The Carnage Trilogy (Book 1): The Carnage [Unbending, Unyielding, Unforgiving]

by Birch, Matthew

  "Marcus and Chloe will be taking a... Um, detour"

  Detour?

  "Watch out-" Maya tightly grips my upper arm and tugs me to the side. Below me is a corpse. Belly empty. Just a void in the place of what was once its entire torso. Brushing Maya off me, I tell her, "Thank you. Anyway, the damn point please?"

  "I know I haven't told you before you say anything. Basically, I am trying to fix things between them and-" Maya arches her neck and leers at them both. "The idea was to get them to go to the last place she was with her boyfriend... Get all of the grief out and done with you know?" Maya speaks in a sympathetic soft tone. I must admit, the two do have a different atmosphere about them today. Chloe seemed to have a different attitude about Marcus. Maybe Maya's wholeheartedness is working after all? It's almost, magic. Maya looks to the opposite side of the road and shifts uncomfortably, running a hand through her long hair while reaching into her pocket for an elastic band to tie her hair up into a ponytail. "They will be departing soon" Maya signifies that the cabin Chloe and her boyfriend shared isn’t too far from here. "And Marcus will be going with her?" I prod at her 'devious' plan.

  "Yes," she is just as plain-spoken as she is forthright. She is straight to the point as normal. I give her a moment to finish tying her hair up before I speak again. She's thinking smartly here, if this whole plan goes to hell then long, flowing black locks are only gonna be a burden.

  I cough into my hand. "Smart. I had a feeling something was going on when the two of them hadn't argued yet" I compliment her plan, giving her an earnest smile.

  Maya nods. "Speaking of which, how are you and Ben?"

  "Eh, we're okay. Not as good as we once were though" I shrug my shoulders innocently while sparing a glance at Ben who overhears his name, his eyes concentrated on me. He notices me looking right back at him and he instantly looks away. I can't help but frown slightly. I was selfish yesterday. I am taking responsibility for this. I just haven't got the slightest clue on how to make it up to him though. Marcus and Chloe start talking about yesterday in their own whispers, their topic is Patrick. They dislike him more and more, spitting hot bombs at him behind his back. Ben being the only one who keeps to himself, though I know he feels the same. Being fair though, I consider the fact of everything Patrick has been through. We've all suffered, but Patrick has lost more than he can handle.

  "Ready to go?" Chloe's voice rises by accident, causing her to squeak awkwardly while rushing a hand to her mouth. Maya peers back, gesturing for the two of them to go while they have the chance. Thrown off by the sudden conversation change, Marcus struggles to find his words and ends up stuttering and talking too quick at the same time. Chloe tilts her head and says under her breath, "What was that?"

  "Go!" Maya rushes them along hastily before the two miss their chance to escape-

  Chloe thinks for herself, latching onto Marcus's hand and scurrying them both off to the side of the road and down a cobble country path that leads towards a few cabins on opposing sides. Each house is in its own wreck in its own way. One of them having been fully looted and stripped of any value. Soon enough, they are out of view.

  Maya sighs in relief behind me as she keeps checking on Patrick who has no idea of the outlying betrayal among his ranks. Ben notices two of his squad mates have disappeared and already goes to raise an alert-

  "Ed!"

  "I know!"

  Sorry, Ben...

  Wrapping my gloved hand around his mouth, I forcefully begin pulling the off-guard hunter backwards before muttering lowly in his ear. "Shut it and listen for a second!"

  Ben struggles against my hold, he shouts into my hand; luckily his voice doesn't make it far as Patrick is too distant to be within earshot. Maya steps in front of Ben, holding her hatchet to his throat. "We gonna do this the easy way or the hard way?"

  My mouth drops, "Maya!" I shout in a whisper. Clenching her jaw, Maya ignores me and presses the hatchet closer to Ben's throat. "Marcus and Chloe need to sort themselves out if we have any hope of getting through this and you are not going to ruin that. Patrick can't know. He's cracking down on us enough as it is!" Maya says quickly, driving her point home. Ben nods, most likely choosing the easy way. I remove my hand. Silent, Ben readjusts his jacket and coughs lightly. "Okay" He mumbles pathetically. Maya nods, withdrawing her hatchet and twisting her hips to face in Patrick's direction. He's completely oblivious.

  "Alright, we're almost there," Maya says lowly as we continue walking. Ben trails at the back now, keeping his head low. Most likely mixed about what's happening. Patrick's been hard on everyone, and I can tell that Ben the follower isn't so much of a sheep for Patrick anymore. Regardless, we get to our location.

  "No way..."

  Taking in the eyesore that is now the lakeside, I am forced to embrace the malodour that rises from the horde that I swear on my life, is thinner than what it was yesterday. Yet, it is petrifying to the very core regardless. Their numbers out weights us in ridiculous amounts! I know the sight is what it is because even Maya - the unbreakable statue, is left agape at the view. Patrick is ahead of us, rummaging through a crashed police car. He's already left the sight of the lakeside and is now moving on to better things. The police cars trunk, having originally been left wide open by the last Officer, has left it as a hotspot for supplies.

  "Hey, Ben!" Patrick hollers. Ben pushes through a gap between me and Maya. We exchange a frustrated glance, both of us deciding he most likely did that on purpose as a way of getting back at us for silencing him. We focus on Patrick and Ben as the two exchange a few words then, Ben takes his large rucksack off and opens it up for Patrick to start filling it up with what appears to be: flares, weapons and ammo.

  "Smaller than I remember but still precarious" Maya places her hands on her hips. Assault rifle strung over her shoulder and hatchet attached to her belt. I notice the grossly large sweat patches Maya has as her arms open up. The problem with this world now is that hygiene, clean clothing and so on... Well, best of luck with it! It isn’t happening so you kinda just have to accept you are gonna smell.

  Seconds later, a loud shrieking can be heard from the lake. Not some little-scared shriek, nope, this is a shriek that sends fear into everyone here. A screeching that breaks your eardrums. No, it’s a signal, a signal to attack.

  Emerging from the lake, murky water and weeds slither off the bodies of what is something, unlike a creature. More gruesome looking with red pulsating patches all over its body, any touch of what could resemble a human has rotted away. Replaced with all shades of red, veins popping out all over its body, these disturbing mutations make themselves known and they are not scared to do it. Only several of these, monsters appear. More of them like that one in the archery camp building and the monster in the car wreckage. They are monsters.

  Maya begins fidgeting. "These creatures-"

  "Monsters" I interrupt, correcting her on the new threat. "Monsters..." She repeats my word and continues. "They seem like they are on a whole other level," Maya says; unable to keep her eyes off the monstrosities.

  "Ed, Maya!" Patrick snaps us out of the trance we are in. "We need to get out of here, now!" his face is grim. His jaw line tightening as he turns to face the horde below as it explodes into mass hysteria. Any creatures nearest to the monsters are quickly forced into fight or flight mode, many of them choosing flight, but forced into fighting to the bitter end. Smarter, stronger and much more adept, monsters overrule the creatures, easily ripping the first few unlucky sods apart and shoving mouthfuls of whatever creature they can get their hands on, into their overly large, stretching mouths. Its teeth are sharp and jagged like rows of army knives. Like a herd, the creatures move as one.

  "Are they- No...?” Patrick is dumbfounded for some reason.

  Panicked and scared, the creatures in one squashed swarm move as fast as their breaking down bodies will allow them. The creatures move away from the threat in the only direction they can.

  Towards our small group on-top
the hill...

  Chapter 19 - Days without incident - Zero

  Ed

  The horde of creatures is acting on impulse, even when under threat from their predators, they will still attack us. Underneath it all, they have that same base desire, like the instinct of a feral animal. We are still the pray and they are the hunters. Imminent death draws closer. The swarm is looking hungrier than ever before. Starved, fragile and even bony, the creatures wail like a fish out of water. Kicking up a tsunami of dust, the creature's race in our direction like crazed maniacs. Patrick takes aim with his shotgun. Without even having to think, he dives into the deep end. Closing one eye, he's looking down the iron sights, finger around the trigger. "Patrick-" Shakily, Maya steps forward, hoping to figure out another solution, any other alternative than fighting them head-on.

  The shotgun shell clings like a bell on the road, bouncing casually while the first line of creatures is shredded into nothing.

  The fight begins.

  "Well, shit" I mutter. And again, Patrick pulls that trigger harder than a gambler pulls the handle on a gambling machine. Blasting apart everything in its path, there's no stopping him or the tactical shotgun. He keeps firing and firing until he needs to reload. With the wave of his right hand, Ben joins his side and takes aim with his rifle. Ben's sharpshooting skills outdo everyone's as the master hunter makes the task look easy. Nevertheless, the horde still gets closer, and closer.

  "MAYA, ED!" Patrick roars above the gunfire, hoping to muster us to his side.

  He looks back at us-

  I see his eyes tremble before growing wide with disbelief. He discerns it, Marcus and Chloe are gone. No time to investigate, Patrick takes one step back and continues his primary objective of filling up the shotgun. The entire time, I see that same look of incredulity. He can't bring himself to believe two of his own have deserted him.

  "We haven't got a choice-" Maya blows out the words as she steps into the fray atop the hill, she turns the safety off her assault rifle before using it to blast holes into every son of a bitch that comes her way. For a second, I see them getting pushed back, the creatures advance is halted, for now.

  Vicious, menacing groans do not deter us. Growing violent, the stronger creatures, those who can still put up a decent fight sprint forward in a fury! My ears burn as they begin screaming crazily with a blood thirst-

  Patrick finally rejoins the fight and rips into the fitter, more capable creatures, making them irrelevant.

  Me? I'm weighing out my options. We could have run...

  Run as far and wide as we can, but instead we fight them for no reason. Even if we had Marcus and Chloe here-

  No, scrap that-

  Even if we had the entire ranger station's populace lined up and firing at will; we still wouldn't make a dent. Staying back and keeping a steady eye aids me greatly when I witness our master sharpshooter being flanked. Ben struggles to fend off some creatures, his rifle being the only thing between him and death. Patrick's useless as he reloads again and Maya is too far away as the group is slowly spread apart. Gaps in our formation are appearing on the wide, chaos-ridden road. One creature slips through our defences. Presenting its blackening teeth, the bastard snarls desperately before preparing to pounce-

  One swing and black blood paints the curb in splatters. My sharpened machete cut through the bundle of nerves and spinal cord like butter. I grit my teeth, tearing the blade free before kicking the creature down. Ben watches in awe. I had just saved his life.

  "BEN GET BACK TO THE RANGER STATION AND WARN THEM NOW!" Patrick panics, screaming at the top of his lungs above the madness.

  "NO, SHOOT THE FLARE!" Maya intervenes with a screech. Ben is speechless, simply hobbling back in a daze without a clue in the world of what to do. Having almost died has left him feeling, dead. As if he promptly accepted it too early it too early and now, since he's still breathing, he has no idea how to cope with being alive. I assume the phrase; 'Life flashes before your eyes' fits him perfectly right now.

  "Ben, get back and shoot the flare, we'll hold them off" I lightly punch his shoulder, making sure to snap him out of his daydreams and back to reality. The flare gun he has needs more ammo, so he'll need some time to fish out the new ammo we found in the police car from his rucksack. As long as we give him enough time, he can warn the ranger station in time. If the horde continues on its path, then it will rampage right through the place we call home.

  "GO!" I shout, huffing and puffing, clean steel slices the air; making that pleasing swishing sound. I stab one, slice another, amputate the next, and take down the last.

  "WE NEED TO GO!" Maya's voice is more distant than before. Has she already made a run for it? Where's Patrick? Ben has already left. No, no, no, no... Am I- Alone?

  Bolting back, I feel sweat pour out from my body, my blood runs cold and my nerves tingle fearfully. "PATRICK, ED!" Her voice is even further, disappearing into the horde that encloses around us. There's no stopping it, even the gunshots cease now as I see through the gaps around me that Patrick's anger has been unleashed. Having run out of ammo, he uses the hilt of his shotgun to smack one creature that got too close. It stumbles back and becomes an obstruction to several other creatures that knock it down and trample over it without a care in the world.

  Time is running out, fast-

  They are going to walk right over us-

  What should I, do?

  Run.

  Why are you just standing there?

  RUN.

  My own mind begins taunting me as I begin to freak out.

  You're going to die.

  Patrick's gone.

  You can't see him.

  Maya, where is she?

  Ben?

  What should I do?

  With a grunt, I push one attacker off me before taking a slice at another. I miss and am caught in a fierce grapple. Stumbling back, I hit the hood of a truck. Flinching, I fight back with all my might! Its strength overwhelms my own. I am pushed down until it's basically laying on me; the creature's red spit drools onto my cheek as its teeth bare down at my grimy face. Glistening sweat mixes with creature slobber. "ARH!" Yelling, I shove the first creature off, giving me just enough time to deliver a thrust to the next creature that latched onto my lower leg. Its hands barely around my calf as my blade pierce its hollow skull. They surround me, circling the truck I'm on and leaving me with no real option of escape.

  Heat of the moment strikes-

  I scramble back onto the roof of the truck. A chance of escape is there, on the right side where they are thinner in numbers. Withdrawing my pistol, I take several shots at the bumbling heads that all reach out to me in the hopes of a much-needed meal to stop their pain. With several creatures hitting the floor, I reload and repeat. Reload and repeat. Reload and-

  An ache pulses its way through my spine as I look to the blue sky for support. It hurts for some reason. My leg really hurts. Oh please tell me it’s not what I think it is! One creature snatched my leg, its clawed nails digging into my calf muscle. Though the pain doesn't last and I don't die.

  When I look back, I see several other creatures have begun fighting over me. They are, killing each other even now? They aren't monsters, only creatures desperate to survive. They really are animals. But, does this make them sentient in a way? Is that even the right term to describe them?

  Taking the opportunity before any more can grab me; I cut myself free by taking its bony arm off within one clean slice. I tumble back onto the hood of the car once more before sliding off onto the pile of bodies I created, using them as leeway to make my escape while the creatures struggle to fill in the gaps. They cry out in annoyance and anger behind me. Some of them even died in the personal fray.