by Maxey, Phil
Andy, Vance and Landon led the group, using the front of the truck to cover their left as glimpses of claw and leathery skin surged from every other direction. A wall of mutated fury scrambled across the road, then up the steps, bullets tearing pieces from them but not stopping the things from progressing. Scott heard a noise from above and instinctively swung his weapon up into the sky and let forth a volley at the shadow about to land on them. It careered off with a screech, being lost in the horde.
The group inched forward but the army of creatures appearing within their flashlight’s beams was increasing. Exposed bones, covered in layers of muscles and moist skin, with claws and hooks, all combined together so it was impossible to make out one creature from another.
“Where are you!” shouted Sanchez from Luci’s radio, she almost not hearing him.
“There are too—” She fired at something with large trunk like legs and only a snapping serpentine head for a torso. It fell back into the dark. “— Many! We’re trying!”
Enclosed within the protection of the others, Sam stood with Lachlan. She could feel his shaking, smell his fear and knew they were going to die. No one was going to make it the eighty-yards to the train. No one was going to save Josh. The man that kept her in a bottle like a doll was going to win…
Her hand touched the cold metal of the truck’s fender and with it came the solution. She ran forward and pulled Esther back, the older woman spinning around thinking she was being attacked from behind. “The truck!” shouted Sam.
Esther immediately understood. She looked back at the others. “Everyone climb inside the cabin!”
Sam and Lachlan were the first to do so then Jess as Andy turned and with Vance and Landon ran and jumped up, squeezing between the seats to the back space.
“Come on!” shouted Esther as Scott with Luci’s help hobbled back, both firing as the things approached, then the former climbing inside.
Esther jumped up into the driving seat as Luci still fired with rage for her fallen friend, at anything getting closer. The older woman reached below the steering column, turning the key in the ignition that Sanchez had left. The engine fired, the powerful lights lighting the street making her heart skip more than one beat with what was now illuminated. A swarm of misshapen bodies covered every available space, in all directions. Esther placed it in gear and pushed down on the gas, the truck jolting forward. “Luci!” she shouted again, her door swinging open.
Luci turned, running back and jumped up on the door frame, then frantically pushed herself behind Esther’s seat as whoever had a weapon fired from the rear windows. “We gotta go. Less than two minutes!”
Esther pulled the door closed, while the truck surged forward, the heavy vehicle dropping down the steps onto the road smashing against the things that were clambering to get out of the way or gain access to the humans almost within reach. The windshield shattered as more than one claw smashed into it. Scott, in the passenger’s seat, saw the danger and pointed his weapon at the thing clinging onto the hood but his finger only produced a click from the trigger. Esther didn’t see the danger, her eyes only focused on gaining speed. The truck bounced up the curb as she aimed for the only gap between the trees, the wheels crumpling bushes and metal fence alike. A storm of bullets flashed past the windows on either side as the truck barged over then down a small mud bank and dropped quickly onto the first track. She slammed on the breaks but their momentum was too great and they kept moving towards the diesel locomotive.
“Shit… Shit.. Shit…”
Everyone braced for impact as they hit another track, this time though the truck skidded to a sudden stop, sending the cabin’s occupants flying forward, Esther and Scott only just managing not to fly through the cracked windshield. She immediately flung open her door, Scott the same but then pulled it back as something rushed from the darkness to his right. It smashed into the door, shattering the side window. As Esther jumped down, others joining her, the thing on the other side of the truck tried to force its claws through the broken window as Vance fired what remained in his magazine, causing it to roar and fall back.
A line of men and women were on the tracks, firing at the wave of things pushing towards them.
“Here!” shouted Sanchez from an open boxcar, just tens of feet away.
Jess’s hands were taken by her daughter who led and Landon who followed, each ducking while running as projectiles and screeches consumed their senses.
Sam whirled around, almost lifting her mother up by herself to Sanchez who helped Jess then Landon the rest of the way. Then doing the same for Lachlan and herself, while others ran to the boxcar behind.
“It’s going to blow!” shouted Jess to Sanchez, pointing in the direction of the tower.
His eyes widened and he jumped back onto the tracks. “Close it!” he shouted as he started shouting frantically for the others to get on board.
Sam heaved and pulled the heavy door closed.
Jess looked at the ashen faces that filled the space behind them, most sitting near stacks of wooden and plastic crates. She turned to Sam. “Are you—”
The night turned to day for an instant and the floor shook before the explosion of noise canceled all other sound. Instinctively everyone crouched covering their heads, the Kellers crawling together.
The boxcar jolted forward as the rumbling increased, the iron and wooden structure rattling, shaking, tilting from side to side as if they were trying to navigate a turbulent sea. Cries and shouts were coming from all around, but the thunderous noise was incessant, drowning out the occupants’ pleas to live.
Jess held her loved ones close, not knowing whether the tracks were far enough away from the thousands of tons of steel and concrete…
The train picked up speed and a voice came from her radio.
“I think we’re clear,” said Owen. “We’ll be stopping once we’re outside the city to see to the wounded. Over.”
As Sam, Landon and many others unwrapped themselves from those relieved to be alive, Jess pivoted in her position near the door and tried to see through the tiniest of gaps back to where they had just been. Josh was in the city, she was sure of it and she couldn’t suppress the ache in her heart at moving away from him.
Sam threw her arms around her mother. “We’ll find him, mom.”
*****
7: 15 a.m. Dallas.
Finn paced back and forth, shaking his head. He stood on the fourteenth-floor of an office building in downtown Dallas, just a few blocks away from the city’s main station, which was bathed in a glow of flames and smoke which raged in the base of another building nearby. “Why don’t we finish it! They’re getting away!”
The other being in the open plan room with cubicles and rotting potted plants, stood in silence. His catlike eyes being able to see the sea of movement within the streets and parking lots below.
“I mean… why play these games? They’re going to let those in Galveston know we’re coming! And look at how many we’ve—” A hand, or maybe it was a claw? Was constricting his throat. It was attached to a stalk like appendage that had emerged from the back of the creature previously known as Arthur Rackham, even though the scientist’s body was still facing the window, his eyes calmly observing the chaos.
“Do not question what you do not understand,” said Rackham. “The girl has a larger role to play. Not one I originally planed, but perhaps this way is better. More fitting. And as you know the serum is spreading throughout those that are still left, and they are making their way south from all over the country.” The claw released its grip and Finn bent over, rage in his heart, trying to gather air into his lungs.
Beneath the building in the dense black of an underground parking garage, Arlo and Josh sat in the back seat of Finn’s sedan in silence. Arlo had tried to count in his mind, to keep some kind of idea of the time the two monsters had been gone, but before he reached around thirty, pain would surge across a limb or his back and he would forget the number and reset back to
zero. He let out a breath in frustration. He knew the boy was awake, knew he was listening. He also knew the boy was traumatized and any talk of attempt to escape might result in a worse outcome than last time.
“Your parents are still out there. And if there’s—”
“I don’t care. It doesn’t matter anymore. Everyone’s dead. Your dead and so am I.”
Arlo held his breath, knowing that his effort to sit up further was going to cost him. In one swift movement, he pushed his throbbing legs into the floor and jolted up the seat but quickly stopped as a cascade of burning pain spread from his lower back. He groaned, having to wait a few seconds for the pain to dissipate so he could at least string two thoughts together. “You got any water?”
There was a rustling. “I can’t see much. I have to touch your face, so I know where to pour.”
“Yeah, it’s fine… Thanks.”
Josh missed with some but enough made it into Arlo’s dry throat to allow him to feel normal for a moment. “Neither of us are dead, Josh. We’re still breathing and we’re still us. That means...” The sobs were quiet and subdued but undeniable. If his hands weren’t tied he would have placed one on the boy’s shoulder but as it was all he had was words. “You are much braver than me.”
There was a sniff. “What do you mean?”
“Shit, if I were your age, I’d be freaking out. I’d probably just gone plain crazy…” He wasn’t sure if he was helping or making things worse.
“I don’t know what going crazy would feel like. I just know I want this to be over. I want the monster men to get to where they want to go, then maybe they will let me go.”
“Where are they going?”
“They didn’t say exactly. They don’t talk much, but the older one said it’s somewhere he can continue his work. Whatever that is.”
“Did he say why he took you?”
“Just that I’m important. Like my mother and sister…”
“They’re right about that, buddy. You are important and that means they won’t harm—”
A clatter came from across the parking lot along with the sound of boots. There was no swaying flashlight beams though, the two approaching humanoid figures didn’t need them.
“Please, don’t try and escape again! Promise me you won’t try to do that?”
“Hey it’s okay. I promise. I won’t do that again.”
The driver’s then passenger’s door opened and in got their abductors. Arlo let out a breath. He hated lying.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
7: 37 a.m. Texas.
A clear blue sky, tinged with pinks and mauves in the east sat above the Keller’s as they made their way down a gravel track alongside the boxcars. A young woman with an arm full of bloody rags ran past them in the opposite direction. A meeting had been called in the first of the cars, near the engine and Jess and her family had been requested to attend.
They passed the open boxcar which had been designated the mobile medical facility, getting glimpses of pain and suffering, while doc Barker and others that were helping, ran from person to person administering what assistance they could. A chill wind blew, causing Jess to rub her elbows. Now she was human again, the world was one of shivers and aches.
Landon knocked on the closed door of their destination and it slid open, allowing heated conversations and actual warm air to escape. There was also the welcome odor of cooked food. “What smells so good?” he said, trying to see the source. With some help they were pulled up into the mostly normal looking space of any of the boxcars he had seen. To their left, some fifteen-feet away, bathed in light from candles, a few individuals were hovering over pots and pans which sat on hotplates. Nearby were chairs and a few tables, but that’s not where the majority of the occupants were, for in the center of the space a larger table had been placed with a map on its surface, along with some handguns and rifles.
The door was closed.
Scott was snacking on a candy bar, his pants leg near the ankle bulging with what Jess presumed was a bandage. Luci and Vance were also eating, while Owen, Ford, Gale and some others Jess nor Landon recognized looked at the map.
“Stew will be ready, real soon,” said an elderly woman near the hotplates.
“Can’t come soon enough, Ella,” said Owen.
Ella stirred the bubbling mix. “Least these old bones, still have some use!”
Jess wanted to smile. Good people doing normal, helpful things. But she couldn’t. There was no space inside her for joy. She looked at those around the map. “You have a plan?”
Owen looked at Floyd, who was leaning up against the back wall. “Tell the Doc we have to get going soon. We need to keep ahead of the things.”
“He said—”
“I know what he said, but none of that will matter if the things catch up with us.”
Floyd nodded, opened a small gap in the door and jumped down, closing it behind him.
Owen looked back at Jess and Landon, both now standing over the map. It was marked with a series of pencil X’s at various locations around the city of Houston. Jess pointed at them. “What are these?”
“Locations where we can resupply,” said Luci. “And if the military have made it back onto the mainland, where we might find them.”
A knock came on the door, which was pulled open. Sam helped Sanchez climb up. He limped a little and his hand was heavily bandaged.
“How did you get to the train?” said Landon.
Sanchez smiled. “I had jumped clear from an airplane on the border on more than one occasion. The fuel had been depleted or more usually a bullet had hit something important in the engine. Either way I learned the usefulness of a having a parachute.”
“The crazy SOB jumped from the top with a chute,” said Luci. “Can you believe that?”
Sanchez wasn’t the only one that sniggered.
“That’s amazing,” said Sam.
“Usually it’s from a few thousand feet, not a few hundred. Meant I landed a little harder than I was planning to.” He held up his hand. He nodded to those around him. “Good to see you all made it.”
Luci looked down at the map, humor quickly leaving her. “Some of us didn’t.”
He nodded again. “And when this is over, we will mourn who we have lost.”
Owen looked back to Jess. “You want to know the plan? It’s pretty simple. It’s roughly four hours to Houston. We get there. Split up into teams to recon the locations the sergeant has told us about. If there’s no sign of the military then we make our way south to the cost.”
“And if there’s no one there as well? Then what?” She looked across the other faces for an answer, most looked away.
“This is the only way to get your son back, Jess. Most on this train are civilians who have been through hell over the past week—” Anger was building inside her, but she pushed it away as best she could. “— We barely made it out of Dallas. In Galveston I’m sure we’ll find help, but if not—” He looked at Luci, Sanchez and Owen. “We make a stand there.”
“And my son? I’m not hearing his name mentioned in any of this.”
Scott sighed, looking momentarily away then back to her. “Josh is with Rackham and whoever or whatever it was who attacked the school. They need him for some reason—” She pushed away thoughts of Sam. “— And that means he’s alive. Rackham wants the facilities the government use. He will bring Josh to us and when we get the first opportunity, you have my word we will get him back to you.”
Josh’s parents both let out a breath at the same time, but for one of them the soldier’s words were empty.
*****
9: 52 a.m. Southern Texas.
Sam looked out at damp muddy fields and beige forests. The greens, browns and branches of spindly trees brought into stark contrast by the early morning sun. The train was charging along the tracks and the wind, although cold felt refreshing on her face. The boxcar door being open just enough for her to stand in the gap. Some behind her were sleeping, other
s crying, silently. Whether it was tears of joy or grief she wasn’t sure. These were the survivors but she knew it was too early for her to call herself that. In Dallas she could feel Rackham in the city. Almost smell him. Even above the stench from the things. She had no idea how she knew, but she did. Everything that happened was because he wanted it to. She was sure of it. And they escaped because he wanted them too as well.
Once again she was a doll being played with. But that was okay. This time she was prepared. Let the scientist have his schemes. At some point soon she would come face to face with him and she would make sure he inflicted no more pain on the world or her family. She glanced behind her at her parents. Her father with his eyes closed. She was happy if he were truly asleep. It was obvious how much pain he was in and that his future was one without his left hand. It made her sick to her stomach. She swore under her breath. She needed Rackham to get to Houston where hopefully there would be others to help take care of his army and then she would take care of him.
Her mother’s eyes were the opposite, but Jess’s face was looking far beyond the confined space. No doubt thinking about Josh. Sam looked back out to the landscape, now with hints of barns and ranches between the woods, her heart aching for her little brother.
“Soon, Josh…”
CHAPTER TWENTY
11: 41 a.m. Northern outskirts of Houston.
Jess looked at Sam and Lachlan talking. It was a scene which lifted the gloom which covered her heart momentarily. She looked back to the lush countryside sliding by. It wouldn’t be long before they were in another big city. They escaped Dallas and even though some died, she knew it had been too easy. The creatures could have taken them if ordered to do so. Instead Rackham’s children had held back from inflicting a fatal blow, but what stuck in her mind was why? Why not end it there?
