Chapter 14
Darkness has consumed the woods. The silhouettes of trees dance as the wind blows them roughly. I glance back over my shoulder at the glow coming from the small fire keeping everyone warm. My eyes squint as I watch for any sign of movement from Ty. His body lies completely still under the sleeping bag. Sitting next to him, Cano stares off like he’s fixated on something. I follow his line of vision, curious about what’s caught his interest.
With heavy stomps headed for me, I turn to find Travis marching my way. His hands above his head, holding his rifle.
“Hey,” he whispers, “It’s time to do a perimeter check. You can go one way; I’ll go the other. We’ll meet in the middle.”
“Okay.” I pull the handgun from my waistband. The weight of the loaded black pistol feels awkward in my small palm, especially compared to the daggers I usually carry. With every step I take, there’s a snapping sound from twigs breaking under my boots. When I reach the dirt beach on the river, the snapping twigs are replaced by rushing water. The fresh water scent creeps up my nostrils. I stop and stare at the green-blue water as it flows past my feet.
“Who is that?” A voice calls out from behind me.
Aiming a bow and arrow at my face is Jessica. I throw my arms above my head and announce myself, “It’s Isabelle.”
“You scared me.” She says, lowering her weapon.
“Sorry. Perimeter check.” I reply quietly, tucking my gun into the camouflage waistband of my pants.
“Ah, good idea.” Jessica replies. Her eyes squint as she glances around the camp.
“Have you heard anything?” If she had she probably would have checked it out by now, but I ask anyway.
“Not really. Except that quiet friend of yours isn’t so quiet when it comes to that radio.”
“Billy? He’s awake?” I ask. My eyes shift back to the camp. I can’t hear or see Billy anywhere. Instead of joining everyone by the fire, he said he felt more comfortable alone. That way he could listen to the radio for his family. I think he was being shy.
“He was a few minutes ago. I couldn’t understand anything he was saying, but he was being pretty loud. I was actually about to go over there and ask him to be quieter, but the talking suddenly stopped. And then you got here.” Her mouth opens wide letting out a tired yawn.
“You tired? If Billy is awake, then he can swap you.” I peek once more around the fire. The glow reflects off of the radio a few yards away from it. Beside the old radio, Billy sits propped up against a tree. I can’t tell if he’s awake or not, but he’s definitely not talking on the radio anymore.
“It’s okay,” Jessica smiles, “Besides, he doesn’t really seem the type to know how to use any weapons.”
With a chuckle, I reply quietly, “Yeah, I can see why you’d say that.”
She’s right about Billy. He seems like a smart kid, but he’s definitely not skilled physically. I wonder if he even knows how to shoot a gun. Probably not.
I tug the handgun back out of my waistband and whisper, “I’m going to finish the perimeter check, good luck over here.”
“You too.” She replies, holding the bow and arrow up again.
As she walks away, I can’t help but think that she and her family may turn out to be great assets. I turn back to the river and allow the mist to blow against my skin. In this moment, everything in the world seems so calm and peaceful. Turning my gaze to the partly cloudy sky, I wonder if the stars have always looked that bright. It’s been so long since I’ve spent a night under the stars like this.
My body jolts when high-pitched screams echo throughout the gorge. Their shrieks are quickly followed by the sound of shouts and gunfire.
“They’re here! The Grey Ones are here!” Steven yells from the other side of camp.
Clutching the pistol, I sprint up the hill. When I reach the dying fire, two of the creatures are running full speed at the campsite. Their grey bodies glimmer in the moonlight as it peeks through the trees.
My eyes frantically search for Ty. His sleeping bag is unzipped and lying in the dirt a few yards away. I follow Cano’s barking to where he stands in front of the flipped over rowboat. His muscular frame is tensed up as he bares his teeth. Looking closer at the boat, I notice it’s propped up a little and two sets of eyes are peeking from underneath. I would recognize those blue eyes anywhere. The hazel pair beside his must be Allie’s.
I move forward, aiming my pistol at their legs. Two of the three shots pierce its grey skin, causing the thing to roll over. I take aim at the other alien that’s sprinting towards me. My finger pulls back on the trigger in quick succession; firing off a few more rounds. The monster dodges the zooming bullets and uses its claws to climb up a nearby tree. I lose sight of it when it disappears into the branches overhead.
“It’s in the trees!” I scream. My eyes shift back for the injured creature. It’s gone. I search frantically until I find up its long legs disappearing into the branches above.
“They’re both in the trees!” I yell, darting towards Ty and Cano.
Ty and Allie have come out from under the boat and are gripping onto their bow and arrows. Ty freezes with wide eyes, watching the chaos that surrounds him. While he stays still, Allie pushes herself forward. Sliding an arrow against her bow, she pulls back and releases the homemade weapon.
I cover her, and work my way over to Ty. Cano hasn’t left his side. Together, we watch as our group shoots blindly at the sky. When Travis’s gun clicks, signaling he’s run out of bullets, he looks at me. “Get the kids into the boat and out on the river!” He yells as his hands fumble with the ammo in his pockets.
I nod and slip the pistol inside my waistband. Stepping to the middle of the boat, I squat down and flip the it over. My hands grasp onto the edge of the front of the boat and my feet dig into the dirt as I start pulling it backwards. It’s much heavier than I remember it being. Probably because I had Travis’s help. Right when I begin to worry that I won’t be able to make it in time, the boat starts moving faster. On the other side, Jessica is pushing against it with her whole body.
The cold water creeps inside my boots as I move backwards. I hold the front of the boat as it glides onto the water. Shivering, I call back for the kids, “Ty! Allie! Let’s go!”
Ty looks back at Allie and shouts, “Come on, Allie!”
She continues to shoot arrows into the tree tops with her family. For a little girl who thinks men are supposed to protect her she’s being awfully brave.
“Allie! Come on!” Jessica yells loudly.
“No! I want to stay and help!” She’s being stubborn… or she’s too brave to run away. I watch her pull the last arrow off her back and aim it at the treetops. She moves the bow around slowly before freezing. The arrow spins when it releases, flying up into a clearing of branches.
The sound of a Grey One’s high-pitched scream fills the air. Its massive body drops from the tree. Landing in the fire, it continues to scream out, with the arrow sticking out of its right eye. Black blood streams from its large eye as it rolls out of the fire. Engulfed in flames, the grey beast rolls around in the dirt, managing to put out the fire before it becomes too large. It looks dead as it lays next to the disrupted flames.
“I hit it! I hit it!” Allie cheers loudly.
“Shh. Where’s the other one?” Travis replies, looking at the treetops. The branches are swaying in the wind, but there’s no sign of the remaining alien.
Besides the howling of the wind, the night is silent again. I pull the dagger from my left pocket and move quietly towards Ty. Jessica is standing behind me with her bow and arrow drawn, guarding the boat. I stare at the branches, where I can feel the Grey One’s eyes watching us. When I reach the group they’re all huddled together with their weapons pointed at the sky.
“Come on Ty and Allie. We need to get you guys in the boat.” I whisper at Ty’s shoulder.
“No, I’m not leaving.” She says adamantly.
“Yes, you are.” Lill
y replies with a firm tone, picking up her little sister. Her short legs kick as she argues back. Her tantrum doesn’t stop Lilly. She carries her over her shoulder, down the muddy hill to where the boat is waiting. With the group covering us from behind, Ty and I quietly follow the girls back to the boat.
Allie’s angry whispers fill the cool air while she thrashes around violently, “No. I want to help. Girls are supposed to fight back too!”
“No. I need you to be safe. It’s what dad and mom would have wanted.” Lilly whispers loudly, dropping her into the boat. With her shoulders slumped, Allie appears defeated. She watches her family with wide eyes as they continue to search the treetops for the other one.
Water drips onto the old wood from Ty’s boots when he climbs into the boat. “Come on, mom!” He shouts, watching me.
My gaze shifts from him to where Travis is still aiming his rifle into the leafy branches above. “I’m going to push the boat into the water, but then I have to stay here and help your dad.” I step into the river, wincing as cold water fills my boots. My hands wrap over the edge of the boat while I get ready to push it in.
“What about us? Who’s going to protect us on the river?” He cries out. His eyes filled with tears.
I turn to Lilly who still has a shotgun strapped onto her shoulder like a purse. Nodding at the gun I ask, “You have extra rounds for that?”
“Yeah, why?” She replies quickly.
The sound of a piercing scream rings out from above. It’s still here.
“Get in the boat. You’re going to keep the kids safe.” I say sternly. When they found us at the campsite, Lilly was the first one to start shooting. With that amount of bravery, she will be able to protect the kids on the water until we can find them again.
If we survive tonight.
“What about everybody else?” Glancing up at her family, a concerned expression sweeps over her face. “I can’t just leave ‘em there.”
“What about me?” Allie cries. “You can’t leave me alone!”
A frown comes over Lilly’s face. She stares into her little sister’s eyes, silently. With a sigh, Lilly runs her hands through her own hair. The way she tugs at her roots show her stress.
Jessica steps up to her shoulder and asks, “Why aren’t you guys out on the water yet?”
“That’s what we’re working on. I told Lilly to go with them, but she doesn’t want to leave you guys.” I reply.
“It’s going to be okay. You need to help your sister now.” Jessica’s voice is comforting and soft, like a counselor’s.
Lilly’s fingers fumble over the shotgun hesitantly. When she looks into Allie’s sad eyes she replies with an unsteady voice, “Okay. I’ll go.”
Once she’s inside the boat beside her sister, I try to push it deeper into the water, but it’s useless. The boat is caught on something.
When the boat scrapes on the rocks underneath, Jessica speaks up from behind me, “Go to the front and pull. I’ll push from the back”
The cold water rises to my hips. I dig my feet into the bottom of the river and grab the edge. My body shivers as I use all of my strength to yank the boat.
As the boat glides further out onto the river, I glance ahead at Jessica. With a grunt I call out, “Almost there.”
Then something falling from the treetops catches my eye. Jessica screams out when the massive alien lands on top of her. With all of my strength, I try to jerk the boat the rest of the way into the water.
When it proves pointless, I yell at Lilly, “Shoot it in the head!”
She moves the shotgun to her shoulder in an instant. With the double barrels aimed at the massive head she pulls the trigger. A loud bang rings out as large pellets indent into the alien’s armored skin. The monstrous being is only stunned for a moment by the sudden blast to the head. Its claw digs into Jessica shoulders, causing her to scream out in agony. With its other claw, the alien rubs the pellets out of its head, leaving small indentations behind. The armored skin protected it from the blast. Lilly needs to aim for a place that isn’t armored.
“Shoot it where the skin isn’t protected!” I scream. I trudge through the water towards the front of the boat.
Lilly’s fingers move frantically as she attempts to reload her weapon with the shells from her pocket. Her hands tremble uncontrollably in fear. The bullets slip from her fingers and fall into the wooden boat beside her boots. Her body freezes when the creature drops its head back and spreads open its membrane frill cheeks, revealing rows of bloody serrated teeth.
“Oh my god!” Lilly yells out right before it lets out a bloodcurdling scream.
“Jessica!” Steven’s deep voice echoes through the gorge. His scream for her is followed by the sound of gunshots as he and his family shoot at the beast attacking her. Before anyone can make it to her, the vicious alien drags her by her limp leg towards the tree lining.
“Jessica!” Steven screams out again. Rushing after them he disappears in the dense trees.
“Dad!” Jace yells out. He turns and begins to chase after Steven. The sound of screams stops him dead in his tracks. To the right of him are four more Grey Ones, running right at them. “Oh shit! More are coming!” His siblings join him as he shoots at the monsters racing at us. While they try to hold them back, I move to the boat and push it with all of my strength. It scrapes against the rocks as it budges inch by inch.
“Mom, watch out!” Ty yells at me, pointing behind me.
I spin around as the injured being lunges for me with its mouth wide open. I throw my dagger, piercing the back of its throat. The large alien falls to the ground in front of me, choking on the blade.
I turn back to the boat and shove my shoulder into the wooden exterior. My body pushes harder and harder until the boat starts to move. Behind me, the Grey One sounds like a cat coughing up a hairball. When the sounds of gagging and gasping for air stop, I twist back; hoping it choked to death. I jump when my face is only inches from the monster. Its membrane frill covers its mouth as it tilts forward and uses the two small slits in the middle of its face to smell mine. I stand frozen, trying to come up with a plan.
“DUCK!” Lilly screams out.
My body drops in the water quickly at the sound of the shotgun cocking. In the fetal position, I can see the creature reaching its claw fingers for me, slitting my forearm. I cry out in pain. My other hand pulls away from my ear as I cover the new gashes that are bleeding out. The loud blast from the shotgun rings in my ears as pellets pierce into the monster’s grey chest, sending it flying backwards.
My dagger is lying a couple of feet in front of me. Its sharp blade is covered in thick spit and black blood. I grab it off the dirt and use my pants to wipe the slobbered red handle clean. The injured being is only a few feet in front of me. Before I can attack, it uses its long claws to dig into the ground quickly. By the time Lilly has reloaded and cocked the shotgun, it has disappeared beneath the soil.
“Where’d it go?” Lilly shouts.
I run to the large hole and peek inside. The way it runs deep into the soil reminds me of a rabbit hole. The curvature shows it’s headed up the small hill into the woods. Back where Travis is shooting his rifle at another one of them, who’s digging a hole faster than the first. Its body disappearing in less than three seconds. Steven’s family continues shooting arrows and bullets at two of them that are clawing up the tall trees. Silence fills the night when they disappear into the branches above.
“We need to move!” Travis shouts. Beside him, Cano barks viciously at the treetops.
My eyes shift back down at the hole in front of me. Focused on the curved tunnel, I yell, “Travis. I think they’re coming towards-.”
One bursts through the dirt beside him. Its talon fingers wrap around the ankle of one of the older girls. Her screams are muffled when she disappears into the large hole. A voice shrieks, “Natalie”, before a man dives into the hole after her. Two muffled gunshots ring out inside of the earth, followe
d by silence.
They’re in the ground. They’re in the trees. Where can we go? Turning back to the kids I realize one place they’re not.
“They’re not in the river! Get in the water everyone!” I scream out. My back shoves into the boat.
The strong winds have caused the river water to make small waves that end up helping me push the rest of the boat in. While the wooden row boat floats out with Ty, Allie, and Lilly aboard I realize that we forgot the oars by the fire. When I look back up at the camp two grey bodies fall from a tree, landing on one of the younger boys.
“Jace! Help me!” The teenage boy screams out loudly. He tries to fight them off, but it’s no use. They’re too strong for them.
“Tim!” Jace screams out before running after the creatures that are dragging his youngest brother towards the hole.
I sprint up the hill, shooting at an unarmored area on one of the monsters. It lets out a bloodcurdling scream when a bullet pierces through the membrane frill. Its muscular body drops to the ground roughly as the uninjured Grey One continues to pull the teenage boy faster. Jace unloads a clip into its chest, but it keeps moving as the bullets ricochet off its armored skin.
“Jace.” The boy screams out once more before disappearing into the ground.
Claws pop out of the dirt all around us, pulling anyone they can reach. Long nails grip onto Travis’s ankles. Before it’s able to drag him away, Cano leaps on its arm. His sharp white teeth latch on one of its nails. As he shakes his black head from side to side aggressively, the beast lets out a wail. The monster tears its claw out of his mouth and disappears back into the dirt.
Jace dives for the hole to chase after Tim. As his body falls forward, a monstrous being jumps out, knocking him on his back. His head bounces off the ground like a basketball.
Suddenly, high-pitched screams come from afar; like sirens. My eyes quickly shift all around in search of danger. Like a wolf howling in the night, the Grey Ones release deafening screams before disappearing beneath the surface.
Ten seconds of silence pass before I turn around to search for the boat on the river. A few yards away, Lilly has jumped into the water and is currently holding the boat in place. My legs trudge through the cold river as I head over to help Lilly bring the boat back in. The cold water reaches my waist by the time I grab a hold of the edge. Walking backwards, I yank the boat towards shore.
“I couldn’t leave. Not after seeing what happened to Timmy.” Lilly’s voice is unsteady while she tries to blink away tears.
“I saw, I’m so sorry.” I reply quietly.
The wind blows causing my body to shiver roughly in the coldness. I try not to think about it while I pull the boat closer to the shore with Lilly’s help. Cano is watching us from the beach with Travis walking up behind him.
“What’re you doing?” Travis asks from beside him.
“We’re pulling the boat in.” My voice shakes from the wind blowing against my body.
“No, you were right. Everyone needs to get in the water. Women and kids in the boat.” Travis says firmly.
“What about you men?” I respond with a hint of sarcasm. “What are you guys going to do?”
The sound of sticks breaking behind the trees catches our attention. Everyone turns to the woods and points their weapons. Lilly steps up beside me and I take the loaded shotgun from her hands. Pointing it where the sound is coming from, I wait.
When a dark figure emerges a familiar voice calls out, “Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot! It’s Billy!”
“Dammit, Billy.” Travis yells, lowering his weapon. The rest of the group follow his lead, placing their weapons back in their holsters. Still grasping the rifle, he continues, “We almost killed you.”
Jace locks his eyes on Billy and yells abruptly, “Where the hell were you?”
Nervous from the anger misdirected at him, Billy looks down at the backpack in his arms and frowns. “I ran away.”
Jace shakes his head at Billy. He stares at him with a wrinkled nose and replies, “Of course you did.” The group of men behind him roll their eyes as they shake their heads.
Travis sights. “Come on, let’s go.”
Everyone, including Billy, grab their things and head towards the river. With both oars in hand, Travis steps into the water. He treads over to the boat that Lilly is still holding in place like an anchor. After throwing the oars inside, he grabs a hold of the boat so Lilly and I get inside with the kids.
“Cano.” Ty shouts. The large dog leaps through the water like a deer, before hopping inside of the boat with us.
Once everybody is in the water, Travis says, “Alright men, grab a hold of the boat and begin swimming.”
The four remaining brothers circle around the boat. While everyone prepares to swim out, Jace hesitates. “Wait.” He twists back to look over his shoulder at camp.
“What is it?” I ask. I stare past him, but I don’t see anything left behind that we’re going to need. Everyone’s bags and weapons are all placed inside of the boat with us.
“My dad… he never came back.” The rest of his family looks back at the camp and waits for Steven to reappear.
“Dad!” Jace yells. He listens for a few seconds before calling out again, “Dad!”
Nothing.
“We need to keep moving.” Travis says quietly.
“We need to wait for my dad.” Jace replies angrily.
The sudden sound of Grey Ones’ screams in the distance cause us all to jump. I shake my head and say, “We need to leave before they come back to finish us off.”
I can see the tears welling up inside of his eyes. While his head shakes from side to side, he replies softly, “Ok. Let’s go.”