by Ike Hamill
“What’s worse than this?” Elijah asked.
“Good point.”
They kept backing up. The bear didn’t give them many more opportunities for attack. It kept its mouth open, ready to snap if they should come close enough. It kept its body ready to spring forward.
“I don’t even see a junction,” Madelyn said, glancing over her shoulder. “Looks like a straight shot to the exit.”
Elijah looked for himself before he agreed. “You’re right. The geography of this place seems a little malleable.”
Madelyn nodded.
Without discussion, they seemed to reach the same conclusion—it was time to bolt. They backed fast until there was some distance between themselves and the advancing bear, and then they turned to run. They closed the distance to the lights fairly quickly.
Jacob and Harper were helping Isaac through the gap in the boards.
“Where are the others?” Elijah asked.
“Waiting at the top of the stairs,” Jacob said.
“Good.”
“We’re supposed to gather with the other groups at the safe harbor,” Jacob said.
Jacob helped Harper through the gap.
“I’d wager that it’s not safe from The Wisdom,” Madelyn said.
Elijah was watching down the dark tunnel for the bear. Madelyn waved for Jacob to get through. Once he was safe on the other side, she slipped through and waited for Elijah. He came through and ushered them away from the barricade just as they heard the sound of the panting bear approaching. They exited through the steel door and closed it behind themselves. The four of them were the last up the stairs.
“Who are these other groups you’re meeting?” Madelyn asked.
“The people we rescued from the other rally points,” Jacob said.
Below them, they heard a crash.
“Does it seem dangerous to gather?” Elijah asked.
Madelyn nodded. “Fear is contagious.”
“They’ll have guns,” Jacob said.
“Yeah. Okay,” Madelyn said.
They looked towards the door to the outside. Scarlett and Penny were already leading the group out into the night.
Chapter 39
{Safe}
AT FIRST, MADELYN FELT self-conscious. Whenever she drew close to the group, they moved faster. People remembered her swinging from a noose. Several of them seemed to believe that she was a ghost, and probably a dangerous one.
Elijah, with his always-cheery outlook, changed her mind.
“This is great,” he said. They paused at the head of a trail to listen if anything was following them.
“What is?”
“It’s so easy to drive these folks forward. They just get a look at us, and they run.”
Madelyn smiled.
It was a decent trek from the steam tunnels to the safe harbor. The night was filled with the sounds of danger. They heard screams from the east and sorrowful moans from the west. They kept to their mission. They didn’t allow themselves to be distracted from getting the group to the safe harbor.
While they traveled, Jacob stayed near the rear of the group with Madelyn and Elijah. He caught them up on all the incidents of the night.
Madelyn shook her head. “This is what I was afraid of. I think you might be right, Elijah. Getting everyone together is the worst possible thing we can do. People need to burrow in and ride this thing out. It’s going to be difficult, but it can be done.”
“But Aunt Mac, you said that it wants to disenfranchise people. You said it wanted to make people lose faith in each other. How are they going to keep faith in the community if they’re all isolated?” Jacob asked.
“With the people together, the panic spreads more easily and The Wisdom doesn’t have to invest as much energy to terrorize everyone,” Madelyn said.
“All I know is, we saved a lot of people tonight,” Jacob said. “A few people died, but we saved a lot more than that. I’m not sure how they would have survived if we hadn’t come along to intervene. We can’t be everywhere, so it has to be better to gather.”
They heard a hopeful cheer from the front of their group. Scarlett ran ahead towards a fire that burned at the edge of the safe harbor. People were gathered there in the glow.
“Maybe he’s right, Mac,” Elijah said.
Fighting against the current of the group, Brook came back to join them.
“I’m going back for Amelia and Logan,” she said. “They shouldn’t be alone.”
Harper and Jacob looked at each other. They seemed to agree without speaking.
“We’ll go with you. Depending on how much he has recovered, you might need help moving him,” Harper said.
“This group needs you,” Madelyn said. She pointed to the people gathered at the fire. “Harper has experience with recovering from The Wisdom, and you’re natural leaders. Elijah and I will go.”
Elijah nodded.
Jacob put his arm around Harper. They looked off to towards the safe harbor.
“Okay,” Jacob said.
“Brook, you stay with Isaac,” Elijah said. “He needs you.”
Eventually, the woman nodded.
Madelyn and Elijah watched until everyone had reached the safe harbor. Then, they turned towards the night again.
“It’s better this way,” Madelyn said.
“Nobody to slow us down,” Elijah said, nodding.
They ran into the darkness.
# # # # #
It didn’t take long for the two to run the distance to Addison’s house. Madelyn let Elijah take the lead. When they had gone from the eyeball house to the steam tunnels, they had been tracking to make sure they didn’t overtake the group. Madelyn was surprised to find out how quickly Elijah could move without that encumbrance. She was even more surprised to find out how easily she could keep up.
Elijah seemed to float over the terrain. He only touched down on solid footing and barely made a sound. Between each footfall, he could leap great distances. Madelyn followed him until he reached the fence.
“Someone is in there with them,” Elijah said.
She looked at the back of the house. It took a second. She finally sensed what Elijah as talking about. It wasn’t something Madelyn could pin down to a sound or scent. She simply possessed the understanding that there was something in the house that was distinct from Addison, Amelia, and Logan.
Elijah leapt the fence and darted across the lawn. Madelyn followed.
They caught up with the invading presence as it crossed through the dining room. The room was lit by a pair of candles on the dining room table. They sat in a puddle of blood that was nearly dry.
“Dirty Optioner,” Madelyn said.
“You should talk,” Ryan said.
Elijah circled Ryan to get between him and the stairs. Madelyn took a step closer. The last time she had seen Ryan, he had been injured.
“You took the Option willingly,” she said. “You sought it out. We’re not the same.”
“It seems that we are,” Ryan said.
“We were talking to a group who tracked you north of the city,” Madelyn said. “They lost your trail when you killed Wyatt.”
Ryan smiled. “We’re not like the rest of them. I knew that Elijah was different. I’ve always had a good sense about such things. Why did you try to assimilate, Elijah? Don’t you realize that these people are just stealing resources that should be yours?”
“There’s plenty of room for all of us,” Elijah said. As he circled, Ryan backed up and turned so he could keep both Madelyn and Elijah in front of him.
“But there’s not,” Ryan said. “You’re old enough to realize that. People are like a fungus. The population explodes until it sucks up all the food, water, and oxygen. That’s fine for them. They only have to worry about the next forty to eighty years. But we have to think about the long term.”
“You were part of that fungus a week ago,” Elijah said.
“I’ve been working for this for longer th
an you can imagine,” Ryan said. His face turned angry. “I wasn’t born into a rich family. I had to work to find the Option. I had to assemble the perfect team of researchers and get them to uncover secrets that they didn’t even realize that they were working towards. You can’t imagine the sacrifice I made.”
“And made for others, I’m sure,” Madelyn said.
“They’re inconsequential,” Ryan said. “Don’t you understand that? That race was just the seed that created us. They’re not meant to carry on.”
“What about your wife, Ryan?” Elijah asked. “I didn’t see her over in Building Three. Was she a fungus?”
“Very much so,” Ryan said. “I took care of her before I even took the Option.”
Madelyn moved forward. “I’ve heard enough from this guy.”
Elijah nodded. He began to move towards Ryan as well.
“You’re going to be judged by that fungus out there,” Madelyn said. “They’ll hear your crimes and then sentence you to death.”
“Easier said than done,” Ryan said.
He rushed at Elijah. Madelyn dove for Ryan’s legs.
She was too slow. It didn’t matter—Elijah easily moved out of the way before Ryan could catch him.
“Don’t move,” Amelia said from the stairs. She held a gun out in front of herself.
“Go back upstairs,” Elijah said. “We’ll take care of him.”
“I’m going to shoot you, Ryan. You’re the reason my cousin is dead,” Amelia said.
There was no time for any more discussion. Amelia pulled the trigger. The gun erupted with yellow fire and a deafening sound.
Madelyn’s eyes caught the movement. She saw the bullet streak through the air and plow through the tissue of Ryan’s shoulder. The bullet was deflected by bone. What exploded from the man’s back was mostly muscle and lung.
Ryan started moving towards her before the blood even hit the floor. She didn’t have enough time to fire again. Amelia barely got the gun pointed at him before he launched himself at her. Fortunately, Elijah was closer and just as fast.
Elijah hit Ryan just as Ryan was about to hit Amelia.
The impact was greatly diminished, but all three of them flew to the side. Madelyn rushed to help. Her hip hit the table and the candles toppled. Amelia screamed and a window crashed. Madelyn’s eyes adjusted in time to see Ryan’s shape disappear through the window and into the night.
Elijah and Madelyn lifted Amelia from the floor and helped her upstairs. When they came through the doorway to the room where Logan was kept, they were met by Addison’s rifle.
“She needs help,” Elijah said.
“It’s just a scratch,” Amelia said.
“We have to go after him,” Madelyn said. “Before he hurts someone else.”
Elijah nodded, but looked to Logan.
He sat up in bed and pushed his sheet to the side. Logan’s leg was wrapped up tight. His color had returned and he looked ready to fight.
“First, we have to get them to the others. You promised Jacob,” Elijah said.
“You’re right, but I never promised,” Madelyn said. “Can you walk?”
“He should go on the stretcher,” Addison said. She was pressing a wrap to the wound on Amelia’s shoulder. With it in place, she pulled Amelia’s torn shirt into place to cover it.
“I can walk,” Logan said.
“No, you can’t,” Elijah said. He moved around the bed and found the stretcher. Elijah held one end and folded the other out to Madelyn. They gestured at it and set it on the floor so Logan could climb aboard.
They lifted it, but it was awkward with just the two of them.
“This isn’t going to work,” Elijah said. “If we support you, can you hold your leg off the ground?”
“I think so,” Logan said.
Amelia folded the stretcher and carried it on her back, in case they needed it.
After they got Logan down the stairs, they found a good balance and walked him through the tight confines of the house.
“Come on, Addison,” Amelia said.
The woman was parked in the kitchen with her arms folded.
“I’m staying here,” Addison said. “I’ve survived good and bad here. I’ll stay.”
“It’s too dangerous,” Amelia said. “People are dying.”
“Hey,” Elijah said, “it’s her decision.”
Amelia looked at the woman once more and then turned her back on her. They took Logan out into the night. Despite his injury, Logan’s strength grew during the trip. By the time they got to the trail behind the alley, he was trying to put weight on his bad leg.
“Take it easy,” Elijah said. “You don’t want to re-injure that leg.”
“It barely hurts,” Logan said. “I promise. I bet I could walk on my own.”
“You can find that out after we get you to the safe harbor,” Madelyn said.
# # # # #
By the time they were close enough to see the light from the fire, Logan was a nightmare to manage. He was trying to pull away from their support and testing his leg with each stride.
“Logan, we will hold you down and bind your legs if you don’t…” Madelyn started. She was cut off by the sound of gunfire.
“You’re on your own,” Madelyn said. She ducked out from under Logan’s arm.
On the other side of the young man, Elijah was doing the same.
Amelia was already moving towards the action.
Elijah ran through the woods to the left of the path. Madelyn circled right. They heard more shots fired—they were coming pretty regularly when Madelyn first saw the flames of the fire through the woods. When the next shot rang out, she saw the flash from the muzzle and moved in that direction. The shooter was facing away from her. It took a few seconds for Madelyn to spot what they were shooting at.
Elijah streaked from the woods, crossed the clearing, and slid to a stop behind the stone wall where the gunman was hiding. Madelyn kept circling. Elijah picked up a gun and began to shoot as well.
Someone lit up the bear with a spotlight. The animal reared and growled. It couldn’t be the same bear from the tunnel—the thing had to stand ten meters high—but it wore the wounds that she and Elijah had cut into its face. And it certainly smelled like the same bear. Madelyn reminded herself that The Wisdom didn’t have to abide by logic.
Madelyn stepped out to the clearing.
She was in the safe harbor now. This was supposed to be the one place in the world where people could live without fear. Now even that small circle of protection had been violated.
Citizens of Fairbanks were huddled behind rocks and trees. She saw a few people in the windows of the nearby building. Quite of few of them were armed, but they were conservative with their ammunition. Every few seconds, a person would fire. The bear reacted sometimes. Other shots went unnoticed. The animal’s main intention seemed to be to cause a spectacle.
It roared and growled. It sniffed out an older woman who was crouched down behind a rock. After stunning her with a massive paw, the bear picked her up with its teeth and tossed the woman. She landed in a heap and a couple of brave people dragged the injured woman to safety.
Madelyn saw how this would go. The bear would hurt some, kill others, and demoralize everyone. It would drive them away from their safe space and undermine their faith in the progress that had been made. Madelyn thought all this as she crossed the dry lakebed, heading right towards the animal.
She heard Elijah when he spotted her. “Hey!” he yelled. “Get down, Mac. We’ll drive it off.”
He was wrong, though. Elijah hadn’t experienced The Wisdom firsthand. He didn’t realize that it would never be driven off.
She kept marching towards it. When she passed by a few entrenched citizens, she startled them so badly that they nearly shot her. Instead, the woman with the rifle took a decent shot at the bear. The bullet tore off a chunk of the animal’s nose and drew its attention.
It turned its focus to Madelyn, as if
she had been the one who shot it.
The bear roared.
Madelyn kept walking.
She stopped a few meters from the thing and held her ground as it rose up to its hind feet. The bear towered over her. When it roared again, its blood splattered down from the wounds on its face.
“I know what you want,” she said. “You want to make sure these people run in fear from you. You fight them just hard enough to ensure that nobody makes a real stand.”
The bear swiped. Madelyn ducked. One of the claws brushed her back on the way by.
She rose back up.
“What happens when they rally? What happens when the people here manage to find hope that they can beat you? Do you change to some other nightmare—some new form to scare them with?”
The animal dropped down to all fours. Its bloody snout was less than a meter from Madelyn. The spotlight followed the bear down and reflected off of its angry eyes.
“Go ahead,” she said. “Rip me in half. Most of these people already see me as a monster. They watched me hang for crimes that they’re certain I committed. Are you afraid that I’ll be considered a martyr?”
The bear was so close that Madelyn barely saw the paw before it cut through the air. She jumped up. It tagged her legs and she flipped in the air before landing on her knees and elbows. Madelyn stood back up as the bear roared directly in her face.
“Why do you think they stopped shooting?” she asked the bear. “They’re waiting for you to strike me down first. I’m not sure they would admit it, but they fear me more than they fear you.”
“Get down, Mac,” Elijah screamed. She heard his approach and knew what he had in mind. He wanted her to duck so he could shoot the bear right between the eyes.
“Stop!” Madelyn yelled. Without turning from the bear, she held up a fist. “Don’t try to help, Elijah. This is between me and him.”
The bear grunted hot air through its nose, misting Madelyn with its blood.
“What are you going to do?” she leaned in and asked the bear. “You kill me and you’ll be uniting these people. I think you realize that. You can’t afford to light that fire, can you?”
