Fatal Attractions

Chapter Fifteen: Shark Bait

Peering down the staircase, Juliet's sight was interrupted by a dim light. Juliet could still see dribbles of blood trailing down the stairs. With the letter open gripped tight in her hand, Juliet crept down the stairs. She beckoned for Mr. Colgress to walk in front of them.

"You're the strongest one here," said Juliet bitterly, "and the oldest. You should be in charge."

She hated saying it, but boosting the man's ego with those words was the only way to get him in the front. Juliet wanted to keep a constant eye on him. She didn't know what had happened in the hotel lobby, but she was sure it involved Mr. Colgress only looking out for himself. Potentially, his selfish actions could have been the reason everyone else had turned into berserkers.

They meandered down the stairs like a tepid waterfall, pausing every half moment, perking their ears for growls and giggles. Staircases were risky. With only two ways to go, it was easy to be trapped.

At least the child was quiet. Juliet could sense he was wise beyond his meager four years. Holding Chase's hand, it seemed that the child knew to be quiet. Even the sounds of his breaths were faint.

All the while the lights flickered above them, plunging them into darkness, then bringing them back into glorious light. Chase's metal foot clanged on each step, and Juliet found herself grimacing at each noise. A trail of blood on the stairs led to a wide-open door. When they walked by, they saw three mutilated bodies lying still on the ground.

When they walked by, Chase put his hand over Caillou's eyes. He could spare him from some pain. They passed the sixth floor, whose door was blissfully closed. A screech like a velociraptor rang out on the other side, followed by giggles. A hand slammed against the closed door as if the berserker could smell them. They kept going.

The fifth floor crept close. Hopefully this was the floor they would be able to escape onto. Chase held out a hand, telling Juliet to stop, and went to the door. Gripping the frame, he peeked his head inside. Instantly, his head whipped back, eyes wide. Chase shook his head.

No, not this one. His look told her.

Mr. Colgress peeked his head inside the doorframe.

"There's so many of them in there," he said, coming back towards them, "they'll notice us if we go past."

Juliet remembered the smiley doctor from the elevator earlier, and her words, 'they're running the Miracle Juice trial today in our hospital!' The trial had taken place on the fifth floor, where they were passing now. The events of the day clicked into place. Berserkers animal-like qualities, their urge to eat meat. Hadn't she said they put shark genes into Miracle Juice?

The trial had gone terribly wrong.

Now they were stuck. They couldn't sneak past the fifth floor's open door without alerting the berserkers to their whereabouts. The group waited on the side of the door, trying to piece together a plan.

"We're going to make a run for it past them," Mr. Colgress said.

Juliet nodded.

"We have no other choice," she said with a sigh.

"You," he said, pointing to Chase, "can carry the child and go first. Then the girl can follow behind you, and I will follow from the rear. I'll cover you guys, just run as fast as you can and find us a way to get out."

Juliet didn't like him being behind them, but at the moment, it was the safest option for them. The child had to be in the front, otherwise he would be too slow and the berserker's would catch him. And Juliet didn't like the idea of Mr. Colgress being right behind them.