Chapter Four: Predators in PCA
The group trudged across the deserted campus grounds. Just a few days ago the campus had echoed with the sounds of students talking, shouting and screaming. There even been laughter. There were mobiles ringing, feet thudding, vehicle engines revving and papers rustling. Now all was quiet and still. The air was deathly still. The fountains had stopped working so even the running of water had stopped. Only birdsong and the distant barking of dogs interrupted the silence. Suddenly a roaring cut through the silence. Unlike the dogs, this unknown animal sounded close, very close. Everyone started. "W-what was that?" Dustin whispered fearfully. "It's okay Dustin. Here take my hand and get behind me okay?" Zoey said. He nodded and stepped behind his younger sister. She held his hand with her own right and held Chase's hand with her left. They heard the roar again, this time they could tell the sounds were coming from behind the cafeteria.
Logan took Quinn's hand whilst Lola whimpered and moved to stand behind Vince who looked ready to fight to protect her. No one noticed Elvis growling and raising his hackles. Michael's hand shook and the leash slipped from his hand. Elvis darted around the corner before anyone could stop him. "No! Elvis get back here!" Chase hissed. He moved forwards but couldn't grab the trailing lead in time. They heard the dog yapping furiously which was followed by another terrifying roar. The dog whimpered. A moment of silence followed then the wiry terrier reappeared, whimpering, and cowered behind Chase's legs. He panicked and they all looked up. Suddenly a tiger padded into view. Its powerful body rested on muscular legs and padded paws whilst its long tail twitched behind it. Vivid black stripes patterned the animal's fiery-coloured coat. Its jaws opened and it roared at them. Growling, another tiger suddenly walked up to their right and snarled threateningly. This predator on the other hand was an albino tiger. Its shaggy coat was pure white giving its black markings a more striking appearance. Elvis whimpered and yapped again directing the tiger's attention. Chase gulped audibly as it trained its menacing eyes on him.
"Everybody run!" Zoey shouted. Everybody turned to scatter. Suddenly a loud grunting sounded. From behind, a white rhinoceros plodded into view, snorting. Behind it, the rusting gates hung off their runners. Clearly the weakened barriers had been of no obstruction to the rhino. The huge beast chewed on twigs as it trudged towards them. "We're trapped!" Michael shouted. Everyone panicked as they looked for a way out.
The orange tiger stood to their left, snarling, whilst the albino tiger had positioned directly in front of them. To their right was the cafeteria building and from behind the rhinoceros ambled towards them. Spotting them, it paused and grunted, lowering its horns as it got ready to charge them. The fiery coloured tiger roared a challenge as if warning it to back down and its muscles tensed in preparation for a pounce though it wasn't clear whether it planned to attack them or the rhinoceros. Chase suspected it was them because a tiger would never be able to bring down a healthy adult rhino and because it's gleaming yellow eyes were trained on him and Zoey in particular.
"Quick, get into the cafeteria!" Zoey shouted. Chase threw open the revolving glass doors and everyone glass doors and everyone rushed inside, Elvis following at their heels. Then Chase ran in and hurriedly shut the doors before heaving a sigh of relief. Everyone relaxed.
Suddenly the albino tiger trotted up the doors and began sniffing the glass panels. Growling, it pawed at one of the automatic doors. The automatic opening had stopped when the power shut down but the tiger could still break in. Everyone froze and Lola stifled a scream. Vince gripped her hand. Michael lifted Elvis into his arms to stop him from running up to the tiger and yapping at it through the glass. The small dog trembled with terror and whimpered. Everyone stood stock still. No-one said a word. They all knew how easily the powerful cat could break through the glass panels fitted into the doorframes. Thankfully, just then the predator turned, bared its teeth, and bounded away. Everyone shared confused glances. What could possibly have scared a healthy, fully grown tiger?
Just then the rhino's grey bulk filled the glass as it thundered past, snorting angrily, providing their answer. The ground shook under its pounding feet. Everyone started and Elvis whined. They heard the tigers yowl in alarm and go bounding off, pursued by the panicked beast. The rhino had just saved their lives. No-one felt like going after it to thank it though. The grey giant could easily kill them with a single blow of its powerful horn. For a few moment silence reigned. Then Zoey spoke "What do we do now?" No-one answered because no-one knew. At that moment Michael turned to Quinn looking frustrated "Quinn I don't get it. You said there a huge electric fence around PCA that would keep the animals out." "I was sure it would." "Well it hasn't! Rhinos and tigers are roaming free around our school!" She flinched at his frustrated tone. At this point, Logan angrily stepped in to defend her. "Hey, don't shout at Quinn!" He argued. "You stay out of it pretty boy!" Michael shot back. "Pretty boy?!" Logan spat. Michael nodded "Yeah I said it." He boasted, challenging the other teenager to respond.
Logan lunged for him. Elvis yelped and scrambled free from Michael's grip, jumping down on to the floor. Luckily Chase grabbed his friend by the arms and pulled him back. "Stop it both of you!" He said firmly, glancing at the two. Michael snorted before turning away and Logan sneered at him. Chase turned away and ran a hand through his bushy hair in frustration. Zoey placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. A few moments of silence passed. "So do we stay here or not?" Vince asked at last "We can't it's not safe!" Dustin argued. "What I don't get is how did those tigers get past the electric fence?" Lola asked. Everyone thought for a moment, then Chase snapped his fingers "The gates!" Quinn nodded "He's right. The main gates aren't electrified. Once the tigers got past the gates they'd have free access to the campus." "But how did they get past the gates? The rhino crushed it like a soda can I get it, but a tiger can't do that." Michael asked.
"The sliding gate for the school parking lot would be left wide open to vehicles could enter and leave PCA easily and that's how the tigers got in." Logan explained. Quinn nodded. He was right. "So I guess we have to leave PCA then." Michael muttered. Everyone's faces dropped and the mood darkened. From outside, they heard barking and spotted two wolves chasing a cow across the playing field. The powerful beasts were merciless and the poor cow didn't stand a chance. Zoey looked away. She was fond of cattle due to their placid nature, and didn't want to watch the killing.
Suddenly Quinn's eyes lit up and she snapped her fingers. "That's it! Why didn't I think of this before?!" Everyone turned to her "What's your idea babe?" Logan asked urgently. "We could set off all the fire alarms in the entire school at once to drive all the animals out of the school!" Everyone now looked confused "I, I don't get it." Chase confessed. Everyone else began nodding. Quinn rolled her eyes and explained.
"Most animals can hear at much higher frequencies than humans, predators in particular have very sensitive ears. The louder a sound is the more an animal distrusts it. Large animals are affected in the worst way. They're almost deafened for a short while. It's perfect for driving out the elephants and the wolves. The elephants' large ears will amplify the noises and the wolves will be temporarily disorientated. The loud noises will frighten them and drive them out and even better, they won't come back. If they sense that this environment is unsuitable they won't return." "And will that drive out all the creatures?" Zoey asked. "No, not all the animals will go. Some of them will find shelter and wait until it's over." She confessed. "Okay so animals will be able to wait it out?" Chase asked "Please be small and cuddly." Zoey whispered to herself. "The animals that should wait it out are small rodents, snakes, lizards and a few cats." "That's fine then." Chase said and everyone else nodded. "No it's not! I hate mice, snakes and cats!" Lola protested. "Well have you got a better idea?" Dustin asked. She sighed and shook her head
"Don't worry we'll make sure they don't hurt you baby." Vince promised. She smiled "Oh alright." She said. The pair kissed whilst the others watched, grinning and shaking their heads. Elvis suddenly yapped, startling the pair. Everyone doubled up laughing. Lola rolled her eyes whilst Vince laughed well naturedly. "So Quinn how will you activate every fire alarm in school?" "All I need to do is get to reception outside Dean's Rivers office where the electrical controls are. Then I can activate the wires that set off the fire alarms all around the school." "Wow is that all?" Chase said sarcastically. Everyone laughed and Quinn rolled her eyes. Chase cracked a smile "I'm just kidding Quinn. That's a great plan." "Well let's go." Vince said. Everyone nodded and the group set off. As the group walked, Logan whispered to Quinn "This idea was pure brilliance." She turned and smiled as her cheeks reddened "Oh it was nothing."
He grinned and they kissed briefly. It was swift and fleeing but full of passion. Suddenly Elvis yapped from behind "Hey Elvis is telling you guys to get a room!" Michael laughed. They both turned and scowled at him. He continued laughing regardless. "Good job dude, I respect for you that." He looked so comical addressing the yapping dog as if he were another person. He seemed like his old self again and that encouraged Chase. He'd been worried about his best friend lately and was glad to see him on the mend from his romantic crisis. From behind, Zoey and Chase exchanged joyful glances. They were both glad to see Michael was moving on from his breakup with Lisa and was feeling jokey once more.
At last they arrived at Dean's Rivers office, pushed open the creaking oak door and stepped inside. The musty smell of mildew brought on a sense of nostalgia as they remembered another life in another reality; one full of laughter and life, not this hostile reality, ruled by dangerous predators. Everyone exchanged regretful glances. They were all thinking the same thing. They had taken that easy life for granted and it had changed and their lives would never be the same again. Lola leaned her heads on Vince's shoulder and he began stroking her hair soothingly. Zoey suddenly took hold of Chase's hand and squeezed it tightly. He looked at her and when their eyes met, an unspoken pact passed between them. They would never let anything separate them. All the friends exchanged glances and the pact rapidly engulfed the whole group. Zoey and Dustin also promised that they would look out for each other as they were likely now the only ones left of the Brookes family.
Once the nostalgia had passed, Quinn shook herself and gently let go of Logan's surprisingly smooth hand and logged into his computer. They still had a job to do if they wanted to reclaim their school from the dangerous creatures that had claimed it. Once she'd found the right system she turned to the others "Alright you guys might wanna cover your ears. Chase, find a way to shield Elvis' ears." "How do I do that?" "Uh, put him in that closet. Dean Rivers had it lined with metal to protect the school trophies if there was a fire on campus. There's a light inside so he won't get scared. "
Chase obediently opened the closet door "Come on boy, get inside." The dog hesitated. Chase waited for a moment and the dog climbed in. He flicked on the light "Now, be a good boy." Then he shut the door. There was silence from inside, no barking or whining. Feeling satisfied, he strode back to the others.
"Alright everybody cover your ears." Quinn instructed. Everyone obediently clapped their hands over both ears. Suddenly Logan's eyes widened as a thought struck him and he urgently turned to Quinn "Who's gonna cover your ears?" He asked, concern tingling in his voice. Everyone suddenly looked perplexed as the thought hit them. She threw him a reassuring smile "Don't worry Logey. At soon as I set off the alarms I'll cover my own ears. "He still looked concerned "I'll be fine baby." "You promise?" He asked her. She nodded "I promise." Logan nodded, now satisfied. "Alright, ready, steady, go!" With that she set off the alarms and instantly clapped her hands over her ears, shooting Logan a look as she did so. He smiled back as a deafening clamour exploded life. The ongoing din drilled into their skulls despite their best attempts to block it out. The volume was deafening. Chase shouted at the top of his lungs to Zoey, asking if she was ok, but his words were drowned out by the deafening ringing. Dustin dropped to his knees and shouted but to the others it seemed he was miming as his lips moved but nothing was heard. Their tactic was working though.
The rhinoceros thundered past the building, the ground trembling under the leviathan's great feet. Its frantic snorting too was muted. Several dogs of various colours went racing past, barking and howling. Chase spotted a greyhound running swiftly behind the leader, followed by a massive mastiff, a panting bulldog, a rough collie, a golden retriever and a little terrier with a stocky alsatian leading the pack. They spotted the zebra galloping across the rugby pitches as it whinnied loudly in terror. The boa constrictor writhed past. Its hissing had been muted. Various birds soared through the sky as they flew away the campus. The sheer spectacle of seeing so many different birds in flight was awe inspiring. Ducks, crows, vultures, robins, falcons, and geese; all kinds of birds were fleeing together. Smaller animals took shelter underground. They saw rats, mice and other small creatures running around as they skittered, hopped, scampered and slithered to shelter by slipping into holes, burrows, lairs and crevices.
Lola cringed as she saw various snakes writhing into crevices as well as rats and mice scurrying into their lairs. A wiry-looking tabby cat ran past Chase's foot and he started. The cat ran underneath the Dean's great wooden desk and disappeared from view. They saw the wolves retreating as they cleared the rugby pitch in only ten long bounds. Two horses sporting glossy coats thundered past, snorting and moments later, the fiery tiger streaked past in a blur of blazing red fur. Moments later, the albino predator followed, roaring with alarm.
The ordeal of the alarms drilling into their skulls was only matched by the sense of relief and triumph they felt as they saw all the animals that had entered the campus retreating, including the dangerous predators. At last, Quinn hit the keyboard, and the clamour died instantly. The group carefully removed their hands from their ears. "Man, that was loud!" Dustin exclaimed. "You can say that again kid." Michael replied "Okay, man, that was loud." He repeated. Everyone shot each other smiles at his misunderstanding of the phrase.
"Okay so what now?" Vince asked "We should do a sweep of campus to ensure no large animals have stayed behind, and then check the lights are still on and the power is still working then meet back here." Quinn said. "Okay but what one question?" Michael asked. She nodded "Okay shoot." "If we do find like a tiger or a python has stayed behind, what are we supposed to do to it? Politely ask it to leave?" Quinn smiled "Good point Michael. Follow me." She turned and walked off. The others exchanged confused glances. She turned back and waved for them to follow "Come on!" She urged. Reluctantly, they trailed after her, not quite sure of what to expect. She led them back to her dormitory block and into the girls' room. "Okay Quinn where are you taking us?" Lola asked. "Be patient and all will be revealed." She replied cryptically. Lola rolled her eyes as Quinn opened the doors of the wardrobe and pulled out a gleaming circular tube armed with tiny bolts studded around a round opening at one end. She grinned at them expectantly. "Okay I'm officially lost." Zoey said
Quinn rolled her eyes "It's a weapon we can use against any predators we encounter from now on." "Okay, so how does it work?" Chase asked, eyeing the device with caution. Quinn demonstrated "When you press this button, a series of sharp metal bolts fly out and impale the creature's tissue. They're positioned to strike vital nerves such as the lower leg muscles and the muscles in the face. The more the animal rubs or claws at them, the deeper they sink in." Zoey shook her head "No there's no way I'm using that on an animal." "But what if it's trying to kill you?" Dustin asked. "I don't care I'm not going to kill it." Chase understood her reluctance. She was naturally very gentle and kind. She believed in the principle of "live and let live" She respected all organisms and believed that all life was worth respecting but sadly, the feral dogs and the big cats didn't see her in quite the same way. They only viewed her as a walking snack. "These bolts are not lethal. They fall out within an hour leaving only scarring that will heal up. The animal suffers no permanent damage but this machine will stop you from getting mauled or eaten." Quinn told her.
"How many do you have?" Lola asked. "I have ten for the moment and they don't need replacing often but the iron darts will have to be replaced every few weeks." "And do you know where to get them?" Vince asked. "Yup. I buy them from a specialist dealer who specializes in supplying parts for offensive weapons." Everyone groaned and turned away "What?" "That dealer is probably vanished now. That means once your darts run out your weapons will be useless." Chase told her. She rolled her eyes "Oh Chase. I know where his store is and he has stores of then and other parts in the basement." "Are you sure?" Michael asked "When is she ever wrong?" Logan said moving to support his girlfriend. Michael rolled his eyes "Stay out of it Logan." Before he could respond, Quinn interrupted "Yes I'm sure. There are plenty to last us ages." Only now did the group begin to feel hopeful.
Quinn showed each member of the team how to correctly hold, aim and fire the weapon. She told them that with each shot released, six darts would shoot out and hit the target, temporarily immobilizing the animal. They struck the muscle tissues and hit in strategic places that would make the animal want to lick, claw them or rub them on surfaces but this drove the darts in deeper but they caused no lasting damage, only pain and mild scarring. They were effective against all animals, from nasty cats to escaped elephants. They were better against a lone animal than against a pack or a herd of animals but if they split into groups then they stood a better chance at fending off a pack of predators. Sadly most of the predators they had seen would attack in packs. Dogs, wolves and even African lions all lived and hunted in groups. Only tigers and predatory snakes hunted alone. Still, having the weapon was better than having no weapon at all.
They split up into pairs; as always the pairs usually comprised a couple. The "pairs" were: Zoey and Chase, Quinn and Logan, Lola and Vince and finally Dustin and Michael. Chase had offered to walk Elvis to give Michael a rest and so Dustin wouldn't be so on edge when the pair were off exploring. Michael was the only one without a partner and though his mood had improved, Chase was still concerned about him. He thought that if Michael and Dustin become closer friends then he wouldn't feel as lonely when they split up into groups. The friendship would also help Dustin to adjust to this new reality where he had no friends of his own age to interact with. Michael was the most similar to him in terms of character; they were both loud, funny, made bad jokes and were both over confident at times. Both Zoey and Chase felt confident their plan would work out.
Plus, Elvis seemed to react positively to being around his actual owner. Yapping and yelping, the feisty terrier scurried around Chase's legs, wagging his stumpy tail. He laughed "Wow easy Elvis! Don't trip me up!" He grabbed the leash and finally brought the energetic little dog under control. Zoey rolled her eyes but ended up smiling despite herself due to Chase's antics with his own dog. Chase could somehow entertain her even when he wasn't trying to. That was one of the many reasons why she loved him. It still surprised how it had taken her so long to understand that she was in love with her closest male friend. Lola and Quinn were right; she'd been clueless for a very long time…
"Hey, uh, Zoey?" Chase's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned to him "Oh, what did you say?" He gave her his trademark lopsided grin "Nothing you just sort of zoned out for a bit and everyone left." Zoey looked around and suddenly realized he was right. The bedroom was empty once more. The only in the room were her, Chase and Elvis who was straining at his leash, eager to get going. "We should probably get going before Elvis you know, dislocates my arm." He suggested. She laughed "Alright come on then." She picked up the gun, clicked the safety catch on and turned to Chase "Catch me if you can!" She turned and ran from the room "Zoey! Wai-oof!" Elvis yapped and bounded after her, yanking Chase off balance. He stumbled after the dog, begging Elvis to slow down as the terrier yapped furiously after the laughing Zoey. She cast a glance over her shoulder and laugher harder as she watched being dragged along by the voracious terrier. Then, a thought struck her; despite this dangerous new environment, they were still managing to have fun and just act like kids.
Michael and Dustin meanwhile, approached the cafeteria benches. The pair had been discussing past encounters with girls and hadn't been paying much attention to their surroundings. Luckily, they hadn't seen any large animals either. "Yeah Trisha was a cow. I can't believe Chase ask her out when he knew I liked her!" He protested. Michael sighed; he'd been going on about Trisha for nearly half an hour. He didn't want to say anything but this topic was becoming seriously boring. Plus, it didn't help that Dustin insulted Chase, his best friend, in almost every other sentence. It was even worse as he knew the truth. Chase and Zoey had explained the situation to the entire group once the argument between Chase, Trisha and Dustin had ended. But they had all been sworn to secrecy not to ever tell Dustin what had happened otherwise he'd be really upset at Zoey for not trusting him.
On the other hand, he had to say something. Dustin sounded genuinely angry about the situation even though two years had passed since it occurred and Michael didn't like seeing the kid all frustrated. He'd grown close to Dustin in the last few days and now thought of him as a good friend whereas before he'd only of Dustin as Zoey's little brother or as a dog-sitter for Elvis. He had to say something
"Yeah, uh, about that…" "What about it?" Dustin said, squinting up at him to block out the harsh sunlight. Michael paused then sighed. Explaining what had really happened was not going to be easy; if he told Dustin the truth he would forgive Chase but would feel hurt that Zoey didn't trust him and Michael didn't want to be blamed for causing a sibling argument. On the other hand, Chase was his best friend and he didn't like seeing him blamed for events beyond his control. But before he could respond, Dustin paused, "What was that?" "What was that?" He asked confused. "What was that?!" The younger boy hissed, pointing to a tall, bushy hedgerow. Now Michael saw it. The tall bushes shook as though something was behind them.
He stiffened and raised his weapon; Quinn had named it a dart-gun, and clicked off the safety catch. The tall bushes could conceal anything from a pet cat or a terrier to a rhinoceros or an elephant. Dustin stepped back and watched nervously as he took aim at the moving bushes. Suddenly, a tall black shape cantered into view. Michael's eyes widened in surprise and he lowered the dart gun. It wasn't a wild dog or a lion, it was a black horse. The stallion had a powerful body resting on strong legs. Its inky black mane lay along its neck and its ears pricked up as it snorted. A saddle lay secured to its back and reigns hung loose around its neck. The horse's sleek body concealed well-defined muscles that rippled under its coat. This was no cart-horse; it was a pet from a wealthy property that had obviously kicked the fence to splinters and run away from its paddock a few days ago when its owners failed to return.
The animal looked well fed, so clearly it had found food and a water source so why had it come here? He approached the stallion and expected it to run away but it stayed still and even shuffled over to him. He was surprised. This was obviously a stallion that was used to interacting with humans. Snorting, it shook its reigns and suddenly he understood. The saddle was a burden to it. "Poor guy let's get that saddle off you." He approached the stallion slowly with raised arms to show he meant it no harm. "Michael, be careful!" Dustin called, he had never been fond of large animals and the horse seemed placid but it could turn violent at any moment.
The stallion however, stood perfectly still as Michael lifted the saddle off. The stallion neighed gratefully, nuzzling him with its head. "Wow easy boy!" Michael laughed, stroking its mane. Suddenly, it hit him; he had seen this horse before. He'd hung out with him, played football with him and even fed him cookie! But this couldn't be the same stallion; those events had taken place nearly a month ago now. Surely the horse had forgotten him? But he had to be sure. He turned and looked directly into the horse's chocolate brown eyes "Winchester? Is it really you boy?" He asked hopefully.
The stallion suddenly reared up on its hind legs, fore hooves pawing the air as it neighed triumphantly. Michael too burst out laughing. This was him! "WINCHESTER! It IS you!" The horse dropped back onto four legs and nuzzled him, snorting. Michael ran his hands through his silky hair and hugged the great horse. Winchester had come back! "Ok what is going on?!" Dustin demanded loudly from behind them. Both boy and stallion turned. Dustin was standing a way back, looking confused and slightly concerned "Well? Aren't you going to answer me?" Michael grinned proudly and gestured to the black stallion "Dustin, meet Winchester. Winchester, meet my good friend Dustin." The horse whinnied loudly and Dustin took a step back, startled. "Okay how do you know this horse? How does it know you? Are you planning to keep it? And lastly, why call it Winchester?" Michael paused. He realized he needed to consider some of those questions himself. He looked to both the confused Dustin and to Winchester, still standing patiently behind him, and rubbed his hands together "I think it's time for a story." Dustin still looked puzzled but Michael grinned. Soon, all would become clear.
Logan and Quinn strolled down the campus. For a while, Quinn had been tense and edgy, looking around and keeping quiet with her hands always clutching the dart gun in case of a surprise attack. Logan attempted to converse or kiss several times but she either turned away or ignored him and that hurt him slightly until finally he stopped her and demanded an explanation. She realized she'd hurt him and explained that she hadn't meant to and that she was just trying to keep them safe because even though he was physically fit and fairly strong, he still wouldn't be able to fight off a boa constrictor or a tiger so she had to be on the lookout. He accepted her explanation but asked to be allowed to hold her hand and so she accepted. But nearly twenty minutes had gone past without hearing or seeing any large predators. They had seen a burly pitbull terrier and a longhaired collie feasting on the bloody carcass of a donkey on the street outside the campus. Luckily, the electrified fence separated them from the wild dogs. The collie looked up at the pair and snarled. The gesture was akin to a wolf growling. The dogs were now just as dangerous as their wild relatives in the mountains. They had both shuddered and moved on before the dogs tried to test the electric fence.
Dogs were already responding to their instincts and had adapted to taking down large prey animals. Highly aggressive dogs like pitbulls would react faster and become successful hunters more quickly but eventually most breeds would totally revert back into wild predators. Guardian dogs, like sheepdogs and collies, would also revert more rapidly as they were never as submissive as pet dogs. They were always bred to be powerful and aggressive to guard sheep and cattle from other predators, but now they themselves would kill farm animals they once protected. It was as if one of mankind's last legacies, the devotion of the sheepdog to his sheep, was fast disappearing as instincts overcame years of reinforced domestication. Similarly, cats kept in rural areas such as in cottages or in farmhouses, would adapt faster than domestic pet cats as they were already used to a wild environment. City cats would struggle to adapt and not all cats would survive. Some cats had features or designs that would prove fatal when it came to hunting and surviving alone. Cats and dogs that were more susceptible to illnesses would also struggle to survive in a post-human world without artificial treatment.
For now though, they were safe. The electric fence surrounded the entire school and would keep out the dogs as well as the wolves. So slowly Quinn had relaxed and now they gave each other flirtatious looks. As soon as they found a suitable place to sit down, the kissing would begin. He couldn't wait. They'd seen a grass snake earlier but it had slithered away, a squirrel that had scrambled up a tree and encountered an inquisitive labrador. Surprisingly, the dog had not turned feral and had retained its domesticated characteristics. Quinn sadly explained that the friendly dog would not survive for much longer. Its submissive nature would not enable it to track down prey or survive in the wilderness. Dogs like this were doomed. Certain dogs had had all traces of aggression or prey-drive bred out of them and this made more submissive and more suitable as house pets or service dogs. Logan watched its clumsy attempts to catch birds and rats and realized she was right; this dog was not agile enough to survive in a post-human reality.
Unfortunately, the same instincts that made it an unsuitable pet would enable it to survive in this post-human period so without its drive to hunt, this dog would never make it and its breed would likely die off. The plastic collar around its neck proved its status as a domestic dog. The dog had escaped from its home and managed to survive by scavenging scraps but these would soon dry up and the dog would eventually die of starvation. In the race to survive, labradors would lose out. A few labradors would breed with other more hardy dogs and preserve a small aspect of their genome but the unique labrador breed would disappear within a few generations. They had moved on, but surprisingly, the Labrador had followed them. Logan had attempted to chase it off twice but it persisted in following them. Eventually, they gave in and even now the dog trailed them, at a distance likely expecting food or comfort.
Finally they came to the fountain. The stream of water had run dry because there was no power but it was shaded due to the statue built on top. This was the perfect spot. They hurriedly sat down and Quinn wrapped her arms around his neck. He gazed into her gentle brown eyes, framed by perfect eyelashes, and felt passion surging through his veins. He entangled his arms around her slim body and pulled her close to him. His eyes drank in the sight of her luscious curves and her womanly body. The feeling of their bodies pressed together was indescribable. The hormonal rush it gave him was otherworldly. It was better than eating pizza, playing basketball and flexing his biceps all at the same time. He buried his face in her tumbling locks of soft chestnut-brown hair and smelt her cherry flavored perfume. The scent was fruity and pleasant, he could almost taste it. He felt his conscious mind switching off as his instincts overtook it and let himself become totally immersed in her….
Quinn sighed dreamily as she wrapped her arms around Logan's back. She inhaled the familiar scent of his cologne and felt her heart beating wildly. His arms enwrapped her and made her feel secure, safe and loved. She had never felt this way when Mark had hugged her. His hugs were comforting and warm but they lacked the sense of security that Logan's hugs provided. She placed her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes to lose herself in his manly scent…
Suddenly a sharp barking cut through their haze of passion. They both attempted to block it out and hold onto their one moment of peace and solitude. Amongst the power failure, the packs of wolves, the crashing planes and the escaped elephants, they had found a moment of calm amongst the chaos. Even as civilization fell apart, they held onto one another and relied on one another and their unbreakable bond to pull them through this mess. The animals relied on instinct and their adaptations to survive but they were relying on something much stronger; the power of love. But the barking went on growing louder and more persistent. Then above the barking, they heard another sound. A low roaring that started out quiet but grew louder and louder as it seemed to get closer. As well as the rumbling, the ground began vibrating gently at first then more vigorously.
Finally, they pulled apart and Logan glanced down at the ground under his feet. The little stones around his feet were tapping up and down. He shot Quinn a confused glance but she looked as confused as him. The dog was standing up and barking loudly, tail waving crazily. Logan finally lost his temper and turned to the animal "Hey be quiet!" He shouted and the labrador fell silent. He sighed "Finally." Then its ears drooped, the dog whined then turned and ran away as fast as possible. Logan grinned "That's even better." He turned to Quinn but noticed her face stretched into an expression of horror. "What is it?" "Look!" She shouted. He turned and his eyes widened in alarm. "Oh that's not good!"
A roaring wall of water thundered down the steps towards them. They had entered the main plaza and the water to travel had been hemmed in by the surrounding buildings. Now it had gathered into a tide surging towards them. "Let's go!" Quinn yelled. Nodding, they scrambled up and took off running whilst the floodwater surged onwards, swallowing up everything in its path and for the first time in a week, the fountain was over flowing with water once more. Sadly there was no-one there to witness it.
Back near the spacious sports field, Michael and Dustin sat beside each other on a wooden bench at the edge of the field. The towering birch trees cast out a wide umbrella of shade that provided a welcome relief from the burning midday heat. Michael had just finished his story of he encounters with Winchester. The stallion himself stood under the tree, chewing the grasses. "And that's basically the whole story." Michael finished "And it's all true?" Dustin asked, looking skeptical. Michael rolled his eyes "Yes it's all true you can ask Logan or Zoey or even Quinn." Dustin nodded and seemed to now accept the story. He turned and nodded to the grazing stallion "So are you gonna keep him?" The teenager rolled happily. "Of course I will. His owner is gone and he ran away there's no one else to look after him so I have to." "But he can survive alone. It's been like three days since everyone vanished and he survived that long so he could survive without you." He pointed out.
Michael considered this for a moment then grinned "True but he came to you willingly. I didn't go looking for him or summon him, he tracked me down. That shows he wants to stay with me." At last Dustin nodded "Okay but where are you gonna put him/" "There are plenty of empty buildings around. I'll leave him inside one of the dormitories." "What will he eat?" The boy asked "Uh how about he eats some grass?" He answered sarcastically. Dustin frowned but before he could respond, Winchester raised his ears and he snorted. Michael spun around "What is it boy?" The horse whinnied and his ears pricked up as he listened out for danger. Then Michael heard it; a loud barking that grew louder as the figure barking came into focus. Dustin started and leapt to his feet "I thought Quinn said all the dogs ran away!" Winchester panicked turning and snorting in alarm. Michael grabbed his head and held him steady "Whoa! Easy there Winchester!"
He climbed onto the horse, turned him around and looked down to Dustin "Get on!" Dustin gazed up at him as if he had gone mad "Come on Dustin!" Dustin sighed and quickly scrambled on. The dog was getting closer, streaking towards them. Michael wondered why it running so fast, there were easier targets around. Why was this lone dog so intent on attacking two teenage boys and a fully grown stallion? Then, Michael saw two familiar figures sprinting onto the field "Is that Logan and Quinn?" He squinted against the harsh sunlight. But there was one more surprise left in store. His eyes widened as behind his friends, a surging wall of water raced into view and gushed onto the field "Oh man…" He muttered. Dustin saw it too and struggled more valiantly to get on the horse.
He just hoped they had enough time to get away
A/N: Please review guys. I don't want to hassle you and I know you're all preoccupied and have things to do. I do too but I took the time and effort to type up this chapter for you. Unless I get more reviews I can't continue as I don't know what you lot think. If you have complaints or suggestions or questions just send me a message and I'll reply ASAP. But please guys, review more often. Reviews inspire me to write more which makes you guys happier so it's a win/win situation. So pleaser review and message me if you want to. Thanks and have a good day!
