by A L Fogerty
The ground began to rumble and shake as if an earthquake had hit the forest. The animals all looked up at once. In all his life, Felix had never seen zombies retreat—but he’d also never seen zombie animals. They collectively cowered and began to slink away into the forest. Jagger, Felix, and Riddick lowered their weapons. Bane broke through the forest and joined the group. Gloria wiped green zombie blood from her forehead.
"It looks like we scared them off," Riddick said.
"I think the earthquake is what scared them, Riddick," Jagger said.
"I don't think it was an earthquake.” Felix stood still, observing silently.
Dirt began to fly up from a central circle in the campground. Felix couldn't comprehend what was happening. He tried to make sense of it, but he couldn't contemplate it for long. The cause of the rumbling earth and flying dirt became immediately clear. Strange creatures that looked like a cross between a shark and an iguana jumped out from the earth. Four of them, the size of large men, circled the camp on all fours, snarling and snapping.
"The zombies were afraid of these things," Riddick said. "And I have to agree with them."
"Why am I not surprised that you agree with zombies?" Jagger said.
"I think it’s fair to say that we are all put off by these apparent land sharks," Felix said. "It's logical to conclude that they are fairly dangerous."
"You think?" Jagger said.
"It's only reasonable.” Felix checked the barrel of his pistol.
The first shark lunged, jumping fifteen feet through the air to land right in front of Jagger, who swung his sword, slashing the creature in the neck. But his katana had no effect. Jagger kicked at the creature and used his alpha magic to push it back while Riddick jumped on its back and sliced it under the neck, where the skin was tender. The creature fell to the earth, its yellow blood seeping into the soil.
But three more creatures were circling in on the mages. Bane snapped at the creatures, trying to protect the magic users. One of them charged at her, forcing her back. Another one lunged at Gloria and grabbed her by the arm. The others joined the first, pulling at her clothing. She screamed, and Malik charged toward her as if ready to cast a spell, but nothing happened.
"Help me!" Gloria screamed.
Jagger and Riddick tried to do what they had to take care of the first one, but the two warriors could not control the creatures. The land sharks began to run away, pulling Gloria behind them. Bane gave chase. They disappeared into the forest, leaving nothing but the echo of Gloria’s screams.
Chapter 15
Kayla charged through the forest with Quinn right behind her. She could sense deep in her bones that something was terribly wrong. They had strayed several miles from the camp, but it took only a few minutes for them to find their way back. When she arrived, she didn't quite understand what she was seeing.
"What's going on?" she asked, taking in the scene. “Where is Bane? Where is Gloria?" There were dead zombie creatures everywhere and a strange-looking animal oozing yellow blood into the soil by the fire. The party had obviously been attacked.
“She was taken by the land sharks. Bane ran after her," Malik barked.
"How long has she been gone?" Kayla’s heart sank at the thought that she’d lost another friend because she couldn’t control her magic.
"You came back just after they left.” Jagger had black and green blood smeared across his face.
"Come on!" Malik shouted, panic-stricken at the loss of his wife.
Kayla followed her link to Bane in the direction the land sharks had gone, following the tracks through the forest.
"They can run and jump really fast," Jagger explained as they ran. "There's no telling how far they've gotten."
"We need to just keep following them," Malik said.
"Without Gloria, we have no way of returning to the compound," Felix said.
"We're going to find her," Malik snapped.
They followed the prints deeper into the jungle until they found Bane panting and worn out but unharmed. Kayla bent to pet her familiar as she tried to follow the land shark’s tracks. The marks would disappear and reappear again several yards farther on, but eventually, they vanished completely. Kayla was searching for the tracks when she saw a large hole burrowed into the earth.
"Guys, I don't think we're going to find them," she called out. A moment later, the others were all gathered around her, staring at the hole.
"No…" Malik sank to his knees.
Quinn put his hands on the witch’s shoulders, offering him comfort. Kayla could tell that the chaos mage was close to tears.
"This can't be happening," Malik said. "I should have protected her."
"There was nothing you could have done," Jagger said. "We were surrounded and outnumbered, and you didn't have the use of your magic."
"I should have done something," Malik said, collapsing on the ground beside the hole.
"When is the last time you tried your magic?"
"When we left the camp," Malik said, his voice hollow.
"Perhaps you should test it now," Felix suggested.
Malik seemed lost in despair. Kayla's heart hurt for him.
"What will it matter now? She’s gone."
"If your magic is working, maybe hers was too. She could've portaled out of here," Felix said.
Malik looked up, hope lighting his eyes. "That's true." He stood, waving his arms. Then he cast a spell, lighting a small fire in his hands. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "I have to believe she escaped."
"It is a possibility," Felix said, "if she discovered she had her magic and was able to cast in time."
"Gloria would have found a way.” Malik closed his hand, and the flame disappeared. He brought his fist to his heart, his expression resolute.
"That doesn't solve our problem," Jagger said.
"You always had a way with words.” Quinn looked at his older brother with shock and disgust.
"We can stand here all day, trying to be compassionate, but the truth remains: we are stuck here without any way back."
"I may have a solution.” Malik began to dig in his pack.
"What is it, Malik?" Kayla asked.
"If I could cast a spell to locate another entrance into hell, we could possibly find our way in from here. If Gloria portaled out, she probably went home. She would want me to complete the mission.”
"You can find another rift?” Jagger asked.
"If there is a rift within range, yes."
"Do it." Jagger glanced around the forest. "What happened while you and Quinn were gone?" he asked Kayla. They watched as Malik cast his spell.
"We were attacked by a bunch of zombie cats. My angelic power is still under my control. There just wasn’t time for me to learn to fully master it. Do you think Gloria is okay?"
"I hope so. The truth is that even if we find a rift into hell, without her, we’ll have no way of returning home. We are going in blind, and there's no assurance that any of us will survive. But what other choice do we have? Even if we wanted to return to the compound and call the whole thing off, we’d have to travel thousands of miles through zombie-infested jungle.”
"I've located a rift," Malik said, interrupting their conversation.
"How far?" Quinn asked.
"Only a few miles.”
"Very well, then," Kayla said. "Let's go find this rift."
Chapter 16
Sid charged down the dark tunnel with Veronica's cackling laughter echoing behind him. He ran as fast as his feet would take him into the damp, dark void of the tunnel. The smell of sulfur grew stronger with each step, and Sid tried to ignore the fact that he was alone and on the run. His only hope was to head straight into hell. At one point, he found himself in a place completely devoid of light, and he didn't know what to do. He reached out his arms, groping in front of him, trying to avoid smashing into a wall. This went on for so long that he began to feel as if he might never see the light again. After at least an hour of flou
ndering in the darkness and hearing nothing but the sound of his own breathing, he considered turning around and going back. There was no telling how far he'd come or if he had meandered down any off-shooting halls. Besides, Veronica was behind him, lying in wait to enact her evil deeds.
Sid resolved to continue as the darkness seeped into his soul. With breath after breath, footstep after footstep, he began to question the very nature of reality. Had he ever been anywhere but here in this space without lights, hope, reference, or reason?
His mind began to play tricks on him, whirling with colors in the darkness. He heard voices in his head, telling him all manner of evil things. You will never survive. Throw yourself on your dagger. This is the end for you, Sid Blackfang. Your entire life was a mistake.
Sid screamed with frustration, covering his ears. He knew his fears were playing tricks on him, but he couldn't listen to the noise or he would be lost. At last, after what felt like days—or centuries or eons—he found a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. He was so surprised by the sight that he almost didn't believe it was real at first. But as he grew closer, it became clear that it was the realest thing he'd ever seen.
He picked up his pace, jogging toward the sliver of light as it grew larger in his view. Finally, it took on the shape of a doorway. Sid was so relieved that he laughed. As he jogged faster toward the light, he felt as if he were a boy again. When he finally walked through the door, out of the tunnel and into the light, it was exquisitely satisfying. He felt as if he was being given a chance at a new life. But the sight before him was immensely confusing—he found himself on a dusty open plain, a dry desert landscape as far as the eye could see. He hadn't been quite sure what to expect about hell, but this wasn't it.
A road stretched out before him, and he began to walk down it, not knowing where it would take him and not really caring either. All he knew was that he was out of the tunnel. He turned and found that the tunnel had disappeared. Where it had been was only desert filling the space between him and the horizon.
Sid continued walking, the heat of the sun bearing down on his brow. He pulled his canteen from his back and drank the last of his water. Felix had said the first level of hell was like a way station for souls, so a desert highway was not what Sid had expected. He would have to find shelter, food, and water soon. Despite this being an underground realm, the heat of the sun felt quite real. In the distance, an image appeared on the highway. He wondered what it was, but as he approached and it stayed the same distance ahead of him, he resolved that it was just a mirage.
If the first level of hell was a way station for souls, there had to be some kind of civilization somewhere—unless the souls were simply lost in the desert forever. After walking in the heat of the sun without water for several hours, Sid began to miss the cool shade of the cave, though he would never want to repeat the torturous experience of being lost in the dark for so long. He couldn't even fathom how long it had been since he'd entered the cave. All sense of time had disappeared. At least as he walked on the desert highway, the sun moved overhead and finally set behind him.
As the twilight glowed over the red barren land, Sid spotted something in the distance. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but as he drew nearer, he knew that he was really seeing buildings along the road. Soon, he found himself in a small town along the highway, with shop windows alight and people walking about on the sidewalks. He wanted to fall to his knees with happiness. He walked into a building with a sign that said Rosie's Diner and found a busy restaurant full of patrons. They appeared to be humans from many walks of life, perhaps even a witch or two and some shifters. Apparently, everyone went to the same place after death.
"One?" asked the waitress approaching him. She pulled a menu out of a box and looked at him expectantly.
"Yes."
Sid had been to inns in Dark Haven and Hell City, but he'd never been to a restaurant like this. The waitress escorted him to a table and placed the menu in front of his seat. He slid into the booth and thanked her.
"Can I get some water?" he said through parched lips.
"Of course, darling," she said, turning away. She returned a moment later with his water, and he drank the entire thing in one gulp while she stood there.
"Been out in the desert, I see," she said. "Seems like somebody's always wandering into town from out there. I'll get you a pitcher."
"Thank you," Sid said. Water had never tasted so good.
The waitress returned with his pitcher of water and set it in front of him. "You decided what you want to eat?"
"I'll have a steak and potatoes. Extra rare."
"Coming right up," she said, writing it down on her order pad.
Sid gazed out the window at the growing night. This place was much different from anything he'd expected. His waitress had been quite friendly, and if she turned out to be a demon, it would be a big shock to him. She brought his meal a while later and set it down in front of him. It looked and smelled delicious, and he had to wonder how that was possible.
"What is this place?" he asked.
"You mean the restaurant?" she asked, putting her hand on her hip.
"This town. What's it called?"
"Oh, this is just Border Town, a place as ordinary as can be. I've always dreamed of going to Paris, but I think I'll be here for the rest of my life."
Sid was surprised by her response but didn't say anything more. The waitress left him to eat his meal, and he watched the street outside as the people of the town went about their evening business. Several vehicles passed by. Motor vehicles were rare in the world that he knew. He'd never actually ridden in one himself.
"Can I get you anything else?" the waitress asked when he'd finished his meal. "We have a mighty fine apple pie. I hear it's the best in the state."
"That sounds amazing," Sid said, realizing he had no money to pay for the meal. He didn't know how exchanges worked in hell, but he assumed they would want some kind of payment for the food.
The waitress returned with the pie, and Sid dug in. It was the most delicious pie he'd ever tasted. He actually moaned when the first bite touched his tongue. There was a perfect combination of apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg that created the most heavenly experience. He'd hardly ever eaten anything so sweet. In his world, honey was rare, and sugar—which was how pre-cataclysm humans had sweetened their food—was even more so.
The waitress returned with his bill and slipped it onto the table. He eyed the numbers on the paper. He rubbed his stomach and groaned. "That sure was delicious, ma'am."
"Harley makes a mean steak."
"He sure does—only I've got a small problem," he said reluctantly.
The waitress rolled her eyes and sighed. "Not another one."
"I sure am sorry, ma'am," Sid said. "I was starving out there in the desert on a road I didn't know. I'm not from around here. I don't know how things work."
"That's rich. Not like I haven't heard that one before."
"I can work it off," he offered.
She sighed and looked at him. "All right, then. I'll let you wash the dishes in the back. The busboy's on break, and the plates are stacking up. If you do a good job, I won't call the police on you."
"Thank you, ma'am. You're a lifesaver."
"I hate to see anybody in distress. And you're a polite one with a way about you. I guess I can make an exception this once."
"You won't regret it," he said.
"Come right this way. I'll show you where the dish room is."
Sid followed her to the back of the restaurant and into a large kitchen area full of dirty dishes. He panicked for a moment. There was no plumbing back in Mist Valley. But the woman explained to him how everything worked before leaving him to his job. Sid was wholly relieved and went about his work with the diligence he showed everything. When the busboy returned, he told Sid that he was happy to stay out the rest of the night so Sid could earn a few extra dollars.
At the end of the shift, the waitress retu
rned to him and handed him a wad of paper. "You're a good worker. I can give you a job here as long as you don't tell anybody else what I've done for you. I don't need every vagrant off the streets coming in here asking for work." She looked him up and down, her gaze leaving a hot trail over his skin.
"I'm awfully grateful," Sid said.
"If you need a place to stay, the hotel across the street has empty rooms. Tell the owner that Tiffany sent you, and she'll set you up for the night.”
Sid thanked Tiffany again and hurried out into the night. The activity on the street had slowed, and there was barely anyone about. He found the hotel and walked into the lobby. An elderly woman behind the counter eyed him up and down. Sid knew that he struck an impressive figure compared to most men, especially smaller human ones, and it wasn’t lost on the women of hell.
"What can I do you for?" she asked.
"Tiffany from the diner told me that I could find a room here."
"Did she, now?" she said in a tone of voice that Sid didn't understand. "We've got open rooms. You got money?"
"I do," he said, opening his hand to show her the wadded-up pile of bills.
"All right, then. You can have room 204." She handed him a key and took his money. "It's right around back on the second floor. Second door."
"Thank you so much, ma'am."
"Don't mention it," she said, waving him away.
Sid went back out into the cold night. The desert air had turned sweet, and he took a deep breath. He'd successfully navigated his first day in hell and was looking forward to some quiet, comfortable time alone. He found his room easily and opened the door. The room was furnished with a large bed, a desk, a chair, and a television set. He'd seen TVs throughout his travels. None of them worked, of course. They were all just relics of the world that had once been. But Sid was no longer in his world.
Not expecting much, he pressed the red button below the screen, and the thing powered up. He was so taken aback by what he saw that he stood dumbly at the center of the room for quite some time.