Fungal Tide

by Ian Woodhead

  She nodded, not sure where the woman was going with this.”

  “Those people in town, our so called rescuers are the cause of all of this devastation. You see, they’re the organisation that funded this dig.”

  “That doesn’t mean that they knew this was going to happen.”

  “Yes it does, hun. How else can you explain the presence of so much dedicated equipment in only a few hours? We’ve seen another two more helicopters, dozens of men in bio suits, hell, we’ve even spotted an armoured personnel carrier, all of them sporting the same logo.”

  Sierra heard the sound of a scuffle outside on the platform.

  “A hundred thousand years later and our species is doing the same as they did back in prehistory, only this time, instead of trying to destroy the three other intelligent peoples, it wants to destroy itself.”

  She slowly stood up. “Jeanette, would you mind telling me where Pedro went?”

  The woman picked up the two chocolates. “Hun, please, put these in your pocket.”

  “Wait, what is going on here?”

  “You are leaving the town, Sierra. We managed to contact another group of survivors, about an hour ago. They’ll take you to safety.”

  “What about you?”

  “We have to stay. You see, we’re partly responsible for this, we need to find some way of putting it all right. We have to…” The woman’s eyes bulged in their sockets as the younger archaeologist’s body slammed into the door, his weight opening the door enough for him to collapse over the threshold.

  Two large men swaggered into the waiting room, kicking past Pedro’s body. The woman beside her jumped up and ran over to the fallen body, Sierra eyes darted from the moaning woman, gently Pedro’s hair away from his blood covered face and stared at the two new arrivals.

  Sierra got to her feet and backed herself against the vending machine as the two smirking men ignored the weeping woman and slowly walked closer to her. Of all the good people in Radfield, why did this stuff bypass this pair of dirtbags? Both Adam Westwood and his twin brother Robert had been a blight on this good town ever since they were old enough to cause trouble. They were a year older than her and she vividly remembered just how much trouble and stress they caused to their fellow classmates and teachers all the way up to leaving.

  The two huge men, their thick arms covered in rough tattoos and scars , both sighed dramatically. Sierra now realised that her day was about to get much worse. In fact, judging from the bulges in their pants, this could well be the last day she ever saw.

  “Hey there, ladies,” said Robert. He brushed his long dirty blonde hair out of his eyes. “This dago wasn’t too keen on sharing you.” He lifted up Jeanette and clamped a hand over her mouth. “Hush up, bitch, you’re giving me a fucking headache.”

  Adam strolled past his brother, his smirk turning into a cold grin. “I remember you, Sierra. Are you going to give me any trouble?”

  She shook her head, feeling along the edge of the vending machine, desperately finding anything she could use as a weapon.”

  “Oh, that’s a shame. I prefer it when they fight back?” Hey Rob, do you want to swap?”

  When he turned his head, Sierra leaped onto the man’s back and rammed her find into the back of his neck. The thin metal rod, broken off from the vending machine’s locking mechanism, punctured his skin and deep into the man’s flesh. Like a wounded bear, Adam roared and shrugged her off his back. The force slammed the woman hard against the wall. She crashed onto the bench, bounced off and landed on the floor.

  “I’m going to fucking kill you!” he screamed, running over to her. Sierra curled herself into a tight ball, crying out in agony when the man viciously kicked her thighs. She saw him pull his leg back and she rolled under the bench to avoid another blow. The man roared again and dropped to his hands and knees.

  “Come here, you viscous little cunt. I’m going to beat you until you’re almost dead, then I’m going to fuck what’s left.”

  Sierra grabbed his wrist with both hands, pulled it under the bench, fastened her jaw over his little finger and bit down as hard as she could, feeling the utmost pleasure when his warm blood filled her mouth. Adam wrenched his hand away; her forehead hitting the underside of the bench. The shock releasing the man’s finger but not before her teeth bit down to the bone, pulling his finger flesh down, like a sock rolling down an ankle.

  He reeled back, his body hitting the far wall, looking in utter shock at his damaged finger. For the moment Adam looked as though he’d temporarily forgotten about her. She scrambled out from under the bench, tried to get up and fell back as her legs gave out.

  Adam slowly tilted his head. He gave his finger one last anguished look before he strolled over to Sierra. Lifted his foot and placed it on the side of Sierra’s neck. “I’m going to make you last long time, girl. My only regret is that I didn’t try it on, back when we were kids. Shame about your girlfriend. Still, look on the bright side. It just mean’s that we can share you once Rob has finished with her.” He leaned forward. “I bet you’d love that, you mucky bitch.”

  In the corner, Adam’s brother had pinned Jeanette down and had managed to get her panties down to her knees. Sierra glared into Adam’s blazing eyes while trying to push the man’s foot off her neck. She showed the man her bloodstained teeth. “Why don’t you put your tiny cock in my mouth, Adam, show me just how brave you really are.”

  A shadow fell over the pair of them. She looked past Adam, seeing a flash of silver, surrounded by black. Adam opened his mouth still glaring at Sierra, and a wide blade emerged from inside, scraping against Adam’s teeth. His hot blood splattered across her face.

  Sierra blinked, her senses still unable to comprehend that she was still breathing and the fiend who was about to violate her was not. He pushed the corpse over and swivelled, slicing his knife arm in a wide arc. The blade cut through Robert’s lower spine. As soon as the man rolled off Jeanette, their rescuer dropped to his knees and slammed the bowie knife through Robert’s throat.

  “Thank God I got to you two in time,” he gasped, helping Jeanette to her feet. As he approached Sierra, she pushed her body back under the bench, whimpering as they both approached her.

  “Come here, honey,” said Jeanette,

  Sierra grabbed the woman’s wrists and tried to pull her under. Jeanette looked behind her and Sierra watched the new arrival take a couple of steps back. She slowly relaxed her grip and allowed Jeanette to bring her out. She wrapped her arms around Jeanette and squeezed tight, as her body shook. “I really thought we were going to die,” she mumbled.

  The woman pushed her fingers through Sierra’s long hair. “We would already be in that state if you hadn’t fought back.”

  “Ladies, I’m sorry about this but if we don’t get a move on, all three of us will find ourselves in that state.” He crouched by Sierra’s side. “I’m Shaun, by the way.” He looked back at the doorway. “And you two have explored their city.”

  Sierra struggled to sit up. “How do you know that?”

  The big man placed the palm of his left hand against his chest, then lowered his hand, holding his palm out. Sierra looked at Jeanette, feeling what felt like a tiny charge of static run through all three of them. Both the women placed their hands in Shaun’s hand. Her eyes closed ands she found herself back in that ancient city, only this time, she had complete control of her movements. Sierra, turned in a tight circle, realising that this place wasn’t that ancient city. She had company, and smiled at over a dozen approaching people, some fully human, others with elements of the other three species, melded with their bodies.

  “Do you two now understand our final task?”

  She snapped open her eyes and looked in wonder at Shaun. “The white carpet took you, and you’re still alive?”

  He nodded, yeah, and just like you, I woke up in utter confusion. I was going aiming for the Saint Mary’s church, on the other side of the station.” He paused. “I’m still heading the
re, my directional finder went haywire as soon as I walked past the platform.” Shaun shrugged. “Now I know why. You two were taken by one of the other species?”

  Jeanette nodded.

  He helped them to their feet. “I think we were meant to meet.”

  Sierra spat at the sprawled corpse by her feet. “We both owe you our lives.” She noticed that Jeanette hadn’t let go of Shaun’s hand. “The others are heading this way aren’t they.”

  “Yes, like us, the hunters sense the end as well.” He walked over to the door. “I think the abundance of fresh meat in here might give us time to get to the church.”

  “And then what?”

  He smiled at Sierra. “And then the fun and games will begin.”

  Four into One

  Dominic tapped him lightly on the shoulder and pointed to an overturned Mini, across the street from their position. Ryan shook his head, gaining no satisfaction from watching the boy’s face drop. He dare not risk the dash, not with the two young boys, both trying to dig their way further inside his jacket.

  He held up five fingers, hoping the boy would understand. The thunderous hail of heavy gunfire coming from the church ground made any other form of communication impossible. Ryan couldn’t hear himself think, let alone work out what the older boy was trying to say to him.

  From their relative safe spot, he was confident that none of the yellow suited invaders would be able to see them crouched behind this wooden fence. The fact that this material wouldn’t stop any stray round made his heart not want to budge from its new place, lodged in his throat but Ryan believed that the nine remaining fighters would have enough to worry about.

  Ryan pulled Dominic closer to him and risked another peek above the fence. The battle across the graveyard had now taken an unexpected twist. The mortar rounds fired from the panicking soldiers had opened up several crypts, and the plated hunters had seized on the opportunity to ‘recruit’ the long dead corpses into their army.

  The soldiers reacted in typical fashion by channelling everything they had towards Radfield’s recent and long departed. The hail of bullets shredded the dead flesh. Ryan shielded the boys’ eyes, they’d seen enough already without having to witness that too. He shifted his gaze towards to overturned car, thinking that perhaps he should make a dash for it while they were distracted. Their shells would tear through this fence just like those corpses. The metal gave them a little more protection.

  In truth, Ryan wanted to get these kids out of this damn town, away to safety, yet how dare he take those steps when there was so much at stake? Dominic had filled in some of the missing gaps in Ryan’s knowledge, showing him that not all of Radfield’s population had perished like he feared, meaning Sierra could still be alive in town somewhere.

  Over a dozen fibrous mounds lay directly in front of a row of terraced houses, a few metres from their position. Those unfortunate, under that material would almost certainly become truly dead if he did run from his fate, another twelve more dead to add to the other few thousand people lying under that white carpet.

  As he watched, the firing died down as the hunters left stolen corpses where they fell and retreated into the cover of the trees behind the graveyard. He nodded to himself then picked up the two boys and darted over to the car. Ryan slammed his back against the chassis, almost dropping the kid when Dominic wrapped his arms around his chest and kissed him.

  “Thank you for not running out on us,” he said,

  Ryan shook his head. “I would never leave you, guys.”

  “No, Ryan. You still don’t understand. I don’t just mean us three here I mean all of us in Radfield, every person touched is now connected.”

  The boy slowly blinked. Ryan gasped as his eyelids closed in like a pair of pink curtains. Did he just see that? He dropped to his knees and stared at the other boy, gently stroking his hair back. Sure enough, his eyes had altered. Ryan saw tiny flecks of orange in his pupils now. He wondered if his body had begun to change as well. Ryan felt no difference, although considering the trauma that he’d put his mind and body through, these past few hours, he saw sure that he should be ready for a hospital bed about now. The image of his ex-wife still sleeping hit him. Jesus, he’d forgotten all about her.

  “Ryan!” The older boy shook him. “

  He snapped his head around and saw their younger member crawling past the edge of the car. “Come on, lad,” he said picking him up, you can’t wander off like that.” The boy stayed silent but shook like a leaf. Ryan followed the boy’s gaze and felt his own legs weaken when he saw three more figures, on the other side of the church.

  “Oh my god!” he whispered. “She’s still alive.”

  The oldest boy took the child out of his arms. “Ryan, please step back, don’t let them see you.”

  He watched Sierra, Jeanette and a large man in a black leather jacket cautiously approach the ancient building, “Have you lost your mind, lad?”

  The boy sighed. “Look to your left.”

  Two more suited up soldiers were stood in the church door alcove, watching the three figures. Ryan moaned softly when they scurried across the now empty graveyard, keeping low until they reached the wall. When Sierra and her companions passed on the other side, the soldiers sprang up, pointing their assault rifles in their faces. He watched helpless as they were marched into the church.

  Stay here, Dominic. Keep these two out of sight while I see if there’s another way inside.”

  The older boy put his arms protectively around the children’s waists and nodded. “Stay safe, Ryan, and please, hurry. We don’t have much time left.”

  He saw no sign of movement in the immediate vicinity. Even the gunfire sounded distant now. Had those soldiers managed to kill all of their attackers? Ryan raced towards the church wall, fighting the urge not to look back. He peered around the edge of the gate, trying to work out how if the soldiers knew they were about to receive company or if it was just bad luck that they just happened to spot Sierra and her two companions.

  Ryan entered the church grounds and ran over to the main building. There was still so much of this that he didn’t understand and he knew for a fact that Dominic hadn’t told him everything.

  This wasn’t his first visit to this church. Two days ago, he and Jeanette had given the building a quick once over while the other team members were settling in. They’d stopped by the front gates, watching as the doors opened and a large mass of locals streamed out. At first, he assumed that they were watching the end of a wedding ceremony and perhaps a christening. Until Jeanette reminded him that it was Sunday and tapped on the church notice board. It took him by surprise to see a church so full. What baffled him more was although the parish still enjoyed a full congregation, the building didn’t look to be in a good state of repair. Even from where they stood, he could see quite a few roof tiles missing.

  He looked back towards the gates. Like everything else in the grounds, the wooden notice board was now lost under the white fibre. He ran parallel to the large building, checking out the windows. Thick metal grills had been placed over each window. He guessed that the protection was there to stop the local kids from smashing the stained glass. It also stopped his chances of finding a way inside as well. Maybe there was a door around the corner, hopefully an unlocked door.

  “Ryan!”

  He spun around, a scream caught in his throat as he watched helplessly as two suited men pointed their evil looking guns at the three children. They were marching them, in single file, towards this church.

  “I believe that you’re one of the brightest people that I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, Ryan.”

  He turned back to see Jefferson and two more armed men standing a few feet from him.

  “Your initial research has been at the very foundation of our primary goals. But, I would suggest that you focus on your chosen speciality. I don’t think that your sudden career swap to urban commando was your wisest decision. Look above you.”

  A c
amera positioned at the roof corner stared back at him. The two men grinned behind their visors and waved their guns at him. Ryan got the message and followed Jefferson towards a side door. He sighed heavily when he realised that even without those cameras, if he had reached this door, Ryan would have walked straight into their hastily constructed headquarters.

  This must have been the vestry, where the reverend wrote his sermons and judging from the large bookcase full of ancient books, studied as well. Apart from the bookcase and a small wooden cross on the wall, in front of him, he saw no other evidence that this was part of the church. It now resembled a modern office. Two suited men sat on chairs, opposite computers while another figure, rushed from a filing cabinet towards the only other way out. Ryan watched the figure leave, noticing that it wasn’t locked.

  “I’m planning our next expedition to Peru, Ryan. We leave in a few days, after we’ve finished up here. I’m hoping that you’ll be joining us.

  He gazed at Jefferson, gobsmacked. “What have you done with the others?”

  “The man grinned behind the visor, then carried on as if Ryan hadn’t spoken. “The ancient town helped us find this site and so it carries on. While you’ve been running through Radfield playing hero, our other experts have been doing what we paid you to do. They have found directions to many more sites. You see, this was just a small colony. We believe the major finds will be on the American continent.”

  “You really don’t have a clue what you have here.”

  “I’m afraid that dubious honour falls to you, my friend. I don’t believe it’s your fault though. The infection has obviously affected your reasoning, coupled with today’s fantastic events.”

  The man reached behind him and lifted a human-sized skull. “Just gaze in awe at this magnificent specimen, Ryan. Isn’t it incredible? Can you imagine the terror that their prey must have felt as these creatures swarmed across the ancient world?”

  He’d found a skull belonging to the reptilian species. When he looked into those large skull sockets, Ryan only saw large gentle eyes that were able to fill your soul with light and compassion.