‘I think we know why she would do that,’ she said to blank faces. ‘Think about it. Bonnie does as your father says until it crosses, like her original mission or something. It’s like she’s here, infiltrating, she has her own agenda.’
‘Great,’ I growled, ‘we’re surrounded by liars and backstabbers.’
Anna flinched visibly, and I felt instantly guilty. I went to apologise but the world began to spin. I placed my hand against the wall and tried to breath. Something was wrong. The heat in my body escalated and Chris stared at me confused. I watched him say something, but I couldn’t hear what he said, the three of them blurred in my vision.
Then it was like my blood turned to acid. I screamed and hit the floor. My hands flew to my head; a pain like a metal spike being thrust inside my brain and wiggled plagued it. I rolled around and was aware of screaming, from me, from Anna, from Chris.
What the fuck are they screaming about? Oh god, what the hell is happening?
I felt heavy, as if the blood in my veins was turning to stone then back to acid, I was furious. I wanted to punch something, to never stop, to kill. It was with that thought everything came into focus. I saw the world crystal clear, the fine cracks in the sandy walls, the rusted pipes and the particles of dust that clogged the air. I could hear perfectly, every note, every letter and all the tiny noises that echoed through the tunnels. I felt strong and light and in agony.
I stood, staring at the people around me, their faces distraught and surprised.
‘Lucas,’ the redhead said. She was familiar, but I couldn’t think, nothing would come to me, there was only pain.
‘Anna,’ the man cried, ‘we have to go, we have to run NOW!’
‘Oh my god,’ the other woman said, her face pale and pain free.
That’s when it hit me, an emotion that combined with my anger and sent my hairs on end: Jealousy. My pain was so excruciating, so unrelenting and these scared strangers were fine. They didn’t have acid as blood, and their bones didn’t feel like they were being broken and set and broken, over and over. Their heads didn’t feel about to explode.
They were fine.
I let out what sounded like a growl.
‘No!’ the young woman gasped.
‘Anna, Jane, RUN!!’ the man screamed, and it hit me like a ton of bricks, my ears ringing and aflame. I had to shut them up, make them feel the pain I felt, they had to pay.
I charged and the two women turned and ran. The man moved to intercept me, but I was faster, much faster. I ducked his first punch, shouldering him hard. He lifted into the air and I slammed him against the wall. I bent down to wrap my hands around his neck when I heard a click. I turned just in time to see the woman with black hair aim something dark and reflective. I rolled, avoiding the flying piece of metal and landed a kick to the woman’s stomach.
She flew through the air, landing unconscious on the floor.
‘Lucas, please!’ the redhead pleaded, her eyes full of tears.
They had to pay. I had to quiet them, to share the pain coursing through my body. I could only focus on the anger I felt, it was only thing keeping me from sinking into the dark abyss that tugged at my mind.
I crossed the distance in a blink, grabbed the girl by the throat and lifted her into the air. The colour drained from her face, I screamed as the agony intensified and I squeezed harder. The man rushed at my side, but without looking I pushed my free palm into his chest and he hit the floor hard. They couldn’t win, I was strong and they were weak.
The redhead gasped for air as I tightened my grip on her throat.
She would pay.
The Change
I strangled the fragile girl as she clawed at me for air. My screams echoed through the room and my body jerked with every agonised breath I took. I had one thought, one emotion, one goal. To share the pain I was in, to stop the incessant noises that assaulted my ears, to try and quell the acid in my veins. I stared straight into the electric-blue eyes of the redhead and snarled. She pleaded with her eyes, a burning passion that sent guilt through my heart.
Guilt?
I let go of the girl and she hit the floor. The man crouched slowly, waiting for my next move. I frowned, shocked at that one moment of reprieve. The clouds lifted from my mind and images, voices, memories flitted across my eyes: My mother, with her love and warmth and sacrifice; Chris, who rescued me and gave everyone his protection, who took on the role of leader; Anna, who stood by my side, grew with me and put her lips on mine. There was Jane, the pillar of compassion, Paul, Grace, the group of survivors who more than ever needed our help, my help.
The pain subsided as if it was never there. I breathed deep without any problem. I could think and reason. Then a heavy object collided with my head, and I fell to the floor.
*
‘What do you think?’ Anna whispered. ‘Is he alright?’
‘I don’t know,’ Chris sighed. ‘He changed, you saw it.’
‘But he stopped right?’ Jane broke in. ‘He stopped and looked confused for a second. He looked like Lucas, maybe he’s fine.’
‘I can hear you,’ I grumbled.
I tried to move, but I felt exhausted. I opened my eyes to see Anna kneeling beside me, like the first time we met, scared and concerned, but strong and defiant. Then I spotted Chris, his gun aimed at my head, but his finger wasn’t on the trigger. I pushed myself up into a sitting position and looked around. Jane was on my other side, but aside from that, there was no evidence of what had just happened. Other than the bruise appearing on Anna’s neck and the way Jane clutched her side.
‘I’m so sorry,’ I choked. ‘What the hell happened? I have no idea what happened.’
‘You changed, Lucas,’ Chris whispered, his wide eyes glinted under the dim light, ‘into one of them, you tried to kill us, but you’re talking now. You can’t be you, you changed, you’re one of…’
He stuttered and stopped, taking the gun out of my face and clutched his hair tight. I didn’t understand either, but the exhaustion was wearing off. I lifted my arms and tested my legs when I stood. I gasped in surprise, I could see and hear, feel and smell and taste, everything.
‘Chris,’ I swallowed, ‘I feel great! I, I feel strong and my senses, they, they… I don’t understand.’
‘What do you mean?’ Jane asked.
I showed them. Before they could move, I was face to face with Chris, his gun in my hand. He gasped and stepped back. I aimed his weapon at a pipe and fired. Once, twice and three times, the bullets burst the pipe as all three barrelled into the same spot, water spraying over us. I laughed, I should have been terrified, but I wasn’t. I gave the gun back to Chris and smiled at their shocked expressions.
‘I don’t know what this is,’ I said, ‘but I like it!’
‘Chris?’ Anna prompted.
All he could do was shake his head in disbelief. ‘I have no idea.’
‘My father,’ I said, my euphoria faded. ‘I need to tell you guys something.’
‘What?’ Chris asked.
“He injected me with something. And not just once, I don’t know for how long, but when he had me when I met Bonnie, he injected me again,’ I said in one breath. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t say, part of me wanted it to be nothing and the other knew you’d turn on me.’
Chris looked overwhelmed, Anna gobsmacked and Jane oddly calm.
‘But the rest of the town?’ he asked the million dollar question.
‘I don’t know,’ I replied. ‘But I bet my father does.’
Before he could reply, shots echoed from a distance, and someone opened fire on the survivors.
*
We sprinted through the tunnels back to the group, but I put on a burst of speed and left the others behind. Using my new senses I manoeuvred the labyrinth with ease, coming into the room that had become our new home. Paul’s arm shook as he aimed at Grace, her with her own arm extended, but hers didn’t budge. Sweat glistened on Paul’s forehead and most of the group were sta
nding next to Grace. I didn’t like the look of it.
‘Stay back!’ Paul’s voice trembled. ‘You said we could work together, that we could get out!’
‘I lied,’ Grace smiled. ‘You are unstable, Paul, I used you for my own means and now I no longer have need of you. You must pay. Your blood will mark the start of a new day.’
Not if I can help it.
I was over at Grace before anyone noticed I was even in the room. She squealed in shock, and moved to aim her gun at me. I used the back of my hand to knock it from hers, and she staggered back into the wall. Paul smiled and advanced on her, but I shifted between them. I brought my leg up and kicked Paul’s gun to the floor, using the momentum I turned fast and connected my fist with his face.
Chris, Anna, and Jane burst into the room, guns of their own primed and ready, well, apart from Jane. Everyone was stunned, and I couldn’t help but laugh. It was fantastic. I wasn’t weak or pathetic anymore. I could fight. Together, we all could. I was lost in that thought as anarchy erupted, people pushed and fought and screamed, our group almost tearing itself to pieces. It always had been and it needed to stop.
I picked up one of the fallen guns, walked to one of the entrances and fired into the darkness. Everyone stopped and turned with mouths wide but silent.
‘Look at yourselves,’ I cried, my eyes meeting each of theirs. ‘You want to survive and you think it’s smart to tear each other apart?’
A few dipped their heads in shame, but others still looked pumped and ready. I shot them all looks.
‘We don’t even need to be worried about the people behind this, or the monsters up top,’ I scolded. ‘We’re going to do their jobs for them.’
‘And why should we listen to you, traitor?’ Grace snapped.
I was in her face before the sentence had finished, and she sat abruptly.
‘I’ll tell you why you should listen to me,’ I growled. ‘Why you should listen to Chris, the man you shunned after all he did to defend you! Anna, who put her life on the line as well, and Jane, she looked after everyone here, listened and tried to keep the peace and you tied her up!’
More lowered their heads. The truth was a nasty pill to swallow.
‘Acting like that we’re no different than the people we’re trying to survive from,’ I said. ‘If we lose our humanity, what’s the bloody point in surviving?’
No one spoke. Their faces were pained, as if I’d slapped them all at once.
‘My father used my mother in his sick little games,’ I continued. ‘He used Anna’s brother, and Chris’s wife! We feel your pain, your anger and fear. Then you push us out when we needed to stick together the most!’
Grace’s hands were clenched tight, her knuckles white and the vein in her neck throbbed. She saw the same as I saw, people coming to their senses, ashamed of the way they’d behaved. Grace was losing her power.
‘Don’t listen to him,’ she spat. ‘They want to control you just like our enemies do!’
‘No,’ I said smiling. ‘I think we’re done being controlled. We’re done being pawns. I think it’s time we acted together, not just one person’s voice, but all of us, speaking together and moving as one.’
They started to nod and murmured to one another. The cracks were healing. Paul stood, and it looked like finally, he had started to listen. Grace was another story. I stared at her incredulous. She had to see reason hadn’t she?
‘Is this what you want?’ Grace screamed. ‘To be led by these tainted individuals?’
‘Hmmm,’ I laughed. ‘Weren’t you the one trying to convince them to hand themselves over to the crazy killing machines for lunch?’
Grace narrowed her eyes and spat at my feet. I decided to cement the group back together with my last card.
‘Oh, and did I mention we know a way out?’ I said.
The room went silent. The group turned almost in unison, hope lit up their faces. It was what they needed to hear. Chris stepped forward into the silence, and explained the situation. He glossed over Bonnie’s part in the information though, and no one asked about how we had learned about it. Everyone was too drunk on the possibility of finally escaping.
Excited voices erupted as soon as Chris had finished. He didn’t move to stop it, but motioned for Paul to join him. Paul’s face was covered in sweat and his eyes were wide. I wondered how close he had come to opening fire on Grace, and how stable he was.
‘You okay?’ I asked.
He shook his head and fumbled for words.
‘Take a breath, okay?’ Anna said.
‘How did you do that?’ he directed at me once he had stopped shaking.
‘Long story that I don’t even know,’ I answered and shrugged, ‘another time.’
‘Yeah, right now we have to move on this escape plan,’ Chris whispered. ‘Before your father closes it off. He must already know about Bonnie betraying him.’
I nodded, but part of me couldn’t help but wonder if Bonnie was still following my father’s orders, at least in part.
‘There’s still another problem,’ Jane said, taking a shaky breath. ‘We might have an exit, but what about those monsters up top. I doubt they’ll let us just walk out, and the snipers that stopped us before?’
‘We need to draw everything away from there,’ Chris sighed. ‘Get the snipers to move, and draw the creatures somewhere else.’
‘No,’ I said and shook my head. ‘I know what we can do.’
They stared at me with knitted eyebrows, but I squeezed past them and into the centre of the room. My heart banged against my chest and my palms grew sweaty. It might be a long shot, but I was pretty sure everyone there felt the same way I did. It was time to stop being afraid, to stop cowering in the dark little maze our captors forced us into.
I knew what kind of distraction would move everything into place, but it was dangerous.
‘Guys!’ I shouted, the room quieted and turned.
Their faces almost made me swallow what I was about to say. It could rip us apart again, but we had to be strong.
‘I know you’re still scared, that a way out is good news,’ I called, meeting their gazes. ‘But we still have problem. I meant what I said when we move as one, and we have decision to make.’
I looked at Anna and she nodded.
‘We might have a way out but there are still obstacles,’ I continued. ‘We still have those things up top to worry about, and the people who are behind this to contend with, but there might be a way to kill two birds with one stone.’
‘What do we have to do,’ a man said.
I smiled at his determination, and as I looked into each of their faces I saw the same fire.
‘Fight,’ I said simply. ‘We have to fight.’
They nodded in turn, some wide-eyed and terrified, but surprisingly no one spoke up against it. It was time, time to leave the shadows and show our enemy who the town truly belonged to.
‘Lucas,’ Anna cut in. ‘She’s gone.’
I was about to ask who she meant, but doing a once over of the room it was easy. Grace was no longer there.
The Armoury
With news of a way out, and the surprise of my newfound abilities, Grace’s disappearance was forgotten quickly. Most shrugged it off as a crazy woman who had lost control, ignoring how eager they were to rip each other apart. I wasn’t so sure. For someone who was regarded as mentally unstable, Grace showed an unnerving amount of manipulation, and she was gone. I didn’t like it, but after a quick sweep of the surrounding tunnels we had to get back to our plan.
I paced, filled with energy that bubbled under my skin. We couldn’t figure it out, and the conversation finished almost instantly. How, when everyone affected up top had changed into raging killers, was I in control? I rubbed my forehead, a headache forming. I was stronger, faster and my senses had doubled in strength. The excitement from before was gone, replaced with a drowning anxiety. What was happening to me?
Chris, Paul, Anna, and Jane were in the m
iddle of the group discussing options. We might have a way out, if Bonnie was telling the truth, another problem to ponder, but even if it was true, we still had major hurdles. People wanted to fight, but we had no means to do so.
‘There are still those things up top,’ Jane reminded everyone. ‘Plus what about the snipers from before, no doubt some of them or others are watching the way out.’
Chris sighed and rubbed his temples. ‘First things first,’ he said. ‘We are in no condition to wage war on them. We need more than a few guns.’
Paul folded his arms. After the Grace fiasco it was almost as if he had come to his senses with the group. His anger had ebbed away and he no longer looked at Chris or anyone with the haunting suspicion he usually did. Sweat drenched his face, and he looked like a drug addict coming down from a high, which he probably was.
‘What about the place you got your weapons, Chris?’ Paul said. ‘Can we go there?’
‘Maybe,’ Chris replied. ‘But I only managed to grab a few things when everything started. Most of the guards had been gone, but now there will be more. It might be too dangerous.’
‘It’s not like we have much of a choice,’ Anna said. ‘If we’re going to fight back, we need those supplies.’
Chris nodded in silence. I noticed the change in all of us. Chris had opened up and let us in, no more was he a lone leader, afraid of what his secrets could cause. Anna was the same, she had tried desperately to stay strong and help the group, but also help her brother. Paul had realised he hadn’t handled anything well and was trying to fix it, and Jane? Who knows what she had lost to get there, to be an ever constant pillar of support for everyone. Who knows what any of us had given up of ourselves to get this far.
‘So we deal with that first,’ I chimed into the silence. ‘Without weapons we don’t stand a chance.’
‘But then what do we do?’ Jane said. ‘We’re outnumbered and we can’t fight the creatures on the surface and then fight the people keeping us in here.’
Fear of God (Trials of Strength Book 1) Page 12
