Chapter 3: lost and found
"…and then Mr. Samson really bit this national guard guy! On his neck! Can you believe this! There was so much blood. It was so gross! And then Mrs. Samson came screaming out of the house waving paper towels and tried to wipe the blood from the ground. I tell you, she was totally nuts! Some paramedic had to sedate her." Lizzy van Dyk all but shrieked as she told her astound class the sunday events of her normally peaceful neighborhood. Although it was well known that Lizzy was not the brightest crayon in the box, one would have expected her to realize, even if it was subconscious, that her little story was not something to be proud of. But the blond girl was also not known for her keen perception. So she sat in her chair, in a room full of nervous and frightened looking students, as if it was the coolest thing ever to have a sick neighbor ripping flesh out of peoples necks.
"Well, thank you Lizzy…" Mrs. Pruitt gulped hard at her students rather graphic description of her weekend, "…but when I asked if some of you experienced something memorable lately, I didn't have that in mind. Does anyone of you have anything to contribute?"
The silence in the woods greeted her and she sighed worriedly. Okay, it was not a revolutionary idea to ask the students about their weekend. But given the gravely news these last days, Tabitha Pruitt had hoped to distract them a little bit. She was her teacher and therefore responsible not only for their grades, but also for their mental health.
"Anyone? Anything? No?" she tried again before resigning.
"Okay. Than let's continue our work on this formula…if x is y then…" Tabitha was about to write said formula on the blackboard, when she heard the telltale sound of fingers snapping. The source of this sound sat in the last row and the dutiful teacher smiled approvingly at her best student. Threatening students with mathematics always worked.
"Yes, Cassandra, you want to tell us about your weekend?"
"Err…actually, no. I wondered weather you might know something more detailed about what's going on here?"
Cassandras question didn't fall on deaf ears and in an instant every one of her 25 students was talking simultaneously, shouting similar questions at her and demanding to go home.
"Hush! Everyone!"
Quieting down a herd of pubescent and therefore naturally noisy teenagers was not easy and Tabitha had to resort back to a shrill whistle and soothing gestures.
"I know that you are all scared and confused. We need to stay calm and trust the authorities to handle this situation. There is nothing we can to, but keep calm and maintain our routine."
Her well chosen words did nothing to assure the upset youngsters. They were still rattled and it wasn't helping that two air force soldiers, clad in full uniform and even wearing handguns, had chosen this particular moment to enter her classroom.
While Mrs. Pruitt eyed the soldiers disapprovingly she missed Cassie sitting straighter in her chair and examining the airmen expectant.
"How dare you! This is a class room and not a firing range. I want you to go, or I will call the police."
She tried staring the uniformed men down, but they seemed unfazed.
"M'am, we have orders to pick up Cassandra Fraiser." One of them answered curtly.
"Well, she is not a member of the military. You can't just come here and kidnap one of my students. Cassandra is underage and only her mother is allowed to…"
"It's okay, Mrs. Pruitt. I'll go with them." Cassandra piped up was already in the middle of packing her backpack.
"Your student will be save with us. Major Fraisers CO himself, General Hammond, gave the orders." The other soldier added helpfully.
"Still, I'm responsible and if something happens…" Tabitha tried to shove herself between Cassandra and the door, but the girl was amazingly swift and beat her to it. By the time her teacher took her first step, Cassie was already out of the door with the two airmen flanking her and leaving her dumfounded classmates behind.
Sitting inside the black limousine the two airmen, Dickson and Mills as they had introduced themselves, were quick to reassure the teenage girl about the whereabouts of her mother. Although they weren't very specific about what was happening, their explanation managed to calm Cassie. At least a little bit.
When she was sure that the men wouldn't give up any more information, Cassie busied herself with watching the scenery outside the spotless windows of the limousine. The car sped along interstate 94, leading out of the city. As the amount of space between them and the city grew, the traffic volume did too. Soon enough Dickson was forced to slam on the brakes, tires squealing and leaving dark skid marks on the street.
One could confuse it with holiday time. The road was crowded with cars that were completely packed, using every space to store something potentially useful. But the difference to holiday time was, that instead of happily expectant smiles, worry and fear was engraved in the faces.
"Aww, shit." Dickson mumbled.
Sitting up straighter and trying to look over the roofs of the cars in front of them, hoping to catch a glimpse of what caused this traffic jam. But all he saw was more cars. Hundreds of them aligned in front of them, beside them and, with a increasing rate, behind them too.
It seemed that every single one of the 400.000 residents of Colorado springs had decided to leave the city in this particular moment.
"Looks like were stuck." Mills summed up, made a grab for the cell phone in the glove box and continued: "Better give them at Schriever a heads up that we'll be late."
Upon seeing Cassies worried look through the rear view mirror, Dickson turned around in his seat and gave her a flat smile.
"Don't worry, they won't leave without you. Your mom would throw a fit."
"Yeah, she sure is stubborn." Mills added casually, a slow frown forming on his forehead as he looked at the cell skeptically.
Having seen his partners confusion with the technical device, Mills turned his attention from Cassie to the man beside him.
"Something wrong?"
"Piece of shit doesn't work."
"Give it to me." Dickson quickly snatched the cell out of Mills fingers, dialed the phone number and held it expectantly to his ear.
Beep! Beep! Beep! Then the line went dead.
"So?"
"Line's dead."
"Didn't I just say that?!"
"No. You said the cell didn't work."
"And that's different, how?"
"Ehm, guys?" Cassie tried to halt the arimens bickering but they were so focused on each other that her voice never reached their ears.
"Snap to!" this time her words showed the desired effect.
They both turned slowly to her and had the grace of looking slightly guilty for their nonprofessional behavior. Now, that she was sure of her attendants alertness, Cassie pointed to something that happened in front of them.
Around their car the dynamic of the scenery had changed suddenly. More and more people climbed out of the delusory safety of their cars and stared at each other clueless. Some were already walking down the road to see what caused the agitation. Others accessed to old fashioned honking, earning them the annoyed looks of those who decided to stay in their cars. But it was not before a woman came running in their direction, disheveled looking, screaming at the top of her lungs and wildly pointing to something behind her, that the situation got out of hand.
It took a few painfully slow seconds before people started to act, but when they did, it was pure panic. Car doors were torn open. Panicked parents clutched their kids near as they ran. The cracking sounds of metal clashing against metal filled the air as some not so smart people tried to ram their way through the lines of parked cars. Others were climbing over the guard railing on to the opposite street, running blindly into the opposing traffic.
Inside the limousine, Dickson slammed his hands agitated on the steering wheel.
"What…the…hell!" Mills commentated, emphasizing every word incredulous.
They were both breathing heavily, obliviously undecided what to do.
"I'll take a look." Announced Dickson finally and tossed the useless cell phone at his partner.
"You sure that this is a good idea?" the other man replied, casting a look at their precious cargo at the backseat and gauging her mood. He had no experience with teenagers and if the little Fraiser would try something stupid, there better be four eyes to keep her in check.
But his companion seemed oblivious to this fears. Instead he fiercely took the safety of his gun and opened the car door.
"I guess we have no other choice. Stay put till I come back." Dickson instructed and stepped determined into the chaotic mass of running people, where they quickly lost sight of him.
The minutes that followed were filled with oppressive silence as Mills fiddled with his own gun, nervously checking his watch every few seconds. The dull noise from outside that reached them trough closed doors and windows was getting louder still, causing the hairs on Cassies neck to stand up. She got the uneasy feeling that staying were they were was not safe and fought against her flight instinct.
"That takes too long." Mills mumbled after checking his watch again. With his head tilted to the side, he pondered their possibilities. When he opened the passenger door with the intent to follow his partner, Cassie released some of that banked up panic in a frightened shriek.
"Don't leave me!" she screamed. Hating that she sounded so babyish, but still grabbing a piece of Mills uniform over the seat to prevent him from leaving her behind.
"I'll be back soon. You're safe here." He tried to reason. But his openly displayed desire to flee belied his words.
"Please." The fear now creeping not only into her voice, but also into her eyes.
The man grit his teeth, torn between running for his life and the air force values. Serve before self, the harsh voice of his former instructor echoed in his head and Mills made his decision.
"Stay close to me." He instructed the girl as he wound his arm around her middle and used his bigger body to block them a way into the closely huddled mob of fleeing people. Not in the position to decide where to go, they let themselves float in the scared mass and tried to keep a grip at each other. The movement of the knot of people became more and more hectic. And it was so loud! Screaming, grunting, moaning and groaning all mixed together in a desperate and unhuman cloud of noise. Feeling utterly helpless and unprotected Cassie pressed herself tighter to Mills and tried to avoid the arms and elbows that the people around her used to move forward.
Only a few meters later, they both had fully lost their orientation. So, when Mills spotted a relatively clear path through the mass on the right he clutched Cassies hand tight and made a dash for it. But as fast as it had been there the path vanished again, replaced with what seemed like hundreds of people suddenly running in the different direction. The airmen and the girl had not enough time to prepare themselves for the impact. They both grunt out in pain as their bodys collided with the opposing persons. Stumbling clumsily backwards, she extended desperately her arms to find a piece of Mills uniform to hold onto.
She suddenly lost her footing and was stamped down by the madly fleeing people around her. Her first instinct was to curl into a tight ball to ward off the kicks coming her way. But she knew she had to move. If she didn't, they would stomp her to death. Painfully coming to her knees, Cassie didn't even bother struggling to her feet.
Instead she crawled in the vague direction of the guard railing separating the two opposing interstates, in hope for the opportunity to find some shelter there.
For dreadfully long minutes all she did see was the dirty street below her and the hundreds of legs and shoes around her, kicking and trampling her body. Finally the silver shining metal of the guard railing appeared before her and Cassie grabbed onto it. Mobilizing her last strength she pulled herself under the small space between road and railing. There she laid, allowing herself some much needed breaths of air.
Beside her hundreds of people were still running and screaming, but their direction changed again. Abruptly the giant group parted frightened and revealed the most disturbing, shocking and horrendous thing she had ever seen.
Before her laid the lifeless form of airman Mills. His uniform was dirty and tattered. His limbs grotesque twisted. His eyes were lifeless and his facial expression seemed to be frozen in a moment of absolute terror. He seemed to be dead, at least Cassie hoped he was. Because he was not alone.
The breath caught in her throat and she could feel the cold sweat making its way down her temples. Beside him crouched a pale man, clad in filthy jeans and a bloody shirt. His hands were digging deep into Mills belly, ripping and tearing at the smeary and bloody organs and stuffing them in his mouth.
The man was smacking his lips pleasurably as he moved to shove his whole head into his victims body, gnawing at the bones he found there. Soon the pool of blood was so big, that it threatened to soak her own pants.
Cassie tried to move, but her body wouldn't obey. She was held captive in her own body and on a steady way to hyperventilation. Stars were slowly forming before her eyes and the strange ringing in her ears was getting hard to ignore. Gradually loosing control over her body she wasn't able to stop the choking sound that escaped her mouth and provoked the attention of the panting and bloody man. He ended his dismantling of Mills body and staggered over to her. His body moved stiff and his limbs hung loosely from his torso. Head bobbing up and down, a viscous mixture of blood and saliva was dripping out of the wide opened mouth.
As her body eventually caught up with her mind, the fearful paralysis lessened and Cassie was able to move again. Still breathing too fast she crawled backwards and out of reach of this mans greedily outstretched fingers. The staggering figure tried to follow her, more stumbling and falling over the guard railing than climbing. This gave her a valuable time advance. Turning around she realized that the road leading into the city was almost deserted. Just a few sporadic cars sped past. The drivers possibly very aware of what was happening on the other side of the road and therefore not slowing down to help.
Cassie had no time to contemplate why the people on the jammed road were still running around wildly instead of using this part of the interstate to flee. Panic did strange things to otherwise capable brains. A gurgling breath behind her made Cassie aware again of her bloody pursuer and she ran.
Boundless relief flooded her when she saw a military truck standing on the parking lane with hazard warning lamps flashing. Hope pushing her forward she rushed towards the uniformed men emerging from the truck. She knew from the direction they had come from that they would drive back to Colorado springs and that meant away from her mother. But right now, Cassie did not care. She just wanted to get away from this nightmare. Thinking, that maybe she would wake up but not counting on it.
A/N: Finished tormenting Cassie…for now. Next chapter we see what Jack is up to. I don't think he will like it.