A New World Order: Nikki's Story Part One

by A. M Martin

  I flinch when those blue eyes lock onto me and I swear the damn thing smiles.

  It puffs out air, fogging up the glass beside the woman. It snorts, shakes its head and slowly looks at me and Cora.

  I climb into the back seat helping Cora. We both pressed up to the driver's side door in the backseat.

  Its mouth opens showing sharp black teeth and flesh caught between them.

  “When it attacks, bolt.” I mumble watching it, watch me.

  Cora whimpers and I press closer to her.

  “Unlock that door.” I mutter, watching its ears flick towards us.

  I grit my teeth. We can usually avoid them. Run from them. There were enough people in the beginning for us to get away. Not so much now.

  I flinch when it raises its huge paw and I swear to god it smiled that time. I watch it carefully and squeeze the ax as one claw slowly comes out. It’s silver, like metal. The thing cocks its head and swipes its claw across the woman's neck. She gurgles falling to the ground. Her blood splattering the creatures face. Its black tongue comes out and licks around its mouth as it presses its head into the window.

  “We’re going to die.” Cora whimpers.

  “No, we’re not.” I grind out between my clenched teeth. We've survived to fucking much to just end up meat in a can.

  It’s ears flick and it turns its big head. I push the door open, shoving Cora out and falling over the top of her. The thing growls as I tug her up and take off at a full out sprint into the trees. Its howl goes up into the air and I just run.

  Something snaps behind me and I push myself harder. Faster. Then the worst thing happens. Cora falls with a scream. I skid to a stop and pull her to her feet, but just that few seconds was all it needed.

  I stand up and grip the ax and watch as the beast stalks forward. I push Cora behind me and start backing up.

  I grip the ax like a baseball bat and just wait and watch. Its heated breath fogs the cool night air as it comes closer. I choke the ax in my grip. One more step. Just one more you fucker.

  I swing with a tazan yell and get jarred. It feels like I hit metal. I pant hard, looking at the beast who howls. I sculpted it. I can see the bone of the skull.

  “What the hell.” I mutter and gear up for another swing when it pounces.

  A scream falls from my lips as it lands on top of me. I jerk the ax up just in time. Slamming it between its jaws. Saliva drips onto my face as I push and the bastard pushes back.

  “Cora no.” I whimper seeing her rounding on the creature from the corner of my eye. She stops and looks at me with dread. Tears falling on her sun-tanned cheeks.

  The thing shakes its head and the ax goes with it. I close my eyes as it pushes its wet nose onto mine. A whimper comes out of me as it slowly starts to growl.

  It rubs its nose from my face to my shoulder, smelling me the whole time. I slam a fist in its ribs. A furious howl screams in my ear then it bites down.

  I shriek in pain. The bite is on fire and I stretch down to reach for the knife strapped to my calf. With tears pouring from my eyes, I stab the thing repeatedly in the eye. Blood and gore coat me but I keep digging the small blade into it. Its teeth release my shoulder and still I slam and dig the knife in.

  “Nikki.”

  I scream and push with all my might into its eye.

  “Nik. It’s dead. Stop!”

  It feels like a thousand pounds lying on my chest. Tears, snot and blood cover my face. My breathing is a laboring thing.

  “Get it off.” I wheeze.

  “Get it off!”

  Cora pushes and I pull. When the thing is no longer laying on top of me, I scoot back on my ass, getting away from it as much as I can in this moment.

  Cora falls to the ground beside me. She pulls a shirt from her bag whipping off my face as I stare, shell shocked at the wolf creature.

  I whence and screech as pain flares from my shoulder all down to my hips.

  “Sorry.” Cora mumbles pouring more alcohol into the bite.

  “We don’t have time for this. Wrap it as best as you can Cora and lets go.”

  She does just that and helps me as I struggle to my feet. I glance back at the thing one more time and stumble away from it, wiping more tears from my face.

  What’s going to happen to me now? Will I turn? Will I die from an infection?

  7

  ONE YEAR AND SIX MONTHS OF THIS BULLSHIT

  “What do you think?” Cora questions lying down on her stomach beside me.

  “I don’t know.” I mumble.

  I crawl closer into the scrub and peek the very edges of the binoculars out of the thin branches. It’s a prison. That’s what I’m looking at. The clues we think our dad left us led, too. We could be wrong. The simple clues that we thought were meant for us could very well be for everyone, leading them here. To this place.

  It’s huge. Think of that prison in the Walking Dead, it looks just like that, just without the walls blown out, oh, and there's a lake separating us from it.

  “What do you see?” Cora groans. Her patience is growing thin.

  “People. I see a lot of people and guns.” I state.

  I grimace. People are bad. We’ve been camped out here since sunrise. Trucks come and go. But no one walks on foot. I don’t hear any screams so that’s something, but still people.

  “You’re going to have to decide.” Cora snarks at me.

  “I know that.” I snap, still staring.

  “The sun will set soon.”

  “Damn it Cora, I know this.”

  I scoot backwards out of the bush and sit on my ass. I stare at the prison in the distance and worry eats me up inside.

  “What if it wasn’t him?” I ask, still looking at the cement giant.

  “But what if it was?” Cora stresses.

  “What if it’s a trap.” I say looking at her tired face.

  The hollowness of her cheeks. We’re dying out here. Whether I like it or not we need to do something. We need a safe place to rest for a while, to regroup. We need to be able to sleep without the stress of something ripping into our bellies.

  “What if it is. So what? Life out here is death anyways.” Cora emphasized, tossing a rock into the trees.

  “You’re right.” I say.

  She looks at me and smiles. I just shake my head and climb to my feet.

  “We’ve got an hour, maybe two before dark hits.” I mumble. “We’ll have to hurry.”

  ◆◆◆

  The sun disappears behind the mountains as we walk the wide bridge to the front gate. My breath is trapped in my lungs as the floodlights follow our slow journey to the huge chain link gate.

  “It looks like you’ve seen better days!” A man hollors out at us and laughs.

  Big jolly laughter and my hands curled into fists and a snarl forms on my face as we stop three feet from the gate. Cora clenches my wrist. Her fingernails biting into my skin. I keep my mouth shut at her silent warning.

  “We need help.” She calls out to the men behind the lights.

  “Has any of you been bitten?” A woman demands.

  My heart skips a beat. Cora squeezes harder on my wrist. I tangle my fingers up with hers and I keep my damn mouth shut. Nothing came from the bite on my shoulder, but a nasty scar.

  “No.” Cora clears her throat. “No bites.”

  We cling to each other like our lives depend on it and it very well could. I don’t have a clue why they would ask that, but we stay away from people. That means we stay away from gossip. Could getting bit mean something? And if so, what does that mean for me?

  It’s been a while since the bite happened. And I’m normal, well, somewhat.

  There’s a loud grinding sound as the lights shut off and I immediately look behind us, across the bridge and to the tree lines. Loud noises are a big no. Don’t even think about it. The sounds, no matter what they are, bring them here faster.

  My heart beats too fast and the spit in my mouth dries up as Cora tugs us
through the gate and to the soldiers leering at us.

  I keep my mouth firmly shut, knowing if I speak, we could be in big trouble here. A small lady in black scrubs with graying hair steps forward.

  “I’m doctor Hansley. If you would follow me please.”

  I cling to Cora’s sweaty fingers as we follow the doctor along the winding path. Two of the soldiers fall in behind us that has me stiffing up.

  “I’m surprised to see such young people by themselves.”

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I snarl. Cora grips my fingers harder and the Doctor looks over her shoulder with a cocked eyebrow.

  “I was just saying, it’s a nice surprise. We don’t see many young people.” She states and turns back around.

  “Nik, you have to stop it.” Cora whispers harshly in my ear and I grit my teeth, nodding my head.

  Sure thing, yeah. Stopping is much easier said than done. I get this madness that bubbles up in my body and it’s hard to control. I can’t explain it other than it’s utter madness and not really me.

  “Leave your bags out here. And throw your clothes in the trash. Inside you’ll find some clothes. Showers with hot water and cleansers. Someone will be waiting on you when you get done.”

  And with that she leaves us at a small metal building. Cora gapes at her back and I look around. The two soldiers are standing close but not too close to where they would over hear us if we speak. But I keep my eyes on them all the same.

  “This was a fucking mistake Cora.” I grumble, unhooking the snaps in front of me that helps hold my pack on. “A damn mistake.” I toss my bag down hard on the ground and eyeball the soldier coming closer.

  His dark hair is shaved to the scalp. His bushy eyebrows are bunched up and his green eyes stare right into mine.

  “What?” I snap, my arms crossing.

  “You don’t have any weapons on you?” He asks. A small smile on his wide lips.

  A red flag flashes in my head and I pull out the small axe at the bottom of my back and drop it to the ground without taking my eyes off him.

  “That’s it?” He cocks an eyebrow and I nod.

  No, that’s not freaking it. I’m not stupid. I have a small knife strapped to my calf, one in my boot and one underneath my jacket on my arm. I’m not giving those up.

  He looks at Cora and she drops her own bag bending down to unstrap the machete to her thigh.

  “Nothing else.” She says meekly and I just stare at this man. Daring him to state otherwise.

  He nods and gestures with his hand for us to go into the building.

  Cora steps forward, “Sir, is there a man here named Reed Lewis.” Cora holds her breath and so do I.

  Surprise lights up the man's features. “Yeah, but he won’t be back till tomorrow.” He looks at us and just waits.

  “Can you radio him?” Cora asks, her hands shaking.

  The man starts to shake his head, “Stop.” I say, “He’s our dad. We’ve been trying to find him when all this bullshit started. Please.” I breathe it out. My pulse throbbing wildly.

  He stares at us and tears start to slowly drip down Cora’s' face. He sighs, looks behind him and unclips his radio.

  “Home base to scouts. Come in.”

  We wait in silence when a voice comes through the speakers.

  “Jared what are you doing man?” A man bites back with frustration.

  Jared closes his eyes, “I need to speak with Reed. He around?”

  He opens his eyes. His gaze flickers between me and a tearful Cora.

  “Reed here.”

  Cora gasps and falls to her knees. I grip my arms for all I’m worth.

  “We have a couple of new intakes today. Two kids.” Jared says.

  “Have they been tested?” Dad asks, curiosity in his voice.

  Tested. Tested for what? Fear flutters through my body as I watch Jared, watch me.

  “Not, yet there just getting ready for the showers.”

  “Then what do you need? We’re out in the field. You know this.” My dad snaps, not sounding like my dad at all, and my blood rushes to my face.

  “Yeah well, here's the thing.” Jared says scratching his head, “It’s two girls. They say you’re their dad.”

  The radio is silent and I hold my breath.

  “Nikki? Cora?” Dad whispers.

  Tears finally break from my eyes and Cora quickly climbs to her feet.

  “Is that...” Jared doesn’t get to finish when I jerk the radio out of his hands. He went to reach for it and I glare at him.

  “Dad?” I clear the tears from my throat.

  “Daddy?” Cora cries while leaning into me.

  “Oh my god. Girls.” We can hear him crying from the radio and I fall to the ground clutching the radio and taking Cora with me.

  “Dad, we found you. We finally found you.” I mumble shell shock.

  “How? What?” There’s a pause. “You’re mother? Amy?”

  Cora cries harder and I stare at Jared. My tears dry up when I hit the button again. “The first day. It was a bomb.” I state.

  I don’t know if it was the first day or the second but it felt like we lost them when we left our basement.

  He doesn’t say anything and I just keep looking at the frown on Jared's face.

  “Okay. I’ll get this done as soon as possible and I will be there. I love you girls.”

  “Yeah, we love you too.” I mumble and hand the radio back.

  “Jared.”

  “Yes, Sir?”

  “You take care of my girls. You hear me. Do not let anything happen. I’m coming back.”

  “Yes Sir.” Jared says, hooking the radio back to his belt.

  He clears his throat, “Showers, then a hot meal.”

  I nodded and pulled Cora up from the ground. We stumble into the metal building leaning on each other. We found our dad. We really found him.

  I should feel at ease. Happy even. But I’m not. Not really. The word Tests keeps blaring in my head over and over again. It leaves a nasty taste in my mouth. What is really going on here?

  8

  ONE YEAR AND SIX MONTHS AND ONE WEEK OF LIES

  I'm in the most epic stare down of my teen life and I'm not fucking around. He's truly batshit crazy if he thinks I'm going to let this nonsense happen.

  My arms are crossed on my chest and I’m slunked down in my chair with my legs sprawled out underneath the round table in the mess hall. My lunch was a forgotten bowl of nasty left to rot in front of me. I look at Cora out of the corner of my eye.

  Her head is down and she's moving her spoon in slow circles in her bowl. No help there.

  I look around the big lunch room and see people looking at us without trying to look. I scoff and look back at my father.

  His own arms are crossed too and he glares at me. This isn't our first epic stare down, but I'm not the same sweet little girl I once was. I've done terrible things in this life to keep me and Cora alive and I would do it again in a heartbeat. But those things change people and from the tic in my father's jaw he doesn't like it much.

  "Please Nikki. Everyone has their blood tested. Cora had hers done on the second day, yet you're still holding out."

  I look at Cora and see her hunch over more. I roll my eyes and look back at my dad keeping my mouth shut. I've already told him once. I'm not telling him again. No damn way are thoses scientists coming near me.

  "Nikki, you will do this." He states finally pissed off at me.

  I still stay silent.

  "Nikki Len…

  He doesn't get to finish his sentence. I'm up and standing as soon as my middle name falls from his mouth. I knock the bowl of sludge off the table and slam both my hands down on the table.

  The mess hall goes silent and I can feel everyone's eyes on us.

  "You do not get to do that." I declare eerily calm looking at my dad’s wide eyes. "You don't get to use my middle name like that."

  "Nik." A softness takes over his face.


  "No!" I yell, slashing my arm through the air.

  "While you were being a savor to the human race with your army, you left your family to fucking rot!" I'm breathing hard and my face is red from rage. Cora tries to reach for my hand but I jerk away.

  "I had to make the hard choices. Your fourteen-year-old daughter. I had to make the choice to leave mum and Amy behind to try and find you. I had to watch them fucking burn to death as the government dropped bombs." Cora whimpers and tears gather in my dad's eyes, but I didn't stop. "The same very people that you work for. That you're still working for. I had to get a gun pointed at my head from a ten-year-old boy. I had to watch as Cora went hungry. I had to shoot an old lady in the face as she held Cora at gunpoint. I had to slash open a man's belly as he tried to rip my pants off me. I had to watch as little kids were slaughtered from the windows in places we hid. It was either them or us. And I'd pick us every damn time. I had to turn a woman away and watch as she was gutted by those things. Cora might have forgiven you. But I have not and I never will. So, no. You damn well don't get to use my middle name or tell me what I can and can't fucking do!" I scream and walk out of the mess room.

  Everyone stares. Some cry. Some look away with shame. And I don't give a damn. What I did turned me into a monster. Someone less than what I once was. But Cora is breathing. I’m breathing. We are still alive and that's the only thing that matters.

  ◆◆◆

  "Took you long enough." I mumble sitting crossed legged, leaning on the concrete wall, in the high grass outside the prison building.

  "I'm sorry." Cora says quietly, sitting down beside me.

  I keep shredding the long piece of grass with my dirty fingernails.

  "I don't forgive him you know." Cora says, surprising me and I look at her. "I just wanted something normal for a while Nik. Just something normal."

  I sigh and go back to my shredding. "Nothing will ever be normal again Cora."

  "I know that. I'm not delusional. I just want a little happiness for as long as I can get it."

  I drop the long thick piece of grass, “This makes you happy?” I ask gesturing around us. The many campers lined up in neat rows not far from us. The garden to our left. People are milling about doing who knows what. The soldiers patrolling. The Prison, a big hulking menace looming over all of it.