“I try.” The man called Jeremy says and winks at Abigail.
“What I wouldn’t give for some crusty bread.” Jason says as he lays his rifle on the floor and sits down.
“Amen.” The young man with short blond hair says as he sniffs the soup being ladled into small metal tins by Jeremy.
“What happened here?” I ask as Jeremy hands me a rectangular metal tin full of soup. “Who were those men, back there?”
“They’re not men.” Jason spits in disgust.
“Truth be told, we don’t know what they are.” Jeremy says as he looks into his soup tin.
The group look at each other in silence. Max sits down and looks at me with a fierce look in his gray eyes.
“Don’t know nothing, huh?” Max says as I look at him briefly. I shake my head feebly, feeling stupid.
“It happened twenty years ago. So, before you were born, judging by your look.” Max says in his gravelly voice.
“Anyway, it started as strange reports from Europe. Cities were being ransacked in Russia, Germany, Spain, Italy, and France; one by one they fell. People were being slaughtered in the streets. Then just as quickly, the news stopped coming in. That was when people panicked. The President declared a curfew, and the army were deployed to stop the looting.” Max snorts and shakes his head.
“Stupid people. We didn’t know who was behind the attacks, until it was our turn.” Max closes his eyes as he continues.
“It happened so fast, the army didn’t know what hit them. We lost the east coast within the first hour. It went downhill quick. My brother and I were hiking in the hills north of Little Rock, in Arkansas, near where we lived. From our vantage point, we saw our whole world turn to shit in less than a minute. We stood frozen, hiding behind some trees as the screams turned to silence.” Tears trickle from his closed eyes.
“We headed down, once they had moved on, and you wouldn’t believe the carnage. Schools, stores, homes, hell, even the local library, all were painted red with blood. My neighbors, my friends, my family. Gone.” Max snapped his fingers, and opens his eyes.
“Just like that. My brother and I took what we could and headed north. I wanted to get as far away from those monsters, and what they had done.” He closes his eyes again and takes a deep breath before letting out a sigh, which is almost a growl.
“But there was death everywhere we looked. Kansas City was no exception. We found it pretty much as you see it now. I saw some news footage in a store window, before we lost the power, which showed the enemy. I couldn’t believe what I saw. Seven feet tall, they were, with pale blue skin, and jet black hair. Red eyes. Naked, they were, all of them. Covered in blood and guts as they walked through a barrage of bullets, swatting them from the air like they were flies.” He opens his eyes and shivers. “They laid to waste everything and everyone in their path. No one could stop them. Grenades, missiles, machine guns, tanks, they were as toys to these blue freaks.”
“Every now and then, they come through, looking for survivors.” The woman brushing Abigail’s hair says as Max takes his tin of soup from Jeremy.
“Today was a close call.” Abigail says, then she sips her soup. “Mmmm.” She murmurs.
“Even after twenty years, they still look for survivors?” I ask nervously.
“They enjoy killing us.” Max says. “They fight amongst themselves, but killing each other is harder. We’re much easier prey.”
“We hide, we hunt, we remain quiet, and we pray.” Jeremy says as he sits down to eat his soup.
“What happened to your brother?” I ask.
Max exhales slowly and turns his head away.
I shiver as I sip my soup. I feel like I’ve walked into a nightmare. What the hell are these blue-skinned devils? Where did they come from? The soup warms me as it goes down. The soup is delicious. It turns out that I do like Elk.
Later, as the light fades from the sky, and the building becomes like a cave, I take a slow walk with the woman, Theresa. She shows me the areas where I am permitted, and points at the areas which are off-limits.
We stop at the edge of the floor and lean on the metal railing, looking out into the dark empty space.
“Abigail’s strong willed, but she has a good heart.” Theresa says as she stands next to me.
“I like her.” I say.
“She’s very precious to me.” Theresa says and looks at me. “I would do anything to protect her.” She adds with a threatening look.
“Me too. I would never harm her.” I say.
“I want to believe you.” Theresa says, then turns and gazes back out into the darkness.
Two
Blue-skinned demons with red eyes chase me through concrete alleys. Howling and laughter fill the air as they close in for the kill.
I wake up bathed in sweat. It’s still dark. I pull the blanket they gave me up to my chin, and shiver in the dark. I pinch myself. Yep, I’m awake. Yet, this all feels like a nightmare.
I think of Abigail, the way she sniffed the air before taking off like a scared dog. Can she smell them?
Why am I so cold? I think, as I shiver under the blanket. My hands feel like ice, yet my forehead feels like its burning. As I begin to close my eyes, the headache strikes again. The pain starts behind my eyes before it splinters up my head like tongues of lightning, spreading the pain all through my head before heading down my spine. I rub my back and clench my teeth as the pain starts again. I shiver uncontrollably while the pain dances around my head. I roll over on to my back and stare up at the dark girders high above me.
A large star, the size of a Labrador, and painted silver hangs high above me. I watch as the star slowly turns and swings, ever so gently. The pain eventually fades, and I wipe the sweat from my face with the blanket. I let out a groan, then roll on to my side and look across at Jason, who has been stationed as my chaperone. I can see the whites of his eyes as he stares at me, then he rolls on to his side, facing away from me. I close my eyes and try to sleep.
The next morning, I am woken by Abigail. Her excited face is inches from mine, as she prods me with her finger.
“Come on, wake up.” Abigail says as she continues to poke me with her finger.
“Alright, alright, I’m up.” I mumble and yawn.
“Come and have breakfast.” Jason says as he stands up and walks away.
I clamber to my feet, and stagger as a bout of dizziness makes the floor sway beneath my feet. I grab the metal railing to steady myself, and feel the cold metal bend beneath my fingers. I quickly let go and look around nervously.
What the hell is happening to me?
“Don’t be weird. Come on.” Abigail says, and gestures for me to follow her.
The sleeping area is on the third floor, near the washrooms. I slip on the running shoes, that Theresa gave me, along with a red sweater, and follow Abigail and Jason downstairs to the second floor.
Breakfast is a quick affair. An apple and a clear broth, which tasted like grass; if I ever had the urge to chew it like a cow does, I definitely don’t now.
Max stands up afterwards, then points at me.
“You’ll be paired with Jeremy today.” Max says, and I turn and see Jeremy sharpening a long hunting knife on a wet stone. My stomach does a flip.
“Come on then, kid.” Jeremy says as he stands and slips the knife into a brown leather sheath hanging from his belt.
I get up and smile at Abigail, then follow Jeremy away from the group. He heads to a wall where some backpacks lie in neat rows, and grabs a red backpack. I follow him as he turns and heads down a dark corridor.
“Stay here. I’ll be right back.” Jeremy says then opens a door further down. I hear something wooden bang against something metal, making a dull clang. Then he slings something over his shoulder and closes the door. When he comes into view, I see a crossbow slung over his left shoulder.
“This way.” Jeremy says cheerily, walking toward the motionless escalators.
“Where are we going?�
�� I ask as I gaze at the crossbow bouncing on his back, as he walks down to the next floor.
“Hunting.” He says over his shoulder and grins.
“Oh.” Really? “What are we hunting for?” I ask as he turns to his right and begins to head towards the wall.
“Food. Plus, we need to see if those blue bastards are still around.”
“Oh, shit.” I blurt out as I realize the danger I’m walking into.
“Ha. You remember that word, I see.”
“Sorry. It just kind of popped out.” I say and feel the blood rushing to my cheeks.
“It’s good that you’re scared.” He says as he glances over his shoulder at me. “It means you might actually listen to me.” He snorted and continued walking, following the wall on our left as we walk the length of the mall.
I look around me as we walk. Dull light seeps through from some of the stores, which have windows facing the street, bathing everything in shadow. Dust motes dance in the shimmering light, rising and swirling as moths flutter around. Great round girders crisscross the vast empty space above from wall to wall. I notice plenty of cobwebs above me, some so huge that they could probably trap a person, if they could get up there.
As we walk, I peer into the various stores. Clothing, electronics, jewelers, pet grooming and accessories.
“You want a new jacket?” Jeremy says as he stops by one of the clothing stores. The sign above reads, GAP.
It wouldn’t hurt to take a look.
“Sure.” I say and head inside. I find the petite section and begin searching the racks. A thick padded purple jacket catches my eye. It has grey fur trim around the hood, and looks warm. I tear off the price tag and slip it on. I smile at Jeremy as I zip it up.
“Come on.” He says and begins walking again.
The jacket feels wonderful. I feel warm and snug, and slip my cold hands into its pockets.
We walk for another fifteen minutes before we descend another stationary escalator. This section of the mall is filled with sports stores. Kayaking, mountain climbing gear, skiing clothing, football and baseball shirts and caps. Jeremy heads into a baseball cap store and walks to the back.
He stops and turns to me.
“Okay, time for the rules. So, listen up.” Jeremy says and hands me a pair of binoculars.
“Number one. You do as I say, when I say. Got it?”
I nod my head.
“Good. Second. You got to be as quiet as a mouse, so watch where you step. No talking, unless I ask you a question. Got it?”
“Sure.”
“Third. If you see any wolves, mountain cats, bears or anything unsavory, especially anything blue, you make sure you don’t keep that shit to yourself. Got it?” He asked as he readied his crossbow.
I nod my head, then I look at the binoculars in my hands.
“Don’t I get a weapon?” I ask. I don’t like the idea of running into bears, wolves or those blue freaks, with just my good intentions.
“Prove yourself first. Then we’ll trust you.” He says before opening a plain door into a dark hallway.
I don’t like this.
I follow him into the dark hall as he heads towards some beams of daylight. The hall smells musty and stale, and very dusty. A trail of footprints lead through the dust towards a door. Its reinforced glass window has been painted over, but there are some gaps, which let in enough light to see the door handle.
Jeremy holds up his hand and peers through one of the gaps. He tilts his head left and right, then waves me forward. He opens the door slowly, holding it open for me and motioning me ahead of him. He closes the door gently behind him and holds the crossbow up to his shoulder, at the ready, and begins to stalk towards an over turned fire truck.
He motions me to stop, then he sniffs the air and gazes about slowly. He walks to the end of the fire truck, with its great wheels above us, casting shadows along the street, and peers down the street, before looking up at the buildings. He waves me forward, and maintaining a crouch, walks silently down the street away from the mall towards an intersection.
He stops and ducks behind a burned out car, or abandoned truck every now and then, and sniffs the air, while looking around. I’m starting to sweat now as we head left down the intersection. The street is so wide, and half demolished buildings lie spread out over the entire area.
I feel exposed. I begin to imagine blue faces in the dark windows. Red eyes watching me. I almost bump into Jeremy as he stops and ducks behind the corner of a McDonald’s restaurant. He looks at me with a concerned expression, and nods his head down at the binoculars in my hands.
I nod my head in understanding and raise the binoculars. I adjust the focus, and the image becomes crisp and clear. I scan the street and buildings. Something dark moves to our left, and I swing the binoculars left slowly. It’s moving away from us, disappearing behind a bus. I thought I saw a tail.
I lower the glasses, but the bus still fills my vision. I reach out with my hand towards it, then all I can see are the tiny hairs on my hand. I close my eyes and shake my head. When I open them again, the bus is now in the distance.
“What is it?” Jeremy whispers.
“A wolf, or maybe a dog.” I whisper in return, as my heart hammers in my throat.
What the hell is wrong with me?
He nods, and begins stalking along the street again. A few minutes later and I hear a long howl from up the street. Jeremy holds up his right hand. Another howl rings out, but this one seems further away.
We wait a few more minutes, before Jeremy begins walking again, crossbow at the ready.
As we continue, the number of trees increase. There are more grassy areas now. Jeremy steps out of the street and begins walking through the tall grass towards some trees. The grass is so wild, it comes up to my shoulders. Jeremy moves slowly, and I follow and watch where he steps and try to copy his movements.
Jeremy disappears from view as the grass closes in behind him, then I step out into what looks like a park. A large green dragon grins amongst the moss and rust, as the swings and climbing frames lie in ruins.
Jeremy turns and puts his finger to his lips, and points to my right. I crouch slowly as I turn, and spy a buffalo.
Its thick horned head is bent down, as it grazes on some grass, eighty feet away, near a rusty station wagon. The dark fur around its shoulders ripples in the breeze, as it chews slowly.
Jeremy waves his hand down, and I crouch at the edge of the long grass. He kneels on one knee ahead of me and raises his crossbow. I hear him draw a breath, then hold it. As I wait and listen, I hear a thumping, slow, rhythmic. The thrum of the crossbow startles the animal, and it raises its head. The crossbow bolt enters its jaw, and quivers as the buffalo shakes its head and bellows.
“Damn it.” Jeremy curses, then resets the crossbow.
The buffalo turns and sees Jeremy as he begins to fit another bolt. With a snort of rage, the buffalo charges towards us.
“Shit. Shit.” Jeremy says as he brings the crossbow up and fires again. The bolt hits the animal in the forehead, and bounces off as it continues to charge Jeremy.
As the animal gets closer, my heart races, and I hear another thumping nearby, but much faster.
This buffalo is gonna kill us.
I glance up at Jeremy as he begins to reload the crossbow, but I can see that he won’t load it in time. I look at the snorting and bloodied animal with the bolt sticking out of its jaw.
I feel sick. A panic sets in and I clench my jaw.
I gotta do something.
Before I realize what I’m doing, I’m on my feet and racing towards the enraged animal. In a heartbeat, I find myself in front of Jeremy, and pull my right arm back as I ball my hand into a fist.
I feel a rush of adrenaline, as I take a swing at the buffalo when it’s only a foot away. I hear a crack when my fist connects with its skull.
The animal falls at my feet, trembles and snorts, then lies silent.
“Holy shit!”
Jeremy blurts out from behind me.
Three
“Oh my god.” I gasp as I gaze down at the dead animal lying at my feet.
“How the hell did you do that?” Jeremy asks, and steps around cautiously with his crossbow aimed at me.
“I don’t know.” I answer as I try to slow down my breathing.
I reach down and pull the bolt from the animal’s jaw, then hand it to Jeremy. He snatches the bolt quickly and wipes it on the animal’s fur.
“How strong are you?” He asks as he steps back with his crossbow still aimed at my face.
“Would you mind lowering that, please?” I ask.
He motions at the buffalo with his crossbow. “Pick it up.”
“It’s huge.” I complain.
“Try.”
I am curious, so I step around to the side and crouch down. I slide my hands under its stomach and stand up. The animal comes up off the ground, before it slips from my arms and falls to the ground.
“It’s too awkward.” I say. “Hang on.” I add, then reach down and grab a hold of its fur with both hands, two shoulder-widths apart. I heave the creature into the air, and stand with the buffalo raised above my head.
A smile slowly creeps across Jeremy’s shocked face.
“You’re going to come in handy.” He says and gestures for me to follow him.
“She did what?” Jason asks for the third time.
“She killed the brute with one punch. I shit-you-not.” Jeremy says with a chuckle, as I stand near the wall with the blond haired kid aiming a shotgun at my side.
I cross my arms and sigh as Max stands with his back to me. He hasn’t said a word yet, and his silence makes me uneasy.
I can see the fear in their faces as they glance over at me. Max grumbles something before walking off towards the escalators. Abigail takes a step towards me, but Theresa puts a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.
“I told you to behave yourself.” Abigail says and frowns at me.
“What?” Theresa gasps. “You knew she was a freak?”
Cosmic Girl: Lost & Found: Superhero series for young adults - Book Three. Page 2
