by G Sasaki
Hailey pulled her head back and shook her hand at the bat, signaling that Victor was near.
Victor’s voice sounded off. “Are you here?” His thick, radio-host voice was deafening compared to the silence that preceded.
Hailey’s body tensed and didn’t move. She looked at the bat and her worst fears were confirmed. She could see fear swelling in his eyes.
Victor continued, his voice coming in and out of different directions, “I don’t want anything with you. It’s that boy I’m looking for. The one you stole from me. Just let me have him back and I’ll leave you alone.” The sound of the footsteps grew louder, becoming more daunting with every slam. The beam of light shot down the hall, passing only inches from their faces. Victor walked closer and would inevitably find them. It was up to the bat now.
All of a sudden, from across the circular hall, a shrill rang out. It sounded like a woman in despair. It had to be one of the still at–large nurses… or one of their bat test subjects. It could easily be mistaken for Hailey’s voice. Hailey held her breath. Sure enough, the footsteps halted and darted toward the yell far from Hailey and the bat.
Hailey exhaled and peeked at Victor’s bouncing light traveling away as he ran in the opposite direction. Whoever just screamed unknowingly saved Hailey.
They waited. And waited. Minutes passed. When Hailey was absolutely sure Victor was gone, she slipped out from behind the side of the doorway and waved for the bat to follow. Obediently, he did. As Hailey followed the walls and headed toward the stairway, she heard a moan from below. It came from one of the women near the destroyed piano.
As quietly as she could, Hailey opened the door to the staircase. When she and the bat stepped through, she looked up. Through the darkness, she couldn’t see much of anything. She knew going up would bring her back to the roof, where her new bat friend could fly her away. That was the way she needed to go.
But she wasn’t going to go there.
Instead, she walked down the flight of stairs to the ground floor. She opened the door and stepped through, holding the door for the bat. Hailey whispered in the direction of the woman, “Are you alive?”
A voice barely answered, “Yes.”
“What is your name?”
“Laura.”
It was the blind woman who’d been playing the piano. Hailey tracked the shadows of the room and gingerly stepped toward the collapsed piano. Laura laid on her stomach next to it. She turned her head and said, “My son. Is he alright?”
Hailey’s eyes dropped. She lowered to her knees and placed a hand on Laura’s back. She knew who Laura referred to: the decomposing body she saw on top of the piano. “Yes,” Hailey answered, “He’s asleep.”
“Good. He’s been out of control lately.” Hailey could barely hear her deteriorating voice that uttered, “I think I’ll go to sleep too.”
Though Laura couldn’t see it, Hailey tried to offer a reassuring smile. But it wavered by her heart that shattered. Two weeks ago, Laura was undoubtedly an everyday woman who loved her small child. Hailey couldn’t help but think of her own parents. And that made her cry. When she was little, they used to take her to the park. They used to play together for hours as Dad tried to teach her fancy football moves. The good memories she had with her parents were plentiful. She sniffled as tears crawled down her cheeks.
My dad is still out there.
Hailey rubbed this stranger’s back. Laura said she would go to sleep. After being shot by Victor, hopefully she would fall asleep to a better place. Anything was better than this world. Perhaps that’s where Mom and Sam were right now. Laura said, “Don’t cry. Everything will be alright.” Her kind words only prompted an onslaught.
Laura asked, “What is your name?”
“Hailey… Hailey Hill.”
Laura voice suddenly erupted. “Your name is Hailey?!”
Hailey sniffled and said, “Yes.”
“The Chosen One!”
Hailey froze. Even this woman? How is that possible? Her tears slowed and the darkness engulfed her. “Why do you say that?”
“He said you would save us.”
Hailey’s eyes widened. She swallowed hard. “Who said that?” But somehow, she already knew the answer.
“Alex.”
Hailey’s body stiffened. She stood up and felt chills ringing through her. In some ways, hearing someone else mutter his name sent shock waves through her every cell and sent needles straight to her heart. Without care of how loud she was, Hailey frantically asked, “Where did he go? Did he tell you where he went?”
Laura didn’t answer as Hailey patiently waited. Her heart raced knowing she still had a chance to find him. The hospital trip won’t be a failure after all! Every second stretched into days. Hailey stared at the shape of Laura resting on the floor. An answer still didn’t come. “Laura!” Hailey pressed. “Did he tell you where he went?!” Hailey nudged her body. “Don’t be dead!” She gripped Laura’s loose shirt and shook her. “Laura!”
A soft whine emitted from Laura’s body. Hailey laid on the floor and put her ear near Laura’s face, praying she would reveal his location. Tears grew again as Hailey pleaded, “Please Laura. If you can tell me where he went, it would mean everything to me.”
Laura used all of her remaining strength and whispered, “Pirate’s Cove… to solve the final riddle…”
Hailey pushed herself from the floor and stood. She stared at the outline of Laura’s body. Pirate’s Cove… to solve a riddle? She didn’t understand. But at least she got a location. Hailey exhaled in relief. “Thank you Laura.”
Laura said just loud enough for Hailey to hear, “Thank you for saving us.”
Hailey stared ahead, nowhere in particular. Another person who dubbed her the Chosen One. How did this happen? What did it mean? That didn’t matter right now. Hailey felt a giant weight fall off her shoulders. Pirate’s Cove. She had no idea how she would get there. It was far. It would be impossible to even leave the hospital…
But then she heard a voice cry out. “Hailey!” It came from the beyond the sealed doors past the piano. She glanced back at the shadow of the bat who had accompanied her. Had he heard it too? There was no way to ask. The voice sounded like the most joyous music. Hailey looked in the direction of the voice and yelled back, “I’m here! I can hear you! Grace!”
30
A trembling hand slipped into hers. She felt a racing pulse pounding through his palm. Through a curtain of darkness, Hailey could barely make out his furless face. “It’s okay,” she said. “My friends are here.”
The heavy door in front of them slammed open. The sound filled the halls and the furless bat next to her flinched from the sheer power behind it. Hailey lifted her hand to shield her strained eyes from the bright light that erupted from the open. Two silhouetted figures blocked the flooding of light and moved closer. Hailey lowered her hand and finally, their details were revealed.
The first thing she noticed was Grace’s blue eyes. It was strange: they furrowed with anger, but looked relieved. Grace’s face twitched between looks of uncertainty. Hailey couldn’t help but feel guilty. This was her fault. Hailey glanced at Mike next to her. He’d gained a noticeable amount of extra fur since last night. Before Hailey could wonder how they made it to the hospital, she lowered her head and mumbled what she knew she had to say. “I’m sorry.”
An endless silence followed. Hailey furrowed her brows and waited for any response. Mike looked around, puzzled by the scene surrounding them. A crushed piano, a dead woman, and a hospital gown-wearing bat holding hands with Hailey. Mike asked, “Is that Alex?”
Hailey almost forgot. “No, uhh…” She pulled her hand from the furless bat and held it out, like she was presenting something at show-and-tell. “This is my friend. I met him here. They pulled out all his fur. He’s friendly. But I… don’t know his name obviously.”
Grace’s chest bobbed up and down with heavy breaths. Her eyes locked on and glared at Hailey’s. She didn’t seem
as interested in her surroundings. Hailey could only imagine how mad she was.
Mike said to the bat, “I can understand what you say. So tell me who you are.” The bat, inches taller than any of them, turned his head and stared at Mike.
Seeing a bat up close, without fur even, made Hailey realize just how profound the transformation was. There was no nose anymore. His ears were brand new. It was hard to imagine what he might’ve looked like before. And it made it hard to believe the bats could ever look like they used to ever again. The bat screeched those forced, pitchy sounds.
Mike said, “His name is Jeremy. He’s afraid of this place and wants to leave with us.”
Hailey nodded at him. “Of course, Jeremy. Come with us.” But she couldn’t stop looking at Grace. Hailey could feel Grace’s heavy eyes burning at her. Does she hate me now? “I’m sorry, Grace.”
Grace’s lips puckered and her long eyelashes quickly blinked to keep away any rogue tears. Tremendous sadness anchored her heart. In the last hour or so, her heart had deflated and nearly died in panic for her. They were supposed to be in this together. That’s what Hailey told her anyway. Grace finally spoke. “Tell me it was worth it.”
Hailey responded, “I found out Alex went to Pirate’s Cove.” Hailey thought she noticed a slight smile emerge on Grace’s face. But it couldn’t be. Because Grace’s next question was just as terse. “What happened to your other shirt?”
That took Hailey by surprise. Better to tell the truth at this point. “I was attacked by the Unstables outside. They would have killed me. But then my dad saved me. He’s become a bat.” The surprise on Grace and Mike’s face knocked them back an inch. Hailey couldn’t help but wonder. “How did you get in here?”
Grace still seemed distant. Her eyes avoided her, like she was afraid to accept Hailey. Grace said, “When we woke up and found you gone…” Grace’s emphasis on gone was underlined with the frustration that lined her face. “…we rallied the Washington High bats and they brought us here.”
Hailey’s eyes widened. Oh no. That meant they were outside… which meant they were probably fighting with the Unstables. “Where are they now?” But she didn’t wait to hear the answer. “Come on!” Hailey sprinted past Grace and Mike into the hallway, expecting them to follow. So with Jeremy, they did. The heavy door collapsed closed behind them and the mess Hailey helped create was left behind. In that space, darkness descended again and all was quiet. That was, until Laura’s faint voice uttered, “Hailey?”
Hailey’s feet soared through the hall. She knew this area. This was the front of the hospital and she headed right toward the lobby. She looked over her shoulder. Mike and Grace sprinted behind her. Their new friend Jeremy hobbled behind, like he just discovered the art of using his legs. Ahead, Hailey could see the giant window that spanned the wall. It would be her peek into the chaos that was surely unfolding outside. She pumped her fists and ran past the old marble fountain and reception desk. Everything in the lobby still looked to be in good shape. Evidently, the bats had never entered the hospital.
As Hailey approached the window, she peered toward the sky. She could barely see the blue above. The bats flew through the sky, scuffled on the ground, and inhabited every inch of the outside world. A warzone played out in front of her. She stopped in front of the window and placed her hand on the glass. Bats plowed into each other, ripping off limbs and tearing away flesh. The cement flooded with blood that rained from above. Mortally wounded bats fell from the sky and crashed to the pavement. The sound of petrified screams shrilled at her ears. A giant blur of war painted the scene. When Hailey looked at each individual bat, she could see their faces of fury; their exposed teeth and bulged eyes. About twenty yards away, she could see Victor’s men on their backs. Surrounded by bats, their faces were blobs of red and their feet kicked at the air. Hailey pulled her eyes away. She didn’t want to see what they were enduring… what she almost endured.
Grace, Mike, and Jeremy caught up and marveled at the sheer carnage of what was happening outside, feet in front of them. This wasn’t going to stop until one side – The Unstables or The Washington High Bats – was completely dead. Hailey looked at her friends and frantically searched for a solution. What could they do?
Hailey’s eyes lit up. I can stop it. She gripped Jeremy’s pale arms. “Jeremy. Have you heard of the Chosen One?”
Jeremy’s eyes dashed straight to Mike, the only one who would understand him. He screeched and Mike translated, “He said ‘Hailey Hill… the one who will save us.’”
It was all Hailey needed to hear. “You’re not going to like what I’m about to say…” She looked at Grace, who braced herself for what came next. “I have to go out there.”
Grace stepped in front of Hailey and almost knocked her over. “No.” She scowled and suddenly looked kind of scary. Hailey started, “Listen, Grace, I’m sorry about earlier but…”
Grace cut her off. “No! You left us.” She paused and swallowed hard. Her tone quieted. She couldn’t hide the pain from her face and she didn’t try. “You left me. Do you know what it would have felt like if we came here and found you dead? Did you even care how much that would hurt me?” Grace lowered her eyes. Every word that escaped her mouth tinged with sorrow. When Hailey left, it felt like a personal rebuke. Of their friendship. Of their new start together. “I’m sorry that I’m not good enough to help you. That I’m not good enough to be there for you. But you’re all I have…” Mike couldn’t help but flinch from the pain embedded in those words and his eyes lowered to avoid their impact. Grace continued, “… and I won’t let you go out on another suicide mission.”
Hailey gripped Grace’s hand. Hailey hadn’t considered how much leaving would hurt her. She thought going alone was selfless, looking out for everyone else. But it was a suicide mission. Hailey softly replied, “You’re right, Grace. About everything. I shouldn’t have done what I did. Part of me wanted to die. Because then at least… I would know I tried. And I wouldn’t have to face this world anymore. But when death was right there… I realized that’s not what I want. I can never apologize enough for what I did. But my dad is out there. And I’m pretty sure I can stop this. Right now. I just need you to trust me this one time. Let me do this, Grace. I’ll live.”
Grace stared at Hailey and looked into her green eyes that begged for another chance. Could she really trust her after she tried to throw her life away once already? Grace glanced at the carnage outside. The war raged and with every second that passed, another life disappeared. Grace looked back at Hailey with a flash of determination. “Okay. But I’m coming with you.”
Mike chimed in. “The boys are coming too. This is non-negotiable.” Mike smirked and winked at Jeremy.
The guilt lodged inside Hailey grew. This was all Grace wanted. To help. To be a part of this… even in the face of brutality like they couldn’t imagine. Hailey wouldn’t deny her this time. Hailey looked at Grace’s gentle face. She looked at Mike and his half-transformation. And at Jeremy and his panicked eyes. She gripped Grace’s hand. And she forced that guilt to go away.
“Okay. Stay close to me. We’re going outside.”
31
Countless bats flapped their wings through the air and threatened to push them over with the sheer force of the wind. Now that they were outside, Hailey, Grace, Mike, and Jeremy heard the shrieks and cries of battle clearer than ever. Complete chaos engulfed them. With dust and tiny debris spiraling everywhere, Hailey struggled to inch into the battlefield with her friends huddled behind her. The limp body of a bat crashed to the cement, just missing Grace. Grace yelped and pressed against Mike. She took his hand and squeezed it, desperate for protection.
Over the deafening cries, Mike shouted to Hailey, “You do have a plan, right?”
Hailey gazed toward the sky. It looked like they were in the middle of a tornado. With fists blazing, the bats twirled at insane speeds. Hailey took a deep breath and shouted toward its epicenter. “Stop! Everyone stop fighting!
”
That was it? Mike thought. Just tell them to stop? Now he was worried.
Like a siren just went off, every bat stopped what they were doing. Hundreds of pairs of eyes descended upon Hailey and her friends. Their wings shot back and the bats swarmed toward them. It was a dizzying, scary sight. But before Hailey could react, a bat landed on his feet next to her and crumpled the black cement like dirt. He straightened his knees and nodded at Hailey. It was Dave.
Hailey found herself surprised to recognize him so easily. One after another, Washington High bats landed and slammed around them until they created a protective circle. Their thick, muscular bodies formed a wall. They turned, bent their knees, and hunched their shoulders. There would be no getting through. They dared anyone to approach their Chosen One.
And of course, they did. The Unstables, with twisted savagery in their steps, roared toward them, only to be deflected by Dave and his cohorts. The Washington High bats fought, throwing the bulk of their bodies around, desperately trying to keep Hailey and her friends safe. With every bat that approached, the shield shrunk in size. The Unstables flashed their teeth and gashed their fists as clubs.
Mike said, “Please tell me there’s a Plan B.”
“I’m still on Plan A!” Hailey turned to Jeremy and asked, “Can you fly?”
Jeremy’s petrified eyes stared without an answer.
Of course he couldn’t. He hadn’t ever left the hospital bed. “Damnit.” An imminent shrieking from above rang out from two bats flying straight down at them. There was no ceiling to this shield. “Watch out!” Hailey threw out her arms and pushed Grace and Mike away, leaving the bats to fly face first into the cement. Mike wasted no time and slammed his fist into the skull of one, killing him. The other flapped around like a dying moth, apparently suffering a broken neck from the impact. Mike kicked his face with a force that left him unconscious.