by Amy Cross
“What is it?” Julie asks.
There are more scents in the air now. Melissa is in the tent, along with Thomas and at least one other person besides Doctor Evans. The hairs on my shoulders are standing up and I step back, letting out a rumbling growl.
“We just looked in there,” Julie mutters, before stepping past me and heading inside. “There's no -”
Suddenly she lets out a gasp, and there's a heavy thump as she's dragged through the entrance. Rushing after her, I see that she's struggling with someone, and she's quickly pushed down onto the ground.
“Don't make a sound,” Thomas whispers, placing a finger against his lips. “It's in your best interests to keep quiet, okay? We're only taking what we need.”
I snarl at him, and he glances at me with a hint of disdain.
“Don't challenge me, mutt,” he sneers. “I'm leading my people away from this hellish place. We just need some supplies for the journey.”
“You can't take the medicine,” Julie says firmly, getting to her feet. “It's for people who -”
Before she can finish, he punches her, sending her thudding to the ground.
I rush forward, but suddenly Alex grabs my collar and pulls me away.
“I told you she'd interfere,” Melissa mutters, as she loads more bottles into a box. “She just can't leave well enough alone.”
Gasping with pain, Julie sits up.
“I told you not to trust people,” Melissa tells her. “What did you think this was, some kind of magical utopia where people would suddenly not be complete assholes to each other?” She smiles. “Human beings are cruel and vicious and monstrous. They always have been, and they always will be.” She puts some more bottles in the box. “It's survival of the fittest these days, and that means getting away from places like this. Thomas has a plan.”
“The only people I've seen being cruel and monstrous around here,” Julie replies, her voice tense with pain, “are the ones who've been saying people are cruel and monstrous all along.”
“Is that right?” Melissa asks, before pausing. “Huh. Well, I guess maybe you have a point. Still...”
Her voice trails off.
Suddenly Thomas smashes the handle of a gun against the back of Julie's head, sending her slumping to the ground.
I immediately lunge at him and start barking, but Alex pulls me back and wraps a length of rope around my mouth. I struggle and try to kick him, but he pulls the rope tighter.
“Like your new makeshift muzzle?” he asks, holding me firmly. “From now on, you bark when we want you to bark. Got it?”
I try again to get free, but he kicks me hard in the side and I stumble back. Julie is on the ground, not moving at all, and a moment later I spot Doctor Evans slumped in the far corner of the tent. There's blood on the side of his face.
“Let's just focus on getting everything packed up,” Thomas mutters. “I want to get away from this dump before anyone else notices what we're doing. Let's leave this miserable place to die. We're gonna head west, 'cause west is where the ocean is, and I figure it's always best to go toward water. And when we get there, I'm going to establish a new colony of enlightened souls.”
Alex turns to him. “But what about -”
“You don't have to come,” Thomas adds firmly. “No-one's making you do a fucking thing.”
Alex mutters something under his breath, while still holding my collar tight.
“I'm gonna get the cars ready,” Thomas continues, reaching down and grabbing my collar before leading me toward the exit. “You guys get your asses moving, okay? Food, water, medical supplies, anything you can lift, bring it all to our two cars. The future is waiting for us, and I know how to get there.”
Keeping hold of my collar, he starts pulling me out of the tent. I turn to go back to Julie, but Thomas quickly yanks me outside. When I turn to growl at him, I find that I can't open my mouth, and I remember that my jaws have been tied shut using a rope. No matter how hard I struggle, I'm powerless to stop Thomas as he drags me toward a nearby car.
Chapter Thirty
“Fuck!” Alex screams, leaning out the window as the car races along a dirt-track road. “Let's get the hell away from this shit-hole! To the future! Are you with me?”
The others are all shouting too. I turn and look back out through the car's rear window, and I see the camp rapidly disappearing into the distance. All I want is to go and find Julie, to make sure she's okay, but suddenly Melissa grabs my collar and pulls me back down onto the seat.
“Forget it,” she says, with no hint of emotion on her face. “You're coming with us now. We're following Thomas.”
“We're just gonna keep driving,” Thomas announces from the driver's seat. “Fuck, it'll be dark soon, but I don't care. We're just gonna keep the pedal down and -”
He pauses.
“Fuck! Look!”
The others stare out at the road ahead. Turning, I see a figure in the distance, struggling toward us.
“It's one of those fucking zombie assholes,” Alex says with a faint smile as he turns to Thomas. “I think you have a duty to deal with this bastard.”
“Way ahead of you,” Thomas mutters, not slowing down as the car races toward the figure.
Before I can react, the car slams into the figure at full-speed, causing the torso to break apart and sending arms and legs clattering over the roof. Thomas hits the brakes, bringing the vehicle screeching to a halt, and everyone turns to see the wrecked and mangled figure behind us. Despite the speed of the impact and the fact that its limbs are missing, the rotten torso is still twitching and shuddering, but suddenly Thomas puts the car into reverse and drives back again.
“Get her!” Alex yells excitedly.
Melissa is just staring out the back window as the car grinds closer to the creature.
The car slams into the figure, this time crunching over the torso at lower speed. The entire vehicle shudders and jolts, and finally Thomas brings it to a halt again. Everyone looks out the front, seeing that the creature is more mangled than ever, with its chest having been crushed into a series of knots. Still, however, it refuses to stop moving, and after a moment the head turns to us and snarls once more.
“It just won't fucking stay dead,” Thomas mutters, laughing as he drives the car forward. “I think the key thing is to get the fucking head off.”
This time he drives even more slowly, and I hear the creature's bones cracking under the wheels as the car rides over the corpse. Thomas and his friends are still laughing and hollering, and Melissa is still sitting with a vacant expression on her face, and after a moment the car stops so that they can all look out the back, where the creature has been smeared against the road but is still, somehow, trying to get to its feet.
For the next few minutes, Thomas keeps driving over the figure, each time crushing its body a little more. His friends shout encouragement, but it takes a while before the creature stops twitching and they're all satisfied that the smeared patch of flesh and bone on the road isn't going to move again. In some strange way, they actually seems disappointed once the job is done, but they're still chattering excitedly.
“We're gonna park up for the night,” Thomas says suddenly.
Alex turns to him. “I thought you wanted to -”
“I've changed my mind,” he continues, as he starts driving the car along the road once more. “I need time to think, and to figure out our next move. We'll find a safe spot and we'll stop until sunrise.”
“But -”
“I'm in charge,” Thomas adds breathlessly, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. “You all just have to trust me.”
***
With the rope still tied tight around my mouth, holding my jaws shut, I'm pulled by the collar until I jump down out of the car. It's dark outside now and I immediately turn, wanting to climb back up and return to the camp, but Alex drags me away from the car and then kicks me hard, sending me stumbling forward into the darkness.
“Untie his
fucking jaws,” Thomas mutters.
Alex turns to him. “But what if he -”
“He won't fucking bite you. Not if he's afraid of you. I'm officially making it your job to discipline that flea-bag. If anyone or anything approaches us while we're here, I want it to give us a warning.”
“Did you hear that, Hannibal?” Alex asks, stepping over to me. “You've got a job to do. Doesn't that make you proud? Everyone wants a job.”
He pauses, before suddenly kicking me hard in the ribs.
I stagger back, but he immediately does it again, and this time I stumble and drop down onto the cool ground.
Leaning down, he removes the rope from around my jaws. I start snarling, but he kicking me in the ribs and I let out a pained whimper as he attaches another rope to my collar. I've never been in so much pain.
“Do you know who's your boss now?” he sneers, leaning closer until his face is just inches from mine.
I pull back, scared in case he hits me again, but after a moment I realize I need to hold my ground. Baring my teeth, I start snarling again.
“Who's your fucking boss?” he shouts, grabbing my collar and holding me steady. “Do you hear me, dog? Who's your fucking boss, you little cocksucker?”
“He doesn't speak English, dumb-ass,” Thomas mutters, coming over to look down at me. “You don't communicate with him using words. You use actions. Body language, that sort of thing.”
He pauses for a moment, before taking a step back.
I snarl at him.
“Fine,” Alex says, slightly out of breath, “but what kind of -”
Suddenly Thomas kicks me hard in the face, harder than I've ever been hit before, and I let out a yelp of pain as I fall back. I can taste blood in my mouth, but Thomas steps closer again and I instinctively start cowering and whimpering, terrified in case he hits me again. All I can hope is that by submitting, I'll make him see that I'm no threat.
He starts laughing, and then he turns and heads back over to the others.
“We need to start a fire,” he tells them. “I'm fucking freezing out here, and I can't think properly when I'm cold. And get out whatever booze we've got left. Fuck saving it, let's have one more big blow-out. We'll find some more later, we'll track down a fucking store or something.”
“Who's your fucking boss?” Alex asks again, leaning down to me.
I pull back, scared in case he hits me.
“Yeah,” he continues with a grin. “That's better. Now remember, if you catch so much as a whiff of one of those zombie assholes, you start barking, okay? You can still bark, can't you?”
For the next few hours, once they've got a small fire started next to the car, Thomas and the others sit around talking and drinking. They take some items from the car's trunk, too, and drink from little bottles that were originally in the medical tent. I have no idea what they're discussing, but they sound angry and at one point a couple of them even get into a fight, scrabbling with one another while the others watch and cheer. I stay as far back as possible, hoping that they'll forget I'm here. All I want is to go back to the camp and find Julie, and make sure she's okay, but I know that I'm not allowed to leave, and that I'll be beaten again if I try. Besides, I'm tied to the stake again, and there's no way to get free. So instead I just sit here, watching the fire, hoping that somehow everything will be better in the morning.
Eventually, once Thomas and his friends have started to fall asleep, I hear the faintest of noises in the distance. I turn and look out into the darkness, but there's no sign of anyone. Still, I definitely heard a rumbling sound, even if it's stopped now. My ribs and leg hurt too much to let me sleep, so I simply watch the darkness in case there's any sign of movement.
Chapter Thirty-One
Several hours later, the noise returns.
Thomas, Melissa, Alex and their two friends are fast asleep, and I've spent the night watching as the fire slowly begins to die. Now, however, I can hear a scratching, stumbling sound somewhere in the darkness, although I'm not picking up the smell of death. Instead, as I lift my head and look around, I realize there's a more familiar scent getting closer.
Julie.
I sit up, and after a moment I hear the sound of my own tail brushing against the ground as it wags. Getting to my feet, I step toward the source of the scent, and now I can hear the faintest hint of footsteps. After a few more seconds, I'm able to make out a shape moving in the darkness, and finally I limp around the side of the car just in time to find Julie creeping closer.
I instinctively run to her, but the rope quickly pulls me back.
She smiles as soon as she sees me. She has bruises on one side of her face, and she puts a finger against her lips as I reach her, warning me to stay quiet, and then she comes over and unties me.
Crouching down, she pauses for a moment, listening to the sound of Thomas and the others as they continue to sleep.
She waits, and then she crawls toward the car and reaches into the open trunk, carefully taking out one of the boxes that originally came from the medical tent. Getting to her feet, she heads back the way she just came, and I follow. We walk silently for several minutes until we reach her car, which is parked out of sight around a bend in the road. She takes a moment to set the box in her trunk, and then she turns to me. With the first light of morning starting to show on the horizon, I can see her better now, and it's clear that she has several cuts on her neck from where she was beaten yesterday.
“I'm not letting these assholes steal the camp's medical supplies,” she whispers, holding up a gun. “I borrowed this from Doctor Evans. Don't worry, I'm not going to shoot anyone, but I'll wave it around if I have to. There are people at the camp who'll die if they don't get this medicine.” She pauses, before leaning down and stroking the side of my face. “And I came for you too, Harry. Jon would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you.”
I nuzzle my nose against her wrist, relieved that she's back, but then to my horror she turns and starts making her way back toward the spot where Thomas and the others are sleeping. Hurrying after her, I paw at her leg, but she doesn't stop. Trying to warn her, I bark.
“Quiet!” she hisses, turning to me.
I paw at her leg again.
“You've got to be quiet, okay?” she continues, her voice tense with fear. “Quiet, Harry! Quiet!”
I paw at her leg for a third time. All I want is for her to take me away from this place.
“They've been using some of the drugs they took, right?” she whispers. “Mixing them with some of the alcohol they stole? Don't worry, I think they'll be out for a few more hours.” She looks down at the gun, and I can see that her hands are trembling. “No-one else was willing to come with me. Most of them are busy trying to figure out whether or not they should cut and run, the whole camp is falling apart but...”
She pauses, and for a moment I think she might be able to change her mind.
“I keep thinking about Jon,” she continues. “I was so sure I was doing the right thing back at the cabin, but now I keep wondering whether... Maybe I should have left him trapped in there. I was so busy trying to do the right thing, but...”
Her voice trails off.
I paw her leg yet again. Why can't we leave?
“I have to do this,” she adds finally. “This is the right thing. I can't let fear get the better of me again. I've been a coward too many times before. This time I need all the medicine, not just some of it.”
With that, she sets off again, and I have no choice but to follow. The rope is still attached to my collar, trailing behind me along the dusty ground. Sticking close to her, ready to defend her if necessary, I'm relieved when we get back to Thomas's car and there's no sign that anyone is awake yet. They drank so much last night, and the whole place stinks of alcohol. I stand guard while Julie takes another box from the trunk, and then I follow her back down to her car. Her heart is pounding, but once again she immediately turns and heads back up the hill to get another box. I follo
w reluctantly, still hoping that soon we can drive away and never see Thomas or the others again.
There was a time when everything was okay. I want to go back to the cabin, to the days when Jon and I just used to go for long walks and runs, and when -
Suddenly Julie cries out, and I turn to see that Thomas has grabbed her from behind and pulled her away from the car.
I run to help, but I'm quickly pulled back and I turn to find Alex holding the rope that's trailing from my collar.
“Drop it!” Thomas shouts, slamming Julie's arm against the side of the car, causing her to let go of the gun. “That's better.”
He shoves her to the ground and then kicks her hard in the ribs.
Barking, I strain to get away from Alex, but he pulls me back again and then pushes my face down into the mud.
“Some fucking guard dog,” he mutters darkly, as I hear Julie crying out again and again nearby. “Whose fucking side are you on, anyway?”
Grabbing my collar, he pulls me around the other side of the car. I turn and snarl at him, but he quickly smashes a fist into the side of my neck, causing me to cry out. My injured leg gives way, and he starts dragging me across the rocky ground until we reach the spot where the night's fire is now dying out. Morning sunlight has begun to light the scene, and I'm shoved to the ground as Julie screams in the distance.
Despite the pain in my legs and ribs, I try to get up. I have to go and help her.
Luke kicks me again, before leaning close to my right ear and screaming.
“Stay! You fucking little piece of shit! Stay”
His voice is so loud, I flinch and instinctively recoil. He places the sole his right boot against my back and pushes down, forcing me to the ground. I try to scramble free, but he's hurting my back and all I can manage is a series of faint whimpers.
At the same time, Julie's screams are getting louder, although after a moment they change and become more of a jerky series of pained gasps. I try to go to her, but Alex is pushing down harder and harder against my back. After a moment, he leans close to my ear again.