We all followed him up, and my heart broke every time faint moans came from Finn when Uncle Frank shifted him. When we reached the top, we heard them. The Arvies had breached the barrier and were headed up the stairwell. Their horrifying growls sent a shiver up my spine.
We exited the door and tried to secure it as best we could with whatever we had. We knew it was only a matter of time before they reached it and broke through.
“We need to signal the pilot!” Uncle Frank said, searching through his bag for something. Anything.
“What about this?” Ava said, pulling two smoke grenades from her backpack.
“Where did you get those?” Uncle Frank asked.
“My dad’s a pilot. I figured if anything happened to me, or I if got lost, I’d use these to signal them. The pilot said he’d use red smoke for the rendezvous point, so that’s the color I took.”
“Ava, you rock,” I said with a wide smile, as everyone else cheered.
“I know,” she smiled.
Uncle Frank set Finn down, took the grenades and set them off. Red smoke billowed into the air, but the wind picked up and started to carry it sideways.
“Dammit!” he yelled.
The roof started to shake. They were here, and the only thing separating us was one flimsy door. It began banging and rattling. I stood above Finn, and readied Hellfire. I would defend him for as long as I could.
“Would someone up there please help us?” Pike yelled out, looking into the heavens, his arms outstretched.
A few seconds later the wind died down and the smoke began to rise, high into the air.
“Yeehaw!” Peter yelled, and his brothers echoed him. “Who do you know up there to get such a quick response?”
“Oh, you know, me and the Big Guy are like this.” Pike crossed his fingers.
“Hey, whatever works,” James added. They all laughed.
“Well, we’re ready to for whatever comes through that door,” Peter said, standing in between his brothers. They were all armed and ready.
The door wasn’t going to hold much longer, and the growls of the Arvies were getting louder and louder. All of their pounding was leaving huge dents in the door. They were pissed off something fierce.
“They’re almost through!” I yelled. Everyone aimed their guns at the door. “Remember, head or heart shots.”
“Where the hell is the chopper?” Grant asked.
“I hear it! I hear it!” Ava screamed.
She turned to the sound, but I knew better. I kept my eyes on the door, knowing that at any moment it would give. I strained my ears, to hear beyond the Arvies screams, and she was right. The sound of the chopper blades was faint, but I did hear it.
“Peter, when the chopper comes, I’ll need your help to get Finn on,” Uncle Frank said.
“No problem. We’ve got this,” he answered.
“They’re breaking through!” Uncle Frank yelled. “Make every shot count!”
I was confident the brothers and Uncle Frank could shoot, but I wasn’t sure about the rest. I knew what I had to do, and that was to survive and keep Finn safe until help came. I quickly glanced back to his still body. His face looked even paler, and it terrified me. If we didn’t get him help soon, he would die. I wouldn’t let it happen because I knew my fragile heart couldn’t stand it, and would shatter into pieces.
“Hang on, Finn,” I whispered to the wind, hoping it would find him.
Boom! Boom! The top hinge of the door flew off and landed inches from my feet, and then all hell was unleashed.
Arvies poured from the door, their fingers clawing and teeth gnashing. Their opaque eyes dead set on murdering us, and now I knew why. Revenge. They hated us. And as much as I would fight to survive, I couldn’t blame them.
I was glad I took my mask off because it was much easier to aim. I also noticed everyone else had taken theirs off too.
Gun fire and piercing screams thundered through the air around us. My pulse was racing, and my nerves were shot. I’d been in a situation like this before, but wasn’t sure if I was lucky enough to survive another.
I raised Hellfire and unloaded the magazine.
Twelve kills with twelve shots, but the terrifying monsters still rushed towards us. I knew it wouldn’t end, and I knew we didn’t have enough fire power to stop them all.
I quickly ejected Hellfire’s empty magazine and popped another one in.
If the chopper didn’t come soon, we’d quickly run out of ammo and would have to fight hand-to-hand. The thought of coming close to their infected bites was horrifying. And it would be nearly impossible to keep them away from Finn, who was lying vulnerable on the rooftop.
I kept focused and steady. One shot, one kill.
Uncle Frank suddenly yelled, “The chopper is coming! Keep them back and keep your aim.”
My body was instantly jolted with a fresh shot of hope and adrenaline. I timed my shots, waiting until Uncle Frank shot his rounds from his automatic. His weapon took a majority of the Arvies down, but when it was time for his reload, I kicked in. The others seemed to be holding their own. Even Ava was kicking ass.
I emptied another magazine, and while I was ejecting it, Ava screamed, “I’m out of ammo!” Those words cut like a knife, and it felt like losing a limb.
Where was the chopper?
Every second felt like an eternity.
“Ava, get behind me and check on Finn,” I yelled back.
I had four 13 round magazines left. 52 rounds which meant 52 kills, if I was on top of my game. The Arvies were dropping, leaving a pile of bodies, and they hadn’t made contact yet. They kept pushing through, jumping over the carnage, inching closer, and were now about fifteen feet from us.
Three magazines remained, and I could hear the chopper a little louder.
The Abbott brothers were hootin’ and hollerin’, but getting the job done. Whatever they were doing was working for them, and that’s all that mattered.
Arvies were so close, I couldn’t take my eyes off of them for one second. Time was critical. Loss of focus could mean death. I wouldn’t risk it, especially with Finn behind me. I was his only line of defense.
Two magazines left, and they had advanced. They were now eight feet away. Too close for my comfort.
Where the hell was that damn chopper?
“Ava!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, keeping my focus forward.
“Yes?”
“Drag Finn back, as far as you can,” I said, knowing we only had only about five feet to the end.
“The chopper is coming! Minutes away!” Ava yelled.
“Minutes?” I had a few more shots, and one magazine left. This battle would resort in hand-to-hand combat, but I was terrified we would get overrun too fast. These bastards were relentless, and all they had to do was bite us and we were goners.
“Abi!” Ava bellowed.
“What?”
“Abi, I don’t think Finn is breathing!”
Her words were like a dagger piercing through my heart, and against my better judgment I turned around.
“Finn,” I cried, rushing to his side. I dropped down, and handed Ava my weapon. She took it and jumped up to take my spot. “Finn!” I called, pressing my ear to his chest. I couldn’t hear his heartbeat, but then it was almost impossible with the gunfire and chaos all around us.
I quickly placed my fingers to the side of his neck and pressed. Shit! There was a very faint pulse, but he was fading. “Hold on, Finn. Don’t you dare die on me. I love you. Don’t you dare leave me alone on this godforsaken earth!” I sobbed.
Ava came running back to me. “It’s out!” she said, handing me Hellfire. She unsheathed her knife, and so did I. They were coming. This was it. Our final stand.
I held tight to my small sword. One by one they continually charged at us. I charged forward taking them head on, so they would be as far away from Finn as possible. He was the most important person in my life, and I was more than willing to give my life for him.
An Arvy jumped toward me, its eyes wide with hate; its mouth wide open, ready to sink its revenge into me. I thrust my blade upward, pushing it from the bottom of its mouth, up through his skull. Another one advanced, so I yanked my blade out, and thrust it forward piercing its heart. I turned again, sinking the blade into another’s eye.
They kept coming. I dodged a few close bites. Way too close.
I pushed forward like a mad person, yelling and slashing away. I was completely soaked in blood, aiming for their necks, hearts, and eye sockets. Those were the easiest to pierce. Trying to go through the bone in the brain took way too much effort, but my sharp blade sliced right through sinew like butter.
If this was our last stand, I would go down fighting, and take as many Arvies out as I could. I put all of my anger, all of my sadness, all of my revenge - all that was left of my hope - into that blade.
We shouldn’t have been here. We shouldn’t have had to fight. We should have been digging the earth, planting seeds, and building a new home to live in. The only thing we should have worried about were other survivors wanting what was ours. We were never meant to meet thousands of mutated beings who wanted nothing but to slaughter us for revenge.
As I pulled the blade from an Arvy’s chest, I was hit from the side and knocked to the ground. My blade flew out of my reach. An Arvy jumped on me, trying to sink its infectious teeth into me. I grabbed its neck and pushed it back, but it was too strong, and began slowly inching toward my face. I suddenly noticed two more coming, from the corner of my eye.
I was struggling. My arms were shaking, and getting weak from the strain. I didn’t know how much longer I could hold on. I decided to give one last effort, so with a loud shout, I pushed the Arvy back with everything I had, but it planted its feet and thrust forward, slamming my head against the concrete.
Suddenly the world around me began to spin and my eyes started to darken around the edges. No. Not now. I needed to stay alert. I needed to hold on.
I closed my eyes and squeezed the Arvy’s neck with everything I had left, while the world around me was slowly starting to mute.
Hold on, Abi. Hold on. There was gunfire and chopper blades. I felt the swirling wind around me. I prayed help was near.
I tried to stay coherent, but the blow to the head did some damage. As much as fought to stay awake, I could feel myself fading.
Finn. I hoped he would forgive me. I hoped they could save him.
“Abi!” Uncle Frank yelled, but his voice was distant.
I couldn’t hold the Arvy back any longer. My arms were too weak and my brain was shutting down.
My world suddenly went black.
Chapter 23
I could only remember small flashes, and couldn’t tell if they were real or not.
I remembered being on the chopper in-flight, but had no recollection of how I got there. Ava was above me. Her brow was furrowed with concern, staring over me. I turned my head to see what she was looking at and saw the others gathered around a body lying on the floor. Uncle Frank was giving mouth-to-mouth.
Fear and terror instantly rushed through me.
Finn. I wanted to scream out his name, but my words were silent. What is wrong with me? The world around me collapsed and everything went dark.
*****
My eyes fluttered open and I was being wheeled through a white hallway. I was on a gurney. My dad and mom were off to the side of me. I looked for Finn, but he wasn’t there.
I tried to speak, but still no words escaped my lips. My head was throbbing. I was so weak. So tired. I couldn’t keep my eyes open. My hand ached, but I couldn’t even raise it.
*****
My eyes opened again, and I was in a white room, covered with a white blanket. My right hand was bandaged.
“Abi?” My mom’s face suddenly appeared above me. “Stephen, she’s awake!”
Soon, my dad was next to her. Their faces were painted with relief.
“How are you feeling, sweetheart?” my dad asked.
“Finn?” My voice came out in a whisper.
They glanced at each other, and their expressions confused me.
“Abi. Finn’s heart stopped several times, but they did manage to resuscitate him. He’s very weak, and he’s lost a lot of blood. At the moment, they have him stabilized though. Right now he is under constant care. We are all praying and hoping for the best,” he said.
I nodded. At least he was alive. I needed to go to him. I needed to see him. I tried to get out of bed, but as soon as I sat up, everything began spinning.
“No, no, no. You are staying put. You aren’t allowed to move either. I’m going to go get a doctor,” my mom said as she headed out of the room.
“Was I bitten?” I asked. I remembered the Arvy inches from my face before I blacked out.
“No. You weren’t bitten, but you did get a bullet through your hand, and you suffered a bad concussion. Honey, you’ve been in a coma for two days.”
“What? Who shot me?”
“Your Uncle Frank. He said there was an Arvy about to bite you. He didn’t have a clear shot, but he took it anyway. The bullet went through the Arvy’s head and straight through your hand. He feels horrible.”
“He shouldn’t feel bad. Hey…Better a bullet than a bite, right?”
“Right,” my dad smiled.
I noticed a guard standing right outside.
“What’s with the guard outside my door?” I asked.
My dad sighed. “Abi, they have evidence that you and Tina broke some of the rules. They are waiting for you to get better to question you.”
Acid started to erupt in my stomach. “Where’s Tina?” I asked.
“I don’t know. She was taken in for questioning, and word is, her father put her in a cell.”
“Her dad put her in a cell?”
“Yes. I think he’s punishing her, to teach everyone else a lesson. He has no favorites; and anyone, including his own daughter, will be punished if they disobey the laws. He said you both stole private information from a highly unauthorized room. They have both of your fingerprints in the ventilation shaft. Is that true, Abi?” he asked quietly.
I nodded, sadly. “I wanted to tell you… and why are we whispering?” I whispered back.
“They have cameras,” he said, bending over and kissing my forehead. “Sweetheart, this isn’t our hive. There are different rules and consequences here.”
“I know. I’m sorry,” I said.
I suddenly felt completely horrible that Tina was sitting in a cell because of me. Because I wanted to know what was causing the screams behind the biohazard door. She only helped me, and now she was being punished. I hoped she didn’t hate me.
“There’s been talk that the only way we can defeat the Arvies is to join forces with the other US bunker. They have the stockpiles of weaponry and ammunition, and we are running low on both,” my dad spoke softly.
“How will we get there?” I asked.
“Word is, they will have to fly everyone out in choppers as far as they can go, and then return to refuel and pick up the next group. Then, those dropped off will have to trek to another pick-up point about thirty-five miles away, where the other bunker will send their choppers to pick them up. It’s still only talk, but I think if we have any chance of defeating the creatures it’ll have to be done together.”
“I agree,” I said. “Can I go and see Finn?”
“You can’t leave this room, but I’ll try and set up a meeting with the General. In the meantime, please stay put and don’t give them any reasons throw you into a cell too.”
I couldn’t answer honestly, but he knew I wouldn’t get far with a guard right outside my door.
“Promise me, Abi.”
I sighed. “I promise.”
Soon my mom came in with a nurse. She checked my vitals and told me I’d need to stay in bed for at least a few more days.
“Well, we better go and let you rest, sweetheart,” my mom said. She
leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. We’ll be back later this afternoon to check on you.
“Abi, remember to keep your promise,” my dad said.
I nodded.
“What promise?” my mom asked.
“I’ll tell you later,” my dad said. He leaned over and gave me a kiss on the forehead, and then the two of them left the room, hand in hand. I loved my parents, and knew they loved me. I only hoped that if I ever married someone, that we would be as happy as my parents were.
I closed my eyes because I wanted to shut everything off. My medical room was just as bad as a cell. I couldn’t leave, and I even had my own personal guard to make sure of it. I think I fell asleep, but I wasn’t sure how long. I was awakened to the sound of arguing.
There was a nurse outside, talking to the guard. She was an older woman with a southern drawl; dark-skinned, salt and pepper hair pulled up into a bun, and was holding onto a wheelchair in front of her. She had a fierce look in her eyes, and sounded like she was someone not to be messed with.
“General’s orders are that she is not to leave this room,” the guard stated, stepping in front of the door.
“Well, the doctor’s orders are that I am to come and get her. Right now. She is in his care, so if the General has any squawk, he can take it up with him.” The woman pushed the wheelchair forward, making him step to the side. She then pushed past him and wheeled the chair over to my bedside.
“Abigail Park?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“My name is Miss Mable. Sweetie, the doctor told me to come and get you. Now, I know you can’t walk, so I’ve brought this wheelchair. Come now. I’ll help you.” She motioned with her hand for me to get up. As soon as I lifted my head, she put her hand under me to help me up. She then easily lifted me with one arm and set me down into the chair. “There now, that wasn’t too bad, was it? Are you comfortable?”
I felt dizzy and tingly, but I was alright.
“Yes. Where are you taking me?” I asked. I wondered why the doctor would order me to stay in bed and then have someone come and get me. Was something wrong?
She wheeled me out the door.