The Colony

by Kathleen Groger

  “Harder.”

  I put one foot on the wall and pushed out, trying to gain more leverage. It worked. The door surrendered and flew open, knocking both of us on our butts. I slammed onto my back, then rolled to my side.

  “Damn.” Megan rubbed her hip.

  I stood and checked out what was behind the door, but it was too dark to see anything. I whipped out my flashlight and shined it inside.

  Megan’s cry rang through my ears. Adam lay sprawled on his back covered in boxes and a shelving unit. Terror sliced through my chest.

  “Adam!” I fought my way into the closet-sized storage room.

  He didn’t move.

  Oh, God. Please. Please. Please don’t let him be dead.

  “Is he alive?” Megan cried.

  “I hope so. Here, hold the light.” I tossed her the flashlight and set to work moving the shelving unit. Once I had it upright, I threw the boxes off Adam.

  Megan slid to her knees next to him.

  I bent down and put my hand to his throat. A pulse. I swallowed the walnut-sized lump lodged in my throat, exhaled, and rocked back on my feet.

  “He’s alive?” Megan touched Adam’s forehead brushing his hair back with trembling fingers.

  “Yeah. Adam, wake up.” I slapped his face just enough to try to jar him awake. How long had he been unconscious? “Come on. Wake up.”

  When he didn’t respond, tears pooled in my eyes. Why wasn’t he waking up?

  “Is he in a coma?” Megan’s voice cracked.

  “I don’t know. We need smelling salts or something.” I had no idea what to do. I had no medical knowledge. I had surprised myself by patching up his arm and not killing him in the process.

  “Can we use the liquor combo out there?” Megan tilted her head.

  “It’s worth a shot. Stay here with him.” I jumped up, scrambled back over the pile of chairs and tables, all the while trying to quiet the voice in my head screaming don’t let him die. I took out my almost-empty water bottle. I swigged the last drops, then bent down and scooped the whiskey and bourbon into the bottle. The stench made me gag. It had better wake him up.

  When the bottle was a third full, I capped it and fought my way back to Adam. He was still out cold and Megan was holding his hand. I choked on a pang of jealousy and bent down on his other side. “Megan, can you lift up his head?”

  She moved behind him and lifted him onto her legs, cradling his head in her lap.

  I opened the bottle. The pungent aroma filled my nostrils and made me cough. I waved it under Adam’s nose, praying for it to work.

  He jerked and coughed. His eyelids fluttered, then closed. I waved the bottle again. His eyes flew open and he coughed again. “What the…?”

  “Oh, thank God, you’re awake.” Megan laid her hand on his forehead.

  Adam pushed himself off her lap and into a sitting position. “Damn. My head hurts. What happened?”

  I capped the noxious vapors. “A shelving unit fell on you. You must have hit your head and passed out. How do you feel?”

  “Like a freight train plowed through my brain.”

  “You didn’t answer on the radio.”

  “It’s in my bag. Where’s Bethany?” He turned, but winced and squeezed Megan’s thigh.

  My chest burned as if it had been stabbed with a metal pole.

  “Easy. We don’t know how hard you hit your head or how long you were out. Bethany’s outside. She hurt her ankle.”

  “By herself? What about the Raspers?”

  Oh, crap. When he put it that way, it sounded so dumb. How could we have left her alone?

  “You think she’s in danger?” Megan sprang to her feet. A look of panic crossed her delicate features.

  I stood and held my hand out to Adam. “I’m sure she’s fine, but let’s get moving.”

  “She won’t carry a gun. Not after… Oh, how could I have left her?” Megan tucked her hair behind her ears. “I’m going back out.” She slapped the flashlight into my hand and sprinted out the door.

  “What do you think she meant about that?”

  “About what?”

  “About what made Bethany afraid of guns?” I hoped whatever it was didn’t get her killed.

  “I don’t know.” Adam swayed to the right.

  “Can you walk?” I supported him by wrapping his arm over my shoulder.

  “Maybe.” He let go of me and took a few steps. He wobbled a little at first, and then gained his balance. “I think I’m good.”

  He might have been seriously hurt if he was just—just what? Normal? Human? The words seeped into my bones. What was he now? What was I? I shook my head. I couldn’t think about it now. We had to get back to Bethany.

  We crawled over the debris pile. I got over first and waited for him. Megan was already out the door.

  “Bethany!”

  Megan’s scream had us vaulting for the outside.

  “What’s wrong?” Adam gripped Megan by the shoulder.

  “She’s not here.” Megan waved at the empty lounge chair and then clutched at her hair like she wanted to pull it out by the roots.

  I tucked the flashlight back in my bag and drew my gun. “Where is she? She could barely walk.”

  “Maybe she’s going to the bathroom or something.” Adam tried to sound light-hearted, but I could tell he was worried.

  Megan sank onto the chair and dropped her head in her palms. Her sobs grated down my spine. I was responsible. I shouldn’t have let her stay out here alone. The walnut-sized lump lodged itself back into position in my windpipe.

  Adam sat next to Megan and put his arm around her. “We’ll find her. Come on, crying won’t help. We need to search for her.”

  She lifted her tear-streaked face. “Okay.” She sniffed and wiped her cheeks.

  “Where would she have gone?”

  I closed my eyes and strained to hear anything that might give a clue as to her whereabouts. I caught a faint huffing noise and opened my eyes. “Adam, do you hear a strange noise?”

  He let go of Megan and stood. He pivoted slowly in a tight circle.

  “What is it?” Megan jumped up.

  Adam held up his index finger. “Ssh. Let me listen.”

  I heard it again. It wasn’t Raspers, but I couldn’t place it. “I hear it. A faint, almost coughing noise?”

  “Yes. Like someone puffing on a cigarette or something.”

  Megan latched onto Adam’s bicep in an iron grip. “Where’s it coming from?”

  “Over there, I think.” Adam walked forward.

  When we reached the exit to the Waters, my stomach coiled into a ball of despair.

  The sound was coming from the Wild side of the park.

  “Oh God. No.” Megan crashed to her knees.

  Adam reached down and brought her back to her feet. I aimed the Glock. Images of hungry and desperate animals filled my overtired brain.

  “Do you still hear it?” Adam whispered.

  I tilted my head and tried to focus on the sound. It took a few seconds, but I heard it. “It sounds like it’s moving away from us.”

  “I don’t hear anything.” Megan whined. “Guys, please. We need to find Bethany.”

  “We will.”

  We walked through the African-themed archway decorated with wooden tribal carvings. The ball of despair uncoiled and slithered up my throat. We were now in the Wilds. I’d been right. It had been a zoo. Bad, bad idea. She couldn’t be here.

  “Does she still have a radio?” Adam clicked his talk button. “Bethany, can you hear us?”

  She didn’t answer. A low rumble echoed in my ears.

  “What’s that?” Adam shoved the radio in his pocket.

  I didn’t know. Didn’t want to know. But I did know that no matter what it was, it wouldn’t be good. The rumble grew louder and louder. Closer and closer. “Another earthquake?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  Megan’s eyes went wide. “We should move. Look.” She pointed to t
he left.

  I followed her line of sight and my stomach curdled. A cloud of dust billowed toward us and the rumble grew more intense. It reminded me of the horde of Bugs, but the sound was much deeper. We needed a place to hide.

  “Come on. Over here.” Adam ran to a line of trees.

  Megan stood frozen in the path, staring at the swirling dust cloud. I looped my arm through hers and dragged her to where Adam hid. When we reached him, he forced Megan to take cover behind his back. He took one side of the tree trunk and I pointed my gun from the other side. It sucked as far as hiding spots went, but we didn’t have any other option.

  The noise thundered in my ears. Then they came down the path. Three emaciated zebras shot past us without even turning their heads in our direction. More bad news.

  “Why are they only leaving now?”

  “The earthquake probably knocked their gate or fence open. They looked starved,” Adam said.

  “If the zebras got loose, what else do you think is lurking around?” I whispered the question, not really wanting the answer. Thoughts of bears and wolves raced through my brain. We were so screwed.

  “We need to find Bethany and get out of here.” Adam left the cover of the tree.

  “She couldn’t have gone far with her hurt ankle,” Megan wailed.

  “I don’t think she went by herself.” Megan’s already terrified eyes widened at the comment I should have kept to myself.

  “Everybody quiet. I hear something.” Adam held up his hand.

  I strained to hear what he meant. There. The same huffing sound. I searched my memory for what animal made a sound like it, but came up empty.

  Adam tugged on my sleeve and I met his gaze. He pointed to the trees and made a circle gesture. I nodded and brought up the Glock. He dragged Megan with him.

  I took the lead. Dealing with Megan would slow down his reaction time, and we were running out of time. We had to find Bethany and get the hell out of here. We cut through the trees and up a small hill. The closer we got to whatever we were tracking, the louder the sounds became.

  A small spot of color caught my attention. A piece of fabric was caught on a rock to my left. I stared at it, but kept moving so not to draw Megan’s attention.

  The swatch matched the jackets we wore. The jacket Bethany wore.

  I wanted to point the offending piece out to Adam, but I couldn’t risk having Megan see it. She was already a basket case, and thinking what I did would unhinge her. I kept walking, alert for more pieces.

  A few more yards along, another scrap. My heart twisted in my chest. Something bad had happened to Bethany, I just knew it. I considered turning back and telling Megan we couldn’t go any farther, but I knew she wouldn’t accept it. She would have to see it with her own eyes, no matter how horrible.

  More huffing. A ripping sound raised goose bumps across my skin. I exhaled and pushed on. When I crested the top of the hill, any remaining air in my lungs escaped and I froze, paralyzed with horror.

  The containment fence below the hill had shifted enough in the earthquake to create a hole. My brain screamed for me to turn and run, to cover Megan’s eyes, but I couldn’t get my body to move. As if locked in slow motion, I turned and raised my hand to stop Megan from coming any closer. Adam tried to draw her to his chest.

  But she knew. She tore out of his grasp and dodged my outstretched hand. She skidded to a halt and a cry, more animal than human, tore from her lips.

  Another rip. This one the sound of flesh and bone.

  I turned away from Megan. Locked my gaze on the bloody scene.

  And watched a female lion devour its prey.

  15

  Megan moaned. Rocked back and forth. She needed to be quiet. Lions preferred living prey to dead, didn’t they?

  Adam raced to Megan’s side and tried to cover her eyes. “Don’t look.”

  I brought my gun level. My mouth went dry and rough as sandpaper. Would a bullet take down a full-grown lion or would she have time to get all three of us? I didn’t know what to do. She had obviously escaped the fence. She could do it again. We weren’t safe here.

  The lioness tore at what remained of Bethany. Strands of her blonde hair danced in the breeze in a macabre fashion that churned my stomach. I was going to be sick. Again. I forced the bile southward. The rest of Bethany’s body was spread across the dirt.

  Megan vomited and rolled into the fetal position. The stench almost made me lose the little control I had over my intestines.

  Adam’s mouth simply hung open in shock.

  I blinked to clear the fuzziness. Maybe it was better this way. Then I wouldn’t see what was happening. But the horror scene came back into high definition focus.

  “We should go.” Adam backed up a few steps.

  I couldn’t tear my eyes from the lioness. Her ribs showed the depth of her starvation.

  A low roar swirled through the trees, extracting a reply from the lioness. The hair on my arms poked into my sleeves as a male lion lumbered into view. Holy hell. My abdominal muscles contracted and spasmed.

  He was smaller and didn’t have a full mane. Was he her baby?

  “Help me lift her.” Adam said, jerking me from the brutal scene.

  I tore my gaze from the lions as the juvenile sank his teeth into Bethany’s left arm. The sound of her bones snapping echoed through my ears. The acid slithered back up my throat, demanding release. I managed to choke it back down, but just barely.

  “Once they’re done, they’re going to come after us. They have to know we’re here.”

  I agreed with him. Even if they hadn’t heard us, our scent surely gave us away.

  “Come on, Megan. We need to go.” He reached down and gripped her hand.

  She didn’t respond. She’d retreated into herself. She rocked back and forth, both hands covering her face.

  “Shit.” Adam stuffed his gun in the back of his jeans, then hoisted Megan into his arms, holding her in a firefighter’s carry.

  Everything had gone to hell. Bethany mauled by starving lions, Megan traumatized, Adam unarmed. I might be able to shoot one lion, but there were two. There might even be more.

  Adam shuffled down the hill, his balance off from Megan’s dead weight. As sick as the thought was and as bad as it made me feel, I prayed Bethany would keep them satisfied long enough for us to get away.

  We reached the path leading out of the Wild. When we got to the busted fountain in the center of the park, Adam set Megan down on the cement. Her face was an expressionless mask.

  “Megan, say something.” I bent down next to her. My hand brushed hers. Her skin was cool to the touch, and ashy looking.

  She only blinked, slow and drawn-out.

  I glanced back up the path, expecting to see a parade of lions coming for dinner. The trail was empty. No lions. Not yet at least.

  “There’s no time for this. We need to find gas and get the hell out of here.” Adam seized Megan’s hand and pulled her along. While she kept pace with him, she remained in the catatonic state.

  “There’s no way I’m going back into the Wild side of this park. We have to find something useful in the Waters. If there’s anything to find.” My words were rushed.

  The three of us made quick time and within minutes, we made it to the building where we’d hid the four-wheelers. I groaned. I hadn’t even given the ATVs a thought. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

  The building was rubble, a ruin of bricks and wood. The vehicles were toast.

  “Goddammit.” Adam threw his bag into the hedge.

  I bit my cracked lip until I tasted blood. This sucked beyond words. I wanted to join Megan in her numb state; just block all the uglies out and retreat into my own head. Escape all the destruction and death. But I didn’t have that luxury unless I wanted to die. And dying wasn’t on my to-do list for the day.

  “Maybe there’s a golf cart or something around here. The employees had to use something. We gotta get out of this place.” Adam’s words snapped me back t
o the here and now.

  “Did you find the maintenance shed before?” I searched the collapsing landscape for any indication as to where the park kept their maintenance equipment.

  “No.” Adam hoisted his bag.

  “Maybe over there?” I pointed in the direction behind the wave pool.

  We all took off running and didn’t stop until we rounded the destroyed wave pool that was now a cement slab.

  “There.” Adam tilted his head at a brick building off to our right.

  It was—amazingly—still standing. I pushed on the door. It didn’t budge. With a frustrated cry, I slammed my boot into the door. It relented and opened. “Yes.”

  A black pickup truck filled the small building.

  “Please, please, please let there be gas.” Adam let go of Megan, and she stood rigid and unmoving.

  “And keys.” I threw open the truck door. The ignition switch was empty. No keys. I tried not to cry. I had to keep it together. I ducked back out of the truck and slammed my hand against the hood. “Damn it.”

  “Maybe they’re around here somewhere.”

  Not likely. We were doomed. If the lions didn’t get us, I was sure the Raspers would be back any minute.

  I glanced over at Megan. She stood ramrod straight, and with a zombiefied expression. An overwhelming urge to hug her overcame me. All her loss was my fault. I had brought death to her door. I pinched the bridge of my nose and scrunched up my face. I had given up my rules, and look where that got me. About to be killed—and probably sooner than later.

  I walked to the corner next to Adam. “Find anything?”

  “Just some tools.”

  My corner housed a workbench full of plastic pipes and wrenches. I picked up a baseball bat-sized pipe and banged it off the workbench. A jingling sound filled the building.

  “What was that? Did you find keys?” Adam was by my side in a flash.

  I searched the pegboard above the counter. Tons of wrenches hung on hooks, but about half way up the board, a set of keys dangled. I whipped the pipe onto the floor and snatched the keys. One was larger than the rest with black plastic on the end. It had to be for a vehicle.