I was getting sick of days like these. The endless search for food and supplies was getting to me. I wanted to be a part of a town or settlement somewhere. We had come across them before, but most of the time they wouldn’t accept newcomers. The world was too harsh to trust outsiders. Besides, most places were probably too crowded as it was. And depending on the location, we probably couldn’t have earned our keep. Most of the settlements were just biding their time until they ran out of food. Then they would have to move on too.
But at least I’m not a greyskin, I thought to myself. It was pretty bad when to cheer myself up, I had to say ‘at least I’m not a rotting corpse that walks around trying to eat people.’
The town was dirty. Piles of trash littered the streets. There were broken windows, no doubt from the looters at the beginning of this mess. It looked like it had been ransacked early on. I wish we would have known it would be like that. It made the day a big waste of time.
I was on the road, headed back toward the vehicles when a cloud of yellow smoke started billowing upward toward the sky. I stopped suddenly, taking note of the direction. I first hoped that it was an accident, because it was coming from the direction of the cars.
I was about to make a right so I could go around the entrance to the town and approach the cars from the back, but a pillar of yellow smoke wafted through the air in that direction too.
Now I could only go in the opposite direction, or to the left. Obviously I was going to try and get to the cars, but I stopped short when I saw red smoke.
I cursed to myself as I pulled out my knife. Someone was in trouble. The last person I had seen go in that direction was Amy. I started with a slow jog. I wanted to get there quickly, but there was no way I was going to be reckless and sprint. Anything could jump out at me. It would only take one bite or scratch and I would be a greyskin myself. I stayed sharp. We’d been in this situation before. All Amy needed was some help and we would get her out soon enough.
Problem was, I would be the first one there. It looked like I was probably the closest person. At the start, it would be only two against any number of greyskins. My biggest fear was that Amy might be in an impossible situation that would normally require both red and yellow smoke, but she would be too afraid to light both, putting the rest of us in a no-win scenario. I shook the thought from my mind as I ran forward. It didn’t matter. If there was only red smoke, then we were going to help each other.
I made it about two blocks when from out of nowhere, my ears started ringing. It was weird and annoying at first, but then it got louder and louder. It became so loud that I had to stop. I reached my hands to my ears, but nothing would stop it.
Louder.
It got so bad that I fell to my knees. It felt like someone had lit the inside of my ears on fire. All I could hear was ringing and it sent a sharp pain through my head. I almost screamed out—and maybe I did, but I couldn’t hear it.
Then, as quickly as it had come, it stopped. I opened my eyes and found myself lying in the middle of the street. Sweat dripped from my face as I looked up. My heart was beating so fast. But I could hear.
What was that? I thought to myself.
But I was quickly distracted when I heard noises all around me. Grunts. Screams. The chomping of teeth, the growling of the greyskins. It sounded like they were right next to me. I could hear someone swinging a weapon, groaning with every attempt to take down an enemy.
“Where are they?” the voice asked out loud. It was Amy.
I called out softly. “Amy, where are you?” I looked all around, but I couldn’t see anything. It sounded like she was right next to me, but the pillar of red smoke was at least four more blocks away.
“No!” Amy said. “No! No!” Her cries were replaced by gargling noises. It sounded as if there were ten greyskins on top of her. The sound of chomping, struggling, the need to breathe…it was all next to me, yet I knew it was coming from where the red smoke was.
“She’s dead,” I said to myself. “Amy is dead.” There was no reason to go after her. If I did, I just knew that I would be killed as well.
I reached into the pouch that Jerome had given me and pulled out one of several yellow smoke bombs. I lit the fuse and threw it as far in Amy’s direction as possible, hoping the sight would keep the others away from the area.
I turned toward the opposite direction to head back, but I was stopped by more noises. I could hear the sound of quick footsteps. I turned my head slightly and I heard a scream. All of this sounded like it was right next to me. I started running away from all the smoke. It seemed that a herd was moving through the town, and we were running out of places to go. And for some reason, I could hear every detail of it.
I knew that going away from the cars was the right move, but it was hard to do. Somewhere behind me, I could hear voices. I tried to search them out, turning my head until I could hear them clearly.
“What happened to your leg?” I hear Gilbert ask in horror.
“I was bitten,” Gene answered.
“Me too,” Jerome said. He cursed loudly and I could hear him spit on the ground. “What about you?”
Gilbert spoke next. “I’m clean. How did this happen?”
I looked around me for a second. What was going on? Why could I hear this? It didn’t make any sense.
“There’s red and yellow in the distance,” Gilbert said.
“That’s where Amy was headed,” Jerome answered.
I could hear sobs coming from Gene. I couldn’t imagine what it felt like to know the virus was in me—to know that today was my last day.
It might still be, I thought.
“Gene and I are going to draw the greyskins away from the vehicles,” Jerome said. “You need to take one and get out of here as soon as you can.”
“But Remi’s still out there,” Gilbert said.
“Probably not,” Jerome said. “We’re surrounded here. You have to go!”
I was going to listen to the rest of the conversation, but I could hear dragging footsteps coming toward me from around the corner. One quick look and I saw about a dozen greyskins trudging toward me. They were so far away that I had plenty of time to run.
This time I sprinted.
I felt sick. We had just lost three in our group. At least Gilbert was still alive. At least I know he will come back for me. But the sounds of all the footsteps brought doubt to my mind. Down every street, around every corner, I could hear the grunts, the teeth. I could hear the hunger of the greyskins. I was surrounded. I looked all around me. The only way out was up.
I ran to the closest building. It was probably five or six stories high. I prayed that there wouldn’t be any greyskins inside as I burst through the front door. I closed it behind me quickly and tried to lock it, but I couldn’t find one, so I headed straight for the stairs. I ran so fast, I felt like I was up there in two seconds. I was glad to see that there was a door at the top of the stairs, giving me access to the roof. I was counting on that. The door opened easily enough, but I was disheartened to see that there was no way for me to latch it shut. I turned my right ear toward the steps, listening for any sound of the greyskins, but it looked like I got far enough ahead of them that they never noticed I went into a building.
A sigh of relief passed by my lips, but the moment of triumph didn’t last long. I moved toward the edge of the building and could see the cars in the distance. There were more than a hundred greyskins surrounding the area. I wanted to throw up. When I saw Gene, Jerome, and Gilbert only a block or so from the herd, I pulled my gun forward and looked through the scope. I could hear their labored breaths, and with the scope, I could see clearly the damage that had been done. There was a large, gaping wound at Jerome’s shoulder and Gene’s leg was missing a big chunk. Gilbert still looked healthy.
I pointed the gun to the left until I saw another part of the herd where Amy had been. This time, I nearly dropped the gun as I had to put a hand over my mouth to keep from gagging. There were about
twenty greyskins clamoring to get to what was left of Amy’s body. She had almost been completely devoured, and in a few minutes it would be as though she had never existed.
When I turned back to Gilbert and the others, I wanted to shout out for help, but I shook my head. Gene and Jerome were already shouting and shooting bullets into the herd of greyskins near the cars as Gilbert hid behind one of the buildings. Immediately, the herd started moving in their direction and they started running toward the building I was on.
I had to get their attention. I had to make sure they didn’t bring them by here. I wasn’t bitten. They needed to go the other way. Remembering the smoke bombs, I reached into the pouch and pulled out three red ones. I lit them each and tossed them to the side. Jerome moved quickly with Gene hobbling behind. And the herd moved with them.
The red smoke was thick, but it didn’t seem as though any of them had seen it. They were so preoccupied with whatever they had to do next. I watched as Gilbert ran toward the cars once the area had mostly cleared. He had to dispatch a few greyskins, but he was free to get out of there now.
I looked below me. I had lost Jerome and Gene in the crowd of greyskins. My heart sank when I saw so many surrounding my building. I didn’t think any of them suspected I was on the roof, but they were blocking the streets anyway.
I could see Gilbert stall before getting into the car. He took one last look at the buildings and even from such a long distance, our eyes locked. He had a choice to make, but I didn’t want him to have to make it. He could drive through here and try to distract the greyskins, or he could just leave. With the number of greyskins there were, it would be unlikely that he would make it out unscathed, but I would probably be able to slip away unnoticed.
Or I could do the right thing, and tell him to get out of there. I reached into my pouch and grabbed a few of the yellow smoke bombs. I calmly lit each one and tossed them to the side. The yellow mixed with the red, floating upward into the sun-setting sky.
Gilbert watched me for a second, and I could see him wipe his face. I figured it was a tear. I didn’t have to have super hearing to be able to read his lips.
“I’m sorry,” he said. He got into the car, started it up, and I never saw Gilbert again.
I will always wonder what might have happened if he would have tried to help me. Hindsight is twenty-twenty. If he would have just driven away and waited for me a few hours, we would have been reunited. The greyskins never sensed that I was on the roof of that building. By about midnight, I was able to move quietly down the stairs. I used my new hearing ability to move through the streets like a shadow, avoiding anything that would be able to sense me.
I walked the road out of town, going the way we had come, wondering if Gilbert was waiting for me. But he wasn’t there.
I figured that he felt so guilty that he left me in the town, that he just kept driving until he ran out of gas. He probably died somewhere that I’ve never heard of.
But it wasn’t as simple as that. It appears that we were even at Crestwood at the same time only a couple of weeks ago. The thought makes me sick. I don’t blame him for leaving. I never have. I miss him. I miss his company. Now I know I will never have it again. But the more I think about it, I’m glad that he left me behind. If he hadn’t, Waverly might not have survived. Gabe might be dead, too. It seems that Gilbert reserved his final act of bravery for the right time.
Chapter 18 - Mitch
I don’t know what building I’m in. They all look the same. All I know is that I’m safely on the other side of the last barricade. Thanks to the weapons Ashley and I provided for the town, Samuel and his men haven’t broken through yet. And now that it’s dark, I don’t suspect there will be much fighting. Besides, there are guards stationed all around the barricade, watching for enemy attempts to sneak through. I suspect things will be pretty quiet until morning. It’s hard to tell, though.
I walk through the lower section of the building. There are several people lying down in the hallway. Some of them are injured and are being taken care of while others are just trying to get a little sleep before it’s their turn to take watch or until another wave of attacks comes. I can’t help but think that we brought destruction upon these people. If it wasn’t for us, they would have had their meeting with Shadowface and would be receiving benefits instead of shrapnel wounds. But I know the truth. I know that Shadowface will only use them for evil later.
At least, this is what I’ve believed for so long. Truth is, I don’t know anything. I know what my father, Jeremiah, has told me. But that doesn’t mean I know the whole truth. My father remains elusive, and I’m not sure why.
I can still taste the blood on my tongue. The ability to control someone’s actions will give me all the answers I desire. Can’t I just command my father to tell me everything? Can’t I just make him tell me the truth? That’s exactly what I intend to do. But first, I’ve got to find Ashley. She had been bleeding heavily. She’s dying. I want to stop her from trying to find Waverly. It’s over. The blood is gone. We don’t have to try and assassinate Shadowface.
As I walk down the hallway, these thoughts float through my head. There is a man standing next to a window, staring out, watching for movement. I stop next to him and ask him if he has seen Ashley. When he gives me a curious look, I describe her.
“There have been a lot of people coming through here,” he says. “She very well could have too. You could ask Jeremiah. He’s in that room down the hall.”
“Which room?” I ask, my heart starting to beat faster. I’m not surprised that my father is here in the middle of the action.
“Third from the left.”
I nod a thanks to him as I make my way toward the room. Perhaps Ashley was there with him. Or maybe my father has seen her. The door is closed when I reach the room. I knock lightly, and I’m met by an angry voice.
“Unless they’re attacking, leave me alone.”
“It’s me,” I say.
My father cracks open the door and a puff of cigar smoke wafts out. He stares at me for a long moment. “What do you want?”
“Let me in,” I say.
He opens the door wide and motions for me to come through. I don’t know if he was going to let me in anyway or if the new Starborn power just overtook his will. I guess there’s only one way to find out.
“Close the door,” I say as I walk into the room. It’s small and windowless. There is a desk in the corner and a few chairs. On the other side of the room there is a couch. It looks like it used to be an office for some pencil pusher that was no doubt depressed after spending years working for someone that didn’t appreciate the work. The greyskin virus was meant for people like this.
My father closes the door as I commanded and I walk to the front of the desk and sit down.
“It’s good to see that you’re alive,” my father says.
“Have you seen Ashley?” I ask.
He shakes his head and sits across from me in the pencil pusher’s seat. His chair sits just a little higher than mine. “Not since yesterday.”
I’m sure my disappointment shows, but I don’t care. How could I have lost her? Where was she looking?
“This fight is a mess,” my father says. “Samuel will have this place overrun by tomorrow, I promise you that. Right now he’s just resting his soldiers. He has no reason to hurry.”
“Well,” I say, “I’m afraid Shadowface won’t be getting what he’s looking for.”
“What do you mean?”
“The blood. It’s gone.”
My father’s eyes narrow as he takes a puff on his cigar. “What happened to it?”
I can feel my jaws clench. I feel nervous, but I shouldn’t. I’m the one with the power here. I shouldn’t be afraid of my father. He’s just a normal man. It’s not like he’s a Starborn. Besides, now I can make him do whatever I want. I hate his accusing eyes. I know that he automatically blames me for the blood being gone. Though he wouldn’t be wrong for him to do so, it
would be nice for him to seem somewhat surprised.
“I’m going to tell you the truth, and you’ll remain in that chair until I tell you to get up,” I say.
He looks confused, but he doesn’t argue.
“Also, you must keep your voice down,” I continue. “I don’t want others to hear what we’re talking about.”
Again, he’s confused, but he says nothing.
I take a deep breath and I let the words flow out of me like a fountain. “I drank the blood. I still taste it on my tongue. I can tell you that it is a very powerful tool, and I’m glad Shadowface can’t get his hands on it.”
My father remains calm, though his face is turning red with anger. “Did we not decide that Ashley needed it to get close to Shadowface?” he asks. His civil tone is almost disturbing. “Why did you think it would be all right to take it for yourself? Do you not realize how dangerous that is?”
“I don’t care,” I say.
He shakes his head, drawing another long puff on the cigar. “You don’t make it difficult to know what the power is, the way you’re ordering me around.”
“For some reason I get the feeling that you already knew what the power was before we even got here.” I lean forward and set a hand on the desk. “I’m going to ask you a series of questions, and you’re going to tell me the whole truth. You will not lie to me.”
My father grits his teeth at me. It’s almost like he wants to kill me. There’s a hunger in his eyes that seems out of place—or maybe it has always been there.
“Who is Shadowface?” I ask.
“A woman named Olivia,” my father answers. He almost grimaces as the involuntary words come out of his mouth.
A woman. That explains why he accidentally said ‘she’ the other day instead of ‘he’ when referring to Shadowface. But I shouldn’t be surprised. My father is a liar.
“How do you know Olivia?” I ask.
He answers without hesitation. “I met her at work about twenty years ago. I was a young professor, and she was a researcher.”
The Starborn Ascension: Books 1, 2, and 3 (The Starborn Saga) Page 42
