by W. A. R.
“Oh, isn’t this just nice?” A deep, rough voice then spoke from behind them. The voice sent chills down her spine. Buddy stopped with Lacy, and Miles stepped around Amber, knives bared as she withdrew her swords. Their eyes focused on the three men that stood at the broken doorway. Footsteps were heard from behind and Amber glanced around to see two more at the second shattered doorway. Some were killing Biters, others watching them. Amber felt angry and she could feel Miles’s tension.
“Go Patrick!” Amber exclaimed, hoping that they could make it but the sound of a hammer clicking stopped them all in their tracks. Miles placed a hand on her arm, not looking at her.
“I don’t think so. The women are coming with us and we are going to leave. Let go of the girl…and you…step aside.” He demanded of both Miles and Buddy. Amber looked at how he stood, the crazy glint in his eyes, the authority in his voice. He had to be Jasper. Miles stepped to the side, blocking their view of her even more so, the look in his eyes just as wild.
“Over my dead body.” Miles growled and the man chuckled, his gun aimed at Miles. Amber felt her heart drop.
“That can be arranged.” He said without remorse, quickly pulling the trigger. Amber acted then, as did Miles, in that split second before the trigger moved, as the man spoke, the two of them having anticipated the situation. He reached back swinging her back with him, the two of the moving in unison away from the aim of the bullet, holding close to one another. The man smirked. “You’re quick.”
“And you’re weak.” Miles countered, never removing his eyes from the man before him, flames echoing in their depths.
“You know, you are frustrating me to the point of killing you without my usual maiming.”
Miles seethed. “Try it.” He challenged. Amber moved, turning and pressing her back to his. Both people watched as the men drew closer, their weapons aimed and ready.
“You’ve killed my other men.” Jasper said angrily as he drew closer. Buddy and Lacy shifted nervously. Miles, however, never wavered.
“You tried to kill these two women. I’d say we’re fair.” Miles retorted easily, standing his ground.
They surrounded them on all sides. There were piles of corpses from the Biter’s before the broken double chalice doors of the building. Amber moved, turning and gripping her swords tightly against the horror and fear that threatened to consume her. Her back pressed against Miles’s and they looked out two different directions, Miles focusing on three men and Amber focusing on two men. All five of them had guns, and while Miles and Buddy had their guns, they couldn’t get to them fast enough. If they were to even consider reaching for them then Jasper would once again fire. Buddy held an almost limp Lacy against him. Biters could be heard from within the building and Amber knew that they were coming with a vengeance. They needed to get out of here.
Jasper seemed to hear it too. “Here they come. You might want to hurry.” He taunted Miles and Amber straightened, narrowing her eyes to slits as the other two men neared her.
“What are you going to do with those, huh?” one of them mocked her, causing the other man to cackle like the scavenging hyena he was. “Are you going to cut me?” he brought his other hand to his chest, pretending to be afraid. Both men began laughing. She said nothing, instead only letting her anger build. She felt the intensity build and she took in the fact that she and Miles were here, fighting together and she was reminded of when they sparred and how they moved simultaneously together; moving as one.
“Remember how we used to ‘dance’?” Amber asked of Miles then, her mind reeling with the possibilities of death that she wanted to offer to these men. She felt him relax a little against her and she couldn’t help but smirk, despite the fear she was feeling.
“I thought we still did ‘dance’. Is this your way of telling me that we don’t?” He countered, and she knew that they were once again in their playful joking security, though there was an underlying hint of seriousness in their banter. This was what they did whenever they whenever they were trying to cope. Why get worked up about the problem if they had no other choice than to get through it?
“Shut. Up.” There was a pause and Amber knew that Miles was getting scrutinized. “You look familiar.” Jasper said then, squinting at Miles and stepping just a bit closer. All of them did, as if they were the hunters and Amber, Miles, Buddy, and Lacy were their prey. It was what they thought anyway, but Amber knew better. Miles remained silent. Amber knew what Jasper was thinking. He was thinking of Michael and the very real, very coincidental resemblance. Amber felt sweat bead on the back of her neck and she felt her anticipation grow as the Biters grew louder. Rusty…come on… she mentally begged hoping that somehow he would hear her. And like a miracle, the next sound was music to her ears.
There was a gunshot and a scream, and one of the men facing Amber fell, blood pouring onto the asphalt from the gaping wound of his chest. Jasper and the other three men looked up just in time to see Rusty disappear behind the door. Fury washed over Jasper’s face and suddenly the three men were shouting, waving their guns in the air and advancing them, shots being fired off, some toward the building where Rusty had disappeared, and some towards them. It was instantaneous, the firing of the guns and the movements that coincided with them: Buddy and Lacy dropping to the ground, him shielding her with his own body, and Miles flipping the knife in his hand and turning with Amber as he swung, the knife flying from his fingertips and embedding itself into the heart of the second man. Amber was now facing Jasper and the third and fourth enemies. They were close; close enough for her to feel the heat from their guns as they fired at the building. As she turned, she lifted her sword and twisted, swinging her whole body 360 degrees, aiming her sword for the third man’s neck. He tried to turn his gun on her in that second, but he was too late. It met its mark and he gurgled his last response before his body collapsed into a heap on the cold hard ground. His head, however, fell a few feet away. With another quick movement and Miles’s hand on her arm, she was pulled away as his second knife whizzed by her head and into the fourth man’s esophagus. Miles released her and slid on the pavement to reach his knife as the man fell. Jasper was last. He saw what was going on in the two seconds that it had happened and he swung at Amber, who, in an attempt to avoid the blow, fell to her knees. His fist met air and he shouted obscenities at her before turning the aim of his gun to Miles. Amber swung her arm up, the heel of her hand meeting his arm as he pulled the trigger, his arm being thrust upward from the impact. The trigger clicked but nothing happened. His eyes widened briefly in fear and he hastily threw the gun to the side, retrieving a knife instead. Amber couldn’t hear what he was saying, nor could she hear anything else that was happening. The Biters grew louder, more coming in response to the gunshots, and they were tumbling over the bodies littering the parking lot. She didn’t notice all of this, however, for in that moment, Miles turned, grabbed her arm and jerked her back. She let him pull her, finding her feet gracefully as Jasper drove down with the knife, stumbling as he did so. Miles grabbed Amber’s hand then, wrapping his empty hand around hers and twisting, his chest against her back and together they swung down, driving the blade of the sword down towards the back of his head. Jasper never got another word out before the sword penetrated his skull and ripped through, forcing him to take his last breath and collapsed to the bloodied concrete.
They stopped then, breathing heavily, and taking it all in. It had all happened within ten seconds, eleven tops, but it was all there. There were dead and dismembered bodies littering the ground, with more reanimated corpses coming for them from the building. They were out now, and headed directly for them. Buddy was rising to his feet as quickly as he could while he tried to assist Lacy; Lacy, who stared at Miles and Amber in awe as Miles moved from her, going to retrieve his knife. Rusty and Michael came out then as well as Amber turned and moved, her blades slicing through the air and connecting with two Biters on either side.
“Anybody hit?” she asked and she s
aw how Buddy’s right arm was bleeding. She gulped but he didn’t answer; he just continued to help Lacy as if he didn’t even know the wound was there.
“There are no more of his men in the buildings.” Michael shouted. Amber turned to see Miles straighten, his eyes looking behind her at the drove of Biters coming out of the building.
“Good! We need to get out of here now!” she shouted, turning back around and moving her arms, taking out two more Biters. Lacy was having trouble standing and walking, her bloodied leg locking up on her. Amber rushed away from the Biters, replacing her swords in their scabbard with Miles at her side, taking out a Biter to her left as its bony fingers brushed against her arm. Buddy all but jerked her to her feet and Amber ran up to her other side, lifting her arm and wrapping her right arm around her waist with Buddy, and together they trudged forward quickly towards Michael and Rusty who were sprinting towards them to assist in their endeavors.
The roar of an engine caught her ears and she looked up through narrowed eyes to see Riley in the truck, spinning around the side of the building she had been in, tires squealing on the pavement as he turned towards them. She glanced back, her eyes searching for Miles who had disappeared from her side. Some Biters had stopped to feast on the fresh blood lying on the pavement, but others were aiming at all directions. She kept searching, and within a second shifted her eyesight to find Miles fighting off Biters so they could make it to safety, but there were too many. She felt her heart stop for just a moment, watching as he tried backing away from these creatures, both short and tall, fighting them off as best as he could.
“Keep going!” He screamed at her without even looking up, almost as if he knew she was looking. Her heart twisted in apprehension. There were too many…he was going to die. She couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t. Rusty jumped into the truck, reaching out for Lacy as Michael neared her, his eyes taking in his father’s position in that split second. Amber released her hold on Lacy, all but forcing Michael to catch her.
“What are you doing?” he yelled at her but she didn’t acknowledge him. Or maybe he yelled it at Miles. She would never be sure. Her eyes burned and she only saw one thing. She saw him. She saw that she needed to get him out of there. Her heart was pounding from the fear and she was sure that the only other time that she had been so frightened, so utterly terrified was whenever Kyle had been shot. She couldn’t ponder on why in that moment; why she was so scared. All she knew was to act, and that she did. She withdrew her swords from their scabbard with a loud swish and she swung wildly and with determination, the sharp metal slicing through the air and through flesh. She saw Miles’s mouth moving, yelling at her, but she couldn’t make out the words. All she could hear was her blood roaring in her ears. She moved fluidly towards him and his battle, her swords taking out a wider range than his knives and guns had to offer.
“Get back!” he shouted at her, his own fear evident in his voice. He was scared for her. She knew that, she could see that. He would lay his life down for her and he was expecting to do just that. She remained silent in fear that her own voice would betray her.
“Get out of there!” Michael exclaimed from the truck before Riley pressed on the gas, advancing towards them, running over the dead bodies of Biters in the way. Finally, she reached him and relief hit her like a bullet. He was there, within reach, and breathing…unharmed.
They never stopped moving, however, once again skirting one another’s movements, following and leading one another as they took out these monsters. This was their ‘dance’, one they were flawless at, where they were able to anticipate and read one another, to use one another as leverage. They took out the surrounding Biters before he grabbed her arm and began running towards the truck, urging her ahead of him. But these Biters were quick, and she could sense one coming after them from the left before Miles even had a chance to look that way. The truck was a mere two feet away, doors open, Michael and Rusty taking down whatever creatures they could. She didn’t think, didn’t have to, because if it came down to it, she would lay her life down for him. So when this creature, this toddler of a Biter came from the left where it had been completely unexpected, she jerked from his grasp and shoved him forward and into the truck and Michael’s arms as he stumbled over a Biter’s body from her unexpected push. She turned to swing at it, to take it down, but she was too late, and its teeth clamped down on her leg just above her knee. The sensation of warm blood slid down her leg and pain raced up her spine. She heard Miles shout something before she lost her balance and fell, landing on her elbows as she refused to release her swords.
A gunshot rang in her ears and she felt her body lift from the pavement instantaneously. She looked up to see Michael jerk her swords from her grasp and Miles all but throw her in the truck before climbing in beside her. Rusty and Michael followed and instantly, before anymore Biters could come, Riley mashed on the accelerator, jerking the truck forwards and sending them back into the seat. Her head slammed into the back glass and a dizziness settled over her after the events of the last five minutes.
“Who all’s hurt?” Michael asked quickly, breathlessly, his eyes wide with concern and the after effects of the adrenaline rush.
“Amber, Lacy, and Buddy for sure. But no one is dying, right?” Rusty asked. Miles turned in his seat, his eyes wild and frantic. His entire focus was on Amber, his breathing heavy and his eyes bloodshot and watering. He was removing his shirt with a fevered rush. He was terrified, so very scared and desperate.
“Amber...” he mumbled weakly before leaning over her and maneuvering the shirt under her leg. Amber’s head lolled weakly back, her mind overwhelmed and her body aching. Within seconds his shirt was tied in a tight knot above her wound. Her leg immediately began losing circulation. She needed to get her shit together; wake up.
“Oh shit…Amber! Amber’s been bitten!” Buddy exclaimed, shifting quickly in his seat.
“Look at me baby, look at me.” Miles murmured desperately to her, his hands finding either side of her face. He straightened her head and Amber froze, her breathing rapid and her eyes widened. The look in his eyes, his endearment laced in desperation, it was enough to startle her back to reality. She was so frightened and scared that she was unsure of what to say. They would soon know…they would discover everything. Tears pricked the back of her eyes.
“Oh God…” Lacy trailed off then, rushing to reach for the wound on Amber’s leg as she was sitting next to her. Amber reflexively jerked from her, clamping her hand around her wound. The blood that flowed from where her flesh was missing was growing colder against her skin. The crimson liquid was covering her calf and flowing into her boot. She was finding it difficult to breathe. Lacy looked to Miles and Amber’s heart lurched. “What are we going to do?”
“We need to stop this!” Buddy exclaimed.
Lacy moved again, pulling on Amber’s elbow desperately. Amber ground her teeth together as her fingers dug into her leg, her palm flush against the bite. “We need to stop the bleeding.”
“Guys wait…” Rusty began quickly, rushing to try to intervene however, Buddy all but leapt over the front seat, reaching for her, pulling her other arm in the opposite direction as Lacy’s tugging. She felt sick.
“We’ll have to cut off her leg.” Buddy insisted hastily. “Now…we need to do it right now.” He said, searching around the cab for a weapon. Amber began shaking her head, closing her eyes against the pain of their forceful pulling and her hand’s vise on her leg. It was as if she were trying to cover up the evidence. A sharp pain shot up her spine. Miles reached over and grabbed her wrist, trying to help her relinquish her hold on her leg. She wouldn’t budge, wouldn’t let him see it. He placed one hand on her cheek and pleaded with her.
“Amber, baby, let go…trust me. I need to do this.” His voice quivered, his words shaky and unsure. Her shoulder was beginning to ache and the tears began to build more and feel heavy, even on her soul.
“Excuse me? You aren’t doing a damn thing
!” Michael exclaimed, pulling against Buddy’s other shoulder but Buddy shoved him back.
“I am not going to let her die!” Miles bellowed, a vein sticking out in his neck, and Amber struggled even more forcefully against them. It was happening so fast, the tightening of the knot in her stomach, the sweat on her brow running down her face. She shook her head even more vigorously. It was so very difficult, she realized, trying to fight the nausea and keep reality in check. Her demons were catching up with her and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
“No…” it was a whisper that no one heard. You disgust him, you know?
“Amber, move your hand.” Miles demanded trying to pry her fingers from their death grip covering the wound.
“Leave her alone!” Rusty exclaimed, both him and Michael fighting off Buddy, Miles, and Lacy as best as they could.
“Get the hell off of me!” Buddy yelled, shoving Rusty back. She needed to stop them, to assure them….to frighten them.
“No…”
“If you don’t…”
“I’m immune!” she suddenly exclaimed, unable to take their touches and forcefulness, unable to withstand their looks and concern. She regretted then, looking into Miles’s concerned eyes full of regret and a desperation she never witnessed from him, not telling them before. Lacy jerked her hand back to her chest as if she had been burned. Miles slowly released his hold on her wrist, his other hand falling from its caress of her cheek.
“What?” Miles asked then, breathless and taken aback. “What did you just say?”
“I’m immune.” She spoke softly and her words were full of remorse and fear. Her breathing was heavy and tears came to her eyes. A heavy silence filled the truck as she looked at them all. Buddy stared at her in shock, Lacy in surprise and disgust, and Miles…he looked so hurt and relieved and uncertain. He turned from her and brought a hand up to his face, wiping at his eyes.
