Four (Their Dead Lives,1)

by Scott, Zack

  Scot struggled to stand, rubbing his neck.

  “If you and Alec would’ve listened to me from the start, if you would’ve joined Jeff and I instead of pushing us away, none of this would’ve happened. You’ve turned me evil, Scot.” Kale spoke slowly for emphasis. “You. Did. This.”

  He’s lost it. “Kale, buddy, what have you done?”

  He raised a dark eyebrow. “I’ve done what has been necessary all along.”

  “Whatever.”

  Kale lifted his blade. “Out of the three of you, I want to kill you the most.”

  Scot laughed. “Well, considering I fucked your girlfriend—”

  Kale charged again, slashing Scot’s arm open. Scot grabbed his limb and tripped over himself trying to escape. With one arm, he tried to stand, but Kale grabbed his wavy hair first. The blade pressed against his neck.

  Disdainful eyes stared at Kale. “That’s it, Kale, fulfill your destiny. I’m ready.”

  Kale tightened a hand around Scot’s face to keep it still. Nails dug into his chin. “You’re pathetic.”

  “I know. Just, just let me say one thing. One thing, Kale.”

  “Better make it good.”

  Scot smirked. “You must have the limpest cock in the world because Brittany was the tightest thing I’ve ever plowed into.”

  Kale shrieked in fury. “I’m gonna slice that stupid smirk off your face!” The blade rose high, shimmering beneath the moon. “Say hi to Alec in hell.”

  Scot’s eyes widened. “You killed Alec?”

  “Yes.” Kale halted his swing, savoring the moment. “Spoiler alert, you’re next, you piece of—”

  Scot slammed his shoulder into Kale’s gut, followed by a quick fist to the beast’s face. He sprinted a few steps away. “Never talk, only kill, you idiot.” He knew he would lose the fight, but he at least wanted to make Kale work for it.

  Two quick stabs to Scot’s stomach sent him to the floor again. He thrust an elbow but Kale smacked it out of the way. The blade shot into Scot’s lower back, sliced up through his chest, and broke out of his breastbone. He stared in weak surprise at the blood dripping off the tip of the blade. He dangled helplessly. Impaled. “Kale...”

  An evil mouth hovered by Scot’s ear and whispered, “I’m going to remove your head, then give it to Kelsey before I fuck her again.”

  “If you touch her—”

  “You’ll what?” He kicked the blade out of Scot, who fell face first to the roof. “You’re already dead.”

  His cheek pressing against the rough floor of the roof, Scot tasted blood.

  Kale circled around him again. “You know, I was hoping for at least one good fight. Maybe Homer will be it. You and Alec, man, simply pathetic.”

  Neither words nor movement from Scot. All he thought about was what Kale had just said. “—before I fuck her AGAIN.” Did Kale and Kelsey actually fuck while Scot was away at college? No, he told himself. Kale is simply torturing my mind before he kills me. And if Scot was about to be killed, whatever happened in the past soon wouldn’t matter.

  “What? Don’t have one of your witty comebacks?” Kale mockingly skipped. “Look at me, I’m Scot, I’m a clever smartass. Woopty-doo!”

  Kale slammed his foot into Scot’s back. The blade lowered to his neck again. He twitched at its touch but it dug deeper, lightly breaking his skin.

  “Hate to bring the bad news, but you were never that clever, Scotty.” A little giggle left Kale’s psychotic lips. “Come to think of it, we only hung out with you cause you had the best house to chill at.”

  Why does he keep talking? Kill me already. End this.

  “All right, all right. I know, I’m talking too much. I’m being one of those stupid villains who runs their mouth instead of killing.” Kale snagged Scot’s hair, dragging his face up, forcing him to stay on his knees. “I’ll see you and Alec at our next reunion.”

  The blade teased, readying for Scot’s decapitation.

  Let me see her green eyes once more. In the light or in the dark, let me see—

  A familiar voice struck both their ears. “Get your hands off him, you son-of-a-bitch.”

  They turned.

  Scot thought he was hallucinating from loss of blood, so he blinked multiple times to make sure his eyes were working properly. No. Fucking. Way.

  Light shone through Alec’s arms, pulsating inside his veins, glowing around his neck. White shields glossed over his eyes, engulfing them to the opposite of Kale’s black.

  “I killed you,” Kale started, voice drifting as he dropped Scot to the floor.

  With a heaving chest, Alec readied his fists. “Next time, do more than slice my throat.”

  “I knew it, I knew it!” Kale crouched and gleefully slapped Scot. “Look, see him in all his glory. I made him. I resurrected him. I did a marvelous thing, Scot, a marvelous thing.”

  “No,” said Alec. “All you did was piss me off.”

  The illuminated Alec leaned forward, preparing to charge. The darkened Kale readied a sprinting stance.

  They roared at each other, right to the clash.

  ALEC

  Soft sand sunk between his fingers and toes. Grains stuck to his face. She kept calling for him. He tried to reach her. Anchored. Stuck. Sinking. “Nicole,” he groaned.

  Rise, said a faint whisper.

  On a cliff, far above, she stood, white silken dress wrapping around her body. Nicole’s voice became a loud whisper, shot from a long distance. “Rise.”

  Pain filled his limbs as he fought to move. I’m coming, baby. Clawing at sand, he found weak strength.

  “Rise.”

  He was in so much pain, he wanted to sleep, but Nicole kept whispering to him, so he crawled. Waves splashed. Winds whistled. Nicole’s voice never stopped — until it turned. Deepening. Darkening. Alec’s hand hit a shoe.

  Kale stood above him. “Hi.”

  “Yoooouu." Alec slowly struck. Kale easily stepped away. Farther away, he saw Jeff and Scot. Bound arms behind their backs, they were on the beach, tape covering their mouths. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m showing you.” Kale’s bone-dagger shot from his arm as he approached them. Scot trembled, moaning behind tape. Jeff stared, still, ready.

  Kale grabbed Scot’s head first. Without word or warning, he sliced through Scot’s pale neck in a single clean swipe. His head dropped from his shoulders, rolling to the ocean and vanishing in the waves.

  “No!” Alec tried to leap forward to intervene. Futile. He collapsed into sand, anchored.

  Jeff’s calm eyes followed Kale’s every move. The blade landed at his neck. Another decapitation.

  “That’s the only way to keep you guys dead,” said Kale, his back turned to Alec. “I didn’t know that before. But now I do.” He charged at Alec when a massive wave came crashing down from the side.

  All went dark.

  “Rise, my child.”

  Alec jolted, every inch of his body aching. Rocks dug into his flesh. A wave washed over him. Cold, he shivered, staring at white clouds passing over.

  “Rise.”

  “Who...who are you?”

  The whisper breathed comfort into his soul, “I am death’s opposite.”

  He tried to move his twisted arm. His legs were mangled against rocks. “Where am I?”

  “In your world, far from mine.”

  “Tell me who you are.”

  Silence for minutes, then it said, “Harm, I am protect. Destroy, I am create. Despair, I am hope. Darkness, I am light.” With those words, light sparked through Alec’s veins. Strength ignited in his crushed bones. “I am the Curer of Death. So rise, Alejandro, for you’re my Guardian of Life.”

  He forced off the rock, and even with the mysterious voice’s help, he struggled. “I can’t.”

  The whispering soul silenced.

  “I need more.” His face pressed against a sharp boulder. Another wave washed over him. Shivering, Alec fought to hear that soothing voice.

&
nbsp; Nothing.

  And although he felt weak, helpless, Alec was certain of one thing: Kale planned on killing the people he cared for most.

  To hell if he lay there dead and let it happen.

  Swipe, duck, slash, charge. His fist crunched Kale’s ribs as the bone-dagger broke his own skin. Another fist snapped Kale’s nose, sending the Embracer to a stumbling daze.

  Scot leapt around Kale’s shoulders, teeth snapping around his ear. The Embracer howled and stabbed back, slicing through reddish hair.

  Alec, newly transformed into a Guardian of Life, ejected three swift punches to Kale’s gut. Light flashed with each blow. Scot fell off Kale, rolling across the roof. Kale spun, stabbed down, and sliced the guy’s thigh open.

  Limping away, Scot slurred a string of profanities, “Shifuhbitass.”

  The Guardian flung an arm around the Embracer’s neck, yanking its back to his chest.

  Kale squirmed and swiped for Alec’s face but Alec dodged every attack with nimble movements. Alec locked a hand around the Embracer’s stub. Lightning striking through his arm, he snapped the mutated limb, then forced the bone-dagger to stab the roof, shattering its tip.

  Kale howled in pain, fell, and slumped over his thighs, face crying to the floor.

  Alec circled around him. “That’s for taking Nicole.” He shot a foot to Kale’s already broken ribs, eliciting another pained cry. “For trying to kill me.” He grabbed Kale’s jet-black hair with one hand, and the broken bone-dagger with his other. Its sharp, snapped edge hovered next to Kale’s throat. “Before I kill you, tell me where she is.”

  Kale’s engulfed eyes swirled to his normal brown. The darkness in his veins vanished and the dagger retracted into his arm.

  Alec let him go, but his voice was powerful. “Tell me.”

  Kale’s whimpers did nothing for Alec’s ears.

  Scot limped his way toward them. “He hurt Nicole?”

  “He took her.”

  Scot huffed, “Unbelievable. He threatened Kelsey, too. What are you, Kale, gay for us?”

  Kale jolted. “They hold you back!”

  “Where is she?” Alec punched Kale’s head. “Where?” Another punch. “Where?” Smack, smack, smack.

  Scot snuck a quick slap in as well.

  Alec slowly lowered to Kale’s face, the light in his body flashing away. “You lost. Give her to me.”

  Hunched over, lips hanging open as they drooled blood, Kale looked up. “You’ll have to kill me.”

  Alec glanced at Scot, who kinda shrugged before turning his back to them. Alec focused on Kale. With a finger on his chin, he lifted him face to face. “I hate seeing you like this.”

  Kale’s dark brows clenched. “You hate me.”

  “No,” Alec said, sadness stinging his voice. “We were best friends, we were brothers, we were blood. I had nothing but love to give.”

  “She always came first.”

  Scot snorted. Alec ignored him, trying to focus on bringing his friend back. “She possessed my heart, but there was always space for you guys.”

  “I never found it.”

  Alec wrapped a hand through Kale’s black hair, feeling his sweaty skull. “I know.” He brought Kale’s face to his chest, lowering his own to his friend’s head.

  “Snap his neck,” said Scot.

  Alec whispered to the trembling Kale, “There’s still redemption for you. I’ll help find it.”

  Kale’s trembles turned to something else. Weeping? Laughter? His face rose, embracing the darkness once again. The re-born blade ejected at his side, but before he could stab Alec, Scot grabbed the arm.

  The light shone through Alec. Both hands struck around Kale’s neck as Scot pinned the bone-dagger and stub with his feet. Tiny white worms flashed in Alec’s hand, clenched around Kale’s throat. “I wanted to save you!”

  “There is no saving me,” Kale choked out.

  “Then I’m sorry,” he said, squeezing every last breath out. “You die.”

  A roar from above struck through the night, giving Kale a few more seconds to live as Alec spun back to see his other friend. With arms and legs flailing, Jeff flew through the air from the helicopter high above. The aircraft hovered in front of the moon for seconds before fading dark with the night.

  Jeff dented the roof on impact. Bouncing across, his body slammed against the complex’s entrance, crumbling it around him.

  All three stared at the debris-blowing wreckage, mouths hanging open.

  “Jeffrey?”

  “Homer?”

  “Jeff?”

  Jeff stumbled from the broken pieces, fully intact. Blood covered his face, hell, his whole body, yet he still moved with strength and purpose. He made his way to the others.

  When Jeff reached them, Alec permitted Kale to rise. Together, their light and dark auras vanished.

  They all stood there. As four.

  ADDISON

  Well, I’ve seen everything.

  Along with Evans, Slinger, and Kelsey, Addison watched Jeff fly from the helicopter to the roof. He didn’t bother guessing the distance, for no normal human would’ve made the jump.

  Those four spoiled kids who Brody Vitaly so desired, they had reunited, and Addison hoped for them to accomplish great things.

  As amazing as the feat was, the pilot of the helicopter, Eddie, wasted no time watching. They whirred from the roof and headed west for their final destination: Camp Numark.

  Slinger leaned into the cockpit. “Do we have enough fuel?”

  “I will get you back there.”

  Slinger slouched, her back to the pilot, sitting diagonally across from Addison. Kelsey sat next to him. Missing his glasses, he had to squint to see anything remotely well. He was surprised he saw Jeff make it to the roof. He hoped new glasses could be fashioned for him at the base they were headed to.

  “You okay?” Slinger asked Kelsey.

  “We have to go back for them.”

  “Need to refuel, first.”

  “How far?”

  “Soon, I promise,” she said and sat back, staring at Evans next to her. He turned to her. Their hands touched. She glanced at his fingers. “Mercury—”

  “Malone died bravely. They all did.” He let her go.

  “I really want that warm cot,” she said.

  They escaped the city, flying briefly over ocean, then above a small canyon.

  Eddie said, “We’re almost there!”

  Red emergency lights filled the cockpit. You’re kidding me!

  “Eddie?” Slinger turned, legs kicking the closed door at her side.

  “I gotta put her down!”

  “Talk to me!”

  “Hold on to something,” breathed Eddie, his jaw wide.

  The whirring rotary blades of the helicopter decreased in speed. The aircraft circled, plummeting, and night turned to a swirling blur. Eddie fought for the best possible landing, Addison guessed, as he struggled to buckle himself in. A world spun outside the open cabin door next to him. Addison wanted to throw up.

  Evans reached for the open door, trying to close it. Grabbing his seat, his arm strained. His fingers were so close, but they’d never reach the door. He had to unbuckle himself. Don’t, you fool! But he did, and an impact sent Evans straight out of the helicopter.

  “Jon!” Slinger shot her hand for him but was too late.

  Thrown off his seat, Addison helplessly slid for the open door. Slinger caught him. His legs dangled midair as the helicopter screeched and ripped through the canyon. An ear-piercing snap struck. The woman’s grip vanished and Addison fell. His chest hit dirt so quickly he realized they’d been right above ground. After a few choking coughs, he turned over. The aircraft ripped apart, sliding down the fifteen-foot wide canyon. Its tail skid snapped. Sparks flew. The rotor broke off. Screams echoed. A rotary blade flew across the gap.

  Evans grabbed Addison, dragging him away as the remaining wreckage crashed to the ground. Another rotary blade flew outward, landing right bet
ween his legs.

  Two helicopter crashes in one damn apocalypse! I fucking hate helicopters.

  Evans dropped Addison and charged for the crashed aircraft. “Slinger!” A small fireball torched the canyon wall, leaving a black trail. Evans fell back from the flames, screaming for his sergeant again.

  The cockpit snapped open. Eddie climbed out, landing on the closed cabin door.

  “Are they okay?”

  “Evans! We’re on the other side,” her voice called out.

  Addison stumbled to a canyon wall, pressed one hand against it, and squinted at his slashed-open slacks. He felt warm blood under his knee. With his other hand, he hoped to touch the Desert Eagle. Nothing. Such pleasure had filled him when he shot Sofia. What did I yell before shooting her? She wasn’t dead of course, but he hoped she was still in pain. I hate being right —okay, I don’t. Although he felt like a scumbag, he was glad he got the chance to sleep with her. But then an ill shudder crossed his shoulders. She was transformed when we had sex. Oh, oh good God. His stomach twisted.

  Eddie knelt on the crashed copter. He stretched an arm to Evans. “I’ll help you over. We travel to Numark on foot now. Just down this canyon.”

  The VTF specialist looked at Addison. “Let’s go.”

  Leaning over, Addison threw a hand. “Yeah, yeah, one second.” His eyes clenched as he touched his side. More blood, dripping off his fingers. I’m not making it.

  Then, her whisper struck him from behind. “Addy.”

  While sweat dripped off his nose, he squinted, turning ever so slowly. Sofia. “No!”

  “Eddie, look out!” Evans screamed.

  No time for Addison to see what was after the other survivors as Sofia struck his chest with one crushing blow. Breath and balance lost, he fell to dirt. She knocked him over with a light kick. “Sofia...”

  “Not so tough without your little pistol, are you?” She pounced over his legs, straddling him. Both his arms were pinned past his head. “What did you say to me on the roof?”

  What did I say?

  “Tell me, Addy.”

  “I don’t remember,” he cried.

  “This might help.” She shot her face close, forcing her tongue in his mouth. Cold and damp, it stretched down his throat, choking him. He swiped his head to the side but her tongue dug deeper. Fuck it! He snapped his teeth shut and his mouth filled with blood. She lunged back, grabbing her face, screaming in pain as black oozed off her lips. With a swift kick, Addison crawled out from under her prison, and he spat out the remains of her tongue.