The Complete Creeping Darkness

by Greyson, Quinn

  “Wait until tomorrow.”

  “I just wanted to wish you good luck. Stay safe,” she whispered back.

  Another chill went through his body. He shut the door. She locked it from the inside. It was a big closet; it might actually lead to other rooms.

  He went up a flight of stairs and looked down. The insects were piling bodies and moving them. They didn’t waste any part of a body; they’d grab loose appendages and heads, whatever might have been cut off in the struggle. Food to them he guessed. Now He know how cows and pigs feel.

  The occasional person was found under a body, playing dead, but they’d briefly give up their guise and attempt to run, but with the numbers so against them they had no chance. And Peter was in no position to save them.

  Funny how some things are, a few hours ago he was in this building large and in charge, now if he was discovered he’d be food. A board creaked as he passed over. He stood still, but his heart pounded loud enough to give away his position. Nothing came. He pulled out his Walkie-Talkie and turned it to low and tapped out in Morse code.

  WHERE ARE YOU LEE?

  He continued down the hall as fast as he could. Then a noise, he could hear the Night Crawlers coming up the stairs.

  He reached for a door; locked. People might be inside. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small screw driver and a paper clip. These doors had old locks; the college kids liked the old rustic feel. He sprung the lock and opened the door.

  Before he could go in, his Walkie-talkie buzzed scaring the hell out of him.

  REGROUPING! ORDERS? It beeped at him in Morse.

  Orders? What the hell did he know about orders anymore? He’d failed, the mission was a failure.

  He held the door handle and was about to go in when a Night Crawler stabbed it with its razor sharp forearms. He pulled out his sword and blocked another attack. They fought, his sword against its two forearms. He didn’t want to pull his gun, too much attention.

  A slash whipped by his face cutting his cheek, drawing blood. It jumped on him. The creature had enough, it went to bite at him, Peter had no choice, he pulled his gun and shot it in the face. He kicked its twitching body over the wrap around balcony.

  He crawled to the door, opening it and entering it all in a desperate breath. He was breathing long and hard, but quickly got it under control and soon realized he wasn’t alone. He heard a few gasps and breathing of many.

  “It’s one of the army guys,” he heard a voice say.

  “Be quiet!” someone else spat.

  “They can’t hear us, they can only see us. Those things are a type of Praying Mantises, and Praying Mantises only have one ear on their stomach and even then they only can pick up subsonic frequencies,” someone contributed.

  “Where the hell was that info an hour ago? Thanks a lot asshole!” another voice commented.

  “It never came up!”

  “Shut up!” Peter barked. “And that’s only assuming they’re normal Praying Mantises. Normal Praying Mantises don’t fly and shoot out fire do they? So it just might be possible for them to hear us, right? So shut the hell up!”

  He was willing to bet some of the kids here were nodding their heads in the dark like obedient school kids.

  “They might be aliens!” someone offered.

  “Shut up! They’re not aliens; they’d have weapons and leadership. I saw no leader just a mob mentality,” someone else hissed.

  Peter’s eyes slowly adjusted to the dark. A faint light came from the middle of the room; students were huddled around it, maybe for protection. He didn’t see any of his soldiers.

  “Do you guys have any weapons?” Peter asked.

  “No! They just attacked after you left,” someone must have recognized him, “We were partying and they just walked right in…”

  “And the soldiers?” Peter asked. He wonder how many he lost.

  “It was too chaotic. No idea.”

  Peter closed his eyes. He was leaning against the door, with his knees to his chest.

  Thunder shook the building. A few girls screamed. Then suddenly the deafening roar of a torrential downpour. He looked down at the edge of the door where the darkness met the light. He could see a part of a shadow from a Night Crawler. He made his decision. He cocked his gun, pulling back the chamber.

  “You’re lucky I came when I did. They’d have killed you by now!” Peter said.

  A forearm went through the door, just above his head.

  “When I say ready, move out. Maybe in our large numbers we can get away. But if they grab you, fight like hell!” he ordered.

  “You didn’t save us man, you lead them right to us.”

  “You were walking corpses, now some of you will get the chance to live another day.”

  He stood up and opened the door, shooting the first Crawler that he saw.

  “Move!” He yelled.

  He knew most of them would be dead, but he also knew if they stayed there they’d all be sitting ducks. Plus He wanted to use them as human shields. He stayed in the middle of the crowd, firing when he got a clear shot until they hit the closet where He put Olivia. He opened it.

  Olivia pointed her gun at him. He quickly slapped it out of the way, grabbed her and yanked her out. They were surrounded by chaos. He pulled a grenade out and threw it at a group of Night Crawlers. It exploded sending them flying, along with a few people.

  They escaped outside to the rain.

  Lightning hit the Harkness and thunder shook the ground around them. He saw a jeep; they ran over to it and tried to start it. They were in luck. Keys were in the ignition.

  “Where are we going?” Olivia asked.

  “I don’t know” he said and ripped away.

  ***

  He stopped a few blocks away from Yale. He had to go in the opposite direction then where the hole was, thus the entrance for the creatures.

  “Do you think they’ve over-ran the city?”

  Peter shrugged, “I think so. Do you have your walkie-talkie?” he asked.

  She handed him hers.

  “Come in, over, this is Peter! Retreat! Retreat! If you can hear this, all is lost, go back home. Do not be followed!” He ordered, “Over!” he said resigned to his failure.

  Static and incomprehensible words came back to him.

  Chapter 14

  His new bedroom was nice and large; it also overlooked the gulf. He stood on the balcony looking out at as a storm ravished the ocean. The weather had only continued getting worse. The tides turned and frothed against the shore. He wonder how the seas dealing with the sun situation, how much of it was dying?

  Is this how the earth was when the meteorite struck the planet sixty five million years ago? Or did it even really matter to the inhabitants; were they just big dumb animals? Or did they see it coming with their lizard brains?

  He also wondered how many sailors lost their lives in such storms. And how many died because of his actions tonight?

  “Hey,” a voice floated out to him fighting against the fury of the wind. He couldn’t tell who it was, didn’t care. She joined him outside and leaned against the rails.

  “Did you accomplish what you wanted?” Sophie asked.

  He was in no mood for her, why couldn’t she be normal and leave him alone.

  “I screwed up! Happy?” He knew it. He just didn’t think he’d admit it so readily.

  She shook her head and looked at him with that old familiar look of pity.

  “No, contrary to what you may believe I don’t want you to screw up. When you screw up people die. Lee and Olivia managed to meet up and we’re currently doing a role call to see who we gained and who we lost. But you did manage to wipe Yale out completely. You did exactly what you wanted. I’d think that you thought it was a success,” she said.

  “Success? Yeah, small comfort.”

  Sophie shrugged.

  “Well it’s done. I hope you took something from this.”

  He closed his eyes. The rain
hit his face like a thousand little nails.

  “Please just leave me alone,” Peter asked.

  Sophie touched his shoulder.

  “I wasn’t mocking you; I know this is survival survival, not High School survival. Don’t lose yourself.”

  “You’re telling me that? Man you’ve got some nerve.”

  “Maybe… maybe I’ve just learned how to prioritize.”

  She walked away; He could hear her shoes hitting the floor and then the sound of the balcony door sliding shut.

  He took off his jacket and then his shirt. He let the rain and wind batter his naked chest all it wanted. He yelled out at his stupidity. The storm yelled back louder. His body started going numb, but he kept yelling.

  The rain was turning icy, ironic considering if this happened just a little while ago the bugs would have been pushed back and he wouldn’t have been forced to retreat.

  “Now would be a good time to attack!” he screamed, his voice going hoarse.

  He continued screaming and yelling incomprehensibly, and the thunder replied for the sky. He fell back against the glass, it was strong enough to hold him, and he slid to the ground cradling himself. He closed his eyes and darkness came easily.

  ***

  Soon he was all warm. The storm’s howls slowly subsided from his hearing, replaced with a new tranquility. He had to shield his eyes as he opened them from the brightness of the sun.

  “Come silly,” a good natured voice urged him.

  His eyes slowly adjusted to the day. He could hear seagulls squawk and the roar of the ocean. A blurred female figure ran into a clear blue ocean. He stood up and followed.

  She wore an oversized hat, and the sun reflected off her sunglasses.

  “Maddie?” He asked.

  “Water fight,” she declared and splashed water at him. He slipped into the ankle high water.

  She laughed and splashed water at him.

  “Maddie?” He asked looking up at her. She stepped into the path of the sun and took off her hat.

  He looked her over; she had on a tiny little yellow bikini.

  “Were you expecting someone else?”

  “No.”

  She reached down to him. He grabbed her warm hand, it was electric. He was filled with, he could call it white light or something, something positive, so far away from the negative realities. He hugged her close and she pushed him to the water, falling on top of him, kissing.

  “You’ve been naughty,” she said as he kissed her neck.

  “I’ve missed you.”

  “I bet. It looks like you’ve had a fair amount of company,” she said.

  He rolled her over and looked away. The wind seemed to whisper Olivia, stretching out every letter. He swallowed hard.

  “Olivia, Sophie, Rebecca, Evelyn. It certainly seems like you haven’t been hard up for company,” she said.

  “I… I’ve just been lonely.”

  “I know,” she said waving her hands through his hair, “But now I’m here.”

  Suddenly a large white bed appeared on the sand.

  Madison lead him over to it.

  “What do you want? Me? Olivia? Maybe Sophie?”

  Olivia appeared there naked. Then Sophie.

  Peter looked down and noticed he was naked.

  Madison grabbed his cock and started sucking on it. Olivia joined in and then Sophie.

  Peter laid down on the bed and Madison got on top of him and started riding him.

  Olivia sat on Peter’s face as he licked her pussy.

  Sophie moved Olivia and stuck her shaved pussy into his face. He grabbed her and licked hungrily at her pussy.

  Madison got off of him and went down on Olivia. Olivia sat down beside him and Sophie moved down and started riding on his cock.

  “Feel good baby?” Madison asked him.

  “Yeah,” Peter said.

  The three girls moved to the side of the bed and stuck their ass’s in the air.

  “Take us, one by one,” Madison said.

  Peter stuck his cock in Olivia’s pussy first, he knew hers now.

  Peter grabbed at Madison’s and Sophie’s ass as he thrust into Olivia.

  “Cum in her baby.”

  Peter couldn’t hold it any longer and fucked Olivia hard as he unloaded in her.

  She disappeared from the bed.

  “What the hell?”

  “My turn,” Sophie said and stuck her ass in the air, “Fuck me in the ass.”

  Peter grabbed Sophie’s ass, or at least his memory of it and stuck his dick into her gaping ass.

  It was nice and tight and Peter came quickly as Sophie disappeared as well.

  “Only me baby,” Madison said and went down on Peter’s wet dripping dick.

  She moved and sat on him and started riding on him.

  “Can you cum one more time?” She asked.

  “For you yes.”

  Peter fucked her hard.

  “You’re not going to disappear are you?”

  “Cum for me baby.”

  Maddie fucked him hard too.

  Peter came and shot his cum into Maddie.

  As he came the bed disappeared along with Madison.

  Peter fell into the water and then quickly stood up.

  “Fun?” Madison asked as she walked towards him dressed in a red bikini.

  He closed his eyes.

  “Am I dead?”

  “This place certainly could be heaven. And I know you’d have no qualms about staying here would you?”

  She smiled her beautiful smile at him, bringing back a flood of memories that he’d tried to forget. He didn’t know her for that long, but he felt like he was defined by her. Stupid maybe, but true.

  “This isn’t heaven, but it seems close doesn’t it?” she asked.

  “Is this just a dream then?”

  “If I told you, you wouldn’t learn.”

  “Maddie… Madison, I screwed up everything. The Yale thing. I thought I was doing the right thing, but now I don’t know. I don’t know if I can lead people to their deaths,” he told her, seeking some sort of redemption.

  “What do you want to hear? That you were right and justified or that you were wrong and you need to change? Either way you’ve got to live with what you’ve done. Someone once said that a measure of a man is how well he moves from failure to failure.”

  “You must be real, I’ve never heard that before.”

  “One would be surprised by what you’ve heard and forgotten, but not lost.”

  “So I’m going to fail again?”

  “And again and again, but I’m sure that’s nothing you don’t already know.”

  “I guess I’m not dead then.”

  “No, you’re not dead. Sorry to disappoint you. When you fail, no matter how big, that’s a highlight in your life. You learn from failure. One rarely achieves greatness or spiritual growth if you continuously never learn. Do you understand?”

  He nodded his head. He could smell the sea, and the rightness of this place. It’s place you had to earn a spot in.

  “Do you remember the sun?” she asked him, turning and looking at it.

  He nodded, feeling like crying from its brilliance.

  “You always remember things when you don’t have them.”

  “That’s true. You can also start mythologizing things and people too. ”

  She put her arm around his shoulder.

  “Were you ever going to tell me what you were hiding?” she asked.

  “People died.”

  “People always die. That’s nothing new. Olivia knows, but I don’t. How is that possible? I thought you loved me?” she asked.

  “I do love you!”

  “Well then…”

  He hesitated, but realized he had nothing to lose. If she was now a heavenly beauty, she knew anyhow. And if she wasn’t, this was all in his imagination.

  “It was at West Point. I had a girlfriend named Lilly Rutherford. We had a friend named Emmanuelle Vasq
uez. Things happened.”

  He noticed his new found day turning into a purple night. But the sun stayed low and grew larger and larger. Then it turned into a screen showing Lilly and Emmanuelle, or Manny as Peter called him. The three of them looked happy, laughing. Her fair hair bouncing as Peter chased her. Manny watched and then disappeared. Lilly and Manny appeared together behind a building and their lips slowly met.

  Then another scene.

  The fateful day.

  Guns fired as war games went on at West Point.

  Lilly fell dead, blood pooling on the floor as a stain grew on her back.

  And then Manny fell dead.

  Peter stood over the two bodies. Guns still smoking. His commander came over and looked at the two bodies.

  “What have you done Peter?” he asked him.

  The sun burned bright again and it was day.

  Maddie patted his face. The daylight came back, but it seemed to be smudged with a deep red.

  “A shame when such young lives are extinguished.”

  “Things happened… quickly,” he said trying to defend himself.

  “It’s hard for you to keep a girlfriend isn’t it?” she asked.

  “I didn’t kill her!”

  She stood up and took his head into her stomach and stroked his hair as he looked off at the ocean horizon.

  “Calm down.”

  He grabbed her cool leg and ran his hand up and down it.

  “Olivia, interesting,” she muttered.

  “I’m sorry. I really like her,” he said, almost wincing.

  “You probably won’t remember a lot of this when you wake.”

  “I’ll be stronger next time. I won’t lose you again!”

  “I think you’re missing the point. Do you think she really loves you?”

  “I’d like to think so.”

  “Didn’t you think Lilly loved you? Aren’t you just betraying your friend? All I can say is do what’s right, because when you do what’s wrong, things have a way of coming back and biting you in the ass.”

  He looked up at her.

  “I’d rather stay if I had the choice,” He said.

  “Sadly you do not. You have a much more interesting destiny on earth.”

  She sat down beside him.

  “Are you looking after Sophie for me?”

  He nodded.