorry darling. Okay…ummm, fill up as much water as possible into any available container, get your bug-out bag, and fill up your car with as much food as you can. I think our cabin is isolated enough until this blows over. And, darling?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you, I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“Love you too baby, thank you. Hurry!”
Jack’s phone garbled. “And lock up!”
But, looking at the screen, he could see no bars. Damn it!
Emptying out his pack, he found his headlamp. His heart pounded in his chest, and he could feel the tension building, like in a horror movie. He hurried over to fill his water bladder up at the basin, catching his reflection in the mirror as he did. He ran a hand through his dark hair and couldn’t help but notice the worried look in his blue eyes.
Pack light, for we travel far and swift.
Glancing over his trail map one last time, he decided to take the shorter, but steeper, track down to the carpark. This is going to be a hell ride, thought Jack as he slammed the hut door behind him.
Jogging down the trail, he thought back to the day he and Dee had met.
It was the height of summer. A hazy glare bounced off the trees in the valley, and Jack could see and smell the pollen coming off the poplar trees. Taking in a breath, Jack heard two excited voices coming up the trail, the roar of the waterfall and the gurgling of the stream no match for the high-pitched excitement. Looking, he saw her for the first time. Petite, pixie-cut brunette hair, bright blue eyes behind glasses, gorgeous smile. And when she turned toward him, he could see a tattoo of flowers creeping up her arm.
Jack turned away shyly, but still managed to smile at her.
Enjoying his lunch, he listened as the two girls took in the view, snapped photos, and chatted. He was quite pleased when they sat close by to eat their lunch.
He was readying himself to leave when he felt the air change. “Do you know how far that trail goes?”
The voice was almost sing-song, its sweet tones music to his ears.
Jack looked in the direction Pixie-hair was pointing. “As far north as north goes.”
Pixie-hair laughed. “Isn’t it ‘as far south as south goes’?”
Jack smiled. “Yeah, but I know nothing.”
Pixie-hair stuck out her hand. “I’m Diana, but my friends call me Dee.”
Jack grinned, his cheeks hurting. “James, but everyone calls me Jack.”
It was hard going. Down, down, down. He hated down. His knee joints were grinding now. Fighting through the pain, he could feel the lactic acid building with every step. The trail finally flattened out as he came up to the swing bridge. Without even glancing at the view, Jack jogged on. Only one more hour. Those countless times he’d hiked this trail were really helping him now.
Arriving at the carpark, Jack fumbled for his car keys as he ran up to his car. Finally getting them in hand, he unlocked the door and jumped in. Jamming the key into the ignition, he started the car, engaged the gear, and sped off, tires spinning in the loose gravel.
I’m coming darling. I’m nearly there.
With one hand on the wheel, he turned on his phone. Tapping the phone icon, he put the phone on speaker. Nothing but garbled sound emitted from it. Looking at the bars, Jack swore in frustration. “CRAP! SHITTY SHIT SHIT!” He leant over and turned the volume up on the car stereo. A strange monotone beep emitted out. Frowning, he scanned through all the FM stations. Nothing. His pulse quickening, Jack switched to AM, and heard an emergency broadcast. He listened to it a few times, but got no actual details of the virus. It was just the announcer advising people to stay indoors. Jack ran his sweaty hands through his hair. Letting out a breath, he turned the radio off in frustration.
Jack sped on through the night, the road twisting and turning as it followed the undulating countryside.
He could see the orange glow of a fire not far in the distance. Slowing down, he wound down the window. Acrid smoke wafted in, causing him to cough. Deciding caution was best, he slowed down to 50 kilometers per hour. As he rounded a bend, he suddenly had to slam on the brakes. Cars lined the road on both sides, their occupants milling around. He closed his eyes and blew out a breath. If he’d been going any faster… Opening his eyes again, he took a better look. About 100 metres away, he could see a jackknifed milk tanker strewn across the road, its ends tangled in farmers’ fences on both sides. It was engulfed in flames, thick black smoke pouring out over the land.
Alongside his car, a family sat waiting in their car on the shoulder of the road.
Winding his window right down, he made eye contact with the driver. “Hey, how long have you been waiting?”
“About an hour,” replied the man.
Jack could see him quite well in the light from the blaze. He looked about 40-ish and had on one of those flat caps the English wear — or the hipsters. The woman sitting alongside looked frazzled. Hearing the bickering of kids emanating from the back seat, he could understand why. Both parents looked terrified, too.
Jack turned his attention back to Flatcap. “Any sign of the emergency services?”
“Nope, not yet. It’s pretty crazy out there. The roads are jammed up.”
“Hmmm. Is it this virus thingy?”
“Yeah. They announced it on the news, told everyone to stay home from work, only essential travel. That was yesterday. We decided to go and stay with family, get out of Auckland. I guess everyone else had the same idea.”
Jack nodded his head, contemplating the new information. Looking out at the tanker, the fire raging out of control, and all the cars jammed up, he knew that if he wanted to get home to Dee, he’d have to go the long way around. Making his decision, he turned back to Flatcap.
“Thanks mate. I’m going to try a different way. I really need to get home to my wife.” He cranked the car up and shifted it into gear.
“Hey!” called out Flatcap.
“Yeah?”
“Can we follow you? We don’t know this area, and with phone reception out we can’t look up Google Maps.”
“Sure, where are you headed?”
“Cambridge.”
“Cambridge? Hell, you’re way out! I’m going to Hamilton, so I can point you in the right direction.”
The lady, who had not uttered a sound until now, turned and looked at Jack. “Thank you. It’s madness ou
t there. People are acting all crazy, driving like maniacs. We just want to get to my Mum’s and keep our babies safe.”
A high-pitched scream echoed through the night. Jack and Flatcap exchanged a look.
Squinting into the glare from the fire, Jack could just make out the source of screaming. A couple were running down the road toward where he was stopped, terror sharpening their features. The woman let out another primal scream as a black blur slammed into her. The couple went down in a tangled mess of arms and legs, just a few car lengths away.
He stared at the creature, terror freezing him. It looked like a monster straight out of his worst nightmares. His heart hammered in his chest, sending adrenaline pumping through his body. Jack struggled to comprehend what he was seeing. The creature crouched over the woman. Jack watched, dazed, as it plunged its head down and tore out the woman's throat. He gasped. Spurts of arterial blood coated the creature’s face. It turned its head toward him, as though it could see him watching it, and licked its strange, sucker-like lips. Letting out a horrible screech, it returned to its meal. Jack’s hands started to shake as he continued to stare at this abomination, unable to look away despite the horror.
The creature was reptilian-looking, with blackish translucent skin. Where the mouth should have been was instead a weird sucker-like appendage filled with sharp teeth. Jack squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the image. It proved to be difficult.
A cacophony of sounds echoed through his head. Shouts and screams. Engines starting. The swoosh of blood pumped through his ears. Frantic cries of terrified children. Children!
Snapping out of it, he looked back toward Flatcap’s car. Flatcap’s children were screaming.
Throwing his car into reverse, Jack screamed, “C’mon!” and floored the accelerator.
The crashing sound of glass breaking made Jack stop. Terrified screams pierced the night.
To his horror, three more of the creatures had appeared out of the smoke and chaos, and were swarming all over Flatcap’s car. One of them reached in through the shattered windshield — that must have been the breaking glass he’d heard — and dragged the woman out by her hair. Before he could consider the consequences, he put his car into drive and barreled toward the creature.
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