Brushing my ratty brown hair from my eyes I took in my surroundings. A cool brisk air lightly kissed at my dry skin as it rustled the autumn leaves on the nearby trees. I could smell death; if you asked anyone now a days that’s all they would tell you; it was either death or the decay of our once growing society. Groaning I stood up causing the brittle dried up twigs under my bare feet crack. Wiggling my toes I looked down as fresh blood stained the dirt beneath them. I felt stupid for not grabbing a pair of shoes while I was being forced out of the front door of my house. Though I guess I really didn’t have much of a choice; it was either die or suffer from cracked bloody feet and well I preferred living than having my ass chopped up into little bits or whatever it is they do to us.
It was odd being out in the forest without a sign of any life. No sounds but the wind in the trees and the tiny trickle of water from the creek. I remember coming through this part all the time before the invasion. Nick and I would always see a small rabbit or deer out by this small tiny creek. I miss the chirping melody of the birds in the sky and crickets at night. I miss… I miss his warm hand in mine as we would walk and talk about our day’s events along this very path; the small kiss we would steal by the waterfall. That’s when it clicked as his words flooded my mind.
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The spray from the waterfall lightly hit my bare legs as we stood by the water’s edge. This was our favorite spot to go on humid days such as this. Small yellow and purple flowers lined the shore of the forests lake Campton. Lazily we leaned against an Oak tree in each other’s arms taking in the sites of kids and their parents splashing in the shallow areas of the crystal clear water.
“Did you ever hear the tales of the small shack out here by the waterfall?” He kissed the top of my forehead as I rolled my eyes.
“Why no Alec I don’t think you’ve told me fifty times or more.” I couldn’t help but pull out my sweet innocent yet sarcastic tone with that comment; which only made him laugh whenever I did it. I already knew the tale of the escaped psychiatric patient from the mental hospital down the road. He would kidnap young women take them to this small shack and torture them for hours till they died. He would than dispose of the bodies miles away from his ‘sanctuary’.
“Well it’s true!” He grasped my shoulders and gazed seriously into my eyes. “The ghosts of all those murdered women still haunt that place.” His tone was even and firm, I could tell he was struggling not to laugh; I busted out laughing and he followed in pursuit.
“Maybe one day I’ll take you there and just leave you to fend for yourself.” I stopped laughing and socked him hard in the shoulder. He rubbed it and made his puppy dog eyed look at me like I had actually hurt him.
“You know that’s not funny you butthead.” Butt hurt I folded my arms and turned my back on him and walked away. I heard his shoes crunch the dry brush beneath them as he chased after me. Grabbing my arm he pulled me into his strong arms.
“I’m sorry; you know I didn’t mean it. I was just joking Mia.” A small grin spread across my face when I saw how sincere he was. I couldn’t help but nuzzle my nose into the crook of neck and shoulder. Taking in a deep breath the faint smell of Old Spice and ginger filled my lungs. I felt safe whenever I was in his arms.
“I love you Mia.” He whispered softly into my hair. My heart skipped a beat and a held him closer. A hot summer breeze blew around us stirring up dirt and leaves around us.
“I love you too, Nick.” My hair blew around my face as I pulled away so I could look into his kind emerald green eyes. He placed one of his rough calloused hands under my small delicate chin and kissed me passionately on the lips.
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Caught up in the lingering moment of our last kiss I could still taste the tingles, see the tremors, hear the need, smell the words and I never wanted to come back down, where the night was no longer a friend and the past caught up so fast and time was the enemy that I abhorred. His lips were so soft against mine, and it felt like his hand still rested on my cheek. Squeezing my eyes shut I shook my head in hopes of bringing it back.
A rustling noise to the left of me snapped me back into reality. Warily I looked around at the darkening sky and swallowed hard. Wrapping my arms around myself I moved forward hoping that the stories were true. Finding that shack was probably my only hope for survival for the night.
I picked up pace and began to jog as I heard the waterfall’s angry battering on the water below it. I was becoming frantic as the sun sunk below the tree line. I only had minutes before I was in complete darkness. That’s when they liked to come out for the hunt and harvest our bodies. Passing the waterfall my heart threatened to jump from my chest from the adrenaline coursing through my body. A twig snaps from behind me and immediately I throw my body into a full on run. My bare feet cry out in agony as they trample over every little sharp twig, but I know that if I stop I will be as good as dead. There was no way I was going to let them have me; not like they took my family and my friends.
A small outline of a weathered hut came into view and hope flooded my body. I hear a horrible gurgling noise in the distance making me push myself to go faster. My lungs begin to burn and my throat dries out just as I arrive at what appeared to be the front door. The gurgling was getting closer; I pushed the door but it wouldn’t budge and my heart sank. Closer… they were getting closer I could hear the crunching of branches; throwing my body into the door in my last effort of getting in it gave and a fell onto the gritty floorboards. Scrambling I shut splintered wooden door and crawled into the corner. My heart pounded into my ears as I grasped the sides of my shorts. That’s when I heard it, a deep throaty growl just outside the small window above my head. Startled I made a small squeaking noise clamping my mouth shut I prayed that they didn’t hear it.
The clicking of their legs on the deck drew closer to the door. As the seconds ticked by my heart raced faster and faster. I had no hope left; my last hope was shattered into a million pieces a minute ago; there’s nothing left for me. The door creaked open to reveal what I’ve been afraid to see. My heart skipped a beat when I saw it…right there…carefully watching my every move. Its illuminating blue eyes gazed at me. Another growl escaped its drool dripping lips as it came into the room. I gasped; it was worse than what the others had described. Its off white skin was slick with some type of slim and it walked on six insect looking legs. The hunters arms were equally as long with three spiked like fingers.
Horror struck and awed at the same time I gazed into its captivating glowing eyes. It felt as if they gripped me into a trance and I didn’t want to leave. The hunter moved closer reaching for me it grabbed me picking me up from the floor. Its fingers dug into my skin drawing blood as it held me in the air; its mouth opened and a small head with sharp teeth came out. As it drew closer to me a shot from behind startled the hunter dropping me to floor. Dazed and confused I took in a shaky deep breath causing me to gag; it smelled like rotten eggs and sulfur. Another shot rang out causing the hunter to shriek with what I assumed was pain collapsing it to the floor. It's greenish blood seeped into the dry gritty floorboards and pooling around my hands and legs. In that moment I didn't care how disgusting this was because as I gazed up from the floor the faintness of the moon outlined the form of my savior standing in the creaky wooden door frame.
“Alec,” My voice came out in a small whimpered whisper. He moved quickly whisking me up into his arms.
“Mia, we can’t talk right now. It’s not safe; you have to come with me right now.” Pulling me towards the door my heart raced. I thought he died back when they first invaded. He had risked his life to save mine by sacrificing himself so I could get away.
Dragging me through the open doorway we bolted through towards the rushing sound of the waterfall. The sudden urge to stop where we were consumed me and I put a halt to our running. I stared into the night, searching. I didn’t know what for; I could just feel that something was hidden in the woods. This something I knew for a fact wasn’t the creepy luminescent things that first invaded. It felt more… dangerous if that can even be believable.
“Alec…” My voice trailed off as I saw the look of awe on his face. He must feel the same way I do.
“We need to go… NOW!” The rumbling of the ground caught us off guard as we began to sprint even fast almost causing us to fall over. This wasn’t good not one little bit. We pushed ourselves fast as an eerie light beamed above us causing the tree limbs above us to look like boney fingers. The howling wind ceased and not a single thing stirred in the woods as a loud thump sounded around us.
“This way.” Grasping my hand he pulled me into a cave with a lining of vines covering it. He was breathing hard as I flipped the small flashlight on to reveal nothing but a dead end. The ground continued to shook as he pulled me to the back end of the dank cave.
“We should be okay here for the night. The lining of vines should provide enough cover for us if we stay fairly quiet. I don’t know what the heck is out there, and I don’t want to find out.” He slouched down the side of the rocky cave wall. Sliding his dirty calloused hands through his hair he gazed up at me.
“I.. I thought you were dead.” I collapsed on my knees and wrapped my arms hungrily around his neck. Welcoming it he placed his hands onto my back bringing me closer.
“I got away just in time Mia. It went by so quick I still don’t know how on earth I survived, but I did. I grouped up with a few rebels shortly after and they taught me what they knew, but I had to come find you.” His smile beamed at me as he cupped my cheek. “I had to know if you were alive, and when I saw you running for your life I had to save you.” Lightly he kissed my lips sending the familiar zing of passion through me.
“I missed you so much.” I cuddled up in his arms as we took in the fact that we were for sure back with one another.
“You know, I think I’m actually seeing my points I made out to you so long ago. Remember what I would always tell you when were still in high school? Playfully he twirled my hair around his index finger.
“No actually I don’t.” Innocently I toyed with him, and he knew it.
“As a small child, I felt in my heart two contradictory feelings, the horror of life and the ecstasy of life. I think the ecstasy is actually the adrenaline and passion we fell during life, and well the horror are now these things that roam out earth.” He sighed lightly as he contemplated it.
“Alec, that doesn’t make any sense.” I giggled a little while he shook his head.
“Sure it does.” Scratching the top of his head he knitted his eyebrows together. “What happened to the rest of your family?” My face fell and I nudged my nose under his chin.
“I don’t want to talk about it right now, okay?” I bit my lip as I held back the tears. Sensing I need a change in subject he coughed.
“We actually probably should try and get some sleep. I promise nothing will ever hurt you, and you don’t have to talk about it till you’re ready.” Kissing the top of my forehead he held me in his arms and laid his head on top of mine.
Closing my eyes I drew in a deep breath thankful that I might actually get to have one night of sleep and maybe just maybe I might not be tormented by the images of my families death.
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