Dead by Dawn

by Wellman, Bret

  A Humvee passed by the front of the house: its diesel engine humming. It was painted all black with a turret on the top. A row of soldiers marched behind, each one holding a rifle. The National Guard was running their first patrol of the night.

  The sun was still up, but sinking fast. There were similar patrols being run all over the east coast. Each unit was tasked with guarding a two-mile area. For almost every man and woman on the ground, it was shaping up to be a long night of marching.

  Barry and Adam watched out the front window as they passed. Barry was taking pictures with his phone.

  “This is getting out of hand,” he said.

  Adam took a Sweet Honey BBQ chip from the bag they were sharing. “It’s about time really. Do you know how many lives could have been saved if they did this yesterday?”

  “I don’t know man,” said Barry. “How do you prepare for something like this?”

  Adam stared straight out the window, watching the boots of the soldiers as they marched. The loss of his mother still felt like a knife wrenching its way into his heart. If only they had taken action earlier, maybe she would still be with them. Well, that wasn’t true, technically she was still with them. She was out there, waiting to lure them to their deaths in the middle of the night.

  “I just hope they kill all of these pale bastards,” said Adam.

  “Yea,” said Barry. “I say we prop up a few chairs, crack a few beers, and watch the show from the front porch.”

  Adam took one look at the front porch and knew that was a horrible idea. It was small and the wooden railing offered little barrier between them and the night. “How about we stay inside until after all the vampires are killed.”

  “True, wouldn’t want another run-in with your mom.”

  Adam flinched.

  “Sorry,” said Barry.

  The soldiers continued down the street until, one by one, they disappeared around a corner.

  “You ever had a curfew before?” asked Barry.

  “Yea, I guess,” said Adam. “But not since I was twelve.”

  “I haven’t, it’s weird.” Barry took a handful of chips and shoved them in his mouth. He continued speaking while he chewed. “What are the rules? Do we get arrested if we go outside after dark?”

  “You’d probably get mistaken for a vampire and shot.”

  “You think? I’m not that pale and creepy, plus I think vampires are skinnier than me.”

  “It’s still dark out, idiot.”

  “All I’m saying is that it sucks being stuck here all night against my will,” said Barry.

  “You would still be stuck here either way. Remember the vampires?”

  “Well you don’t have to get smart.”

  Adam shrugged. “I’m just saying.”

  After a good ten minutes of sitting there the streetlights came on. The television, muted behind them, flashed an emergency broadcast to let them know a curfew was in effect. Shortly after, each of them received a text alert on their phones saying the same thing.

  Adam took note of how efficient the text alert system was. Even without the television or radio, they would still know what was happening around them.

  “Game on,” said Barry. He got up and fetched them a couple microbrews.

  Adam popped the top and sipped his beer. He never understood why people loved beer so much. He understood the fun of getting drunk off of it, he just didn’t get everyone’s fuss over the taste. To be quite frank, to him it tasted like shit. He imagined one day he would take that first sip of a beer and this wouldn’t be his first thought. That day was a long ways off however.

  A shadow moved on the other side of the street. Adam sat up to get a better look, grabbing a handful of chips as he did.

  “There,” he said. “The other side of the garden.”

  He tried pointing it out to Barry, but whatever it was had gone. Adam was alarmed by how hard the thing was to see. It was right in front of him and he saw almost nothing. Maybe if they turned the lights off it would be easier, but he wasn’t sure.

  “They’re so creepy,” said Barry. “They give me the chills.”

  “That’s probably because they’re blood sucking monsters straight out of legend, Barry.”

  “The worst legends anyone ever thought up.”

  “I’m beginning to think they weren't so much thought up as observed.”

  “No shit,” said Barry before taking a swig of his beer.

  Darkness fell across the land as the night crept in. It was a cloudy night, blocking even the light from the moon. Adam and Barry’s vision was cut so short that they couldn’t see past the street lamps. A sinking feeling passed over Adam as he stared out the window. Going out there would be worse than diving into shark-infested waters while bleeding. He said a silent prayer for the soldiers stuck marching.

  The sound of gunfire cracked from up the street. It came in short controlled bursts, echoing off the houses. It fired once, twice, three times. Another gun fired, joining the symphony. A third went off, loudest of all, drowning out the others.

  They’re using the turret, Adam assumed, judging from the vast contrast the new gun was making compared to the others.

  The rest of the soldiers must have found their targets because the entire street erupted into a war zone. In the short pauses between shots, Adam could hear the echo of other platoons farther off. They seemed to be in a similar situation.

  Adam leaned closer to the window, trying to get a better look at the muzzle flashes a mile up the road. He almost had to press his face against the glass to see anything at all.

  It looked as though the soldiers were using a couple of spotlights. From the angle he had, Adam couldn’t see much more.

  There was a small thump and the sound of feet running on wood. Before he knew what was happening, a face slammed against the window mere inches from his own. With a wicked grin it licked the glass in one long, slow stroke, mocking him.

  Adam jerked backwards and tumbled off the couch. He hit the floor and gaped in awe at his mother's dead face. The skin above her cheeks was covered in shadow, as if she had two black eyes. Other than that, her complexion was flawless. Not even her pores were showing on her glassy skin.

  She looked starved, like she hadn’t eaten in days.

  Adam only had a moment to take all this in before the lights went out.

  “Shit!” screamed Barry. He was running.

  Adam didn’t need to be told, he started running too. His mother watched them run for a moment before opening her mouth wide and unleashing a blood-curdling shriek. The sound punctured the night and resonated like some nightmarish cacophony, raising gooseflesh on his arms and the back of his neck. He clapped his hands over his ears as he hit the stairs, taking the steps two at a time. He dove onto the mattress they placed in the hallway and threw the blanket over his head. That was where he found Barry.

  “What the hell do we do?” Barry panted.

  “Wait for rescue maybe. I don’t know.”

  “I can’t keep doing this man.”

  “What does she want?” Adam said, mostly to himself. “Is she planning to kill me? What’s she waiting for?”

  When Barry spoke it came out as no more than a whisper. “I read on the internet that vampires can’t cross a threshold unless invited.”

  “You think she can’t physically get in here?”

  “Shit man I don’t know, she hasn’t come in yet. Either she’s toying with us or she’s stuck out there.” He paused for a moment. “Unless she’s invited, it said she can’t get in unless we give her permission.”

  “That’s what she was trying to do the night she came to my bedroom window. She was hypnotizing me into letting her in. That must have been how they got Carl, and how he got… her.”

  Adam laid back and tried to calm himself down. He was shaking. He wanted to throw up.

  There was nothing they could do, but wait. They were trapped in a living hell.

  Chapter 17

  �
�Go get ‘em boys,” said Keith from his spot behind the living room window.

  Joe hadn’t been sure how much of Keith’s story was fabricated. It wasn’t that he thought Keith was a liar, just that the story was unbelievable. Now that he could hear the echoes of gunfire in the distance, he wasn’t so sure of himself.

  The gunfire started ten minutes earlier and had since increased. Judging from the direction, it sounded like it was coming from town.

  Joe was a fan of nonfiction books about history. Every night he would usually spend a good half hour reading before bed. It was a good break from his daily chores and to him, better than television.

  A short while earlier he started the evening reading in his recliner. After the sun went down Keith insisted they keep the lights out. Joe didn’t agree, but allowed the lights to stay off anyway. This left him with nothing to do, but nap in his recliner. That was before the gunfire started. Now he was thankful they kept the lights off and even secured himself a spot next to Keith, under the window.

  They were both crouched down, Joe holding his twelve gauge and Keith his M16. The window was open and Joe had a flashlight next to his leg. They kept their spare rounds on the window ledge.

  Every few minutes Joe would get up to check on the back yard. So far, the gunfire was the only sign that something was wrong.

  “What do you think is out there?” asked Joe. “Honestly.”

  Keith shrugged. “I really don’t know. Whoever it is, they’re pretty damn sly to make it go this far. Probably some underground organization that half the country is in on.”

  “Makes you wonder.”

  Keith stiffened. “Contact,” he whispered.

  Joe set the barrel of his gun on the windowsill and peered down its length. He spotted what Keith saw almost immediately.

  There was a figure walking right up the center of his driveway. It was still far enough away to be surrounded by corn, but it would soon reach the yard.

  “You stop right there!” Joe yelled clicking on his flashlight.

  The man’s eyes reflected the light, the way a raccoon or deer’s would. Those animalistic eyes were locked on the flashlight. His skin was pale, so much so that it matched the moon. His hair hung lank in tangled ropes that framed his somewhat pointed face and he was wearing a ripped up, long trench coat.

  “I’m warning you,” said Joe. “One more step and I’ll take your head clean the fuck off.”

  The man showed no fear as he continued forward.

  “Wing ‘em,” Joe whispered.

  Keith, who already had the creature in his sights, pulled the trigger. The fabric of the man’s pant leg shredded just below the knee as the bullet made contact. The man took one limping step before continuing on with his normal stride.

  Keith followed his first shot up with a three round burst. He hit the same spot twice and once in the other leg.

  The man dropped down to one knee, not even pretending to be in pain, before standing back up and walking again.

  “He’s a tough little spit fuck isn’t he?” said Keith. “What, did he duct tape a hunk of steel to both shins?”

  “Last warning,” yelled Joe.

  “Fuck this guy,” said Keith.

  Keith fired two more shots: one in the chest and one in the forehead.

  The man’s head flew back, but he kept coming. For a moment he looked like he was doing the limbo, then he straightened. There was a black circle on his forehead that was already beginning to shrink. Joe and Keith watched in mute horror as the outer edges squirming towards each other to seal the wound

  “I’m going to rip your guts out,” the man hissed in a voice that was so raspy it didn’t sound human.

  Joe fired four rounds of buckshot, racking the slide as he did. When he was done he reloaded the shells.

  The man was riddled with holes, including a large one in his chest. Joe could see down his driveway through it. The man fell backwards stiff legged.

  “Let’s see him get up from that,” said Joe.

  The body twitched, then lifted one arm and planted its hand on the ground. It lifted itself so it was sitting, then took a knee. They could still see through the hole in its chest, but it was closing. The other wounds across the creature were sealing themselves as well.

  The toothpick Keith was chewing fell from his mouth.

  The creature was now leaning heavily on its left arm as it propped itself to stand back up.

  Keith and Joe both glanced at each other.

  Without any verbal cue they both hopped through the window, brandishing their weapons.

  The back side of the creature’s largest wound had completely closed up so Joe could no longer see through to his driveway. They had a momentary view of its lungs and heart before the muscle and ligaments began growing around them. The heart was still in the creature’s chest, yet he still moved and talked… he was dead.

  As Joe and Keith unleashed a hellfire of bullets, the creature struggled to stay on his feet. He stumbled backwards as chunks of his body were ripped clean off.

  Joe ran forward, firing twice in rapid succession when he was closer. The shots picking the creature off of his feet and threw him backwards. When he hit the ground, one of his arms was only hanging on by a flap of skin.

  The creature howled in rage. He looked at his useless body as if he felt betrayed.

  The ligaments in his arm wiggled like worms, looking for a place to reattach.

  Joe and Keith reloaded as they approached. The creature’s clothes had been shredded to pieces, along with most of his skin.

  “Just die already!” Keith yelled, firing two shots into his forehead.

  The creature ignored its new wounds and continued to hiss up at him as they healed. The flap of skin on his arm continued to tighten until the worm-like tendons found each other. They wrapped together and pulled tight. When the arm was in its proper position it began to fuse together.

  “What the hell are you?” Joe mumbled.

  “I’m gonna cut you open and spread your entrails across this land,” the creature moaned. “And I’m going to make sure you’re alive when I do it.”

  He snarled, opening his mouth wide as if he were trying to bite the air. His incisors were long and sharp, they flashed against what little light was in the night air.

  Joe walked over to the porch and leaned his shotgun against the railing, barrel up. He was pretty sure he wouldn’t need it once he finished with what he was about to do.

  When he came back he was holding an axe.

  The creature lifted his newly repaired arm. “I’m going to…”

  Joe brought the axe down, burying it deep into the creature’s throat. The second swing severed the spine, lodging the axe in the ground.

  Joe kicked the head away before the worm-like ligaments could reconnect.

  “You’re going to fucking stay dead is what you’re going to do,” Joe said before spitting on the creature’s body.

  Keith kept his rifle trained on the body. He lifted one hand to show Joe it was trembling.

  “I’m shaking,” he said.

  Joe went to observe the head. The thing’s fangs were still out, but the face was unmoving. The bottom of the neck was active, all of the ligaments and arteries wiggling in the direction of the body. He gave it another kick so it would roll even farther away.

  “The hell are we dealing with?” he whispered.

  He followed the head one more time and gave it another kick. The farther away from the body the better.

  “Maybe you shouldn’t wander so far,” said Keith.

  Joe looked up to see he was getting pretty close to the cornfield. The shadows leered out at him. Anything could be hiding amongst the corn, easily hidden from his sight. For all he knew, another creature was preparing to dive out at him.

  He tightened his grip on the rifle and began walking backwards. He listened, trying to see if he could hear footsteps. It was difficult trying to block out the sound of distant gunfire coming from the
town.

  When he had backed away far enough, Keith put a hand on his shoulder.

  “What do you say we get back inside?”

  “Probably not a bad idea,” said Joe.

  Both men sat at the window, watching for the rest of the night. They blew off sleep entirely. Though they were waiting, no one else approached.

  There was no more excitement until after dawn.

  The sun lit up the sky first, painting the horizon red, then blue. The moment it touched the creature, both its head and body burst into flames.

  Joe stood up to go nap on the couch for a bit.

  Keith stared at the creature’s charred remains before rubbing his bloodshot eyes. “I don’t think it’s terrorists.”

  Chapter 18

  Darkwood Military Base, WA - July 11th

  Dr. Bennet sat in the break room with his head resting on his folded arms. His steaming cup of coffee was left untouched. His lab coat was stained with a grayish grime and the occasional spot of coagulated blood. The smell of sweat, body odor, and layers of deodorant wafted over him in sharp drafts that made him long for some spare time to take a shower.

  If someone were to have asked him when he had seen the sun last, he would honestly not be able to answer.

  “Dr.,” called Smith.

  Bennet jumped, a string of drool following him. His glasses were askew on his face and there were dark circles under his eyes. His hair was greasy and stuck out in odd places as if he were some kind of homeless vagabond.

  Major General Smith was standing over him with his arms folded behind his back. “You’ve been called to an emergency meeting. They want you to discuss some of your more recent findings.”

  “What?” Dr. Bennet asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

  “I’m not permitted to discuss it here. You’re going to have to follow me. We have a conference room set up.”

  Dr. Bennet stood, feeling every joint in his body protest. He couldn’t remember any other time in his life when he had been so over worked. Not that he could blame them; they were staring down the eye of the apocalypse after all.

  Smith began to walk so Dr. Bennet followed. It wasn’t far, they were in the upper level of the building and it was just outside and across the cobblestone road. As they crossed, the sun felt like a foreign object. The sight of it was almost overwhelming. It was one more thing he had in common with the vampires.