‘Is that the end?’ Emily murmured, keeping her eyes closed.
‘Yes, that’s the end.’
‘I really liked it. The little girl was really brave, wasn’t she?’
‘Yes, she was,’ he said.
Emily’s breathing slowed and her parents heard the fresh blood and mucus gurgling in her throat.
‘Am I going to die too, Daddy?’
Vincent looked away and squeezed her hand as Kristin held the first morphine pen over her daughter’s leg. ‘Everything dies, sweetheart,’ he said.
Kristin pushed down and injected the shot into Emily’s thigh. There was no jolt from the shock of it; any sensation within her muscles had long since deserted her. Kristin dropped the pen and removed the second one. Once she’d administered it, she checked Emily’s chest and she didn’t appear to be breathing anymore. Nevertheless, she still took up a third pen and injected it into the same leg.
Vincent leaned over to kiss Emily’s cold, discoloured forehead. ‘Goodnight, baby.’ The Grahams embraced around the stretcher.
Ethan had been peering through a crack in the door of the keeper’s house, observing their grief from afar. He’d seen enough by that point and closed it, turning to face Salty, O.B. and Darla, a single tear rolling down his cheek. ‘It’s done,’ he said.
7
Dusk settled over the reef, painting every rock grey. From the bottom of the walkway, the keeper’s house looked as though it was in soft focus.
Kristin sat next to her husband, the stretcher still supporting Emily’s body. The blankets had been drawn up to cover her face. She’d lost all concept of time, and the outpouring of grief had left them both silent and emotionally numb. Vincent stared into space, refusing to let go of his daughter’s hand.
Ethan watched them from the end of the walkway, shifting awkwardly, hands in the pockets of his hoodie.
Kristin heard the door to the house creak open, and Raine emerged holding a bottle in one hand and a gas lantern in the other. She walked down to Ethan and whispered something to him. Then she headed over the rocks towards them. She gestured to Kristin by shaking the bottle out in front of her.
Vincent didn’t move. He hadn’t even noticed that Raine was close by. All he did was stare into the shadows of the reef and the crashing swell of the waves, rolling in his hands the bloody napkin which had been used to wipe Emily’s mouth.
Kristin had to steady herself when she got up, at least until her head stopped spinning. She stood in front of Vincent and gently squeezed his shoulder. ‘I won’t be long. Will you be OK?’
He didn’t answer or look up. Knowing it was futile to try again, she went to meet Raine. Raine offered the water to her as she approached. Kristin shook her head.
‘It’s not a request. Drink it.’
Kristin snatched the bottle and took a swig. ‘I thought you were up in the tower.’
‘It’s Salty’s shift,’ Raine said. ‘Take the water back to your husband. He needs it just as much as you.’
‘I can’t promise anything.’
‘I know it’s probably the last thing you want to do right now, but you should eat something.’
‘You’re right. It is.’
‘We’ll be hitting the road at sun-up, and you both need something inside you for the journey.’
‘Whatever you say.’ Kristin turned to leave.
‘Hey! I can do… what needs to be done. I’ll be gentle with her – make it clean.’
Kristin thought about her grim proposal for a moment. ‘I’ll have to ask Vincent.’
‘Kris, whatever you decide, we can’t wait much longer. The tide’s coming in and…’
‘I know.’
‘Take this.’ Raine passed her the gas lantern and watched her wander back to where Vincent was keeping vigil over their daughter.
Kristin held the bottle up to Vincent’s face. ‘Just take a sip.’
He gazed through the clear plastic like he gazed through everything else.
Kristin soon gave up and sat down beside him. ‘Raine offered to take care of Emily. I was thinking we could let the waves take her afterwards. She used to love the sea.’
‘No,’ Vincent said, suddenly lucid again. ‘No one else will touch her. No one.’
She looked into his eyes. They were burning with determination. ‘OK, we’ll do it together.’
‘No, Kris. You’ve done enough. It’s something I need to do on my own. I have to be the one. I know how.’ He reached around to touch the handle of the knife on his belt. ‘I’ll do it down by the water. I’ll call for you when it’s done and we’ll let her go together.’
Kristin leaned over to kiss him. Their embrace was short. Vincent grabbed the lantern to light his way to the water’s edge. He lifted Emily’s body from the stretcher and cradled her, like he was nursing her to sleep. He navigated his way down the reef until he disappeared behind the rocks.
A few minutes went by and Kristin began to catch a chill from the rising winds. She gathered up the blankets from the stretcher and wrapped them around her. They had Emily’s scent all over them. It comforted her to press the fabric to her nose – and to take it in. Within days, the smell would be gone and nothing would bring it back. In that moment, she noticed something else within it and snatched the blanket away from her face. The aroma was sullen – a signature of decayed flesh.
The footsteps on the walkway belonged to Ethan. He’d returned, carrying the same plates of food as before. ‘I covered them with cling film to keep everything fresh. I believe you call it Saran Wrap.’
‘That’s the name of a brand. Just set it down over there,’ she said.
‘I’m so sorry about what happened. We’ll all miss her very much,’ Ethan said.
Kristin glanced over to the beach and the dark outlines of what used to be civilization. ‘This is no place for little girls anymore.’
‘I’m here for you, you and Vincent – whatever that’s worth.’
‘It’s the only thing that’s worth something now. Maybe it always was,’ Kristin said.
Ethan smiled, and then noticed Vincent stumbling over the reef to get to them.
Kristin prepared herself to follow him back so they could finally lay their daughter to rest. The first thing she noticed was that he wasn’t carrying the gas lantern. When the moonlight cast its gaze upon him, she knew something was very wrong. Blood soaked the front of his shirt – so much blood. The source of the red flood was an untidy bite wound pulsing in Vincent’s neck. The flesh hung open like an unhinged door. ‘I’m so sorry, Kristin,’ he gargled. ‘I couldn’t do it.’
From the rocks behind him, she saw another figure. Its arms were flailing about as it tried to keep its balance, moaning and growling with every maniacal step. It wore a dirty ribbon in its hair; it had bubblegum cheeks and the ravenous eyes of a monster.
‘Oh, Jesus Christ!’ Ethan released both plates and they shattered as they hit the ground. ‘Miller!’ he screamed, taking off up the walkway towards the keeper’s house. ‘Miller!’
‘I tried, but I couldn’t… do it.’ Teary-eyed, Vincent struggled forwards, trying to reach his wife, choking on his own blood, some of which was spilling from his mouth.
Kristin’s face was cold, a blank slate.
‘I’m sorry, Kristin. I’m—’
But before he could say another word, she drew her Beretta and put a bullet between his eyes. There was just enough time before he collapsed at her feet to witness the shock on his face. Without hesitation, she turned on what used to be her daughter. The first shot struck the creature’s shoulder, almost spinning it around in a circle, but it re-adjusted and continued to plod towards her. The second had the desired effect, blowing out the back of its head on exit, halting the monster’s march.
Ethan burst from the house, leading Raine, Darla and O.B. in a sprint down the walkway. By the time they got to her, she’d turned to face them, no hint of emotion in her expression.
Raine pushed her way to the
front and saw what was left of Kristin’s family strewn upon the reef. ‘Kristin?’
Kristin responded by lifting her weapon, pressing the barrel into her own temple.
‘Kristin, wait!’ Raine held her hands high in the air and Ethan averted his gaze.
Before Raine could get any closer, she pulled the trigger.
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Table of Contents
Finite
Foreword
Episode One - - Homeland
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Episode Two - - Teething Problems
1
2
3
4
5
Episode Three - - I Watched You Burn
1
2
3
Episode Four - - Rich Man’s Burden
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Episode Five - - Kill Switch
1
Episode Six - - The Breach
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Episode Seven - - Bugs in a Jar
1
2
A Road Less Travelled
Episode Eight - - Frailty
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Everything Dies [Season One] Page 28