My skills from years of gaming kicked in, and I timed my leap. The horse swerved, but I grasped its thick hair and slammed against the creature, digging in my fingers. The weakened flesh gave way, and I hung onto muscle.
With my remaining strength, I pulled onto its back and rode the monster. How epic I must have looked, riding an undead horse. I wanted to tame it as my mount, but I needed to kill it before it killed us.
The horse ran back toward the barn as I spotted Charles racing in our direction. In his hands, he held his knife. He hurled it, and it hit the beast’s flank. I snatched the weapon, a smile crossing my lips.
“Die!” I brought the weapon into the back of the horse’s skull. With a great neigh, we crashed into the darkness of the barn. I flew and banged into something with a loud, hollow thunk.
The resulting pain in my shoulder overwhelmed; dizziness overtook me. I wanted nothing more than to give way to the unconscious, but one thing kept me in the world, my companions, both screaming my name.
LEVEL 05:
STORM SONG
Despite nauseating pain, I sat straight.
“Tiffany! Are you okay?” Arik’s voice came from outside the barn.
I threw back my best sarcasm. “Always enjoy a good game of Grand Theft Horse! I brought it in here to get a paint job!”
“This is no time for jokes! Come out already!” Charles joined Arik.
I attempted to stand, but something held me back. “Guys? I’m stuck on something!”
“Hold it!”
Outside, the wind changed direction, and the barn door snapped off its hinges and flew away.
“Shit...”
As my friends entered, I reached back and found a threaded, sticky substance under my fingertips.
I tried to wiggle, but it held strong. “It’s like a sticky rope!”
“Sounds like I’ll need my knife!”
“Should be in the horse’s skull!”
A great boom of thunder shook everything, and lightning lit the barn.
I tilted my head and spied the silvery-white cord holding my shoulder in place. “What the hell?”
“Found the horse!”
They were taking too long. The cord vibrated, and I started to worry. “Hurry!”
Lightning flashed again, and I spotted the cord suspended between a pillar and a tractor where it then connected to other similar threads.
“Tiff! Where are you?”
“Don’t call me Tiff!” I pulled hard, but I couldn’t break it.
The sky lit up again. Arik and Charles came around a corner, and both froze, jaws agape.
I swallowed hard. “Is this what I think it is? It’s not, right? Tell me it’s not.”
A few intense moments passed until lightning flashed. I lifted my gaze. Gigantic spider webs covered the ceiling.
“Shit, get me out of here! Help, please! I hate spiders!”
“Quiet!” Charles slapped his hand over my mouth.
I thrashed, getting stuck even further. No! I had to get free. I needed to run as far as possible and never turn back!
“Calm yourself.” Charles held me still.
I’d been without human contact for months, but it was so comforting and warm, I fell limp.
“Arik, cut the web.”
“Don’t worry. The spiders aren’t here.” Arik tried to comfort me, but I didn’t believe him.
My eyes rolled back as he tried to cut through the web. Another sensation came over me. Charles holding me; it felt so nice to have human contact and be in someone’s strong arms.
I’d always been in love with Zach, but one summer after he left, I had a temporary romance with a boy named Garrett Rose. He caught me a turtle, but I let it go. Still, I kissed him for the gesture. We ended up making out and falling asleep in each other’s arms; the last time I had physical contact with a guy.
Arik stepped back. “The web is too strong.”
“Let me think.” Charles’ breath tickled my ear causing me to shiver.
“We might have to amputate her arm.”
I sank in his embrace. “Sure, why not?”
Arik’s voice sounded so far away. “Is she dead?”
“Her shoulder looks dislocated. The pain is causing her to zone out.”
My head rested on Charles’ shoulder. “Sure...”
“I have an idea.”
A small flame flickered to life between us. Arik held a golden table lighter in his hands. He put the fire to the web, and it sizzled apart, freeing me.
“I got you!” Arik held me; his embrace was nice, too.
“This may hurt a little.” Charles grabbed my arm and shoulder.
I wanted the boy’s warmth.
Charles jerked, and an incredible pain exploded in my shoulder; I screamed. I flopped from Arik’s arms and rolled onto my side, gasping for breath.
“Sorry, I had to fix your arm.” Charles kneeled next to me.
I tested each finger making sure they curled. “Never do that again!”
“All right! We’re safe and sound!” Arik pumped his fists and raised the roof. It was embarrassing watching the idiot.
Embarrassment turned to fear as something lowered behind him; a giant bug with eight legs and a skull on its abdomen
I lifted a trembling finger. “Oh, hell no!”
“What?” Arik cocked his head, and the spider wrapped its legs around him.
An earsplitting screech filled the barn as it lifted him into the air.
“Oh no, you don’t!” Charles leaped, and grabbed our friend’s legs.
I was in shock and unable to help. They both lifted into the rafters, vanishing.
“Help me!”
I’d never heard such a high-pitched scream.
The lighter landed nearby. An idea popped into my head. I snatched it and tossed it into several bales of hay. The pile burst into flames, along with the wooden pillar behind it.
Fire surged to the roof, and moments later the entire barn caught. My jaw dropped to the ground as I saw the whole upper section. It was filled with webbing and dozens of large spiders and wrapped up bodies.
The creatures hissed and dove around as the fire licked at them. Several bodies fell from the ceiling and landed with great thuds.
I rushed to the nearest one. “Arik? Charles?”
As I reached for the body, it groaned and grabbed a handful of my hair. The corpse pulled me in and snapped its jaws, but I punched the undead bastard in the face. I punched it again and again, making its head into mush. I pulled free of its grasp and gasped. The other bodies were rising, making rigid undead movements.
“Where are you guys?”
They needed help, but I had no time; the corpses were blocking the only exit. The flames roared, and parts of the roof collapsed.
I dodged a chunk of burning wood and stepped back as the corpses turned and shambled my way.
My back hit the wall, as a burning ball of spider crashed before me, writhing. One undead stumbled past, and the flames caught its pant leg.
I glanced in every direction.
A hole! I dove, rolling through the hay, and pushed broken boards aside. My top half popped through, but as I pulled my sorry ass, I got stuck; half outside in the rain, half inside the burning barn. I dug my fingers into the mud and pulled but slipped.
Icy fingers wrapped around my ankle and pulled me back. I screamed, kicking as hard as possible, but it didn’t relent.
“Need a hand?” Arik appeared. Both my saviors stood with faces as black as soot.
“No, I want to burn to death!” I snatched their hands.
Together, they tore me free of the corpse.
I scrambled away from the barn with the guys. “How did you get out?”
“Upper level window.” Arik elbowed the ginger. “I owe this bastard my life.”
“Not for the first time.” Charles shrugged. “That spider would’ve had him!”
We headed for the farm house. The warm rain drenched us from h
ead-to-toe, and I squished through thick mud.
I wiped water from my eyes. “Why didn’t we stop for clothes?”
“Because we’ve passed no towns!” Arik kicked an invisible rock. “But I like that vest on you.”
“You’re a pervert!” I raised my fist, but he recoiled. A sigh left my lips. “I feel bad for Kiki. She’s all alone in this storm.”
“We gave her a chance to come to the farmhouse.” Charles walked, a hand on his knife’s handle. “And speaking of, let’s hurry now we’re done playing.”
Without complaint, we returned to the porch. I held the shotgun, and Arik his handgun as Charles nudged the door. He stuck his head through and waited. Satisfied, he entered.
We followed and as we shut the door, stink blasted us. Not rot, but that nasty scent of moth balls, mixed with cigarette smoke—The formula for a grandparent’s house.
“We need light.” Arik pinched his nose. “Too bad I lost my lighter.”
An oil lamp burned to life. Charles sat in an old rocking chair, with a lantern on the table beside him.
I put my hands on my hips.
“Matches.” He held up a book. “Seems they were old school.”
I scanned the walls and nodded. There were more than a dozen ancient clocks hanging. Several were cuckoos while others were cats, and even one of Elvis Presley.
“Obsessed with time...” I pushed the nearest cat clock’s tail, it swung a few times then stopped.
“They were short on it.” Arik pointed to an oxygen tank in the corner.
I shivered and rubbed my arms. “Breathing through that, and they smoked? Idiots.”
Arik faced our friend. “Smells good, doesn’t it?”
Charles rocked back and forth. “Nope.”
“Not having any cravings?”
“Not in the slightest.”
I approached the stairs. “You were a smoker? Gross.”
Charles chuckled as I started on the stairs.
“Where are you going?” Arik followed. “There could be corpses up there!”
I shook my head. “Use your nose. Do you smell rot? No one’s been here forever.”
“Need someone to watch your back?”
“I’ve got to change clothes, and my feet ache. Also, I need shoes.”
Charles sighed. “Let her go, man, she’s not interested.”
“This time, I wasn’t flirting.” Arik’s shoulders slumped.
I motioned for Arik to come with me. “You can be my loyal guard.”
Arik looked over at Charles. He shrugged. “I’ll look around down here.”
The old stairs creaked as we climbed. I peeked over the banister and saw a short hall with three rooms. “Bedrooms, and a bathroom.”
We walked into the hall, and I held my shotgun at the ready. Arik walked past and pointed to the last room. He edged towards the left, and I to the right.
The first room had shelves lined with porcelain clowns. I ducked back out. Maybe, I had two greatest fears; spiders and clowns.
I swallowed my fear and peeked in again. There was even a framed crochet artwork of a clown’s face. I edged my foot into the room, but pulled it back.
“I can’t do this. Spiders are one thing, but clowns... No!”
I sucked in a deep breath.
I threw myself inside and faced my fear. The room had a bed that looked never slept in, with its creepy ass clown-themed blankets.
I continued searching as the eyes on the statues stared into my soul; they wanted to consume me, devour my existence. One step toward the closet and I froze. I couldn’t!
Thunder exploded outside, and the wind roared so loud the house threatened to blow away. I screeched and fled—Right into a clown!
I screamed and brought up the shotgun, but it flew to the side. On accident, I pulled the trigger. A section of wall exploded, and I gasped. Arik stood there, glaring with creased brows.
“I thought you were... There were clowns! I’m not good with... with...”
Charles voice carried upstairs. “Did someone die?”
Arik doubled over laughing. “Tiffany’s afraid of clowns!”
I punched his shoulder.
“Ow!”
“Everyone is fine!” I glared punched Arik again. Twice for good measure.
He rubbed his arm and then shoved a pair of tennis shoes against my chest. “Are you a size eight?”
I glanced at the shoes then at him. “Closer to nine, but they might fit. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome, bigfoot.”
I narrowed my eyes, ready to punch him again. Instead, I sat on the floor and squeezed into the footwear. They weren’t in the greatest shape, and tight, but the last thing I cared for was shoes; I never understood them. Shoes served one purpose; to cover one’s feet. Ugly or not.
“There’s a closet full of clothes too.” Arik looked toward the last door. “A young girl lived here.”
I nodded and made my way over.
This room appeared far less creepy, with its pink wallpaper covered in light violet clouds. A paper lay on an old desk. I walked over and picked up the letter, reading it aloud,
“Mommy, Daddy, I’m sorry. I wish you were alive! I can’t handle being on my own. Not with the depression, not since Biggins died. I have no one else. Her sweet purring, I miss it so. I can’t tell you how scared I am, but I have to go see her now. Where did you say it was? The Rainbow Bridge? I hope I can stop there before Heaven. I love you both. We’ll be together soon.
—Emma.”
I closed my eyes. “Rainbow Bridge?”
“My mom used to tell me stories about it.” Arik lowered his head. “I used to have a dog named Ditzy. That’s where animals go when they die.”
My face fell into my hands. “I can’t take much more.”
“Then don’t look in the bathroom...”
“Emma’s body is in there, isn’t it?”
He nodded, and I sighed, tears forming in my eyes. The moment cut short as something slammed beneath us.
“Open the stupid door! Hurry!”
Arik and I bolted downstairs. Charles rushed and opened the door. Kiki stood in the doorway, soaked and terrified. She pointed, hopping. The girl tried to speak, but she couldn’t catch her breath.
I touched her shoulders. “Breathe!”
“There’s a—a—”
“What’s wrong, sweetie?”
Kiki pointed behind her toward the road, and my heart stopped.
My jaw fell open and extreme panic filled me. “Tornado!”
LEVEL 06:
THE FURRED KIND
Beyond the road, less than a mile away, raged a twister of epic proportions. As I stared, I realized it was coming straight for us. Lightning flashed and something huge soared towards the house. Maternal instinct took over my body. I grabbed Kiki, dragging her to the porch floor.
The object tore into the top of the house, leaving us vulnerable and in the open. Arik and Charles shouted, but I couldn’t hear. My focus remained on Kiki. She’d escaped my grasp and climbed through the debris toward the crashed object; the Pretty Unicorn.
“Mommy’s truck!” Kiki climbed inside the pickup.
Random debris shot between us. “Marilyn, come back!”
“My name is Kiki!”
“Fine, Kiki! We need to get out!”
Kiki held on for dear life. “I can’t leave Mommy’s truck!”
“If you don’t, we’ll both die! That tornado will be here any second!”
As she shook her head, I growled and bounded up the stairs. I climbed onto the back of the truck and reached inside for the girl. She stared at me with widened, fear-filled eyes. Before I could grab her, something heavy slammed into my ass and sent me flipping into the driver’s seat. I righted myself, but the door slammed shut, and we lifted into the air. Pure fear took over as outside the window, dirt-filled wind whipped us. Kiki screamed, and I might have joined her, but I couldn’t catch my breath. We flung as if we weighed only a poun
d.
Kiki buckled her seatbelt. “Are we going to die?”
“Not if I can help it!!” I tried to open the door, but the wind held it shut.
“Look out!” Kiki threw her arms over her face.
Luck saved me. I leaned forward, dodging a steel spear that pierced the windshield. Instead of stabbing my heart, it tore through Zach’s backpack. My life flashed, seeing how close I’d come to death. I maneuvered out of the pack and took Kiki’s hand as I spied the hole in the weakened windshield.
“Kick hard!” I held back my leg and met eyes with Kiki. “Now!”
Together we kicked with everything we had. The glass tore free and flew off into the twister.
Kiki death gripped my hand. “This isn’t a good idea!”
“We’ll be fine!” I gave her my bravest grin. “Don’t let go!”
No sooner, did the tornado snatch us away. The winds ripped us to the side, but we hugged each other as tight as possible.
Lightning struck through the storm and zigzagged past us. Kiki screeched again and again, then we slammed into the side of her pickup truck and bounced out of the tornado.
The ground came fast, and we tumbled for how far I didn’t know. My head spun as we came to a stop, but Kiki recovered. She grabbed my ankle and dragged me away from the funnel cloud. The little girl was strong.
The twister continued spinning and claiming everything in its path. We weren’t safe; it turned back in our direction. Kiki grabbed me and yanked me back. The ground vanished from beneath me, and I tumbled into a dark pit. The ten-year-old tried to pull close a pair of storm doors. I fought confusion and leaped up, grabbing the inside handles. We slammed them closed, and I slid across the heavy bolt lock.
We fell into the farmhouse’s cellar and crawled back as far as we could. The tornado continued trying to tear open the doors.
I hugged Kiki tight. “We made it!”
“What about the boys?” Kiki’s voice was hoarse from screaming.
“They got away. I’m sure of it.”
I wasn’t.
Kiki wrapped her arms around me and sobbed. After she let go, I reached around the shelves, trying to find a light source. I found an old metal flashlight. My mind flashed to the one in Zach’s backpack, which I’d never get back. Pain hit me. I’d lost the last possession that belonged to Zach. But at least I still had my locket.
Omega Virus (Book 2): Gamma Hour Page 4
