“My name is Grant, and this is our home,” the man said, stepping aside to gesture towards the buildings behind him. “You seem uncomfortable, is this the first time you have seen people in a while?”
Jack thought about the man and his words, his instincts warning him to be cautious. Something about him seemed off, sinister even. Grant’s expression, eyes, and gesture all seemed genuine, but even so, Jack couldn’t help but feel something was wrong. He would answer the man. Be polite, even. But he was going to be careful.
“Yeah, sorry,” Jack answered. “I’m Jack and these are my sisters, Samantha and Tammy, and my little brother, Will.”
“And where do you hail from, Jack? That you haven’t seen people in a long time?”
“We’re from Chicago. Our dad locked us in a survival shelter before the invasion and we’ve been there ever since.”
“That is quite the story,” Grant mused after a moment’s reflection.
Again Jack watched as Grant looked each of them over. Though he didn’t know what the man was looking for, his stare was uncomfortable. Jack could only imagine how creeped out the girls must feel by it.
“Tom, take Jack and his family to Dr. Burch. Let’s have that ankle looked at, shall we?” Grant asked, looking to Jack once again.
He had almost forgotten about his injury. It felt better than it had in days and he had grown so accustomed to the makeshift splint that he barely noticed it. Shaking off the thoughts, he turned his attention back to the man awaiting his answer.
“Yeah, sure,” Jack replied. “Thank you,” he added, so as to not appear ungrateful.
“After that we’ll find you all a place to settle in before we can talk about what your coming here means,” Grant concluded.
Without another word the man turned, removing his hands from the truck and began to stride away. The crowd parted for him, still watching on in silence as Tom rounded the truck to guide them wherever it was they were going.
* * * * *
Sam watched as Creepy McCreeperton strode away from them without a backward glance. With a tingle climbing her spine she shivered at the remembered look he had given her, as if he could see through her. Yuck.
Giving Will a push to help him to his feet, she reached up and took Jack’s offered hand before rising. Tammy stood without assistance, and together they climbed out of the truck along with Cole, to join Tom. She didn’t know why Jack had lied about Tammy being their sister, but she wasn’t about to say otherwise either.
Looking around as they slowly began to make their way through the crowd, she found herself ushering Will along ahead of her to keep him between herself and Jack. She couldn’t think of any reason he needed protection just now, but the feeling of unease refused to subside. Whether it was the leering faces or hushed whispers of those crowded about them, or it was the creepy way Grant had looked them over as if appraising a steak, she couldn’t be sure. Something here was not right. Why did she feel like it was more a prison than a salvation?
They had expected a joyous reunion of sorts. Not fanfare as if they were heroes or anything, but something more than this. Instead they got a crowd of zombie-like faces watching them suspiciously. Something had happened to these people, and Sam wasn’t sure if she wanted to know what.
Crossing what she knew now would have once been a landing strip, they entered the nearest metal hangar through a door in the end of the building that she assumed was the front. Finally free from the crowd, she felt as if it were easier to breathe, and Cole spoke up from behind them.
“They’ll settle down once they realize you aren’t a threat.”
No one answered. Sam hoped he was right. If it was going to be like this every day, she doubted that they would want to stay, but couldn’t help but wonder if they would be allowed to leave.
Though she had expected one giant open chamber when they entered, what they found was quite different. Entering what could only be called a hallway, they walked along a narrow corridor lined above by dim hanging light fixtures. To either side of the hall doorways stood open at regular intervals, open portals where the actual doors had been removed. Inside the rooms were cubicles, showing proof that the building had been renovated at one time or another to accommodate offices and other professional spaces. Oddly, however, inside some of the rooms were beds and other evidence of habitation. It seemed that the rooms had been repurposed once again into small apartments for those living under the rules of the resistance.
From time to time they saw movement ahead, watching as someone darted from one room to another, and occasionally they could even hear voices from parts of the building unseen, but for the most part it was a quick, straight, and boring trip. Reaching the end of the hall, they entered a large room with military style cots covered in white sheets and various stainless steel trays loaded with medical devices and small vials. While it appeared vacant, it wasn’t until a young woman, perhaps in her early twenties, stepped out from behind a small curtain in the corner with a wide smile that Sam felt somewhat at ease.
Looking upon the tall blonde she imagined the woman had been a fashion model or cheerleader, but seeing her lab style coat it became apparent that they were meeting Dr. Burch.
“These here ’ems some newcomers. Grant says ta look at Jack’s ankle and sees to any injuries they mighta got,” Tom announced as they approached the smiling blonde.
“OK, Tom. Why don’t you wait outside with Cole there, and I’ll make sure they’re taken care of,” said the doctor.
“Yes’m, I’ll do that, but be quick bout it, Grant wants to see them again before lights out,” Tom replied, trying to stand his ground before the young woman it was obvious he was enamored with.
“I’ll be certain to do that,” Dr Burch said with a sly grin.
Sam watched the retreating forms of both Tom and Cole, before returning her gaze to the doctor. She was young for a doctor, and not nearly as thin and gangly as the other residents they had seen thus far. With high cheekbones and a perfect smile she would have been the envy of any teenage girl, including Sam, but that was before the invasion. Sure, she was still the model of perfect proportions, but unlike at school so many months ago, Sam’s self-esteem didn’t feel threatened by the woman’s beauty. At least not yet.
“You handled them pretty well,” Sam said with a knowing grin.
“Well, all them boys like to hang around. It gets tiresome, but it does make them easy to manage,” the doctor admitted. “Now don’t ya’ll be shy. Come on over here and let me have a look at you. It’s been a while since we got anyone new around here. I’m just happy to see some new faces.”
“So you’re a doctor?” Jack asked.
Sam wasn’t surprised. Hot girl syndrome all over again. Her poor brother had already forgotten who the woman in front of him was. Dumb boys. But then, looking to his face, she didn’t find the open-mouthed stare of a doting idiot, instead his expression was firm. Distrustful.
“Well, to be honest, before all this, I was just a nurse from Houston, on vacation with some friends. But you know, with the way things went, here I am. The best doctor in these parts, if I do say so myself,” she said with another perfect smile.
OK. The smile was annoying. The rest, the southern drawl, sparkling eyes, perfect curves, and all that Sam could deal with, but her perfectly white, after the apocalypse smile, was just a bit too much.
“So, Dr. Burch, what can you tell us about this place?” Sam asked, hoping to banish the smile.
“What’s to tell? It’s like any other place, I suppose. But please, call me Alyssa.”
“What do you mean, like any other place?” Sam continued her line of questioning.
“Well, you know. It’s as safe as Grant and his boys can make it. Life isn’t easy, but we make do. We’ve started a garden and even have a few head of cattle round back. Grant says if we keep working hard, eventually we’ll do better than just survive. We’ll thrive.”
Sam watched as the woman gushed all over herse
lf, obviously blind to reality. Maybe the event had caused her some sort of mental breakdown or something. Sam couldn’t be sure, but by the looks of the people, they needed more than a garden and a couple head of cattle. Though the doctor looked amazing, and Grant had looked healthy enough, the majority of the people she had seen were dangerously thin. They couldn’t wait for a few cattle to grow into a herd. Even Sam could see that much.
“That sounds good and all, but how come you seem in so much better shape than everyone else?” Sam said, a bit more demanding than she had intended.
“Grant takes good care of me cause I’m the only doctor we got,” Nurse Alyssa Burch admitted, casting her eyes to the floor.
The girl was living on her looks. Sure, she had an occupational talent that made her an essential member of any group. Who wouldn’t want educated medical personnel on their team? But picking and choosing who ate and who didn’t seemed ethically and morally wrong, especially for anyone claiming to be a doctor. Sam had already seen enough.
“Alrighty, Doctor,” Sam said, drawing out the word. “Why don’t ya check out Jack’s ankle so we can be on our way?”
She didn’t mean on to their apparent future visit with Grant. No. Sam was already ready to leave. This place was not what they had expected. It was not what they had wanted. Here, they would likely waste away like the others. They needed to keep moving. Her mind was made up.
* * * * *
Will didn’t like this place. If it were a comic book, this would certainly be the villain’s lair. Dark and dingy, filled with minions. Everyone here was weird, except for the doctor nurse lady. She seemed OK. Until Sam basically yelled at her, anyway.
Watching as Jack sat down on the edge of one of the cots, Will reached up to take Sam’s hand. Tammy stood behind them, and together they watched in silence as Jack pulled off his boot. Dr. Alyssa carefully removed Jack’s splint and examined his ankle for several minutes. She had him bend it this way and that before she poked here and prodded there. Will could smell Jack’s foot from way over here. He could only imagine what the poor doctor was smelling. Yuck.
Smiling nervously, when the doctor was finished she proclaimed that it was healing fine and shouldn’t require any treatment. She removed an ace bandage from a package and wrapped Jack’s foot back up before allowing him to pull his boot back on, leaving the stinky sock behind. Will felt bad for his boot.
Anxious to leave, because he was hungry, Will kept his mouth closed and watched as Jack thanked the doctor before Sam began pulling him back towards the hallway where he could see the other, bigger boys waiting for them. Within seconds they were being ushered back down the long hall in the direction they had just come. Though his tummy growled loud enough that all of them had to of heard it, Will ignored it and kept walking, eyeing Jack’s bag, knowing that there were jars of yummy goodness just inside.
An odd sound arose from up ahead, and growing in intensity it caused Will’s head to begin throbbing again, as it had earlier in the day. Suddenly, people were springing from open doorways to either side of the hall and rushing towards the exit ahead. The sound grew louder and louder and Will recognized it as a siren. An alarm. Looking at the people rushing all around them, he noted that they carried weapons just like the ones he and his sibling carried.
The commotion continued and Will found himself and those with him being pushed and shoved out from the door they had entered earlier, only to move aside and let those that were doing the pushing pass.
“What’s going on, Sam?” Will asked.
“I think they’re being attacked,” she answered hesitantly.
“You mean, we’re being attacked.” Will’s mouth hung open.
“I guess so, baby. Don’t worry, I’m sure they know what to do.”
Even Will knew it was an empty reassurance. All he had to do was look around to see that. Even so, he didn’t panic. He had already seen plenty of places to hide.
“You guys stay right here,” Tom shouted over the rising din of yells and alarms. “We’ll be back when it’s over. C’mon, Cole!”
Off both Tom and Cole ran, abandoning Will and those with him to the night as the fleeing bodies from the building vanished into the darkness ahead. Within minutes fires sprang to life out in the distance, illuminating the backdrop of the resistance’s defensive wall and combatants. Even from here Will could see the fires burning in the cleared fields surrounding the small airstrip. Behind and atop the makeshift wall the inhabitants of the small colony gathered as shadows began to dance in the distance, giving proof of bodies passing between the fires and those who had lit them.
Seeing the movement, Will recalled when nights prior they had been forced to flee before the ape-like creatures that had chased them for days. He couldn’t help but wonder if, even though they had found hundreds of the monsters dead, these were more of the same, still following their trail somehow.
Breaking his concentration a scream erupted to the right, and Will’s eyes darted in that direction, only to be quickly drawn away by another frightened yell. Out of the fire-lit backdrop several silhouettes sprang up into the air, their wings making a strange buzzing sound as they fell upon the defenders. Will hadn’t been able to see much, but he’d seen plenty enough. These weren’t monkeys. They were something different. As tall as Jack, the things were shaped similarly to people, except they had wings and resembled a kind of ant or beetle, like a praying mantis.
Within seconds the air was filled with grunts of exertion and screams of fear and pain as Will witnessed a small child carried off into the night by a pair of the creatures. They were not safe. Nowhere was safe.
* * * * *
Tammy watched the creatures come. She’d seen them before. She knew they would only attack for a few minutes and carry off as many people as they could with as few losses as possible. They would attack like this every day until there was no one left. They took only as many as they could eat in a day, and returned over and over until the food was exhausted. She had lost her own family to these things. She wasn’t about to lose her new friends to them too.
Grabbing both Sam and Jack’s hands, she led them back towards the building as a buzzing sound settled in behind them. Another of the insect-like creatures settled to the ground between them and the converted hanger, forcing her to change direction. They were blocked. Her plan was thwarted already. With nowhere else to go, she led her new friends off to the left and found another route of escape.
Behind them a strange scraping sound followed, the sounds of the creature’s pointed legs skittering across the concrete. She wished she could scream, but she couldn’t. She wished she could explain and warn her friends as they ran, but that too was out of reach. She knew the thing wanted Will, who desperately clung to Sam’s other hand, but had no way to tell her friends. These things always took the weakest ones first. The young, the old, the frail and slow. If they could stay out of its reach long enough it would simply leave when the rest did, but there was no telling how long that would be.
Guiding them between the two massive parallel hangers, Tammy pumped her legs, feeling her heart begin to beat in her chest. She wished she could run faster, but with the shoes she was forced to wear, her stride was off, and the blisters were too painful to simply ignore.
Passing between the two buildings the scene became dark, the firelight from beyond blocked by the towering steel buildings to either side. Even so, their path was paved and straight and on they ran. Turning to look back in hopes of judging their lead on the giant insect, Tammy’s hopes were dashed as she collided with something in the darkness, her friends slamming into her from behind as they all fell in a heap. There, between the buildings, was a chain link fence that stretched from one hanger to the other, no less than eight feet tall. Atop the fence gleamed the sharp points of razor wire. They were trapped.
With her face burning from the impact, Tammy tried to disentangle herself from the writhing bodies beneath her when Will screamed out. With an all too familiar b
uzzing, the creature that had chased them into the alley began dragging Will out of the pile of twisted limbs as he clung to anything he could grasp. Kicking and screaming, Will was pulled out and up into the arms of the creature as it turned in preparation for leaping up into the air.
Without time to get the chain free from her own body, Tammy scrambled to her feet atop both Jack and Sam and leapt towards the creature, reaching out as she plummeted towards the ground. Her fingers scraping something solid, she grasped at it, catching the end of one of the creature’s pointed legs. As she dragged the monster back down to the earth with her, it struggled with both its legs and its wings to dislodge itself from her grasp, stomping and kicking at her as a screech emitted from its mandible-like mouth.
Tammy clung to the beast with all her might, holding on for dear life to its hair-covered stump of a bone-like leg. Then with a kick to her face from its other leg, her grip slipped, and the creature was free. Crouching low again, it lunged upwards with a loud clang as it crumpled to the ground, the still kicking and screaming form of Will entangled in its arms. Looking up, Tammy could see the form of Jack standing with his pipe in his hands against the backdrop of the stars.
Reaching down, Jack pulled Will from the twitching creature’s embrace as Will’s screams were silenced by a hiccup.
Chapter Ten
Jack knew that there was no getting around it this time. Will was done. He had fought the creature and was free, but he was still under attack from his own body. He wasn’t safe. Kneeling down, he propped Will against his leg as both Sam and Tammy gathered around him. Will’s eyes darted this way and that as he reached up to grasp his throat, the lack of air making him panic further.
Children of the After: The Complete Series Page 20