by Maxey, Phil
“Here, use this,” said Sam, handing her a piece of rag.
Jess doused it with the clear, strong smelling liquid and wiped around the wound making the boy wince, but he still remained silent.
Not your son… your son is—
She shook her head, refusing to finish the sentence.
Run… hide… live…
The rag in Jess’s hand had already turned a deep red. She looked at the blood on her hands…
“Mom?” said Sam.
Her mother blinked then stood again, grabbing a longer, cleaner piece of cloth that was hanging from a hook. Dousing it with the disinfectant she kneeled and wrapped it tightly around the boy’s head. It was the only thing she could think of doing. “Your head will hurt, but this will help. We will look out for some pain killing pills.”
“We have nothing!” screamed Sam. “No food, no water! No—” Jess threw her arms around her daughter, pulling the young girl to her and absorbed the sobs.
“Run… hide… live…” she whispered to herself.
“What?” said Sam against her chest.
“There must be stuff in this building. We’ll find what we need, then we’re going to find a vehicle and leave this…”
Leave Josh, leave Landon…
Grief threatened to overwhelm Jess, but she pulled it back just in time to allow her rational mind to keep on functioning. She looked at the innocent looking door. She had no real idea what was on the other side. Or even what floor of the building they were on, such was her panic when they ran inside. But she was going to have to find out. She pulled back from Sam. “I’m going to need you to stay here with—”
Her daughter shook her head, causing black dust to fall from her hair which was waving in front of her face. Jess swept it to the side to better see her bloodshot eyes. “We can’t stay in this room forever. I’ll go outside. I’ll find what we need and come back. Then we’ll make a plan to get a vehicle. Okay?”
Sam nodded. Tye ran forward and threw his arms around both of them, somewhat taking Jess by surprised. She lightly placed her hand on his head, looking down at him. “How’s your head?”
“It hurts… but I think I’m okay.”
She smiled, tears wanting to come to her eyes then turned and scanned across the shelves once more. “There must be something else—”
A noise echoed around the walls beyond the door, making everyone in the small space pause their breath. Sam shivered but Jess crept across to the wall and clicked the switch to the single bulb above their head, plunging them back into darkness. She reached out to both kids, holding their hands.
The creak of another door beyond their own was followed by silence…
The handle jostled, making Sam yell. Jess threw herself against the door, just as a voice came from the other side.
“Sam?” said Meg.
CHAPTER EIGHT
4: 11 a.m. Trailstone.
The light from the dying embers within the carcass of the motorhome hardly extended more than a few feet. It sat like a lantern within the ice flakes swirling around it, and Landon could see the things that were drawn to the glow, moving in the nearby shadows.
They could be in there… inside… burned… d—
He cut the invasive thought short, not allowing it to take root. He had no time for doubt or grief, his focus needed to remain on finding those who were alive. He was sure there were some. Sure that included his family. He had relayed news about the deaths of others countless times. And despite his efforts to not become numb to the delivering of such information, had become so anyway. A professional mechanism that his mind had used to stop the grief of others becoming his own. It wasn’t a matter of choice. If he wanted to be able to help those that were the friends and families of the victims, it was a necessity. His emotions he tried to keep for his own life, for his wife and children…
Something moved somewhere behind him, within the dark internals of a house he could just about make out against the lighter sky. He swore in his mind. He needed to remain focused on finding who he could, not drift off into self-pity. His memories were a trap to avoid if he was going to live through the night.
To the right of the motorhome was a large building. Standing at least three stories in height, and from its shape he was sure it was a school. But the things were surrounding it, as if they knew something… or someone was inside.
They have to be in there. If he had more sense when he fell out of the driver’s seat, he would have run in its direction as well. Something snapped behind him again. He couldn’t stay where he was. Maybe the things could see in the dark, or smell? Who knew.
His eyes had adjusted just enough for him to make out the sidewalks, fences, trees and he plotted a rough path between each, and away from the other misshapen things that were moving. He moved out from behind a bush, being painfully aware of the crunching his boots were making across the snow, which was at least a foot thick and tried to keep a fix on the closest of the monsters. There was at least thirty-feet between him and it, but he had no doubt if the thing knew he was there it would cover the distance in an instant, and his pocket knife wasn’t going to be much use against it. Luckily, like moths to a flame, it remained facing the…
Heat… they want the heat…
The smoke still bellowing from the plastic and metal framework, would probably disguise his stench, which even he was beginning to notice. He quickly moved across the road, crouching as he went and arrived behind a row of cars, parked at the start of a path which led all the way to a side entrance. He had no real idea what lay to his right or behind him, the darkness was thick with potential, but he ignored it, instead trying to see any movement beyond the double doors, some twenty feet away.
Waiting until he was sure nothing was aware of his presence, he walked forward, traipsing through the snow, but keeping from the path as the snow covered grass was quieter.
He was now close enough to the glass of the side entrance to see the reflections of the glimmering fire to his left.
They’re inside here. Sure of it.
Over the years he spent on patrol, he developed an instinct for when a building was inhabited or not. A sixth sense which had kept him alive on more than one occasion and he was—
An engine fired up to his right, around the back of the building. Not knowing who or what had caused it, he ran in that direction, stomping through the snow which was even higher and arrived at a chest-high wall, which was lit by the red glare of tailgate lights.
The rear wheels of a 90s silver sedan, some three car lengths away, were spinning in the snow. He waved his arms trying to get the occupants attention. Were there four people inside? A silhouette of a woman in the passenger’s seat, looked…
He almost didn’t hear the breathless sound of galloping, a repeating thud from behind him before it was too late, but threw himself to the side into branches and snow as something foul smelling vaulted over him and the wall, towards the car, whose engine was roaring, but equally fading in volume.
She’s alive… and leaving…
He stood, peering over the wheel just in time to catch a four-legged creature which lacked any clear head, clambering after the vehicle which passed out of sight.
She’s alive…
Screeches and roars filled the air, thicker than the ice flakes and movement was all around. He ducked back into the bush as things thundered past, all on a seemingly lost cause of trying to capture the annoying human machine which had disturbed them.
After what felt like hours, but had only been a few minutes, the night returned to silence. He checked best he could there were no more unnatural sounds or shapes amongst the wall of black surrounding him and ran back the way he came.
CHAPTER NINE
4: 53 a.m. Highway 18, heading east.
The old sedan was encased in darkness as it made its way across a barren landscape. The ground beneath the headlights was only powder white, and Meg was able to keep at a constant fifty miles per hour. She glanc
ed at the young woman to her right, who appeared to be sleeping, then switched her view to the rear mirror and Jess’s daughter who was doing the same, but the boy, he was awake, looking out into the night, the bandage across his head covered in spots of dark red.
She wondered how many more orphans there now were across the country, or perhaps they were already dead, taken by the…
Images of what happened to Grace forced their way into Meg’s mind, making her waver on the steering wheel briefly. When the thing’s appendages crashed through the motorhome’s window, she had thought everyone had managed to duck in time, but she was wrong, and a bloodcurdling scream erupted from the doctor’s throat, which was smothered by tentacles of something which stretched from the end of the creature’s limb. Fingers sprouted then covered the doctor’s face and in an instant changed her features. An eye melted into a mouth, then into something that Meg couldn’t even describe and was almost too shocked to act, but act she did, raising her shotgun and blasting at the thing, trying to rid its grip from poor Grace, but the damage was already done, the doctor was obviously dead. Meg went to grab the woman from the creature, when more gunshots boomed out, and the thing pulled Grace and part of the motorhome away.
Meg must have been knocked unconscious for she awoke on the sidewalk, half buried in snow, watching that thing tear the rest of the motorhome apart. She tried to get back up when an explosion sent her flying, ending up on her butt once more. She was ashamed to admit it, but on seeing other things moving in the glow from the raging fire, she turned and ran to the nearest building she could, which turned out to be the same one that Jess and the kids ran too, she just didn’t know it until she started to explore.
You wouldn’t believe how things have changed Liam…
She often talked to her dead husband in her mind. Sometimes even out loud when she was sure she was alone or with her dog. The company which she and he set up a few decades earlier was one of the first to offer adventures for tourists in the Rockys. Rafting, quad biking, hiking and fishing were the main ones that people visiting the small town would choose, and Liam would take small groups out, with a few others. Her job was to manage the finances, but sometimes she too would venture into the hills, ravines and woods. It had been over a year since the cancer had claimed him, and when he finally passed she knew he was ready, and that gave her some comfort. For the first few months after, she prepared his breakfast as she always had. Two eggs, hash browns, toast and some ice tea, freshly brewed then stored to chill. She would sit and look at it, then finally eat it herself while discussing the day’s business with him as she had always done.
After a few months of relying upon others to fill in for her husband, and with it becoming harder to get up at 5 a.m. she sold the business and made plans to travel far and wide while she still could. Except none of it came to fruition, and instead she decided to spend some time researching her family’s ties to the local area. It was one such evening of delving into the archives when a certain Keller family stormed into her life with news that the world had ended.
She checked the rear mirror again. The boy was sleeping now too.
Need to protect them, Liam. Use all the knowledge you taught me, that you thought I wasn’t listening too. They need to get through this, especially since…
Her eyes started to moisten at the thought of the other young boy being taken by one of those things, and the husband who seemed a good man.
I’ll get them to Missouri. Get more of that stuff, and we’re find a place to hide out for a few more days.
*****
5: 23 a.m. Trailstone.
“No, we have to go now, while it’s still dark,” said Landon. “The things, they don’t like the cold. It subdues them or something. That’s why they were drawn to the motorhome. If we wait until daylight it will be too late.” Arlene and Daryl avoided the former detective’s attention, both sat next to each other on the floor of the office, with their backs to the wall.
“You don’t know what you saw in the car, could have been—”
“I know my wife and child!” said Landon interrupting the young woman. “It was them. They’re heading east, and we can catch up with them. Or you want to stay in this infested town? You won’t last another night.”
Daryl looked at her. “Maybe he’s…” He looked away from the eyes that burned with anger.
She looked up at Landon. “And you think you’re going to survive, out there? In the storm, with those things everywhere? I say we wait until we can actually see stuff! Then we find a place to hide out, in this town. How much time we got left? Four and a bit more days? That’s easy, we can do that.” She looked at the young man next to her. “Ain’t that so, Daryl?”
“Err…” He looked between the woman and the man, not knowing who to agree with.
“Daryl?” she said again.
“On my way back, I spotted some houses with their cars still in the drive. The keys have to be inside somewhere. Probably find some food, supplies as well. Just a few minutes walk from here, but we have to go while it’s dark. While the things are distracted by the few remaining fires in the motorhome.” Arlene folded her arms. Landon looked at Daryl for an answer.
“Yeah, I’m going with you,” said Daryl.
“What?! That’s not what we agreed!”
Daryl got to his feet. “You’re immune. I ain’t. In just over half a day I become like the things outside. You want that to happen to me?”
She looked away again. “I ain’t going anywhere.”
“You can’t stay here alone!” said Daryl. “Landon’s right. You won’t be able to survive in this town. There are too many things.”
“Reckon my chances are better than wondering around in the dark!”
Daryl sighed, shaking his head. He looked back at Landon. “Sorry man, I can’t leave her.”
Landon nodded. “I understand. Well, if you do decide to head east. We’re heading to Jefferson City.” He held his hand out and Daryl shook it.
“I hope you find them.”
“I will.” Landon looked at Josh. “You don’t let go of my hand. Got it? But if someone happens, you run? You run as fast as you can and get inside a building. Any building. And you hide. Okay?” The young boy nodded.
Daryl gestured towards the flashlight, the only source of light in the room. “You should take that, it’s yours…”
“Keep it. You’re going to need it.” Landon opened the only exit the room had and listened. On only hearing the sound of the distant wind, he offered his hand to Josh who took it, and led him outside. Landon had made sure to memorize the layout as best he could the first time he crept through the hallways, and with only the slightest bump into a potted plant and a glance off a water dispenser, he found the rear door of the building once more. He was glad it was a block away from the burned out vehicle, otherwise there would be no escaping. “How’s your eyes? Adjusted yet?”
“I… think so,” said Josh.
“Good. Outside, the snow makes the ground easier to see.” Landon placed his hand on the cold metal handle and slowly turned it. The icy cold air squeezed through the gap, and he extended his hearing and olfactory sense as far outside as he could, but if there was one of the foul smelling things hiding around the corner of the building, his nose, already burning from the cold wasn’t warning him of it. “We’re going to run straight ahead, through the parking lot,” he whispered. “Try and stay low, and keep to the cars. After that, there’s a road and some residences on the other side. We’ll head to those.”
“Okay.”
Landon pulled the door further open. He was right about the blanket of white that covered everything in sight. It gave him a pretty good indication of what was ground and wasn’t. The parking lot wasn’t far, but it was impossible to cover the fresh icy crystals that lay beneath their feet in silence. If there was something within ten… fifteen feet of them. It would know.
He let out a breath, which made itself known as a cloud of mist and crept f
orward, bending over as was his son. The snow had stopped falling, allowing the forms within the dark to be more clearly defined, and they headed towards the first mound of metal and ice, moving around bushes and then a defunct street light.
Not wanting to waste any time, Landon kept on going. To their right were windows of some sort that were reflecting a smudge of light from the sky, but to their left was nothing at all, just a mass of black, with the lighter sky silhouetting buildings maybe a few hundred yards away.
They passed a car, then a truck, a van and another car, each one seemingly abandoned, and made it to the last, a coupe. This one’s rear door was open. Landon started to detour in its direction, when a metallic stench hit him. He felt Josh pull on his arm and he moved with him, away from the fumes of death.
They quickly crossed the road. A row of trees were obvious even in the almost complete black, and from the shapes that presented themselves, a long rectangular barrier and higher, triangular shapes, Landon realized they had arrived at the first of the houses he had seen earlier.
He spun around, trying to get any sense of something following them, but it wasn’t possible to see further than ten feet. At least the creatures weren’t shy when they knew where you were. So he presumed so far at least, they had not been detected. He looked back to what must have been the sidewalk, and the fence which ran alongside it.
Go around the front or over…
He turned to his side, leaning closer to Josh. “We’re going to climb over this fence,” he whispered. “I’ll lift you up and you climb down the other side.”
