I tried the handle and pushed on the door which opened a little but then jammed on something, it looked like somehow Kaley had managed to push large washer in front of the door to keep the creatures from coming in but there wasn’t any more creatures out here why did she do it?
“Argh”, I felt something whisper on my shoulder, I shivered and slowly turned around and came once again face to face with a water logged creature but this one was so swollen it was huge, its arms bulking out like torpedoes, its body like the Michelin man and its face just one huge bulge of water and brains. Where had this one been hiding?
Just behind it was deep recess in another wall looking almost like a nest, that thing had made itself a bed in there with broken bodies and bits of flesh as a mattress. I felt sick and numb to the core, taking a step back I hit the door I knew I had nowhere to turn, then I remembered the burnt hole in the wall. Jumping for the hole just as the thing sent out a punch in my direction I landed awkwardly jabbing a rib and winding myself, the thing had punched so hard that the wall to the room Kaley was in cracked and spilt sending out dust as it crackled along the ceiling above where I stood, it was going to collapse. I ran through the hole just as it punched again through the wall I was now hiding behind, I screamed as dust and cement filled the air around me and I set off at a run just as the ceiling around me collapsed on top of the creature. I had no idea if that thing was dead but all I knew was whether it was or wasn’t I had to get back to Kaley before it got into that room. Hold on kid I’m coming!
I ran down this new creature made hallway and turned a corner, somehow I needed to get back to her but I had no idea where this would lead out, turning another corner I cried out as I came face to face with a large horde of creatures, all piled in together like tins of sardines. How the hell was I going to get past this lot and I couldn’t go back the way I had come. Then a light bulb of a stupid idea suddenly lit up in my head as the thought of what I could maybe pull off finally sprung to mind as to how to get past the horde of creatures in front of me. Not really thinking but just doing I ran as fast as I could just missing the open reached arms of the nearest creature to me, jumping I landed on the swollen shoulders of one of the fatter Ballooners in the group. It groaned with the need to try and catch me but it was too slow as it was stuck in the crowd of the others, using them as stepping stones I rushed over their shoulders, I just hoped I didn’t trip up falling right into the swollen jaws of one of those things. Using my speed and the momentum I was picking up I bounced from creature to creature, as I looked up ahead I could see some stairs which turned a corner and hopefully led up to the room above Kaley’s and I could jump down and get her. Taking more of a risk I rushed over them straight for the stairs. Taking the last few jumping steps I made it to the slimy stairs and just about held my balance as I landed, looking up I saw the door to stairs closed but it was dripping wet and to my luck wooden and rotten so I could just tear this one down.
Charging for it I smashed it off its hinges not really caring if I ran into Lucas or his men or even if the creatures could follow me, I needed to get to Kaley and fast I had already spent too long trying to get through that lot. Looking left then right I found the hallway I was in to be dark and dingy but for the most part clear.
Turning to my right I headed for the way that mentally felt right in my head, I knew the room had to be this way somewhere, I passed the first door throwing it open to find a small single room, a small wardrobe and a smashed window with scattered glass all over the once posh carpet, not bothering to close the door I headed for the next one which was also a small room but I closed the door to this one as the previous occupier was dead on the bed, they had hung themselves and the rope had decayed and frayed, splitting so they slept on their forever bed. Finally I reached the last door on this side of the hallway, it had to be this one! Grabbing the handle and turning it I jumped as I heard voices and gunfire a few metres up ahead from my position, it had to be Lucas, maybe Albi was giving them a run for their money. Thinking of creatures I turned to look back the way I had come, I had smashed the door to the stairs down which could give the Ballooners room to move. I could sense them coming slowly but surely plodding up the stair case, scrambling and climbing over one another, creatures couldn’t normally climb stairs but the motion of other ballooned monsters heaving and pushing meant they were making their way up. Wasting no time I flew in the open the door and nearly swung myself into the flooded room below, a burst pipe above the room was gushing water and the water level had risen considerably. Clinging to the door I looked down at Kaley who was still out cold, she was safe but only for another minute or two until the water would finally reach her. Hearing more gunshots which were getting to close to home I edged along the tiny bit of flooring that was left and closed the door quietly not wanting to catch anyone or anything’s attention and just to make certain nothing was coming in after me I snapped the handle off the door and threw it in the water hearing the metal clunk of the handle the other side falling off.
Looking around I spotted the ladder Kaley had tried to reach but it would only lead back up to Lucas and to trouble but I had an idea about how to get out without going that way and having to fight both creatures and Lucas. Readying myself for the coldness that was about to come I jumped into the freezing water, I let out a cold shiver of a cry before focusing on my breathing and swimming over to the machines that Kaley was perched on. Reaching her I called her name gently trying to stir her, “Kaley, Kaley it’s me Stacie, come on sweetie I need you to wake up now, we need to go”. I gently nudged her side in the hope of stirring her quicker.
“Hmmm”, she mumbled still in a deep slumber but I pressed on urging her to wake up for me.
“Kaley come on up you get!” I even took to flicking some of the ice cold water over her.
“Go away I’m tired”, she hissed at me.
Laughing I knew she was ok, “Come on the creatures are coming”.
With that her eyes flew open and she slowly sat up rubbing her head and then she leapt back in shock at all the cold water, “Oh shit!”
“I’m too tired to swim, it’s taken too much out of me”, she cried out feeling useless as she had used too much of her gift.
“It doesn’t matter hold onto me”.
“No, no I can’t go in the water I can’t”, she was suddenly completely freaking out over the whole wet situation.
Grabbing her wrist with my cold wet hand I made her look at me, “Kaley I will help you don’t panic”.
“No, no I can’t…he drowned, he left me when he drowned I can’t go, I can’t get in there”.
And suddenly it all clicked into place, the man who had looked after her when she had been alone, Dale, he had died drowning trying to save her life and I had been there to witness it, I had been there in that very room with him and I preyed on him like some sadistic animal and now she was mentally scarred by it. She had seen it happen, she had seen him go and I had left her there alone.
“Kaley I’m so sorry”, the horror really dawned on me, hit me in my core, making me numb inside, “Kaley…I…I”. And to make matters worse I had forgotten and thrown her into a darkened, watery pit willingly. Stupid I was so stupid!
She shook her head, “I can’t go in the water, I can’t, you have to understand I can’t”, she looked at me her eyes wide with panic.
“Kaley I understand why ok”, I said softly, “We will find a way past it”.
But as I said it a banging noise echoed from below, the Ballooner creature was trying to get in, as it smashed into the wall again it caused another pipe to snap under pressure. The water level began to rise faster and I knew I had to find a way to get her up to the window I spotted where the old floor to the room above used to be.
I tried to think of something to say to calm her nerves but nothing came to mind but I had to do something or she was going to drown. Wracking my brains I turned to try and find something of any use in the room we were now stuck in, then I spotted it, an
old pallet crate propped up near where I had closed the door it wasn’t fancy but it should float and it should be strong enough to hold her weight if not for a little while, it was on a slightly wider bit of flooring but I knew I should be able to get it from the ladder. Swimming over to it I took hold of the first metal rung and then the second, by the time I reached the third I knew something wasn’t right as it groaned under my weight, a thump from the creature below made the wall shake and with a crashing groan the ladder left the wall sending me splashing back into the ice cold water. Now how was how was I going to get it down? Shoot it, shoot it down I thought!
Snatching up my bow and arrow I took aim at the pallet, then brought it back down I looked around for anything that I could use, looking down below me I could see something that I thought might just work. Passing Kaley my bow and arrow to keep safe I dove under the water and swam down to whatever it was I thought I could see, reaching the murky floor I found some old clothes trapped under a basket, they were rotten and thin but they would do, pushing the basket aside and grabbing a load I swam back up. I made a makeshift rope out of the lightest and thinnest stuff and tied it to the bow, I knew it would weigh it down and make my aim off but I had to try. Taking aim once again I let the bow go, the string snapped back and it shot off towards the pallet and dug right into the wood, the trail of the rope just gently stroking the wall as it flapped down to me, it wasn’t quite long enough to reach the water but I could reach by stretching, once I had a hold I pulled hard and watched as the pallet came crashing down making waves in the water filled room.
Grabbing the pallet raft I placed it by the shelf unit, “Jump on!” Just as I said it there was a loud crack and smashing noise, another part of the ceiling above us collapsed down into the water sending a mini tidal wave of the water flushing me to the side and knocking me away from her, she screamed out my name just as I popped my head back out to the surface, “I’m ok, I’m ok”. Swimming forward I grabbed the raft again and went back to her, by now the water was rising rapidly as another pipe was leaking into the room causing the water to lap at her feet, “Come on kid jump on!” my fingers feeling numb as I scraped the side of the raft.
“I can’t Stacie I just can’t!”
“Either you jump on now and I save your ass or you stay there and drown anyway”, I snapped, the coldness was taking away my more human emotional caring side, I was beginning to feel the effects of the chill and all I wanted was to curl up and sleep but I knew I couldn’t, I had to go on, “NOW!” I finally snapped at her.
Knowing I meant what I said she jumped on, kicking my feet to keep myself afloat with the raft I felt my body start to really tire out quickly, “Stacie you ok, you don’t look so good?” she asked me as we slowly rose up with the water and drifted towards the window I had planned on smashing but I knew I didn’t have the strength to do it, the cold had run me dry, I shivered and I knew my lips would be blue, would hyperthermia kill half creature me?
“Need, to smash…Window!” I told her passing her the rifle as the pistol was somewhere in one of my pockets but my hands were too numb to look for it.
She looked at it then at me, as we got to the right height I used the last of my strength to push her over to the window, she leant forward and smashed it but nothing happened she just bounced off.
“Shit what do I do, shoot it?” she asked taking aim.
“Preserve ammo”, I whispered, “You need to hit the corner of the window as hard as you can”.
Looking a little confused she done as I said lifting the rifle and smashing it into the corner of the glass, at first only a crack appeared but this encouraged her on and she smashed and smashed away until the trickle of glass was a welcome sound.
“Climb up”, I commanded her.
“What about you?” she asked.
I shook my head, I felt too cold and weak to carry on, “You need to move, Albi will be waiting for you”.
Grabbing my arms she tried to pull me up onto the raft but I was like a dead weight, I wasn’t moving, “Stacie, Stacie come … on…Stacie”.
Her voice was getting fainter and fainter and I could just make out her cries as she freaked out over loosing someone else to water, I tried to move but my muscles had seized up, I felt the cold water cover my face, my vision was going blurry and I was sinking down.
Suddenly I was being pulled up and out the water by two strong arms, my body was so numb I couldn’t feel the small snag of glass that grazed my arm as the person struggled to get me through the window before laying me down on the snow. Opening my eyes I could just make out a blurred image of Kaley screaming and kicking someone who had a hold of her, her arms behind her back. I tried to stand to help her, to get them off her but my body couldn’t do it, someone came close to me maybe Lucas or one of his weirdo’s I couldn’t see to tell, I threw my hand out at them revealing my claws, “Back…Off!” I snarled.
I couldn’t make out their face but I could see them hold up their hands and walk backwards and that was the last thing I saw as I blacked out with Kaley screaming out my name again…”STACIE!”
Chapter 9 …
Ollie sat outside the front door on the icy front step and waited, he had been waiting for a while but it was no use, no matter what he did or what he said she would not open up that damn front door. Callum had stayed out a little while longer trying to trace Stacie and the others but Ollie knew it would be no use, the night had seen a large snow fall and had wiped away all traces of them. They had been into the town to check out the new fire and found a random block of flats alight but still no sign of them.
The gate opened as Dwayne pulled it open and in walked Callum, he looked tired and cold but still no Stacie. Ollie sighed feeling numb, they had got her back and now she was gone, where could she have gone so quickly? Why did she go so willingly? Why did she leave him yet again, she had promised to be his surrogate big sister but she kept leaving him, Why?
“No sign?” Ollie asked standing up to greet his friend.
“Nope nothing the snow has washed any sign of them away”, he grumbled, “Ollie mate you didn’t have to sit out here and freeze you butt off waiting for me, go inside get warm”.
“I can’t…I mean we can’t”.
“Why not?” he asked grabbed the door and pushing but nothing happened.
“She’s locked us out again”.
“What why? I thought she wanted us to find them, I thought that meant we were all ok?”
Ollie shrugged, “She does or did but oh I dunno, you try talking to her”.
“Monique?” Callum called out but no answer, “What about round the back?”
“Locked”.
“What is she playing at?” he asked.
“Dunno but I’m freezing”.
“Let’s go to the community centre we might be able to work something out”, Callum said and they set of in the cold snow.
They didn’t see the curtain at the window move, the tear stained face blink out over the open white land…They never knew when she took her last breath as a human and her first as a creature.
~
“STACIE!” my mother’s voice called to me like it did so often when I was having a bad night, “STACIE!” it kept going on until finally my mum said something else, something different, “Where’s Kaley?” But how did she know who Kaley was?
I opened my eyes and groaned as I came back to consciousness, where the hell was I?
The room I was in was like nothing I’d ever seen before, it was decorated with dark wooden panelling which looked like something out of medieval times, a large fireplace adorned one side of the room, set with dark thick wood too along with some white stone carved with patterns. Pictures lined the walls they were ancient portraits of people I had no idea who they were. The bed I lay on was also made of the dark wood, it had swirls carved into it to create the majestic four poster look, the top was decorated with fancy red velvet and the bedsheet that covered my body was also of the same cherry red materi
al but it held more of a silky feel. Lifting the sheets I found I had been changed out of my wet clothes at some point whilst being unconscious, I was wearing a long white flowing nightgown which was not something I would have chosen myself but it was delicate, dainty and pretty and if not a little too frilly. Feeling my hair I felt that someone had braided it back out of my face and left it to trail down one side over my shoulder.
Swinging my feet from under the covers I placed my bare feet on the cool wooden flooring, standing up I stepped over to a small mirror that sat above a rather antique looking chest of draws. I looked like a small and petite china doll, my face was washed out but someone had been kind enough to place some makeup around my eyes hiding the tired dark circles, giving my cheeks some colour and some mascara on my light lashes. I also noted how they had tried to cover up my scar on my forehead with makeup, almost hiding it away to the untrained eye. Where the hell was I? I thought to myself again, I then knelt down and I sent out my feelers trying to get a sense of where I was and who was here with me. Sending out a flash through the door and up and down the other levels of the building I located many infected roaming the place. I felt my blood run cold, there were quite a few infected that I could make out, what was this place? Had someone brought me somewhere to survive only to wait to watch me be torn apart by creatures? Yes I thought I couldn’t die but if something ate me I don’t think I couldn’t be regurgitated from them and rebuild myself? And where the hell was Kaley?
Alone (Book 2): Lone Page 18
