by A J Donovan
“You look lost, little lady. Need someone to show you the ropes? We can help you out and then maybe you’ll help us out.”
I burst out laughing.
Tom snarls viciously and lifts his hand to slap me.
I flick my fingers and a wall of air hits his chest and throws him off his feet. His shotgun leaves his hand and skids under the truck. He lands roughly and comes to a stop with a groan, holding his head in his hands.
“Oh,” I pout. “Did the poor baby hit his head?”
The driver looks like he’s about to wet himself and throws himself across the front seat like he can hide from me. The ugly one curses and spits something disgusting over the side of the truck before he jumps down. “I’ll kill you for that!”
I roll my eyes as he brings his rifle up. “You think you can hurt me? With that? You saw what I just did to your friend.” I let myself smile again. “And that was me being nice. You don’t want to make me angry.”
He swallows thickly, and we have a few long seconds of staring into each other’s eyes around the barrel of his gun. Clearly I’m convincing, because he backs off slowly, and then points the gun at the sky and lifts his other hand up.
I hide my relief. I don’t know if I can stop bullets yet.
“Get out of here,” I tell them. The driver puts the truck in gear and the engine roars to life.
The ugly one kicks the side of the truck. “You leave with my truck and I’ll kill you!”
The driver freezes, glancing into the wing mirror. He must be too scared of the ugly one to disobey him. He stares straight ahead and grips the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turn white.
The ugly one helps Tom Sawyer back onto his feet and pulls him onto the truck. I don’t break eye contact with him until they’re securely on the bed. Then I snap my fingers at the driver. He yelps in fear and floors the gas.
The truck swerves wildly as it picks up speed. I don’t let down my guard until they’re out of sight. Surprisingly, they don’t try to shoot me. I scared them off.
They were big and male and they had guns and I made them run away with their tails between their legs.
I smile.
***
I have a good feeling about this area. I’m hoping to find a grocery store or some kind of surplus store soon.
There are raised voices on the next street and I immediately drop into a crouch and hug the nearest wall. A single gunshot rings through the silence, and air closes in around me like a shield. My encounter with those three thugs made me realise I need to work on my defences. I don’t even know if I could stop a bullet, but the time for doubting myself was left back with Matt’s body. I’ll stop the bullets or I’ll die trying.
I move towards the corner of the building. The anger and fear in their voices catches my attention. Guns and high emotions are never a good combination. I can hear three or four men speaking, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t more of them. There could be a dozen silent threats on the other side of this building. I ready myself to release a burst of power, just in case, and then peek around the corner.
Seven men in military uniforms are standing beside an open topped SUV. It’s definitely a good idea for anyone carrying guns, it’s easy to shoot from and easy to get off in a hurry. Not much in the way of protection, though.
“You’re a freak, Cole!”
The man speaking looks brutish, which isn’t helped by the mix of fear and anger that is written all over his face. The man he is spitting his words at looks younger, probably in his mid-twenties. Cole’s skin is pale, too pale, and he is holding his arm tenderly. He is also standing awkwardly. I would guess a broken rib or two. He must be infected.
Cole doesn’t reply and I get the feeling that he agrees with the angry man. I frown. Why would he be a freak? Lots of people have gotten bitten and turn into monsters. He’s a victim, if anything.
An older man steps forward. “Watch your tongue, Maguire,” he says. He exudes authority and judging by the reactions of the rest of the soldiers, he’s in charge. “If Acosta is immune, then he’s with us. He hasn’t turned yet. As far as I’m concerned, he is still one of us until he dies and comes back to life as a walker. Is that clear?”
There are some reluctant, muttered responses from the men. All I can think about is the fact that there are other immune people out there. It might not be this Cole person, but they have heard of others. I’m not alone.
“And,” the man adds, giving Cole a steady look. “If he starts showing any symptoms, I’ll deal with him myself. Alright?”
The responses this time are more animated.
Cole looks away from his commanding officer and happens to look towards my hiding spot. I duck back quickly, holding my breath and trying to listen to anything besides my pounding heart. Did he see me?
No one yells, there are no running footsteps. I might be safe. I focus on the air between these two buildings, sensing for disturbances. There’s no movement. No one’s sneaking up on me. I sigh in relief and allow myself to risk peering around the corner again.
Everyone’s attention is on the older man and the first man who spoke. They’re having some kind of argument.
“We’ve all heard the stories! The other troops we passed told us-”
“I know what they said, Maguire,” the man says sharply. “That might have nothing to do with Acosta. And besides, do you really believe stories you heard from terrified men about people with superpowers?”
I freeze. There are others with powers, too. There are people out there who are immune and people who have developed strange abilities. I am comforted by the fact that I’m not alone, but I can’t help but worry about what people might do with this kind of power. I created a hurricane without meaning to. What would people be capable of if they deliberately tried to spread chaos?
“But, sir-”
“No, Maguire, it’s my way or the highway.”
Maguire looks mutinous. I suddenly wonder if he’s going to desert. He wouldn’t, would he? Maybe he would. This is the apocalypse, after all. I don’t know how much of the military is even still standing. He might decide to go rogue or find some other troop to join.
Another thought occurs to me while they start arguing more loudly. He might decide to leave and come this way. Or they might all leave together and come this way. I need to move. I could announce myself and join them but the thought of getting to know more people makes me feel sick. I don’t need to get involved with any more people. Scott and Cara’s deaths are still fresh in my mind. I can still remember how close I got to them in just a few hours. That can’t happen again
I am completely distracted by dark memories so when the angry yelling and stomping boots reaches me, I panic. My heart beat picks up speed and I quickly scan the area for somewhere to hide. I could make a break for the next corner but it’s too far away. I might not make it in time.
The footsteps are almost here. I rush to the door of the building and pull at the door handle. It opens straight away and I step inside, closely the door softly behind me. I could have used my power to take on a few soldiers but there are too many of them and they’re all armed. I might win but it’s a risk.
I breathe a sigh of relief when the footsteps pass the door without stopping. I don’t move, there could be more of them following him. And then teeth rip into my arm.
I yell out, in shock more than pain, and then lash out with the poker in my hand. The spiked end sinks into something solid but the jaws don’t release me. Suddenly I can hear more movement in the darkness.
I squint but I can’t see a thing. Scuffling sounds come from behind me, followed by a thud, and then sharp pain explodes in my ankle. One of those idiots fell and it’s too stupid to get back up.
Anger floods through me. My free hand grips the walker on my arm by the back of its neck and I rip my weapon free of its chest. I take a deep breath and force myself not to gag on the stench by pure force of will. I drive the poker just above my hand and the walke
r suddenly goes limp. I must have I stabbed its brain.
I raise the poker and bring it down hard on the head of the walker on my leg. I’m suddenly free of clinging walkers but I’m not safe yet. Another undead abomination rushes me from the left. I hear the noise but I can’t place it until I feel the air shift and move around it. It’s like an empty space where the air should be. I spin and put my momentum behind the poker. It’s a direct hit to the skull. I grin. I can see in the dark.
Another two, at the far end of the room. They’re slow, one is injured and the other got its foot stuck in something. I stride toward them confidently, twirling my weapon in a big circle as excited anticipation rises in my chest.
I take the stuck one first, driving the poker through the side of its head with as much strength as it would take to cut through butter. A voice in the back of my head reminds me it shouldn’t be that easy. I ignore it. The injured walker is next, I bash in its head until there’s nothing left.
A savage grin is plastered across my face but I don’t care. No one can see me in the darkness. No one can see how much I’m enjoying this. It’s comforting, like I can do anything I want and there won’t be consequences. I feel free. Laughter bubbles up in my throat but voices outside cut through my adrenaline rush.
“Did you hear that? Something’s going on in there.”
“Should we check it out?”
“I don’t know, guys, let’s ask the Captain.”
“There could be people in there that need our help. I’m going in.”
I turn and jump over a corpse as I sprint towards the back door. I don’t want to join them. I don’t want to be seen. I need to get back to Rex. There are so many reasons not to be caught, and yet, when I leap over a table and slide to a stop in front of the back door, I hesitate.
The front door opens and sunlight streams in, lighting up the carnage and throwing everything back into perspective. Cole Acosta looks inside, eyes wide with shock when he sees the dead walkers.
He looks up at me, and for just a second, we make eye contact and something electric passes between us. He’s like me.
And then I’m gone.
* * *
I find a store on the way back to Rex and I can see mannequins and shelves of clothes inside. I am covered in walker blood and my clothes were already in tatters, so this is long overdue. I walk in and the empty store sends a shiver down my spine. This place should be full of people, bustling around and looking through the pieces of clothing to find the one they want. Now, it’s silent and empty.
As soon as I notice how empty the store is, there’s a noise and a dead cheerleader and her equally dead mother come stumbling from behind a rack of dresses.
I don’t give them time to cross the distance between us. I lift both hands and use the air to crush their skulls. It’s a lot less intimate than the poker.
I find some practical jeans and boots and throw on a black leather jacket over a simple shirt. I force myself not to walk through the jewellery and accessory areas of the store. It would be completely unnecessary to take anything.
I find a grocery store a couple of blocks away and slip inside, taking out three infected and keeping an eye out for men with guns. Soldiers or idiots, it doesn’t matter. I’m flying solo and I don’t want to waste more time if they try to confront me.
I show up at the house I left Rex in with my new clothes and a couple bags full of food and supplies. The moment I step inside I can feel a presence in the house.
It’s pressing against my mind, like it’s waiting for me. For some reason, I’m not afraid. I don’t think it’s dangerous. At least, I don’t it’s a danger to me. It sounds ridiculous but I remind myself that the world has become strange and confusing. I trust my instincts and move towards the stairs.
I make my way across the landing upstairs and move past the remains of the walker I killed earlier. I stop outside the bedroom. I can feel whatever it is behind the door. It’s the same room I left Rex in. Something nudges against my mind but I resist the urge to let them in. I can’t trust this, no matter how much I want to. For all I know, this thing could have eaten Rex while I was too far away to protect him.
Air forms a shield in front of me as I push the door open.
That’s not Rex.
Fear grips me. The beast is huge, far taller than me, and covered in huge muscles and rough, scaly skin. It crouches and prepares to pounce. I watch in dumb fascination as its scaly skin ripples with every movement of the thick muscles underneath. Razor sharp claws tear deep grooves into the floorboards.
My throat is suddenly very dry.
The beast’s deep red eyes are terrifying, like something straight out of a horror movie. In the red, there’s a glimmer of playful mischief.
What?
The beast leaps at me and I fall backwards, calling the air to wrap me in a protective layer. As it turns out, I don’t need it. The beast pants heavily as it towers over me with its front paws on either side of my head. I can see into its mouth, all the lethal teeth that could tear my head from my shoulders.
Then he licks my face.
I stare up at him. His tongue is hanging out of the side of his mouth.
“Rex?”
***
Chapter 14 - Beast
Jake
I push Diana out of the way.
The beast is made of muscle and claws and teeth and is more than twice my size. It misses Diana by inches and crashes into me. We hit the floor hard. The beast sinks its fangs into my shoulder and pain spikes through me. I am so unused to pain that it takes me completely off guard. I try to blindly shove it away but it’s too strong.
Power pours through my hand and the beast screams as ice flows over its face and neck, but it pulls away before I can do any proper damage. I push myself onto my feet and stumble backwards, trying to get some distance between us. Blood pours from my shoulder, but at least the thing didn’t rip out a huge chunk of flesh. It could have been a lot worse. Frost spreads over my shoulder and the blood flow stops for now.
Diana fires a shot but the beast only snarls at her before turning back to me. It must have armoured skin. Its powerful hind legs ripple with muscle as it prepares to lunge at me again. I don’t understand why it is still focused on me. The walkers always lose interest after they taste my blood. Predatory intent is in its eyes and suddenly this feels far more terrifying than before. This thing wants to kill immune people in particular.
My instincts take over as it throws itself at me. My power shifts, flowing into my skin and turning solid like ice a split second before the beast crashes into me. We burst through the back wall. Bricks and chunks of plaster shower down around me as I struggle back to my feet. The beast was stunned by the collision too but it recovers quickly. I force myself not to panic as the beast circles me.
Pain flares across my body but I know nothing is broken. I would be dead if my power hadn’t done that, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt. That was the first time I felt real pain since I turned.
The beast’s eyes are surprisingly intelligent, not quite like a human, but far more than an animal. It knows I’m strong. It’s stalling, coming up with a new plan. I do the same. I wonder if it has any weaknesses.
As soon as I break eye contact to glance at its skin the beast roars and pounces again. I drop on my back and kick up, using my power to strengthen my legs. I connect with its underside and the beast is thrown over me, towards the front of the shop.
Through the big shop windows, I see the rest of our group.
I curse and get up, making as much noise as possible to keep its attention on me. The beast looks up, shaking its head groggily, then starts growling. It’s starting to get angry.
How in the world am I going to beat this thing?
I notice the patch of ice on its skin. It’s small, smaller than it should be. Can the beast resist my powers? I’m not sure, but I think it’s healing, too. This is going very bad very fast.
“Go left!” Diana s
houts.
I jump to the left before my brain can fully process her words. I’m barely out of the way when I hear a shot and a bullet cracks off the beast’s face. It roars in pain, but it’s not damaged, and it’s definitely not dead.
“I tried to shoot through its eye!”
“Good plan,” I say. The beast’s murderous eyes flick back to me immediately. It was angry at Diana for hurting its face but the moment I spoke I became its priority again. It really is obsessed with immune blood.
“Go around the long way and get everyone else out of here.”
I don’t wait to see if she does it or not. The beast growls again and paws at the ground impatiently. The four deadly, serrated claws on its foot leave deep grooves in the floor with painfully sharp scraping noises. It wants me to come to it.
I focus on letting my power flow through my skin again and then run straight at it. One of its legs is flexing so I’m ready when it slashes at me. I duck and send a punch reinforced by ice under its jaw. It connects with a loud crack and the beast is thrown backwards. It crashes through three aisles of shelves and hits the far wall.
I hear gunshots outside, hopefully it’s just the others taking care of curious biters. I would give anything to be facing a normal walker right now. The beast struggles to get to its feet and I can see that there’s something wrong with its jaw. That punch must have been more powerful than I realised.
It roars its pain and anger and the sound bounces around the ruined shop. I grit my teeth and rush at it. I can’t let it recover. I spread my fingers this time, I have to change things up. It’s smarter than the walkers. I can’t keep trying the same thing, it’s going to expect another punch. It swipes at me again but I drop down and slide underneath it instead.
I hoped its armoured skin would be softer underneath. It makes sense that the front and top of it would be better protected than the underside and the flanks. Those areas look like they’re about as hard as tough leather, not the impenetrable granite that covers the rest of it.
