by Stevens, GJ
Turning in a swift move, I could just about make out her shape from the line of light under the door. I pushed my left hand out and heard the scrape of the concrete as she lurched toward me.
Still, I couldn’t kill her. Still, I couldn’t put her out of her misery. I couldn’t take away her chance, my chance, of salvation. It would be as if there was no hope for either of us.
But I wouldn’t let her through the door. I wouldn’t let her feed on Alex. I couldn’t let her pass the pain to others.
The door showed no sign of opening at my back. Had Alex decided there was no hope for me either? Or would it open at any moment and release the beast?
Remembering the weight of the pistol in my hand, I kicked out against her attack and raised it high.
“Goodbye,” I said out loud as the gun’s mechanism slid together.
11
LOGAN
Hearing Jess’s voice, then the gunshot just the other side of the door, sent me staggering backwards as I turned. I looked to Alex open-mouthed, reeling from the gravity of what had just happened as we heard something heavy slumping down the steps beyond.
I should have called for her to see some sense and not release the creature with childish features from the other side. Instead, I watched as she yanked the door wide and stared expectant into the darkness.
Shadow’s bark pulled me from the view and to the edge of the rubble, but I turned back when I heard faint footsteps.
Shadow called again and I ran to where he stood, kneeling and stroking his back to calm him as I peered out to the horizon and the unnatural figures heading our way in every place I looked.
When Alex didn’t scream in pain, I chanced a glance and saw Jess walking into the light before stepping up to Alex. Alex grabbed the gun from Jess’s grip, throwing it to the tarmac before she pulled her tight in an embrace.
It was Jess who had been trying to get out and not the girlish creature.
Still holding Alex, Jess looked at me, her face pale and blank of emotion.
As I raised my eyebrows, the only outward show of my surprise, she gave a shallow nod in my direction.
The foul odour on the breeze reminded me that just because we weren’t being ripped apart this moment, the need to be somewhere else was ever-present.
I rushed to Cassie, helping her up as she fell to her knees and wrapped my arm under her. Tensing as I held on, she barely acknowledged my presence.
The pitch of Shadow’s bark rose, and I slowly twisted us around, looking for the news van and our best chance of escape. Everywhere I looked, steaming rubble lay in a disordered mess as if the great concrete hospital had never existed.
With the two-storey building no longer standing, the horizon was so different. The constant slow approach of the creatures almost everywhere meant I couldn’t linger on the view, instead shifting my gaze to the next place in hope of a gap or at least somewhere for us to run.
My mood sank to a new low when in amongst the smoking destruction I picked out the misshapen remains of a satellite dish.
Somewhere close, rubble scattered, and I turned towards the sound, twisting Cassie around to face the end of the hospital where we’d last entered. Examining the rocky debris for the source, a gust of hot dust flashed across my face and a figure rose from the remains, its head covered in white dust contrasting against the darkness of its snapping mouth.
Chancing a glance to Jess and Alex, they stared at the creature. I looked to the sky, searching for black dots between the rising columns of grey.
“There,” Alex called, and I turned, expecting to see her outstretched arm high and pointing to the next aircraft in line to attack, but her arm held level and I followed her pointed finger to the tall spire of a church on the horizon.
I shook my head at the sight, knowing the last place we wanted to be was anywhere where a horde of the creatures could follow and trap us until they could get past any defences we could raise. A low moan from Cassie at my side reminded me she had to rest and perhaps a church, with its solid doors and stone walls, could be the place to wait it out.
There’d be no food, but it could give us a reprieve and the spire would have a great view so we could find a better place of safety. Could we last long enough for the horde to find something else of interest and disperse?
No. We needed to find a car and race away; we needed to get somewhere not littered with the creatures and where the military weren’t targeting their bombs.
A high screech at our backs helped to push us into action.
Shadow led the way towards the rising spire and what I hoped would be a car park full of options.
For a moment I watched him with his snout high in the air, twisting left and right to find a path through the mess of broken concrete and mangled flesh.
Concentrating on our footsteps, I guided us in the same direction, whilst trying to ignore the rising sounds coming from all around.
With the rubble thinning, I peered in the direction we headed and the buildings congregating around the tall spire. Squat houses stood in two disordered rows either side of a road too narrow for a white line to divide.
Either side of the village, low hills rolled out of view and where herds of sheep, or cows, or horses, should have been scattered, something else filled their space, spreading the stench brushing across us with every breath of wind.
With the sight, my spirits took a further dive, knowing there would be little chance of finding the village clear of the creatures.
We’d seen the village before but from the back of the Land Rover. The small settlement seemed mostly intact, but as if in a war zone, the only cars left lay strewn to the side of the narrow road or crashed through houses. Craters dug deep into the black tarmac. Barely any glass remained in window frames and limp bodies scattered each place I looked. I’d yet to see any sign of movement in that direction.
As if not noticing the chaos, Shadow kept the lead, following a path around the bodies, not once touching their flesh. Heading past the hospital compound’s battered chain link, his pace quickened as I scanned the view, unable to stop glancing to movement in my peripheral vision.
“They can smell us,” Jess said, and I turned, startled as she answered the question I’d kept in my head.
“How...?” I said, quickening, then remembering how the cooking meat yesterday had drawn them in, but before I could speak again, she cut me off.
“I’ve been following the story,” she said, turning away from catching Alex’s eye.
“How do you know this?” I said, glancing forward as my foot caught on a small boulder.
“Stands to reason,” she replied, not looking my way.
“Do you know what’s going on?” I said, slowing in anticipation of her answer. When she didn’t reply, I turned to see her nod, and an excitement rose into my chest. I had so many questions, but a feral call in the distance pulled away my enthusiasm for anything but getting to safety.
Cassie tripped and I almost couldn’t hold back her fall, but Alex came around her other side, taking some of her weight so we could pick up the pace.
“Thank you,” I said, looking across Cassie, but Alex didn’t turn my way.
Peering up, I saw the first building; a hall, its walls no higher than the houses along the road. The church spire rose just beyond.
With the litter of bodies thinning, to the right stood a detached post office with a compact car amongst the shelves, leaving jagged fingers of glass hanging from the window frame.
My thoughts turned to the last village I’d visited with Cassie as we hid from the looters, bringing with it the fear we’d had for our lives; for our friend’s, too. But we’d made it then, we’d survived, and I was more determined than ever we wouldn’t join the number that hadn’t.
Steeling myself for whatever would come next, I peered in through the windows of each stone house, thankful the structures blocked the fields either side.
Watching my footing, my gaze landed on the open cavity of a s
oldier’s stomach just in time to avoid falling into the foul mess.
I watched for signs of life. I watched for signs of death; my nerves on edge, knowing we were always only moments from the next event.
A high-pitched scream called out from somewhere in the distance, but I didn’t look back; instead, I peered to the small crowd lumbering their way towards us from the far side of the village.
Despairing when I didn’t see lines of vehicles neatly parked up, I took in the height of the spire, but turned away in search of another sanctuary, a place to go if the church was no good. To my left there were no windows in the St Buryan village hall, the white sign splashed with dark blood streaking down to the announcement of the Saturday Farmer’s Market.
What day was it?
I shook away the inexplicable thought. What did it matter anymore? Survival was our only goal.
I laughed, feeling Cassie move, her head turning my way with Alex on the other side, peering around with a raised brow.
I shook my head, dismissing their looks, but my smile didn’t drop as I looked along the road, watching as Shadow broke into a run and disappeared around the corner of a house.
A shrill call repeated, but I couldn’t judge the distance or the time it would take for the worst of the creatures to be on us.
Rounding the corner, peering left and right, the view filled with bodies piled high. The piles dotted around the cobblestone square surrounding an ornate fountain filled with stagnant scarlet water.
It appeared as if someone had been tidying up, but the thought evaporated when I couldn’t see Shadow anywhere.
The slam of heavy doors and his muffled bark pointed me in the church’s direction.
Lifting our speed, another shrill scream lit the air, sounding as if behind us.
Hurrying to the door, excitement grew at how solid the dark brown doors seemed and how they would soon keep us safe for as long as we needed. The stained-glass windows were still intact, the stone solid and the roof covered every part as it should. The impressive tower would give us a superb view, allowing careful surveillance for a safe route for the rest of the journey.
If only the door hadn’t slammed shut before we were inside, the vibration of the wood hitting home and sending the echo through our chests.
Shadow’s muffled barks filled the air, bringing with it the inevitable shrill reply coming from what seemed like everywhere around us.
12
JESSICA
Why didn’t I pick the gun back up? Alex was afraid of what she thought I might have done, I got that. But why hadn’t I picked it up as we left?
Why had I stepped over so many bodies holding pistols, or those with rifles still slung over their shoulders?
Running towards the church, so much weaponry lay scattered to the ground. But now everywhere I looked the dead were civilians, armed only with bloodied fists or the occasional long kitchen knife.
The shrill call electrified my nerves as the church doors slammed after Shadow passed through. I’d seen the terror in the whites of someone’s eyes, looking past us from between the gap in the great doors as if we weren’t there.
Still rushing forward, I turned my back to the church, barely slowing my pace. I expected to see their fear aimed at the woman held between Alex and Logan. I expected her ashen face to be their reason for shutting us out, but before I could complete the turn, I realised what I would see glaring at our backs.
Slowing, I backed up to the doors whilst trying to keep my expression calm, but by the fear projecting my way I could tell the three knew I stared at a terrifying figure who hadn’t been behind them moments earlier.
Each of us knew what the sound had meant and as my back hit against the heavy wood, I felt the dog’s bark from the other side, catching hurried words as I banged with my knuckles hard against the solid doors.
“Let us in,” I called, my knuckles stinging with the assault as I kept my back to the door and my gaze fixed on a young man with his teeth bared in my direction. I didn’t want to join his ranks; I wanted to stay alive to be human for as long as I could.
I heard a soft feminine voice beyond the thick wood.
The others arrived at the door, but I kept staring to the young man’s face as he crouched back on his heels, knowing what would come next. Looking down from the sharp line of his crewcut, his face was covered in a mask of blood; the lens of his eyes were crystal clear, not white. The ragged remains of the hospital gown did little to cover up his lean torso and couldn’t hide the ripple of his leg muscles as he tensed for the jump with his dog tags settling around his neck.
It still hadn’t jumped as Alex called out, her fist joining mine to hammer at the door.
I stopped hitting at the wood, my mind racing in search of what I could do to save Alex from this fate.
I stared, my thoughts turning to question why it still hadn’t leapt. Was it lethargic from a feed or was time passing so slowly in my mind alone? But no, the drum at the door told me nothing had slowed. The dog still barked at our backs, and muffled voices called out an argument raging the other side.
A chill breeze sent a wave of stench across my face and I saw the first of the crowd coming around the houses.
Logan moved at my side, heaving Cassie too so I could share her hold with Alex. Her warmth distracted me, but I daren’t look from the creature who had yet to make a move.
Shuffling her weight, I watched as Logan stepped forward with his fists balled. Was he insane?
It was then I caught sight of the body in green, discarded in the tumble of flesh we’d seen piled up as we rounded the corner. From this angle, I saw the black and green of a rifle.
“Logan,” I snapped, trying to keep my voice even in hope I wouldn’t startle the wrong response. The raised voices at our backs quietened.
Although Logan hadn’t replied to my call, he turned to look as I raised my hand to point out the weapon.
The creature settled further back on his haunches, his chest bulging. The coiled spring was about to pop and it issued a squeal so loud I wanted to fall to the floor with my hands at my ears.
Logan pounced, rushing with great strides, but before he’d covered a quarter of the distance to the gun and our only hope, the creature leapt to the air.
13
LOGAN
With the decision made somewhere deep inside, my gaze set to the long black barrel pointing skyward. I ran towards the pile, ignoring the creature’s speed as it rose to the air and out of my vision.
I expected time to slow or my strides to falter. Instead, staring at the weapon, I just hoped it was loaded, primed and ready to go.
Screams called out, but not just from the abomination; the sounds echoing from high inside the church and all around me. I stayed my course, staring to the pile, keeping my gaze away from the crowd of creatures which had followed us here, knowing even if the magazine were full, there wouldn’t be enough ammunition to deal with them all.
Four more steps were all I needed and with my arm outstretched, fingers ready, I raced ahead. Surprised when I felt the cold of the metal, my fingers were too eager and pushed the barrel away. As it slapped to the slick of blood, it broke through a thin crust drying on the surface.
In awe I’d covered the distance with my life intact, my fingernails scraped to the tarmac as they dived into the cold, thick blood to pull up the rifle. Spinning around with its slippery weight in my hands, I stared, mouth wide as I watched the creature land on top of Jess, who collapsed under its weight.
I’d known her for such a brief time. An icon from the TV, who early in her career had uncovered a massive child abuse ring in a series of kids home. They’d named the public enquiry after her, with a raft of laws following.
Not content to settle back, a few months later with the country still reeling from the level of the abuse, she discovered an MP taking money to help a rogue pharmaceutical company get government contracts. The MP went to prison. A competitor took over the company when its share p
rice fell through the floor.
The next we saw her covering war zones, reporting border skirmishes between Israel and Palestine. For someone so young, she’d achieved so much, but with her status, neither the public nor the producers had the appetite to watch rockets raining down around her. She moved to a new domain. She took on heads of state, interviewing leaders of terrorist organisations. Company heads. She questioned the worst regimes and those who’d made the biggest of mistakes; those that wouldn’t give anyone else the answers.
Glamorous to the point of a movie star, the audience loved her. She never appeared on panel shows. Never sat next to a comedian to make light of the world.
And now here she was, her life ending during the biggest news story ever to be told, under the weight of a crazed new being tearing at her flesh.
But no.
With Cassie at her back, hitting out as best as she could, and Alex beating at the creature’s shoulder, its bared teeth hovered above Jess’s face as she stared back with a fear I’d seen for the first time.
The world seemed to have stopped.
I don’t know if its pause was real or imagined, but it passed, the former soldier pulling back from the bite, lifting its head and turning up to Alex.
By this time I had the sight to my eye, the tip of the thin metal at the centre of its forehead; I’d pulled the trigger and watched the creature spill to the side as a great spray of red burst from its head.
Three faces turned in my direction, their mouths wide. Only then did I realise the risk I’d just taken; if the shot had only been a little less lucky, I could have killed any one of them.
With the rifle shaking in my grip, I locked eyes with Jess until her fists were back at the door and I raced from the footsteps getting ever closer.
Without warning, the voices from behind the wood were crisp and clear as the heavy doors opened, a crack at first, then pulled wider when dirty rough hands shot out, yanking Cassie into the darkness.