by Brad Knight
Mack watched his little plan work out perfectly. The bull was down with the added bonus of taking one of their captors out. That satisfaction would be short lived.
“Face down in the dirt!” yelled another assault rifle wielding man. He had three more behind him. They came out of the same gate the bull did.
Amber looked over at Mack for direction. He nodded his head. Both of them followed the orders of the heavily armed men.
During his time in captivity, Mack got so used to the zip ties he couldn’t even feel them around his wrist. But he felt them in the pit. Maybe it was the knee pressed squarely in his back that punctuated it. But he felt them.
After binding Amber and Mack, the heavily armed men forced them up to their feet. One of them nearly pulled the teenage girl’s arm out of its socket when they lifted her by her plastic shackles. Her protector tried to intervene but got the stock of an AK-47 for his trouble across his forehead.
They’re cheering for us? Even through the fog of recent blunt trauma to the head, Mack could see the sick fucks cheering his and Amber’s victory. He could hear them, rabid with blood lust applauding their efforts to stay alive. And he prayed to himself that they would all get their comeuppance.
Amber and Mack were led towards the gate their downed foe originated from. The latter one again found himself with a bleeding head wound. That was three times since the outbreak that he took hard blows to his cranium. Potential concussions were the least of his worries though. Sure they survived one night in the pit. Chances were they wouldn’t be so lucky again.
“You all right?” asked Amber as she looked over to Mack.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll… we’ll be fine.” Mack couldn’t wipe the blood off his face. It dripped down onto his shirt and into the dirt.
“Where do you think they’re taking us?”
“I don’t know. But whatever happens, if they split us up again, stay strong. We’re getting out of here, together, I promise.” And how the fuck are you going to promise that? They’re going to throw you back into that basement and there isn’t shit you can do about it.
It was much darker in the hallway behind the opposite gate. And it smelt like pure death. Mack and Amber didn’t have to walk that far before seeing why it was dark and stinky.
Cages and pens were built into the hallway, flanking both sides. Inside the cages were meat puppets of a stunning variety. Most of them were once human. It was hard to tell considering their metallic teeth and state of decomposition.
The pens held meat puppet dogs, bears and even horses. Whoever ran the pit had a virtual zoo of the undead. All Mack saw were his potential killers with only wood or iron to separate Amber and him from them.
These sick bastards must’ve been at this for a while. How many poor souls got killed by these monstrosities for nothing but entertainment? What I wouldn’t give to turn these loose on the crowd. See how much they cheer then.
Amber and Mack were led through some other double doors into another room. From there they were taken to another small room, together. From the looks of it, it was some sort of supply/janitorial room. There were huge industrial size spools of toilet paper and paper towels. Large white plastic jugs held liquid soap and were stacked in rows.
“Another cell. Fantastic,” said Mack as he set up a seat for himself out of the various boxes of toiletries.
“At least I’m not alone this time,” said Amber as she sat down in one of the corners. As soon as her rear end touched the floor, she took the bandages off her eye. They were barely hanging on and there was no real reason for them medically anymore.
“You were alone?”
“Weren’t you?”
Mack remembered the sad souls that he was previously imprisoned with. The still fresh memory of the smell of the basement almost made him gag. He would’ve been happy that Amber didn’t have to endure the same brand of hell he was subject to for three weeks, but he suspected she went through her own version. Trouble was, he didn’t know if he should’ve asked about it and if so, how?
If she wants to talk about it, she will. Don’t force it. Mack went over to check on her.
“How’s your eye?” Mack bent over and got a good look at Amber’s eye. It was pretty much healed. There were no signs of infection.
“Its fine I guess.”
“Are you?”
“Am I what?”
Mack knew something was wrong. She wouldn’t look at him even though he was standing in front and over her. Instead she stared at his boots.
“Fine?” Don’t push. Mack tried to hold back. It was hard, but he was barely making do. For him Amber had become like a daughter, or at least a little sister. There was no hiding his concern. Even for a strong willed man such as himself, there was no hiding it.
“I… I don’t know.” Tears started to form in Amber’s eyes. The teenager was as tough as they come but what she endured over the previous three weeks brought the vulnerable kid out of her. “Jesus, I never thought I’d see you again.”
“It’ll take a lot more than some heavily armed good ole boys and a bull meat puppet to take me out.”
Amber wiped some of her tears and sniffled a bit. She tried to force a smile but it fell apart quickly. “Thank you. I would’ve been killed in there if it wasn’t for you.”
“You’re a tough gal. I’m sure you would’ve held your own.” Mack sat down on the boxes he set up, next to Amber.
“I just don’t get why.”
“There are some sick people out there girlie girl. If you take away the threat of jail, they act on all the sick shit they have going on in their heads.” Mack poked his own head.
“I guess I deserved it.” Amber’s words broke Mack’s heart.
“What are you talking about? No one deserves…”
Amber quickly leaned over and hugged Mack. She started crying lightly. That turned into heavy sobbing. At first he didn’t know what to do. It caught him by surprise. But he ended up wrapping his arms around her too, which made her hug harder.
“They’d visit me, take turns. I tried to fight back but…” Amber’s voice was muffled due to her face being planted in Mack’s chest.
“Don’t, you don’t have to tell me Amber. Just know that whatever they did, it won’t happen again, I promise. You’re safe.”
Mack gently turned the teenage girl’s head away from his chest and up in order to make eye contact. “You’re safe now. I’m here. You’ll never be alone again.” Never.
***
Amber fell asleep with her head on Mack’s lap. It took him almost an hour to follow her to the realm of the sandman. When he did, it was a deep sleep; the best he had since the storm shelter back in Wydell.
Neither Amber nor Mack knew how long they were asleep. Much like the basement prison, no light got into the supply/janitorial room. However long they were out, it was more than either of them got since the outbreak.
Sweet dreams were interrupted by someone banging on the only door to the room. From the force behind it, it was clear that they wanted Mack and Amber awake. Then they opened it up.
Who the…what the? For a brief moment Mack forgot where he was. He forgot that he was a prisoner and apparently a gladiator. And it was sweet.
Oh yeah. Shiiiit. Standing in the open doorway were two men. One held a modern looking black shotgun. The other had a US military issue assault rifle. Mack didn’t even want to speculate about where the latter got his weapon.
“Get up! Let’s get going. You don’t want to keep your fans waiting do you? Its show time,” ordered the shotgun wielding man with a poisonous smile.
Mack had to wake Amber who hadn’t budged since she initially fell asleep. Like all teenagers, she put up a little fight and was stubborn. But most would be amazed by the motivation provided by having two guns pointed at you. She got up, sort of.
Amber was still groggy when Mack guided her towards the supply/janitorial room door. They were quickly separated. The shotgun toting man escorted Ma
ck. His peer did the same with Amber.
Survive. All you got to do is survive. You can do it. You got this far. After the bull, what else can they throw at you? Please don’t be the bear. I wouldn’t want to fight a normal bear let alone a meat puppet version.
“I gotta pee,” said Amber. For her revelation she got knocked in the back with the butt of an assault rifle. That made Mack grind his teeth and clench his fists.
“Pee later,” responded the assault rifle wielding man.
“You can go ahead and take a squat if ya live,” chimed in the man with a shotgun in his hands.
“Don’t see that happening.” The two escorts laughed. It echoed throughout the claustrophobic confines of the rodeo arena bowels.
As Amber and Mack got to the door that led to the pens, they smelt decaying flesh. They’d have to pass their potential murderers. It made Mack wonder whether or not he was really the one confined in a cage.
A disturbingly familiar and recognizable aroma of carrion hit the two prisoners as one of their jailors opened the pen door. The pungent power of it almost floored them. Even the armed men behind Amber and Mack wretched.
Mack tried not to look at the variety of meat puppets as he and Amber passed by their cages. There was no reason or point. Why scare himself more than he already was? He couldn’t help but wonder about Amber’s mental state.
How’s she holding up? I can’t imagine what she’s going through. Will she be able to fight? I hope she can because I’m going to need all the help I can get. There’s no way in hell I’m going to get lucky like I did with the bull again. I guess I'm about to find out.
Amber and Mack stood at the gate to the arena. You’d think there’d be less nerves the second time around, but you’d be wrong. Knowing that some meat puppet monstrosity was waiting for them took away that little sliver of hope that maybe it was just a firing squad. At least then their deaths would be quick.
“Are you ready folks? Time for the night’s main event. When you saw them on the dirt of the pit last night. They ended the two week reign of the bull. Please welcome…”
Mack and Amber could hear the announcer on the public announcement system. Through the iron bars of the gate they saw the raucous crowd. They saw the blood stained dirt.
“Move.” The guard who escorted Mack poked the barrel of his gun into his prisoner’s back.
That’s the last time. I swear to god. Mack looked over to Amber. Both of them knew it was time to face fate.
“No weapons?” asked Mack as calmly as he could.
The two armed men looked at each other then laughed. In unison they answered. “No weapons.”
We have to do it barehanded? That’s great. Mack pushed open the gate. Amber followed closely behind.
“…your champions!” The announcer got the crowd into an even bigger frenzy. By the time Mack and Amber stepped on the dirt, almost every spectator was ravenous.
“And the challengers, our brave hunters found them outside of Lawton, the undead horrrrrrrrde!”
Mack heard something coming from the pens in the gate behind them, high pitch screeching. He held out one arm in front of Amber and they both backed up into the middle of the pen.
In the shadows beyond the gate, Mack and Amber could see shambling silhouettes. There were several pairs of red glowing circles. Not until the meat puppets came out onto the dirt that they realized the dots were eyes.
That’s new. Mack thought he’d seen it all. He’d seen meat puppet dogs, bears, a bull and even birds. But seeing puppets with glowing red eyes was a new and unsettling development. And it didn’t end there.
One of the meat puppets stayed back as the other four meat puppets advanced on Mack and Amber. In life the creature was a security guard. Its tattered beige uniform was covered in human and puppet blood. Both of its metallic eyes with glowing red irises stared at what it saw as dinner. Then its left arm started to jerk around wildly.
What the hell is it doing? Mack kept retreating towards the far wall of the rodeo arena. That clearly angered, annoyed and disappointed the crowd, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was survival. But he was at a loss as to how they could survive. He kept Amber behind him as he back peddled.
I-23. You took them on without a weapon. Then again, you were in better shape. Fuck it. I don’t have much of a choice.
“Stay back. Stay alive,” said Mack before he walked forward to meet the meat puppets. If the bastards in the audience wanted a show, they were going to get a show.
Any illusions that Mack had about his ability to take on the meat puppets hand-to-hand dissipated when his fist met one of their faces. It was like hitting a brick wall. He felt the damage to his knuckles immediately.
Mack dodged meat puppets attempts to grab and claw at him. Even with their changes, the creatures still weren’t nimble or fast. With that said, all they had to do was surround him and he would be screwed.
What-the-fuck? As he avoided the hands and metallic finger nails of the meat puppets, the actions of the monster in the security outfit caught Mack’s attention. The skin, muscle and fat that covered the creature’s arm split open and fell away.
Metal tendrils spilled out of what was previously the security uniform clad meat puppet’s right arm. They squirmed in the dirt before coming for Mack, with the locomotion of a nest of snakes.
Just when Mack and Amber were backed into a corner of the rodeo arena, with no escape, gunshots rang out. At first no one seemed to notice. Then came the first scream from the crowd. That was followed by a growing panic in the spectators that seemed to build à la the domino effect.
The crowd at the pit started to break apart. Their savage nature was turned against them. People got trampled and stepped over. All that mattered was escape while the gunshots continued. Over their yells, Mack heard what sounded like a fire fight.
“This is our chance.” Mack got down on one knee. He cupped his hands and held them just low enough for Amber’s foot to reach.
Amber didn’t hesitate. There were five meat puppets coming for them. And one of them looked like a nightmare from a science fiction movie or an anime. It was all the motivation she needed.
Mack boosted Amber up. She grabbed the top of the wooden wall behind them and lifted herself onto it. With her diminished physical condition, it was difficult. The fear of being mauled by meat puppets lent her the necessary strength.
Once on top of the wall, in the lowest tier of seats in the rodeo arena, Amber reached down. She intended on helping Mack up. He knew that there was no way she could help lift up all of his two hundred plus pounds. So he jumped up and grabbed the top edge of the wall.
The meat puppets in the pit reached and shrieked for Mack and Amber. But they were out of the creatures’ reach. That didn’t mean they were safe. Someone was attacking the rodeo arena.
“Stay low,” ordered Mack as he crouched. He didn’t know where the gunshots were coming from or where the dangers were. All he could do is carefully lead Amber towards an exit.
In the concourses of the rodeo arena, complete and utter mayhem took root. Two of the hunters were in a gunfight with unseen combatants down the hall behind a popcorn stand. In between them were almost a dozen bodies. Mack couldn’t help but feel that those dead former crowd members deserved their fate.
Be smart about this. Mack and Amber waited behind a corner in lieu of entering the concourse. They watched as the two groups of men exchanged fire.
A woman came running through one of the many doors in the concourse. She was drenched in blood and confused. Predictably she was cut down in the crossfire within seconds.
What was she running from? It didn’t take long before Mack’s internally asked question was answered. A half a ton bear came running out of the door behind the brood drenched woman. Immediately it pounced on one of the hunters. After quickly tearing him to pieces, the bear moved on to the other hunter. Bullets tore apart the meat puppet monster’s skin and fur, revealing a small glimpse of the metal bone
underneath.
Keep firing idiots, all the bullets in the world aren’t going to stop that thing. We need to wait for the right moment. Mack motioned for Amber to stay quiet and hidden. He held his breathe as he peeked around the corner.
The meat puppet bear charged the two men behind the popcorn stand. Knowing that they were discovered, the men popped up and opened up on the monster coming at them. They were dressed in all black SWAT gear.
Them? Who the hell are these guys? They’re everywhere. Mack kept watching the gruesome scene that was unraveling in the rodeo arena concourse. He didn’t do so out of some morbid curiosity. No, Mack was waiting for an opening.
The bear feasted on the two men in black. With the beast’s attention diverted, Mack decided to move. He took Amber’s hand and they hurried into the concourse while still crouching.
Screeches, screams and shrieks echoed throughout the concourse. They drowned out the sound of Mack and Amber navigating their way out. It was auditory cover.
“Shit!” Mack ducked. A bullet flew by just inches from his head. Even though the exit was within sight, he and Amber had to jump over the counter of a concession stand and hide. A whole squad of SWAT guys were coming down the concourse in their direction.
Mack and Amber hid as the sound of the squad of SWAT guys marched past. They were shooting anything that moved. So the two stayed quiet and prayed that they wouldn’t be found among the stale nachos and empty fountain soda taps.
The men in SWAT attire were organized. Mack could hear them using military lingo. And they stayed calm. In that short time, Mack knew that confronting them would be the death of him. So he and his teenage traveling companion didn’t move.
Once the SWAT squad passed the concession stand, they poked their heads up. The squad was engaging the meat puppet bear, leaving the path to the exit clear. Hanging above it was a red glowing sign that promised safety and sanctuary. They hopped the counter of the concession stand and took one last look at the ongoing battle down the hall just to make sure. Then they made for the exit.