The armed men chuckled.
“Are you blind girl? We have you surrounded. The only place you are going is into a cell and don’t worry I will be as gentle as possible. See the girl in the first cell?” He walked up to the cell and stroked the glass door as if remembering a satisfying memory. “She was feisty. You remind me of her. She fought me all the time but in the end I broke her. Would you believe that little bastard thought I was going to free her. You give them a little hope and they will do anything you ask,” He laughed and then added, “but I’m not going to give you any false hope. I’m not going to sugar coat this for any of you. I need a cure and I need the cure now. That means I can’t be choosy anymore on whom I test on.”
“Have you been outside these walls since it all happened?” I asked. I wanted to keep him talking.
“My men have been exploring the city since it started. You are the first living survivors to come to us though,” he said.
“I am curious how your group managed to find this place and enter. Our power is still on and without clearance none of you should have been able to enter. So which one of you worked here?” He added glancing at each of us.
I was going to reply when he cut in.
“Someone is missing. I counted twelve when you all entered the lab,” he stated, searching the lab frantically.
“Sir,” One of the armed guards stepped forward, “The rooms are sealed. Perhaps you miss counted.”
“Perhaps,” he glanced around the room not convinced.
Gabe took a step forward and I knew immediately he was going to teleport and things were going to get messy. Addy also advanced and lightening fast grabbed a gun out of the hands of the closest guard. She then moved around the room in a matter of seconds and before the guards had a chance to react. Addy had disarmed every soldier and replaced the guns in each of our hands. I looked at the gun placed in my hands and quickly aimed it directly at the gaunt man. The soldiers and man stared in disbelief.
“What the hell just happened?” The man asked.
Clear puzzlement spread across his face.
“I believe we will be taking what we need and we will be leaving,” I stated firmly and couldn’t help but smiled.
The man tried to speak again but Mike hit him on the back of the head with the butt end of the rifle. The man collapsed to the floor with a loud thud. The soldiers surrendered quickly and the beefy guys from our group lined them up against a wall.
I walked up to one of the soldiers and ripped his mask off, much to my surprise it was a young women. No more than twenty years old. She was beautiful, her red hair fell and hugged her face. Her emerald eyes locked with mine. I felt a strong and instant connection with her.
“My name is Layla, what is your name and are there any other people here?”
“My name is Zola and yes there are others here but they have been injected with whatever the doctor gives them. They are not safe anymore and you do not want to free them,” Zola rushed her words and tried to explain everything quickly.
“Everyone take your masks off,” Mike ordered.
They all obeyed and took their masks off. The strange thing was they all had red hair and emerald eyes. They were all beautiful, even the
men. I noticed they each had a numbered tattoo on their necks. Zola had the numbers 009. Another had 002 and another 005.
“What do the numbers on your necks mean?” Silas asked.
Sometimes I wondered if he could read my mind. It kind of freaked me out.
“I am not authorized to say?” Zola stated coolly
“All of you have a numbered tattoo on your necks,” I pointed out.
Before Zola could reply the door we entered through slid open and small figure darted in. It lunged at one of the beefy guys in our group. The small figure looked to be a child and it was extraordinarily fast. It screamed out before biting into the neck of the guy. It was a little boy no older than five, even though he was a screamer, he was adorable. He jumped off the beefy guy who was now convulsing on the floor and lunged at a guard. He repeated these steps two more times before I took Addy’s gift. Addy fell to the floor convulsing. I lifted the gun and aimed at the boy. The rifle let off a loud bang and everyone covered their ears a second too late. I watched the boy fall to the floor next to the guard he had bitten. I stood and stared at the little boy I just killed. I couldn’t help but wonder who the real monster was. The little boy or me? I released Addy’s gift and within moments she was up and moving. She walked right up to me and slapped me in the face.
“I was going to shoot him!” She yelled at me.
“Really, cause all I saw was you standing there watching him attack three people!” I yelled back.
“Don’t you ever take my gift from me again!” She commanded.
“I won’t if you do what you are suppose to and not stand there doing nothing,”
“Guys!” Silas yelled over us.
“We need to get out of here, now!”
We all stared in shock as the three men that had been bitten convulsed on the floor, their skin started to turn grey. Blood exited the eyes and nose first, followed by the ears and lastly the mouth. The beefy guy spat blood and screamed out. It was clear they were changing into screamers. We hadn’t known you could be infected if bitten. I shot the first one in the head. Silas shot the next and Gabe shot the third infected before they could fully turn.
The children in the cells became agitated and smashed against the glass. I had seen this before and knew it was time to leave. We invited the guards to come with us but they declined and chose to stay. I believed they were more frightened by us then by the screamers. With help from the guards we quickly gathered the supplies we came for and loaded everything into the trucks. Zola pulled me aside as we were finishing loading the trucks.
“You and your friends can’t come back here. This is our side of the city now and we don’t want any trouble. Will you agree to this request?”
“Yes, we will agree to this if you can promise the doctor doesn’t hurt anyone else?” I replied.
Zola put her hand out and I closed mine around hers. I felt an odd sense of coldness coarse up my arm. I quickly let go and stepped back. I stared into her eyes but didn’t say anything. She stared back at me and
gave me the slightest smile. The sense that I knew her was strong. Silas touched my still tingling arm bringing me back to the present.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you; we are ready to leave,” he stated and glanced at Zola.
“Is everything alright?” Concern spreading across his face.
“Yes,” I replied.
We loaded into the trucks and headed back to the warehouse. We didn’t have much time before night was upon us. It was a gloomy ride back. Everyone was deep in their own thoughts. I kept looking back to make sure we were not being followed. We were going back with all the supplies we needed but we were also going back with two dead men. Gabe, Silas and Mike had wrapped the bodies in blankets and had placed them in the back of one of the trucks.
We were over half way back when terrifying screams echoed around us. It wasn’t night yet but dark clouds covered the sky in a thick blanket. It was too early for the screamers to come out or so we thought.
“Hurry up!” I yelled.
Movement in nearby buildings caught my eye, followed by screams that sent chills down my spine. I knew we were being stalked. We had to get to the safety of the warehouse but we weren't going to make it. I didn’t want to lose anyone else.The truck weaved around big potholes and debri. The roads were littered with trash and a strong wind had picked up. Screamers appeared in the doorways and windows now. I watched a couple step out onto the street as we passed. Their heads turning in our direction as we drove by. A splash of rain hit the windshield and then another. I had never been so thankful in my whole life as I was in that moment. Soon the windshield was covered in a thick stream of water. Addy turned on the wipers and washed raindrops away from the windshield. We made it back to the warehouse be
fore complete darkness consumed the city. I felt the built up stress lessen as we unloaded all the supplies. That was until a woman came up to Mike looking for a man name Tim. I felt my stomach knot and then sink. I examined the truck bed with the wrapped bodies in it. I grimaced when I realized the women was looking for her husband. Mike tried to put his hand on the woman’s shoulder but she wasn’t having it. She slapped it away and started yelling out for Tim. Quinn stepped in and this seemed to help momentarily until the woman saw the bodies in the back of the truck. She let out a loud cry and ran to the dead men in the truck. I didn’t want to stand there and watch her grieve for her husband. I turned and walked away my mind and ears trying to block out her pain.
Day 90:
It has been three months since my world forever changed. I decided to go home for a few days and get away from the ever building tension in the warehouse. Doctor Nickels has been working day and night on finding a cure for the screamers. He kept telling us he was getting close but needed more supplies. He wanted us to get him another screamer, a male and he wanted it alive. This proved to be easier than we thought it would be. They waited until a male screamer approached the gate one evening. Sally used her gift of invisibility to sneak up on the screamer. Thankfully it didn’t see her but it sensed her. The screamer jerked in every direction. He could smell her and her scent made him ravenous. Sally injected the screamer with a concoction Dr. Nickels gave her. The screamer fell to the ground and Gabe moved in. He teleported to the fallen screamer and then teleported them into the lab. It was an incredible sight to witness. It all happened quickly, they restrained the screamer and Dr. Nickels started his work on the new arrival.
The tension had risen to new levels at the warehouse. The nongifted had moved to the lower levels of the warehouse. They stated it was due to the screams that filled the night air but I knew they wanted to be away from the gifted. The woman that lost her husband blamed us for not keeping him safe. She was hurt and angry and wanted someone to blame. Her name was Nancy and she did her best to make it known that we were evil and should be kicked out of the warehouse. What she didn’t take into consideration was we were doing our best to keep everyone safe. It didn’t matter though, she made up her mind about us and she wasn’t going to make things easy.
Addy had told everyone how I had stolen her gift. She was still upset with me and made sure everyone knew I was a thief. It was odd that she knew what I had done because Silas and Gabe wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t told them. My thievery obviously impacted each gifted differently. Silas and Gabe were the only ones talking to me.
I told Quinn I was leaving for awhile and he attempted to talk me out of it but in the end my mind was already set on leaving. Silas was consumed with supply runs and helping find a cure. He spent all his time with Dr. Nickels and Mabel. When I told him I was going home he merely nodded his head and said ok. I’m not sure what kind of reaction I was expecting but I had hoped he would have wanted to join me. Much to my surprise when Gabe found out I was leaving he asked to join me. No one seemed to care that we were leaving.
We teleported to my house. Gabe was surprisingly halfway decent to be around. He had really opened up and talked openly about his childhood and family. We laughed and I enjoyed his company. Gabe was different than Silas, when he spoke he was serious and passionate all at once. He was straight forward and didn’t sugar coat anything even if, at times it hurt my feelings.
Day 95:
Each morning Gabe and I found ourselves drawn to the field. We would go out for a run after the sun was up and each time we ended up standing in the field.
“Why do you think we keep ending up here?” I asked one morning.
“Because the trail leads to this field,” he said matter of factly with pure sarcasm in his tone. “Why do you overthink everything!” He added.
“I don’t overthink everything,” I spat back.
“Okay.” More sarcasm left his lips.
“I was thinking about checking out the farm down the road,” I said changing the subject.
I explained how the cows had been let out to pasture and how the screamers had eaten them. Someone must have let them out and I wanted to check and see if anyone was there. Gabe could teleport us in and out if things went south. He agreed and the next thing I knew we were standing on the front porch of a big white farmhouse. The front door was wide open and I felt nervous entering. Instead of walking in, I knocked on the open door and called out.
“Hello.”
There was no reply and part of me was relieved but part of me was worried. I wasn’t sure I wanted to find anymore people. Most of the people that were left didn’t like me very much. I waited a beat then stepped into the house. Gabe was by my side when I entered. At least he didn’t look worried. This eased my mind a tad bit. A shuffling sound came from above our heads. We looked up and stared at the tin ceiling. The movements came again. I really hoped it was an animal and not anything else. We found the stairs and made our way up to the second floor landing. The first two bedrooms were clear from unwanted company. The following two rooms were also clear and I found my breathing was settling into a safe pace. We came to the last room at the end of the hallway. I guessed it was a bathroom but the door was closed. Gabe slowly turned the door knob and I held my breath waiting for god only knew what. My imagination ran wild with fear. The door creaked open and my guess was correct. It was a huge bathroom with a clawfoot cast iron tub. The tub took up the majority of the bathroom. What was in the tub left my stomach doing an all too familiar flip I had grown accustomed to.
A girl in a torn white dress with red stripes lay in the tub. My eyes widened at the sight of her. I knew this girl! I knew the long brown curls and even though her eyes were closed, I knew they were brown. I stepped forward and reached out to touch her. She was alive and she was breathing. I gently shook her and tried to wake her but it was useless, she was in a deep sleep, possibly a coma. Her skin was pale but not grey. Thankfully she appeared to still be human. She was an exact replica of the screamer in the warehouse laboratory. They were even wearing the same dress. I didn’t think this was a coincidence.
“She looks like the screamer at the warehouse. She looks like you,” Gabe said.
“I don’t understand what is happening here,” I replied.
“What do you think we should do with her?” Gabe inquired.
He stared at her and looked as though his day had just gone from peaceful to stressful.
“I think you should teleport her to the lab and have Dr. Nickels figure out what to do with her,” I replied.
“You should come too and say hi to all your friends,” he snickered.
“I’m sure they would love to see me. The girl who steals their gifts. I am the ultimate threat to them. I’ll walk home and you can go, thank you very much,” Sarcasm now leaving my lips, “Will you tell Silas I said, hi. Not that he’ll care but I do miss him,” I looked away as I said the last words.
Gabe didn’t reply and I turned to see I was standing alone in the bathroom. I wondered if he had heard my request. I left the farmhouse and walked home. I sat outside for awhile and stared at the spot my mother had stood. I knew I shouldn’t dwell on things I couldn’t change but my mind won the battle in my head and the next thing I knew tears were making their way down my face. I didn’t want to cry and be weak but at that very moment I felt alone. I felt angry and I knew I was different and the world was messed up more than ever. I had to stop but I didn’t want to. I made my way to the exact spot where I shot and ended my mother. I let out the loudest scream I could find inside me. I didn’t know I could scream like that. The scream came from somewhere deep down inside me. First low then it bellowed in my chest, finally making its way up my throat and out of my mouth. I startled myself at first but then let it roar. I screamed and screamed, I cried and howled. I fell to my knees and my body shook. It was rage, hurt, sadness, happiness and every single emotion I had ever known shot through me. I pushed all the emotions out
of my arms and held them in my hands. Energy shot out of me. I screamed again and found myself lifting off the ground. A few feet at first, then higher and higher until I was above my house. The emotions and energy pumped through me like a drug. I was moving away from my house. Shit, I was flying in the sky and had I no idea what was happening. I was moving away from my house and soon found I was no longer flying. I was falling and it wasn’t graceful at all. I was dropping like a plane crashing to the ground. I landed with a hard thud on the ground. Unbelievably I was laying in the damn field again. I laid there for a few seconds before I heard voices all around me. I darted upright and much to my surprise saw familiar faces gawking at me unpleasantly. I wiped away any evidence of unwanted lingering tears.
Gabe, Silas, Greg, Lucy, Sara, Wes, Addy, Sally, Olyvia, Nate, Hannah and Jacob all stood and gawked at me. I got to my feet and glanced around awkwardly. I wasn’t sure what had happened and I had no idea what to say. They all looked kind of annoyed and pissed off at me.
“Hi,” I said weakly.
“Hi?” Hannah mocked.
She looked really pissed.
“Layla! What the hell did you do?” Hannah bellowed.
I took a step back unsure what to say. I was a bit frightened by the pure angry vibes I was being hit with.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened. I swear. I don’t know,” I rushed out.
Silas stepped closer to me.
“We all felt you calling out for help. You were in distress and each of us could feel it. You took all of our gifts and left us feeling your pain. It was awful Layla, you can’t do that ever again. Are you okay? What the hell happened to you?” He said with concern in his voice but under that concern was fear.
Silas feared me and when I glanced around I felt not anger but fear coming off from each and everyone of the gifted. I felt my emotions starting to stir around inside me again but I quickly contained the raw emotions and pushed them deep inside.
“Do you have any idea what you have done?” Addy said, walking right up to me. She was inches from my face. I knew she didn’t like me.
The Demise of Humanity Page 9