“Remember everyone. We have to stick together,” Seth said. “Do that, and we’ll all be fine.”
“Understood,” David said.
“Let’s just get this over with,” Bear rumbled, twirling his hammer with deft fingers.
“I agree,” Tony said. “There’s no point in delaying any further.”
“Alright, let’s go,” Seth said, and he yanked open the door.
As one, they rushed out into the early morning light. Immediately, every set of eyes in the feral pack fixed on them. Growls filled the air, and a tidal wave of furry death rushed toward the group.
There were all kinds of dogs in the pack. They came in every size and color, but they all had one thing in common. They were wild predators, unfettered by the bonds of humanity. To them, the humans were prey. Food. Nothing more. In this world, only the strongest survived.
Bear took the lead, steadying each of them with a grim look. “Stay with me and don’t panic.”
The group paused on the terrace to get their bearings, and to allow their vision to adjust to the light. They formed a ring, facing outward with their backs together. Each carried a pack and their weapons.
“All together now. On me,” Bear said. He headed toward the waiting vehicles, and the group followed.
Rogue stuck close to Seth’s side, taking care not to move too fast, or too slow. Group integrity was of the utmost importance. That thought kept her calm until the first attack. A dog with pale gray fur launched at her, and panic fizzed through her brain. Relying on instinct, she thrust at the creature’s chest with her spear. The razor-sharp blade slid between its ribs, impaling the beast. With a yelp, it slumped to the ground, no longer a threat.
With a feeling of triumph, she shook it off and continued toward the parking lot. Her feet pounded the pavement, and her breath sounded harsh in her ears. Adrenalin rushed through her veins, and her senses sharpened. The world took on a vivid hue, and she could hear the crunch of gravel beneath her soles. This was what it felt like to be alive.
Ferals streamed in from every direction and surrounded the group. They snapped and snarled, impeding their progress. Rogue stabbed at one with her spear and caught it in the throat. It fell away in a spray of arterial blood, but another took its place in an instant.
Imogen took down another with a bullet from her pistol, and Rogue leaped across the fallen corpse. “Great shot!”
“Thanks,” Imogen said, but her cry turned to shock when a feral latched onto her forearm.
Bear brained it with his hammer, and Imogen yanked her arm free of its grip. Bright red blood spotted her sleeve, but she seemed okay. Still, Rogue stuck close to her side as they covered the distance toward the parking lot. She fended off three more dogs, slashing at them with her spear. They danced out of reach, baring their teeth with frustrated growls. Slaver dripped from their lips in long strands of silver.
It became hard to focus on her fellow teammates with ferals attacking from all sides. Her vision was filled with teeth and fur, and growls sawed into her eardrums. She slashed and stabbed at everything within reach, steeling herself against the blood and guts.
Seth did what he could, snapping off shots with his left hand. Most of the bullets missed, and he went down hard when a dog tackled him from the side.
“Seth!” Rogue yelled, rushing to his assistance.
Tony got there before her, and his machete sliced through the creature’s spine. He helped Seth to his feet. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Seth said, snapping off another shot.
A dog crashed to the ground mere inches away, and Tony flashed him a grateful smile. “Thanks.”
There was a brief lull in the fight, and Rogue looked around. The group was still together, and they’d covered half the distance to the vehicles. She tugged at Seth’s arm. “Come on. We’re almost there.”
“Right behind you,” he said, taking aim at another feral. The shot missed, and he swore. “Damn it!”
“Just keep shooting,” Rogue said. “You’re bound to hit something.”
“She’s right,” Jessica cried. The rat-tat-tat from her rifle punctuated her words, each bullet finding its mark.
In a tight-knit circle, the group advanced across the open lot. Rogue thrust her spear at another dog, catching it a glancing blow with the blade. The feral retaliated and snapped at her leg. Its teeth closed around her ankle, and white-hot pain lanced through the bone.
She tried to kick it away, but the beast hung on with grim determination. Its powerful jaws had her foot in a vice grip, and she fought to keep her balance. “Get off me!”
Suddenly, David was there, steadying her with one hand on her elbow. “Hold on to me.”
He hacked at the dog with his ax and severed its spine. It collapsed, letting go of Rogue’s leg. Freed, she staggered back on her injured foot. When she tried to put her weight on it, fiery agony shot up the limb.
Seth popped up next to her. “Here, let us help you.”
She flung one arm across his shoulders, and the other across David’s. With Seth and David on either side, she closed the distance to the van. The rest of the group circled around them, providing cover from the ferals.
Rogue slumped against the side of the van, her teeth gritted to ward of the pain. David, Imogen, and Tony jumped into the vehicle, and the engine roared to life. It inched toward the Jeep with Seth, Rogue, Jessica, and Bear using it as a shield.
Finally, they made it, and Rogue fell into the backseat with a groan of relief. A big black wolf jumped onto the door, and she stabbed it with her spear. It fell to the ground, and Bear slammed his hammer onto its head. Blood and brains spewed onto the tar, and the animal spasmed as life left its limbs.
Jessica climbed in next to her, one knee on the seat and the other braced against the backrest. She provided cover with her rifle, laying down a blanket of fire. Seth did the same from the passenger seat with his pistol until it clicked on empty. “Bear, get your ass in here.”
“Coming,” Bear replied.
“Hurry,” Jessica said as her magazine ran empty too.
Bear slid behind the wheel and started the engine. Smoke belched from the exhaust, and the Jeep lurched forward. They raced up the street, followed by the van in close pursuit. The feral dogs gave chase, but they were no match for the vehicles. Within minutes, they fell behind and faded from view.
Rogue slumped back in her seat, still clutching her spear. She sucked in a deep breath. “Thank God, it’s over. That was awful.”
“No kidding,” Jessica said, reloading her rifle. She slammed the magazine into place and sighed. “I never had a dog, not even as a kid before the Shift. Now, I’m kind of glad of that fact.”
“I know what you mean,” Rogue said.
Images of teeth and fur filled her mind, and the metallic scent of blood clung to her nostrils. She winced with every remembered yelp and howl of pain. Killing the feral dogs had been an act of self-defense, but it was also one she loathed. Unlike Jessica, she had owned a dog once. While she couldn’t remember much about it, young Lillian had loved her poodle, Millie. But that was a long time ago.
Rogue shook off the memory. Living in the past served no purpose. She leaned forward and shrugged off her backpack, aware of the throbbing pain in her ankle. With a grimace, she lifted her foot onto the seat.
“How bad is it?” Seth asked.
“I’m about to find out,” Rogue said, easing off her boot.
Her sock was soaked in blood, and she tossed it onto the floor. Deep puncture wounds marred the flesh, and the joint was bruised and swollen. She tried to move the foot and hissed. “Shit, that hurts.”
Jessica leaned over and shook her head. “That’s bad. You’re likely to get an infection.”
“I’m sure it will be fine,” Rogue said, putting on a brave face. “I just need to disinfect it properly.”
“Let me see,” Seth said, twisting around in his seat.
“I’m okay,” Rogue protested
.
“Jessica’s right. That feral’s mouth must’ve been teeming with bacteria,” Seth said. “Who knows what it ate last? Carrion, rotten meat…”
“Uh-huh. We need to stop. Imogen has antibiotics in her first-aid kit,” Jessica said.
“We can’t stop now. Those dogs aren’t far behind. They could still catch up,” Rogue said. “We can stop later.”
“Are you sure?” Jessica asked, pulling out her own medical kit.
“I’m sure,” Rogue said, reaching for the gauze and antiseptic fluid.
With Jessica’s help, she flushed out the puncture wounds and wrapped the ankle with bandages. She pulled them tight, rendering the joint immobile. Afterward, she took a couple of anti-inflammatories with a bottle of water.
“Sorry, but that’s all I’ve got except for a few syringes of morphine,” Jessica said with a shake of her head.
“I don’t think I’m that far gone yet,” Rogue said with a forced laugh.
“Imogen has the rest of the stuff we took from Kalama,” Jessica replied.
“We can get to that later,” Rogue said, leaning back in her seat. She closed her eyes and blew out a deep breath. Her ankle still throbbed, but it felt a lot better than before. I just hope nothing else happens on this journey. We still have many miles to cover.
Chapter 20
Bear drove the Jeep through Tacoma until they reached the outskirts. There, he got onto the WA-18 N and headed for Fall City. They’d discussed the route the night before and had decided to go around Seatle rather than through it.
According to Jessica, much of the city was underwater, and large chunks had been sheered off by the Shift. Any survivors abandoned the place and moved to safer ground. It was an urban nightmare best avoided by all travelers, especially those on the ground.
After fifteen minutes of driving, Rogue dozed off. Not even the rough road and constant jostling could keep her awake. It’d been a rough morning, and she’d been up since before dawn. With her wounded leg propped up on the seat, she drifted off into a deep slumber.
It wasn’t a restful sleep. Nightmares plagued her dreams. One, in particular, played repeatedly in her mind until she whimpered for respite.
***
The clock wound back until she found herself back in her old home. It was several months before the Shift, and everything was normal. Her name was Lillian, she was five-years-old, and in kindergarten. Her mom had just picked her up from school, and the familiar sounds of cooking came from the kitchen.
She sat on her bed, paging through an old storybook. Millie, her dog, sat next to her, her tail wagging as Lillian read the story out loud.
“Once upon a time, in a land far far aw—”
Her father appeared in the doorway. “It’s time for dinner, Lillian. Come to the table.”
“Can’t I finish the story first?” she asked, disappointed.
“Not unless you want to miss dinner. It’s your favorite. Mac’ and cheese,” her father coaxed with a smile.
Lillian grinned in reply. “I’m coming, Daddy.”
“Remember to wash your hands first, young lady,” he added, disappearing down the hallway.
“I will!”
Lillian scrambled off the bed and straightened her clothes. She loved macaroni and cheese. It was her favoritest, bestest food in the entire world. Millie’s too.
She turned to face Millie. “Come on, Millie. Let’s go.”
But Millie wasn’t Millie anymore. She’d changed. Her lips quivered in a vicious snarl, the once-cute pink nose distorted above the exposed canines. Her fluffy white fur stood on end, and her eyes gleamed with hatred.
“Millie? What’s wrong?” Lillian asked in faltering tones.
Millie growled, and she hunched down in readiness to attack.
Lillian stumbled backward, her heart banging in her chest. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.
“Millie, please,” she pleaded, hoping the young poodle would wag her tail like she always did.
Instead, Millie launched herself off the bed, her jaws snapping at Lillian’s tender flesh. Razor-sharp teeth cut into Lillian’s throat, and blood spurted from the wound. Lillian tried to fight off the rabid dog, but it was useless. “Mommy. Daddy. Help!”
***
Rogue jerked upright, her heart racing and her mouth dry. She looked around, relieved to find she was still in the Jeep. Jessica slept on the seat next to her, her head tucked into the crook of her arm. In the front, Seth and Bear chatted about the route. All was well.
She breathed a sigh of relief. “It was just a dream.”
“What’s that?” Seth asked.
“Uh, nothing. Talking to myself,” Rogue said.
She reached for a bottle of water and took a few sips. The liquid revived her, and she pushed herself upright. At the same time, the Jeep hit a shallow ditch, and they launched into the air before coming down hard.
Rogue bumped her head against the headrest and winced. “Ow.”
Jessica came awake in an instant and slapped Bear on the arm. “Watch where you’re going.”
“Sorry,” Bear said with an apologetic grin.
“Where are we?” Rogue asked, looking around.
A brooding forest surrounded them on both sides. The thick green foliage hemmed them in on either side. The road was little more than a rough dirt track. No traces of tar remained to smooth the way.
“We’re almost there. Fall City, I mean,” Seth replied. He waved a hand around them. “This used to be the Tiger Mountain State Forest. Or a part of it, anyway.”
Rogue suppressed a shudder. She didn’t like the way the tall pines closed in on them. They seemed to lean over the Jeep, their branches like claws with green needles for talons. Inside its depths, the shadows lingered long past noon, and she wondered what lurked within.
“How’s your ankle?” Jessica asked, diverting her from her thoughts.
“It’s not too bad,” Rogue said after giving it an experimental wiggle.
“Would you like more Ibuprofen?”
“Yes, I would,” Rogue said, relieved at the offer. She’d lied to Jessica. Her foot felt like it’d gone through a meat grinder before being glued back together. It throbbed with every beat of her heart, and the rough ride only made it worse.
She drank the pills with a sip of water before leaning forward. “What comes after Fall City?”
Seth pointed at the map and traced out the route. “It’s simple enough. After that, we’ll head toward Redmond and then Lynnwood before taking the I-5 N all the way north. Finally, we’ll get onto the BC-99 N to Vancouver.”
“That’s in Canada, right? A different country?” Rogue asked.
“It is, but I’m not sure it matters all that much today,” Seth said.
“Not really,” Jessica agreed. “Today, it’s more about the individual cities than the country, but I know my government hopes to unite the different settlements one day.”
“That would be an astronomical feat,” Seth said.
“From the little I’ve seen, I’m inclined to agree with you,” Jessica said with a nod.
“How far do we still have to travel to get to Vancouver?” Rogue asked.
“Roughly two-hundred miles,” Seth said.
“We won’t make it today, will we?” Rogue said, her heart sinking into her boots.
“No, we won’t. Sorry,” Seth said.
“That’s okay,” she said, slumping back into her seat, but it was another lie. Her foot hurt, and she was tired of being flung about in a metal box.
“Why don’t you tell me the rest of your story?” Jessica prompted. “You never got the chance to finish, remember?”
“Oh, yeah. Where were we?” Rogue exclaimed, grateful for the distraction.
“Seth rescued you after you passed out in the storm and took you back to his boat,” Jessica said, her expression eager.
“Well, hold on to your seat, because it’s one hell of a story,” Rogue said in a hushed tone of voice
.
She carried on with the tale, careful to leave nothing out: Seth’s boat, their journey to the Zoo, reuniting with her mother, Olivia, the disastrous egg-hunt, being kidnapped by Bones and thrown into Prime’s dungeons, and finally, their grand escape.
“Ew, that’s nasty. You almost drowned in shit,” Jessica exclaimed.
“A river of shit,” Rogue corrected with a shudder. “And it was horrible.”
“So, that’s it? You escaped and returned to the Zoo?” Jessica asked.
“There’s more, but right now, I need to pee,” Rogue said. She tapped Seth on the shoulder. “Can we pull over for a few minutes?”
“Yeah, sure, but make it quick. We need to reach Mount Vernon before nightfall,” Seth said.
He signaled to the van, and they pulled over onto a sandy slope. Everyone got out of the vehicles and stretched their muscles. The brief break was a welcome respite, and they took full advantage of the opportunity.
“Ten minutes, folks. Not a second more,” Bear said, his tone brooking no arguments.
The men rushed off to the woods and emptied their bladders while the women stood guard around the vehicles. Once they returned, Tony and Bear filled up the gas tanks from their reserves, while David inspected the tires for flats and punctures.
Seth kept watch while the women took their turn in the bushes. It didn’t take long for Imogen and Jessica to return, which left only Rogue.
“Go on, babe,” Seth prompted. “I’ll cover you.”
“I’m trying,” she said, rubbing her calf above the bandages. The flesh felt hot and swollen, a sure sign that infection was setting in. She’d have to get it sorted out as soon as possible, but her bladder came first.
It took a minute to get the blood circulating through her stiff body before she attempted to walk. Each step sent a stab of pure agony up her leg and into her spine until she was forced to pause for breath. “Crap, that hurts.”
“Are you okay?” Imogen asked with a look of concern.
“It’s my ankle,” Rogue said.
“I’ll look at it once you’re done,” Imogen said. “Meet me at the van.”
“Deal,” Rogue said, gritting her teeth as she made her way toward the bushes. She didn’t relish the idea of entering the woods alone, but she had little choice. Her need to pee was stronger than her fear.
The Extinction Series | Book 6 | Primordial Earth 6 Page 12