by Amy Cross
She checks his neck for a pulse, before taking a step back.
“I did it,” she says, her voice shaking with fear. “I killed him, I really did it...”
“Get us out of here,” I reply, struggling with the ropes that are holding me against the tree. “Melissa, we have to move!”
I wait for her to come and help, but she's staring at her trembling, blood-covered hands.
“Melissa!” I shout. “Help us!”
Looking over at me, she seems too shocked for a moment, but finally she starts to come around. Rushing away from me, she cuts the rope from around Katie and then scoops her sobbing daughter into her arms, wiping blood on the back of her dress in the process. As she holds her tight, she glances over at me, and I can tell that she's not sure whether or not she should cut me free.
“The truck,” I remind her. “I can get us all to the truck.”
Carrying Katie over to me, she uses the knife to cut the rope. As soon as I'm free, I take the knife and go to cut Quinn loose, although she still seems almost comatose, as if she's surrendered already.
“Mommy,” Katie sobs, “did you hurt that man?”
“No,” she replies, “he's just sleeping. “Mommy learned some karate at school and used it to make him go to sleep, that's all.”
“Quinn, we have to move,” I hiss, pulling Quinn away from the tree. She takes a couple of stumbling steps forward, but I'm forced to catch her when I realize that she's about to collapse. “Quinn, this isn't the time! We have to get to the truck!”
“We're all going to die,” she whispers, her voice trembling with fear. “There's no point running. They'll just catch us.”
“I'm not giving up yet,” I tell her. “None of us are giving up.”
“We have to get going,” Melissa says. “There'll be more of them soon.”
“Quinn, come on,” I continue, grabbing her hand and trying to pull her after me. “Quinn, I can't carry you!”
“We have to go!” Melissa says again. “Thomas, please!”
“I can't leave her,” I reply. “I -”
Before I can finish, I realize I can hear a strange sound in the distance. Looking over my shoulder, back in the direction of the camp, I pause for a moment, listening to the repetitive, thumping sound that seems to be coming closer and closer until, finally, I spot something flashing across the sky, seemingly close to the campsite.
“Is that -” Melissa starts to say.
“It can't be,” I whisper.
“It is,” she continues, sounding hopeful. “It's a helicopter!”
“We're saved!” Quinn shouts, suddenly pushing past me and racing between the trees.
“It must be the government,” Melissa says, taking a few steps forward. “Thomas, they've finally come to help us!”
“We don't know it's them,” I reply cautiously.
“Whoever it is, they have to be better than Mark.”
“Maybe, but -”
“And it's better than going in your truck,” she adds. “Thomas, we have to at least go and see. They probably have food, and information, and they can tell us where to go to get proper help!”
I watch for a moment as Quinn disappears into the distance. I'm so used to being cautious these days, I think I've forgotten what it's like to actually have a little hope.
“Come on,” Melissa continues, starting to carry Katie through the trees, heading for the camp-site and the sound of the helicopters. “We have to find out what's going on. If it's really the government, that means Mark's not in charge anymore. We can tell them what he's been doing. Everything's going to be okay!”
“We'll check it out,” I reply, following her, “but we still have to be careful.”
As we make our way between the trees, I start to realize that there's more than one helicopter up ahead. By the time we reach one of the clearings, I can see three distinct shapes in the distance, and they seem to be hovering above the camp-site. I'd prefer it if they landed, and there's no way I want to let Mark know that we've escaped, not until we're certain that troops are on the ground. Still, Melissa is getting further and further ahead, and I can tell that she thinks we're being saved. I just wish I could shake this sense of doubt in my gut, this feeling that something still isn't quite right.
“Hold up!” I shout. “Don't go rushing in there!”
“It's okay,” Melissa replies, smiling through her tears as she looks back at me. “There's nothing -” She stops suddenly, still holding Katie in her arms, as we listen to the sound of the helicopters getting further away. “Are they leaving?” she asks incredulously. “They can't be leaving!”
Before I can reply, she starts running, as if desperation has taken over.
“Wait!” I shout as I hurry after her, determined to make sure that she at least doesn't run straight into the open and give our position away. As we get to the edge of the tree-line, however, Melissa stops up ahead, and by the time I reach her I can see that a few hundred meters away, down at the campsite, everyone is looking up at the sky as the three helicopters slowly disappear into the distance.
“Where are they going?” Melissa asks, clearly shocked. “They can't just leave us again.”
“They're not,” I reply, watching as the helicopters turn and seem to hold position for a moment. A few seconds later, they suddenly speed up and start coming back toward us, while coming down a little lower in the sky. It's a formation I remember from one of the video games I used to play with my brother.
Melissa takes a step forward.
“Wait,” I say firmly, grabbing her arm.
“They're going to help us,” she says, still holding Katie in her arms.
“No they're not,” I reply, starting to feel fear in my chest as the helicopters get closer to the camp-site. “We have to run.”
“Why?”
“Just run,” I tell her. “Don't let them see that -”
Suddenly the sound of gunfire fills the air, as the helicopters swoop low over the site. Each firing from two machine guns, they mow down several of the campers, while causing the rest to start screaming and running. As the helicopters pass, they start swinging around, as if they're getting ready to attack again.
“Why are they doing that?” Melissa asks, taking a step back.
“I don't know,” I reply, “but we have to get out of here.”
“Why aren't they helping us?” she shouts. “What's wrong with them?”
As the rest of the campers clamber over the dead and race for the forest, I spot Mark over by the eastern point, frantically shouting for everyone to follow him. With the helicopters coming close again, screaming survivors start racing between the trees, with Mark and Bobby in the lead. Seconds later the helicopters open fire again, cutting down the stragglers and firing until the trees force them to pull up.
“Seriously,” I tell Melissa, pulling on her arm, “we have to get out of here! We have to get to the truck!”
“Over here!” Mark shouts in the distance. “This way! You'll all be safe if you follow me! The disciples are waiting for us!”
“What's he doing?” I whisper, as the helicopters swing around to attack again. After a moment, I realize: “He's herding them toward the pit. What the hell's wrong with him?”
“Mommy,” Katie whimpers, “I'm scared.”
“It's going to be okay,” Melissa replies, setting her down for a moment as she tries to wipe away some of the blood. “Mommy's not going to -”
“They're coming for us!” I shout, as the helicopters swoop in our direction.
The three of us turn and start running back through the forest, as we hear gunfire coming up behind us. As shots ricochet off the trees, I lose track of Melissa and Katie for a moment and finally I throw myself down onto the forest floor as I hear the roar of the helicopters passing above us. I close my eyes and listen to the last of the shots, before realizing that by some miracle I managed not to get hit. As soon as I'm certain the helicopters have completed their pass, I haul
myself up and look around for the others, only to see that Melissa is motionless on the ground and Katie is nowhere to be seen.
“Hey!” I shout, rushing over and dropping to my knees next to Melissa. Grabbing her arm, I roll her onto her back and immediately see that there's a wound on her shoulder. “It's okay,” I tell her, “you're going to be fine.”
“Where's Katie?” she asks weakly.
“She's -” Looking around, I realize that I can't see the little girl anywhere.
“Where is she?” Melissa shouts, pushing me out of the way as she struggles to her feet. “Katie!” she screams, clutching her shoulder. “Where are you!”
“Mommy!” a voice shouts from a little further off.
We both start running, even though we can hear more gunfire in the distance. After a moment, I spot the helicopters coming toward us again, and although I figure we're mostly hidden by the trees, I grab hold of Melissa and pull her down to the ground just as a fresh burst of gunfire breaks out. Holding her down, I wait until the shots are over before we get up and keep running.
“Everyone come this way!” Mark is shouting in the distance. “I know where we can hide!”
Spotting movement up ahead, I realize there are fifteen or twenty people still alive from the camp-site, and they're all racing between the trees, heading straight for the pit.
“Stop!” I shout, running past Melissa. “You have to stop! He's -”
Before I can finish, I see the first of the survivors falling over the edge of the pit and disappearing from view. Some of the stragglers try to stop in time, but most go tumbling over the edge and I watch in horror as Mark pushes the last of them. He takes a step back, before turning to me and grinning.
“You see?” he shouts. “It's a sign from God! He wants me to feed the disciples. It's their last supper!”
“Katie!” Melissa screams. “Where are you?”
“Mommy!” Katie shouts back, and suddenly I realize that her voice is coming from the pit.
“Where is she?” Melissa asks as she reaches me. “I can't see her anywhere!”
Without answering, I start running toward Mark, finally reaching him and knocking him to the ground. Landing on top of him, I realize he's laughing uncontrollably, and a moment later I hear the sound of screams coming from down in the pit. Scrambling to my feet, I race to the edge and look down just in time to see that the survivors from the camp are being attacked by the creatures. I stare for a moment, horrified by the sight of screaming, pleading people being torn apart, and for a few seconds I feel as if the world has completely stopped around me.
This is it.
It's over.
This is the horror at the end of the world.
“Where is she?” Melissa shouts suddenly, stopping next to me and shaking me out of my daze.
“Mommy!” Katie screams. “Help!”
Looking down into the pit, I see to my horror that Katie is in one of the corners, sobbing as she tries to curl into a ball and avoid being seen. So far, the creatures seem focused on the larger people, but they'll turn to Katie soon, unless...
“I'm coming!” Melissa shouts, racing to the rope ladder and tossing it down.
“No!” I tell her, pushing her away.
“I have to save her!”
“They'll kill you,” I continue. “I know what to do. Just stay here and -” Looking over at Mark, I see that he's already getting to his feet. “Make sure he doesn't go anywhere,” I add, handing the hunting knife back to her.
Climbing down the rope ladder, I slip when I'm about halfway and slam down hard into the mud. As I get to my feet, with screams ringing in my ear, I look around and watch in horror as the rest of the camp-site survivors are torn limb from limb. Dazed for a moment, I watch as one of the creatures, having been pushed away from a victim, spots me and starts lumbering in my direction.
“Down!” I shout, remembering the way Mark controlled them the other day. “Get down!”
The creature stops and stares at me for a moment, before slowly starting to sit in the mud.
As the screams continue all around me, I stick to the edge of the pit and make my way toward Katie, who's still sobbing in the far corner. Everywhere I look, I see human bodies being torn apart, and I recognize most of them from the days I spent at the camp; I even spot Bobby, reaching out to me for help before his head is ripped from his shoulders. After a moment, however, I spot two more of the creatures staggering straight toward me.
“Down!” I shout.
They both stop and obey, but hearing a sound over my shoulder, I turn just in time to see that the first creature is back on its feet and making its way toward me again.
“Down!” I yell.
The creature obeys, but the other two are already starting to get up again.
Realizing that the commands only work for a short time, I race over to Katie and scoop her up into my arms, before turning to see several creatures closing in all around us.
“Down!” I shout at the closest, before turning to the next. “Down! Get down!”
They start kneeling, but by the time the last of them is down, the first is already getting up again.
“Thomas!” a voice shouts.
Turning, I watch as two of the creatures tear the arms from a blood-soaked figure, while a third creature is already tearing at its torso. The figure is staring at me, and suddenly I realize that I recognize the wide, terrified eyes.
“Quinn,” I whisper.
I take a step forward, but before I can do anything I see her intestines being torn out, and although she's still staring at me, I know it's too late to save her. She opens her mouth, as if she's trying to say something, but finally her head drops as her guts spill out onto the mud. I freeze for a moment, unable to stop staring at the glistening meat as two of the creatures start tearing at it with their hands, forcing it into their mouths as fast as they can manage. After a moment, I spot movement and I realize that one of Quinn's hands is reaching up, almost as if she's still -
Suddenly feeling a sharp pain on my shoulder, I turn and find that one of the creatures has bitten into my flesh.
“Down!” I shout, pulling away and almost falling, but the creature obeys. Shocked, I carry Katie back over to the rope ladder and lift her up. “You have to climb,” I tell her, while checking over my shoulder and seeing that two more creatures are already coming toward us. “Katie, you have to climb up!”
I wait for her to go, but she's staring in shock at the horrific scene.
Realizing that fear is paralyzing her, I lift her onto my shoulders and start climbing. Despite the extra weight, I'm able to haul us up the side of the pit and finally, with every nerve in my body screaming, I scramble over the top and drop to the ground.
“Katie!” Melissa shouts, rushing over and grabbing her daughter, wrapping her in a hug. “Oh God, are you okay?”
With the sound of screams still ringing out from the pit, I get to my feet and see that Mark is at the edge, staring down at the unfolding scene with wide-eyed amazement, as if he's actually enjoying it all.
“I think the helicopters are gone,” Melissa says as she continues to hug Katie. “Why did they shoot at us? Why would they do something like that?”
“I don't know,” I reply, suddenly feeling strangely calm as I get to my feet and stagger toward Mark. My shoulder hurts, but I'm barely aware of the pain as I get closer and stand behind him, filled with anger.
“Isn't it beautiful?” he says, turning to me. “I was cultivating two armies, one at the camp-site and one here in the pit. I knew I'd have to choose between them eventually, but I think God sent those helicopters to show me the true path. Now my disciples are fed and ready for the next stage.”
“You're insane,” I tell him, still trying to catch my breath.
“I see they got you too,” he says, looking at my shoulder. “It's beautiful, isn't it? This is the future of life, Thomas. There's no going back to how things used to be.”
“No,
” I reply, stepping toward him, “there isn't.”
“With my -”
Grabbing his head, I slam my knee into his face, smashing his teeth. He lets out a gurgled cry, but I've already done enough damage. Turning him around, I push him over the edge and watch as he crashes down into the pit. He gets to his feet and starts shouting at the approaching creatures, trying to get them to obey his commands, but all he can manage is a few rasps and gurgles, and it's not enough: the creatures swamp him, and I turn away as I hear him starting to scream.
Melissa and Katie are a few meters away, staring at me.
“Quinn?” Melissa says after a moment.
I shake my head.
She pulls Katie closer, holding her tight.
As screams continue to rise from the pit, I take a few steps forward before dropping down to my hands and knees. The pain in my shoulder is getting stronger, as if some invisible force is still biting down into my flesh.
Elizabeth
“No, that's fine,” my father says, sitting on the edge of my bed as he talks to someone on his radio. “Thank you for letting me know. I think we can be happy with the outcome here.”
I wait as he flicks the radio off, but he seems lost in thought for a moment. The room is mostly dark now, with the only light coming from a small light on the table.
“What was that?” I ask.
I wait for an answer.
“Dad? What was that about? It sounded important.”
He turns to me, and for a moment there's a strange, haunted look in his eyes.
“It was nothing,” he says finally. “Just a report from the helicopters that I sent out a few hours ago to check on the people at Lake Erie.”
“Did they find them?”
Another pause. “There was nothing to find,” he says finally. “Not really. All they saw were a few of those creatures, so they gunned them down and now they're on their way back.”
“Creatures?” I reply. “I thought... I mean, I spoke to that Thomas guy just a few days ago.”
“Perhaps he was one of them,” he points out, “or perhaps they were overwhelmed recently. Either way, there was no-one out there who could be saved. I'm sorry, Lizzie, we did our best.” Sighing, he gets to his feet. “It's late, and today has been very tiring. We both need some rest.”
