As the Light Dies
Page 30
What the hell,he thought.He’s climbing under the damn fence!
“SAM!COME BACK,”he yelled but it was no good, Sam was on to something. Thoughts that someone had been following them from the other side of the fence ran through Dean’s mind as he remembered the footfalls over by the gate. The fence shook and rattled again up ahead. Dean pushed on as fast as he dared running totally blind in the dirty snow. His injured hip cried out in protest. He called out repeatedly for Sam, calling him to come back, but it was useless. Sam didn’t take the slightest bit of notice.
“Fucking dog!”Dean muttered under his breath as he came to the end of the seating canopy, and right then over to his right he caught a glimpse of Sam shuffling under the fence.
“SAM!” he shrieked rushing to try and stop him but he didn’t have a chance. Sam disappeared in a flash and ran off in to the black snow barking out of control.
All Dean could do now was wait, and listen.“Shit!”he said gripping on to the fence feeling useless. He thought about trying to climb over but thought better of it, if he injured himself on the landing the others didn’t have a clue where he was to come and help him, he could be stuck for a while. Then, he heard a change in tone to Sam’s barking. There was somethingdifferentabout his bark, he thought it sounded softer, if that was the right word for it. Excited even. Then Dean heard a voice.There is someone out there, he thought.
“SAM,”he yelled.“Come back boy, c’mon.”
He turned his head side on against the fence and cupped a hand around his ear deflecting the wind trying to listen, and there it was again,someoneon the other side said something. Sam whined playfully. Dean was stumped.“What the hell,”he said under his breath totally confused. He listened as Sam whined and barked totally convinced they were of a playful nature. He just couldn’t get his head around it, he tried to make out the voice, but it was too faint, muffled by the wind and drowned out by Sam until suddenly Sam turned defensive again!
He started barking and howling like before and then he erupted in to an all out barking frenzy. Dean was baffled, he was frightened and confused about what was happening to Sam.
“HELLO? Who’s there?”he yelled not sure what else to do, he was starting to think he was going to have to make the climb when over Sam’s growling and snarling and barking, and the wind, Dean heard someone call out but it was just too faint to hear as it was carried on the wind. It was so faint that Dean wasn’t even sure what he really heard.Was it even a voice, he wondered. Sam was really going at it, barking like he was in attack mode but Dean thought it sounded like he was coming back, getting closer. He hoped so. Then he heard footfalls. They were fast and theywere coming nearer!
“DEAN? HEY DEAN?”someone yelled.
Dean’s heart completely missed a beat and his stomach flipped.
“DEAN, HEY WHERE ARE YOU?”the voice called again.
Dean just couldn’t believe it. He just couldn’t. He yelled back,“GAVIN! IS THAT YOU?”and before he got an answer Gavin burst through the ash and crashed in to the high chain link fence.
All the air rushed out of him as he crashed in to the fence.
“GAVIN!”blurted Dean in shock.“HOLY SHIT Gavin! Are you ok? Where the hell did you come from?”said Dean in shock as Gavin scrambled back on to his feet panting hard.
“We gotta go Dean.We’ve gotta get inside!”
“What! Why? What’s wrong?”said Dean.
Gavin jumped up on to the fence without answering and started climbing and a horrible gurgling scream shrieked from within the ash louder than Sam’s barking. Dean snapped his head around to look as Sam barked like Dean had never heard him bark before!“I’m being chased, we need to get inside. Start calling Sam we’ve gotta get him back, NOW!”
“CHASED!”said Dean.
“Just fucking call him back Dean. Get him back, NOW!”blurted Gavin as he reached the top and flung himself over. Dean repeatedly yelled for Sam trying to make himself heard over Sam’s desperate barks and these new sounds. Sam was ready though; he’d been waiting for Gavin to reach safety and as soon as he touched down landing in a heap beside Dean, he bounded back through the murky black snow towards them.
He reappeared through the ash just ahead of them and shot back under the fence to rejoin them.“FUCKING RUN!”Gavin hollered and took off towards the leisure centre. Dean turned and ran with him after checking Sam was ok. He had to run hard to catch up with his little brother.
Gavin was sprinting flat out. The screech called out again behind them. Dean was trying to get his head around the situation, he was shocked and overjoyed to suddenly have his brother by his side, but he wondered what the hell was going on. What kind of trouble could he possibly be in that had him so scared, and why, and who, was chasing him?
Sam bounded along just ahead of them keeping their pace easily. He kept stopping to look back, checking they were still in the clear and every so often he’d stop, face back the way they’d come and bark hysterically for a few seconds, standing ground as the brothers ran passed him. Then he’d turn and run and catch them up again and repeat the action all over again.
Sam was just catching them both up again after a brief barking fit when Dean heard the most bizarre sound rang out behind them, it was loud and drowned out everything else. It was so strange that he thought that if the bottom of the canal suddenly disappeared and started to drain, then it would sound just like that, but probably not as loud. Sam erupted in to a barking frenzy before he’d even spun around when he heard it.“What the hell isthat?”said Dean.“Who the hell have you pissed off?”
“I’ll tell you when we’re inside.Just keep running!”
Fair enough, thought Dean and he kept running. The rear of the leisure centre started to come in to view, they both had to adjust their direction slightly so they were on course for the row of glass panelled doors. Sam shot passed them both again howling like a banshee until he span around again just ahead of them and carried on barking bouncing up and down on all four paws with every single hair along his back on end.
Gavin was amazed at how efficiently Sam was protecting them, clearing their way ahead and then standing ground from the rear protecting them from both sides.Fuck knows who taught him that but thank God we’ve got him, he thought.
They were close, the building loomed high above them practically inches away when the chain link fence erupted in to a furious chatter of rattles and bangs behind them, then almost instantly it was drowned out by what Gavin kept envisioning as a hundred people screaming with overflowing blood filled mouths, gluging and gurgling as the life giving fluid ran down the sides of their faces and down their necks. His whole body twitched at the sound and the image inside his head. Two of the panelled doors swung open in front of the brothers and Gavin launched himself through nearly bowling Keith over catching him with his rucksack. Ann held the next door along and let Dean in followed closely by Sam hot on his heels. Gavin yelled back at Keith to shut and lock the doors. He was already on to it, he was working his way along the row of doors as fast as he could double checking they were all locked now that both men were inside.
“Hurry Keith!”said Gavin staring back through the reinforced glass panels waiting for movement outside.... none came. Dean quickly ruffled the ash and snow off Sam’s pelt and cleared his eyes as he stood rigid staring back out still growling.
“What a boy Sam, good boy. Good boy,”he said as he removed his dust muzzle.
“Ok,”said Keith,“they are all locked. What the hell’s that noise?”
“We’ve gotta get Upstairs,”said Gavin ignoring him.“We’ve gotta get away from these windows!”
Keith and Ann both shot a glance at Dean before they made a move, he nodded and they all headed up to the cafe above. Dean brushed himself down as best he could, the ash felt like cold fine grit doused all over him. Gavin tried to do the same but he was too buzzed and too dirty to do a proper job, all he managed to do was push it around his face and got some in his eyes that stung.
“Oh man! You don’t know how glad I am to see you guys,”said Gavin.“To actually make it here in one piece.”He turned and hugged his brother. Dean hugged him back firmly.
“They were gaining on me,”said Gavin,“I’m sure of it!”
“Who was?”said Ann.
Gavin looked at her as he knelt down and ruffled Sam’s thick coat.“I’m not really sure.”he started as Sam tried to lick him. He chuckled half-heartedly pulling away.
“What!” said Ann pushing for an answer.
“I really don’t know what to say, or where to start. I’m guessing you guys haven’t seen anything yet or you’d already have a good idea where I’m coming from, you know. Either that or I’ve properly gone and lost my mind. But I don’t think I have. Sadly! You’re just not gonnabelievewhat’s going on out there. I don’tand I don’t want to either!”
As he finished he shook his head slowly and looked out of the window. They could all just about hear the fence shaking and rattling through the thick glass.“There must be lots of them out there,”said Gavin, and as he finished they all heard that strange call ring out……..The gurgle!
It sent chills racing through Gavin, it made him feel ill.
“What is that?”said Keith trying his luck again.
“Ireallydon’t know what to say,”said Gavin fixated on the window.
Dean looked at his brother and said,“Just start at the beginning, and take it from there Gavin, ok!”
When Gavin still hesitated Dean said,“C’mon, you’ll be fine, you’re notusuallylost for words!”and he grinned at his little brother.
“Shut it,”said Gavin eyeing his brother trying to be upbeat, but he could feel his voice tremble as recent images passed through his mind as he tried to think of where to start. Eddy’s screaming silhouette pinned to the inside of the bus windscreen was up front and centre in his mind. He struggled with it for a moment before eventually he sat down properly on the window ledge so he could keep one eye on what was going on outside while he spoke to them. He took a long drink from his water bottle then took a deep breath and said,“Ok here goes,”and he started to tell them his unbelievable story, starting from where they’d got going again after being pulled free by the guy in the snow plough on their way down to Fort Agustus. The others pulled up chairs and sat in silence listening to Gavin’s terrible story while the strange noises outside grew louder and louder....
CHAPTER 18
“Where are we gonna go?”gasped Ken as the three of them ran along the darkened corridor.
“No idea,”said Steve,“maybe the stores. They’re well secured, if we can get in.”
“Yea,”said Katie,“and maybe we can grab some tools and use them as weapons.”
Steve was glad to hear her talk like that, getting her fighting spirit back.She must be getting over the initial shock of it all, he thought, he knew she was their best chance of survival with her military background. As they ran Katie could just make out the entrance to the stores up ahead.“The stores are open,”she said seeing the roller door still fully up.
Ken felt relief wash over him.“Thank fuck,”he said.
Steve stole a glance behind sure that the primitive growl and heavy footsteps were gaining on them. Mick was about thirty feet back and coming at them fast. Behind him, the group that had chased after them earlier had found their way down the stairs following Mick’s calls and were running just as fast. They didn’t have much time!
Steve’s heart missed a beat.“SHIT!” he cursed turning back around to warn the others when Katie started screaming and then Ken started skidding along the linoleum trying to stop.
What the fuck!thought Steve. Then he saw why. There was a man standing behind the store counter, a sick man, one Steve didn’t recognise. He was a mess. His clothes were in shreds and he was covered in blood. Bite marks littered his arms and torso. His hair clung to his scalp drenched with blood as it poured from a wound none of them could see. Most of the guy’s face was covered in blood that had ran down through his hairline from the hidden wound and from a hole where his right ear use to be. He squealed excitedly when he saw them, reaching out towards them swinging this way and then that way desperate to catch one of them. A torn cheek swung through the air catching between his teeth as he swung his head and snapped his jaw reaching out for them.
“Oh my God - his eyes!” cried Katie. Steve looked and saw that his eyelids were missing exposing his black eyes as he cried black tears. Long deep tears ran across his face from where his eyelids had been torn away, Steve could imagine it happening and he cringed. One tear reached down across his left cheek cutting so deep his upper gum line was on show.
Katie was going too fast to stop and she slid along the linoleum straight towards the crazed man’s mauled hands. She realised she wasn’t going to stop in time so at the last second she tried to launch herself forwards and she practically dived passed him. Steve held his breath as the man’s blackened bony fingertips brushed her shoulder. She made it landing awkwardly on the other side and backed up clear from his reach as she turned to watch Steve and Ken, and she gasped with horror when she saw what was chasing them.
“RUN!” she screamed and as she did the mauled thing behind the counter leaned out even further reaching for her and he fell over the counter in to the hallway thrashing and hissing like a live wire. Ken just coming to a stop turned and looked back and his face dropped and turned white with shock.“DONT STOP!” yelled Steve“RUN, KEEP RUNNING!”
Ken nodded letting Steve pass without disturbing his momentum, then launched himself back in to an all out sprint behind him. The wild thing on the ground was crawling towards Katie, until it saw Steve and Ken and turned towards them making some horrendous noises, trying to growl and gurgle at them. Black gunge ran down his chin like thick black saliva. He reached out for Steve as he approached!“Oh shit!” said Steve as he jumped, he was going too fast to do anything else.
Katie gasped watching thinking,Oh no he won’t make it, he’s too far back to jump!
She readied herself to jump in and help him if he landed short.
But Steve flew through the air tucking his feet in, lifting them as high as he could like he was jumping a hurdle. The infected man reached for him and smacked the toes of his boots and sent Steve in to a headlong dive. He flew through the air and landed hard on his front in a bellyflop just within the infected man’s reach. Katie jumped over to him and grabbed one of his hands and hauled him away as fast as she could nearly yanking his shoulder out of the socket. Steve tried to get back up as she pulled him clear but he stumbled back on to his knees because she was pulling him so fast, his feet couldn’t keep up with her. She realised and eased up.“C’mon,”she said, and he tried again and this time managed to catch himself. He ran with her a few paces then turned back for Ken.
“I’m ok, keep going,”blurted Ken right behind them. He’d jumped just behind Steve as the infected guy reached for Steve instead of him, and he landed right behind Steve as he stumbled and he was hauled along by Katie, he nearly tripped over them both. But he hadn’t and now they ran together again as Mick bore down on them fast with histroops right behind him.
“Where the hell do we go now?” asked Ken. Steve stole a glance over his shoulder and saw that Mick was going to catch up with them. He was sprinting after them just as fast as they were, and the gang behind him were gaining onhim.
He felt panic trying to take over as he tried to think what to do next when suddenly Katie reached out and unclasped a fire extinguisher from beside the exit door to the drill floor and without any hesitation or even aiming she spun around and launched it with both hands. Ken watched with his heart in his mouth shaking all over; needing to piss. Steve’s mind was frozen, not sure what to do for the best. The extinguisher flew through the a
ir in what felt like slow motion. Mick didn’t flinch, it was like he didn’t see the extinguisher, his black eyes were locked on to them and he raced at them with a crazy contorted grimace on his face bearing his blackened and bloody broken teeth. The extinguisher started to lose height. Katie Ken and Steve watched with baited breath as it fell.“Oh shit it’s gonna miss him,”said Ken.
“No,it’s gonna hit him, it’s gonna hit his legs,”said Steve.
The extinguisher made contact and time suddenly sped up again. The extinguisher smashed in to Mick’s shins with a sickening crack and sent the blackened hulk crashing to the floor face down, and he slid along the floor and hit the wall headfirst hitting it hard!“GOOD SHOT!”said Steve.
“C’mon before he gets up again,”said Leann already turning.
Theman thing from behind the counter clawed himself up, using the counter and turned towards them thick bands of black saliva hung from his chin as he started to stagger towards them, he was slow and uncoordinated unlike the others. Then in the blink of an eye he was run down by the charging mob behind him and he disappeared under their trampling feet.
“SHIT!” yelped Ken.
They’d all been so focused on Mick and the guy from the stores they hadn’t noticed just how close the others were.
Turning back around Steve saw that Katie was already halfway along the corridor near the next stairwell.“C’mon,”she yelled. Ken and Steve didn’t hesitate, they didn’t have time to. Mick was back on his feet, his right shin was broken and as he tried to walk the leg kinked inwards pushing his foot out in front of him like a capitol L. He stumbled for a second with the broken leg and then started to limp towards them again gaining control of his balance as the sheered bone pierced deep in to his muscle and stabilised enough for him to carry on, and he came for them oblivious to any pain. He opened his mouth wide and called out as the mob came up behind him. The call reverberated along the corridor stirring up the others that all stayed behind him and they joined in calling out with their broken vocal cords gurgling like a drowning choir.