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Authors: Nicholas Ryan
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clouds being shredded by the wind. I caught a brief glimpse of the moon and then it was swallowed once more by the night.
I dug the lighter from my pocket and hunched down low against the fence. I cupped my hand close , and the lighter flamed into a tiny golden glow. Jed’s face looked dark and haunted, his eyes sunken shadows against the swollen shape of his cheek and the peak of his nose. His expression was grim.
“Keep your hand on my shoulder. I’ll lead you,” I said. “We’re making for the corner of the house where you and Harrigan got left. That’s where I think the others will be waiting.”
Jed nodded. The flicker of light didn’t last – nor did I expect it to. As soon as we stood, the wind extinguished the little flame. But it had burned long enough, and I hoped that Harrigan was waiting at the edge of the house. If he were, he would have seen the flame. He would know we were coming towards him.
I went with all the hasty caution I could muster – shuffling my feet like a blind man in a minefield, and going as quickly as I dared. Twice I felt my toe scuff against something soft and unnatural – and each time I veered a few paces to the side to avoid whatever lay there.
It seemed to take forever – but it was maybe a minute or two, before we saw the heavy dark shadow of the side of the house – a shade darker than the night itself. I heard Harrigan clear his throat, and went towards the sound.
He was there. They all were – crouched on the narrow pathway that we had taken from the road. I dropped to my knees and we all huddled for a moment without saying anything – but merely feeling the strength and comfort that comes from not being alone – not being isolated.
Finally I heard the man ’s voice. He was whispering, and there was a strained edge in his tone. I sensed he was somewhere close to my left, and I figured his daughter would be beside him.
“No noise from now on,” he said, sounding like he knew what he was talking about. “They hear everything,” he said. Harrigan took a deep breath and held it. I think I did too. “Is anyone injured?”
No one said anything.
“Good,” the man said. “They’re attracted to blood.”
“Are you sure?” It was Jed’s voice, curious, not concerned.
“I’m sure,” the man said – and once again I sensed he was speaking from some knowledge or experience.
“Okay,” I muttered, feeling instantly self-conscious for speaking after we had just agreed to make no noise – but this had to be said. “We’re not going back to the house – there’s no point. And we can’t stay here, in this house. It’s too damned close, and the yard is full of dead bodies, so God knows what it’s like inside.”
“So what’s the plan?” That was Harrigan. His voice sounded like he was across the huddle from me.
“We go sideways,” I said. “This is a long street. So we move a few houses along. Maybe half a dozen – enough to be away from the helicopter and away from the field. Hopefully that will be far enough. We’ll find a place and hide up for the night.”
No one objected, so I got to my feet and moved a few yards back along the pathway towards the front of the house until I found a gap in the line of shrubs and bushes that must have served as a nature fence between the next property. I clambered through with my jaw clenched, wincing at the sound of rustling leaves and twigs, and hoping that the storm would last long enough to mask our escape.
I waited on the other side of the bush until everyone was through and gathered around me. Jed was the last man. Then I led them at a bent-over crouch past the front of the neighboring house, making use of the shadows and moving with slow deliberate steps, gritting my teeth as every new noise we made became an agonizing torture.
The lawns were sodden – the ground turned to mud. Every step was fraught with the danger of a twisted ankle or worse. It took agonizing minutes of strained tension
I dug the lighter from my pocket and hunched down low against the fence. I cupped my hand close , and the lighter flamed into a tiny golden glow. Jed’s face looked dark and haunted, his eyes sunken shadows against the swollen shape of his cheek and the peak of his nose. His expression was grim.
“Keep your hand on my shoulder. I’ll lead you,” I said. “We’re making for the corner of the house where you and Harrigan got left. That’s where I think the others will be waiting.”
Jed nodded. The flicker of light didn’t last – nor did I expect it to. As soon as we stood, the wind extinguished the little flame. But it had burned long enough, and I hoped that Harrigan was waiting at the edge of the house. If he were, he would have seen the flame. He would know we were coming towards him.
I went with all the hasty caution I could muster – shuffling my feet like a blind man in a minefield, and going as quickly as I dared. Twice I felt my toe scuff against something soft and unnatural – and each time I veered a few paces to the side to avoid whatever lay there.
It seemed to take forever – but it was maybe a minute or two, before we saw the heavy dark shadow of the side of the house – a shade darker than the night itself. I heard Harrigan clear his throat, and went towards the sound.
He was there. They all were – crouched on the narrow pathway that we had taken from the road. I dropped to my knees and we all huddled for a moment without saying anything – but merely feeling the strength and comfort that comes from not being alone – not being isolated.
Finally I heard the man ’s voice. He was whispering, and there was a strained edge in his tone. I sensed he was somewhere close to my left, and I figured his daughter would be beside him.
“No noise from now on,” he said, sounding like he knew what he was talking about. “They hear everything,” he said. Harrigan took a deep breath and held it. I think I did too. “Is anyone injured?”
No one said anything.
“Good,” the man said. “They’re attracted to blood.”
“Are you sure?” It was Jed’s voice, curious, not concerned.
“I’m sure,” the man said – and once again I sensed he was speaking from some knowledge or experience.
“Okay,” I muttered, feeling instantly self-conscious for speaking after we had just agreed to make no noise – but this had to be said. “We’re not going back to the house – there’s no point. And we can’t stay here, in this house. It’s too damned close, and the yard is full of dead bodies, so God knows what it’s like inside.”
“So what’s the plan?” That was Harrigan. His voice sounded like he was across the huddle from me.
“We go sideways,” I said. “This is a long street. So we move a few houses along. Maybe half a dozen – enough to be away from the helicopter and away from the field. Hopefully that will be far enough. We’ll find a place and hide up for the night.”
No one objected, so I got to my feet and moved a few yards back along the pathway towards the front of the house until I found a gap in the line of shrubs and bushes that must have served as a nature fence between the next property. I clambered through with my jaw clenched, wincing at the sound of rustling leaves and twigs, and hoping that the storm would last long enough to mask our escape.
I waited on the other side of the bush until everyone was through and gathered around me. Jed was the last man. Then I led them at a bent-over crouch past the front of the neighboring house, making use of the shadows and moving with slow deliberate steps, gritting my teeth as every new noise we made became an agonizing torture.
The lawns were sodden – the ground turned to mud. Every step was fraught with the danger of a twisted ankle or worse. It took agonizing minutes of strained tension
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