The Day of Reckoning (Prototype)

Chapter 22: Missing People

"Nothing!" I groan. "Its been an hour and we haven't found a single thing!" I walk over to Kenny, who's sliding his knife back into its sheath. "Don't stress it, cuz!" He says, ruffling my hair. "I'm sure the others are having better luck than us. Why don't we call 'em, mate?"

"Yeah, let's." I say. I grab the walkie talkie from my bag strap and press the button. Immediately, we hear nothing but static. "Uhh... hello? Guys, are you there??" More static.

"Is our walkie broken?" Ken questions.

"I don't think its us." I answer. "I think its them! What are we gonna do?" We think for a while.

"Why don't we split up?" He suggests. "I'll look around here, you go to where they would've been when we left home. Knowing them, they probably left a mess for us to follow."

"But what about walkie talkies? This is the only other one we have, so even if we find them we can't tell each other!" I inform him.

"You're right about that, luv. I don't know, I guess you could just try to make a beacon of some sort. I'll see it and come to you! If I find 'em, I'll do the same." He says. I'm doubtful of this plan, though. I've never made a beacon before, so what if it doesn't work? Or what if he doesn't see it?? What happens if I don't have the resources?? How would I make it without drawing attention to myself????

"Oi, mate," He says, snapping me out of my head. "Don't overthink it! I know you're smart enough, and I'm sure you'll pull somethin' off! M'kay?" I look him in the eyes, hesitant. After some thought, I nod. "M'kay."

"Alright then!" He says. "Good luck, cuz!" He says. We split as I head back to our neighborhood. As I pass the dirty, turned over cars, I hear something, like someone in boots walking on glass shards. A Shrieker, obviously. I grab my bat from my bag and grip the tape-wrapped handle, looking around for the monster.

I hear a growl-- no, two. Wait, make that three..? More and more growls come from all angles as they get closer and closer and closer. How many of them are there?? I question, head snapping in every direction. Something clatters on the road and into my left heel. I look over my shoulder and spot a soda can before being attacked! It jumps at me with its mouth wide open. Another one comes from directly behind, too! An ambush!?

I jump to my left, narrowly avoiding my head being crushed between two sets of large sharp teeth. Their mouths collide, getting their teeth stuck together. They scramble around on the floor, shrieking and dropping thick, yellow saliva everywhere. "Eww!" I exclaim. But I've got no time to think before I'm attacked again! I fall back as the Shrieker runs past me with lightning speed, nearly ripping me open with its claws! It turns around and charges again, but I manage to get up and swing my sharpened bat into its chin, slicing it open.

Black blood pours from the bottom of its mouth as it shrieks, enraged. I swing the bat into the top of its head, then quickly follow up by stabbing it through the chin. One down! The two from before have gotten their jaws freed and are staring at me like a gourmet meal. "Bring it!!" I say, keeping my bat steady in front of me. They run at me together, but I step to the left and swing my weapon, nailing one of them right in the face!

It stumbles back as I swing at the other one. It ducks and lunges at me, nailing me to the road. It screeches, but I spit in its eyes as it does. It backs off of me and I stand back up, hitting its face with one swing after another. The other one dashes for me, but I spin and swing my bat up, hitting it right in its chin. It doesn't do much but distract it, which gives me time to finish off its friend. With one less to worry about, I jump up and swing my bat into the side of its face.

It stumbles into a car, and I pinpoint some exposed skin, slamming my blade right between the armor. It yells out in pain and squirms around. "Go. To. HELL!!!!" I yell, trying to shove my bat farther into its body. It screeches louder before slowing its movements, and eventually dying. I pant, catching my breath. "That was tiring." I say to myself, putting my bat away. I begin walking, coming up on a bright, blue, broken car. As I'm about to pass it, a Shrieker jumps right out at me out of nowhere!!

"Waaaah!!!" I shout, moving to the side. Another one reveals itself, having been ducking behind the car. "Clever girls!" I say. The Shrieker jumps over the car for me, but I leap through the broken passenger door, avoiding it. The other one runs for me, but I grab the inside of the open door and yank it towards me, slamming it shut. The Shrieker rams into the door as its friend screeches and claws at the backseat window. I crawl out of the driver seat window and run, trying to get away.

They give chase, following just behind me. I climb over cars and truck beds, trying to slow them down. It doesn't work, so I'm left with no choice. I whip out my weapon and spin around quickly, swinging for one of them as fast and hard as I possibly can. I manage to hit one, making its head slam into the other's. They both fall onto the road and I turn back around to get away. I dust them and make it back to our neighborhood. I catch my breath again and begin looking around, hoping to find any kind of trail they may have left.

Nothing. Dang it, what's up with Rory just up and disappearing everyday? I groan and facepalm myself. I knew we shouldn't have split up. As I look down at the road, I spot drops of dried up Shrieker blood. Maybe it's from their weapons? I think hopefully. I follow the trail into the city until it eventually comes to an end. Shoot, what now? They're no way that's just the end, there's gotta be something else! I examine the road closer, looking for anything I can use as a way to find them.

I see small, sharp glass shards. That's not anything new, it's the apocalypse. But as I begin to brush past it, I realize it creates a sort of trail! Yes! Thank you, universe!! I closely follow the small shards farther into the city, eventually coming up on a city bus on its side. I climb onto it and look inside for them. Nothing. Although, I do manage to see a few drops of blood. Human blood. And based on the color, it definitely isn't all too old.

They're somewhere close, I'm sure of it. They jumped into this bus and got attacked. Why they would jump into a turned over bus, I'm not sure, but they didn't die. Ramil must've broke his walkie talkie in the fight, that's why I can't talk to him. It's all coming together! Now, how should I go about finding them? I know this area well, so getting around won't be too hard. But they're moving around, so looking for them alone wouldn't be smart. I'll need help, and that means one thing.

Its beacon time.