Devour: Death & Decay Book 1

by R. L. Blalock

  A snarl sounded almost over Liv’s shoulder and she shrank away from the sound.

  Crack!

  Blood sprayed the side of her face. She frantically wiped the blood away from the edge of her eye, grateful that the scarf kept it off of her lips.

  Liv glanced over her shoulder. The closest ferals were no more than a dozen feet behind her now. They snarled at her, their teeth gnashing hungrily at her. They still outnumbered her at least fifty to one.

  Crack! Crack!

  The sniper was moving around the edge of the water tower to track her and the feral horde. Though she could not make out the person, their watchful presence was at least a bit comforting.

  Her muscles were getting weaker. Her arms and legs were sore. Her shoulders and back ached for the extra weight they bore. Perhaps staying inside the fence until dark wouldn’t be so bad. She could rest a little and slip out after it got dark.

  She glanced over at the work on the fence. It was upright once again.

  A shriek split the air.

  Crack!

  Liv was thrown sideways into the fence as one of the creatures ran full force into her from between a set of houses. Without thinking, she dropped the mallet and threw up her arm, wedging it between herself and the creature’s chomping teeth.

  The feral gladly clamped down on the proffered arm. As white-hot pain seared through her arm, a shrill scream rose up through Liv’s throat—a sound that she barely recognized as her own voice. Elli began to cry on her back, terrified by her mother’s scream.

  With a growl, she seized the knife strapped to her leg and jabbed it into one of the feral’s crazed eyes. The creature dropped to the ground and Liv scrambled to her feet, snatching up her mallet. Though the scuffle had lasted only a second, it was all the horde had needed to catch up.

  Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!

  Liv sprinted as fast as her legs would carry her along the edge of the fence, cradling her injured arm close. Each jarring step made it throb.

  She was done with the creatures. Ready or not, she wanted inside the fence. She wanted to rest.

  Crack! Crack! Crack!

  Liv rounded the last corner. The gate was in the middle of this section of fence. Just a few more yards. Just a few more seconds. The girl was already waiting for her.

  Liv slid to a stop and grabbed ahold of the chicken wire to keep herself upright.

  “Let me in!” she said desperately when the girl made no move to open the gate.

  “I can’t.” The words were strained.

  “I helped you out, now let me in.” Liv could feel her panic rising. “Look! I’m not bitten.” She pulled at her jacket to reveal part of the magazine armor. “Please, let me in.” She looked towards the quickly approaching horde.

  The girl shook her head. “I can’t. I’m sorry.” She pointed at the padlock securing the chains that kept the gate closed. “We don’t have the key.” The words swirled around in Liv’s head for a moment as she struggled to comprehend them.

  “What?” Liv stared at her, dumbstruck. “What do you mean you don’t have the key? You promised! You lied to me!”

  “I’m sorry.” Tears slid down the girl’s cheeks.

  “Fuck!” Liv slammed her palms against the fence in frustration. She was so tired, but there would be no rest for her. The horde was nearly upon her.

  Not sparing another second, Liv bolted down the street. The ferals had yet to spread out. If she was quick enough, perhaps she could get past most of them and they wouldn’t be able to surround her.

  Luck had abandoned her entirely.

  As she surged into the street, the ferals began to shriek and cry, alerting the others that more prey was nearby. They turned away from the fence. Upon seeing her, they stumbled and scrambled towards her. The ferals spread out into the street, preventing Liv from achieving an all-out sprint that might have carried her out of their reach, and she was forced to dodge their grasping hands and teeth.

  One of the ferals sped up towards her, shoving another out of the way as its eyes locked with hers. Liv pushed her legs harder, digging into the pavement and propelling herself faster. The fast monster was already behind her. If she turned to deal with it, the others would be able to close in.

  Its footsteps pounded behind her, heavier and quicker than the rest. It was going to catch her.

  Crack!

  She heard a heavy thud and risked a glance behind her. The fast feral was gone, replaced with a motionless heap on the ground that quickly fell behind.

  Crack!

  A feral approaching from her left crumpled into a heap.

  Crack! Crack! Crack!

  Liv praised and cursed the sniper as he carved a path through the ferals for her. Each bullet was precise. For each loud report that rang through the air, another feral fell.

  Crack! Crack! Crack!

  Liv didn’t see any of the ferals fall, but each report was followed by a thud behind her. Liv pushed herself on as she moved out of the sniper’s range and the shots became more sporadic.

  The ferals snarled behind her. Their footsteps pounded against the pavement like an uncoordinated drumbeat. Their howls nipped at her heels.

  I’ve got to find a way to lose them, the thought brought back memories of Jen and Corey. The only way she had been able to lose the previous horde was through the sacrifice of two friends.

  Liv gritted her teeth as her legs begged for rest. She couldn’t stop. People had sacrificed themselves to make sure she and Elli made it to Slag Stead safely. They were going to make it.

  Around her, the houses were small blocky structures. Mostly white or tan squares and rectangles. She doubted they would provide any kind of safe haven from the horde behind her.

  Between the houses, Liv caught a glimpse of a tall, black wrought-iron fence. Without thinking, she veered right and darted between the houses. The fence reared up, easily two feet above her head. There was no way she would be able to scale it. Her arm strength was not impressive. When combined with days of exhaustion and wielding the mallet, she doubted her best attempt would get her even halfway up the seven-foot-tall fence.

  Liv abruptly turned right at the fence, running parallel along the outside. It surrounded what looked like a decently sized cemetery. Long rows of modest stone gravestones marked the final resting place of hundreds of loved once. Tall, leafy willows that seemed to bow and weep at the graves broke up the rows. A few small mausoleums stood sentry over their smaller gravestone brethren.

  A shudder ran down Liv’s spine. Though there would be no one to bury what was left of her corpse, a body that would likely refuse to die, she supposed if she were to die anywhere, a cemetery seemed fitting.

  Liv shook her head, wiping away the morbid thoughts. There had to be a gate. This side looked to be the back. Perhaps there was a maintenance gate that allowed the gardeners and groundskeepers to go about their business of maintaining this pristine image for those who were mourning loved ones.

  She rounded the corner to the far right side and almost shouted with joy. A small protrusion stuck out from the gate. Her feet slid across the dried grass as she grabbed ahold of the handle.

  Liv wrenched the knob but cursed, as the door didn’t budge. Of course this gate would be locked. It was probably locked at all times with only the groundskeepers holding the key.

  The mallet clanged as it struck the metal handle, but the gate did not give. After two more heavy strikes, the handle fell from its place into the grass and Liv threw open the gate.

  The ferals she had pushed so hard to put distance between were upon her again.

  Liv rocketed through the cemetery, weaving around the headstones, hoping that at least a few of the stupid creatures would trip over them.

  The cemetery was larger than Liv had initially thought. The front fence loomed ahead. Several gates lined the front. All of them had been closed. Presumably all of them had been locked as well.

  For a brief moment, Liv wondered if the groundskeeper was sti
ll here, hiding in a maintenance shed or mausoleum, counting on the gates to keep him safe. She wondered if she had sealed his doom as she busted through the gates and brought the horde in along with her.

  The thought was fleeting. She had to act quickly or become trapped within the fence with the ferals.

  Liv leveled the mallet like a lance. Unlike last time, though, she held the head away from her. The mallet acted more like a battering ram. The handle was planted firmly against her ribs.

  This is not going to end well, the thought came just a split second before the head of the mallet made contact with the seam in the center of the gate.

  Pain exploded through her chest as something snapped. Her right side was agony with each breath, which had transformed from deep, ragged gasps into a small, desperate wheeze.

  The gate jerked as the lock shattered under Liv’s momentum behind the heavy head of the mallet. The gate was meant to be pulled inward, but the force of the blow had knocked it off balance and the slanted opening was just large enough for Liv to squeeze through.

  But it was also just large enough for the ferals to squeeze through. Many simply pressed against the bars, their mutilated and bloodied arms reaching for her. One by one, the ferals closest to the opening wiggle their way through.

  Liv turned.

  Her legs hurt.

  Her arms hurt.

  Breathing hurt.

  But Slag Stead wasn’t much further. If she could just keep going a little bit longer, they would be safe.

  Day 5

  3:02 pm

  Liv shrugged off the sled that covered her back and let it fall onto the grass. The messenger bag was next. While it hadn’t been incredibly heavy, being free of its weight was a relief.

  “Do you mind?” Liv held a hand up to Jay. “I am honestly not sure I could stand on my own if I wanted to.”

  Jay stepped forward. In one swift motion, he took hold of her hand and pulled Liv to her feet. Before she could take her own weight, he threw her arm over his shoulder and wrapped his own around her. Liv sucked in a hissing breath as the pain in her ribs flared white-hot.

  “What’s wrong? Are you alright?”

  Liv nodded as she took a few more breaths and waited for the pain to subside. “I think I broke a rib when I broke down the cemetery gate.”

  Jay stared at her a moment, his face blank, as if he wasn’t sure what to make of what she had said. Then he erupted in laughter.

  After a moment, he shook his head and the laughter subsided. “I’m sorry. It just sounds ridiculous, but I guess stuff like that is going to get a lot more common.”

  “I really don’t want to try it again anytime soon. I would also not go to the cemetery unless you plan on doing a meet-and-greet with a couple dozen ferals.”

  “Ferals?”

  “The people-monsters that like to snack on everyone.”

  “Ferals.” Jay rolled the word around in his mouth, testing it. “Not bad.”

  They limped along in relative silence for a moment. Elli still whimpered on Liv’s back, but her screams had calmed down when the tension had dissipated.

  Liv tried to take a deep breath, but winced when the pain in her side flared up again. They were here. The farm was still standing. People were here. Her sister was here.

  They were safe.

  For the first time in five days, they were safe.

  “I’m glad you made it.” Jay broke the silence. “We were the last ones to show up a couple of days ago.” He was quiet for a moment. “We weren’t honestly sure if anyone else was out there.”

  “I saw a few others in the last couple days,” Liv said quietly. “Not many of them are alive now. I don’t know how many people are left.”

  The conversation trailed off. The farmhouse grew larger as they approached. It was a large brick structure in the shape of an L with a small covered porch and dozens of windows across its front. Thick, dark-green ivy grew up the western side. It looked old and almost abandoned, though not dilapidated.

  A handful of people milled outside of the front door, watching them approach.

  “Babe!” Jay bellowed and Liv could feel Elli jump on her back. “Come here!”

  One of the figures took a few cautious steps forward. The few steps turned into a brisk walk. Then a run.

  Jorden’s hazelnut-colored hair, which usually fell about her shoulders, trailed behind her, snapping as she ran. Usually her sister wore beautiful, flowing clothes that seemed to hang from her body in all the right places, but today she wore jeans and a plain white t-shirt as she streaked through the grass.

  Jorden’s speed slowed down as she approached, but only slightly. She slammed into Liv, locking her arms around her, barely keeping them upright.

  “Oh my god!” Jorden gasped, the tears making her voice thick. “I never hoped. I thought…” She sniffled into Liv’s shoulder and Liv squeezed her just as tight.

  They clung to each other. Liv ignored the throbbing in her ribs. A hug had never felt so good. Liv could feel the tears sliding down her cheeks. She still had family.

  Elli squealed, annoyed at being ignored.

  “Oh my god!” Jorden exclaimed again, her head snapping up. “Oh my god! Oh my god! Little girl!” She released Liv and pulled Elli from the carrier, wrapping her up in an equally tight embrace until the child began to protest.

  “I can’t believe…” The words caught in her throat. “It’s so dangerous out there. I thought…I thought…” She trailed off into sobs and squeezed Elli again.

  “I know,” Liv whispered, choking up again as she pulled Jorden in and wrapped her arms around her and Elli. “It was close a couple times.” She squeezed the two of them, holding her whole world between her arms.

  Finally, Elli decided she had had enough and screeched in protest. She wiggled until Jorden set her down in the grass.

  “Shouldn’t we get inside?” Liv looked around nervously, suddenly aware that they were still outside. Still exposed.

  Jorden shook her head. “Until today, they have never come this close. I think they only did because they were following you. There’s nothing out here for them, really.”

  Liv nodded, still tense. It would still be a while before she would feel comfortable outdoors again.

  “I hate to break up this moment,” Jay said apologetically, “but Liv is pretty banged up. I should probably take her inside to see Maxine, then get her taken care of.”

  “Oh, of course!” Jorden looked down to the ground for a second. “Go! Go! You probably want to sit down and get some rest.” Jorden looked her over, taking in Liv’s disheveled appearance, her dark eyes, and her blood-dotted clothes. “Come on.” She scooped up Elli, who was grabbing fistfuls of grass. “There’s plenty of room inside.”

  The heavy, white, solid wood door creaked as Jay pushed it open. Before they had even stepped inside, the delicious aromas of cooking food reached Liv’s nostrils, making her mouth water and her stomach protest hungrily.

  The inside was light and open. Though no lights were on, all the curtains had been pulled back from the western-facing windows, allowing the afternoon sun to pour into the rooms.

  “Jay!” a woman’s voice called gruffly from somewhere in the house. “What was all that commotion I heard outside?”

  Jay straightened up, releasing Liv to stand on her own. Liv pulled herself upright and rushed to straighten her dirty clothes before the approaching footsteps reached them.

  Liv tensed, suddenly unsure if they were actually welcome. She had known the farm wasn’t owned by Jay or his family. Perhaps she had been silly just to assume they would be welcome here.

  A woman in her fifties rounded the corner, wiping her hands on a dishcloth.

  She looked over Liv and frowned. “Are you bringing strays into my house?”

  Her hair was almost all silver, but Liv thought she could see sparse strands of sandy blonde glowing in the after light. The strands had been pulled back into a tight bun near the nape of her neck. She w
as lean but not frail. The woman looked wiry. The kind of look that someone might get from working hard all their life.

  “Max.” Jay gestured towards Liv. “This is Liv and her daughter Elli. Liv is Jorden’s sister.”

  Max’s dark eyes narrowed as she looked Liv up and down again. Her face was sharp and severe. “She’s dirty,” the woman concluded. “You aren’t infected, are you?”

  “N-N-No, ma’am.” The woman terrified her as she looked over Liv again.

  “Get one of the other ladies to inspect you. Not just Jorden. I won’t have that goddamned infection eatin’ its way through my house. And get washed up. Dinner won’t be too long.” With that, she turned and walked back the way she had come. “If you need fresh clothes, Jorden can fetch some for you!” she hollered, already out of sight.

  Liv let out a breath she wasn’t even aware she had been holding.

  “Good job!” Jay’s voice was excited as he slapped her on the back. “I think she likes you.”

  “Really?” Liv stared at him in disbelief. “How in the hell can you tell?”

  Jay waved nonchalantly. “Trust me. If she didn’t like you, you wouldn’t be standing here right now.”

  Day 5

  6:54 pm

  The bath that Liv had craved never came. She had wanted to soak in the warm steamy water until it grew cold and she became a raisin. Jorden had pointed out that she was covered in all kinds of grime. If any of it contained infection, it might seep into one of her many wounds.

  Instead, Liv had settled for a sponge bath to rid herself of the worst of the muck, followed by a quick, scalding shower. The house still had running water.

  Surprisingly, the water was safe and pure.

  When Liv had inquired about it, fearing that the water might be tainted by infection, Jorden explained that the water came from a well on the property. Unless the well was tainted, the water would be safe.

  While the shower was not a substitute for the long soak, the scalding liquid felt good against her dirty skin and sore muscles.