Heather just sighed happily and tightened her hold on him.
“What do we do about Claire?” John said, changing the subject.
“We can't go looking for her” replied Heather, “if she doesn't want to be found in all those trees, she won't.”
“We can't leave her”
“No, but maybe the best way to help her is to find out what's going on. As long as she's hiding, I don't see what else we can do.”
“But that's enough rest” continued Heather, standing up and shaking the sand off her. “Time to go get those answers.”
Chapter 20
Heartbroken and terrified, Claire hid in the trees, at a loss what to do. The man she loved was lying dead on the beach, her friends had betrayed her and there were things out here that wanted to eat her alive. Even the environment seemed to have it in for her, as swarms of biting insects gathered around her wherever she hid, crawling over her skin and forcing her to run and hide somewhere else.
Her wounds still ached, and her clothes were rubbing against the ones that weren't bandaged, making them bleed and itch. She scratched at them, desperate for some relief, but it never came, only more pain, bleeding and itching.
Desperation led to despair, and all she could do now was cry. Cry for Brandon. Cry for herself. Cry for the friends that betrayed her. And so she cried, alone in the forest and in fear of her life, kneeling on the ground, without hope.
Heather had become more and more concerned about Annie. Clearly traumatised by the attack, she had become timid and very submissive to Chris, always needing physical contact with him. When she was ready to head inland, Heather had asked Chris if Annie should stay at the boat with him, but Chris had insisted they stay together, thinking that separating would just cause more anxiety for Annie. But now that they were deep in the forest, Annie seemed to be calming down a little. She still held tightly onto Chris, but she had stopped crying, and her breathing seemed calmer.
The thick forest canopy obscured most of the sun, with shafts of light cutting through holes in it, illuminating little patches in all directions. On and on they walked through the forest, a seemingly endless trail of darkness.
Then something got Heather's attention up ahead. Something was glimmering in the light up ahead, and it looked like metal.
“There's something up ahead” said Heather in a whisper. “It looks like a fence.”
“A fence?” asked John. “Are you sure?”
“I see it” said Chris. “It's a tall one, maybe ten feet tall, about a hundred yards ahead.”
Claire could only cry for so long. Eventually rational thought returned to her as she lay on the ground, hidden from the world.
She knew that whatever had been killed back on the beach wasn't Brandon, at least not any more. He had somehow changed, become one of those creatures. A wave of guilt washed over her at the memory of how she'd attacked Heather, punching her and kicking her. She hoped Heather was okay, maybe even that she'd forgive her for attacking her like that.
Heather and the rest of them had looked after her when she needed their help and she'd repaid them by running out on them. Never mind the fear of being alone in this place, it was the guilt of this betrayal that made her decide to go back and find her cousin.
It took her half an hour of stumbling through the woods to find the beach, and when she reached it, they had gone. All that remained was the boat and Brandon's body, which lay at the top of the beach, covered with a jacket taken from one of the rucksacks they had recovered.
Claire initially felt panic rise in her, that they had gone and left her, but the boat meant they were still here, and she realised that she could relax. They hadn't left without her, they would be back, and things would be okay again.
As she sat on the beach, she felt her wounds begin to ache and itch once more. Sand had found its way under the dressings and it was starting to drive her crazy. Slowly and painfully she removed her fleece top and began to untie the dressing that Heather had strapped around her chest. As they fell off, the rush of cool air to her back wounds was soothing and brought instant relief to them. Kicking off her boots and socks she removed her shorts as well before untying the dressing on her thigh and letting it fall to the ground.
It was a delight to her to let the air gently caress her naked body again as she stepped into the water to wash the sand from her wounds. For a moment she was happy, floating in the gently swelling waters, her mind gone blank, hypnotised by the rhythm of the breaking waves.
Stepping back onto the beach she felt none of the vulnerabilities she felt the last time she was naked. Although she knew the others were still on the island, she felt totally alone on the beach. It seemed to her that there was no one else anywhere for miles, and finally she felt she could begin in some small way to relax.
Footsteps were visible on the beach, and she followed them up towards a break in the trees that led to an overgrown path that led deeper into the island. She took a few faltering steps into the trees, but the ground, even on the path, was hard and painful underfoot and she stepped back out, onto the beach and the soft sand. She considered putting boots on and following the footprints, but the wood was dark, and part of her feared to go in there.
She knew there was only one place she truly wanted to be right now. Brandon's body, although covered, was at the front of her mind. It was all she had left of him, and she wanted whatever last moments she could have.
She knelt beside him and placed her hand gently on his leg and began to slowly stroke the skin, softly, like she used to do when they were in each other's arms after making love. Happy memories returned to her, wonderful moments from her past, moments she knew she'd never have again.
But he felt different. He felt dead. Not just cold, but lifeless, like a piece of meat. In that instant, the full realisation that Brandon was dead finally hit home and she felt a terrible loneliness and longed to see her friends again.
Chapter 21
The group cautiously approached the fence, each step a heady mix of fear and fascination. Everything that had happened to them had brought them to this place and they could almost sense that all their questions were about to be answered. The rusted and broken gate that was the only entrance to the compound seemed to beckon them and they passed through it with a quickening pace.
“Wait” shouted Heather, sensing that something was wrong and crouching down to look at the ground.
“What is it?” asked John as he walked to her side.
“Look at the ground”, Heather replied, pointing at the path, “there are footprints on the fresh grass.”
“Meaning?” asked Chris.
Heather turned and stared at him and replied with a hushed tone to her voice. “Meaning some of them are here.”
John and Chris glanced nervously at each other before stepping forward and crouching down beside Heather. Annie, seemingly oblivious to the danger, just stood there, her arms wrapped around her body as if she was cold.
“Any idea how recently?” John asked. Heather didn't reply. Instead she just brought her finger up to her mouth to tell them to be quiet, then gestured to them to stay where they were. John and Chris nodded in response before Heather began to slowly move silently forward, keeping low amongst the surrounding foliage.
John watched her with renewed awe as she moved with the grace of lioness stalking her prey. Each step was measured and silent, her awareness of her surroundings heightened by her nudity and her own innate resonance with the natural world. She knew exactly where to step, seemingly without even looking, as she advanced through the undergrowth.
After advancing about a hundred metres, she stopped and dropped lower to the ground. She seemed to John to be looking ahead at something as she moved her head slowly in various directions. After a few seconds she stopped her inspection and motioned for them to come forward and join her. John slowly walked up towards her, keeping his head down below the level of the foliage around him, while Chris followed, bringing the still se
emingly traumatised Annie with him.
As John caught up with Heather, he could see what she had found. Hidden from the mainland by the hillside and the forest, there was a large concrete building in a clearing. It had the angular, soulless form that only a government building can have, and its bland, grey look made it stand out in its natural surroundings, giving it a dark and threatening appearance. A large door hung open at its front, and it seemed overgrown and run down. It had clearly been abandoned a long time ago, but the sight of what looked like a guard turret above the main entrance only added to its unsettling appearance.
“So was that to keep people out or keep things in do you think?” John asked Heather.
“I've got a feeling it might have been for both” she replied, giving John a horrible sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.
“We have to go in, don't we?” John said, knowing what the answer would be, but hoping for another one.
“Yes” replied Heather as she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, “we need to find out what's hunting us.”
John's reply was interrupted by Chris, bringing a now clearly distressed Annie along in his arms. She was soaked in sweat, but was still shivering uncontrollably. She seemed distressed by her clothes and was weakly tearing at them. Her t-shirt was almost completely ripped off, with just a sleeve and some fabric around her neck and back remaining of it. Her shorts were likewise torn and Chris seemed to be holding them up for her, despite her weak attempts to force them off.
“Oh shit” was John's reaction at Annie's state, but Heather just stared at her as Chris laid her on the ground. Annie knelt beside them all, still shaking and clutching at her clothes. Heather took a step towards her and looked her in the eyes.
“Annie, can you hear me?” she said, but Annie ignored her, and just continued to tug at the remnants of her t-shirt. Without a word, Heather took her knife and slit the fabric around her neck, allowing it to fall off her, leaving her topless. It seemed to bring Annie some sense of relief as she relaxed for a moment, but she soon started to get agitated again. Heather took Annie's hands in hers and held them tightly. Annie looked up to meet Heather's eyes and for a moment Heather thought she saw some recognition from her, but Annie's gaze soon dropped and her attention went to her shorts, and she began to claw at them again, more intensely this time. Heather, responding to her friend's distress, slipped her hands under Annie's and took a hold of her shorts as she helped Annie slowly remove them. Within seconds, Annie was clawing at her underwear, the last thing she was wearing apart from her shoes and so with a flick of her knife Heather removed them, leaving Annie naked on the ground. Annie seemed to relax now, as her shivering stopped and her breathing once again became calmer and more relaxed.
“Look after her Chris” said Heather as she sheathed her knife and turned towards the compound. “John and I are going in there, do you think you guys can make it as well, or shall you wait here?”
“We shouldn't split up” said John, cutting in.
“Agreed” said Chris. “I'll carry her if I have to, but I'm coming in with you.”
“Good”, replied Heather, “let's move then”
Chris took the now seemingly oblivious Annie in his arms and followed as Heather and John led the way towards the door. They scanned the forest's edge intently as they walked slowly across the gap between the trees and the building. Every last rustle of leaves or gentle brush of wind made them look round, knowing that each could be the last noise they ever hear if it was made by one of the creatures.
Suddenly, and seemingly from nowhere, a creature leapt out of the undergrowth and ran straight at John. It barged past Heather, ignoring her as anything more than an obstacle and knocked her to the ground before leaping at John. John jumped out the way just in time, but the creature was quick, and it spun on the spot and pounced on John before he could move. They both crashed to the ground as John desperately tried to hold the creature's head away from his body as its teeth snapped at him. The creature ripped at John's t-shirt, but John responded with a punch to its stomach and the creature doubled up and rolled off. Jumping to his feet, John delivered a kick to the creature's head and it slumped to the ground, where it lay still for a few seconds before beginning to stir again.
“John!” screamed Heather as she tore her knife belt from around her waist, “Catch this!”
Heather threw the knife at John and he caught it, unsheathed it and drove it into the creature's head through its skull. Dark blood poured out the wound as he pulled the knife out, and the creature slumped to the ground, motionless.
As John stood before the dead creature, he heard the sound of Heather calling his name behind him and he turned towards her. Heather threw her body at him, throwing her arms around him and holding him tightly against her. As she buried her face in his shoulder, John could hear Heather crying slightly and feel the damp of her tears against his skin.
“Don't die” she sobbed quietly, “I don't want to lose you.”
“I'm okay” he replied.
“I've only just found you” she said through soft tears as she pulled back and kissed him, “you can't leave now.”
John smiled at her and wiped a tear from her eye. “I'm not going anywhere, not now.”
Heather pulled herself closer to him and whispered into his ear. “I was so scared there when you were attacked.” She nuzzled herself closer to him. “I think I've fallen in love with you” she whispered softly into his ear.
John smiled and whispered back to her “I fell in love with you the moment I first saw you.” Heather gave a nervous giggle and tightened her hug for a few seconds before a scream from behind startled them.
They both turned to see Chris and Annie, but they never expected to see what was before them. Annie had wriggled free from Chris's grasp and was kneeling on the ground cradling the dead body of the creature and crying. She was wailing as if grieving for a friend, and the sight disturbed each one of them.
“Chris, grab her and let's go” said John. Annie resisted Chris's attempts, but only initially and half heartedly, and as soon as she was in Chris's arms again, she seemed happy. They quickly moved towards the half open door of the building and moved into it.
A damp smell lingered in the air as they moved through the corridors which were lit only by the light from the overhead windows. Debris was scattered everywhere, the paper, broken furniture and broken glass and masonry that littered the ground bore witness to what seemed to have been some kind of struggle. Broken doors led to smashed and destroyed offices, even store rooms seemed to have been the site of numerous battles. And the smell of damp and rot only got worse as they moved deeper into the building.
Then they found the first body, or rather they found what was left of it. Bones scattered around torn clothing was all that was left. Another body was found in the same state, then another. Everywhere were scattered human remains, some complete, others just torsos, limbs or skulls.
“What the hell is this place?” said John as they came across a pile of snapped ribs surrounded by scattered vertebrae. “What in the name of god went on here?”
“I don't know”, replied Heather, “but I'm not leaving till I find out.”
As they turned the next corner, the layout of the complex changed completely. What appeared to be a scientific lab opened out before them, with rows of work stations laid out across the room. It was as ruined as anywhere else, but Heather realised this might just be the place to find some answers. She immediately ran around looking for any documentation she could find, searching through folders, boxes and even the papers scattered across the floor.
Suddenly Heather made a loud expression of surprise as she read a document she found in a file.
“What is it?” asked John, “what have you found.”
“I think this is it” she replied, “something called Project Sentry”
“Project Sentry ?” said Chris. “What's that?”
“Looks like it was a government test programm
e” she replied, “chemical or biological weapons testing” she continued as she scanned the document.
“Ah, here it is” she continued, “The council proposes developing the recently discovered “sentry virus” to create a self contained, self sufficient team of human guards. As the virus shuts down almost all brain functions except base instincts, they need almost no food and can survive for extended periods on just water. Undesirables can be used to guard our most critical installations, reducing the need for increased security risks”
“Oh my god....” began Chris, unable to take in what he was hearing.
“Is that what these things are?” asked John.
“Not likely, at least not just that” replied Heather, “this is dated more than ten years before my parents disappeared. There's more to it than this.”
“How so?” asked John.
Naturist, Red in Tooth & Claw Page 13
