CHAPTER FIVE
THE TWISTED ONE
The FAYZ. That was what they called it.
The dome. The electrical dome. Keeping them in here, trapping them in here…
Locking them in…
Like prisoners.
But why?
Why them?
Why me?
Leon jolted up, his head swimming. He lay on the crusty dry grass, with nothing but the thin material of the blanket to keep him from the cold. Jason and Max were beside him. They were in some trees just off to the side of the highway, sleeping around a pathetic fire.
Rustling.
"Guys…" Leon muttered.
It lunged at him. A yellow, growling coyote. Leon swung quickly, his elbow catching the coyote in the jaw and hurling it backwards. But before Leon could recover from the impact, the coyote had lunged at him again.
Its claws dug into Leon's face and he fell back, the blood already sloshing over his face.
"Human die," the coyote hissed.
No way.
The coyote had just… spoke.
"Human die," it repeated.
"NO!" Leon roared.
He pushed out with his hand, meaning to catch the coyote in the face. But instead a fierce shockwave of blue rippled outwards from his fingertips, tossing the coyote about fifty metres to the air before gravity caught up with him and dropped him to the ground.
"Whoa."
Jason and Max scrambled over, eyes wide with amazement.
"That shockwave thing… that was awesome," Jason gasped.
Leon could not help but hide the grin that was forming on his face. "That was pretty awesome."
"Should we get going?" Max asked. "I don't really think it's safe anymore out here."
The sky was dark and the three of them were tired, but walking was a better option than getting attacked by another coyote.
They set off down the highway, weaving inbetween wrecked cars. It would take them hours to reach Perdido Beach, but they had to keep going.
And they did.
By the time they'd caught a glimpse of the town plaza, Max had already collapsed in exhaustion and Jason was leaning against a wall, coughing. Leon bent over, spitting on to the grass before looking around him.
"I think everyone's-"
But before he could say 'in bed', there was the unmistakable click, click of a gun loading.
"Hands up."
A torch flashed into Leon's face.
Leon looked at the figure in front of him.
Drake Merwin.