Chapter 2: City of the dead
Once outside, they did not stop running until they could no longer see the dim lights of their kitchen from the road. Neither one said anything as they pushed their way through the seeming endless blackness of country road. Even though they knew this area very well, somehow in one short hour the familiar landscape took on a sinister tone. As if any shadow could leap out and drag them into the pitch-black abyss never to be seen again. Suddenly the pair saw a strange light coming from over the small hill. What looked like twin miniature floodlights lit up a small area of road and what looked like an injured cow. Not taking any chances, Lucas and Phillip walked clear around the animal only stopping to peer into the source of the light, an overturned car. Inside were the crushed bodies of what looked like a family. It was eerie how peaceful they looked, like they were sleeping. Only trapped in an upside down car in the middle of nowhere. Without warning the woman in the passenger's seat turned and smacked her face into the shattered window struggling to free herself from her restraint and reach out to the two survivors. Within seconds the woman was joined by the two children in the backseat all screaming in a wordless plea that turned Lucas blood to ice. "Just run," shouted Lucas pulling Phillip along with him. As they began running a deafening screeching sound filled the air as several mosquitoes the size of large dogs began to chase after them. Like the cow and the motorists and even April, something was clearly unnatural about these animals. Pure instinct took over as Lucas rolled to the ground aiming at the nearest beast as he fell. The first shot hit the bug in the abdomen, the second tearing off half it's wings sending it crashing to the ground like a broken toy airplane. Using the last of his ammunition, Lucas brought the second then third mosquitoes down, the last one circling out in the darkness to come at him from another angle. "Get down" ordered Lucas to his panicking brother, "hide under the Car if you have to just get out of sight". With Philip out of the way Lucas felt calmer more in control. He waited not breathing watching the darkness for any sign of danger. As if the very night were holding its breath nothing moved. Without warning the buzzing erupted once more as the last mosquito dived at Lucas' back. Before the beast could reach him he turned behind kicking high, knocking the mosquito off it's course. The injured bug stuttered once, then twice then flew at Lucas one last time. Moments before the creature's bloody mouth pierced Lucas' clothes, he grabbed the pincer, broke it off and jammed it in the bug's eye sending it to the ground with the others. "It's all right, you can come out now" called Lucas into the night. After a few moments, Philip hesitantly emerged from his hiding place behind a large tree. "There gone right," asked Phillip nervously, "what's happening, none of this makes any sense". "Don't think about it now" replied Lucas, "Where almost in town, someone there has to know something, we just have to keep moving that's all, this place isn't safe, who knows what could be lurking out there". Without another word the two helpless children continued on into the uncaring night. After what felt like hours of running, Lucas and Phillip approached the last bend in the road before they reached Coatesville, the nearest town. The two children were so relieved to reach civilization and put the dogs and strange attackers behind them they didn't notice the city streets were completely empty. Nothing moved, no cars, no pedestrians, no one sitting on their porch or walking their dogs; even at this late hour there should have been something moving. At the very edge of the city stood a small diner, Lucas and Phillip had been there many times with their parents and sometimes on their own and knew Mary, the manager very well, an almost religious night owl who prided herself on being open at all hours of the night. If there was any chance of finding reliable help, she was the one. It wasn't until they reached the interior of the diner that the lack of activity began to worry them. The diner was a mess. Chairs were knocked over. Food was spilled on the floor, and a gasping choking sound was coming from the kitchen. "Wait here" said Lucas not wanting Phillip to come across any more bodies in one night. He alone quietly crept into the steaming kitchen to see Mary, the manager propped against the wall with a look of sheer exhaustion and terror on her face. "Oh god, not you too" moaned the woman in despair, her clothes torn and dirty. "What's wrong?" asked Lucas, "I'm here with my brother. I don't know what's going on. All I know is our farm was attacked and we came here for help" "Your not one of them" gasped the woman incredulously. "At any rate, you came to the wrong place for help the whole city's gone insane. It's all I could do to keep those monsters out of here. It's. it's like a war out there". The woman was obviously in shock and Lucas doubted he would get any clear answers out of her in this state. Before he could question her further he noticed the source of the blood on her clothes, an ugly bite mark on her arm. "Are you all right?" asked Lucas trying to get her to focus enough to talk. "I don't feel so good, ever since this morning," moaned the sick woman. Suddenly after a coughing fit she locked his gaze with a look so intense he had to take a step back. "Listen to me, this city is lost, do whatever it takes to get out of here, to survive, someone has to survive, no way this . disaster is natural, someone has to know." With that she passed out. Lucas didn't even bother to check her pulse. He knew she had passed away. "Where's Mary" asked Phillip sitting in one of the non-broken chairs absently buttoning and unbuttoning his coat. "She's gone" said Lucas in a low voice, "it doesn't look like were going to find any help here, were going to have to go at least as far as the next town before we find anyone, we could try to stop a motorist, something". "Ok" replied Phillip as he stared off into the dark empty city streets. "Listen" said Lucas recognizing the frighteningly unnatural mood his brother was in, "we'll make it out of here, we'll be fine, our parents probably aren't even here, they probably don't even know anything is wrong, I know your scared, I'm scared too, but what we need to do is to focus on getting out of this nightmare as quickly as possible, then there will be all the time in the world to be scared ok". Philip nodded in silent agreement, neither liked the idea of venturing into the pitch black town at two in the morning with god knows what crawling through the streets, but they figured it was best to get it over with as quickly as possible. Back on the street Lucas could immediately sense something was different. The same awful cry of hunger rose from within the diner; whatever was turning these people into monsters had infected Mary too. Mary's anguished cry was soon joined by a second, and a third and fourth until the entire city rang with the monstrous chorus of a thousand cannibalized beasts screaming for their blood. They came from everywhere, spilling out of cars, open doors and windows, some even falling off nearby roofs. Whatever was doing this to these people clearly wasn't discriminating. Among the mob were adults, old people with walkers, and children of all ages. The most disturbing sight being a mother in a business suit who dragged her unmoving child behind her on one of the security leashes used not to loose children at the mall. Before Lucas or Phillip could do anything, they were cornered in an alley, the mob of monsters seconds from swallowing them whole. The situation seemed hopeless, a single monster, an old woman hobbled into the alley, she glared at them with cloudy bloodshot eyes and screamed in rage as she fell on Lucas. Lucas shut his eyes tightly anticipating where she would bite him and how much it would hurt. But to his surprise the bite did not hurt at all, in fact it wasn't even a bite, the old woman didn't have any teeth, miraculously, he was still alive. Suddenly a gunshot rang out in the night and several of the gathering beasts drew back from the alley's opening in wordless terror. The source of the gunshots was a man perched on the roof of an adjoining building. "Whoever you are, listen to me, I'm here to help" said the man on the room, he didn't yell but he didn't need to, his normal voice held enough authority to reach them even at that great distance. "I'm going to try to clear a path for you to enter the building I'm in, whatever you do, don't panic and you'll be fine, remember, I'm here to help". Too grateful for words, Lucas and Phillip charged into the mob, making a mad dash for the doorway to the apartment complex their mysterious benefactor had holed up in. Several close escapes later, they stood before the gunman in the relative safety of the closed off apartment. The man who saved them looked like a biker, his hair slicked back, wearing nothing but severely weathered black leather, a single tattoo of a crown shown on his exposed biceps. "The name is John," said the leather jacket clad sniper, as Lucas and Phillip locked the door behind them, "John King, I was passing through this town when my car was attacked by some crazy people. I came here looking for help but it looks like this town needs help more than I do. It must have been some kind of chemical spill, are either of you injured". "Were fine," said Lucas grateful to see another human face, "but we can't find our parents, they were supposed to be in town tonight". "Don't worry about it," said John trying to sound concerned, but there was something fake about him, he seemed more like an actor in a play than a real person. "They probably drove to safety the moment they saw things weren't right in town. There probably at the police station in the next town, if they're not there the police can help you look". "A friend of the family's told us this city lost, and the only hope of finding help is to make it through to the other side". Said Lucas trying to be helpful. "This I is right" said John thoughtfully, I have a car, but I don't know the quickest way through, if we do this we have to do it fast otherwise were as good as dead before we even start". "We can take the main road straight through town" said Lucas trying to recall the times they went to visit relatives past the city. "Then it's settled, we leave once the streets are clear" said John clearly making himself the leader of the group, Lucas didn't mind, as long as they got out of this alive he was willing to take orders for the rest of the night. As they were waiting for the last of the mob to lose interest and give up, Phillip spotted a strange device in the corner of the room, it was a video camera of some sort. "What's this?" asked Phillip, knocking the strange device from side to side like a cat with a mouse. "It looks like a video camera," explained Lucas a little frustrated his brother had to pick now to go exploring when they were all in danger. He was about to turn away when a small inscription in the plastic device caught his attention. "Property of the Dupont Corporation" read Lucas aloud, why on earth would they have surveillance equipment in an apartment building?" Dupont probably just designed the camera" explained John agitated, as if the subject bothered him, Lucas didn't know why but the camera and the mysterious John's reaction to it made him very suspicious, but then again under the strain of everything he had witnessed tonight it was no wonder he was thinking paranoid, he just had to keep alert that's all. Phillip busied himself giving the camera a series of unpleasant hand gestures as Lucas made one last look at the device before returning to discuss the finer details of their escape plan.
Once outside, they did not stop running until they could no longer see the dim lights of their kitchen from the road. Neither one said anything as they pushed their way through the seeming endless blackness of country road. Even though they knew this area very well, somehow in one short hour the familiar landscape took on a sinister tone. As if any shadow could leap out and drag them into the pitch-black abyss never to be seen again. Suddenly the pair saw a strange light coming from over the small hill. What looked like twin miniature floodlights lit up a small area of road and what looked like an injured cow. Not taking any chances, Lucas and Phillip walked clear around the animal only stopping to peer into the source of the light, an overturned car. Inside were the crushed bodies of what looked like a family. It was eerie how peaceful they looked, like they were sleeping. Only trapped in an upside down car in the middle of nowhere. Without warning the woman in the passenger's seat turned and smacked her face into the shattered window struggling to free herself from her restraint and reach out to the two survivors. Within seconds the woman was joined by the two children in the backseat all screaming in a wordless plea that turned Lucas blood to ice. "Just run," shouted Lucas pulling Phillip along with him. As they began running a deafening screeching sound filled the air as several mosquitoes the size of large dogs began to chase after them. Like the cow and the motorists and even April, something was clearly unnatural about these animals. Pure instinct took over as Lucas rolled to the ground aiming at the nearest beast as he fell. The first shot hit the bug in the abdomen, the second tearing off half it's wings sending it crashing to the ground like a broken toy airplane. Using the last of his ammunition, Lucas brought the second then third mosquitoes down, the last one circling out in the darkness to come at him from another angle. "Get down" ordered Lucas to his panicking brother, "hide under the Car if you have to just get out of sight". With Philip out of the way Lucas felt calmer more in control. He waited not breathing watching the darkness for any sign of danger. As if the very night were holding its breath nothing moved. Without warning the buzzing erupted once more as the last mosquito dived at Lucas' back. Before the beast could reach him he turned behind kicking high, knocking the mosquito off it's course. The injured bug stuttered once, then twice then flew at Lucas one last time. Moments before the creature's bloody mouth pierced Lucas' clothes, he grabbed the pincer, broke it off and jammed it in the bug's eye sending it to the ground with the others. "It's all right, you can come out now" called Lucas into the night. After a few moments, Philip hesitantly emerged from his hiding place behind a large tree. "There gone right," asked Phillip nervously, "what's happening, none of this makes any sense". "Don't think about it now" replied Lucas, "Where almost in town, someone there has to know something, we just have to keep moving that's all, this place isn't safe, who knows what could be lurking out there". Without another word the two helpless children continued on into the uncaring night. After what felt like hours of running, Lucas and Phillip approached the last bend in the road before they reached Coatesville, the nearest town. The two children were so relieved to reach civilization and put the dogs and strange attackers behind them they didn't notice the city streets were completely empty. Nothing moved, no cars, no pedestrians, no one sitting on their porch or walking their dogs; even at this late hour there should have been something moving. At the very edge of the city stood a small diner, Lucas and Phillip had been there many times with their parents and sometimes on their own and knew Mary, the manager very well, an almost religious night owl who prided herself on being open at all hours of the night. If there was any chance of finding reliable help, she was the one. It wasn't until they reached the interior of the diner that the lack of activity began to worry them. The diner was a mess. Chairs were knocked over. Food was spilled on the floor, and a gasping choking sound was coming from the kitchen. "Wait here" said Lucas not wanting Phillip to come across any more bodies in one night. He alone quietly crept into the steaming kitchen to see Mary, the manager propped against the wall with a look of sheer exhaustion and terror on her face. "Oh god, not you too" moaned the woman in despair, her clothes torn and dirty. "What's wrong?" asked Lucas, "I'm here with my brother. I don't know what's going on. All I know is our farm was attacked and we came here for help" "Your not one of them" gasped the woman incredulously. "At any rate, you came to the wrong place for help the whole city's gone insane. It's all I could do to keep those monsters out of here. It's. it's like a war out there". The woman was obviously in shock and Lucas doubted he would get any clear answers out of her in this state. Before he could question her further he noticed the source of the blood on her clothes, an ugly bite mark on her arm. "Are you all right?" asked Lucas trying to get her to focus enough to talk. "I don't feel so good, ever since this morning," moaned the sick woman. Suddenly after a coughing fit she locked his gaze with a look so intense he had to take a step back. "Listen to me, this city is lost, do whatever it takes to get out of here, to survive, someone has to survive, no way this . disaster is natural, someone has to know." With that she passed out. Lucas didn't even bother to check her pulse. He knew she had passed away. "Where's Mary" asked Phillip sitting in one of the non-broken chairs absently buttoning and unbuttoning his coat. "She's gone" said Lucas in a low voice, "it doesn't look like were going to find any help here, were going to have to go at least as far as the next town before we find anyone, we could try to stop a motorist, something". "Ok" replied Phillip as he stared off into the dark empty city streets. "Listen" said Lucas recognizing the frighteningly unnatural mood his brother was in, "we'll make it out of here, we'll be fine, our parents probably aren't even here, they probably don't even know anything is wrong, I know your scared, I'm scared too, but what we need to do is to focus on getting out of this nightmare as quickly as possible, then there will be all the time in the world to be scared ok". Philip nodded in silent agreement, neither liked the idea of venturing into the pitch black town at two in the morning with god knows what crawling through the streets, but they figured it was best to get it over with as quickly as possible. Back on the street Lucas could immediately sense something was different. The same awful cry of hunger rose from within the diner; whatever was turning these people into monsters had infected Mary too. Mary's anguished cry was soon joined by a second, and a third and fourth until the entire city rang with the monstrous chorus of a thousand cannibalized beasts screaming for their blood. They came from everywhere, spilling out of cars, open doors and windows, some even falling off nearby roofs. Whatever was doing this to these people clearly wasn't discriminating. Among the mob were adults, old people with walkers, and children of all ages. The most disturbing sight being a mother in a business suit who dragged her unmoving child behind her on one of the security leashes used not to loose children at the mall. Before Lucas or Phillip could do anything, they were cornered in an alley, the mob of monsters seconds from swallowing them whole. The situation seemed hopeless, a single monster, an old woman hobbled into the alley, she glared at them with cloudy bloodshot eyes and screamed in rage as she fell on Lucas. Lucas shut his eyes tightly anticipating where she would bite him and how much it would hurt. But to his surprise the bite did not hurt at all, in fact it wasn't even a bite, the old woman didn't have any teeth, miraculously, he was still alive. Suddenly a gunshot rang out in the night and several of the gathering beasts drew back from the alley's opening in wordless terror. The source of the gunshots was a man perched on the roof of an adjoining building. "Whoever you are, listen to me, I'm here to help" said the man on the room, he didn't yell but he didn't need to, his normal voice held enough authority to reach them even at that great distance. "I'm going to try to clear a path for you to enter the building I'm in, whatever you do, don't panic and you'll be fine, remember, I'm here to help". Too grateful for words, Lucas and Phillip charged into the mob, making a mad dash for the doorway to the apartment complex their mysterious benefactor had holed up in. Several close escapes later, they stood before the gunman in the relative safety of the closed off apartment. The man who saved them looked like a biker, his hair slicked back, wearing nothing but severely weathered black leather, a single tattoo of a crown shown on his exposed biceps. "The name is John," said the leather jacket clad sniper, as Lucas and Phillip locked the door behind them, "John King, I was passing through this town when my car was attacked by some crazy people. I came here looking for help but it looks like this town needs help more than I do. It must have been some kind of chemical spill, are either of you injured". "Were fine," said Lucas grateful to see another human face, "but we can't find our parents, they were supposed to be in town tonight". "Don't worry about it," said John trying to sound concerned, but there was something fake about him, he seemed more like an actor in a play than a real person. "They probably drove to safety the moment they saw things weren't right in town. There probably at the police station in the next town, if they're not there the police can help you look". "A friend of the family's told us this city lost, and the only hope of finding help is to make it through to the other side". Said Lucas trying to be helpful. "This I is right" said John thoughtfully, I have a car, but I don't know the quickest way through, if we do this we have to do it fast otherwise were as good as dead before we even start". "We can take the main road straight through town" said Lucas trying to recall the times they went to visit relatives past the city. "Then it's settled, we leave once the streets are clear" said John clearly making himself the leader of the group, Lucas didn't mind, as long as they got out of this alive he was willing to take orders for the rest of the night. As they were waiting for the last of the mob to lose interest and give up, Phillip spotted a strange device in the corner of the room, it was a video camera of some sort. "What's this?" asked Phillip, knocking the strange device from side to side like a cat with a mouse. "It looks like a video camera," explained Lucas a little frustrated his brother had to pick now to go exploring when they were all in danger. He was about to turn away when a small inscription in the plastic device caught his attention. "Property of the Dupont Corporation" read Lucas aloud, why on earth would they have surveillance equipment in an apartment building?" Dupont probably just designed the camera" explained John agitated, as if the subject bothered him, Lucas didn't know why but the camera and the mysterious John's reaction to it made him very suspicious, but then again under the strain of everything he had witnessed tonight it was no wonder he was thinking paranoid, he just had to keep alert that's all. Phillip busied himself giving the camera a series of unpleasant hand gestures as Lucas made one last look at the device before returning to discuss the finer details of their escape plan.