Like clockwork the grandiose performance at the zoo continued. On queue two burning torches were thrown into the pond in front of the prisoners igniting the liquid immediately sending bright flames bursting into the air.
“Cowards, traitors, deserters, perverts and...” the Lamb of God placed special emphasis on the next word, “... murderers.” Drew in a deep breath. “The immoral and all liars – the place for them is the lake of fire!”
Loud cheers rang out.
“Come!” he yelled. “Everyone who hears this must also say, come!”
“Come!” came the loud, almost deafening reply.
Martin signaled with his hand and another gate opened at the front of the arena. From inside came a low, sickening moan.
“Come!”
The five prisoners tied to the poles knew the sound and what it meant and instantly their hearts filled with dread. They gave each other a panicked look, fear now firmly etched onto their faces.
Josh tugged at his chain, it held fast. He realized at that moment that it was going to be virtually impossible to break this with his bare hands. Siobhan pulled at hers too and came to the same conclusion.
Louder grew the moans, closer they came to the dark opening until eventually one after another they spilled out onto the arena. Gaunt, haggard undead creatures, infested with rot and decay. They staggered, crawled, tripped and clambered over the top of one another, yellow teeth with exposed gums gnashing and snarling. Bony fingers reached and grasped at the air in front of them as if they were using them as divining rods in search of blood.
To Josh’s right the shackled woman started to panic, her scream immediately alerting the swarm as to their location. It wasn’t as if they were hidden, they were indeed exposed in plain sight, but whatever advantage they might have had to buy time in order to strategize or plan an escape had now been seriously eroded.
Again she screamed. She was without question the most visibly distraught of the five.
Turning to face the man tied next to her Josh yelled, “Will you shut her the fuck up!”
It took the man several attempts to quieten the woman. It wasn’t until the forceful slap across her face which knocked her to the ground that her screams subsided, whimpered quietly instead.
“What the hell are we going to do?” Colin’s question wasn’t aimed at anyone in particular, it was more said in the hope that someone else had a plan for he was at a loss.
Siobhan glanced at the throng of creatures that were descending upon them. “I’m not scared to die, but I am fucked if I am going to die like that!” As she turned to face Colin out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of the axe, which was still buried firmly in the skull of the dead man who was laying in a pool of his own blood not far from the butcher. “The axe!” she yelled, pointing to where the handle was sticking up in the air.
Colin immediately reacted and charged towards the weapon. In his haste he forgot he was shackled. The moment the chain went taut his feet went from under him and he fell hard to the ground landing heavily, the blow rendering him unconscious.
“Colin!” Siobhan yelled. He did not move.
Certain death edged its way closer, signaling its arrival with a collective moan.
Siobhan yanked at her chain once more, this time she had an idea. It was something that might just work, but it was also bold and very daring. Sliding to her knees at the foot of the pole she lifted the chain that was attached to her ankle. A thick metal ring to which the chain was affixed had been slung over the shaft. It rose as she lifted her chain higher.
She continued to slide the ring up until it was above her head. Pulling hard on the chain until it held all her weight she leaned back and began to scale the pole. It was slow going at first but she was determined, for this was to be a life or death climb.
Siobhan was much stronger than she knew, her knees gripped tightly holding her in position as she slid the ring higher. Pulling back on the chain again she shimmied further upwards. Once she got into a rhythm it became much easier.
Josh tried to emulate her but slipped and fell in a heap. Looks were deceiving and it was nowhere near as easy as she made it appear. Besides, he was not as nimble as his female companion. He just stood and looked on in awe.
Finally reaching the top Siobhan slid the ring from the pole. From her perch way up high she had a birds-eye view of the arena. The creatures were close now, not quite upon them but posing an immediate threat. She still had time to act. Right before she leapt to the ground she looked up to the main platform where Martin was staring straight at her, mouth wide open. Eyes burning with rage. With her free hand she gestured with her middle and index fingers from her under her eyes to point directly at him, she was watching him watching her.
Blood gushed over Siobhan’s boot as she pulled the axe head from the skull of the dead man, kicking his corpse to the ground she wiped her boot on his trousers. As she stepped over his dismembered arm she noticed the sword still grasped in his lifeless fingers, pried it free and held it tight.
Flames rose higher from the lake of fire lighting up the entire arena. Martin clenched his fist and punched the air in front of him, desperately urging the creatures on. He could ill-afford the embarrassment of something going wrong now especially in such a public setting, one which he had so painstakingly orchestrated.
Sparks flew as the axe hit the chain releasing Josh from his bindings. Siobhan had already freed herself and Colin before she passed the axe to Josh telling him to release the other two prisoners. The butcher started to come around, slowly sitting up holding his head. Siobhan helped him to lean back against a pole.
“You ok?” she asked him, hurriedly.
“Ummm... yer. Should be,” Colin managed, groggily. He was still a little lightheaded.
“Ok, but don’t take too long, this shit’s about to get nasty.”
From behind her Josh screamed out her name, yelled for assistance. She spun around on her heels to see him and the other two prisoners beset upon by the first of the creatures. The undead were spread out across the arena, some staggering a little faster than others.
Josh had managed to cut one chain freeing the woman, but the man was still shackled and vulnerable. Swinging the axe he flailed wildly at the incoming creatures before Siobhan came to his aid. Her response was cool, calm and completely calculated. Wrapping her fingers around the handle she grasped the sword tightly, dragging the blade tip along the dirt behind her as she strode forward into battle. There was an air of confidence about her as she entered the fight – she meant business.
“Josh, tend to the others,” she said, in a condescending tone. “There’s a good lad.”
Momentarily taken aback Josh gave a slow blink. He acted immediately however, as the sound of moaning once again filled his ears. Setting off shaking his head he freed the man who was still chained to the pole.
The first blow Siobhan struck sliced through the legs of two creatures at the head of the incoming swarm, followed that up by stabbing her sword through both their skulls killing them instantly. Stepping back she taunted the next wave to come for her to provide a distraction from Josh and the others. She made short work of the next half a dozen of the undead who tripped on the creatures in front of them and fell sprawling to the ground.
A loud ‘clunk’ came from behind her and she heard Josh say, “All done.” He then joined her at the front line, axe in hand.
Together they repelled wave after wave, their contrasting styles somewhat complimenting each other. Each of Josh’s blows with the axe was delivered with power and force as he dismembered and plundered all that stepped into his swinging arc. Siobhan on the other hand fought with precision, accuracy and tactical dexterity.
As each body fell Siobhan had stepped to one side expertly like a matador evading the horns of a bull. Immediately she slaughtered another, then another and before she knew it she had created a semi-circle of corpses around her. Each step took her and Josh further away from the other
s, keeping them free from danger. It also took them closer to the burning pond.
To the untrained eye it looked like the two of them were merely swinging aimlessly in a desperate attempt to survive. Their strategy was in fact quite sound, deliberate and calculated, Siobhan had a very cunning plan and was executing it with precision. They had been aided somewhat by lady luck though, as not all of the creatures came at them at once. This allowed them to pick off the leaders one by one and then deal with smaller groups as they came on them. The main pack was yet to arrive.
Colin got to his feet shaking his head. He was still not one hundred percent, but felt that he needed to help. Looking around for a weapon all he could find was one of the chains with the large metal hoop attached to it.
That will bloody-well do!
As he reached down to pick it up his head spun a little. Took a moment to settle before wrapping the chain around his wrist several times. Now he was ready. A whistling sound cut through the air as he began spinning the rusty chain above his head.
At the very start of this fight the crowd had firmly favored the undead creatures. Martin’s clever manipulation had them believing that for each of these prisoners this was indeed a punishment befitting their crimes. They deserved to be put to death. However, as the fight raged on the mood had changed somewhat and an ever increasing number began to cheer on the underdogs. This visible shift in allegiance was not lost on Martin.
As Siobhan, Josh and Colin continued to cut a swathe through the swarm the leader of the 4Horsemen summoned his two closest advisors. He was visibly agitated and the discussion was quite animated and heated. One of these men was Lucas, whose finger Siobhan had threatened to bite. He bore the brunt of Martin’s wrath and after several minutes absorbing a wild tirade, he stormed of through an exit at the rear of the platform. Six oafs went with him.
Finally reaching the burning lake of fire the three combatants could feel the heat on their skin. It was quite intense, as was the peculiar odor that emanated from the pond. Very quickly it became quite apparent to the three of them precisely what had ignited this fire and why it was still burning brightly now – oil!
The tip of Siobhan’s sword entered the skull of her next attacker directly through the right eye socket killing it instantly. Withdrawing the blade she kicked the lifeless corpse into the burning pit. This was met with rapturous applause and cheering from the crowd.
For the first time since creating the 4Horsemen Martin felt genuinely threatened. Shaun’s death had shocked him, driven him to spite and he had quickly become vengeful. Having Shaun’s killer in custody had given him the opportunity to make a public spectacle of her, but it was all now backfiring on him. He needed to save face and avoid the humiliation that was looming.
Cue death.
Suddenly a gate opened beneath the platform Death emerged and once again rode out onto the arena. The sight of the rider dressed in black astride the pale horse urged the crowd on, they cheered and applauded believing that this was all part of the spectacle they had come to see. Nothing could be further from the truth.
On through the hordes of creatures pushed the white horse brushing the brittle forms aside as it collided with ferocity. Wielding a large mace Death struck out at everything in its path. Punishing, pulverizing, tearing skin, shattering bone and splitting skulls.
It did not take long for horse and rider to forge their way through to reach the prisoners in the center. Swinging the heavy mace the dark rider split the handle of the axe which Josh used to defend himself, the blow knocking him backwards and sending him sprawling. When he looked up Death was upon him.
16
Great Escape
“Go! Go! Go! Run for your lives!”
Immediately responding to Siobhan’s command the escapees sprinted for all they were worth. No-one needed to be told twice.
“The gate! Head for the gate!”
Feet glided across the dirt as they ran as fast as they could for the opening in the wall. Siobhan was the first to reach the perimeter fence and stood at the gate from where the horse and rider had emerged, sword in hand beckoning everyone to her.
“Hurry!”
Reaching the gate the couple who had been cowering in the center of the arena disappeared into the gloom, with Colin and Josh close behind. Before she too left the arena Siobhan glanced up in Martin’s direction to the platform above. At that moment the man who had referred to himself as the Lamb of God appeared anything but Godly. He cast an expression of pure hatred towards her, reflecting the uncontrollable rage and fury he felt inside.
Siobhan gave him a wink, tormenting the leader of the 4Horsemen further. He was furious! She then turned and vanished into the darkness locking the gate from the inside behind her.
Josh stood with his hands on his hips, panting. He thanked his lucky stars that he had survived the arena combat and took a moment to recall the events in his head. It had been a close call and they had just made it out by the skin of their teeth.
Having been knocked to the ground by the Dark Rider Josh had been convinced at that moment that his number was up. He lay there sprawled on his back facing the heavy swinging mace as it swished menacingly through the air. The first blow he faced shattered the axe he was holding, the second just missed him by nothing more than a whisker. He gave himself a quick rubdown and sighed, relieved to have made it without a scratch.
Colin’s maneuvers in battle that evening had been swift and decisive. Swinging his makeshift weapon with all his might he had managed to make contact with the rider, slamming the metal chain into his chest with a sickening thud. Having been toppled from his horse, Death became fodder for the blood-thirsty savages as soon as he hit the ground.
Rotted teeth tore at his flesh, within seconds his stomach had been ripped open and his insides were shredded. Blood, as it turns out is more of an attractant to the undead than the smell of flesh. This is the same for most predators – sharks, bears and almost every other creature who hunts to survive. The scent of Death’s blood drew in more and more of the undead, who arrived clambering over the top of one another to get to the feast.
Spooked and frightened the pale horse galloped away to the safety of the far side of the arena. Later that evening the stallion would be corralled, succumbing to the sheer weight of numbers of the desperately hungry horde of the undead.
At that moment in the arena Josh felt Colin’s strong hands lift him back to his feet, he felt light. The fallen rider had given them a small window of opportunity, but they acted fast and seized their opportunity. Amidst the booing of the now frustrated crowd the five of them made for cover, flanking around the creatures that had been sent to kill them and darting for the gate.
Incensed that the spectacle might soon be over, the onlookers at the arena slowly began to slowly disperse. They had craved judgement and demanded the sentence of death, but were leaving empty-handed. It had been a night of utter disappointment for many of them.
The room Josh and the others had taken cover in was surprisingly large, a cage, of sorts – a holding pen. Thick steel bars that divided the enclosure in two had once provided keepers protection from the large animals housed here. The place stank like the worst sewer imaginable and the stink of horse shit was nauseating.
“That was a bloody close call,” Colin said, rubbing his head, “too close for comfort.” Looked around him in the gloom. “So where the hell are we?”
“No idea,” replied Josh. “Another damn cage though.”
“Are we trapped?”
“Not quite,” said Siobhan, pulling open the enormous metal gate, which creaked on its rusty hinge. Stepped through onto a cement floor.
Light flickered from a single kerosene lamp affixed to the wall at the rear. Shadows danced in the dark. The din of the crowd in the arena reverberated through the walls.
“What now?” Colin asked, looking at Josh. He lifted a packet of smokes from his pants pocket. They were all crumpled but he managed to salvage an intact cigaret
te which he lit with his zippo. Took a long drag.
“Not really sure. One thing is for certain though, we need to get the hell out of Dodge, and quickly.”
Siobhan eased open a heavy door outside the enclosure and peered down the long empty corridor. “This way,” she said, gesturing for the others to follow.
“Wait!” Colin grabbed her by the arm. “We can’t just go running off. What’s the plan?”
Rather than shrugging him off straight away, Siobhan simply stared at his hand. He released his grip immediately. “I don’t have one,” she said, “a plan that is.” Gave a smile. “But I’m a survivor baby and I intend on seeing the day out, that’s plan enough for me. To do that, we have to get out of here as fast as we bloody-well can. Now, you can either come this way, or go back through the gate. Either way, I really don’t fucking care.”
Everyone stared at her.
“So, unless someone else has got a better plan, I suggest we get our arses into gear and get the fuck out of here. One thing I can guarantee is that they will be coming for us.”
Colin could not think of anything to say. He simply nodded, awkwardly.
“Give her a chance mate,” Josh whispered. “She’s the reason we’re all alive right now. You saw what she did out there.”
Smoke wafted past the butcher’s eyes as he puffed on his cigarette, nodding his bald head. On seeing this Josh hatched an idea.
“Chuck us your lighter for a second Colin.”
A small blue flame flashed bright in the darkened room. Josh knelt down and lit a piece of paper that he picked up from the floor. Watched as the small fire took hold, before tossing it onto one of the bales of dry hay stacked up against the back wall. The dried grass ignited immediately and the bright orange fire spread rapidly.
“That should buy us a little time.” Josh threw the lighter back to Colin, flames were toasting his face. “Now, let’s get the hell outta here.”
Dark of Dawn 4Horsemen: Book one in the Dark of Dawn Series Page 18