by Chris Yee
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She threw the body forward and charged at the soldier, grasping the knife in her hand. With great force and unthinkable speed, she plunged the knife into his forehead. She pulled it out and cleaned off the blood as the body fell to the ground. Seven down.
With the boat cleared out, she took a moment to catch her breath, leaning against the railing and wiping the blood and sweat off her face. Her chest puffed in and out as she sucked in a lungful of air. Once she was calm, she got up and headed to the front of the boat, where she saw her friends on the raft. Ella and Rupert lowered their guns. Fred squawked a cheery screech and hopped up and down. Alan still knelt over Izzy, whose seizure had finally ended. Vince was exactly the same as before. She waved to them. “It’s safe! The boat’s clear! Come on over!”
They paddled over and climbed onboard, walking around and examining the four bodies on the ground. Alan gazed at Charlotte with amazement. “Where did you learn how to fight like that?”
“The same place they did,” she said as she nudged a body with her foot. “I went through Greene’s training program, although that was a good while ago now. It looks like they may have softened up a bit. These guys didn’t put up much of a fight.”
“Or you just put up one hell of a good one,” Alan said, staring down at the blood trickling from the soldier’s neck.
Charlotte pointed to Ella and Rupert. “You two didn’t do half bad. Impressive, considering you have no combat experience.” Her eyes went to Izzy, who was now perfectly fine. “Are you okay?”
Izzy nodded.
“What happened over there? Have you had these seizures before?”
She nodded again. “They’re normal. I have them all the time. Daddy said it’s a condition I have.”
“What kind of condition?”
Izzy shrugged.
“We’ll talk about that later,” Ella said, looking around at the condition of the boat. “Right now, it looks like we have one of those motorized boats you were talking about, Charlotte.”
“Yes we do,” Charlotte said. “I’ll go see if I can get it running. Greene has so many models of these boats, you never know what to expect. This could be a new model I’m not familiar with.”
Alan’s face lit up. “Do you think it has a pantry?”
“Most likely. A pantry is pretty standard for these things.”
“I’m starving!” he said, running off with excitement.
“We should get rid of these bodies,” Rupert said. “Just dump them in the water, I suppose.”
Charlotte nodded. “That’s the easiest way.”
Ella, Rupert, and Charlotte gathered the bodies and threw them overboard. When they were done, they followed Alan’s lead and explored the rest of the boat.
The pantry was on the first floor, just before the staircase, and was smaller than the one on the other boat. It was the size of a small closet, but was still packed with boxes and cans of food, and jugs of drinking water sat on the floor under the shelves. They found Alan crouched in the corner, stuffing his face with salted crackers and drinking directly from one of the jugs. He paused briefly, looking back at them, and held up the box to offer some crackers. They took the box and passed it around. Alan grabbed a fresh one and opened it for himself.
With their stomachs satisfied, they continued exploring the boat. The layout was similar to Barnabus’ boat, but smaller, and had two bedrooms instead of one. Each bedroom held two sets of bunk beds.
“It’s weird,” Ella said as she studied them. “For a boat designed for eight people, this is much smaller than the other one.”
Charlotte nodded. “This must be a newer model. Greene has been pushing for efficiency. In the labs, he emphasized the importance of low cost. I guess that carried over to boat designs too.”
“And the cell room,” Alan added. “Man, those cells were small.”
Ella nodded in agreement. “The test subjects looked miserable behind those bars.”
“I was miserable,” Alan said, “and I was only in there for a day.”
“Well, I guess we don’t have to worry about that anymore,” Charlotte said. “Now that Simon’s in control of the Spire, I’m pretty sure those cells won’t be used anymore.”
Next, they found the control room. The set up was completely different than the last. Charlotte looked at the control board and smiled. “It looks different, but I can drive this.”
Rupert examined the board with a puzzled face. “Good, because we would never figure this out. It’s far more complicated than the other one.”
“I’ve used this set-up before,” she said. “It looks overwhelming, but it’s really quite easy once you know what you’re doing.”
Alan smirked. “We’ll just leave the driving to you.”
THREE
THEY DROVE THE boat up on the grainy sands of the beach and headed back into the cave. A strong stench filled the air as they walked deeper into the hollow caverns. The scent conjured unpleasant memories. For Rupert, Ella, and Alan, memories of their dear friend Patrick resurfaced, and for Vince, the memory of Saul. The cave had nothing but nightmares to offer, and they were eager to get out as quickly as possible. They turned the corner and saw Barnabus, surrounded by crusted blood and covered in maggots.
“Damn, it stinks in here,” Alan said. He turned his head and saw the cage full of dismembered bodies. The flesh had turned to gelatinous goo, and the blood had curdled at the base. A thick swarm of flies surrounded the pile, buzzing furiously as they zipped through the air. He covered his mouth and almost gagged. “And that would be why.”
“I almost forgot about this,” Ella said.
“Forgot about it? How could you forget about this? I wish I could forget it, but this image is burned into my brain.”
Charlotte covered her mouth as well. “I watched this on the monitors. It’s far worse in person.”
“Of course it is,” Alan said, stepping back. “someone really needs to clean this up.”
They all glanced at each other, waiting for a volunteer.
“Right,” Alan said. “I guess none of us are up to the task. We’re not coming back here anyway. It doesn’t hurt to leave it. We’ll never see it again.”
“Let’s just move on and get home,” Rupert said. “This journey’s been long enough as it is.”
“We could take the cage,” Charlotte said. “It has a motor. We could get to Snow Peak much faster and skip the five-day walk.”
Alan took another long look at the pile of blood and guts. It was even worse than the image that was burned into his brain. The bodies were decomposing into a pink mush. “You want us to clean this thing up? No, thank you. I would much rather walk.”
“Are you sure? We could save a lot of time. It would easily cut the trip down to two days.”
“Do you see what I see? There’s no way I’m touching that mess. We’re in no rush. We have food and supplies from the boat. We could walk ten days for all I care.”
Rupert inspected the cage. “If it can really cut down our trip to two days, it may be worth the effort.”
“I plan on returning to the City, too,” Charlotte said. “I can use it on my trip back.”
Ella shrugged. “I just want to be home. If this gets us there faster, I’m all in.”
Alan glared at all of them, shocked. “Seriously? You would all rather clean this mess than walk a few extra days? What about you, Vince? Come on, back me up.”
Vince stared at the cage, but said nothing.
Alan threw his arms up. “Oh right, Vince has gone mute. Well, that’s just great. I guess we’re cleaning it then. You guys are nuts.”
They got to work and started clearing off the cage. They started with the main pile, scooping layers off with their hands and throwing them aside. The overpowering smell was unbearable. Alan glanced at the bone sticking out in his hands. He dropped it, twisted around and hunched over to barf. The sound made the others cringe.
Ella tried to limit her breathi
ng, but the physical work was demanding. She let in a gigantic breath. The wretched fumes climbed up her nose and entered her lungs. She grew lightheaded and fell to the ground, away from the guts and onto dry dirt.
Rupert tossed the gunk in his hands and ran over to help her. He knelt down by her body. “Ella, are you okay?” She was unconscious. He looked over to Alan, who was kneeling in the corner with his hands pressed against his forehead. He looked back to the pile, which they had barely made a dent on. “This isn’t worth it. Let’s walk the rest of the way.”
Alan spun around. “Thank god. I told you it wasn’t worth it, but you wouldn’t listen.”
“I underestimated the work involved. This is dangerous to our health. Walking may take longer, but it will be calm. After everything we’ve been through, we need calm.”
Charlotte turned after scooping another handful. “Are you sure? We’ve already started. We’re already covered in the stuff. You want to give up now?”
“Christ, Charlotte,” Alan said, still hunched over a puddle of his own bile. “Ella’s passed out, and I’m sitting in my own fluids. Yes, we would gladly give up.”
She sighed. “Okay, I guess we can walk.”
Alan stood up. “I’m going back to the beach wash off first.”
“You’re going to the ocean to wash?” Rupert said. “It’s salt water.”
Alan looked up and down his own body. “I’m covered in blood and guts. I think salt water is a bit of an upgrade.” He started walking off and pointed to the cage. “I never want to see that cage again. Ever.”
FOUR
THEY ARRIVED AT the edge of the woods. After a long walk across the snow plains, they were almost home.
Ella ran ahead of the pack. “I can’t wait to see everyone. They must all be so worried.”
Alan laughed. “You’re really excited.”
“And you’re not? Tell me you’re not eager to see your beautiful wife.”
Alan smirked. “Okay I’ll admit, I’m kind of excited.”
“Kind of?” Ella said. “You should be ecstatic.” She jumped in the air and threw her arms up.
“You’re right,” Alan said. “I should be more excited.” He ran up and mimicked Ella’s little jump.
“It will be nice to check on Carl,” Rupert said. “I know he’s in good hands, but that boy can be a handful sometimes.”
Ella ran back to Charlotte and Izzy, who were walking side by side. “You two can meet everyone. They’re all so nice. They’ll welcome you with open arms.”
Charlotte smiled. “Thank you. I look forward to meeting them.”
Izzy stayed quiet, but held a wide grin.
Alan looked over his shoulder at Vince, who was dragging behind the group and had not said a single word since they left the City. “I hope he’s okay.”
“He just needs time,” Rupert said. “His best friend was killed right in front of him. A friend he’s known his entire life. I’m sure he’ll open up eventually, but for now, give him his space.”
“Right,” Ella said. “He might feel like he’s lost his only friend, but he hasn’t. We’re here for him when he needs us.” She looked straight ahead and pointed forward. “In the meantime, we march towards Snow Peak, because there’s nowhere I’d rather be right now than home.”
“How should we break the news to Martha?” Alan asked.
“She’s a strong woman,” Rupert said, “but she’ll be devastated. She truly loved Patrick. She fell apart when he first went missing. It will be tough to tell her, but it must be done. We should tell her together.”
“Right,” Alan said. “We’ll be there to comfort her. She should have friends around when she hears the news.”
“Where will we stay?” Charlotte asked.
“We have a few empty cabins. We’ll fit you in somewhere. You two could stay together. I don’t want someone her age staying by herself.”
Charlotte pulled Izzy in closer, rubbing her shoulder. “My thoughts exactly.”
Rupert smiled. “She seems to like you.”
“Of course she likes me,” she said jokingly. “What’s not to like?”
“I suppose not much. Either way, I’m glad she’s comfortable around you.” He bent down to Izzy’s level. “You’re going to stay with us. How does that sound?”
Izzy blushed and hid behind Charlotte.
“Oh, come on Izzy,” Charlotte said. “Rupert’s pretty much the nicest person you’ll ever meet. You don’t need to be afraid of him.”
Rupert chuckled. “Ah, it’s okay. I’m a big guy with a bushy beard. I’d scare myself too.”
She patted Izzy’s head. “She’ll warm up to you soon enough. To all of you. She’s just been through a lot.”
“We all have,” Rupert said. “I think this Snow Peak reunion will be good for us. It will lighten our spirits.”
Fred fluttered on Rupert’s shoulder.
He took her in his arms and stroked her feathers. “Calm down girl. There’s nothing to worry about. We’re almost home.”
She ignored his words and wriggled from his grip, popping out and falling to the snow.
“What’s gotten into you?” he said, watching her wobble ahead of the group. “She must still be adjusting to her injury. It will take some time for her to get used to only having one wing.”
Ella tilted her head. “Are you sure that’s what it is? She doesn’t seem herself. It’s true, she’s been acting different ever since we rescued her, but if anything she’s been calmer. This is different. Something’s bothering her.”
“And what would that be?” Alan asked.
Rupert shrugged. “I don’t know, but hopefully seeing some familiar faces will calm her down. Maybe she’s just excited to see everyone.”
“Maybe,” Ella said.
Rupert looked ahead. “I should probably go get her.” He trotted forward to catch up.
Alan glanced at Vince again. “Do you think he’ll stick around?”
“I don’t know,” Ella said. “He’s done what he set out to do. Greene’s dead and the tests are over. Obviously, he’s welcome to stay if he wants, but he’s been traveling his whole life with a purpose. Now that his purpose is gone, I don’t know what he’ll do.”
“And Saul’s death doesn’t help,” Charlotte said. “I think he was hoping to go through this with Saul. Together they would figure out what to do next, but now he’s left alone.”
“He’s not alone,” Ella said. “He just doesn’t realize it.”
“He’s a smart guy,” Alan said. “He’ll catch on.”
There was a scream from up ahead. “No!” Their heads popped up. It was Rupert’s voice. Their casual walk turned to a nervous jog.
“Something’s wrong,” Ella said.
“What?” Alan asked.
“I don’t know. I just have a bad feeling. Something happened in Snow Peak while we were gone.”
Alan flashed a look of concern and ran faster. Ella, Charlotte, and Izzy followed. They emerged from the woods and saw what had prompted the scream. It was carnage. Blood. Bodies. Dead. Scattered along the road. Deep stains of red drenched the white snow. Pools of crimson. Bodies were splayed along the center of the road, littered with bullets.
Rupert was kneeling over a body, weeping. They walked up behind him to see who it was. He turned his head and moved aside to reveal the corpse of a child. It was Carl. Blood trailed from the hole in his neck. Ella looked at Carl’s face, and tears flooded her eyes. She looked down at her feet. She couldn’t bear the sight. Then a thought invaded her mind.
“No,” she whispered. She looked up and searched through the bodies. “Mother? Where are you? Mother!”
Alan watched her dig through the bodies, searching for her mother, until the same realization entered his mind as well. His wife, Melinda. He ran frantically along the other side. “Melinda? Honey! Please don’t do this. Please.”
Rupert remained on his knees next to Carl’s body. He could not move. He could not speak. He
could only watch as his friends dug through loved ones. Ella found her mother, shot through the head. She held her close and wept. Alan found his wife, shot three times in the chest. He leaned in and kissed her forehead. Everyone they knew, everyone in Snow Peak, was dead.
Charlotte watched from the side as her new friends grieved the brutal death of their village. She pulled Izzy closer, shielding her innocent eyes from the gruesome scene. There was nothing she could do to help. Any words, any actions, would just upset them. So she stayed silent, watching in sorrow.
“How could this happen?” Rupert asked. “Who would do such a thing.”
“It was Greene,” Vince said, emerging from the woods. His first spoken words since they left the Spire. “Soldiers were acting under Greene’s orders.”
Alan wiped the tears from his face. “Greene’s dead.”
“It was before he died. A few days prior. He sent troops and took Snow Peak hostage. They were ordered to kill everyone if he didn’t report in at the start of every day. It was his way of keeping us in line. Making sure we didn’t kill him. The day he died, they were all doomed.”
“Charlotte?” Alan asked, looking at her with accusing eyes.
“She didn’t know,” Vince said. “Saul and I were the only ones.”
Ella’s faced grew red. “You knew about this, and you didn’t say anything? We were going to kill Greene that day! If Simon hadn’t done it, one of us would have! How could you not tell us our loved ones were in danger? Our families? Everyone we know? How could you do that?”
Alan shook his head and ran off to his cabin, slamming the door behind him.
Vince looked down at the snow. “I am sorry. I was reckless. I thought we could outsmart him. I now see that I should have told you from the start.”
