The Dark Trinity (Book 1): Shuffle

by Steven Till

  Determined to protect his pack, Boomer ignored any inclinations of obedience and continued down the alley. Nathan dropped the remnants of his cat and gave chase. He managed to catch up to him just as they both emerged onto the sidewalk. They froze where they stood; Boomer's defensive growl continued, his long fur puffed up, almost doubling his size. Teeth bared. Nathan was always amazed at how intimidating his happy-go-lucky dog could become, if need be.

  Standing there before them, in the middle of the street to their left, was a young man, no older than eighteen. His red varsity jacket was in tatters; blood smeared all over the white, pleather sleeves. They stared at each other with equal bewilderment. Wide, petrified eyes bulged out from behind a pimple-ridden face. Something clicked in the human's brain. His left arm jerked up. Nathan instantly spotted the revolver in the trembling hand.

  "No wait!" Nathan screamed as he threw his hands up in a sign of surrender.

  BANG! BANG! BANG! CLICK...

  The terrified teenager unloaded the last three bullets from the revolver into Nathan. Two in the chest, one in the leg.

  "Jesus Christ kid! Do you have any idea how tired I am of getting shot? All I wanted to do was talk to you, but NOOOOOO, you had to be a big man and pump me full of lead..." Nathan berated the kid as three deformed bullet slugs emerged from the new gunshot wounds. One by one they hit the ground with a dull thud. The high school senior stood in horror as the bullet holes healed in front of his eyes.

  Before he could turn and run away, a monstrous claw burst through his chest. The talons opened, dropping his heart on the pavement. Ronnie pulled his arm back through the teen's torso and tossed the young lad's body onto the sidewalk.

  "Dude, you don't have to kill EVERYBODY we encounter," Nathan said, shaking his head. "It would be nice to talk to someone who isn't dead."

  "That asshole just shot you bro. I was just watching your back," Ronnie replied, licking the warm blood off of his fingers.

  Nathan grunted and started walking towards the Family Dollar across the street. The glass doors which stood vigilant for this fortress of retail discount were shattered. Broken glass crunched underneath his feet as he entered. Ronnie contemplated the heart laying at his feet. He knew that he shouldn't eat it, but he also knew that it would taste so damn good. Leaving it where it lie, he turned and followed Nathan into the store.

  "So what are we shopping for?" Ronnie asked.

  Nathan replied with annoyance. "I'm sick and tired of getting shot every time we encounter a human."

  Ronnie couldn't respond on account of his hysterical laughing. "Dude, I'm gonna start calling you 'Swiss Cheezy'..." he finally managed to blurt out before falling into another fit of cackling.

  Ignoring his friend, Nathan found his way to a small clothing rack and began sifting through the tee shirts which hung there. Much to his dismay, they were all geared towards kids. Most of them were some abhorrent shade of pastel with various sparkle-encrusted unicorns, princesses, and kittens. His hopes rose when he spotted the only white shirt in the lot, although they fell once he saw the cartoon panda on the front. The character was hanging from a tree branch. Above it, the words “Hang In There” floated in big balloon letters.

  "Jesus Christ..." Nathan whispered under his breath.

  Turning on his heels, he walked down the aisle labeled "Office Supplies" and grabbed a large black Sharpie marker off the rack. The elongated bones at the ends of his fingers made it difficult to open the plastic packaging. After a brief struggle, he had freed the marker and popped off the cap.

  "Not to be a dick or anything, but aren't we wasting time here? I thought we needed to get to your lady?" Ronnie asked.

  "We do," Nathan replied. "In a sec."

  He laid the shirt flat on the ground and began scribbling all over the front. Once finished, he took off the tattered remnants of his shirt and replaced it with the panda tee.

  "Well, what do you think?" Nathan asked.

  Ronnie read the sentence that Nathan scrawled across the front.

  DON'T SHOOT! I'M A FRIEND!!

  He then saw the cute little panda-wanda hanging from the branch.

  "Bro, wearing THAT shirt, even I wouldn't be your friend," he said with a chuckle.

  Nathan replied with a deadpan stare and then headed out the front door. Boomer had been standing guard outside and gave a little huff as Nathan approached.

  "Good boy," he said, giving the dog another rub behind the ear. "Time to go. Let's find Mommy."

  Boomer perked up, gave a soft bark, and trotted towards Interstate 279 without hesitation. The two zombies followed, hoping that their journey would continue without any more incidents.

  ****************

  Approximately ten blocks down Lincoln Avenue from Nathan, Ronnie, and Boomer, Ali Slavka crouched behind the 2003 Mazda 6. She hugged the small husky puppy tightly inside her coat. Her eyes darted around, searching for any sign of the monsters that had been slaughtering everyone all night. She reached for the closest door handle and gave it a tug; expecting it to be locked, but by some small miracle, it opened. Within seconds, Ali lay stretched out across the back seat of the car. The puppy that she managed to save from the animal hospital where she worked was whimpering beneath her jacket.

  “It’s okay little one, we’re alright,” she whispered to the pup.

  She was relieved that the horrid screams outside were finally fading, even though that signified the demise of those still human. A loud noise outside startled her. Not wanting to risk looking out the window, Ali slithered onto the floor in an attempt to melt into the darkness of the car. The little husky was oblivious to what was going on and hadn’t heard the commotion outside. A second noise sounded, but this one was all too familiar. Ali held her breath as the zombie released a long, guttural growl right next to the Mazda.

  Her heart pounded in her ears as she waited, not daring to exhale. The creature let out a loud, blood-curdling screech. The little husky perked up immediately and began barking the fiercest bark its little lungs could muster.

  “SHHHHHH...No, no, no...” Ali frantically whispered, attempting to quiet the dog. “Oh God, please be quiet...”

  Long bony claws scraped across the hood of the car as the thing screamed again. Several other zombies emerged from the darkness and encircled the Mazda.

  Fifty yards away on a nearby rooftop, silver eyes watched the things surround the human. Muscles tightened across the broad shoulders of the observer. Claws dug into the ledge of the building as its senses perked. The human was an innocent. He should intervene.

  The crowd of ghouls were toying with Ali; pounding on the car, shaking it, and hissing at her through the window glass. The door by her feet crunched as a zombie ripped it from the car. A large, cold claw wrapped around her ankle with a vice-like grip, pulling her out of her hiding spot. She screamed as she tried to kick herself free, but the creature’s grip was too strong. A moment later, she was on the ground. The husky pup bravely stood next to her barking at the vile creatures attacking them. The circle of zombies converged around Ali and her little protector.

  On the rooftop, the air shuddered as the massive creature that had been standing there leapt from its perch. Within seconds it had closed the distance between the building and the human girl.

  Ali was paralyzed with fear. She had seen what happened to people who got caught by these things and the mental pictures of her disembowelment terrified her. Movement caught her eye, just behind one of the zombies to her left. She wasn’t sure what she saw; it was as if the air itself shimmered for a split second.

  A fountain of black blood sprayed from one of the zombies as its legs disappeared from beneath it, removed by some unseen force. Another flew into the air as its torso separated from its lower body. A deep, loud roar bellowed, but it wasn’t from any of the things attacking her. This was different... Something else. A zombie head landed next to her face, staring up at her with blood-red eyes.

  Ali scooped up the pup into her arm
s and backed herself up into the damaged car. The unexpected carnage that unfolded before her captivated the young vet tech. The shimmer appeared again and with it, more blood erupted from several of her attackers. Body parts fell like rain. The unexplainable shimmer began to take form as it was sprayed with a deluge of the dead's blood.

  One zombie remained. A large claw grasped the top of its head and in one effortless motion, the zombie’s head and spine went flying through the air as the body fell limp.

  Her eyes grew wide. Her savior was even more terrifying than the things that just tried to devour her. Standing before her, bathed in the pale light of the moon, was a hulking beast. Broad muscular shoulders, immense claws, and razor-sharp teeth set in a long snout weren’t even the most intimidating attribute. Silver, penetrating eyes glinted in the light. She stared in disbelief. The little husky had stopped barking and looked quizzically at this new monster before them.

  “D...D...Don’t kill me...please...” she whispered.

  The beast backed into the shadows until only those silver eyes were visible. Then, it spoke. Not with words, but with thoughts. Ali heard a deep, powerful voice inside her head.

  [“Do not be afraid. I will not harm you. This is not a safe place for you. You must run. Travel north, far from this city.”]

  The pale eyes closed and just as quickly as it appeared, the beast was gone. Ali stood there for a moment as she tried to reconcile what her eyes just witnessed. A soft puppy tongue began to lick her cheek, bringing her back to her senses. She navigated over the broken bodies of the dead. Clutching the dog close to her chest, she ran, with no intention of stopping.

  The beast continued its pursuit of the two friends and their dog; wondering when the inevitable would happen.

  CHAPTER 38 DINNER TIME

  Sunshine stood at the edge of the small cliff situated behind the Pittsburgh Pleasure Palace. Seventy-five feet below, the small group of humans huddled in their little hole like rabbits cowering from hungry predators. The woman that she saw in Nathan's memories was with them. The area surrounding the building was ablaze in red for as far as her eyes could see; "heat" signatures from her children blended together, too many to count. Her army was here, and soon, her quarry would be here too.

  In just a few short hours, the city fell. In just a handful of days, she had brought the world to its knees. Her children had devoured everything. A wry smile stretched across her face as she reveled in her own splendor. She had waited an eternity for this moment. Every decade, every century, every millennia had been an excruciating existence. She had bided her time for the right moment, and now, finally, she had emerged from the darkness to dispense her wrath upon the world.

  Casually, without taking her eyes off the adult bookstore, she called to a zombie from her personal court. "Find me some dinner," she ordered.

  Without hesitation, the zombie rushed off. While she awaited the return of her meal, Sunshine looked up to the sky, fixing her gaze upon the full moon above. What are you up to, my brothers? she thought to herself. She had anticipated resistance upon her arrival, but she encountered none. The humans posed no threat to her and only a moderate one to her horde. Her brethren of the Lunae were a different story. They would have proven to be a challenge, but they were nowhere to be found. Not so much as a trace. Could they have returned to the dust of the Earth? No. She knew that they still lived. For whatever reason, they were hiding.

  Sunshine chuckled to herself. "Cowards," she whispered.

  Commotion erupted behind her. Dinner had arrived. The zombie approached its queen dragging two women by the hair. Her spawn threw the crying, terrified humans at her feet. They huddled to each other in a feeble attempt at comfort. Their eyes darted in all directions, but they were completely surrounded. There was no escape.

  "Get up," Sunshine said in a calm voice. "Please, you need not be afraid."

  The two women looked at the girl before them, standing there in a blood-stained jacket holding a grungy teddy bear that was also caked with blood. They rose to their feet as they clutched each other tight.

  "Ah, now that's better, isn't it?" she asked with a grin.

  Sunshine noticed that the older human wore a gold cross around her neck. Her smile waned as she reached out and ripped the cross from the woman. Renewed sobs spewed from the two.

  "You should not put your faith in such an empty promise of redemption," she hissed. "Your God hasn’t cared about you for some time."

  With the same quickness as before, Sunshine grabbed the woman's head with both hands. Her jaw distended and enveloped the woman's face. CRUNCH. When the girl pulled back, the woman's face and brain were completely gone. Blood spurted out of the hollowed skull that remained. Sunshine released the dead woman, letting the body crumple in a heap at her feet.

  The younger girl stared in disbelief at the faceless corpse which poured blood out onto the snow.

  "Now, my child, do you place your faith in the same apathetic God as your friend here?" Sunshine asked, her demeanor returning to the pleasant tone as before.

  Whimpering, the girl fervently shook her head no. Sunshine flashed a large smile. Remnants of the woman's face stuck out from between her teeth.

  "You have nothing to fear, my darling. You will not meet the same fate as her," she said looking down at the corpse. "Instead, I will grant you the gift of immortality."

  Sunshine wrapped her arms around the shaking girl and embraced her. In an almost imperceptible movement, her forked tongue darted out; the poison barb penetrating deep into the girl's flesh.

  "Welcome to the family," she whispered.

  In one fluid motion, she hurled the girl over the cliff. The scream only lasted a moment; cut off by the sound of bones breaking on impact. Sunshine knelt before the corpse of the faceless woman and continued her meal, imagining the joy she was going to experience tearing Nathan and his bitch limb from limb.

  PART IV

  THE BEGINNING OF THE END

  CHAPTER 39 A SHEEP IN WOLF’S CLOTHING

  Ronnie, Nathan, and Boomer stopped at the top of the hill that overlooked Forest Glenn. The yellow Adobe-style stucco walls of the buildings looked out of place among the snow-covered woods which surrounded the property. From their vantage point, they saw the havoc that had ensued earlier. Slowly, they traversed down the steep slope. The ground was soaked with blood. Vehicles dotted the long parking lot; most were smashed and surrounded by shattered glass and various severed body parts.

  Nathan steeled himself for the possibility that Evelyn was among the casualties, although he remained hopeful that she survived. They walked down East-West Drive towards Apartment 46, keeping vigilant for any signs of life. Boomer had his muzzle glued to the ground looking for a scent as he zigzagged in front of Nathan and Ronnie.

  It was unnerving to see these dead bodies. Even though he only knew a handful of them personally, he used to see most of them every day. Luckily, none of the corpses or body parts appeared to be Evelyn—so far. Despite his optimism, Nathan braced for tragedy.

  They walked down the thirty-five intermittent steps which led to the two buildings situated in the small valley behind the main complex. Apartment 36 was the last unit on the left. Nathan could see the floor to ceiling picture window was gone; the blinds hanging in shambles to one side. The three entered through the missing window, crunching glass with every step. Boomer avoided the shards and immediately headed for his food and water bowls in the kitchen, which were still full from earlier. Nathan watched his furry friend chow down like a champ. Eat up buddy, he thought. You’ve earned it.

  The living room looked ransacked, although the black zombie blood smeared on the light beige carpet told the story of a struggle. Nathan deduced what might have transpired. Judging from the small amount of blood, he guessed that Boomer had inflicted the injury on the intruder. Evelyn would have caused more damage had she been in the fray.

  Heading towards the staircase which led upstairs, Nathan called out. “Eve! Eve, are you here b
aby?”

  Silence was the only answer he received. In fact, he was surprised at how quiet it was. The entire complex sat wrapped in a stillness, like a rolling fog on a cold rainy night. No screams. No animals. Nothing. Forest Glenn hibernated in a sinister quiescence which caused Nathan to shudder.

  “I don’t think she’s here, bro,” Ronnie said in a solemn tone.

  “Yeah, I know. I expected as much,” Nathan replied as he went upstairs. After a quick sweep of all the rooms, he returned to the first floor where Ronnie stood in the kitchen entryway watching the dog eat kibble like it was his job.

  Nathan went over to the coat closet and pulled out a backpack. He dumped out the contents onto the floor as he walked into the kitchen. He gathered up a small bag of dog food and some treats, along with a collapsible water bowl. He knew that it was extra weight, but he felt bad for his little buddy. The dog had been through so much, the least he could do was make sure Boomer didn’t go hungry.

  Securing the pack on his shoulders, Nathan headed back towards the open picture window. “Boomer, come. It’s time to go.”

  Boomer scooped up the last piece of kibble from his bowl and trotted after his master.

  “We should go check out Julie’s place before we leave,” Nathan said over his shoulder.

  Ronnie nodded. “Whatever you need to do, man.”

  They backtracked the way they came, moving quicker than before. A minute later, the group stood at the “T” intersection where East-West Drive met North-South Drive. Nathan had always laughed at the profoundly idiotic and non-creative naming of the community’s streets. They turned left and continued on, slowing the pace a bit as they entered unchecked territory.

  “Keep your eyes on the rooftops,” Nathan whispered to Ronnie.

  Answering with a silent nod, Ronnie watched the roofs as they passed.