“But it looks like a pretty man,” Alice argued.
“It’s going to bloody well kill us if we don’t hurry up,” Corporal Martin shouted at them all.
The burned creatures were no match for bullets and went down in clouds of gore whenever shot, but their sheer numbers gave them the advantage. They didn’t seem to fear death and were happy to sacrifice themselves if it meant that their comrades would reach their target.
It was a Kamikaze attack. Unstoppable.
Mina and the others were almost at the jeeps. All around them, soldiers screamed and begged for their lives, but they received no mercy. The demons tore out their intestines and left them to die in agony—they seemed intent on maiming over killing. The gunfire became less and less. Floodlights tipped over and shattered, allowing the shadows to claim Hyde Park. Alice screamed and covered her eyes. She stopped running and refused to move.”
Mina tried to grab the girl, but was clawed away. “I want to go home. I want to go home. I want to go home.”
“Sweetheart, you have to keep moving.”
Kyle came and knelt in front of his little sister. “Hey, Ally. It’s going to be okay. Remember the bus? We were okay, weren’t we? You promised to do whatever I said, and I kept you safe then. I need you to run towards the jeep, okay? Do you understand, Ally? I need you to run. I love you, and it will all be okay.” Alice wiped away her tears and went to look back at the dying soldiers, but Kyle stopped her. “Don’t, Ally. You just focus on running and think about what you’re going to do when we get home. Mom and Clark will take us to Funtown, but first you have to get to that jeep over there, okay?”
Alice nodded and finally got moving again, but they’d lost time they could ill afford. Hardly any soldiers remained between them and the murderous horde of creatures.
The giant was now close enough that the ground trembled beneath their feet as they ran. A hundred metres away, the two helicopters hopped up into the air. They lurched away in separate directions, one heading south, the other heading north, but the chopper heading south passed right over the battlefield.
Right into danger.
The giant leapt up and swatted the helicopter to the ground. The fuselage crumpled and the main rotor broke free and cartwheeled across the park, taking out several soldiers and demons. There was a small explosion from the chopper’s engines, but most of the damage came purely from the force of impact with the ground. Dismembered arms and legs spilled out from the wreckage. Mina’s mouth filled with vomit, but she forced it back down. There was no time for nausea.
Corporal Martin made it to the jeep first, but he didn’t hop in behind the wheel. Instead, he hopped in behind the machine gun mounted on the back. “David,” he shouted. “The keys are in the ignition. Get us out of here.”
David stumbled. “What? I… I can’t take the wheel. What if I crash? M-My nerves are shot.”
Mina shoved him out of the way. “I’ll drive, just get the kids inside.”
David nodded, relieved. “Okay, Kyle, get in the jeep, quickly.”
Kyle shook his head. “Alice first.”
Alice was shaking and trembling, but she hurried towards the jeep as her brother urged her to move. David grabbed the little girl under the arms and launched her across the back seat, where she seemed to take comfort in clicking in her seatbelt. Once secure, she looked over at her brother and waved her hand. “Kyle, come on!”
“I’m coming, Ally.” He took a step forward, but as he did something yanked him backwards.
David went to help, but then changed his mind and backed up against the jeep. “Kyle, run!”
Mina and Martin shouted warnings too.
Alice screamed.
But it was too late.
The demon had the boy firmly in its clutches.
Kyle was brave. He punched and kicked at his attacker, tearing away strips of burnt, tattered flesh, but the simple fact was that the boy just wasn’t strong enough. The demon shook off the blows as if they were flies and thrust its skeletal hand right inside Kyle’s belly, ripping out a pink, glistening bag that could only have been his stomach. Blood exploded from his mouth, and he made the most pitiful whine, but then he fell to the floor, dead.
Martin opened up the machine gun on the back of the jeep, and the demon danced as a hundred metal wasps stung him. Scraps of singed flesh flew into the air like ash, and tendrils of smoke appeared from every bullet hole. When the vile creature hit the dirt, it looked like a soiled rag.
Alice tried to leap out of the jeep and go to her brother, but David grabbed a hold of her collar and kept her inside the jeep. “He’s gone, sweetheart. We have to go.”
“Kyle, no!”
Martin shouted across to Mina. “Get us the fuck out of this city.”
“Don’t have to tell me twice.” Mina stamped on the accelerator and took off at full speed. Behind them, Hyde Park descended into darkness and terror.
~RICK BASTION~
Devonshire, England
Rick was glad he and his brother hadn’t got a taxi and travelled to drink somewhere further afield, for they were able to reach his home within ten minutes, and just as night fell. Keith led the group as if it were his own house they were going to, but Rick had no inclination to complain. After the losses at The Warren, their group now consisted of just him, Keith, Steve, Diane, and Maddy, but when they reached the thick iron gate that protected his property, they discovered a new survivor.
“What are you doing outside my house?” Rick asked the man. The blond stranger—perhaps about thirty—wore a black t-shirt tucked into jeans and was smoking a cigarette. His heavy work boots made him look like an extra out of Grease.
“Wow, this your gaff? Nice. I’ve been rattling away at the gate for the last ten minutes. Never considered you might be out.”
“You weren’t rattling the gate just now,” Rick commented. “You were just hanging around.”
The stranger waved his lit cigarette. “Fag break, mate. Try’na batter down an old iron gate is tiring work. ‘Specially after gettin’ chased by demons.”
Keith held up his iron poker and seemed to examine the dark red blood staining it. “You think they’re demons?”
“I know they’re demons.”
“How?”
“Believe it or not, I once studied to be a priest. Eventually, I was put off by all those rules they expected me to follow, but I learned a few things.” He looked at Maddy and winked. “Those things are demons though, you can bet your hats. I’m happy to tell you fine folks all about it, but I would much rather do it inside this fine mansion, and not out where we might get eaten.”
There was something about the guy that Rick didn’t like—he was too casual—but he couldn’t turn a person away with so much danger going on. They would have to keep an eye on him. It wasn’t like they didn’t outnumber him.
Rick pulled out his keyring and located the little key that connected to the modern padlock he’d installed on the gate. Before he let everybody in, though, he turned to the stranger and asked for a name.
“Daniel,” came the reply. “And very pleased I am to meet you all.”
“Nice to meet you too, Daniel. I’m Rick. This is my brother, Keith… Steve, Maddy, and Diane. We’re pretty much strangers, but we’re bonding quickly. If you want to stay with us then behave yourself.”
“Yeah, of course, pal.”
They crunched up the driveway while Rick closed and locked the gate behind them, before racing ahead to open up the front door. The alarm beeped, and everyone had to wait in the porch while he disarmed it, but then he invited them all into the lounge where they all sat down—exhausted. It had been a long time since he’d hosted guests, and it made him feel anxious—strange considering the day he was having. It shouldn’t have been important.
“I’ll get everyone drinks,” said Rick.
“Just water for me,” said Diane.
“Me too,” said Steven.
“I think we should stick to
the water,” said Keith, although his pained expression made it seem that he wanted a drink as much as Rick. He really had got a taste for it tonight, hadn’t he, but unlike Rick, he had the willpower to say no. It upset Rick to realise that he was more like his father than Keith. Perhaps that was why they had always clashed so badly.
“Suit yourself,” said Rick, “but I’m having a beer.”
He made them all drinks and brought them over on a tray. A silence descended, and everybody’s gaze fell on the newcomer, Daniel.
“You’re all looking at me like I farted,” he said.
“We want to know why you’re so sure those things attacking us are demons,” said Maddy. She had unzipped the top half of her jumpsuit and let it drop around her waist, revealing a tight black vest and well-toned arms. Everyone appeared hot and sweaty, so Rick got up and switched on the ceiling fan while they continued talking.
“When I was studying to be a Roman Catholic priest,” Daniel began, “I spent a little time at the Vatican. There were some interesting books there, I don’t mind telling you—many of which were strictly off-limits. But, even back then, I was a bit of a shit, so one night, me and some of the other novices got hold of a book all about Lucifer and the Fallen Angels. You know the story: Lucifer refused to bow down to mankind and went to war against God in Heaven. Got his arse handed to him and was cast down with the other rebel angels, yada, yada, yada. Well, this book was all about what happened afterwards. Lucifer set up a kingdom of his own and named it Abysseus. The Abyss.”
“Hell?” said Diane.
“Yeah, darlin’. Hell is exactly what it is. Anyway, God, in all his glory, protected the Earth from this kingdom of Abysseus by creating six thousand Heavenly Seals. Each one protecting a spot where Hell encroached upon the Earth. You see, Heaven and Hell are both tethered to the Earth, a bit like the ropes on a hot air balloon. Heaven is the balloon, it keeps everything afloat. Earth is the basket, it gives us all something to stand on. But hitching a ride on the bottom is Hell. Hell is the ballast; it drags everything down, and drains away all the effort Heaven puts into keeping us all afloat. If Hell gains too much influence, we all go down, you understand? Anyway, to keep everything nice and separate, God created the six thousand seals.”
Rick’s eyes narrowed. “The black stones are the seals?”
“Yep, them stones are the six thousand seals the book mentioned. Each one protecting a gateway between Hell and Earth. If Hell gains dominion over the Earth, that’s a whole lot of extra ballast dragging down Heaven. Maybe that’s what this is all about: Another shot at ending God’s kingdom. But, hey, this was all stuff I read in a book one time. Make of it what you will.”
Rick put his beer down and leaned forward. “If the stones were put there by God, why have they opened and allowed Hell to come to Earth?”
“Dunno.”
Rick grunted. “You don’t know?”
“Hey, you’re asking me to speculate based on a dusty old tome I read as a teenager. My guess would be sabotage opened the gates. Nothing in Hell can affect the seals, so someone on Earth must have had something to do with it. Or maybe God was so pissed off that he summoned the seals and switched them all off himself. Like I said, I dunno.”
Keith rolled his eyes. “We don’t have any reason to believe your story over any other.”
Daniel shrugged. “Nope, you don’t. The only thing we need to agree on is that them things are dangerous. We should stick together and hope for the best.”
“Good plan,” said Keith morosely.
Daniel threw his arms in the air. “It’s the best I got, pal.”
“We should barricade this place,” said Maddy seriously.
Diane nodded. “Yeah, we should totally do that, like in the black and white zombie movies. We should hammer boards over the windows.”
Rick frowned. “This isn’t a zombie movie, Diane. Do you have any boards on you?”
“In the films, they used doors.”
Rick looked around the open-plan living room and frowned again. “It’s all open down here. There’s a door on the office and the rooms upstairs, but… Well, I suppose we might be able to work something out.”
“What about that big garage you have out there?” asked Keith.
Rick flinched. “No, there’s nothing in there.”
“Probably worth checking out though,” said Steven.
“No.”
Maddy stared at him. “Come on, Rick. We need to find whatever we can. Where’s the harm?”
Rick tried to find argument, but couldn’t. “Fine,” he said. “I’ll open it.” He stood up and looked at them. “Well, come on then.”
They all got up and headed outside and around to the side of the house. The double garage sat beside the property but had rarely been used to park a car. Its main use was as a junk storage shed, and when Rick opened it, he felt his cheeks glow. He knew Keith would be the first to comment, and he wasn’t disappointed.
“Are these all your albums, Rick? Oh dear.”
Rick looked down at the boxes upon boxes of unsold music albums and cringed. “I’ve told you before that my record label went bust while I was still in contract with them. This is all the stock from their warehouse. They were just going to chuck it.”
Keith sniggered. “And you thought it would be better keeping it in your garage?”
“I didn’t know I’d never get another record deal. I assumed I’d sign a new contract and sell this stuff on as signed copies or something.”
Maddy studied his face. “Wait… That’s how I know you. You’re that Rick Bastion guy.”
Keith chuckled. “His real surname is Monroe.”
Rick shot him a glare. “No, it’s not. I changed it.”
“Shouldn’t have bothered.”
“I think it’s cool,” said Diane. “You were really a pop star, Rick?”
He smiled. “Yeah, for about five minutes.”
“I have to admit,” said Maddy, picking up one of the albums and studying it. “I liked that song.”
Steve laughed. “Can’t say that I did, but it’s still impressive. Well done.”
Keith bristled and looked at Daniel. “Were you a fan of Cross to Bear, Daniel?”
“Never heard it. Sorry.”
“Oh come on,” said Maddy. “You must have heard it. My love for you is just a cross to beeear!”
Daniel looked nonplussed.
Rick patted him on the back. “Always glad to meet a non-fan—truly. Anyway, I told you there was nothing in here. I wasn’t lying. Unless you think we can pay the demons off with signed copies of my albums.”
“I think not,” said Keith.
Maddy ran her fingers over the surface of the album and kept glancing between it and Rick. The sight of his pink hair and leather jacket made him cringe. “Could you please put that down,” he begged her.
She smiled and tossed it back into the box. “Sorry.”
Steven slipped inside the garage and looked around. “You have a few tools in here, Rick. That nail gun could be handy. The stepladder too.”
“Take whatever you want. We should start getting the doors off to use as barricades. I think there’s a tool kit in here somewhere.”
“Where are your keys, Rick?” asked Keith. “I’ll park our cars up against the gate; stop anything barging through.”
Rick reached into his pocket and handed them over. “Good idea. The iron fence goes all the way around, so it should hold, but the gate is rickety and only held with a padlock.”
“Can I borrow your phone, too?”
“Yeah, of course. You want to call Marcy?”
“I’m thinking she isn’t answering because it’s my number coming up—or perhaps I’m hoping that’s the reason. Anyway, it’s worth a try.”
Rick offered his phone. “Take it. Keep trying her.”
Steven started yanking stuff out from the back of the garage and piling it out front. In short order, he had added a hammer, a toolkit, and a garden
shovel to the nail gun and ladder. It wasn’t much, but it wasn’t nothing either. Keith got the cars moved, parked them side by side in front of the gate. Next on the list was getting the bedroom doors off and nailing them against the ground-floor windows. For that job, they all worked together.
“So, Rick,” Daniel said to him as they propped a door in front of the office window. “What’s the deal with your brother? He’s not really the supportive type, is he?”
“You could put it like that.”
“Why does he give you so much grief?”
“Don’t ask me. I never got on with my dad, but Keith was joined at the hip to him. I think he took over where my old man left off, criticising me all the time. Keith hated when I got a recording contract. Dad had groomed him to be this great businessman, but I went and leapfrogged him by making a couple mil overnight. I can’t be certain, but I think he even went so far as setting up a fake account and leaving my albums bad reviews online.”
“Yikes, that’s a little…” he looked at the door they were holding, “unhinged.”
Rick shrugged. “Can’t pick your family, I guess.”
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
Rick held a nail in place and prepared to strike it with the hammer. “What’s that?”
“Proverbs 17:17. Priest school, remember? I can’t believe I still remember that stuff.”
“You really visited the Vatican? What’s it like?”
He shrugged. “A bit religious for my liking. Nice buildings though.”
They shared a laugh, and before long, they had the door nailed across the window and were off to the next task. Steve was busy in the living room while Maddy and Diane were in the kitchen making phone calls and trying to get help. They got through a couple of times, but only ever received bad news. The police were tied up, and the Army were concentrated around major cities. Nobody would come rescue a few people in a mansion on the edge of nowheresville. The call operators had started to be quite blunt about that. So Maddy and Diane had switched tact and were now focused on trying to find out what was happening in the country. Rick had loaned them his laptop to aid their research. Maddy had already managed to contact an uncle in Leeds who claimed everything was okay, and Diane had spoken with her mother hiding out at her home in Exeter. People still lived, so perhaps things weren’t so bad.
The Gates: An Apocalyptic Novel Page 13
