Infection

Chapter 52 - Yellow Eyes

It didn't take them long to pack what little they had, the small cramped room leading to the streets now stuffed with bodies. Heavy breathing prevailed over what would of been silence, the gentle rhythm of mechanical clicking reminding me of the plastic mask that clung to my face. I could just make out Mike pressing his head against the door listening.

"Ready?" I heard Mike whisper, the door already beginning to creek open.

I could feel Jamie tense next to me, flashes of the creatures we faced earlier playing games in my mind.

With a bang the door sprung open and we flooded out, light sharpening our vision. I could already hear them, their animalistic cries surrounding use. With out hesitation I fled after the others, keeping to the narrow alleyways like a rabbit in its burrow, knowing it was only a matter of time before the weasel caught up.

Their cries were getting closer and closer, my breath beating out the fast pace that tortured my body, a pain all too familiar. I almost felt like laughing, laughing at how stupid this world had become, laughing at how scared I was, and finally how close death always seemed to be.

With an ear piercing screech, a shadow passed over head, my eyes drawn to the roofs that lay high above use.

They were here.

A squeal equal to that of the monsters escaped the little girls mouth and I quickly snuffed it out, practically picking the child up. Reluctantly, I slowed to let the child down signalling that she should shut it, her wide eyes tearing up in fear.

With out warning a creature leapt down from above us, landing in the small group ahead of us before bounding back up the wall. I held back, pressing the child against the wall and drawing my blade. Why had it retreated? It was then I saw the woman stumble out of the main body of the group, blooding squirting out her stumped neck, painting the walls red. Her head was nowhere to be seen.

Gagging, I kept Snow from seeing the bloody remains, shuffling past the body before braking back into a full sprint. We had to get off the streets before we met a similar fate, panic attempting to force my thoughts into ones of madness. As if in reply another creature appeared in the alleyway, blocking us off from our friends, yellow eyes trained on use.

Eyeing the nearest door, I diverted my course straight into it, dragging the child with me. With a grown I felt it splitter, the monster now bounding on all fours in our direction. Time seemed to slow as I took a step back, Snows screams ripping threw the air like thunder, boney fingers stretching out merely a hairs length away.

With one last shove I felt the door give way, my body tumbling down with it, hitting the floor hard. I could only watch in horror as the creature flashed past, Snow disappearing with it.

"NO!" Scrambling to my feet, I brandished my knife, my left side tingling from the impact. Silence. Catching my breath, I peaked outside, the street now empty with no sign of life. It was all my fault, I killed her, I killed a child! I pulled off my mask to heighten my senses, flashes of my own little sister swam in my mind, was she still alive and well? My cheek felt damp, a tear trickled down it to meet the ground bellow.

THUD!

I automatically ducked, dust raining down from the ceiling as the floor above me shook. Again, silence fell as the dust settled, my instincts torn between running and investigating. Sighing, I quickly decided the latter, working my way threw the damp room and up the narrow stairwell. The stairs creaked and sagged, each one playing its own atonal melody, each one bringing me closer to what ever lay in wait.

After what felt like a life time, I reached the summit, the shadows reflecting the hunched figure preying just out of site. I could feel the sweat budding on my forehead, my mouth dry with anticipation.

Taking a deep breath I blundered round the corner with a raw, waving the knife out in front of me. I just managed to catch a glimpse of the thing dive out of the window. Ignoring the body on the floor, I rushed after it, cautiously checking to see where it had gone. Why on earth had it run? Confused, I turned my attention to the body.

Approaching the still form, I pushed it onto its front, jumping back. It's was Snow?! Checking her pulse I found her heart beating merrily away, this felt way to easy for my liking. Running my hand around exposed skin, I checked for signs of a bite but found none what's so ever, just a dirty bruise forming on her forehead.

I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck rise, a slight absence of light catching the corner of my eyes. Turning my head slightly, I studied the reflection in a shard of glass, instantly Stiffening.

Finger like projections were curling there way round the window frame, defying gravity  as they pulled a shrivelled head into view. Luminous yellow eyes swiftly scanned the room, quickly finding my reflection and meeting my eyes. I froze, the room seemingly holding its breath as the creature held my gaze, tilting its head as if in deep thought.

Coming to some conclusion the entity released its grip, disappearing without a sound to the streets bellow. I exhaled, not realising I had been holding my breath. Why the creature had spared my life I would never know, but it can't of been for any good reason. If anything it reminded me of how the bloated mutant had looked at Eve the night the Infected raided the camp.

Pushing it to the back of my mind, I brought myself back to the present, pulling my coat off and wrapping snow in it. With a grunt I brought her up into my arms, taking one last look around the room before stomping my way back down the stairs, each one threatening to break. 

Before I could reach the door I heard something step into its splintered remains. I almost sighed, would this day ever end!