As we continue down the path, the landscape begins to become more open and clear of the thicket and brush. In the distance, I notice a few buildings that have been overgrown and abandoned long ago. I notice the faint smell of smoke as we get closer, but I figure it is likely just a campfire or something so I don't mention it and just keep walking. As we round the corner of the abandoned building smoke is rising into the air, giant plumes of thick black smoke.
"Stay where we can see you." Watson shouts at us before racing into the clearing.
The camp is completely destroyed, its tents reduced to tattered shreds of fabric and poles broken and warped beyond repair. Some are on fire, their fabric consumed by sharp orange tongues, licking the sky. The ground is littered with pieces of wood and metal, scattered with dust and ash. Bodies of people and animals litter the ground, their wounds and injuries a stark contrast to the calm and peaceful forest surrounding them.
The sounds of nature are replaced with the sounds of pain, their calls and cries tearing the still air, the destruction of the camp like an anomaly within an otherwise peaceful landscape.
A man sits propped up against a tree, his hand holding the side of his torso as it oozes red.
"Turner!" Walker shouts as he sees the man, rushing over to him.
"Walker, is that you?" The man questions, blinking away the sweat on his brow.
"I'm here my friend, what happened?" He says gently, taking hold of the mans free hand and covering the one clutching his side. The man groans in pain.
"The monsters... they... learnt to work together... three of them... attacked us... you need to leave. The others... some left to find refuge... find them... keep them safe for me..." He trailed off and Walker bowed his head to the man.
"I will, my friend, rest now." He said solemnly, closing the man's eyes.
"What now..." Cherry asks in a meek voice, too quiet for anyone but us three to hear.
"We find those people and lead them to safety I guess..." Brandon says in a half baked plan.
"Thats great, but this was supposed to be the safe place..." Sara says, still unsure of herself now her only plan had crumbled. Crispy peeks out of her backpack, looking around in a wide-eyed stare.
"We should leave." Walker says coming up to us.
"We know." Brandon says, his tone pitched with sympathy and understanding.
"Head towards the North face of Railer Cliff, there's a clearing there, that was always our backup plan in case the camp got raided. You'll find people there, survivors of this attack, keep them safe until Watson and I reach you." He says, laying out his plan.
"No way, you have to come with us!" Brandon says, his eyes glaring at the man, practically screaming at him to save himself.
"I have to find Watson, keep the people safe. Go!" He says abruptly, before running into the clearing. We stand there and watch, shocked at being left so suddenly, as the man runs into the battle scene.
My eyes go wide as I see one of the monsters attacking the camp, its twisted body writhes around the camp, crushing everything in its path. Another one joins it, this one looks like some kind of giant spider, and I shudder in disgust.
"To think I was scared of spiders before this..." I say in a half jokey manner, my voice shaking slightly.
"Time to get out of here..." Brandon says as a giant falcon looking thing plummets from the sky. It swoops down and grabs something in both talons...
"Walker!" I gasp, as I see his flailing arms. He's clutched between the talons on one of the birds feet, whilst I see Watson caught in the other foot of the bird. It throws them both at the giant creature snaking its way along the ground and it grabs them in its mouth and makes a grinding motion with its jaw. I cover my mouth in horror as I realise they're both never coming back.
We all run as the giant creature that just ate the people that led us there snakes its way closer to us.
"Jesus Christ, that's an abyss crawler..." Cherry exclaims as we run from it into the forest.
"These things have names?" Sara screams at her as we run as fast as we can, hoping the thing hadn't seen us.
"Duh, everything has a name!" She says in an ever so slightly calmer voice as we begin to slow down.
"So what the fuck were those things?" I say, my heart still drumming in my ears.
"The abyss crawler is the most powerful creature they made, it was always out of control, and its the thing that set the rest of the monsters free from the facility... it was working with a spectral fang, and a razor talon, though they never displayed behaviours quite like that when we put them together before." She stands there in thought for a moment, and then pulls her notebook out of her pocket as though to document it.
"Hey, document later, we've got to find this cliff thingy!" Sara says harshly.
"Right, ok, ok!" Cher says tucking her notebook back in her pocket.
"Who named these things anyways..." Brandon says as he rolls his eyes.
"That doesn't matter!" Cherry snaps quietly.
"Come on, let's get going." Sara says, heading the group with Brandon.
We walk for about half an hour, our pace quick. The cliff face was hidden by trees until now, but as we approach we hear bustle within the forest. People dot the clearing below the cliff, many with injuries. A wagon sits at the edge of the clearing, some small horses grazing next to it.
"Who are you?" A woman questions warily, wearing the same sort of uniform as the military people we had met earlier.
"We're friends of Walker and Watson..." I say quickly.
"Are they with you?" She asks quickly, peering behind us.
"No, I'm sorry, they didn't... make it..." Sara says, butting in. I look at the ground as she nods.
"Follow me then." She says kindly, waving us into the clearing. We head towards the cliff face, and notice people lying in various places around the clearing, realising they were attempting a form of triage.
"We're the leading officers here, could you help us with some of our injured?" The woman says, introducing us to some other military people gathered around the cliff face.
"I'm first aid trained!" Cherry pipes up from the back fo the group.
"Great, follow me." One of the people says and she splits off to help treat the wounded.
"I think I can help find you somewhere safe to stay..." Brandon says sheepishly, hoping they accept his help.
"Really? Where?" The people turn to him expectantly.
"Well.. I have this place, I built it a while ago and... it could fit this many people with a bit of an exertion... if you need somewhere to go?" He says hopefully.
"Where is this place?" One of them narrows their eyes at him expectantly.
"Its only about one to two days travel from here, we can head down the train tracks to it..." he trails off.
"Sounds good, tell me more..." Someone says and takes him off to discuss it further.
"Where do you want us?" Sara says to one of the people, and they direct us to some injured in the clearing.
أنت تقرأ
Standing Still, Time Lies
المغامرةAt only 16 years old, Lauren Adams' world is turned upside down by the apocalypse. New creatures unravel the structures of society's humanity, and leave Lauren all alone, and terrified to venture outside. When supplies begin to run low, Lauren may...
