I didn’t realize I was running until I felt the wind whipping my face. I heard Kari still crying and struggling in my arms but only as something vague. Those monsters were after us now in full force. I missed a step as my mind reeled with the familiar sharp pain of something trying to invade my psyche. The pain was increasing exponentially with the number of mental incursions being attempted at the same time. These creatures were hungry and I could feel a violent competition for the sustenance my mental energies and body could provide them. I threw up my mental shields and the pain lessened, but only just. I ran and ran and they kept on us, the last living beings on this planet. They would take their time with us like a convict condemned to die would their final meal.
Turning into an alley I hoped to bypass a major intersection and lose as many of them as I could; there were just so many of them behind me. I ran and I could sense my exertions were beginning to take their toll. Keeping up this pace and protecting my mind from the creatures trying to force their way into it were sapping me of mental strength. I felt a roar of activity behind me as more of the tiny black insects and more of the human-shaped ones joined the chase. With my free arm I grabbed whatever heavy objects I could with my mind and tossed them at the growing horde behind me in the vain hope it would slow down their pursuit.
While still holding Kari something whizzed past the left side of my face and hit the ground a few feet in front of me. Running past it I noticed a black spike sticking neatly into the ground. I heard another whizzing noise; this one was closer. I turned to see the humanoid creatures leading this hellish army were shooting dozens of projectiles in my direction. I dodged this way and that as the intensity of the attack increased. A sharp pain coursed its way through my right shoulder and chest and I stumbled, almost dropping to my knees. I looked at my shoulder and saw a jagged black spike about half an inch in diameter protruding from my body where my arm and chest met. Blood was leaking through the wound and I felt a similar warm trickle flowing down my back where the spike entered. But I couldn’t stop running. Not now. I was so close. Another stab of pain shot its way through the same arm as a slimmer needle ripped through my forearm. I grunted but I kept pressing forward.
“What’s wrong?”
I was surprised to see Kari looking up at me, her eyes red. I smiled trying not to show much pain I was in and said, “It’s nothing.”
She glanced towards the jagged spikes poking through my arm and gasped. She said, “You’re hurt.”
“It’s okay, I’ll be fi—” Before I could finish, I cried out as a new flash of excruciating pain appeared when a third, even larger needle pierced my stomach. This time I did fall and tumble over. Despite my injuries before hitting the ground I deactivated the speed enhancing meme and switched over to one that increased my physical toughness. Encircling Kari with my arms I shielded her as we rolled several yards into the middle of a wrecked street, stopping only when my back slammed hard into a streetlight. Kari yelped and I looked at her and asked if she was okay. She was shaken and she said she was dizzy but she wasn’t injured. I nodded and turned off my abilities to conserve what little energy I had left and soon I was wracked with the intensity of my injuries. Had it not been for the adrenaline and my need to protect Kari I would’ve blacked out.
Still clinging on to Kari I leaned back against the base of the streetlight which was dented in when I hit it. I took stock of my injuries and saw they were serious. While my powers helped strengthen my physicality, the bladed spikes were able to do more damage, especially the one sticking out of my stomach. Trickling a little bit of telepathy into my wounds I made sure these things didn’t have minds of their own. Seeing they didn’t I shut off my abilities. Blood was flowing freely from my wounds and I could feel both it and my life draining from me one drop at a time. Despite that I slid upwards, trying to stand up. My legs didn’t collapse which was a small comfort.
We had to hide, at least until my healing factor could kick in. If it kicked in at all. In the distance I heard the familiar roar of the horde still chasing after us. I made my way to a nearby alley and saw the remnants of a moving truck tipped over on its side. Halfway to the truck I realized I was limping and soon after that realization I fell to one knee and felt a haze slowly envelop my mind. I shook my head and got up. When I reached the truck I opened the sliding trunk door and all but crawled into the back. I wasn’t aware I had turned on my PDA until its ghost blue light illuminated the entire compartment. At this point I had already set Kari down and she was looking at me with concerned eyes. I sat down hard at the back of the truck and was deteriorating so fast Kari had to slide the door closed and lock it herself. I thanked her and told her she was a clever girl. Despite everything that had happened she was able to smile, and I was grateful for it. She was so resolute.
“Kari,” I said, pointing at the PDA. “Could you move that closer to me, please?” She complied and placed the device near my thigh. With bloodied hands I cued the biological analysis program to scan my body. Multiple displays popped up and hung in the air detailing my vital signs and injuries. My eyes were becoming cloudy but I had to stop the bleeding first. Touching the screen I magnified the wound on my stomach. It was severe and I had lost a lot of blood but the spike missed my internal organs - you have to be thankful for small miracles. I began ripping off pieces of my shirt for bandages; Kari helped me with this when she saw I was struggling.
First, I went to work removing the needles from my right arm. The one on my shoulder was the easiest to remove but still quite painful to do so. The scanner showed me the direction the jagged edges faced so I was able to pull it out without causing more damage. I did the same with the one on my forearm and I had to bite my lip to prevent myself from yelling as I tore it out. I cleaned the lacerations as best I could while Kari wrapped bandages around them with cloth and tied them down with taut knots. At last my eyes wandered to the wound on my lower abdomen. I said Kari’s name and she looked at me.
“Child, I’m going to need your help with this, okay?” She nodded. By now I was breathing hard. If I passed out I would need Kari to dress my wounds and hoped my healing factor would kick in while unconscious. Bol Piles once told me in times of distress it was possible for such a thing to happen. I asked then him if he had ever been forced into such a situation. He admitted he hadn’t.
I gestured with a weak hand to one side of the truck. “See that small piece of metal right there?” Kari nodded. “Bring it to me, please.” She went over and picked up the object and brought it to me. It was a thin, flat piece of steel about four inches long and half as wide.
“Thank you. Now take two of the cloth strips and wrap them around it tightly.” While she performed the task I pushed myself off the wall and sat up as best I could. Doing so caused an intense bolt of pain to shoot throughout my lower abdomen and I gasped. Kari’s concern was etched on her face but I gestured for her to continue. When she was done I held out my hand and she handed me the wrapped piece of metal.
“Kari, don’t be scared of what might happen next.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Do you see the long needle in my stomach?” She nodded. “I need to take it out and I might scream. But whatever happens, don’t be frightened, okay?”
“Okay,” said Kari, and I was glad to hear in her voice she would make an effort not to be afraid.
I nodded once and took a cleansing breath before placing the metal strip into my mouth. I bit down hard and started taking measured breaths through my nose. I looked down at the black object sticking out of my stomach and grabbed hold of the tip and pushed gently against it with my thumb. I applied increasing amounts of pressure until it snapped cleanly off. Now I knew I had the option of break it in half instead of pulling it out of my body whole. Unfortunately, it was an inch thick and the serrations on this particular one were far more vicious.
I wrapped strips of my old shirt around my hands to help protect them as I grasped the front end with my left hand and
the portion sticking out of my back with my right. My right arm was weak with the injuries it had sustained but I was able to grip it. I ran the risk of snapping only the exposed ends while leaving the middle part stuck inside me but it was a chance I had to take. I looked at Kari one final time before performing the task, trying to convey to her that everything was going to be all right. She offered a comforting smile, and then I braced myself.
I counted down from three, and a single breath after I pulled hard with my left and right hands in opposite directions. The pain that shot through me took whatever oxygen left in my lungs right out as I felt the jagged spines of the spike tear into my muscles and tissue. My senses were alight with misery as I tore both ends out. I screamed as I bit into the slab of metal in my mouth; I could feel my teeth sinking into the steel like it was a mere piece of hard candy. Without caring to look I tossed the two black fragments at the far end of the truck and heard them clang off the walls and onto the floor as I bent over forward in agony, still screaming.
After a few long, excruciating moments I sat up, extricated the metal strip from my mouth and leaned against the wall of the truck. I was going to black out. I looked over at Kari and saw tears running down her face. With a shaky and bloody hand I wiped away some of her tears.
“It’s okay, child. I’m okay.” I said in a whisper. I felt the fog of exhaustion overpowering me.
“What should I do?” She was nervous and concerned but she wasn’t afraid. Good girl.
“Apply pressure on my wounds and then wrap bandages around them. Just like you did with my arm. Can you do that for me?”
She nodded.
“Good.” I couldn’t keep my eyes open for much longer. “I need to rest now.”
“No!” said Kari. “Please…”
My eyes were closed now. I almost couldn’t hear her.
“Please, don’t leave me.”
“I’m not going anywhere, I promise,” I said. “I just… I just need to rest for a bit.” And then there was darkness.
********
My eyes shot open and what greeted me was a bright, cloudless blue sky with the sun shining almost directly above me. I heard the gentle splashing of flowing water. In the wind I smelled the fresh scent of newly cut grass. I was lying down, my head propped up on something soft with a pleasant warmth. Taking a deep breath of the cool air I detected a hint of perfume. It was the scent of a flower I couldn’t name. I wiped the sleep from my eyes and when I looked up again I saw a familiar facing looking down at me. I smiled.
“Hey, you fell asleep,” said a gentle voice.
“Yeah,” I said.
We were on a manmade rock barrier overlooking the river next to Boyd Park. She was sitting on the flat surface with her legs hanging over the side; I was lying down with my head on her lap. I felt at home.
“Something wrong?”
“Just a bad dream.”
“I see. Was I in your dream?”
“No,” I said. I reached up and brushed long black hair behind one of her ears. “Maybe that’s why it was bad.”
She smiled then. Using the same hand I used to brush away her hair I caressed her cheek with my thumb. I felt the warmth of her smooth, hazel colored skin as I stared into her almond-shaped eyes.
“Where’d you go, in your dream?”
“A dark world, a very dark world.”
“Were you alone?”
I shook my head. “There was a woman and a child with me. A young girl. We were running.”
“From whom?”
Remembering my dream I turned to face her as I scrunched my body in tighter. “Monsters,” I said.
“It’s okay, Darrius. You’re here with me now.” Gentle hands caressed my hair and I was overwhelmed with a sense of comfort I’ve never felt before. I turned my head and stared into her soft, dark eyes. I could’ve stayed there forever. But I couldn’t. I had made a vow.
“I have to go back,” I said. Somewhere in the farthest reaches of my hearing I heard a low rumbling sound.
“I know.”
“I promised Fiona I’d protect her daughter.” The low rumble grew louder and closer.
“I understand. Go now.” She was touching my face.
“But we’ll see each other again, at the edge of the clearing.” The sound grew deafening but neither of us made any attempts to get up and run. She smiled then, with that perfect smile, and bent down to kiss me…
********
I woke up with a start as I took in a long breath of stale air. The fog of sleep began to drift away and I looked around me. I was still in the back of the truck. The only source of light was the PDA which lay close by. I felt a slight stirring on my chest as Kari shifted; she had fallen asleep on top of me, her small hands clutching my shirt like she was holding on to a life raft set adrift on violent seas. I heard the soft, rhythmic sound of breathing and realized she was snoring. I smiled.
Trying not to disturb her I lifted my right arm to examine it. My shoulder and forearm were sore but the healing meme kicked in while I was sleeping. Lucky for me. I moved my arm this way and that to test it and it felt fine. I looked at my stomach and was surprised to see so much blood on my clothes. With a careful hand I touched the spots of my body the large spike went through and though they felt raw to the point just touching them made me wince, the wounds had indeed closed. I laid my head back onto the floor and breathed a sigh of relief. I felt Kari move a bit, lift her head, and wipe her eyes. She opened them and despite the haze still there they widened when she saw me staring back at her.
I smiled. “Hi,”
At once all her exhaustion dissipated and she hugged me with small but fierce arms. “I thought you died, Darrius.”
I hugged her back. “I promised I wouldn’t leave you, remember?”
She nodded, her face buried in my chest.
“Thank you for taking care of me,” I said. “Your bandages saved my life.”
She looked up. “Really?”
I nodded. She hugged me once more and when she did, she accidentally hit my still-hurting stomach with a knee and I groaned. Kari yelped and jumped off me.
“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean--”
I shook my head. “It’s okay, I promise.” I sat up with a speed that sent a spiral of pain throughout my body but I didn’t let it show. “See?”
“Okay.”
Catching my breath I said, “We’re almost there. A couple of blocks away from here and you’ll get to see your new home.”
She nodded but looked down at the floor. Wafting off of her like a light breeze were thoughts of her mom. I knelt on a single knee and held both her hands.
“Your mother wanted to protect you. That’s why she asked me to take you and go.” She didn’t say anything so I continued. “Your mother loves you; always remember that. And she will always be with you. In here.” I pointed at her heart. “And here.” I pointed at her forehead. She allowed herself a little smile and I was glad to see it.
“Will I see her again?” asked Kari.
I nodded. “One day, a long time from now.”
She looked at me with her mother’s eyes and nodded. I squeezed her hands and released them. I half stood so as not to bump into the low ceiling and put on my ruined topcoat.
“Do you have your stuff? We need to go.”
Kari looked around, saw her bag and picked it up.
“Did you remember to bring your friends?”
She opened up the bag and we peeked inside to see both teddy bears still safe and sound. She grinned and nodded.
“Good,” I said. She zipped up the bag and placed it on her back. I made one final inspection of the cabin before picking up my PDA and placing it into an inner coat pocket.
Before opening the sliding door I placed my ear against it, listening for any signs the creatures were outside. When I heard nothing I took hold of the inner handle and slid the door open being careful not to make too much noise. I paused when the door was fully open to inspect our sur
roundings and when nothing life-threatening happened I motioned behind me for Kari to come out. Stretching as she joined me outside, I winced as a bright spot of pain shot through my side. I stopped my exertions and looked up to find the stars but no moon. It would’ve been morning had the circumstances been different.
“It’s hard to see anything,” said Kari looking around.
I looked down at her. “I know, but we’ll be away from here soon.” She nodded. I engaged my abilities and found while it activated with ease, I sensed less than half of it waiting for me; it had taken a lot out of me to heal my wounds. If I had to fight anymore of those things, I just might die trying. But as close as we were to the exit point with luck we’d make it without encountering any more of those creatures. I picked up Kari and held her to my chest.
I peered down at her and asked, “Ready?”
She gave me a firm nod and replied, “Ready.”
Looking at the mouth of the alley I took in a very deep breath and readied my body to run at inhuman speed. Turning on my abilities I felt psychic energies seep from my mind and into my limbs, lungs, and heart. Taking a split second to bathe in my powers and soak it in, I launched forward with tremendous speed. I wasn’t going as fast as I could’ve but it didn’t matter, we were on our way home. I crisscrossed my way through the city taking as many narrow throughways as I could and mentally ping my surroundings so I wouldn’t run into any of those monsters. We came close a couple of times but I skirted around the area whenever I sensed they were near. Reaching one of the larger streets of the city I saw my destination grow on the horizon as I headed towards it.
A Life in Darkness Page 8