by Phil Maxey
“Ray get back here we don’t know what that is!” shouted Zach in Ray’s direction.
Ray stopped where he was. His eyes fixed on the creature now bearing down on him and all emotion left his face. He turned and started to run back to the Dune. Zach staggered out from his position and ran down the sand half falling half jumping to try to get to Ray before the mass of dust and anger engulfed him. Ray was now running as fast as he could, but his old legs were no match for the uneven desert floor.
Abbey watched the creature tear though the desert towards Ray. He’s not going to make it. Twenty-feet away, ten-feet away, five-feet away. The creature charged nose down at Ray’s torso but not before Zach tackled Ray and brought him down in the best linebacker tradition. Ray and Zach fell to the ground then both scrambled to their feet. Zach pivoted and pushed his charge baton out in front of him, the electricity crackling lighting himself and the creature.
“He needs our help.” Cal scrambled to his feet. Baton in one hand, lamp now illuminating his path in the other, closely followed by Fiona.
In the glory of the neon glows of their batons and shallow light of the lamp the creature could be seen. It was horse-like, like a horse had been used as a template of some kind as this creature was bigger than a horse, its head and neck were longer and were covered in a kind of plating similar to an armadillo, as was its back. Its head whipped around between the members of the group that were now on both sides, showing teeth more at home in a wolf. Stamping its hoofs, the dust flew up making it hard for Zach to know exactly what to strike at. Cal thrust his baton forward, while Fiona swung the pickaxe connecting with the front leg of the creature. A sound half scream half something else bellowed out and its head whipped around knocking Cal off his feet. It then reared up on its hind legs and was about to slam down on Cal when Zach and Abbey thrust their charge batons into the underside of the creature making it fall backwards. It then turned and galloped off into the darkness taking with it a cloud of dust. Ray and Michael both appeared from their positions and joined the group. Zach reached down and helped Cal to hit feet.
“Any damage?” said Zach. Cal felt his ribs, which were bruised but shook his head. They were all covered in dust, and breathing heavily. Cal’s lamp lay on the ground casting a shallow circle of light against them all.
“That wasn’t a horse,” said Ray, looking confused. Zach noticed his arm was bleeding.
“It got you?” said Michael to Zach.
“No I think I managed to avoid it, maybe when I landed on the ground, must of hit a rock or something. It’s just a scratch.” The thunderous noise was now far away.
“Look, something is very wrong here, the things in the prison, that thing, what the hell’s going on, is this even Earth?” Ray said looking anxious walking around on the spot. ”Back in the eighties I saw some shit, but nothing like this.”
“The stars,” said Cal. Ray looked puzzled. “I’ve looked up at those stars for many years as a kid, this is New Mexico, no doubt.” Ray went to say something, Cal replied before he could. “I don’t know what is going on.”
“We need to keep moving, only an hour of night left and I don’t want to be caught out here when the sun comes up. Everyone keep alert. If something doesn’t feel right fire up your charge baton,” said Zach.
They all fell back into a fractured line and continued walking. As Abbey walked her mind was deep in thought.
There are monsters out here, in the real world, what the hell has happened? What were those loud booms? Is my family still alive? How can I get to Boston?
Abbey wasn’t the only one lost in thought but no one was willing to share.
By time the sun was rising over Organ Mountain the group had made it to the outskirts of the small town of Baldo. The sun glinted off various cars and trucks, some military, proudly laid out in neat rows. Their pace had slowed but they had made it. Unassuming single and double story buildings lay out in front of them. As they approached the first building Zach crouched behind a metal fence.
“Don’t see any sign of life,” said Zach.
“Maybe this place was abandoned, it’s pretty remote,” replied Cal.
“We should split into three groups of two, each explore in a different direction then meet back here when the sun’s at thirty degrees. Which I’m guessing is about three hours from now. Find some more water if you can,” said Zach.
Zach and Abbey walked to the south, Michael and Cal walked west down the main street, leaving Fiona and Ray who stood looking at each other until Fiona turned and walked north, Ray trying to keep up.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Ray and Fiona stared at the thirty-one-foot missile sticking out of the ground at a forty-five-degree angle. It was one of many forming a steel tubular forest that was the Rocket display at the Baldo museum. In front of it was a small plaque “AirStar 10, First fired 1947.” The “Airstar” wasn’t the only missile leaning at the wrong angle.
“Looks like a storm blew through here,” said Ray half running after Fiona.
“Try and keep up,” said Fiona without turning around.
The glass doors at the entrance to the museum were broken with shards lying on the floor. Fiona looked inside. An empty foyer with a reception area resided in a large light colored room with large images adorning the walls of bygone successes. Fiona kicked open one of the doors and moved slowly into the foyer. The smell of death hit her instantly, it was a smell she knew too well. Walking forward she peered behind the counter and saw two bodies lying on the floor, both with large gashes on their faces and arms. Animal attack? She had once seen a friend attacked by a bear and he had similar injuries but had survived.
“Hey, anyone in there?” asked Ray peering through the broken glass.
“Quiet!” said Fiona angrily.
“You see any food anywhere? Maybe in that vending machine?” Ray pointed.
Fiona breathed heavily. “Wait.” A wide hallway was to the right of the counter, which led down to a larger room. Glass cabinets housing various metallic cylinders lined the walls. She looked down the hallway for any signs of life but there were none. Walking over to the vending machine, which was almost empty she used the pickaxe to hit the glass front until it broke, then grabbed the remaining chocolate bars and cans of soda and handed them to Ray.
“Hold these. Don’t move.”
“Look young lady I’m military too you know. I’m not useless just because I’m a little over the hill.”
Fiona’s cold expression wavered somewhat. “I never said you were old, but I need you to keep watch, make sure nothing comes in behind us.”
“Okay, that I can do.”
Fiona’s attention returned to the hallway housing the cabinets. She strained her hearing best she could in the direction of the room at the end of the hallway but no sound could be heard there. She slowly walked down the hallway into a large room mostly empty save for a few large glass cabinets containing rocket engines. Off this room were three open doors leading to offices. Fiona entered the nearest one. Typed papers littered the floor and lay on a single desk. Filing cabinets were open. A large window offered a view onto some other non-descript buildings nearby. In the middle of the desk in front of a computer keyboard was a piece of paper with a message written in scrawling handwriting.
“James, we have tried to get to the camp near Austin. Can’t stay here Military have told us threat too severe. Love Sylvia.”
What threat? The creatures we have run into?
Standing near the window the sun poured through the glass warming her arms. It had been many years since she had felt that kind of warmth and as she stood there eyes closed in the silence of the office, her mind drifted to thoughts of her daughter playing in her front yard.
The sunbeam that was warming her momentarily became blocked and she was plunged into darkness. Opening her eyes she looked out the window but could see nothing, not even a cloud in the sky.
The sound of glass hitting the ground came from the foyer behi
nd her, she spun around and ran back to the foyer where a clearly distressed Ray was standing.
“Did you see it?” said Ray.
“See what?”
“The giant bird thing?” said Ray.
“There was a shadow but no I didn’t see it.”
“Big as a truck. Flew right over.”
“So you’re freaking out because you saw a big bird?”
“How many birds have you seen with human legs and arms? At least that’s what it looked like, I don’t think it spotted me but it landed behind some buildings over there.” Ray pointed to the southwest.
“There’s nothing here of any use anyway, we should keep moving,” said Fiona stepping over the glass and through the exit door of the museum. Ray looked uneasy about going outside, but followed anyway looking at the sky.
CHAPTER NINE
Zach looked at the rotting corpse in the seat of the semi-truck. The door was open.
“He put up a fight, look at his hands, defensive wounds,” said Zach. Abbey tried not to look. “For someone doing hard time in a military prison you seem kind of squeamish.”
“I don’t like death in real life. I was in that place for other reasons,” replied Abbey.
“Like what?”
“I’m good with computers, they trained me to infiltrate enemy systems, stir the shit.”
“You’re a hacker?” Zach tugged on the body being careful not to touch the skin and blood and pulled it down to the asphalt, then climbed up into the cab.
“I don’t like that term, but yeah,” replied Abbey.
“Half a tank of gas and keys still in the ignition, he must have been trying to leave when what happened, happened, we’re only half a klick from the meeting point, let’s leave it here for now and we will bring everyone back here, don’t want to start it up in case it draws unwanted attention. How the hell did you end up in a hole in New Mexico?” Zach climbed down from the cab, while putting the keys in his chest pocket.
“Does it matter?” said Abbey with a sarcastic expression.
“Nope, just curious.”
They were standing in a diner car park. Along with the truck, a few other cars sat, some with doors closed, others open, but no other bodies.
“What do you think happened here?” said Abbey.
“This place is probably deserted at the best of times but there doesn’t seem to be anyone around, maybe our bosses were experimenting on animals and some got loose?” replied Zach.
Abbey looked around uneasily. “What about the glows we saw in the directions of the big cities?”
Zach looked at her, in some ways she reminded him of his wife Jaclyn.
“Let’s look in the diner maybe we can find some food and see if a TV or radio are working, hell maybe you can do your computer thing as well,” said Zach.
The outside of the diner had seen better days, with sand caked up against the windows. As they approached the door, a beeping could be heard followed by a male voice.
“I think it’s coming from behind the counter,” said Zach. The inside of the diner was deserted. Half eaten bagels and stagnant coffee resided along the counter at various points. Zach picked up a stained and torn newspaper, which lay on the floor behind a stool. On the cover was a picture of a front of a school with kids running and hundreds of large birds filling the sky above them like they were being chased by an angry cloud.
“BIRDS ATTACK SCHOOL CHILDREN! GOVERNMENT ADVISES NATION TO KEEP CHILDREN INDOORS WHILE IT INVESTIGATES.” The date of the paper was June seventh.
“That paper doesn’t look recent,” said Abbey.
“No it doesn’t. We need to find out when now is,” replied Zach. They both walked around to the back of the counter where a small radio played a constant drone noise, it then changed to male voice.
“THIS IS AN EMERGENCY ANNOUCEMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. AN EPIDEMIC HAS HIT ANIMAL LIFE AND IS CAUSING MANY ANIMALS TO CHANGE. THIS CHANGE IS CAUSING THEM TO ATTACK HUMANS. PLEASE REMAIN IN YOUR HOMES AND WAIT FOR FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS. THE DATE OF THIS ANNOUCEMENT IS JULY, TWENTY-THIRD.”
“Animals change? Why was that such a big deal? It’s July twenty-third?” Abbey reeled off the questions in quick succession.
“Not necessarily, we don’t know how long that message has been playing. By the slight chill in the air I would say it’s fall, maybe mid September, maybe later.”
Abbey’s expression changed. “Look this is crazy. I’m sorry I have to leave. I have to get back to Boston.” She started backing away towards the diner entrance.
“And how you going to get to Boston from here?”
“I don’t know I’ll think of something.”
“I’ll take you, in the truck, or as far as we can go in it,” said Zach, his hand lifting slightly towards her, Abbey stopped. “Going towards Boston is as good as any other direction, and like you said before, it’s good we stick together.”
“No offence but all I know about you is you were stuck in a hole for the militaries worst problems, the kind that rape and kill.”
Zach’s head hung, and he sighed. “I know this won’t mean squat to you right now, but I will help you get to Boston. You have my word on that. But if you want to find your own way well that’s your choice.”
Abbey looked unsure, placing a hand on the diner counter. “Okay fine, for now I’ll see how things play out, let’s see if there’s any food around here, there’s not much time before we need to be back at the meeting point.”
They both moved behind the counter and with batons raised walked through a small swing door to the kitchen. In the gloom, burned pans lay on a small stove and cutlery lay scattered on the grease stained beige floor. Two other doors, both closed where ahead and to the right of them. The right one had, “Storage” written on a piece of paper nailed to it. They both slowly moved towards it, Zach moved his head near the note trying to hear any noise inside. He then pressed on the door gently and pushed it open. A large tin labeled new potatoes rolled away from the door banging up against a rotting foot. They both put their hands over their mouths and tried not to breath as the stench burst out of the small space looking for freedom. Zach pulled on a small piece of string just inside the door and a dirty bulb came to life illuminating the source of the smell, as well as numerous cans of food lining both sides of the small room. Zach took a step back.
“Similar wounds as the semi driver. Her clothes are torn, ripped, looks like she bled out in here.”
Abbey stood frozen looking at the corpse of the middle-aged woman whose final resting place was a food storage room.
“Hey, we can’t do anything for her, but we can use that food. Let’s find some kind of rucksack or large bag we can put this food in.” Abbey blinked a few times and breathed once heavily then started looking around the kitchen.
CHAPTER TEN
“BEYOND THE DESERT MOTEL. $39 PER NIGHT”
Cal and Michael stood looking at the sand-blasted motel sign. After leaving the others they had walked past some burnt out cars and a few empty storage units but this was the first place they came across which might contain anything useful, the only problem was the damaged police car sitting in the parking lot. They crouched down.
“We need to get out of these clothes,” said Michael.
“Agreed, let’s check those rooms, see if there are any clothes in them,” said Cal gesturing to the open door of the closest room to them. “It’s so quiet. Have you noticed that? No insects, no birds, nothing. It feels like the world died.”
“Just as long as that includes no cops as well,” said Michael, studying the police car.
Taking the lead Cal ran to the first room, ducking as low as he could. Michael followed closely behind.
Rotting Chow Mein hanging out of various red cartons lay strewn across the minimalist carpeting. The room also contained a single bed, nightstand and a desk with a flat screen TV on top of it. Even $39 per night seemed too much.
Cal closed the door behind them. Michael collapsed on
the single bed. “Oh man, a real bed, wonder if you can still get porn.”
“What is it with you and naked flicks?” replied Cal.
“A real bed, porn and a good Chinese takeout, whoever had this room before had the right idea.”
At the back of the room was a door to a small bathroom. A laundry basket lay knocked over, containing two shirts, a sweatshirt with the phrase, “I’m not your bitch” on the front, one orange t-shirt, a pair of jeans, underwear, and socks, none of which smelled particularly good. Cal pulled the prison jumpsuit off and put the jeans on, followed by the light gray shirt, which fit tighter than he would have wished. Michael repeatedly pushed the buttons on the side of the flat screen TV, which resisted his attempts to turn on.
“Maybe the power’s out,” said Michael while looking at the back of the TV.
“While you continue your porn quest, I’m going to check out these other rooms. I’ll see if I can find you pants, but put on that other shirt anyway just in case I don’t find anything,” said Cal as he left the room.
A light breeze blew some trash across the parking lot. Cal wondered if the cop who drove the cruiser was still around. He looked for any signs of life amongst the windows of the various single rooms both on the ground floor and the second, but none could be seen. Cal quickly made his way past the rooms to the last one. It was like the one he had just left apart from a stack of food on the bed and the dead guy in his underwear on the floor, maybe this was the guy from the first room. He looked in his forties. The carpet around him was dyed dark brown and across his back, two large gashes made by something jagged. He had obviously tried to make it to the safety of this room and failed. Sweat started to collect on Cal’s forehead, making him wipe it away with his hand. He took the backpack off and stepped over the body towards the food. As he was placing the chocolate bars, cans of soda, and a few tins of canned fish into the backpack he heard a noise from outside. Quickly turning he saw an elderly dark haired man dressed in a cops uniform half walk half, limp back into a room on the second floor, across the parking lot. Cal slowly pulled the room door closed, keeping his eyes fixed on the room the cop went into. He then hurriedly put the rest of the food into the backpack. Looking through the nicotine smelling curtains to see if there was any movement outside, he reached for the room door handle then stopped. Clothes. Cal looked around the room. Nothing. Entering the bathroom his attention was immediately caught by the dark pants on a towel rail, luckily they looked roughly Michael’s size so Cal pushed them into the backpack, which was now pretty full. He had another quick check outside, then walked quickly back to the room were Michael was.