The Human Race (Book 3): The Main Event

by Fritz, Tahnee

  I keep my eyes focused on hers and slowly things begin to change around me. The world lights up and I recognize the inner makings of Des Moines. I look around my home and notice that everything has changed. The houses are burned to the ground and people are running frantically through the streets. Gunfire echoes in the distance and a loud blast fills the air. I look to the explosion and see a massive hole in the wall surrounding the city. An army that cannot be controlled runs through the gap, chasing after the people who live in peace behind that wall.

  My jaw drops as I watch the massacre of the humans I helped to keep safe. Their blood sprays through the air, staining the concrete of the street they were just running on. The army, dressed all in black, advances through the wall with such force, they rip through the place like tissue paper. A tank is following them and I recognize the man standing on the very top of it. He wears an accomplished smile as he takes over the city and gains control over a good majority of the surviving country.

  I turn back to the monster version of myself and the smile has faded. I don’t know why she chose to let me see this. If this is a part of the future where Trevor wins and gets the world he wants, then it is something I can’t let take place. Trevor will destroy everything that is good and safe on this planet and leave nothing but charred remains of what could have been. He won’t give the humans a life they deserve, only the life of a slave under his ruling.

  I close my eyes and shake my head from side to side. Our hands peel away from each other and mine falls back to my side.

  I can’t let Trevor take over. I can’t let him win. There has to be something for me to do in order to stop the destructive madness.

  I feel her hands grab my shoulders and a strange sensation fills my body. My arms and legs are tingling in the way they would if they were asleep. My hands are shaking uncontrollably and a coldness is taking over. She moves in closer to my ear and her warm breath caresses my skin.

  “You are not strong enough to win.” She whispers and I drop to my knees as all of my strength has been sucked away from me.

  My energy is gone and my legs no longer work the way I want them to. I keep my eyes closed tightly and my upper body lies on the suddenly frozen floor. Ice is forming where is lay and a light fog emanates out of my mouth as I breathe. I can’t stop shivering or keep my teeth from chattering. I fold my arms over my chest, but nothing I do can fight the coldness rapidly taking control.

  Her footsteps flood my mind and I open my eyes a slit to see her stepping in front of me. Slowly, she kneels to the icy floor and stares deeply into my eyes. She gently places a hand on my shoulder and even more of my strength gets stolen away from me.

  “You wanted this, remember?” she says and I feel my lips moving along with hers. “You wanted to forget everything and give your life to me. The sadness cannot hurt us anymore.”

  “N...no.” I stutter. “I ch...change my mind. I want to go back.”

  She smiles and shakes her head, “It is much too late for that. I am in control now and nothing will stand in my way.”

  I can’t move my head or say anything to stop this from happening. My mouth is glued shut and my heavy eyes fall closed once more. The monster leans forward, balancing herself against me. I feel her lips press against my forehead and my shivering comes to an abrupt end.

  Part Two

  The sound of birds fill my ears. Their monotonous chirping is like an ice pick to my brain and I grit my teeth as I listen to that annoying sound. My hand moves around on the soft grass, feeling every blade for the first time. The morning dew soaks my skin and the cloth of the hooded sweatshirt on my back. I take a deep breath, the first of many in this new form and I slowly open my eyes.

  The sun is blinding, burning my eyes like a fire poker fresh from the flames. I seal my eyes shut and remember that I need something to shield them from the sun. I feel around on the grass and the collar of my shirt until I find the sunglasses I need to protect my vision. As I move my hands, I realize they are bound at my wrists. The worthless girl I once was did not have the strength to break through the rope. I tighten my hands into fists and pull them away from each other until I feel the rope begin to fray and inevitably snap.

  I finally find the sunglasses on the grass a couple feet away from me and slide them over my face. They still burn when I open them, but the feeling fades quickly as I take a look at the world I have been waiting to see through these eyes.

  The colors are brighter and the air is just as crystal clear as I have been lead to believe it was. Seeing things through that pathetic girl’s eyes could never live up to the magnificence that lies before me this very moment.

  I sit up and stare at the humans standing just on the other side of the cage I am trapped in. They hold weapons as they walk back and forth across the grass like they are guarding me. Their pink flesh looks appetizing and I sniff the air to get a better feel of what they would taste like. It is sweet and salty, the blood under their skin is warm and thirst quenching. Those humans are weak compared to the beast that I am. I could take one of them down in seconds, then quickly move on to the next one in line.

  But that isn’t the plan.

  I need to get out of this box and free myself of the prison that girl let them throw us in. She should have let me out days ago. I could have gotten us out of here faster than she could have dreamed and we would be well on our way of having everything I have ever dreamed of.

  “She’s awake.” A woman’s voice catches my ears. “We should get Trevor.”

  I turn my head and stare at the woman with long, black hair. She has it braided down the center of her back, swaying against the leather jacket she’s wearing. Her brown eyes turn to me and I focus on the scent of the beautiful brown skin she’s hiding under all of those clothes. Her neck is beckoning and I want to taste her flesh so badly. How the last version of myself went so long without biting into a human, I will never understand.

  An older man with grey hair and a fat gut sticking out of the bottom of his shirt walks past the bars, heading for the door of a brick building. He’s sweating through his clothes and that gnarly stench isn’t as appealing as the rest of these humans. I grit my teeth and curl my lips back in disgust as the man disappears inside.

  Slowly, I pull myself to my feet, letting the stiffness of my arms and legs fade as I move them. It feels good to stand on my own instead of relying on that crutch to carry me around. I take a step closer to the bars and lift my fingers to touch the cool metal. It’s rough against my skin and I smile as I wrap my fingers around the bar as tight as I can.

  “Shit, she ripped through the ropes.” I hear a man’s voice this time and I move my eyes to his.

  He is a boy more than a man. He is shorter than the woman and doesn’t quite know how to hold the gun he’s trying to aim at me. His hands are shaking causing the metal of the weapon to reverberate against itself causing another annoying racket to fill my ears. I snarl and look away from him. All of these repetitive sounds are enough to drive anyone insane. I can see why she wanted me to take over.

  A squealing sound rips through the air and I whip my head around to see the cause. The door to the brick building is opening and a few men come waltzing happily outside. I recognize the one in the lead. He has a particular bounce in his step as he approaches the cage with a smile on his face and a slice of white bread in his left hand. His eyes light up as he sees me standing.

  “I’m glad you chose to come back to the land of the living, Bridget.” He speaks and his voice is more than familiar. “I see you didn’t waste any time snapping the ropes on your wrists. I hope that isn’t a sign of something bad you’re planning.”

  I tilt my head to the side and allow the slim smile to cross my lips. This one smells tastier than the humans who surround him. He has a certain stink to him that reeks of destruction. The way he stares at me, willing me to see things through his eyes, and another familiarity rushes through my head.

  I feel a strong hatred for this man. H
e has wronged me in a way that is not forgivable. Revenge is the thing that makes his flesh more desirable to me, but I cannot let that craving for him show just yet. This will take time. I need his trust before I allow myself to taste his flesh.

  “Bridget?” he speaks again, noticing my lack of conversation, “Did you get the rest you needed in order to wake anew and see things my way for once?”

  I ogle him from head to toe then back to his eyes and say, “I believe I have done just that.”

  The smile widens across his face and he tosses the last of his bread to the grass, “I have to say that is great news, but I’m still having trouble trusting you.”

  I shrug and keep my own devilish grin plastered to my face, “Maybe I was wrong about you. You want a world to follow you and believe in your visions for the future. I want the same thing, only better.” I might be lying, but this man cannot see that at all.

  He takes a step closer to the cage and asks, “And what about the past? Have you finally forgiven me for the incident with that boy?”

  “What boy?” I say.

  He throws his head back in laughter, then he speaks, “Oh I have to say that I love how you are thinking today.” He moves even closer to the cage and wraps his fingers around the bars, “I hope that maybe one day you will forget all about boys and focus on finding yourself a man like me to have by your side.”

  Our eyes stay locked in a laser beam of focus. I feel his fingers gently rubbing against my own and his heavy breathing is disruptive. He smiles and winks at me and I know I have gained his trust. It happened much faster than I thought it would. He’s a bigger idiot than he lets on to be. Then again, I am giving him exactly what he wants to hear. He wants me to be a part of his plan for the future he wants to create.

  The smirk remains on his face and I watch his hand dig into the front pocket of his slacks. A key jingles as he pulls it out and walks to the lock on the cage. Here comes the real freedom I have been waiting so long to obtain. The time for me to do what I need to do and live the life I was created for. He pulls the lock from the latch and pushes the heavy door open. He steps to the side and I slowly cross over the threshold.

  I stare at the faces of the men around me and take in their wonderful scents. All of them fear me and that smell is overpowering. A jolt of hunger stabs me in the stomach, but I hold back what my instincts are telling me to do and walk calmly into the open air. I might be craving their flesh and bones, but I can control this far better than the old me ever could.

  Past this small group of humans is an even larger crowd starting to form. Their frightened eyes gaze upon me and I simply let my grin pass over each one of them. If I could read their thoughts, I would see that they are all wondering when I am going to make a break for it. It would be so easy to leap over these people, rush through the crowd that would part at the mere sight of me, and head for the vast world that awaits the monster I have become.

  I cannot do that. Not only does my reasoning have to do with the many guns being aimed for my head and heart, but I have something I need to accomplish before I can depart from this place. There is a task which I cannot leave undone and it involves this man I hate so dearly.

  I turn to face the one I recognize as Trevor and wait for his next words. He walks to me and reaches for the ropes still dangling from my right hand. He quickly unties it and tosses the frayed rope to the ground.

  “Let’s get inside, shall we?” Trevor suggests. “The room I have prepared for you is much better than this cage.”

  He strolls away from the metal building and I allow my feet to glide across the grass and follow him to the door of the school. The scent of human flesh grows when the door opens and another, equally intoxicating aroma drifts up my nose. There are undead souls in here somewhere and I am dying to find out where.

  * * *

  It is warm inside the brick school building and the smell of human flesh is mixed in with the scent of zombies. I can also detect a faint cleanness to the place. I hate to tell them that they can scrub and clean all they want but that amazing aroma of the undead creatures will always be soaking into the walls as well as their clothes.

  The lights are dim down this first hallway and the old classroom doors are shut tight except for the one right by the entrance. I look through that open door and spy a wall filled with television monitors and a generator under the barred window to power it all. A man and a woman sit side by side, staring at the screens and acting busy as their boss walks by. The screens show various parts of the town and even one aimed at the empty cage outside.

  Trevor leads me through the hall and his minions stay a few paces behind us. Some of them stop following and take their coats off, then disappear into one of the classrooms. I glance into one of them and see dozens of dark colored coats hanging from hooks on the wall. Beneath the coats is a vast array of weapons ripe for the picking. Pistols, rifles, automatic machine guns, and swords of many different lengths fill the shelves and the floor and the men simply add theirs to the pile. One man, a large guy with arms as big around as a tree trunk, stands guard of this room with a rifle strapped around his back. I pass him a sly smile and he raises an eyebrow out of sheer confusion.

  I turn my attention back to the path ahead and follow Trevor around a corner. He points to a large room and tells me it is their cafeteria. Tables are setup and a few people are seated together eating the last morsels of their meal. The kitchen is right off that room and the smell of meat fills my nose. The dead, charred meat isn’t as appetizing as the living flesh all around me. I think I’d prefer something a little more rare in my diet.

  We turn down yet another long, echoing hallway, passing by a few more rooms with closed doors. Two men dressed all in black stand watch outside of one with a bloody handprint on it. The window has been blacked out and I stop walking and stare at the smear on the wooden door.

  I breathe in the smells coming from the other side of that door and fresh blood is strong in there. It’s not masked by the skin encasing it nor is it dead. Something is happening to humans inside this room and I can’t help but wonder what that something is.

  “I have an extra room setup for you at the end of the hall. Mine is right next to it and I’m sure you’ll be comfortable there. Of course, I’ll have to keep an eye on you until I can fully trust you.” Trevor states as he keeps moving.

  My eyes are glued to the door behind the guards. They stand firm as I glance to each of their angry faces. Their fingers rest on the trigger of their handguns and they act as though they are prepared for anything I could throw at them.

  Trevor’s footsteps stop moving and I feel his eyes on me. He backtracks down the hall and stands at my side.

  “This room isn’t for you.” He says.

  “What’s in it?” I ask.

  “Just my little prison for people who tend to get out of hand. Nothing you need to concern yourself with.” Trevor replies. “C’mon, your room is a little further down the hall.”

  He waits for me to turn away from the door before he starts walking again. His boots click against the old marble under his heavy feet. I am much lighter on mine as I walk, mastering the craft of sneaking up on my prey.

  He takes me to a door at the far end of the hallway. It’s black and the window on the door is tinted dark as well. He pulls a small key from his pocket and sticks it in the doorknob, then pushes the heavy door open.

  This old classroom is dimly lit, but I can see everything perfectly. A mattress lies on top of an old wooden bed with mounds of pillows and blankets piled on it. The windows are boarded up completely to block any amount of sun or moonlight to shine through. The teacher’s desk is shoved against the wall under the white board and a row of flickering candles are placed neatly with wax dripping onto the desk.

  I step into the room and take everything in. It is so comfortable in here and is more suited to a creature as great as I am than that wretched cage outside. If I am to be the cure for the humans I so desire, then I deserve to
live in luxury.

  I move further in to the room and spin around. My eyes catch a tall wooden cabinet with the doors hanging open. Shirts and jackets dangle from hangers and jeans are folded on one of the shelves above them. Three pairs of boots and one pair of tennis shoes line the very bottom of the wardrobe and the smile grows wider across my face.

  “There is a shower down the hall with warm water. In the morning I’ll have one of my guards walk you down there.” Trevor mentions from the doorway. “As you have noticed, there are clothes in the closet. Mostly things we have scavenged out here but all of them are in good shape with no holes. You can finally change into something a little less dead looking.”

  I smile at that thought. I don’t understand why I ever thought it would be a good idea to stay in the same, bloodied clothes for more than a day. This soiled outfit should be burned and replaced with one a bit more suiting.

  I turn to Trevor and he smiles at me. For a man that creates a lust for revenge deep inside of me, he sure knows how to make a girl feel welcomed. I am finding it difficult to see the reasons why I have chosen to hate him when he is giving me all of these nice things. I just cannot fight the feeling the old me has left behind. It is the one thing she has managed to keep inside this head of mine and I can at least humor her by letting the hatred linger until I find a way to deal with it.

  “I’m really glad you’ve decided to join me.” He says, leaning against the frame around the door. “You have no idea what this will mean to the world now that you have made the right choice. I hope you enjoy this life as much as the rest of us do.”

  “I have no reason not to enjoy this life.” I reply.

  “And you’ll give me the cure to build the army I want and have the world I deserve?” he asks.