Feeding Frenzy

Chapter 40

 Evey's heart was pounding so hard that she thought she would be sick. The stench from the subway tunnel and the rats running past her feet made nausea sit even heavier in her stomach. The echoes of screeching could be heard in the distance. Evey tightened her grip on her knife every time she heard a cry. She struggled to keep her feet moving and not freeze in fear.

Two beams of light only lighted the dark tunnel. Johnson and Ford led the way with flashlights in hand. Only being able to see a couple of meters in front of her made Evey rethink her decisions. Johnson was the one who said to go in the subway system, but it was her idea to go to Toronto.

Joey was clutching to Fiona. His arms were tight around her neck. He had his thumb in his mouth and his head resting against her shoulder. Fiona focused on not gasping every time she heard the squeak of a rat.

Gomez was muttering curses under his breath. His attention was focused on the shadow of Evey. He could not make out any of her details, but he could tell it was her by the pile of curls tied on the top of her head and how close she was to Ford.

Connar, Anjo, and Roger were at the back of the group. Connar glanced over his shoulder but could not see anything in the darkness. Anjo was trying to adjust to the feeling of a weapon in his hands. The knife was heavier than he anticipated. Roger did not like the feeling of something so dangerous and left his knife behind. He clung to the rosary he had in his pocket since the morning of the Cleansing.

A shriek was so loud that Evey's ears rang. She stopped, paralyzed in fear. They were trapped in a tube with an unknown amount of cannibal monsters. Gomez bumped into her, pushed her forward, and she stumbled into Ford. Evey struggled to stay on her feet and not knock both of them over. Ford wrapped his arm around her to stop her from tumbling down.

"What's wrong with you?" Gomez asked. "You'll get us killed."

Three more screeches that were much higher pitched filled the tunnel. Ford gritted his teeth and forced the flashlight into Evey's hand. He grabbed a fistful of Gomez's shirt and pulled him close. If Ford could see Gomez's smirk, Gomez would have lost a few teeth.

"Shut your fucking mouth," Ford said in a harsh whisper. "We don't need the attention."

Gomez held his hands up in defense. Ford let go of his shirt and stormed forward. He put his hand on Evey's waist and pushed her forward. Forcing her feet forward, Ford kept Evey next to her.

"Light the way for us," Ford whispered into her ear. Evey looked up at him, but he could not see the confused expression on her face. "I need to see when I kill."

Evey nodded, not wanting to cause noise and draw the attention of the Infected. Sweeping the light from side to side, she was alert for any Infected. She could not hold back a gasp when she saw the first one.

The man was overweight, and the front of his shirt was covered in blood. Dried streaks of crimson coated his cheeks. Foam was pouring from the corner of his lips. Evey kept the light on the man as he stumbled forward. The Infected stretched his arms out, his hands slick with blood, and ran forward.

The group had stopped walking. Evey and Johnson were both illuminating the man. Ford walked toward him. He swiped at Ford, and Ford took a step to the side. Growling, he turned and charged toward Ford. He cried when Ford shoved the knife into his large belly. Slicing up, the Infected's guts spilled out onto the ground. Ford stepped to the side as the man fell forward.

Another screech came. A woman sprinted out of the darkness of the tunnel. She was much faster than any of the Infected that Evey had seen. She was young, wearing shorts and a tank top, and her hair was in a ponytail. Her speed caught Ford off guard. She grabbed Ford's shoulders and almost knocked him onto the ground. Chomping at the air, he dodged her attempts to take pieces of flesh out of his face. She shrieked and pushed Ford back. He stumbled but maintained his balance.

"Fucker," Ford muttered.

She bent her fingers and formed her hands into claws. She swung, and Ford ducked to miss her attack. He spun and pushed the Infected down. He placed his foot on her back and pinned her to the ground. He held the handle with two hands before he brought the blade down and buried it into her skull. Straightening, he wiped the sweat off his temple with the back of his hand.

"It's only going to get worse," Gomez said in a taunting voice. "We're all going to die."

"Get out of the tunnel then," Evey said quietly.

Gomez stepped behind her. He put his hands on her shoulders and leaned down, so his head was next to her ear. Shrugging her shoulders, a shiver ran up her spine.

"I want to watch you fail," he whispered. "Everyone will die because of you."

Evey chewed on her lip. Lila and Josie died because of her. How many were more lives going to be lost?

She led the group as they walked further into the tunnel.

---

Everyone was too afraid to make a noise. The only sound was the occasional splash when they stepped into a puddle. Evey stayed in the front next to Johnson, with Ford between them.

How long would the batteries last? Did Johnson have extra?

Evey kept a tight grip on the flashlight and the knife. They had come across the odd Infected, but Ford took them down without issue. The rest of the group stayed close together.

Screams and shrieks came from deep in the tunnel. Evey stopped walking. Her heart pounded as she struggled not to drop the flashlight. A chorus of screeching rang through the tunnel. Cries came from behind the group, and she spun around. The beam of light shone in Gomez's face. He squinted and hissed as it burned his eyes.

"Seriously?" he said.

Connar punched him in the shoulder before putting a finger to his lips. Gomez rolled his eyes.

There was a growl, and Evey shone the light behind Connar and Anjo. Four women were jumping off the platform and onto the tracks. Blood streaked from their eyes and down their cheeks. They growled as they foamed at the mouth.

A cry came from behind Evey. She was too afraid to take the light off the Infected women. Johnson's light showed three men coming out from the other side of the temple. Crimson stains coated their face, and they chomped at the air.

"Oh fuck," Gomez said.

"You couldn't keep your mouth shut," Connar said.

"What do we do?" Anjo asked.

The Infected closed in on them from both sides. Evey's mouth had gone dry, and her chest tightened as she struggled to breathe.

They were trapped.