Destiny: Darkness Descending, Part 8

“Well… fuck.” Steve said, his expression grim as a zombie spotted them and released a bone chilling scream that was quickly joined by a dozen or so others before they started running towards the Bronco. “Hold on, this is going to be rough.”

Steve quickly shifted into reverse and floored it. The Bronco spun and Destiny was pushed over with the momentum as he sped backwards and turned them around to face away from the zombies. The road before them was clear.

“Fuck off, shit heads!” Adamson hollered towards the back window as Steve put the Bronco into gear and sped off, quickly putting distance between them and the zombies.

“Was that necessary?” Butler asked quietly.

“Sure was! Felt good, too.” Adamson replied as he turned back to face forwards in his seat.

“Do you have somewhere you want us to take you, Destiny?” Steve asked as he maneuvered through the neighborhood streets.

“Yeah, if it’s not out of the way… Peyton Industries on Highway 74 in the Ortegas.”

“Ohh, I’ve always wanted to check that place out.” Butler said, his tone almost giddy.

“Sure, it’s on our way.” Steve replied, rolling his eyes out Butler’s comment. “Not too far from Highway 74 either.”

Destiny relaxed in her seat with a grateful smile, expecting to be back with her loved ones soon. It took them only an hour to get out of town and onto the highway. After the blocked roads and detours of the town, the group had expected similar poor road conditions, but surprisingly the road was mostly clear. Only a few vehicles blocking one side of the road or the other. They reached the road up to the front gate of Peyton Industries in what felt like record time, and with probably an hour or two of daylight to spare. Excitement zinged through Destiny’s veins, but when the gate came into view it was quickly replaced by horror.

The gate stood silent and open, the guard shack windows shattered and the barrier arm broken into pieces about the ground. The area around the entrance and along the walls was singed black, evidence of a recent fire. Bodies littered the road before them, and through the gate at least a hundred zombies ambling aimlessly near the building. Even from this distance they could see the damage to the building was extreme – the zombies had made it inside.

Destiny felt her heart start to race. Her son, Jacob, had been in there with her sister, brother-in-law, and niece and nephew. Were they safe still below grounds? Did they escape? Were they… dead? That last thought sent a spike of grief through her and tears pooled in her eyes as a soft sob escaped her lips.

“No, oh my god, NO!” Destiny’s wail filled the Bronco before she covered her eyes and leaned forward, rocking herself as the tears flowed and dripped onto her lap.

After a few moments of silence Steve reached over and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, so very sorry. We don’t know if everyone is… gone. They could have made it. Do you know where they would go from here?”

Maybe… maybe they made it. A small kernel of hope nestled into Destiny’s chest. Where would they go? With cell networks down or spotty, Andrea would have realized she’d need to leave a message for Destiny somewhere. Maybe at Andrea’s house? Yes! She’d have tried to get there; it was away from town enough that it might not have been over run. Their nearest neighbor was a few minutes’ drive away. They could be there still…

“I think I know where they might go.” Destiny said, her voice growing stronger as the tears began to dry.

“Tell me where to go.”

Destiny: Darkness Descending, Part 7

“Thanks for the loan.” Destiny said to Steve as she stepped closer to return his bat.
“Sure, anytime.” Steve replied as he took the bat from her. “So -,” A scream interrupted him and Steve tensed, looking around quickly. “We need to go. That was nearby, maybe a block away. Do you have a ride?”
“Umm… no, just my feet.” Destiny replied awkwardly as she met Steve’s gaze.
“Right… look, you don’t know us, but I can’t leave you like this here. You should come with us. You’ll be safe, I promise.” Steve said, his eyes warm and filled with honesty.
“Yeah, please. It’s not safe here. We have a truck on the street, all filled up. We can take you somewhere if you need it, or you can come with us.” Butler said quickly, his gaze pleading.
“Okay, yeah. I don’t think psychos would be so willing to rush to someone’s aid.” Destiny replied with a grin. “Thanks, I really -” Another scream echoed around them, sounding closer than the first. “Right, I think that’s our queue. Let me grab my bag real quick…” Destiny started towards the deck and stumbled, Steve quickly reached out and grabbed her to keep her from falling into the stairs.
“I’ll get it.” Adamson offered before dashing over and snatching up her bag. He eyed the raked before glancing at her, “Did you want to keep that too?”
“No,” Destiny replied with a shaky laugh. “It was all I could find, and probably wouldn’t help anyways. Leave it.” Adamson nodded and hefted her backpack onto his free shoulder.
“You okay?” Steve asked, still holding her steady.
“I think so…” Destiny replied as Steve eyed her with concern.
“Can you walk okay, or do you need help? We’ll have to move quickly, but one of us can probably carry you.”
Destiny stared at Steve for a moment before crushing her pride down. She knew with the way her legs were shaking that she wouldn’t be able to run and would slow them down. That would put them all at risk.
“Okay, yes… it would probably be best if one of you carried me.” Destiny said awkwardly.
Steve nodded, lifted her into his arms, and quickly set off towards the bronco, Adamson and Butler trailing behind. It only took them a few moments to reach the Bronco, but in that time three more screams could be heard, each one closer than the last. As Steve set her into the front passenger seat Destiny could hear more sounds, gurgling and growling, in addition to the screams. They were close, and definitely sounded like more than one.

The men quickly tossed their bags into the back and jumped inside, before quietly closing their doors.
As Steve turned the key in the ignition and the Bronco jumped to life, Destiny spotted the first zombie at the end of the street. Then the second. And swiftly the street was filled with a dozen or more and fear spiked through her as she looked at Steve.

Destiny: Darkness Descending, Part 6

“Where is it?” One of them asked, pushing past the others and holding a wooden baseball bat at the ready. A much better weapon than her cheap rake.

“Down there.” Destiny said with a gesture towards the deck stairs the zombie had just tumbled down. The man’s gaze flew to the zombie and his eye’s hardened as he took a step forward, deadly intent flowing off him.

“No, I need to do this.” Destiny said and he stopped, eyeing her. “Please, this won’t do shit but if I could borrow yours? I’ll give it back, I swear. I just… I just need to do this.”

Destiny let the rake drop to the ground and stepped towards him, her eyes pleading and her hand out palm up.
“Sure, why the hell not.” He said with a grin before placing the bat handle in her open hand. “But if it looks like you’re going to lose we are stepping in, so we’ll be right behind you.”
Destiny nodded and gripped the bat tightly as she turned towards the zombie, which was back on its feet and turning towards them. The rage inside Destiny was louder now, overpowering the fear as she jogged down the stairs. Damage the brain, that’s what all the movies and stories said to do. So that was her target.
Destiny reached the zombie as it fully turned towards the stairs and swung the bat, a growl of rage slipping from her lips. The bat connected hard against the side of the zombie’s head and it fell down again. But Destiny didn’t pause, her swings coming faster as the growl turned into a feral scream of rage. Everything Tom had done to her, to the world, everything she imagined everyone had suffered because of him, all flowed through her mind as she continued to swing the bat.
It wasn’t until a warm hand gently grabbed her shoulder that she finally stopped and realized there was nothing left of the zombie’s head. The rage left as quickly as it had come, taking with it the adrenaline and energy that had filled her and she slouched in exhaustion as she lowered the bat to the ground.
“You okay, miss?” One of the men said from behind her.
“Is anyone okay anymore?” Destiny asked sarcastically as she turned back to them, her arms starting to shake.
“Sorry, dumb question I guess…” The man trailed off and smiled sheepishly at her as he rubbed his bushy, black beard with his free hand. In his other hand he held a crowbar. He was tall and wore a black trench coat over a t-shirt and jeans and a backpack across his broad shoulders.
“No, I’m sorry. Just ignore me. Bad day, you know?” Destiny replied quickly, regretting her sarcastic reply. “So, umm… Thanks for rushing to my aid. And, well, I should probably introduce myself. My name is Destiny Williams, what’s yours?”
“Chris Butler, call me Butler. Nice to meet you.” The man with the black bushy beard said with a warm grin.
“Chris Adamson. Everyone calls me Adamson. ” A man with dark brown hair answered with a tip of his head and a small salute. He was tall as well, but was more narrowly built, and wore a dark colored t-shirt, jeans, and a backpack as well.
“Steve Riley, and unlike these guys I go by my first name, Steve.” The final man replied and Destiny realized he was the one she had borrowed the bat from. His eyes kept dancing around the yard, and he appeared to be alert to not only her but their surroundings. He wore a t-shirt, jeans and a backpack as well, but had a strength and presence to him that made Destiny instantly feel safe. He was a survivor, a protector.

Destiny: Darkness Descending, Part 4

They worked methodically, filling up the tank of the Bronco and all of their gas cans quickly before moving on to the houses. They were on their fifth house, which Steve decided would be their final one because of how late it was getting, and had yet to encounter a single zombie. All four of the previous houses had been unlocked, but this one wasn’t. Steve was just about to tell the guys to move on to the next one when Adamson took the handle of his bat and slammed it through the window on the door, shattering the glass and causing Steve to flinch at the loud noise.

“What the fuck, Adamson!” Butler whispered harshly.

“We could have just moved on to the next house.” Steve whispered with a glare at Adamson.

“But we’re already here.” Adamson whispered back as he reached in and unlocked the door. “Plus, I think I saw a gun case in there.”

“You don’t even know what a gun case looks like, dumbass.” Butler muttered as they edged inside.

“Fuck you, Butler.”

“Shut up, both of you. Just clear the house so we can search and get back on the road quickly.” Steve said with a glare at each of them.

The three of them quickly scanned the first floor for zombies, once cleared they moved upstairs and cleared that as well before starting their search. They had completed the entire second floor and were in the living room of the first floor when glass shattered again. Steve’s eyes instantly went to Adamson, but Adamson shook his head and shrugged.

“God, do you both need a fucking nanny?” Steve asked in exasperation as his eyes settled on Butler. “First Adamson, now you. Can we be quiet? Please?”

“Sorry,” Butler said sheepishly. “Accidentally knocked it down grabbing this.” Butler held up a black crystal dragon figurine before quickly stuffing it into his pocket.

“Not a necessity, dude.” Adamson said as he went back to digging through the cabinet he’d seen through the window – which had turned out to be filled with a coin collection rather than guns.

“Looks badass though, Adamson.”

“Talking isn’t quiet, guys.”

“Okay, okay.”

They finished the living room and were heading towards the kitchen when they heard it – the hollow scream chilling them – both because it was coming from just outside, and also because they knew it would echo through the neighborhood and it was now only a matter of time before more arrived.

“Look what you fucking did, Butler!” Adamson growled as they all dashed towards the back of the house where the scream had come from.

“Me? You made noise fir-,” Butler halted in the hallway and lifted a shaking hand to point out the large bay window to the right of the back door. “Holy fuck, is that a real woman or a dead woman?”

“She’s real, but probably going to be dead soon if you don’t get your ass moving and out of our way so we can get to her!” Steve said with an annoyed push against Butler’s back. “So MOVE IT!”

 

~*~

Destiny: Darkness Descending, Part 5

Destiny was startled awake by a scream, and now stood frozen, staring in horror at the zombie that was running towards her. Running – holy shit, they run! Destiny jerked back at the realization, and instinctively lifted the rake in front of her. She knew it wouldn’t do much, but maybe she could at least keep it between them, or maybe knock the zombie down with it, or something – she knew, though, that if the zombie reached her she was fucked.

Destiny considered turning and running, but her legs still felt weak and the idea of not having eyes on the zombie terrified her almost as much as it getting to her. Instead, she decided to back away quickly to the other side of the deck, she remembered a set of stairs on both sides so she knew she wouldn’t be trapped. As she started to back away the zombie reached the stairs, but stumbled and fell forward onto the deck when it reached the top. Destiny smirked, and would have laughed if not for the icy terror coursing through her veins. At least she had more time to put some distance between them.

Destiny edged closer to the top of the stairs on the opposite side of the deck and was almost there when the zombie stood up and stared at her, it’s face a grayish decomposing mask of rage, before releasing another chilling scream and running towards her once more. Destiny knew she was screwed, she could never outrun it, not in her current condition. But maybe she could dodge it and let it’s momentum take it off the deck, giving her more time… Destiny braced herself at the top of the stairs, prepared to dodge to the side when it got closer.

Time seemed to pass slowly as she prepared herself to leap to the side, and the terror in her chest remained but she felt rage begin to blossom within her. Everything was forever changed, forever ruined, because of these things… because of Tom. If others survived they would be living in a world of fear and horror, the comfort from before gone.

Fuck zombies, fuck Tom. Destiny’s resolve hardened and adrenaline pumped through her veins, filling her with a strength she didn’t know she had. The thing needed to die – both to put it out of its own misery, and to save others from it. She could do this, once it was down she would find a way to destroy it. It might have been a person before but it wasn’t human anymore, she could see that in its lifeless dead eyes. All that remained in it was rage and hunger.

Destiny braced as the zombie approached, she’d use the rake to knock it off balance, send it tumbling over the stairs, then go after it and take it down. She smiled coldly as she swiftly stepped out of the way and slammed the rake into the back of the zombies head as it passed her. It tumbled over, thumping down the stairs and sprawling in the grass of the yard. She took a step towards it when the back door of the house burst open and three men flew out.

Destiny stared at them in surprise. They were definitely alive – each of them carrying a melee weapon at the ready as they first looked at her, then scanned the yard quickly.

Destiny: Darkness Descending, Part 3

As Steve Riley parked the Bronco in front of a row of residential homes in San Juan Capistrano, he realized it had been three days since him, Chris Butler, and Chris Adamson had left San Diego to head towards Arizona to meet up with family. Three days since they had docked from their diving trip, still blissfully unaware that the world had gone to shit and zombies were now a thing – a disgustingly, terrifyingly real THING.

And, he also realized, traffic on the 91 before would have been a cake walk compared to the shit on the roads now – every freeway, every road, seemed to be filled with abandoned cars,  blocked by a multi-car pile up, covered in bodies, or brimming with the undead. A trip from San Diego to San Juan Capistrano took less than two hours before, and that was in bad traffic, but now the road conditions were so terrible that it took them longer to drive than it probably would have to walk that same distance.

But luckily the last couple miles had been almost normal driving – aside from the occasional zombie shambling along the side of the road, you’d almost be able to pretend nothing was wrong. Almost. But the streets were too quiet, too empty, and while the intersections were clear you could still see signs of recent crashes – too much broken glass, too many pieces of metal to have occurred when emergency services were still operational. One intersection they had recently passed through had been surrounded by blackened husks that had once been stores. They had burned long enough to start warping the metal beams inside, and so now all that remained was a sad, drooping remnant of what once may have been a florist, bakery, or coffee shop.

“Hey, we gonna sit here all day or what?” Butler’s deep voice from the passenger seat broke through Steve’s thoughts.

“Sure, seems like a nice neighborhood to die in.” Steve replied with a shake of his head before rubbing his eyes. “We might be able to get some gas siphoned out of some of the cars here, and probably check what we can find in the houses for supplies. We’ve still got room in the back.”

“I’ll get the gas cans,” Adamson said before reaching into the back of the Bronco to grab some of the empty gas cans.

“Ugh, I think I see a body over there. Think it’s actually dead or… you know?” Butler said cautiously as he pointed near a porch.

“Go check it out, just don’t scream like a banshee again and you should be fine.” Adamson said with a snicker as he and Butler got out of the Bronco.

“That was one fucking time, Adamson. And I recall you screamed too, asshole.”

“We all screamed, so drop it.” Steve replied in an annoyed tone as he stepped out of the bronco and quietly closed the door behind him. “Keep your eyes peeled, weapons ready, and always stay in view of each other.”

Their weapons were almost entirely melee, the only exceptions were a M&P 9 pistol and a Remington 870 shotgun they’d found lying next to a police cruiser. They had very little ammo, and since sound drew zombies like moths to a flame, they had yet to use them and mostly relied on a the melee weapons – Adamson had his metal bat and hatchet, Butler had his knife and crowbar, and Steve carried a machete and wooden bat.

Destiny: Darkness Descending, Part 2

Three hours later and Destiny was exhausted. The few cars she found had been locked and, having no idea how to hot wire a car, she continued on. About halfway through her trek she considered stopping and searching some houses to find better shoes since the only ones she could find were some men’s slippers that were several sizes too large, but the fear that she hadn’t put enough distance between her and Tom had pushed her to move on.

But now she knew she had to stop before she fell over. The shaking in her muscles had become almost constant and she had stumbled several times in the last block. It was time to rest. Destiny scanned the silent houses and unkempt yards and decided the one she was standing in front of would do for now. It was still light out and she hadn’t seen anyone, or anything, for the entire trek so maybe it was safe.

Walking towards the front she decided to take the closest gate into the rear yard rather than enter the house. The thought of being inside without a weapon brought to mind all the horror movies she’d seen and books she’d read. Plus she didn’t know the layout of the house, so would have to check all the rooms to figure out escape routes and make sure it was clear… all without a weapon. No thanks, at least outside she could easily tell if the place was clear and where to go if shit went south.

The rear yard was as bad as the front, and the grass was up to mid-thigh. In the back-right corner Destiny could see a shed, and the raised rear deck of the house had several chairs, a table with umbrella, and some loungers. Luckily the entire lawn was the same height, so it was a safe bet that there wasn’t a body, or worse, hidden in the yard.

Destiny stumbled towards the deck but paused halfway there and stared at the shed. She was tired – so very tired – but no matter how much rest she got, she’d definitely be dead if she didn’t have something to protect herself with. Rest would have to wait. With a long suffering sigh, Destiny went to the shed instead.

Luckily the shed was unlocked, but the options inside were limited. Most of the items wouldn’t be helpful – a lawn mower, leaf blower, and a ton of potting soil and planters were just some of the items. The closest thing to a weapon she could find was a wooden handled rake, but the rake was plastic and looked like it would barely damage the dirt let alone an attacker. It would have to do for now, so Destiny snatched it up – on the plus side, it made a great walking stick, so she made better time heading back to the deck and up the stairs.

After a few moments of debating on seating, Destiny finally chose a chair over a lounger. Her body would have preferred the lounger, but with the way she was feeling she wasn’t certain she’d be able to get out of the lounger quickly, if at all. So chair it was – at least they’re padded, Destiny thought as she slowly sat down in one. Oh, and fairly comfy too.

Sleep tugged at her senses, but Destiny struggled against it. She just needed to rest her muscles, she could sleep later. But try as she might, the exhaustion eventually overwhelmed her – and from one blink to the next, she was out.

 

~*~

Destiny: Darkness Descending, Part 1

Destiny woke feeling better than she had in days. She climbed slowly out of the bed, unassisted, for the first time since Tom had injected her with whatever crap that had started this whole ordeal for her. After using the bathroom she returned and sat on the edge of the bed listening. The birds chirping outside and the eerie silence that followed still creeped her out. Before, places had other sounds – dog’s barking, children playing, TV’s or radio’s blasting, the occasional car driving past – but here there was nothing. Nothing but birds and silence. Destiny shuddered. Fuck this place.

Glancing around the room she noticed the angle of the light coming in the window was off from when she normally woke up. It seemed closer to noon than early morning. Strange – Tom usually woke her well before noon if she hadn’t woken up already. Her stomach growled loudly, further emphasizing the lateness. A tiny spark of hope ignited in her chest – am I alone in the house? Destiny quashed it down, she hadn’t been left alone before and couldn’t imagine Tom doing so now. No, either Tom or one of his minions were here. Today would be like all the others, only this time she apparently had to make her own way down to the kitchen.

Destiny changed out of her pajamas and into some jeans and a t-shirt before padding softly down the hall to the stairs. The bedroom doors were all standing open and Destiny quickly determined no one else was upstairs. The house was still silent as she approached the bottom of the stairs and hesitated.

“Tom?” Destiny’s voice wavered slightly as she called out. When no answer came she felt the hope blossom once more. She had to be sure, though, before she took action. Destiny quickly checked the downstairs rooms – empty. The garage – empty. Quietly opening the front door she stepped onto the porch and glanced at the driveway and down the street – empty. Hope flooded through her – she could go now, while she had the chance.

Destiny stepped towards the edge of the porch and paused. What if it’s a trick? Tom’s way of testing her. Would he come out of some hiding place the moment she stepped out onto the street? Hope warred with fear in her before determination set in.

I have to try – if it was a trap, so be it, but she couldn’t stay here any longer. Tom was insane, he had proven that quickly to her. He was no longer the man she once knew. He could swear a thousand times he’d never hurt her, but what he did to others… no, it was only a matter of time before he’d forget his promise. Destiny had to go.

Supplies – shit, I need something to protect myself, food, and water. Destiny dashed back inside to quickly gather items. After a quick search of the house she was satisfied with her haul – a backpack stuffed with canned food, bottled water, a book of matches, a can opener, a spoon, and a bowl. Anything else she needed she’d have to find along the way, including a weapon since she couldn’t find anything more dangerous than a butter knife in the kitchen.

Fear coursed through her again as she slung the backpack across her shoulders and approached the door. What if she spent too long searching and Tom was back now, about to walk through the door? She started to shake as her hand grasped the doorknob. If he was out there she’d be screwed, but she was going to have to risk it. She was too close now, freedom was within her grasp. She held her breath as the door opened and she peeked outside. It came out in a relieved whoosh when she saw the empty drive and street.

A slow grin spread across her face as she closed the door behind her and started down the street. She was free and would do her damndest to keep it that way.

 

~*~

Shadows of Night – Part 1

Liz hurried through the trees, anxiety coursing through her until she spotted the brightness of the clearing and her cabin in the distance – she was only a few moments away. Why had she not paid closer attention to the time? The late afternoon light was fading, and she knew she had to hurry. Night in a forest was never safe before, but even less so now, ever since… The sharp snap of a branch breaking sent a spike of fear through her breast and stilled her thoughts.

Was it? – No, too early…

Liz quickened her pace and sighed quietly in relief when she finally reached the door. Remembering the branch, Liz turned to gaze into the lengthening shadows of the forest. There was still decent light and she could see several hundred feet out, but there was no movement and no sound out of the ordinary.

Probably spooked an animal as I ran past.

Liz shook her head as she stepped through the door and latched it securely behind her. The forest had been quiet for some time, and she’d obviously become lax because of it. Never again – the risk was too great. She’d been careful since it all began – she’d come to this cabin because of its seclusion, hoping it would ensure her safety, instead of fleeing to one of the supposedly safe military camps like many others had. She came alone, of course, since everyone she cared about was… was already gone.

Tears filled her eyes but Liz angrily swiped them away and focused on checking that the cabin was secure. The cabin was small, the size of a studio apartment only, but it held all that she would need – running water from a well, small wood burning stove that she still constantly burned food on, tiny bathroom that barely fit the shower and toilet, and the bed and other furniture.

It didn’t take long to check it was secure as Liz walked quickly around the room checking that all the wooden shutters were latched tightly and that the layers of thick curtains fully covered each one. She couldn’t allow any light to peek through during the night, too much risk that it’d be seen, but she couldn’t stay in darkness – the shadows were where they lived… Liz shuddered and pushed the thoughts aside as she lit the oil lanters and filled the room with their warm brightness.

Liz checked her watch – 5:30 PM. She guessed she had about 60 minutes before it was fully dark outside, plenty of time to try to cook something on the stove. Being a terrible hunter and disgusted at the thought of skinning an animal, Liz survived mostly on canned goods but luckily today she’d found a chicken coop at a nearby cabin with hens and plenty of eggs. Liz smiled as she pulled her backpack off pulled the dozen eggs she’d gathered out.

Praying she wouldn’t crack an egg and find anything but the normal yolk and egg white – god, that would be horrific – Liz quickly lit the stove and started her preparations. 15 minutes later she smiled gratefully as the smell of eggs and sliced potatoes filled her nostrils as she dished them onto a plate – four eggs cracked and all four were only yolk and egg white. She’d definitely made too much food in her excitement as she’d cooked the entire can of sliced potatoes along with the four large eggs. She’d be lucky if she ate half, but it was too late now.

Liz had just set the plate on the table and was heading to get a cup of water when a knock came from the door – the sound, once part of everyday normal life, now filled her with terror. Who could be here? She’d been alone for months – hadn’t seen or heard a single person in that entire time! Who? The knock came again, sending another spike of fear through her that didn’t lessen any when a voice, muffled by the door and layers of thick curtains, followed swiftly behind the knock.

“Hello, is anybody inside? Please, my son and I need help.” The man’s voice sounded desperate, and Liz took an unconscious step towards the door before freezing again – what if it was a trick?

“Please, it’s getting dark, we don’t have time to find shelter.”

Liz walked slowly up to the door but still hesitated. Part of her begged to let them in, she’d be alone so long that just the possibility of human contact had her almost unlatch and open the door. But the pragmatic part had her hesitate again, until she noticed a soft sobbing on the other side of the door and a tiny, fear laced voice, that seemed to stab through her heart with each word spoken…

“Daddy, I’m scared.”

A child – sounding no more than five or six. Just like… Trick or not, Liz couldn’t resist the child’s voice, and she swiftly unlatched and threw open the door. The man stared in surprise for a moment, his son clutched tightly to his chest, before a look of relief washed over him and he dashed inside.

Liz stared into the spreading darkness under the treeline several hundred feet from the cabin before closing and re-latching the door. She had seen nothing out of the ordinary, but that didn’t mean nothing was there. A tiny thread of fear still tightened around her heart, and Liz rested her head against the curtains after they fell back in place over the door as she tried to calm her nerves.

“Thank you,” His voice was stronger now, the deep baritone comforting even, yet it sounded familiar to her. “We probably wouldn’t have made it if you’d not let us in.”

Liz turned from the door, the smile freezing on her face and reassuring words dying in her throat when her eyes met his. She recognized him instantly, even though his face was haggard now from poor nutrition and stress. As if pulled from her very core, his name slipped from her lips.

“Ben?”

Twitter Adventure Status

Hey all, I started this back in early 2019 and, while it was a blast writing it, I haven’t written much on it for awhile… So, I’m leaving it up on the site for now but there is a high probability it has run it’s course and will eventually be removed.