Creatures

by Michelle Khonsari

  Cassie nodded. She turned to Dawn. “It’s just for the night, Dawn. It’s better than outside, and we can’t run the truck all night just for the heat.”

  Dawn was on the verge of tears, but she nodded, knowing that Cassie was right. There were far worse fears than mice on the outside. They brought in blankets from the truck, and lit every candle they could find. Matt started a fire in the fireplace, and they made a large pallet in front of it. They sat up for a little while, playing a few card games. When they had all lain down for the night, Dawn had a really hard time falling asleep. She missed her family, her home, her life. Tears streaked her cheeks silently.

  “Dawn?” Trey whispered. “Are you crying?”

  Dawn wiped her face quickly, not realizing he was also awake. “Can’t you sleep?”

  “Not really,” he answered. “This house gives me the creeps. Why are you crying?”

  “I was just thinking,” Dawn replied.

  “About your daughter?” Trey guessed.

  “Yeah,” Dawn answered. “I feel so guilty for not finding her. There were so many. All of the children and adults I saw had turned.”

  “She probably did, too,” Trey replied. “There wasn’t anything you could’ve done. At least you went to try and find her.”

  “Did your mom come for you?” Dawn asked.

  “No,” Trey replied. “They had cancelled school for us, so we were at home with our mom. Our dad went to work, and then he got bit. We would’ve probably, too, had we gone to school. Then dad turned. We had left and just got to a hotel when he turned. He bit Mom, and Cassie shot them both. She knew Mom would turn and attack us, and Mom knew it, too.”

  “What was your daughter’s name?” Trey asked, glad he had someone to talk with about the painful memories of what used to be. Cassie was too focused on what the present held to hold feelings of the past.

  “Alyssa,” Dawn told him. “Alyssa Marie Weaver.”

  “That’s a nice name,” Trey complimented. “I’m really sorry you lost her. I guess, at least she didn’t have to go through this. It was torturous watching my parents die like that. I miss them very much.”

  “They would be proud of how brave you’ve been, Trey,” Dawn assured. “They would be happy that you and Cassie are alive and doing okay.”

  The four headed back out the next morning without trouble. The gas was running low, and they hoped to come upon some vehicles soon so they could take the gas. As they drove, they passed old houses in the distance, and creatures roaming the land, seemingly without direction. Before long, shopping strips and four-way intersections came into view, and hundreds of creatures occupied the space. Cassie could feel her heartbeat rise.

  “Great,” she snapped. “Now what? We need gas, and this place is crawling with them.”

  “Just get through them,” Matt told her. “Don’t slow down.”

  Suddenly, tears escaped Cassie’s eyes. “I can’t do this!” she screamed.

  “You have to, Cassie,” Matt demanded. “Go, just floor it!”

  The bodies flew over the hood, and the truck bounced up and down aggressively and unevenly as it ran over the top of the rotting bodies. They attempted to grab at the windows and doors of the truck. Cassie cried as she barreled through them. Matt continued yelling at her to keep going. Dawn and Trey watched, wide-eyed, from the back. When they finally cleared through the flesh-eating creatures, Cassie slammed on the brakes and jumped out of the truck, falling to the ground. She took breaths in gulps, sobbing heavily, almost to the point of hyperventilating. Matt rushed around the truck to her side.

  “Cassie! Breathe! Look at me! Breathe!” Matt sternly begged. “Take a breath, Cassie! You have to calm down!”

  Trey and Dawn had joined them outside the truck now, and stood helplessly. Matt pulled Cassie to him and rocked her in his arms.

  “You have done this many times,” Matt reminded. “What happened back there? What is it, Cassie? Tell me!”

  “I just can’t do this!” Cassie screamed, tears pouring down her face. “There is no escape from this; we are all going to die! It’s a fight just to get gas so we don’t end up on foot!”

  “Sshh,” Matt urged. “Cassie, we are all in this together, and we’re going to make it. We will find a way out, but Cassie you’ve got to calm down and stop screaming.”

  “We gotta go!” Trey blurted out.

  Matt looked up to see creatures rushing toward them. “Oh, come on, Cassie, get in, we gotta go!”

  He pushed her into the truck and jumped into the driver seat as Dawn and Trey jumped back in, too. The truck sputtered and died as Matt floored the gas. The entire truck shook.

  “No! No! God, come on! Please!” Matt begged as he tried to get the truck started again. “It’s out of gas, we gotta run! Go, go, go! Now!”

  The four jumped from the truck and ran as hard as they could, cutting off through a field lined with trees. The creatures seemed to come up from nowhere as they ran. Their sides ached, and their lungs felt as though they might burst, but the fear-fueled adrenaline pushed them on. They could hear the creatures moaning, scuffling through the trees behind them. The trees finally opened to a field, and they ran another sixty yards before stopping. They walked from that point, keeping a look behind them for the emergence of the creatures. It appeared they had outrun them, and they all started to feel the exhaustion as their bodies calmed. They sat down in the field for a rest.

  “We lost everything,” Cassie replied. “Everything’s in the truck. Now what are we supposed to do?”

  There was no answer, and they all sat silently as the sun started to set. Matt pulled a pack of cigarettes from his inside jacket pocket, and pulled out three.

  “I’ll take one, too,” Dawn said.

  Matt handed her one as well, and struck the lighter, lighting all four of their cigarettes. The sky was clear as it darkened, but the air was cold and crisp, and they could see their breath. They huddled closer together in an attempt to stay warm.

  “We’re going to freeze out here,” Dawn shivered. “We should start walking. It’ll keep our body temperatures up.”

  “We don’t have any light,” Matt told her. “The flashlights are in the truck. It could be dangerous walking in the dark.”

  “It could be dangerous just sitting here, especially if we fall asleep,” Dawn returned.

  “She’s right,” Cassie input. “It won’t do us any better to sit here like bait. We know the creatures are just beyond those trees. So we either sit here and be eaten or die from hypothermia, or we keep moving for a chance to live.”

  “Alright,” Matt sighed out. “Let’s go then.”

  The four started their walk once again through the dry winter field. As they topped a hill some time later, a large structure came into view. They stopped momentarily, staring at the dark structure that stood before them, wondering if it might be safe for them. As they came closer, they heard the click of a gun.

  “Don’t shoot!” Matt called. “We’re just looking for shelter for the night.”

  “Come on up,” a man’s voice returned after a brief silence.

  The four made their way up the front steps, and the man came into view. He looked them over.

  “How do I know you ain’t here to rob me?” the man asked.

  “I’m not sure, other than you trusting my word,” Matt answered.

  “Any of you been bit or scratched?” the man questioned.

  “No,” Matt returned. “Our truck ran out of gas, creatures came, and we had to run, but we escaped unscathed.”

  “Come on in,” the man finally replied after another brief silence. “But if I think you’ve entered my home on bad intentions, I won’t hesitate to shoot. Have a seat here in the kitchen. I’ll fetch my wife.”

  The man lit a single candle on the kitchen table and left the room. They could hear him move up the rickety wooden staircase. It was several minutes before the man returned with his wife. The man was obviously a farmer, dressed in overal
ls, boots, and a plaid flannel jacket. His wife was a plump, gray-haired woman, about four inches shorter than her husband.

  “I’m Marge,” she introduced herself.

  The four introduced themselves, and Marge offered them some food, which they accepted. The man returned to the porch shortly, rifle in hand.

  “Why don’t you light more candles?” Trey questioned. “It’s awfully dark in here.”

  “Oh, hush your mouth child,” the woman snapped, as though Trey said something repugnant. “Light draws them in. Sound, too.”

  They ate the cornbread-type mush by the single candlelight, and without a word to one another. The plump woman sat in a nearby chair with a rifle in her hand as they ate. It was an awkward setting for all of them. When they had finished eating, Marge took them upstairs.

  “We have two guest bedrooms. They were set up for our son and his family,” Marge informed. “For when they visit. One has a full size bed, and the other has two twin beds in it.”

  She showed them the two rooms and the bathroom. They had water, although not warm water, but the toilet did flush. She left them to decide their own sleeping arrangements. Dawn and Trey took the two twin beds, while Matt and Cassie took the full size bed. They awoke the next morning to the sun shining in the window. They snuggled together for a short time, not ready to feel the cold of the room.

  “Should we brave a shower?” Matt asked.

  “I guess it’s better than being stinky,” Cassie laughed.

  They climbed out from under the covers, making the bed before heading for the bathroom. Matt started the water, and after a moment stepped into it.

  “Oh my God, that’s cold,” Matt stated through clenched teeth.

  Cassie stepped in with him. “Oh, Lord, just hurry up and wash.”

  They tried to stand out of the water while they soaped up, then braved it long enough to rinse. They wrapped up in towels and tried to warm themselves before drying off. They dressed as quickly as they could and headed downstairs. Trey and Dawn were already downstairs, sitting at the kitchen table.

  “I’ve got some eggs if you like,” Marge replied, glancing at the two.

  She was cooking on a propane camping stove. The man, named Vernon, had sat to have some eggs as well.

  “I’m going to get some sleep,” Vernon informed after finishing his eggs. “Will you four be on your way shortly?”

  “Yes, sir,” Matt replied. “We very greatly appreciate your hospitality.”

  Vernon gave him a nod, kissed his wife, and headed up the stairs to bed. They thanked Marge again before heading out. She gave them a container of berries she had earlier picked from the property. As they got some distance between them and the house, they lit their last two cigarettes, which they shared between them. They followed a dirt road for several miles before they reached a gravel road. It was just about lunch time when they reached a town. There was first a school, sealed in by a brick wall, topped with iron fencing. Within the fence, creature children roamed the grounds. They pressed themselves to the brick wall, reaching their rotting, pus-covered little arms through the gaps in the fencing as the four passed by.

  “Let’s check out the convenient store across the way,” Matt suggested. “Maybe it’ll still have smokes and food.”

  Keeping aware of their surroundings, they headed across the road to the convenient store. They filed in one by one, weapons drawn, and looked around. It was very empty, but a few bags of chips and chocolate snack cakes remained among the wreckage left by scavengers. Lucky for them, there was still a large stash of cigarettes. They sat down in the dingy, dirty floor of the store, ate the chips and cakes, and enjoyed a smoke. Afterwards, they made their way through the empty streets cautiously. They came upon a gas station with several vehicles in the parking lot. A minivan was in front of a pump with the gas pump still in the filler spout of the vehicle. Matt opened the driver side door, and was thrilled to find the keys still dangling. He turned the key to accessory, and the gas hand moved up to the full mark. Dawn put the pump back on its cradle and closed the gas lid.

  “The owner must have set the pump latch so it would fill on its own,” Matt theorized. “Probably got attacked then.”

  He went ahead and turned the key over, and the engine started up. As they climbed in and closed the door, three creatures came out from around the gas station. Matt put the van in gear and pulled out of the station.

  “Is there any supplies in here?” Matt asked as he drove.

  “There’s a few bags of clothes, some toys, and some blankets,” Trey reported as he and the girls dug through everything.

  “Clothes and blankets are good,” Matt replied. “Let’s find some department stores.”

  They finally came to a strip of stores. It had several department stores, smoke shops, a liquor store, a pharmacy, a shoe store, and some restaurants. Matt pulled in at the first store. They took their guns inside, and saw nothing at first. They spread out, hoping to save some time. Matt found his way to the sporting goods section. Any firearms the store may have had were already taken. The display cases had all been shattered, and Matt could hear the glass crunch under his feet as he walked. He grabbed a camping bag and filled it with flashlights, cookout supplies, matches, and ponchos.

  The other three had located the large duffel bags. Trey was filling his bags with candles, sleeping bags, and blankets. Dawn and Cassie had gone toward the clothes. They separated from each other to grab clothes for all of them. As Dawn moved over to another rack, a creature grabbed her from behind. Dawn dropped her duffel bags, screamed, and tried to pull away, causing both herself and the creature to topple to the ground. Cassie, Trey, and Matt all came running.

  “Dawn!” Cassie screamed, trying to locate her through all the racks.

  Dawn’s screams continued to echo. Cassie spotted the creature on top of Dawn. She moved so she could shoot the creature without hitting Dawn. She hit it in the side of the head, and it fell over. Dawn scrambled out from under it, breathing hard, still screaming.

  “It bit me!” Dawn screeched. “Oh, God, it bit me, Cassie!”

  Cassie just stood frozen, staring at a hysterical Dawn. Dawn begged Cassie to help her.

  “There’s nothing I can do, Dawn,” Cassie helplessly replied.

  “No, please, Cassie, I don’t want to die!” wailed Dawn. “You have to help me, you have to do something!”

  Matt and Trey had reached them now. They just stood, watching Dawn scream and rock herself on the floor. They felt helpless. Dawn begged, completely hysterical, tears pouring down her terrified face. Finally, Trey knelt down beside her.

  “Dawn, please, you have to calm down,” Trey told her. “There’s nothing we can do. Everybody that gets bit turns into one of them. So, you have to decide, Dawn.”

  Dawn was shaking her head no, her eyes pleading for a solution. Trey’s eyes had filled with tears at watching her, and they streamed down his cheeks.

  “Dawn, you have to choose if you want us to do it now, or wait until you’ve turned,” Trey told her, getting choked on his words. “Or we can just leave you here.”

  “Please, Trey, no,” Dawn begged. “I’m scared. I don’t want to die.”

  “But you will,” Trey wept.

  “Just wait, please,” Dawn returned.

  She lay down, putting her head in Trey’s lap, her body shuddering from the sobbing. Trey rubbed her hair.

  “Just close your eyes, Dawn,” Trey soothingly replied. “Think of Alyssa. Picture her from the last time you saw her, and focus on that. She’ll be waiting for you, Dawn. She’s missed you, and now you’ll be together again. Your husband will be there, too. It won’t hurt anymore. Your family is waiting, and they’ll be happy to see you again.”

  Dawn closed her eyes, though still sobbing, but doing her best to picture little Alyssa. She thought of Alyssa and Dave, her husband, when they had gone to the beach last summer on vacation. They had flown to a beach in California. She could see Alyssa, running and s
plashing in the shallows. “Look at me, Mommy!” She could hear Alyssa’s voice. Then the three of them were on the sandy shore, building a sand castle with little plastic buckets.

  Trey could see Dawn start sweating profusely. He could feel the wetness through his pant legs. Noises sounded nearby, and Cassie and Matt had moved away, looking for the source. He heard gunfire, five shots, and Dawn flinched with each one. Dawn started to moan, the sweat still seeping from her pores. Her hair was soaked, but Trey kept rubbing it back, telling her it would be over soon. His legs had fallen asleep by the time she started convulsing, and he managed to roll her over off his lap. He held her on her side, her back facing him, as she convulsed and started vomiting. Trey pulled out his gun, put it to the back of her head, squint his eyes shut, and pulled the trigger. Her body went limp, and Trey scooted back from her, trembling horribly.

  “Trey!” Cassie called as she came to his side and wrapped her arms around him. “Are you okay?”

  Tears flowed over his cheeks, but he nodded his head. After a few minutes, they grabbed up their bags and headed out the door. They moved along to the next store, not speaking a word. They found some food and ate in the van when they were done with their scavenging. Matt found a highway, and it was mostly open. There were some vehicles stopped in the lanes here and there, and a few that had wrecked. They rode in silence for miles. The sun had once again set. The stars and moon shown down, just as they had always done, and Trey stared at them through the back window. He had made a little bed with a sleeping bag and blankets in the very back seat. Cassie sat up front next to Matt as he drove.

  “Alabama!” Matt announced happily. “We’re in Alabama, Trey!”

  Trey sat up as they passed a sign welcoming them to the state. He lit a cigarette, but didn’t respond to Matt.

  “We’re going to make it,” Cassie beamed. “We’re almost to Florida!”

  Trey snorted. “You think we’ll get to Florida and be safe? We still have to make it to the water, hope we can find a boat, and make it to another piece of land that didn’t have chemical plants.”