Beyond The Barrier [COMPLETED]

Chapter 19 - "I apologize, but this is going to hurt."

Louie tensed as her eyes shot open. Peyton was leaning over her, his hand over her mouth, a finger pressed to his lips. She nodded in understanding. Peyton removed his hand and motioned for Louie to get up. The rest of the group was already awake their packs on their shoulders, weapons drawn. Louie stuffed her sleeping bag away and shouldered her pack, pulling her knife from its holster.

Skin crawling screeches rang through the night air. Louie could only vaguely make out the forms of the others in the darkness. Her rifle hanging off of one shoulder, she moved noiselessly to where Peyton crouched by the hole in the wall. His gaze was locked on the scene outside. After a few seconds, he turned and whispered in her ear.

"We have to get to higher ground. It won't be long before they figure it out we're here. We can climb the tree to get a better view."

Following Peyton's orders Jonas led the way, moving with barely a sound. He climbed the tree, disappearing onto the second level, everyone in tow. Cautiously they crept to the windows and looked down on the road. They could see the outlines of forms moving closer, their movements awkward but fast. Peyton turned from the scene and motioned everyone closer. They circled him, their ears tuned to the sounds of the approaching Crawlers, their bodies buzzing with adrenaline.

"Louie, Jonas and I are going to take out the ones in the back with knives," Peyton said. "Dax, Luther and Trevor I want you to have the rifles ready but don't shoot until the last possible moment. I don't want them to know where we are any sooner then we have to. They won't notice if the ones behind fall away. Believe me, if they think food is close at hand they notice very little. Clear?"

Heads bobbed in the darkness.

"Dax, hand over the knives."

Dax lowered his pack to the floor and pulled out a large collection of knives. Peyton divided them and handed them off to Louie and Jonas.

"Aim for the heads, they're a better target. Keep at least one knife."

Louie gripped the knives in her hands as she positioned herself in a window, her heart beating rapidly, the sound pulsing in her ears. The rain had stopped and the clouds had melted from the sky, leaving behind a clear moon that lit the city below. A chill breeze swept through the window as Louie hastily pulled her hair back into a pony tail.

The guttural sounds grew louder as the mutilated figures came closer. Peyton moved to stand beside her, his face hard as he looked out. In two further windows Trevor, Dax and Luther shouldered their rifles waiting. A flash of light caught Louie's attention as Jonas flipped a knife, his face set in a determined look. More ear piercing screams ripped the night and Louie felt her breath catch in her throat. Peyton looked at her.

"Ready?" he mouthed.

Louie took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and nodded. She turned to the on coming threat and straightened her spine. Peyton's knife was the first one to take down a Crawler, the figure crumbling in the back. Louie found her target and let the knife sail through the night. It whistled as it left her hand and found its mark.

Flashes of metal streaked the night, as knife after knife was thrown. Each knife found their targets, dark forms collapsing one by one. As Louie sent one of her last knives flying, the Crawler's voice let free one last guttural screech as it tumbled to the ground. The remaining Crawlers looked to the window where Louie stood. Their cries punched a hole in the night, filling every ear with a blood curdling sound.

"Dax, Trevor, Luther, now!" Peyton shouted.

Explosions of gunshots echoed through the air, battling the sound of the Crawlers. Louie pulled her rifle to her shoulder and started firing, working the trigger as fast as it could go. For every Crawler that fell, it seemed that ten rose up to take its place. The mob swarmed forward, their blood lust driving them onward, unhindered by their fallen companions that lay beside them. Layer after layer of Crawlers were taken down as every bullet found its mark.