Cascade Prequel (Book 2): Extinction

by Maxey, Phil

  The creaking continued. And then they heard a sound which sent chills through both of them. A snort. The inch thick plywood and some nails was all that was standing between them and an E.L.F. They didn’t even have a gun.

  What sounded like a pig with heavy breathing continued, and another tap came from the tiles near the doors. More nails pushed loose.

  Sofia tried to quieten her breathing, forcing the air through her nose and looked at the candle flickering innocently. She looked at Vince who shook his head, but she went ahead and clenched her finger and thumb on the wick, extinguishing the flame. They plunged into darkness as the air filled with an odor of waxy smoke.

  Another nail fell to the ground. And another… The thing was going to be on them and they wouldn’t even see it coming in the absolute darkness. Something touched her left hand making her jump then somewhat relax when she felt it was another human. Vince’s fingers wrapped around hers and they waited.

  After what felt like an hour, but was only five minutes Sofia let out a breath. She pulled her sweaty hand from Vince’s and crawled over the blankets, then cold floor in the direction of the patio doors, and gently pulled back the drapes. Outside the moon gave her more light than she had inside, and the only thing on the other side of the remaining glass door was sand and rocks. She let out another breath.

  “Has it gone?” said Vince.

  “I think so…” She turned around so her back was up against the wooden wood, that was now a few inches away from where it should be. “Go to sleep. I’m going to stay awake in case it comes back.”

  There was a pause before Vince answered. “Okay.”

  *****

  Bass looked up at the moon that was peaking through a light scattering of cloud. For a moment he was lost in the bright disc above. A night sky which looked like a thousand before it, but the world below had changed to something else. And it had happened so quick that most hadn’t even had time to take stock of what their futures might look like. Nobody had accurate figures, but before the TV networks shut down, it was said millions had died across the globe. For the past month things had settled down. The walls had done their job and then yesterday, the attacks started up again, but in greater number. A constant torrent of new species nobody had a clue about, were seemingly wanting in. Wanting to get to their food. Humans.

  He looked back down at the soldiers huddled together on the other side of the rooftop. Some were laughing, others chatting, while one or two slept. He had presumed that at some point during the past fourteen hours he would be relieved from duty, and would have gone straight to Sofia’s apartment, but no such order came. Instead here he was still doing his job and still trying not to let worries about Sofia seep into his mind. No good would come from that.

  “Maybe they forgot we’re up here,” said Coulthard seated next to him. The dark haired young man still had his helmet on, whereas many others had theirs on the floor nearby.

  “They know,” said Bass. He looked up to Rogers who was leant on the top sandbag using his elbows to prop up his binoculars. “Any sign of action?”

  “Nope. Darker than a lump a coal in a jar of tar.”

  “They don’t want the lights to attract anything in from the sea,” said Bass.

  His eyes felt heavy and he leaned back against the compact powder containing bag, and let his breathing become deeper. They were exposed on the roof, but nobody had seen an E.L.F since the sun went down. He just needed to get ten or fifteen minutes…

  “Woah…”

  Bass opened his eyes. The voice was still far away to him, but there was something about the sky. Part of it was bathed in an orange glow. A distant boom rang out.

  “Sarg!” Rogers voice blasted through his brain. He turned and scrambled to his feet with words about to leave his lips when instead he looked towards the coast and a firework display of whites and blues fighting for space with neon streaks. A battle was raging on the beaches at the eastern edge of zone E. Muffled clacks and thud sounds were now assailing his ears. He instinctively went to grab his radio from his shoulder when it crackled into life anyway.

  “Sergeant Bass. Are you there? Over.” It was his CO’s voice.

  “I’m here. What’s the situation? Sir. Over.”

  “There’s a major attack underway on the coast. Thousands of E.L.F’s. A species we haven’t seen before. Like a giant crab, heavily armored and move as quick as a bobcat. They don’t know if they can hold. If they can’t they will be retreating back to the western zones, which means action is coming your way son. What civilians are still in E will be coming your way as well. Over.”

  The solders around Bass were now all standing along the east facing wall of bags watching.

  “Hear you loud and clear sir. We are ready. Will we have any backup? Over.”

  “Yes, M1A1’s from the 64th should be arriving their shortly. As well as company C. Over.” As the CO was talking to Bass he could hear the low rumbling of heavy armor moving in the streets nearby. “You’re our eyes out there, Sergeant. Keep us informed. Over.”

  “Yes, sir. Over.” Bass turned to those around him. “I want the M224’s ready on the east side.. The other two, one north, one south.” Soldiers ran and moved the mortars into position. “Get on the .50 cal’s.” Two solders ran to the heavy machine guns facing east. He peered over the wall to the street below. Four Abram’s tanks were facing the east, their turrets just higher than the horizon, although Bass wouldn’t have wanted to be in the few single story homes that resided on the opposite side of the street.

  The apartment block and the homes were on a slight hill, with fell away sharply just a hundred yards beyond the backyards, to another level of suburbia.

  Bass swore under his breath as the air raid siren started up again, and with the rest of the squad watched the light show seven miles off and a stream of sparkles forming a line towards his zone.

  CHAPTER TEN

  “Dad!”

  Someone was pulling on Grant’s arm. He opened his eyes to Ben, but his mind was still locked in a dream. “Yeah… I’m—” His ears picked up the siren outside. He sat up from the bed, swaying slightly. “How long has it been going?”

  “Just started!”

  He fumbled to his right and turned on a flashlight. Ben was fully dressed including his coat and his go-bag over his shoulder.

  Grant nodded. “Good. You’re ready.” He scanned his brain for any memory of Rose appearing during the night. “Did Rose come back?”

  Ben shook his head.

  He reached right again, this time picking up his radio, had a quick look at the time then set it to the channel he and Rose had agreed on. After three attempts to make contact with her, he stopped and moved through the other channels, pausing on each. Voices and chatter sprung from the speaker overlaid with explosions, squeals and gun fire.

  “This is Captain Bower in Zone C… we are having to pull back! Over.”

  “We acknowledge Captain. Please stand by for new zone deployment—”

  Grant switched to another channel. “There’s more approaching wall section twenty-two B—” And another channel. “We’re pinned down in Excelsior shopping center. We have eleven civilians to evacuate. Are there any—”

  Grant clicked on the talk button. “This is Grant Collins from Zone F security. Can you confirm your location and I will have someone sent to you. Over.”

  The young man described his location and Grant changed channel once again. “Ethan, Carrie? Come in. Over.”

  While he was waiting he stood and added a shirt and boots to the pants he was already wearing. He went and looked out the window, pulling the blinds back slightly. Outside some of the apartments had glows coming from them, but most were dark.

  “I’m here, Grant. Over,” said Ethan.

  “Christ. Are these things going to let us get any sleep?” said Carrie.

  “There’s a squad with eleven civilians at the Excelsior center over in Fairbanks. A few E.L.F’s have got them trapped insid
e. Can you join up with Jay and I’ll meet you there. Over.”

  Both on the other side of the radio connection agreed.

  He then switched channels again. “Rose? Over.”

  There was a burst of static then screams of anguish and pain came from the speaker. “I’m here Grant. Can’t talk long. Over.”

  “I need to check something out, then I’ll come and get you! Over.”

  “No. I can’t leave. I’ll be in touch again when I can. Over.”

  “Rose?”

  Her name fell from his lips, seemingly lacking the energy to make it all the way to the other end of the connection. He looked back to Ben who was waiting on every word. He forced a smile. “I’m sure she’s very busy.” He then hesitated, not knowing if it was best to leave him there alone or take him with him. “I’m going to have to leave you here buddy, while I take care of these people.”

  Ben shook his head. “No, I have to come with you. I don’t want to be left here alone again!”

  Grant moved in front of his son and placed a hand on Ben’s shoulder. “I don’t know what I’m going into. It’s going to be too dangerous for me to watch you all the time.”

  Ben shook his head with less energy while frowning and dropped his bag to the floor.

  “You’re in the inner cordon here. This is the safest part of the camp. I’ll go help these people and come straight back. The malls not too far. I shouldn’t be longer than an hour. Okay?” He looked at the radio. “Here’s take this. You know all the channels by now. I’ll get another one when I’m out, and I’ll keep in touch. How’s that sound?”

  Ben nodded taking it from him.

  Soon Grant was in his pickup, driving past apartments and homes. To the east the sky was orange as if a fire was raging and kept being lit by white flashes. The roads were mostly empty apart from Humvee’s and trucks with soldiers in the back. He slowed at a junction to check his map, then realized that the street lamp on the corner was bent about halfway up as if something had hit the top of it.

  He confirmed where he needed to go and pulled off, taking a right. The occasional street lamp that was still working lit his journey south, and the monolithic dark silhouettes of the center’s buildings appeared on his left at the back of a large parking lot. He straight away spotted Ethan’s and Jay’s pickups in the middle of the lot and pulled up alongside one of the many two story high palm trees. They all got out as he did, one or two with a flashlight.

  “Any of you got a spare radio?”

  Carrie nodded and ducked back inside her vehicle, pulling a slightly scuffed looking radio from under her seat. “It’s my backup. Battery isn’t as good as my other one, so keep it charged as much as you can.”

  He took it from her. “Thanks. Any of you scouted the location yet?”

  “Just got here,” said Ethan looking towards ‘Garrets super store’. Across his and Jay’s back were M4’s.

  Grant switched the radio on and found the channel he agreed on with Ben. “Ben, you there? I’m at the location. Over.” He held his other hand over his ear to shield from the siren.

  “I’m here. Are there monsters there? Over.”

  “Not seeing any yet. Everything okay there? Over.”

  “I’m fine. Over.”

  “Stay on this channel. When things are taken care of, I’ll be in touch. Over.”

  He then changed channel. “Lieutenant Folds, we’re at your location. Where in the store are you? Over.”

  Only static came from the speaker.

  He looked to the Ethan and Jay. They nodded, one moving out to the left the other to the right. It was a pattern they had perfected over the previous month.

  He and Carrie walked forward over the concrete towards the large glass entrance.

  “So you were sleeping then,” said Grant trying to get his eyes used to the surrounding dark.

  “Not sure if I would call it that, but the moonshine helped.”

  He glanced at her. “Thought you—”

  “Collins, we’re at the back of the store in the staff room. Over,” said the young man from Grant’s speaker. His voice was noticeably hushed.

  “Where are the E.L.F’s? Over.”

  “I… don’t know. Over.”

  “Going to need more than that Lieutenant. Where did you see them last? Over.”

  “They can blend with their surroundings. Like a chameleon. That’s why we’re stuck in here. We can’t see them. I’ve already lost four of my people and two civilians. Over.”

  The entrance was now only tens of yards away and bathed in darkness. The shadows beyond only hinted at what lay there.

  “Sit tight. My people are entering the store now.”

  “How the hell are we going to flush these things out if we can’t see them!” said Carrie.

  “We head for the staff room at the back. If you see something that’s not normal, you know what to do.”

  She frowned and they pushed open one of the glass doors.

  Immediately they both kicked something causing it to slide across the floor until it hit up upon something else. She pointed her flashlight’s beam down to a floor covered in plastic pots, bottles and split open packets of pasta. A sea of consumer refuse that was not deemed valuable enough to loot.

  They both looked at each other and walked forward through the entrance and down a large wide aisle. A sign highlighting a fifty percent off deal on tents sat on the floor amongst packets of nails and kitchenware.

  The silence was pervasive as they moved steadily onwards, occasionally looking behind them.

  Carrie suddenly flicked her light cone towards an awkward shadowy form on a shelf, only to reveal it to be a toy animal.

  She looked at Grant and he smiled.

  They arrived at the back of the store where empty racks that once held computer games stood. An almost missable door had a small sign on it.

  ‘Staff only.’

  Grant moved to the door, while Carrie looked behind into the absolute black. Her adjusted eyes not being of much help. He pushed on the door gently waiting for any reaction from the other side, but only felt a slight rush of air as he moved into the narrow corridor. He held the door open for Carrie and they both moved silently forward. Two more doors presented themselves. When he got to the first, he knocked gently.

  “Lieutenant? It’s Grant Collins.”

  There was no response so he tried again with a louder knock. Still nothing. He looked at Carrie then turned the handle and pushed the door open. They walked inside, her flashlight quickly revealing round tables, a vending machine and walls with brightly colored leaflets, but not much else.

  “Maybe it’s the other—”

  Before Grant could finish there was a scuffling of boots outside, and the door slammed shut. Then the laughter started.

  “Haha! Got you good!” said a young man.

  “Only monsters here are us bitches!” said another.

  Rage rippled through Grant and he went to walk back to the door, when there was a scream finished with a gargling noise. Something heavy hit the door making it shudder.

  Grant raised his shotgun while Carrie raised her rifle.

  “Jokes over, morons!” shouted Carrie.

  The door jolted again, this time harder, accompanied with the sound of wood splintering.

  They both took a step back. Another hit. This time the top part of door pushed into the room by a few inches.

  “I don’t think that’s the kids…” said Carrie.

  “We’re going to fire at the door! Get out of the—”

  The door exploded into the room and an angular crocodile-like face came with it, but this head was on the end of a stalk like neck. The creature’s black eyes fixed on Carrie and its mouth opened and flew towards her.

  Grant fired, the pellets hit the creatures neck pulling black strips of flesh from it, making it roar and move towards him.

  Carrie did the same, the creature wincing and pulling back with each impact. Its body was still taking
up the entire doorway, a mass of black tentacle like appendages which slithered against the frame and floor.

  Undeterred the creature swung its rows of teeth at Grant only narrowly missing his face as he leaned back against the glass front of the vending machine.

  “Die damnit!” cried out Carrie, but the creature’s jaw’s continued snapping at her boss, each strike missing his head by inches.

  Grant heard the creature squeal before the clatter of semi-automatic fire registered in his brain. He was out of shotgun shells and in the corner of the room, as the E.L.F backed out, trying to escape. It slid out of view as neon streaks slammed into it. Then there was a crashing noise, and something large and heavy collapsed.

  Ethan and Jay appeared in the doorway.

  “You guys hurt?” said Ethan.

  Grant breathed deeply catching his breath and got to his feet. He looked at Carrie who nodded to him. “We’ll survive.” He moved towards the door and looked out into the hallway. Ethan’s flashlight illuminated a mass of something at the end of the corridor, and just near his boots what was left of the two young men.

  *****

  Bass looked down into the street, trying to ignore the siren still playing its tune. The tanks hadn’t fired a shell, but the flow of people moving towards him, mostly on foot, was now constant. He looked back to the view in his binoculars. The lines of double sparkles of light, hundreds of vehicles, also still snaked from the more built up areas to Zone F.

  “I think they are going to hold. I mean they have too,” said Colthard.

  Bass remained silent.

  “If they don’t, it’s all on us and—”

  Bass put his hand on the young man’s shoulder, without taking his eyes from the eyepieces. “Slow deep breaths private. Just keep doing your—”

  Screams and shouts broke out in the street below. He leaned over the topmost sand bag. People were now running, staggering, falling into each other from the far right side of the street. He strained his eyes to try and see what was up there, but then streaks of gunfire converged on that area, and he got a glimpse of some kind of creature which looked like a ten foot high cat on two legs. It was snarling and then it was gone, plunged back into shadow.