Alive

Chapter 3: Shelter

We made our way down an alley that concealed us in darkness, turning our heads occasionally to make sure that we weren't being followed. We kept our heads straight, however, as we made it back to the sunny street on the other side, as it was clear to both of us that the less human action the better. These things were human but they definitely didn't act like it until they were directed otherwise.

I began to wonder who was behind all of this. The lead scientists were under an ethical rule, but would that be enough to stop them should some influencer come in with enough profit to turn their cheek? My mind was spiraling with possibilities, but this one in particular seemed the most likely to me. What would they want from live dummies? The question held many obvious answers.

It was too terrifying to dwell on, and this was only a prediction of what had happened, so I kept my scowl on my face and increased my brow of all thoughts. The one important thing right then was to get out of there and then we could figure out what exactly happened. Two women came outside of a sunglass store and stopped in their tracks as they saw us coming. They turned their heads, the older with pursed lips, the other with a smile.

"Excuse me, sir, ma'am," the older of the two said.

I nearly froze in place, with a jerking movement that was hopefully imperceptible. Neither of us dared to look back as we rounded the corner. Ann and I glanced at each other when we were in the clear. Before us, there was a tandem bike, unchained from the street pole on the sidewalk. I looked around with just my eyes. It appeared that we were alone.

"Should we?" I whispered.

I pointed to the bike. She nodded so I carefully approached, surreptitiously glancing around to make sure that no one was tipped off to us. For one, this was theft, so even if the owner hadn't been turned into one of them yet, they would be pretty pissed off if they caught us. Two, most people who were left were walking on foot. That explained the lack of traffic that morning. I took the handles and Ann got in the back, the bulk of our combined weight in the front rather than the back.

I pushed off as the road slightly inclined and found my footing nervously. It had been years since I had ridden a bicycle. That was more Ann's thing. We coasted down the incline of the abandoned road, not a single person as far as the eye could see. It was very strange to have suddenly turned a street corner and to be greeted with nothing. I had a sinking feeling that the things that looked sentient were directed to find people and were looking in a more concentrated area that they suspected people who still clung on in their refuge.

We had given them the slip. It explained the unchained bike, turned onto its side. I imagined that the owner made a desperate attempt at escape but was swarmed before they could escape. They had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. The wind blew at my back as I pedaled, unsure of whether to go slow and cautious or to hightail it out of there as quickly as my legs could push.

I didn't glance back but I could feel the weight of my friend behind me. I was grateful to have gotten her message before it was too late, as my street had already been packed with those things that would have, let's face it, inevitably found me hiding out and cowering in my basement apartment. I couldn't think of a worse place for anyone to have met their fate honestly.

The streets were barren until we came upon a park. It was mostly empty, with the exception of a few stray dogs and birds chirping through the silence in the trees. A couple sat on a bench, a man roped his arm around a woman's shoulders. They looked up at each other, but then they turned their heads as we coasted downhill into the entrance of the park. They stood. My eyes widened as they did so and they started to walk toward us.