Survive (Cascade Book 1)

by Maxey, Phil

  There was no mistaking the sound of gunfire, and it was coming from the motel’s direction. The cops shot Michael. Running as fast as he could with the gas-laden canister he got back to the front of the motel, but there was no sign of anyone. He then picked up the sound of talking from behind the motel, where the pool was meant to be. Putting the canister down, he ran along the front of the rooms, then stopped when he got to the alleyway, still no sign of life but the voices where louder. Cal moved quickly but quietly along the alley until he got to an iron gate that was open at the end, and saw Michael lying on the floor with blood on his arms. Standing next to him was the elderly cop, but Cal wasn’t looking at him, instead he was looking at the winged humanoid form writhing around in the bottom of the pool.

  CHAPTER 11

  Fiona was lying on the hood of a green sedan, Ray was sitting on a small wall reading a paper he picked up, and Zach and Abbey were sitting silent on the grass nearby when the gunshots rang out from the west. All but Ray jumped up looking towards where the sound came from.

  “Abbey wait here with Ray” Said Zach, Fiona gave a small nod and they both ran off down the main street, stopping after a few hundred yards.

  “I think it came from near that motel over there” Said Zach. They approached the parking lot slowly using what cover they could. Just as they were about to cross the parking lot, Cal appeared from an alleyway along with Michael, who’s face had some cuts, Cal was also helping what appeared to be an injured policeman. Zach went to move forward then realized what he was wearing. Fiona looked at them and then Zach.

  “Screw it” Said Zach launching himself forward and towards the group, Fiona followed behind. Cal, Michael and the cop stopped as Zach and Fiona walked up to them.

  “There with us,” Said Cal to the cop. “Guy’s Zach, woman’s Fiona.”

  “There were shots.” Said Zach looking at the cop’s holstered gun.

  “Jacob saved me.” Said Michael still looking dazed.

  “Names Jacob Duran, I’m…well I was the chief here in Baldo until it all changed, I can see you boys…and girls were imprisoned, none of that matters now, but I suggest we get inside incase we draw anymore attention from the…creatures, my room up there has supplies, your friend here could do with some bandages on those wounds.” Said Jacob.

  Zach could see Cal and Michael already had some trust in this Jacob guy, so that was enough for now, he nodded and they all walked up to the second floor and into Jacobs room.

  His room was of similar dimensions to the others but seemed much smaller due to the many-labeled boxes it contained.

  “CANNED FISH”, “NUTS AND SEEDS”, “CANDLES”, “PANTS”.

  “Every time I come across something I categorize it so I know how much I got” Said Jacob, standing in the middle of the crowded room. Michael was in the bathroom washing his wounds clean, Zach and Cal were sitting on some makeshift chairs made out of piles of tied together magazines and Fiona was standing near the door.

  “That looks like a fresh wound.” Said Zach gesturing to the patch of blood half way up Jacobs’s leg seeping through his pants.

  “Two days ago I had just parked the cruiser outside when the creature that attacked your friend attacked me, it’s talons or whatever you want to call them clipped my leg, I only just made it back to the room, luckily it missed the artery.” Said Jacob.

  “I’m sorry about your leg, but what the hell happened out here? Where are all the people?” Said Fiona. Jacob sighed and sat on the end of the bed, Michael appeared from the bathroom.

  “Look at the boxes in the bathroom you will find one titled ‘Medical’, inside you’ll find some bandages, used one on your wound,” Said Jacob to Michael before turning his attention back to Fiona’s question “To be honest I don’t know much, it all happened so quick, the creatures came and killed a lot of folk, most that survived took off for the big cities.” Said Jacob.

  “But you stayed” Said Zach.

  “It was my duty son” Replied Jacob looking straight into Zach’s eyes.

  Michael reemerged with a Band-Aid across his forehead, eating a candy bar.

  “We need to tell Abbey and Ray, maybe bring them back here.” Said Zach.

  “There are more of you?” Said Jacob.

  “Yeah…that a problem?” Said Zach.

  “Not at all, but there’s only so much food to go around.” Said Jacob.

  “We’ll find more,” Said Zach standing up, “You ok staying here while I get the others?” Said Zach to Fiona, who nodded in the affirmative.

  Zach was only gone twenty mins before returning to find everyone eating.

  “This is Abbey and Ray” Said Zach to Jacob.

  “Nice to meet you both of you, there’s still running water in the bathroom and towels if you want a wash.” Abbey grinned and moved into the bathroom closing the door behind her, while Ray just stood staring at Jacob.

  “Can I help you with something?” Said Jacob to Ray.

  “I can’t help have this feeling that I’ve seen you somewhere before.” Said Ray.

  “Well maybe you have, I’ve been chief in this town for a long time, been in a few papers over the years.” Said Jacob.

  “Hmm maybe, anyway where’s the food.” Said Ray looking at all the boxes.

  A few empty boxes of food later, they all laid and sat in various parts of the room, the sun beginning to sink below the mountains.

  “So what was your plan? Just stay holed up in this room hoping to not be found by the creatures?” Said Zach to Jacob.

  “I was leaving when I was attacked, since then I’ve just been waiting for the bleeding to stop and hoping that it doesn’t get infected, what’s your plan.” Said Jacob.

  “Boston” Said Abbey.

  Michael and Cal raised their heads, Ray seemed asleep and Fiona’s head remained motionless.

  “That’s quite some way young lady” Said Jacob.

  “I’ve got family there, I need to go.” Said Abbey.

  “You don’t know what’s out there between you and your family, maybe more of those creatures maybe worse.” Said Jacob.

  “I’m taking her.” Said Zach. Michael and Cal looked at Zach and then at each other.

  “And what about you two, you going to ‘Boston’.” Said Jacob to Michael and Cal, who looked at each other again.

  “That’s the plan.” Replied Fiona looking at Jacob. Ray snorted, his head falling on her shoulder, which she pushed back up.

  “You’re going to need a few vehicles and plenty of gas then.” Said Jacob.

  “We found a semi-truck in a parking lot near a diner about one click south from here, has a pretty full tank of gas, could probably hold maybe six or seven of us.” Said Zach.

  “I think we should avoid Albuquerque” Said Cal “You must have heard the loud booms last night?” Said Cal to Jacob.

  “I was in a fever for most of the night, didn’t hear a thing.” Said Jacob.

  “How’s you leg now?” Said Fiona.

  “Still hurts, still bleeding, beyond that I have no idea.” Said Jacob. Fiona got up and sat in front of Jacob.

  “Take your pants off I’ve got some medical training, I’ll take a look.” Said Fiona. Jacob stood lowered his pants and sat back down.

  “Now lift your lower leg,” Fiona placed his leg on a small box and inspected the wound. “Were you a doctor in a former life? Because this is expertly sewn up.”

  “Many years on the job you learn a thing or two.” Smiled Jacob.

  “You got any antibiotics in these boxes, that’s what you need.” Said Fiona.

  “Couldn’t find any on my travels.” Replied Jacob. Fiona looked around the room at the various boxes until she came across one titled “Veg”, she rummaged through it and pulled out some Garlic. “Peel these, and chew on it, might help.”

  Jacob pulled his pants back up and laid further back on the bed near the top.

  “When the suns completely gone light some of these candles but not too m
any.” Said Jacob.

  Zach pulled the already mostly closed curtains even more closed, and rammed a small piece of wood under the door to give it a bit more resistance should something tried to open it. Abbey found a small box of matches and lit three candles in the main room and one in the bathroom. Cal and Michael had both gotten more comfortable, while Fiona had thrown some old clothes in the bath and laid down in there. Abbey lay in a corner of the room, a few pillows behind her head, while Zach sat on the floor near the door. Ray continued sleeping.

  CHAPTER 12

  Zach stood looking down at the creature presumably dead in the bottom of the pool. It reminded him of those fake fairground monster attractions that his grandfather used to tell him about. Something so impossible that it had to be fake, something you laughed at. Fiona jumped down into the pool, pickaxe at the ready. Strewn around the pool were various pieces of furniture, and what looked like bones, but it was hard to tell if they were human or animal. This creature had been using the pool as some kind of nest.

  “Slowly” Zach said to Fiona, as he pulled himself down into the pool as well. Jacob stood above them watching. As Zach moved closer to the creature he could see it was very real. Tiny short feathers covered most of it, including two huge wings, one of which was folded. The torso was three-feet in length similar to humans in size but slimmer. The head was monkey like but also had bird features, with a short beak and large bird like eyes. As well as the wings it had two small-feathered covered arms but instead of hands at the end were claws, each one with three talons. And lower down were two small legs, with primate looking feet, except the nails were longer. Two deep red bullet holes were in it’s torso, Zach could also see one of it’s wings was badly damaged. It was quite dead as parts of it had already started to turn blue and the smell was something you covered your mouth for.

  Fiona nudged one of its wings with her foot. They both froze just incase there came a reaction but there was none.

  “What the hell is it?” Said Fiona. Zach stood shaking his head, trying to think what it could be. He never was that interested in biology at school, and always-switched channels when a wildlife program came on, he always found humans more than enough to understand anyway. Zach looked up at Jacob who was uneasily crouching down, trying to get as good a look as he could from being twelve-feet away.

  “Any ideas?” Zach said to Jacob.

  “None come to mind.” Replied Jacob.

  “Whatever it is it’s dead, can’t harm us now, let’s get back.” Said Zach.

  “I’m going to scope out nearby buildings some more, never know what we might find.” Said Fiona.

  “I have to get the truck and bring it back here so I’ll go with you, but I want to be leaving in an hour.” Said Zach, lifting himself out of the pool and then helping Fiona do the same. Fiona, put her pickaxe back in her custom made holster and they all walked back to parking lot.

  “I don’t know of any prisons around here.” Said Jacob.

  “We were being transported some miles from here, bus was attacked, we survived best we could until we made it to this town.” Zach replied without hesitation. Jacob smiled.

  “As far as I’m concerned all past sins have been forgotten, for all we know we are the last people alive on this planet, the past is the past, agreed?” Jacob held out his hand, which Zach took.

  “How about you come with us.” Said Zach.

  “To Boston?”

  “Or as far as you want to go, there’s nothing left in this town of yours, why stay? Maybe you could be of help elsewhere.” Jacob rubbed his chin.

  “I think you may have a point.”

  “Tell the others about the creature, we should be back within the hour.” Said Zach, jogging out of the parking lot onto the main road followed by Fiona, Jacob returned to the room.

  “Left or right” Said Zach, looking down Main Street to where they entered the town. He then looked upwards to the sky. Nothing seemed to be up there but he didn’t want to take any risks, he also wasn’t sure how much charge the baton had left.

  “Let’s go left, then left again that should take us back to the area you were but we will see a bit more of this dust bowl town.” Said Fiona. They both set off down main street, half jogging half walking, stopping to look in the homes and shacks which littered both sides of the street. Eventually they got to a junction and took left again, on the right was a sign that caught both their eyes.

  “PATTERSONS USED CAR LOT, BUY/SALE/TRADE”.

  A wire fence stood between them and an assortment of dirty looking vehicles, most of which would have been old a decade ago.

  “They will probably have keys in the office and we can find gas…actually Cal said he found some gas yesterday.” Said Zach. Crossing the street, Zach was about to climb the fence when he noticed another sign. “BEWARE THE DOG”.

  He stopped, and peered through the wire fence, but nothing could be seen or heard. Kicking the fence a few times, still nothing from beyond, so he climbed up and over helping Fiona do the same. They both crouched down, listening best they could for any sign of life, but only complete silence came back to them.

  “Maybe the dogs dead or gone, but be ready incase,” Said Zach in a hushed voice “I say we take the blue pickup, looks the newest here anyway.” Zach gestured towards a nineties looking pickup, with white writing on the windscreen.

  “1 PREVIOUS OWNER $3500”.

  “I used to drive my husband’s” Said Fiona staring at the vehicle.

  “You were married?” Said Zach.

  “You don’t have to sound so shocked, it was a long time ago.” Said Fiona.

  “You ok getting the keys? I’ll check it’s gas and see if any of these other rust buckets have any we can siphon.” Said Zach, Fiona nodded and moved off swiftly towards the office. Zach picked up a piece of wire he had spotted laying on the ground, pulled the gas cap off, then fed the wire into the hole until he hit resistance then pulled it back out. Quarter of a tank, not too bad. He looked over towards Fiona and just caught her going inside the office. He then moved onto the next vehicle and did the wire dip again, this time half a tank. He just needed some tubing, but looking around the car lot couldn’t see any. The office seemed the best bet so he went inside. Fiona wasn’t to be seen, but he was immediately hit by the smell of death. The front office was small, and completely covered in wood veneer paneling. Hanging on the wall was a photo of a middle-aged man with a dog. If that was the aforementioned dog then there was never going to be anything to be scared of anyway.

  “You in here?” Zach questioned to the open door behind the counter.

  “Back here.” Said Fiona. Behind the counter was a small back office, and another door which opened to what looked like a garage. A middle-aged man lay dead in a black leather chair, head blown backwards by a gun blast, and a piece of red speckled paper clenched in his hand. Fiona was just standing there.

  “I found the keys.” She gestured to the rack of keys on the wall, which sat next to two adult themed calendars. Zach moved forward and grabbed the pickups keys, while looking at one of the calendars.

  “We have more important things to do with our time.” Said Fiona.

  “Look at what’s written.” Said Zach, they both leaned in for a closer look at the blue handwriting in the calendars boxes.

  “August third, Date of evacuation”, “August tenth, second attempt at evac”, “August twenty-fourth, Communications stop”.

  They both stood there, trying to absorb what must have unfolded over the previous few months.

  “I’m going to look in the garage, I need some tubing to siphon more gas, you ok?” Said Zach.

  “Yup” Replied Fiona. Zach moved off into the garage. Walls lined with various oil-covered tools sat on both sides of two car lifts, one which had a car raised a few feet in the air. The garage was surprisingly well stocked considering how remote they were and it didn’t take long for Zach to spot some tubing in a wooden box under a worktop. The car on the lift was
a yellow 1970s sports coupe which had seen better days, they must have been working on it when they had to stop, leaving it door-less and tireless.

  Zach walked up to it and felt the paintwork, in a different life he had one similar and used to take his family on rides in it.

  “Ready?” Fiona appeared in the garage doorway. Zach half smiled and looked around the garage again. He was sure there were many things here that might come in handy in the days ahead but most were heavy, and he didn’t have time to think about it. He did see a hand torch on the wall, which seemed to be fully working and a small pack of tools in a pouch, so he grabbed all of that along with the tubing and walked back out with Fiona. When passing the dead man in the chair he noticed the note he was holding was laying on the floor, letting Fiona walk on ahead he put some things down and picked up the note. Written across the middle of it in hardly eligible writing was a message that chilled Zach to his bones.

  “I WON’T BE EATEN--DALE.”

  CHAPTER 13