by A H Alhaila
“Daniel can go get a head start while I finish up fixing the ground floor door. It will only take a few minutes.”, said Brian.
“Alright.”, said Steven.
Each of them went to his job. Steven asked each group to stand in front of the basement entrance after Daniel had distributed the required tools. Their hearts started pounding in fear as Steven gave the order to open the garage gate. “Go!”, shouted Steven when the gate finally opened.
Everyone started to run quickly, searching for the correct tires they needed for their cars. Mr. William moved around encouraging them to work harder and faster. Steven and Leonardo moved from one place to another, keeping an eye on everything happening. Half an hour later, they heard the sounds of two cars moving. “Watch on! Two cars coming right at you from the right!”, shouted Victor.
The groups became distorted in fear as those with the weapons moved in front and pointed their guns towards the coming cars. The car in front then started to sway, hitting the cars on the right and left sides of it before finally coming to a halt causing the car behind to crash into it. “Wait! Don’t shoot.”, said Steven after seeing the car door open.
The driver left the car with his hands in the air. “Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot! It’s me, Adam.”, said Adam as he came out of the car.
Daniel and Brian also got out of the cars with their hand raised above. “Let’s get back to work people. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”, said Steven.
“What do you think you’re doing?”, Steven asked them.
“I was going to go with your plan before Brian suggested something better which was to just steal the cars. He and Daniel are good at hot wiring cars. Isn’t that right Brian.”, replied Adam.
“Yes!” said Brian. “Fortunately, we found the keys already in one of them.”, he added.
“We’re good at it. We wanted to surprise you.”, said Daniel.
“I didn’t know you could do but that’s actually a good idea.”, said Steven. “You should have told us instead of scaring us!”, he added.
They apologized then Steven then asked, “Are the cars in good condition?”.
“Yes, they are. We didn’t crash them too hard.”, said Daniel
“Good. Now, let’s get these two cars into the basement.” Said Steven.
They got in the cars and drove them towards the basement. Steven then got out of the car just before it through the gate and gave it to the group of people who were there to finish parking it in. “They’ve bought us some time.”, said Leonardo.
“Yes, they have.”, replied Steven.
“Great job guys! You think you can get more cars?”, said Leonardo to Adam, Daniel and Brian when they came out of the basement.
“Sure, we can. We’ll go get them.”, they replied.
“Great.”, said Leonardo.
After they got more cars, Joanna came along and asked, “Did they bring more cars?”.
“Yes, they did.”, said Steven.
“We should just ask them to get more cars instead of fixing the others.”, said Joanna.
“Because we’re going to use the fuel in the other cars on them.”, replied Steven.
“Oh Okay, I get it.”, said Joanna.
Just as they finished talking, a sports car came rushing from the street nearby with Adam, Brian and Daniel in it. Everyone noticed them because of the car’s rambling sound. When they reached the others, Adam got out of the car next to Joanna and said, “I remember you said you liked these cars.”.
“This was difficult to get, but Adam instead we do. He said that it’s a gift for you.”, said Daniel.
“Thanks!”, said Joanna.
Joanna cheeks turned red after Adam’s gift. Joanna then turned to Steven to told her to get into it and drive it to the basement. After Joanna parked the car, she remained in it thinking about how Adam and his mother had sacrificed all they had for her. Yet, Adam is still doing more. She kept breathing heavier as she thought of how to repay him. After she left the car, she rejoined the group in finishing up their work as Mr. William kept shouting, “Hurry up! Hurry up!”.
They brought the tires into the basement a few minutes later, after their job was done. Steven then said, “Let’s take a ten-minute break, then we’ll get back to it. Then we’ll have lunch which I’, sure we all need after the effort we’ve just made.”.
As they were resting, Steven used that time to consult with his loyal group; Joanna, Victor, Adam, and Elma. “Are you ready to go? Does everyone agree that we should leave?”, he Steven.
“Of course, we do.”, said Victor. “Otherwise we’ll fall into the hands of Hugo!”, he added.
“I’m starting to worry that this plan may have been made by Hugo.”, said Joanna.
No one disagreed with her as she might be right! “Even if it was, going to the island will be better for us than staying here.”, said Steven.
Everyone agreed with Steven then he said, “Be ready.”.
Steven then went to Leonardo and said, “We’ll go with you once we’re done changing the tires.”.
“That’s great!”, said Leonardo.
“Let’s get back to work then.”, said Steven.
“Let’s do it.”, said Leonardo.
Steven asked everyone to get back to work. They kept working until night fall. When they finished work, they went to have their share of food. As everyone sat and ate, Steven stood up and addressed the rest of his group and said, “We’re going with Leonardo and his men to the island. This place is not safe for us anymore. What do you say?”.
Everyone agreed immediately. “Then everyone get ready.”, said Steven.
Chapter Twenty-Six
The Back of the Truck
Meanwhile, Elma headed to the roof to bring some paintings that her and Sam painted during their time together on the roof. When Elma reached the roof, she noticed that light was lighting the place, and it was coming from behind her. When she turned back, she saw something breathtaking! It was a huge fire. It was far away from them and it stretched from the east to west! Elma quickly ran to tell everybody of what she saw. She rushed towards the first floor where everyone was. She pushed open the door, drawing everyone’s attention. They felt that something bad was happening. Out of breath, Elma threw herself in between them. They gathered around her to know what was happening. “Catch your breath Elma!”, said Steven.
“There’s … a huge … fire … south side … I saw … on the roof”, said Elma pantingly.
Everyone was surprised of what she said. Without hesitation, they ran upstairs. Steven tried to prevent them, fearing that it may be one of Hugo’s plans to draw them upstairs. Everyone then became convinced it was true when they saw the fire themselves. “How will we go to the island now?”, said Joanna.
“We’re trapped.”, said Steven.
They were overcome with fear when Steven said that. “How could Hugo know where we’re going? Is there another traitor?”, said Joanna angrily.
Feeling that Joanna meant one of his men, Leonardo replied saying, “The traitor is Johnny. He knew were we were going. I don’t need to remind you that Johnny was one of you!”.
“Hugo is one step ahead of us ever since you guys showed up!”, said Joanna.
A strong argument then started as everyone started doubting the other. “Everybody just calm down!”, said Steven. “Fighting won’t do us any good. The fire can’t get to us, it will die out sooner or later and when it does we can escape. We have a good position here and we will stay if we have to, okay?”, he added.
When everybody calmed down, Steven and Leonardo ordered their groups to head down. Leonardo also told his men to keep quiet and not talk to Steven’s group. Steven and his companions were left on the roof along with Leonardo and Joseph. “How could you say such a thing?”, said Leonardo.
“I’m just saying what I saw.”, replied Joanna.
Leonardo grinned then said, “So you think we are the traitors?”.
Steven intervened and sai
d, “She didn’t mean that! Let’s focus on what’s important. I’m going to ask Victor and Adam to take shifts on the roof to keep watch. As soon as the fire dies, we will get out of here.”
“Fine.”, said Leonardo.
Everyone went down to the first floor, except Victor who remained to watch the fire. Steven called Joanna and took her to the windows and said, “Why did you accuse Leonardo?”.
“Don’t you think that Hugo started having the upper hand ever since they joined us?”, she replied.
“Let it go Joanna, please.”, said Steven. “What good would it be if we had killed each other on the roof without evidence?”, he added.
Joanna became silent as her father added, “We don’t want any more problems!”.
Steven left as Joanna stayed to write down some notes. Midnight had passed. Some were sleeping while others felt drowsy and yet, the fire was still ablaze. Joanna snuck into the basement and check on the cars, making sure no one was sabotaging them. She then went to back upstairs and woke up Brian and Daniel. She asked them to follow her to the basement as she headed straight to Leonardo’s truck. There was such a bad stench coming out of it that they had to cover their noses. They managed to open the back of the truck after Joanna had asked them to. They moved backwards because of the smell. What they saw made shocked them as it was the last thing they thought they’d fine. “That’s impossible? Why?”, said Joanna.
Daniel and Brian froze in shock as Joanna turned to them and said, “Don’t tell anyone about what you saw. Act normal so that they don’t know that we know what they’re hiding.”.
“Okay.”, they replied.
They quickly closed the back of the truck and returned back upstairs, hiding in the dark so that no one would notice them. Brian and Daniel returned to their beds, while Joanna went to the glass windows. She preferred to sleep with her books. As she was about to sleep, she kept asking herself, “Why do they have bodies in the back of their truck? Why?”.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Joanna Screams!
Joanna kept thinking about what was in the back of the truck, until she fell asleep. Two-hours before sunrise, Joanna woke up from the sound of the glass window shaking vigorously. When she had moved her hair away from her eyes, she saw the words “Well done!” written on the glass window with blood! She stood up and saw a frightful sight; an abundant number of creatures were running away from the fire in the opposite direction towards were Hugo was hiding. She ran to tell Steven, who she found asleep. When Steven saw Joanna after waking up, he felt that something had happened. Joanna placed her hands over her father’s mouth so that he wouldn’t speak loudly and wake the other up. When Steven saw the writing on the glass window and the creatures running he said, “Dear Lord! Where are they going?”.
“I think they’re running away from the fire.”, replied Joanna.
“Oh right … The fire!”, said Steven.
Steven and Joanna made their way up to the roof. They ignored Adam who was asleep. The turned and looked towards the fire and saw that it became closer, less intense, and scattered. The creatures ran and disappeared in the opposite direction of it. After Joanna had woke him up, Adam quickly got up feeling that he was not keeping watch like he was supposed to. “I believe we can leave now.”, said Steven.
“I agree.”, replied Joanna.
Steven remembered what was written on the glass window. They both knew who wrote it. Steven turned to Joanna and said, “What he wrote on the glass wall …What did he mean by it? Was he talking about us staying in?”.
“That’s what I understood.”, said Joanna.
Adam was listening without understanding what they were talking about. “Is staying here better or was he taunting us? Damn him!”, said Steven angrily.
“You think we can talk to him and come to an agreement?”, asked Joanna.
“You can’t be serious!”, replied Steven.
“No, I’m not.”, said Joanna. “Take Johnny for example. He was a normal and didn’t reveal himself until he knew we were about to kill him. He also sabotaged our cars because he hated us from day one. Maybe if we talk to him and Sam, we can get them to switch sides!”, she added.
“I’m glad you brought it up with me.”, said Steven. “If you let a creature in like you did with Oliver’s mother then I will never speak to you again! I know you still think that you’re right about your mother’s message but, I assure you she meant “DON’T teach them”. Am I making myself clear?”, he added.
Joanna looked at her father with an emotionless expression. Steven then talked to her in a softer tone and said, “We can’t gamble with our lives Joanna. Oliver’s mother was going to kill me? Do you understand me?”.
“I do.”, said Joanna. “There’s something you should know.”, she added.
“What is it?”, said Steven.
“It’s about Leonardo’s truck. I open the back of it and found dead bodies inside.”, said Joanna.
“Dead bodies?”, said Steven.
Adam suddenly jumped in and interfered saying, “They’re murderers!?”.
“This caught me off guard.”, said Joanna. “Instead of it being filled with food or weapons, it’s filled with bodies of men, women and children! There were also foreigners among them!”, she added.
“I have to talk to Leonardo about it.”, said Steven.
“I’m going with you.”, said Joanna.
“Alright.”, said Steven.
“Then we have to wake them up.”, said Joanna.
They went downstairs and started waking up the group as Steven started talking to them in a loud voice saying, “Wake up! It’s time to go.”.
Everyone woke up to this fateful news. “Quick! There isn’t much time.”, said Adam.
Everyone quickly woke up, fearing Hugo’s threat. They got ready very quickly when one of them pointed to what was written on the glass window and said, “Look!”.
Petrified, everyone stopped what they were doing when they saw what he was pointing at. They started to talk amongst themselves about it as Steven raised his voice and said. “Don’t worry guys. He’s just making you nervous. Maybe he was talking about us fixing the tires.”.
“This means he is watching us.”, said Leonardo.
When Leonardo approached her father, Joanna came closer to them as Steven replied, “I guess so.”.
“My group packed everything up since yesterday. We’re ready.”, said Leonardo.
“We’re going to finish packing soon.”, said Steven. “I have a question for you Leonardo.”, he added.
“Sure. What is it?”, said Leonardo.
Steven took Leonardo and walked with him towards the glass window and said, “Why do you have dead bodies in the back of your truck?”.
Leonardo became silent and gave Steven a sharp look and said, “How rude! Now you’re going through things that don’t belong to you too?”.
“It was a clear question.”, replied Steven.
Leonardo raised his voice and said, “They were part of our team? You want me to just throw them away for the beasts to eat?”.
Everyone gathered around them after a strong argument broke out between them. “You told me your group doesn’t have any women or children, just men!”, said Steven. “And how do you explain the fact that the bodies look like foreigners and have different ethnicities and all of you seem to be from around here?”.
“They’re members of our families alright? Since you opened up the topic, do you all know who Joanna really is?”, said Leonardo.
Steven and Joanna were shocked. They were worried that Leonardo would reveal the truth that they’ve tried to hide. “Joanna is the daughter of the corrupted president. Steven is NOT her real father!”, said Leonardo.
Everyone gasped in shock when they heard Leonardo reveal the truth. Joanna immediately looked at Adam as he was the only one who knew. Everyone knew that corruption was spreading everywhere. The president was a righteous man. Yet, the media made people hate him as they mad
e him seem like a corrupt figure. “Yes, it’s true. Joanna is Tom Colin’s daughter.”, said Steven. “And on the contrary to what the media was saying, he was a good man.”, he added.
“Her father launched a genetic mutation project or something about genetic diseases or whatever! Point is, he may be the reason behind what is happening.”, said Leonardo.
“That’s not true!”, said Steven said. “The project was developing medicines and cures to help people fight fatal diseases.”, he added.
“Don’t lie Steven.” said Leonardo. “The president was a killer and so is his daughter!”, he added.
“Stop!!”, shouted Joanna in anger.
At that moment, everyone was silent as they looked towards Joanna in fear. Hugo appeared behind her on the building opposite the shopping center with Sam and Johnny next to him and hundreds of the creatures running on the streets heading towards them. Everyone ran away without hesitation to get into the cars and drive away.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Falling Down Like Dominoes …
Joanna and Steven turned around and knew that the time had come for Hugo’s threat to come through. They both ran following everyone else towards the staircase at the end of the shopping center. Unfortunately, the creatures had raided the ground floor. They were looking at the large number of creatures from above as they kept flowing in. Steven then noticed that they were carrying ladders to use to climb up and shouted, “They’re climbing up! They’re climbing up!”.
“Push back the ladders!”, shouted Leonardo.
Leonardo’s group managed to push back some ladders which fell directly on to the creatures. However, they did not manage to push back all of them on time as some creatures made it to the first floor and were able to capture one of Leonardo’s men. Those who had guns stood as the creatures kept getting closer to them. The groups managed to get to the staircase doors and were making their way through the door. However, the door was narrow allowing space for only a few to go through at a time. Steven and Joanna were among those waiting their turn to go in when they noticed that the creatures were going to get to them. “Take out your guns!”, said Steven.