The Dark Trinity (Book 1): Shuffle

by Steven Till

  Sam and Chatty stood glued to the front door window, peering through the blinds. They had lost sight of Shawn once he moved behind the bus.

  "How's he doing out there?" Evelyn whispered.

  "Can't tell. He just moved behind the bus," Sam replied in a hushed voice.

  Evelyn waited about eight feet from the door, shifting her weight from leg to leg. She stared unblinking at the two men gazing through the blinds.

  Shawn stood statuesque in the gray dawn light. The creature stood there and stared at him with vacant, red eyes. It made no aggressive movement towards him. It just stood there, looking. He was afraid to breathe. The seconds that passed were excruciatingly long.

  From deep within her undead sarcophagus, Sunshine projected a command to the minds of all her children surrounding the humans below.

  KILL ANYTHING THAT LEAVES THAT BUILDING!

  Shawn locked eyes with the thing before him. He watched as the creature tilted its head, then sprang into action. Claws grasped his head and before his brain could register what he was seeing, he was dead. He stood there for a moment; his head now facing completely backwards. His body fell to its knees. The ghoul shoved two talons into his mouth and in one swift jerk, liberated his skull from his body, leaving the lower jaw connected to the mangled neck. The zombie tossed the remains of Shawn's head over the bus towards the front door, where the humans awaited the results of their experiment.

  Sam and Chatty watched the object that sailed over the bus. It landed with a wet splat on the pavement between the vehicle and the door. It rolled a few inches and stopped. Staring back at them were Shawn's lifeless eyes, glazed over and empty.

  "Jesus!" Sam exclaimed.

  Evelyn hurried to the door and locked eyes with the vacant stare directed at her. She gasped and stifled the urge to cry out.

  "What happened? What's going on?" Carlos asked, desperate to know what was transpiring outside but too afraid to look for himself.

  "It didn't work," Evelyn replied. "Shawn's dead."

  Carlos stood in silent repudiation. He was certain that the plan would work. It HAD to work. Evelyn's hunch was the best idea they had and was even scientifically viable. He tried to reconcile their latest failure, but all he could do was accept the fact that they were all going to die; most likely in horrific and painful ways.

  The remaining survivors stood in disbelief and defeat. Heads bowed as everyone contemplated their own grotesque fates. Tears flowed as hope evaporated from the group. Humanity's arrogance made them believe that they were invincible. That no matter what threat presented itself, they would overcome it. The shock of reality had begun to sink in. The human race wasn't going to prevail. It wasn't even going to go out in a blaze of fiery glory. No, instead, this scourge would eradicate them with nothing more than a whimper heralding their demise.

  ****************

  "So does anybody want to clue us in on what happens at dawn?" Nathan asked as the two large wolf-things hurried them down Cemetery Lane towards Babcock Boulevard.

  No answer. The group followed the winding road through snow-covered trees, which arched over them. Boomer was enjoying the benefits of his new form; bounding back and forth between Ronnie and himself and the wolves who saved them. Every few moments, Bataviah would give a little snort at Boomer, like a mother to a pup. Boomer calmed down a little.

  The sky was getting brighter. The day was almost upon them and Nathan still had no idea what was going to happen. Maybe they were all going to burst into flames. The thought made him anxious. They finally came to the bottom of the hill and were now standing at the intersection of Cemetery Lane and Babcock. Maalik and Bataviah looked left and right, their nostrils flaring as if searching for a scent. Boomer stood with them and imitated his new creator. The quills on his back perked up and shimmered in the growing light as he let out a low grunt. The other two wolves snapped their heads to the right, catching the same scent as Boomer had. Without hesitation the three sprinted down Babcock.

  "C'mon dude, we'd better keep up," said Nathan, nudging Ronnie in the arm.

  "How much more running are they gonna make us do?" he asked. "I'm beat, yo."

  "Let's just try to keep up," he said as they ran after Boomer and their new companions.

  Nathan hadn't noticed until now that he too was getting tired. It was the first time all night that he had even felt the slightest fatigued. The horrible hunger in his gut was also returning with a vengeance. His anxiety ratcheted up another notch. The two zombies followed after the wolves and managed to catch up. Nathan was now acutely aware of how much more exhausted he was.

  They stopped underneath a nearby underpass, which happened to be the four lane McKnight Road.

  "Why are we stopping here?" Ronnie asked.

  Maalik turned to face them, his stature was no less imposing than it was when he first arrived at Forest Glenn. Nathan expected to hear the deep, commanding voice of the wolf in his head, as he did before, but he did not expect what happened next. A low rumble of a growl began to emanate from the wolf. His fur-quills shimmered as they undulated in waves across his body as his form began to diminish. Seconds later, the quills seemed to elongate and wrap around Maalik. A moment later, the quills cascaded to the ground, revealing a tall, muscular man where the wolf had just been. The quills seemed to evaporate as they touched the ground, giving off a subtle chiming sound, like faint, little bells.

  Maalik stood before Nathan and Ronnie, clad in what appeared to be a black alligator skin trench coat, vest and pants. It wasn't alligator skin, but thousands of small little plates that overlapped, much like shark skin. He still was an imposing character to behold. Reaching a height about 6'5", with broad shoulders, fair complexion, and chiseled facial features. His jet-black hair stretched back into a ponytail and formed an intricate braid that travelled halfway down his back. Bataviah shimmered just behind Maalik and soon her quills evaporated, revealing a stunning brunette in its wake. Her shoulder length hair was as black as Maalik's and framed her pale skin exquisitely. She too was clad in the same non-alligator, sort-of-shark skin leather that her male counterpart wore. Boomer shimmered as well, and shook off his quills like water. Looking like his old furry cuddly self, he trotted over to Nathan and licked the back of his hand and curled up at his feet.

  "God DAMN girl, you are one FINE lookin' bitch!" Ronnie exclaimed as he stood ogling Bataviah, who shot him a disarming scowl.

  "The Dead Sleep will be upon us in moments," Maalik said in the same deep, commanding voice, although this time he verbalized his words.

  "What the hell are you talking about?" Nathan implored. "Will one of you just tell us what’s going on?"

  Bataviah drew closer, speaking with an accent that Nathan couldn't place. The same accent that Maalik had, but more pronounced. "Calm yourself Nathan, the two of you need your strength for the coming day."

  "But WHY? What's going to happen?"

  Bataviah stared with icy blue eyes which pierced his soul. Her expression softened and her mouth curved into a subtle smile. She continued in a slow, deliberate manner.

  "Our kind, both yours and ours, go into a dormant state during the daylight. While the sun rules the sky, Maalik and I cannot change into what you saw us as before. We are essentially mortal during this time; weakened and vulnerable. We call this the Dead Sleep."

  "Now THAT is some fan-fucking-tastic news!" Ronnie exclaimed. "I can't wait to feel like myself again...I'm literally dying for a hot dog or some real food!

  "That isn't going to happen, my young friend," Maalik interjected. "The Sleep is different for you, I'm afraid."

  "Aw, what the fuck, man!" Ronnie protested. "That ain't fair."

  Maalik continued. "Your mutation is different from ours. Once you turn, there is no going back. You are forever damned to be a demon of the night."

  Before Ronnie could offer a rebuttal, Bataviah spoke.

  "Once the sun rises, both you and Nathan will become nothing more than shambling corpses. You will l
ose most of your coordination and muscle control, as well as any enhanced senses. In fact, you will most likely have worse sensory capacity than humans. You will not be able to regenerate. You will not be able to hunt with the cunning that you have grown accustomed to up until this point. You will be able to feed; providing that you can catch your prey. The hunger never fades. It is always present. During the Sleep, the hunger will be the only thing that motivates you. The only thing you care about."

  "Goddamn it," Ronnie said with a sigh.

  "So if we're going to turn into useless flesh bags, what's the plan?" Nathan asked, also disheartened by what Bataviah just described.

  "The one you seek is near," said Maalik. "We will accompany you to where she is hiding. With the Horde in the Sleep, we should be able to penetrate their perimeter and reach your beloved."

  Ronnie chuckled. "You said penetrate."

  Nathan ignored his friend's remark. "Eve? She's still alive?!"

  "Yes," Maalik answered.

  "But we're just like all those other things, yo," Ronnie said. "If you're sayin' that they're all pretty much useless, then how the hell are we going to just stroll on down the road?"

  "The Sleep doesn't render your brethren useless. They are all still dangerous. They can still move, they can still turn you, and they can still kill you. They just become more...manageable."

  "It is time," Bataviah said, looking out from under the overpass.

  Maalik kept talking, more urgently this time. "We suspect that since you have managed to keep your cognitive abilities after the Change, you should still be aware of what is going on."

  At that moment, the first rays of sunshine broke over the hills and flooded the valley with its morning light. The warmth touched the two young zombies. Immediately the sun bathed them in a veil of fatigue the likes of which neither could have fathomed. It was if they stood within a bright fog. They could see Maalik, Bataviah, and Boomer, but not clearly. They appeared blurry and out of focus. The hunger within them amplified. The urge to feed was overwhelming. Their bodies felt as though they weighed a ton. Nathan took a step forward towards the others and paused. His balance was horrible and he almost toppled over. He took a second step, then a third.

  "Can you hear me, Nathan?" Maalik asked.

  The words echoed in Nathan's head. He could hear them, but the meaning behind them eluded him. He tried to focus harder on the words.

  "Nathan, can you understand me?” Maalik asked again.

  Finally the language clicked in his brain. "Yessss," he replied in a labored voice.

  "Good!" Maalik replied with obvious satisfaction. "Then let us be on our way."

  Bataviah led the group out from under the overpass and onto the on-ramp that merged onto McKnight Road. Maalik went next, followed by the now defunct dead duo. Boomer brought up the rear, keeping a watchful eye over his master and friend. The pace was excruciatingly slow, as neither Nathan nor Ronnie had any real control over their motor functions. They shuffled behind their allies ahead, thinking of how delicious it would be to gorge on their entrails.

  CHAPTER 41 HOMECOMING

  Evelyn sat on the floor, her back against the wall near the front door. Shawn's head still stared its vacant gaze at her; an empty sentinel standing guard to provide a warning to others who dared to venture out. She stared at nothing in particular; her mind reeling from the night's events. Her heart ached for Nathan. Not knowing whether he was alive or dead was weighing on her. Did he make it out alive? Is he infected? Is he hiding somewhere downtown? Questions without answers bombarded her thoughts. A tear ran down her cheek.

  She wiped it away quickly. Looking into the store, she saw the remaining humans with their own personal struggles. She needed her to be strong. Someone had to be. Carlos leaned against the front counter, still in disbelief that their plan failed. Her plan. God she felt so stupid; suggesting a stunt that she saw on television. Still, Carlos had backed her plan with convincing scientific rationale. The group had decided. Nobody in the group would point fingers of blame. Unfortunately, that didn't comfort her in the least.

  Sam stood behind the counter, taking stock of ammunition, food, and medical supplies. The look on his weathered face was solemn, yet determined. Evelyn could count on the old coot to be steady during this crisis. Alison and Theresa huddled on the floor in front of the register. They consoled each other as best they could, but they wore their fear on their faces. Daniel helped Sam with the supplies in an attempt to busy himself to distract him from the hopeless situation that they faced. Pete leaned over the counter at the far side opposite the register. He was staring at the graphic novel that Bill, his best friend for over fifteen years, had been reading yesterday. Chatty stood at the front of the door, staring outside. He didn't seem the least bit fazed by what was going on. His face was as stone; expressionless and resolute.

  Evelyn sniffed back the snot that had started to flow with her tears. Chatty looked down and regarded her for a moment, then spoke in a quiet, even tone.

  "It was a good idea, Eve."

  She half chuckled, shaking her head. "Yeah, some great idea. Someone died because of me, so pardon me if I don't share your sentiment."

  Looking up to meet the gentle giant's gaze, she couldn't read his expression at all. "You don't seem scared at all by what's going on," she observed.

  He looked back out into the parking lot, which was now sun-drenched by the morning light. After a moment, he responded.

  "I grew up in a village outside of Bengal," he started. "When I was a child, an adult tiger who had developed a taste for human blood terrorized our community. Day and night, the men of the village stood watch for the beast. Their efforts to trap and kill the tiger were met with failure every time. Days passed into weeks as the thing continued to kill. Our numbers diminished with no end in sight. To be frightened in broad daylight was surreal, but the night...the night was truly terrifying."

  He paused, lost in his thoughts as he remembered the events from his childhood.

  "That's awful," Evelyn said. "It must have been horrific to witness as a child. How did you get through it?"

  He turned and met her eyes with his own icy stare.

  "Fear," he said. "Fear kept us alive. Fear motivated us to try harder."

  She didn't know how to respond to his answer.

  "Fear can paralyze. It can sap your strength. It can get you killed," he continued. "If you own your fear, then you control it. Fear loses its power to enslave you.”

  “What ever happened to the tiger?” she asked, contemplating his responses.

  "A hunting party finally cornered it and put it down," he answered, turning his attention back to the parking lot. "After four long months and thirty-seven deaths...it was over."

  Silence fell over their conversation. After a few minutes, the quiet bodybuilder from Bengal knelt down beside Evelyn and placed a powerful hand upon her shoulder.

  "You own your fear and you will survive."

  "Thanks Chatty," she said, managing to crack a smile.

  He smiled back, gave her shoulder another gentle pat, and stood to return to his lookout. Evelyn got herself off the ground and pulled herself together; wiping the tear trails away. Walking over towards Sam and Daniel, she smiled at the others as they made eye contact with her.

  Sam looked up at Evelyn as she neared the register.

  "Hey there little lady, how you holding up?"

  "Just fine, Sam. Thanks," she replied, offering a confident smile. "How are we looking here?"

  Sam's face dropped. "I wish I had better news. We've got enough food and water to last about four weeks, maybe five if we really buckle down. We're actually doing good on ammo, but in all honesty, there's too many of them; we'll run out long before we kill them all."

  "Assuming we live that long," Daniel interjected.

  Ignoring the comment, Evelyn continued. "So what you're saying is that assuming they are going to wait us out, we have five weeks at the most before we have to leave?"
<
br />   Sam nodded. "Correct. After that, staying isn't an option."

  Evelyn pondered this a moment. "Alright, then we need to come up with a new plan."

  "Uh, guys?" Chatty asked from his post at the front door. "There's somebody here."

  ****************

  "What do you mean there's somebody here?" Sam asked as he moved towards Chatty's position. "It's probably one of those creepers pretending to be human. Maybe they're trying the old Trojan horse trick on us?"

  Evelyn followed behind Sam.

  "No, he's definitely not one of those things," Chatty replied.

  Sam reached the door and pulled the blinds wide so that he and Evelyn could see this new stranger. Standing before them was a tall, muscular man dressed all in black, His clothing had a strange sheen to it, as if it were an exotic animal skin.

  Sharkskin? Evelyn thought to herself.

  The man's piercing blue eyes leered at the door. A beautiful woman, also clad in the same strange black material, walked around the bus. She stopped next to the strange man and also began to stare at the door.

  "How the hell are they standing out there alive?" Sam asked in bewilderment.

  "Shouldn't we let them in?" Evelyn asked.

  Before she received an answer, the man in black took a step forward towards the door and spoke in a clear voice.

  "My companion and I need to speak with Evelyn Gray."

  Evelyn's heart seized. This stranger knew who she was and called her out by name. Who were these people? The man in black continued.

  "It is of the utmost importance that we speak with her immediately."

  Chatty was the first to open his mouth. "I don't think we should open this door. These people are hiding something. They are not what they appear to be," he said in a whisper.

  "Do you know these folks?" Sam asked Evelyn, keeping his voice low.

  "I have no idea who these people are," she replied. "But they obviously know me. I vote we see what they want."