As we walk, I keep my eyes on the flare as it dwindles away in the breeze. Becoming a strange zigzag as it disappears. I'm not sure if Ed slipped by us or not, I wonder which way he went back. If he had followed the same path Ben had originally taken to get to their hunting spot, then Ed couldn't have been far from us.
"I really want that deer right about now..." Ben sighs.
"Same" Maya breathes hungrily.
"Eh, I guess I do too" I cock my head to the side, weighing out whether or not I want an early night or roasted deer. I mean, I should probably take the opportunity while I have the chance to get some. Patrick hates wasting spares and will always give it to the person who contributes the most in the day. It's a well thought out system, making us all work harder for a better reward. Although, lately it tends to go straight to Linda, who is, alright, I suppose. She needs it more than any of us.
"Hear that?" Ben whispers. We all stop, listening closely. Are those gunshots?
"The ranger station" Maya growls, standing tall and reaching for the hatchet on her belt, she unclips it and prepares for the fight ahead of us.
"Well this is great" is all I need to say to show how south this situation has gone.
* * *
Ed
The three Officers line up along the cars and take repeated shots with precision at the creatures that wobble by in masses. I stopped using them for target practice a while ago. I holstered my gun after I realised something is wrong here, because they aren't going after us. This huge detail has the attention of Patrick who watches from the top steps of the ranger station. William and Linda are peering out from the windows in the main lobby.
Where in the world are they going? This makes no sense. "Stop shooting, you're wasting ammo!" I bellow at the Officers above the ringing gunshots. None of them listens to me of course as they are continuing to pick them off one by one. But there's so many, I can't even see the ground or anything past them. Where did they all come from? How did they hide from us? What is happening?
A sudden screeching fills the air, taking us all off guard. It's not human; I can tell you that much. Whatever it is has us stumped, all of us looking around for its source. It came from everywhere. The loud screeching suddenly stops all at once, no echo follows it. The creatures speed up, picking up the pace as they rush in the only direction they can - the lake.
Patrick calls an order and the Officers fall back, reload their guns and take their place again. Shooting a look of confusion his way, mine and Patrick's eyes meet for a moment. Itching his face for a second before taking a breath-
"FIRE"
"DON'T FIRE"
The Officers do nothing. Not sure what to do.
Patrick is already marching down the steps to confront me. Miller faces me with a raised eyebrow. "Why?" He asks fairly calmly. "They aren't after us!" I basically scream in his face. Blood pumps to my cheeks and I feel them burn as Patrick grabs me and chucks me against the car. Hitting my side, I let out a yelp as I lose my balance before hitting the floor. "Don't you dare ever get in the way of my orders boy"
I scrunch my face up. Ignore him, don’t listen to him.
Falling to my knees and holding my side, I glower up at the man who grimaces. Realising he had just hurt one of his own; he pulls a face of dismay at himself. Though, he does nothing to redeem himself despite the faltering look in his eyes. Guilt is dawning on him. Pushing said guilt, and thus me aside, he directs his Officers back to their positions on the cars.
"No, you're... wasting ammo..." I choke out while attempting to stand on my two feet. Patrick glares in my direction again. "What did I just-" He stops, Linda gripping his arm and whipping him around to face her.
"Patrick!" She whispers his name angrily. With the twat distracted by his girl, I hunch myself over the car before kinda rolling onto it. I gotta say, Patrick's bloody strong... My side is killing me now!
The Officers don't shoot, nor do they do anything at all really. "Seriously, think for yourselves for once. Look at em' all go" I raise my voice above the fearful, groaning, ruffled up looking creatures. In fact, the more I watch them, the more I notice the ones at the back who pass us now are covered in wounds from what looks like, claws?
Officer Watson sighs, withdrawing his rifle. "He isn’t wrong fellas. They are heading towards the lake" His words persuade the other two, copying his actions, they lower their weapons. By the time Patrick has warded off Linda's pestering, all three Officers have already neglected their post. Instead, they move to the other side of the car park. The horde turns at the top and moves straight past the fence, ignoring us completely as they take the road east towards the lake.
* * *
Marcus
"When do we go?"
"Not yet"
"We've been here at least five minutes now"
"They stopped shooting for some reason"
"They could be dead?"
"Stop panicking Ben"
"We have to go!"
"Marcus, what are you doing?!"
Our hushed whispers are ended when I make a run for it! Pushing my way through the loose formation of creatures who wander at the back, I dash my way through the chaos! Most of them look pretty messed up as they struggle to keep up with the rest of its pack. The weaklings trail behind even slower than some snails. Some of them are crawling. I step over one as I run, crushing its skull on purpose just because I can. When I get close, I see Ed sitting on the roof of a car. Patrick and Linda are beside him. All of them watching the opposite direction as the horde go towards the lake. After passing the bodies the Officers had taken down, I reach the car and surprise Ed with a grin on my face.
"Never run off like that again, will ya?!"
Ed jumps, turns and laughs at me while holding a hand over his heart. "Almost made me shit myself" Ed jokes, the corners of his mouth turning up. "Good to see you back" Patrick mutters distastefully at me. Is he in a bad mood? Beside him is Linda, her face dull. William stands on one leg as he leans against one of the pillars holding up the front porch at the entrance to the station, arms crossed, legs crossed.
All three Officers watch in awe and confusion as the creatures pass us by. Disgusting smells and pained groans disappear almost as quickly as they came.
"We're back," Maya says moodily as she hops over the car. Ben taps Ed on the shoulder, asking to speak with him in private. Ed's face sinks, but he agrees nonetheless. An uneasy calm befalls the ranger station after the strange phenomenon. All Officers soon enough return to guard duty and Patrick and Linda walk back inside. William does whatever William does and I am left wondering if I should offer Maya some sort of apology. No one questioned the bruise on the side of her head.
In fact, the first person to ask is Ed later that day. We talked it out, mostly about how he and Ben made up and now Cody, the man who was sleeping like a baby during everything that happened, started making us deer soup. It's a welcome meal. While he cooks away with the assistance of Ben and Linda, the three of them having a ball as chefs in the kitchen, I and Ed talk closely in the main living area.
"So, let’s talk about Maya's head?" I am left on the sofa with Ed who raises an eyebrow at me curiously. I sigh, wondering if I should tell him...
"It was an accident" Maya suddenly appears behind us, leaning on the back of the sofa and greeting us with a smug look. She sticks her nose in the air, pupils flared while staring at me. "I had to go and slip over, didn't I Marcus?"
"Uh, yeah" I play along cautiously, eying her up unsurely due to her strange acting. She's playing it off as an accident. Wouldn't Ben just spill the beans? Heck, I'm surprised he hasn't already!
"Aha, well if I didn't wander off it wouldn't have happened" Ed rubs the back of his head, laughing nervously. "Sorry Maya" He apologises for something that isn't his fault. "Nah, its fine" She replies to him but stares at me. I join in, laughing as well until an awkward silence fills the air.
"Maya, can I talk to you for a moment," I say after a few more moments of hating
myself. She nods, stepping away from the sofa and towards the corridor that leads to the kitchen. Once we're alone, I close the door to the lounge behind me and cross my arms and proceed to lean against the wall for support. "So, about what happened?"
Maya grits her teeth. "Forget about it. I respect that you did it more than anything" She sneers at me. I'm not sure whether to feel offended, happy or just plain lucky. "You got me by surprise," She says, shrugging her shoulders. "Good thing Ben stopped us because I wouldn't have hit back," She says threateningly; reminding me she went straight for her hatchet. I nod, considering the fact I could be dead right now. Then again, so could she. "Eh, I'm still sorry nonetheless" Yet, I apologise anyway and I see the corners of her lips quirk upwards.
"Smells good, doesn't it?" Changing the topic, Maya starts sniffing the air delightfully. Deer soup smells great right now. I smile, happy she moved on from this without killing me. "Yeah, it is"
Footsteps approach and Chloe passes by us. She seems to be clutching something tight in her arms. Maya looks at me, then at Chloe who opens the door to the lounge and walks inside. We hear her and Ed share pleasantries which end with Ed saying he needs to go to the toilet. "Was she sleeping during the stuff that happened earlier?" I quickly ask Maya in a low tone. She shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know, I think she's just been in her room all day"
Ed closes the door halfway behind him. Walking by us, he says, "I am not staying in there with her. I'm too close to Marcus so we don't exactly bond well" Ed grabs Maya's shoulder without thinking. Even I gotta say that's pretty ballsy. "Come on Miss 'I can't walk properly', let's go and get you some ice for that bruise. Also, let's look at the food Patrick won't let me have!" Ed's cheeriness tugs her away from me. As they leave, Maya sends one last glance my way. Her lips mouthing the words, "You owe me one"
I shake my head slightly, smiling to myself. Just before Maya is out of view, she is quick to give one last point in Chloe’s direction. Giving me a gesture with her eyes, she more or less tells me she wants me to go and talk with her...
"It's now or never," I say to myself. I give Maya a half-hearted, slow nod. I don't know if I want to do this.
Stepping into the darkly lit lounge, I see Chloe spread out over the sofa. Gulping and taking a breath, I buff my healing chest out as I walk towards her. "May I sit here?" I say quietly to Chloe who continues to hold whatever it is to her chest. "S-sure" she stutters just as quietly as I had spoken. Sitting down on the sofa; I take a moment to look at her. No crying or anything. Which is good? She must've been sleeping; she's looking a little better today.
"What's that you got there?" I ask her kindly. Reluctantly, she reveals what she was hiding. A cracked picture frame of her and-
"I am so sorry..." I hastily say. Chloe shakes her head and places the picture down on the coffee table. Her boyfriend's eyes feel like they are looking right at me from the picture. A handsome, young man with a buzz cut type hairstyle, toned body and fairly decent sense of style. "He was hoping to join the army..." She whispers. I nod, staring aimlessly at the cute picture.
"I will never forgive you for what you did..." Chloe says slowly. For the first time relief washes over me, I know it's probably not the right thing to feel, but it's still no shouting or overly harsh insults which is a step up from the usual.
"I don't expect you to. You have every reason not to" this is a serious moment for the both of us. Our eyes meet.
"He smashed this the day I told him" Chloe states sadly while placing her hand on the edges of the chipped wood of the picture frame. Already, I can see the tears welling in her eyes. Looking up, she blinks to hold them back. "B-but I can't hate you forever because... Well, look at the world we are in now. Life did this to me. Not you. I won't hate you because he is gone. But you made my last memory of him a horrible one. Us fighting over someone I didn't even know the name of. You-" she pauses. "I want to ask you personally about this. I want to go back to cabin I shared with my boyfriend one last time"
I don't even have to think. "Anything to help you," I say. I owe her my life for what I have done to cause her so much grief. "Thank you. Patrick doesn't need to know we are doing it" she adds on as she goes to grab the picture and stand up. "He wants to go scout out the cabins by the lake tomorrow. He wants to know why so many creatures have rushed there" Chloe flashes me her first smile. "And my cabin is on the way there. Got it?" She says. "Got it," I say back with a smile of my own.
Chloe leaves the room. Almost as if she swapped out with Maya who tags back in. Dropping on the sofa where Chloe once was, Maya smirks at me, an ice pack stuck to her head as it is being held in place by a scrappy looking bandana. Judging by the knot, I can tell Ed did it. "It was my idea, pretty good eh? You're making progress right" Maya smirks. I hold back a snide comment and a grin at the same time because that bitch planned all of this. That slippery snake is gluing me and Chloe together. Hell, it worked and now we are one step towards making things better. I'm not sure how she masterminded it; I can only guess she tricked us both into it. Nice work Maya. I chuckle and go to stand up. “Well done you villain” I laugh it off as I stretch.
"While I was out scouting, I stumbled across her cabin and found that picture" Maya explains her villainous plan. I smile. Maya's done right by me and wrong by me today. I'm not sure how I should feel. So instead, I jump to something else. "Is the food ready yet?"
"Almost"
"I'll be back in five"
"Get some for me!" She calls out, too bloody lazy to get up and do the deed herself. Before I leave the room, I say loudly, "No!" And then walk away like a champion.
Ugh... I'm going to have to sneak Ed some of my food. Can’t believe Patrick is rationing him anything. At least we all survived today. That’s what should matte above all else.
Chapter 18 - What lurks in the lake
The sun, as usual, shines brightly on the group that treads cautiously along the deserted roads that will take them closer than ever towards the mass of creatures which seem to have taken the lakeside as their home.
They seem almost subdued, calm even. Almost like the entire northern resort has bundled itself into one area, the docile creatures wait. Something is amiss, and the group is going to find out. Patrick leads the group. Each brave soul is fully equipped and ready. Marcus and Chloe walk side by side in their own deafening silence, the pair not looking at one another. Not even a glance. Ed speeds by the pair and towards Maya; tapping her shoulder timidly to get her attention. "What's up with them?" Ed whispers loud enough for her to hear. Maya speeds up slightly. "Match my pace so we can talk a bit louder" She whispers back, urging him forward so she could explain her devious plans.
* * *
Ed
Once my pace matched Maya, we sped ahead out of earshot so Marcus and Chloe wouldn't be able to hear. "I am worried about Marcus" Maya as normal, is as dull as anything. I nod, waiting for her to continue. "I'm trying to get the two of them to get along" Maya explains simply. I raise an eyebrow, "How?"
Maya looks around, making sure we're both out of earshot. Placing her glaring eyes on Patrick, she takes a moment to tug me to the side of the road. "Sorry, if he hears, it will ruin everything... He's such a twat, taking away both yours and Marcus's rations just because Marcus has a kind heart" Maya chews the inside of her lip, heat rushing to her face in the form of anger. I nod, staring nervously at Patrick who takes charge with Ben trailing closely by. "He's an asshole" Maya really is the forthright kind of person. Never beats around the bush. "He's messed up in the head, badly" and she is just as outspoken. But, Maya isn't wrong. When Patrick caught Marcus giving me half of his meal, our Dictator took away both our rations for the day!
"Marcus and Chloe" I murmur the actual topic, wanting her to get to the point already. I get why she went off on a tangent. Recently, no one is really getting on with Patrick. Rumours have already started to spread, even among his trusted Officers. Seems to be Linda is the root of all his changes, she's the centre of his universe an
d he couldn't care less about anything outside it.
The Carnage Trilogy (Book 1): The Carnage [Unbending, Unyielding, Unforgiving] Page 16