by Crae, Edward
“We have enough weapons and ammo to fight a war with Cuba,” he said. “You know, just in case we think they need some freedom.”
Gena chuckled. “I doubt there are many people left,” she said.
“So, what’s your poison?”
“My poison?” Gena asked. “My weapon of choice? Well, I kinda like that Blackout you have.”
Dan smiled, tucking his rifle behind his back. “Sorry,” he said. “She’s spoken for.”
Gena stopped in front of an FN SCAR-H, a designated marksman rifle chambered in 7.62x51. She ran her hand up and down its length, her mouth curling into a crooked grin.
“This is pretty,” she said, pulling it from the rack. “I’ve been wanting to try one of these. Some bros I know use the SCAR. They were pretty happy with it.”
Dan reached down and handed her a box of rounds. “It’s yours, chola,” he joked. “No shooting gringos.”
Gena shouldered the rifle and took the box of rounds with a grin. She began loading up a few magazines while Dan went to the boarded up window to look outside.
“I wonder how long it will take for the clouds to move on,” he said. “It looks like they’re dissipating already, but doing it slowly. I hate it.”
“Me too,” Gena said. “But it’s not really the darkness that bothers me. It’s the cold mostly. Hey, you have a suppressor for this?”
“Drawer on the far right,” he said. “There’s a pair of pliers in there to get the muzzle brake off.”
He heard her shuffling around in the drawer, but kept his eyes outside. He stepped up on a crate to get a better view, as the small window was just about at eye level. Outside, the amber glow of the sky reflected off the snow and ice, giving the world a weird, Mars-like aura.
Even the snow, which by now was broken up and chunky, looked like the rocky surface of the red planet. But there was something strange about the horizon. It looked like smoke from a chimney rising up above the tops of the trees. He could be mistaken, but he felt sure that he could see it. Maybe it was just an illusion caused by the clouds.
“Look at this,” he said, waving Gena over.
She came and climbed up on the crate next to him, and he pointed his finger in the direction of the column of smoke. “Do you see that?” he asked. “Just to the left of the tallest tree.”
Gena squinted. “Maybe,” she said. “I’m not sure what it is, though. Could be a fire in the distance.”
Dan sighed. She was probably right. There may be a building burning in Columbus. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe Toby had found some shelter and was warming himself by a campfire. Was he capable of doing that? The boy was only ten years old, and had spent most of his life watching cartoons and playing video games. Could he have figured something out?
“You’re thinking about that boy, aren’t you?”
Dan nodded. “Yeah.”
Gena put her hand on his shoulder. “It’s good that you care about your people, even when they’re not related. That makes a good leader.”
Dan shook his head, sighing. “It’s my fault he’s gone,” he said. “We went looking for his mom, and he left for some reason.”
“Maybe he thought he saw her.”
“He couldn’t have,” Dan said. “We found her in the other direction.”
“Dead?”
“Not yet,” Dan said. “But we killed her. Had to.”
“Well, that doesn’t mean he didn’t think that he saw her. Those cameras can play tricks on your eyes, especially the night vision cameras.”
That made Dan think of his IR scope. He stepped down off of the crate, grabbing another one and setting it a bit farther back. He stepped up, raising his scope to his eye. There was definitely a heat signature rising up where the smoke appeared. It wasn’t widespread, as one would expect from a campfire, but in a single, billowy column that rose straight up into the sky.
“That’s a chimney,” Dan said. “It’s gotta be.”
But then, Dan lowered the scope to try and follow the trail to it, seeing several blobs of heat near the edge of the lot.
“Shit,” he whispered.
“What is it?”
“There are heat signatures outside behind the windmill.”
“What do they look like?”
Dan shook his head. “I’m not sure, but they might be coyotes. And I’m pretty damn sure no natural coyote is out hunting, especially not a whole dozen of them.”
Gena stepped off the crate, slapping a magazine in her rifle. “Let’s get rid them.”
Chapter Eight
“Are you sure they’re just coyotes, man?” Travis asked as Dan, Gena, Drew, and Cliff bundled up.
“Not just coyotes,” Dan said. “Coyotes usually don’t stand in a line and stare.”
“Aw, shit,” Travis exclaimed.
“I’m coming, too,” Eric said, pulling on his coat.
“Alright,” Dan said. “Everybody ready?”
They all nodded and followed Dan out the back door. They went through the gap on the left side of Travis’ shed, approaching the container door.
“Stay quiet,” Dan said. “They can hear really well, and these mutants can see in the dark. We can’t.”
Dan switched on his rifle light. The others did the same. Dan quietly opened the gate and they all went through the container. Outside, Dan turned left, but walked in a wide arc toward the front corner of the office. He shined his light toward the windmill, seeing dozens of pairs of eyes. He quickly shut off his light.
“That was a bad idea,” he said, switching on his IR.
“How many do you see?” Drew asked.
“At least fifteen,” Dan said. “Maybe twenty.”
“Jesus Christ,” Cliff said. “They’re having a fucking party.”
“Sorry kids,” Drew said. “Party’s over.”
“I wonder why they’re here,” Toni said. “Nothing new is happening.”
“Maybe they’re just hungry,” Dan offered. “All the animals in the forest probably froze to death.”
A chorus of growls rumbled in the distance, telling Dan that the creatures were prepared to charge. He looked toward the front of the office, seeing that the camera was pointed straight ahead toward the windmill. From his position, no one inside could see him. They needed the light on so they could see.
Maybe he could make it to the camera’s POV if he ran fast enough.
“Stay here,” he told everyone. “If they start charging, start shooting.”
“I can’t see shit,” Toni said.
“Exactly,” Dan said, rising up to a crouching position.
“Where are you going?” Cliff asked.
“Just wait,” Dan replied. “I’ll be right back.”
Without another word, he took off running. The growls increased in ferocity, and his heart suddenly started pounding in terror. He knew they could rip him to shreds. He ignored that thought, though, and began jumping up and down waving his arms when he reached the camera’s view.
“Shit,” he said when nothing happened.
He switched on his light and pointed it right at the camera. Behind him, he could hear the crunching of the creatures moving forward over the snow. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and he turned and ran back to the others.
“What the fuck was that?” Cliff said.
Just as Cliff finished his question, the bright flood light switched on, illuminating the lot. Dan grinned, nodding to the others.
“Now we’re even,” he said.
A dozen pairs of eyes began moving erratically, as if the light had startled them. Many of them disappeared into the shadows beyond the windmill. As the group listened, they could only the light howling of the wind.
“What’s going on?” Drew asked. “I’m about to shit my pants.”
Several more pairs of eyes ducked away, and Dan looked at his companions. They looked with an equal amount of confusion. Maybe the light had scared them away. Dan sighed with relief. It wa
s too damn cold out to battle a bunch of mutant coyotes.
“I think they’re leaving,” he said.
“Look again,” Toni said. “It just don’t feel right.”
Cliff and Dan both raised their scopes. Though Dan could see a few heat signatures remaining near the crest of the ridge, there was nothing else. Still, Toni was right. Something felt “off” to Dan as well. In his past encounters with the mutated beasts, he had never known them to shy away from light.
Suddenly, a deep rumble rolled in from behind the ridge. Dan glanced at Cliff, and they both raised their scopes again. To Dan’s horror, a large heat signature slowly rose above the black and blue of the surrounding terrain.
“Big one,” Dan said. “Must be the pack leader.”
“Oh fuck,” Cliff said.
“Let’s get it before it knows what’s happening,” Dan said.
They both fired, sending silenced rounds toward the large creature. Each round struck, and the blob stopped, raising its head and releasing a gurgling roar.
“Uh oh,” Drew said. “Nice job guys. You pissed it off.”
“Here it comes,” Gena said, moving around to their flank.
The creature began barreling toward them, its claws crunching over the icy snow. Everyone spread out, taking cover. Dan readied his rifle, flipping it at an angle to use the canted iron sights. The creature came into view just behind the windmill. It was horrifying canine form, three times larger than the largest coyote Dan had ever seen. His heart skipped a beat as its red eyes focused on him as it ran. Around him, the sounds of gunfire echoed.
He fired several rounds at the beast before leaping to the side. The creature snapped its massive jaws, barely missing him, and slid on its feet to spin around facing him again. It let out a blood-curdling roar, snaking its long, whipping tongue out.
Toni was there in an instant, her revolvers blasting round after round into the creature’s flank. It howled in pain and turned toward her, leaping in her direction with its claws and teeth bared.
A shotgun blast to Dan’s left caught the creature’s attention, and it spun around, its neck gushing black and green fluid. Dan backed away, raising his Blackout again. But then, the yipping sounds of the coyotes came from behind him. The pack had returned with renewed confidence, and now descended upon them to join its leader.
Drew turned, firing on full auto. Cliff moved up beside him to lay down more fire. Dan turned his attention back to the leader, which was now swiping at Toni as she backed away reloading. Gena fired a few rounds at it, distracting it so Toni could get back safely.
Eric blasted it again with his shotgun, tearing open a wound in its right flank. Dan double-tapped it in the same wound, and the creature turned back toward them. Toni cocked her hammers again, firing at the opposite flank. Its maw opened wide, revealing the glistening fangs and snaking tongue that shot right at Dan.
He rolled away, and the creature pounced. It landed just at Dan’s feet, lunging forward to snatch him up. But then, a deafening pop came from Drew’s direction and a grenade exploded into the creature’s ribs.
Dan rolled over, gritting his teeth to stave off the pain in his ears. Everything became a muffled blur, and his head swam. Through his clouded vision, he could see Toni and Eric rushing around the creature, blasting with their guns. A coyote creature leaped over him, leaving a blurred tracer trail, but was thrown back by a shotgun blast.
He felt hands gripping his shoulders and pulling him to his feet. As the ringing in his ears cleared, he saw Drew’s face in front of him.
“Sorry man,” Drew shouted, pushing him back. “Got him though.”
Dan shook his head, trying to get his bearings again. Everyone had formed a semi-circle in front of him. Through his haze, he raised his rifle, taking aim at the nearest coyote, and blasting its head apart. The sound began to return, and he could now hear the crisp, clear howls of the giant beast.
Jake was there now, wielding his machete like a summer camp serial killer. Coyote after coyote fell to his blade, slashed and chopped to pieces. Gena rushed around, firing shot after shot, never missing. Dan turned his attention back to the pack leader, which was now backed up against the gate, slashing and chomping at Eric and Toni.
Dan rushed to help them, firing until his magazine was empty. He released it, stuck it in his pocket, and slapped in a new one just as he reached his two friends. The creature howled and rumbled its fury, wounded and stumbling. The grenade had torn open a gaping hole in its side, and black sludge flowed from the charred and lacerated flesh like an oil spill.
Behind him, he could hear the dying yelps of Jake’s victims, and the full auto fire of Drew’s rifle. He growled, raising his rifle again, aiming right for the creature’s left eye. A double blast of .44 magnums sent the creature rearing back, and Dan followed with his scope. He fired, exploding the red orb from its socket.
The creature let out a deafening roar, and Eric blasted the underside of it jaw. Its tongue, jaw bone, and several teeth exploded outward, splattering against the gate, and the ground around it. The mangled head began thrashing from side to side. Toni emptied her revolvers into it again, backing away to reload.
Dan fired into the mangled jaw, exploding more chunks out the other side. The creature lunged forward, bearing down on Eric. Dan fired into its flank just as Eric knelt and blasted upward. The top of the creature’s head erupted like a volcano, and it slammed into the gravel, quivering and bleeding.
Dan approached it as Eric reloaded. Toni joined them, cocking her hammers back.
“That was one tough mother fucker,” she said.
“Yep,” Dan replied. “Time to go night night.”
The three of them blasted the thing to oblivion. When they were empty, Jake joined them, covered with frozen blood and chunks of coyote flesh. He took one last look at the giant creature, grinning.
“That was fun,” he said.
Dan turned to look for the other three. Gena, Cliff and Drew were approaching, winded and exhausted. Dan was thankful everyone was alright. Now the question was, what would they do with the bodies?
“We can’t just leave them here,” Dan said. “They might attract more of them.”
“This thing’s big as fuck,” Cliff said. “And those little ones aren’t very little, either.”
“We’ll figure something out,” Jake said. “They’re not going anywhere. I’m going back in. My skull is frozen.”
Jake walked through the gate, rubbing his head. Dan turned toward the column of heat he and Gena had seen earlier. He raised his rifle again to look through the scope. It was still there, ascending into the sky like a pillar of flame in his IR scope.
“Cliff,” he said. “Look in the distance and tell me if you see what I see.”
Cliff took out his IR binos, sweeping from left to right in search of any heat signatures.
“I see a few fleeing coyotes,” he said. “But nothing… oh wait. Yeah I see it.”
“There must be a cabin out there,” Dan said. “If so, Toby may be there.”
Drew sighed. “Come on, man,” he said. “It’s sub-zero temps out here, and Toby doesn’t have heat vision. There’s no way he would have found that place.”
Dan felt a twinge of anger with Drew’s words. Though Drew was probably right, some part of him couldn’t help but think the kid was out there. If what he was seeing was a cabin, then there was a chance that Toby found it. Besides, even if Toby had succumbed to the elements, Dan wouldn’t just leave his body to rot. He had to find him. He owed Lena that.
“I don’t care,” he said finally. “I’m going. If you don’t want to, then stay here.”
“I’ll go,” Toni said.
Dan turned to her, smiling. Her face was plastered with resolve. She wanted to find him, too.
“Count me in,” Gena said.
Dan nodded to her in thanks. “Does this count as a threesome?” he joked.
“You wish,” Toni replied.
Eric clapped h
im on the back. “I’m in,” he said. “If he’s out there, or at that cabin, then we need to find him.”
“Alright,” Dan said. “Cliff, can you stay behind and make sure all of these corpses are burned?”
“I got it.”
“Drew?”
“Dude,” Drew said, shaking his head. “It’s useless. If you go out there and freeze to death, what then? We’ll have to go looking for you.”
“I can’t just leave him out there,” Dan said. “No matter what. Stay if you want to, but I gotta do this.”
Drew nodded, turning down his eyes. “Okay man,” he said. “Do what you gotta do. I’ll help hold down the fort.”
“Okay. We’ll take the Jeep. Let’s get it warmed up and ready to go. Everyone grab more ammo, and some blades.”
“Come on Drew,” Cliff said. “Let’s get a fire started.”
Drew nodded and gave Dan a worried glance before he turned and followed Cliff. Dan knew he was just being logical. There really was no reason to go out and look for Toby, but if there was a chance he was still alive, Dan couldn’t let that chance go to waste.
Toby was family, and family looked out for each other no matter what.
Chapter Nine
Blood ran from the mutant’s head as Maynard sawed open its skull. The bone was hard; much harder than a human’s, and was a bit more difficult to open. Straining against the rock-hard plate, he gritted his teeth and put more pressure on the bone saw. In the confines of his quiet cellar, among the caged creatures, his grunts echoed loudly.
“Damn thing,” he cursed, giving up and setting the saw down next to the head.
He folded his arms across his chest and stared down at the alien body. It was what Toby had called a stalker; a mutated human that had taken on the characteristics of a predator. He had decided to find out more about them, hoping to find a cure for himself. So far, he had learned nothing; only that the blood of those who were immune—like Toby—could slow down the process and buy him more time.
Though the prospect of becoming some higher form of life intrigued him, there was no guarantee it would happen to him. He could very well become one of these mindless dipshits that crawled around on four legs.
