Page 18

Grand Prairie Compound

Days Since Last Attack: 0

For a moment, all I can do is watch in stunned silence as the massive wolf takes on all six Biters in a clash of claws and teeth. Despite its large size, the wolf is quite agile, easily bouncing around to dodge gnashing teeth and using its massive paws to kick or hold down anything trying to sneak up. The beast beheads two Biters back-to-back with its jaw full of enormous teeth, before jumping away again.

I finally kick back into action when one of the now limping Biters breaks away from the remaining group and lurches toward me. Its face is totally unrecognizable, almost like the bones of its once human skull have twisted and bent but never completed its final transformation. As it lunges forward with clawed fingers extended, I hack off its hand, using the distraction to move further away from the cabin.

The Biter’s forearm spurts thick black blood as it lurches toward me with feral obsession. Totally possessed with the need to bite, the creature’s jaw is nearly unhinged with how far it’s hanging open, exposing the razor-sharp teeth within. It makes a quick, unexpected lunge at my arm, trying to grab me, but I manage to jump out of reach while swinging my axe down toward its neck.

Unlike the other Biter, whose skin and bones were already weakened by weeks of decay, this Biter must be newer, because instead of slicing clean through, the blade lodges against the creature’s clavicle, preventing a total decapitation. I try to yank the blade back but am forced to dance away to avoid the Biter’s sharp, swiping nails.

At my side, Vale’s wolf has killed three Biters from the five she was fighting. Her maw drips with blood as black as her fur, making the wolf appear to be melting. If it weren’t for her gorgeous golden eyes, the beast would look like the demons of lore painted in the ancient texts that Soline hoards. I watch as she lowers her head, lips pulled back in a snarl as she circles her final prey. My attention is drawn away when the Biter I’ve been fighting advances again.

I’m too close range to use my rifle, and my axe is currently sticking out from the side of the Biter’s neck, so all I can do is dodge its claws and try to do damage with my feet. I manage to get a decent kick to the handle of my axe, which pushes the blade into the Biter’s neck another few inches. But it’s still not enough to put the fucker down.

It snarls and hisses at me, getting more agitated by the second. In the next lunge, it manages to swipe its bleeding arm across the side of my face, and my eyes rapidly water in stinging discomfort. I try to blink away the gathering tears, but they keep coming, blurring my vision just enough for the Biter to get the advantage and leap right onto me.

We fly into the sparse grass with the Biter’s putrid body landing on top of mine. The air is knocked from my lungs, but in a stroke of luck, my axe handle lodges itself into the ground next to my head, stopping the Biter from being able to get its face too close to my body.

The horrid thing wiggles and screeches, pushing itself further into the axe blade as it attempts to bite me, but all that does is drive the steel deeper into its neck. Just when I think the damn thing is going to decapitate itself, a massive shadow overtakes us as the wolf’s face appears over the Biter’s shoulder.

It only takes the wolf one single chomp to remove the Biter’s head from its body, and I scramble out from under the corpse as fast as I can to avoid the abhorrent waterfall of blood. When I rise onto my knees, I see the final Biter creeping up behind the wolf. Swiftly, I take out the tiny knife stashed in my pocket and throw it directly into its left eye. The wolf turns with a snarl and shreds the Biter’s neck clean from its body, leaving the rotting head to thump into the blood-sprayed grass.

Every molecule of my body vibrates as I collapse onto my back and look up at the bluest autumn sky. How is it possible that the worst things can happen while the sky is clear and the sun is shining? My nostrils burn like I’ve inhaled gallons of acid, my stomach churns from the gore that surrounds me, and my heart thuds with fear-laced relief that I somehow made it out of this. I guess, if anything, the blue sky is a reminder that life keeps moving, with or without us.

I feel a cold, wet nudge on my arm and look over to see the black wolf bumping me with her nose, almost like she’s asking me if I’m okay.

I try to smile, but my lips are dry and cracked, so instead, I extend a hand and mutter, “I’m okay.” I close my eyes just for a moment while I try to calm my racing heart, but when I open them again, Vale is kneeling next to me, stark naked.

Her eyes frantically scan over my whole body as her chest heaves. “Are you alright? Did you get bitten?”

“I think I’m okay,” I tell her. “But on second thought, I’m pretty sure I just saw you transform into a giant, Biter-slaying wolf, so maybe I’m actually lying on the ground, dying, and all of this is some weird post-death hallucination?”

“Fuck, me,” she laughs. “Alright, yeah, you’re fine.” Her shoulders suddenly slump, and her face turns pained.

“Wait, are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” she breathes. “It’s just been a really long time since I’ve shifted, so I’m paying for it now.”

I force my tired body to stand up so that I can help her walk. “Okay, let me grab my axe, and then we’ll get you some clothes and find a safe place to bunker down.”

[ 13 ]

FERRIS

Grand Prairie Compound

Days Since Last Attack: 0

Dair runs up behind me, his bare arms already covered in black Biter blood. He shouts over the howls, “How the hell did they break through the wall?”

“I don’t know,” I yell. “I need to get on top of the watchtower so that I can see what’s happening.” His gaze shoots behind me, eyeing the ladder to the top.

“Alright,” he nods. “I’ll cover your back!”

I jog back toward the tower, handgun drawn while Dair follows behind. A small group of Biters rush toward us, and I raise my pistol, managing to take one down but only clip the shoulder of another. Dair brings up his rifle and takes down the Biter I’d clipped, along with two others in quick succession. His reflexes are infuriatingly precise.

We finally make it to the ladder without any more interference. I engage the safety on my handgun, stow it in my pocket, and climb to the tower platform while Dair guards the base.