World Memorial

by Robert R. Best

  Maylee gathered the children into a tight group. The corpses that had fallen near them were closing in. Maylee saw them and rushed to fight. She swung her bat, splitting their heads open. They kept coming. There were too many.

  The truck arrived, spinning back around so the bed faced the children. It skidded to a stop in the snow. The guards and Park hopped out. Angie followed, her ankle howling with complaint as her foot crunched to the ground. She ignored the pain and limped toward Maylee and the children as quickly as she could manage.

  They were too late. The corpses closed around the small cluster of screaming children. Maylee swung furiously, knocking dead head after dead head aside, but there were just too many. The children screamed.

  Then, they started glowing.

  Angie stopped, blinking in surprise. The guards stopped around her. The children glowed bright against the white of the snow. The light seemed to come from within their small bodies. Angie remembered what Maylee had described. She had wondered at the time if Maylee had been exaggerating. This was no exaggeration.

  "No!" yelled Maylee, running to the children.

  Maylee's voice shook Angie from her stunned silence. She and the others rushed forward.

  The light from the children suddenly flared outward, so bright Angie involuntarily shut her eyes. She opened them as the glow faded. The corpses assembled around the children were staggering back. They doubled over, white glop pouring from their mouths and eyes. The corpses fell to the snow, disintegrating to white mush as they landed. Then the children fell, crumpling into the snow. Dead.

  The others stopped again, stunned by what they had seen. Only Angie remained moving forward. Park shook his head clear and followed.

  "Fuck me...." he whispered.

  Maylee shrieked, her voice shrill and piercing in the cold air. She pounded at the corpses with her bat, spreading white glop spread across the snow. "Shit shit shit!" she screamed in time with each blow.

  "Maylee!" Angie shouted.

  Maylee kept slamming her bat down. Many of the corpses were now an indistinguishable pile of white mush. Angie could see that she was crying.

  "Maylee!" she yelled. "We have to go!"

  Maylee stopped mid-blow and looked at her, her bat still over her head. Her look chilled Angie. It was a desperate, feral look. A look of anger, rage and pain.

  Then it was gone. Maylee lowered her bat, her face expressionless. She rushed for the truck.

  They all climbed back in as quickly as they could. Ahead of them, the other truck sped toward the town. It was almost there. Angie limped across the truck bed, back toward the cab. Park shut the tailgate and climbed inside and gave the all clear.

  Angie turned to face front and banged on the top of the cab. Hartnup shifted and the truck lurched forward.

  After a few seconds, they were back to full speed. The sky overhead was still dark, a few gusts of wind whipping across the field, sending clouds of snow in front of the truck. They drove on, the wind tearing the snow from the windshield. Animals raced at the truck from each side, missing but close. A panther lunged and dragged its claws across the side. A boar slammed into one of the tires, nearly knocking the truck off course. The boar spun out of the tire, bouncing across the snow as the truck sped on. The outskirts of town drew close.

  Then Sharon was in front of the truck. She was suddenly standing there. It was very matter of fact, like she'd been there all along.

  Hartnup slammed on the brakes. The truck shuddered to a stop, its rear swaying in the snow. They stopped inches from Sharon, as if Sharon knew exactly where she would have to stand.

  For a moment all in the truck stared at Sharon. Angie tried to process how the woman had appeared so suddenly. Angie was out of her league. Dead people rising up and eating the living was one thing, but what the hell was this?

  Sharon twisted one of her hands into a fist. The truck shuddered and shook. Smoke billowed from the tailpipe and hood. The truck stalled. Sharon released her fist and the truck settled, still.

  "Everyone out!" yelled Angie, not really knowing what else to do. She just knew they had to get away. She felt it. She feared this woman. It was a level of fear she hadn't felt since she'd been left alone with two young children. Since her parents had died. Since she was a small child.

  Everyone scrambled out of the truck, landing in the snow. Hartnup slammed his door and ran back to join Angie and the others.

  Sharon stepped around from the front of the truck. She smiled at the children. "Hello you guys. I've been looking for you." She held up a hand. The children started screaming. The sky grew darker overhead.

  A gunshot cracked the cold air. Sharon's shoulder jerked and she stumbled backwards, dropping her hand. The darkness above faded.

  Park lowered his rifle and cocked it. Sharon looked at him, her smile taking on a hard edge. She stepped his way, leaving the children for the moment.

  Angie seized the opportunity. "Maylee! Get the kids to town now!"

  Maylee pulled the nearest children to her and motioned for the others to follow. She and Hartnup led the children away, hurrying across the field.

  Sharon turned and watched them go. She turned back to Angie and Park. She looked bored.

  "Oh gee," she said, her voice deadpan, "I wonder if I can catch them."

  Park had raised his rifle in the time it took this to happen. He fired again, hitting Sharon in the forehead. Her head snapped back. She quickly righted herself, a dark smudge the only sign the bullet had made contact.

  "Stop that!" she yelled, wiping the smudge from her forehead. Then she held up both hands. Angie couldn't move. She couldn't even begin to move. She strained against the unseen force to no avail. Park was frozen next to her.

  Sharon stepped closer, keeping her hands up. "So, you're the ones giving my sister so much trouble?" She looked between Angie and Park. "I appreciate that, but you're in my way."

  Angie's throat constricted. Her insides felt like they were twisting around themselves. If she'd been able to move, she would have doubled over in pain. Her throat tightened. Her insides screamed in pain. Blackness appeared at the edges of her vision. It grew, spreading toward the center. She felt her mind slipping away.

  Another woman rushed in from Angie's left and shoved Sharon aside. Sharon flew across the field, slamming into the truck, flipping it over. Sharon's body dropped behind it. Instantly, Angie could move. She doubled over, panting. Her vision returned. Every muscle hurt, but she could think and breathe.

  Park was bent over next to her, coughing up blood into the snow. "Hurray," he said in a flat voice. The bleeding from his mouth slowed. "We're saved."

  "What?"

  "That's Beulah," said Park, straightening. Angie straightened next to him. She didn't want to. She wanted to lay down in a fetal position and stay there forever. Her stomach muscles twitched, but she stood up straight.

  The woman called Beulah turned to them. She had long, dark hair. She was wearing an old, plain white dress. Her feet were bare in the snow.

  She stepped over and smiled at Park. "Hello, Parker," she said, then turned to Angie. "Hello, Angela, we haven't formally met." Off to the side, Sharon was extricating herself from the crumpled truck. The metal twisted and groaned in complaint.

  Beulah turned to Park, her smile gone. "Kill her, Parker. Kill her and I'll spare you."

  "Do your own dirty work!" Park snapped back. He coughed bloody spittle into his hand.

  "I'm not like Sharon!" Beulah yelled. "There are rules!"

  Angie stepped over to Beulah, struggling to keep her exhausted legs from shaking. She leaned on her cane more than usual. "You're responsible for all this?" she said, keeping her voice strong. "How many lives have you ruined for this?"

  Beulah looked at Angie. Suddenly, Angie couldn't move. It was different from when Sharon had held her in place. This was gentle but firm. It almost felt like it was her idea. Something deep in her mind told her the greatest idea in the world was to just stand still.

/>   "I am fixing it," said Beulah. "I am saving your kind!"

  Angie stayed in place, but was able to speak. "Why don't you both just leave us alone!"

  "Angie..." came Park's voice from beside her. Angie looked as best she could, her head unable to turn. Park was slowly lifting his rifle, pointing it at her.

  "I'm not doing this," said Park, slowly cocking the rifle.

  "Of course you are, Parker," said Beulah. "It's all part of a grand design. Isn't it beautiful?"

  Then Sharon was free of the truck and rushing at Beulah. She collided with her, slamming her shoulder into Beulah's chest. Beulah flew back at least twenty feet, tumbling across the snow.

  Angie could move again. "Run!"

  "You must be fucking psychic," said Park.

  They both raced across the field, Angie limping as quickly as she could. Behind them she could hear Beulah and Sharon fighting. They screamed and slammed each other into the snow. It sounded like two elephants crashing into each other. Like two dinosaurs. Like two mythical beasts too large and strong to possibly exist.

  Park ran next to her, not going much faster than she was. He clutched at his chest, panting.

  "What's wrong?" said Angie as she limped.

  Park seemed to realize what he was doing. He dropped his hand and kept running. "Nothing."

  The sisters screamed and fought behind them. The power of their blows echoed across the field. Sharon had said they were sisters. Angie wondered if that was possible, wondered if they were human. Wondered what they were, period.

  Angie heard an engine roar and looked across the field. A truck was speeding toward them. The remaining truck, the bed now empty. Angie was glad one group had made it back. She hoped Maylee's group had done the same.

  The truck drew nearer. Hartnup from the Guard was driving. Angie rejoiced to see him. It meant he, Maylee and the children had made it. The truck skidded to a halt a few feet away, spinning and spraying snow across the area.

  "Get in!" yelled Hartnup.

  The tailgate was already down. Angie climbed into the back, not wanting to waste time going around to the door. Park slammed the tailgate up and climbed in after her.

  "We're in!" yelled Angie.

  The truck took off, speeding across the snow. Angie could see Sharon and Beulah fighting, the two women flinging each other through the air.

  They sped further on, the fighting sisters receding in the distance. They drew near the town, toward the opening gate. They were almost there.

  Then, abruptly, the truck stalled. Angie and Park were thrown against the cab. The truck shuddered and dropped into the snow. Angie saw the wheels falling to either side, as if something invisible was wrenching them off. The hood crumpled. Hartnup jerked in his seat. Screaming, he flew up into the roof of the cab. His neck snapped, spraying blood across the dashboard. He fell back to his seat. Only he didn't fall, he slammed down like he'd been thrown.

  Angie looked from him to the front of the truck. Sharon was there, walking toward them. How had she gotten there so fast? Angie's mind raced. Sharon dropped the hand she'd been holding up.

  "Hurry," said Angie. She and Park ran to the back of the bed and climbed out. Angie’s ankle cried out in pain when she hit the snow but she ignored it. She heard Sharon's slow, unhurried footsteps crunching in the snow, but couldn't tell which side of the truck she was walking along. Angie picked a side and turned down it, Park behind her.

  She’d chosen wrong. Sharon walked toward them. She held up her hand and both Angie and Park were held in place. Angie braced herself for the constricting pain.

  But none came.

  "Perhaps I was too hasty, Angela," said Sharon. "It is Angela, right? I take it you would like to thwart my sister's plan?"

  "I don't give a shit about any fucking plans," said Angie, straining to speak. She was still held tight, but could move slightly more than before. "I just want you bitches to leave us alone."

  "We've always been with you, Angela," said Sharon. "All of you. Beulah likes you primates. I do not. But, you don't like Beulah. And there we agree on something. Perhaps we could work something out."

  "Work out go fucking yourself," said Angie, spitting the words. She strained to move, but couldn't.

  The gates to World Memorial were fully open now. The Guard rushed out, guns ready. Maylee ran out with them. Dalton ran out too, his eyes wide and concerned.

  "Pity," said Sharon. She clenched her fist. Angie's inside began to twist.

  Beulah saved them for the second time. She rushed from behind Angie, shoving Sharon backward. Sharon flew back across the snow, stopping abruptly mid-flight and dropping to the ground. Angie didn't take time to wonder about it since she was able to move again.

  She ran across the field, Park next to her. They reached the line of guards and Angie and Park stopped and turned.

  Beulah and Sharon fought fiercely in the snow. Sharon ran screaming at Beulah. Beulah grabbed her dress and whipped her down to the ground. The force of the hit shook the snow around them. Behind the sisters, the remaining animals raced across the field. And behind them, the lines of corpses staggered toward town.

  The sky overhead grew darker. The trees on the far side of the field shook violently. The windstorm that had been threatening to arrive suddenly exploded around them. There was no time to take cover. Everyone braced themselves as the wind tore across the field.

  Then, somehow, the wind split when it hit the sisters. It was as though a protective bubble surrounded them, blocking the wind. It flew to either side, avoiding the sisters and the town.

  Everyone with Angie blinked in surprise, realizing they weren’t in danger from the windstorm.

  "Fire!" yelled Maylee. The Guard fired, their bullets ripping across the field. Animal after animal fell, bleeding, into the snow. The corpses, further off, whipped their heads back and fell. Several bullets pinged off the sisters. They didn't seem to notice.

  Finally, all the animals were down. The last of the corpses fell. The snow was riddled with bullets. The sisters were still fighting, and both were beaten and bloody. Grunting with effort, Sharon punched Beulah across the jaw. Beulah's jaw snapped, loudly. She stumbled across the snow, spilling drops of blood. Then she turned back, grinning over bloody teeth. Angie noticed Beulah's jaw moving back into place, the blood seeping back into her skin. A few moments later the jaw was reset as though it had never broken. She panted at Sharon.

  "Admit it, sister," she said. "You're growing tired."

  Sharon snorted and turned to face the town. Angie and the Guard stared back. All guns were trained on Sharon. Angie prepared to order them to fire, but didn’t think it would do much good.

  Sharon took a step toward the town, then stopped. She looked down at the snow in front of her feet. Then she looked back up, smiling. Gashes on her face were closing.

  "So, this is where Beulah's been hiding you."

  Beulah ran up behind her and grabbed her throat. "Stay away from them!" she yelled, wrenching Sharon back. She spun, flinging Sharon across the snow. She ran after her. Sharon hopped up and kicked her in the stomach. Beulah fell over. Sharon lifted her foot to strike, and Beulah rolled away as she slammed her foot down, shaking the ground with the force.

  The fight raged on. Angie and the others stared. Angie knew the second the sisters turned on them they were done for. How could they possibly hold them back?

  Then she realized Sharon had been held back. Sharon had been coming toward them, and stopped.

  The wind around them died down. The sky was still overcast but the windstorm stopped.

  Beulah punched Sharon on the stomach so hard Sharon's body shook. Blood spilled from Sharon's mouth. Sharon screamed, gurgling, and dug her thumbs into Beulah's eyes. Beulah shrieked, the sound far louder than any human could make, blood spilling from her eye sockets. She grabbed Sharon's wrists and dug her nails in. The skin broke and she wrenched downward. Sharon's bones snapped and she released Beulah’s eyes. Sharon staggered back, her arms
limp. She panted and glared at Beulah. Beulah leaned forward into the snow, her eye sockets empty and bleeding holes.

  Sharon took one last look at the town. At Angie. Sharon's eyes struck terror in her. The eyes were pure, chaotic rage. The look of a child before smashing a toy. The look of a wounded animal lashing out at the world with no thought of its own safety. The look spoke of earthquakes, of storms and tidal waves. Of death, plain and simple.

  Angie watched as Sharon’s spilled blood rose up her limbs and seeped back into her body. Her wounds healed and her bones snapped back into place.

  The she was gone. She didn't walk, run or fly. She didn't even vanish in any sense Angie could conceive of. She didn't fade away or wink out or disappear in flash of light. She was just simply there one second and gone the next. As though she'd never been there. As though she'd never even existed.

  Angie felt the wave of fear it sent through the Guard. She heard the townsfolk gathering behind her. She knew the children were also back there, watching. Beulah panted, bleeding into the snow.

  She straightened and turned to face the town, her empty eye sockets bleeding down her cheeks. Then white pulp filled the sockets. Then pupils formed. Then her eyes were back and the blood seeped back into her body.

  She blinked once, then she, too, was gone.

  The field was quiet. Dead animals, fallen corpses and snow. The sky cleared.

  Angie and the others stared for several moments in silence.

  Angie broke the silence first. "Did the kids make it back?"

  "Yes," said Maylee, her voice still flat. "I'll go make sure they're back in the house."

  She left, and most of the guards went with her. A few stayed behind, keeping watch across the field.

  Angie walked forward until she reached the spot where Sharon had stopped. She looked down. She could see where Sharon's footsteps ended. She could see no difference in the snow before or after that point.

  Park walked up next to her and looked down.

  "What?" Park said.

  "Why did she stop?" said Angie, still looking. "She could have strolled in and torn this place apart. Why did she stop?"