Fatal Reaction, Battle of the Hunted Read online

  “Did they see us?” Amanda asked.

  “I don’t think so,” Bill whispered. “But they know we’re here.”

  Amanda nodded. Earlier in the day, aliens of The Order had begun moving on to the planet. Several of them had witnessed Amanda entering the apartment. They didn’t seem to pay much attention to her except for being a little curious. Susan had stated they wouldn’t harm them as long as they kept to themselves.

  Just then, another sound caught their attention. There was a scraping noise coming from the other room. Bill raced out of the bedroom and Amanda followed.

  They stopped near the kitchen and listened. Silence. Everything was still. Bill stood near the counter and Amanda was standing next to the kitchen table. It seemed as if they were standing there for an eternity, listening. Amanda was just about to say something to Bill when it happened again.

  She cocked her head and listened. The sound was coming from the front door.

  The doorknob turned.

  Someone was trying to enter.

  The door shook against the locks.

  Scared out of her freaking mind, pulse racing, Amanda pressed her shaking hands to the door and leaned forward to peer out the peephole. A dark figure stood outside the door. She sucked in a sharp breath, frightened. Bill protectively pushed her away from the entryway and glanced out the peephole. With his hand, he motioned for Amanda to step back. The entire door began to vibrate and shake. He carefully backed away from it.

  “Hide,” he whispered, pointing towards the hall. He wanted her to go to the crawlspace.

  Amanda didn’t move. She couldn’t. It was as if her feet were glued to the floor.

  “Now!” He waved his arm at her. “Go!”

  Zap! Zap! A bright blue light lit up the living room from behind the vertical blinds covering the sliding glass doors that led to the balcony. There was a loud crash on the stairs just outside the front door. A man screamed from down below.

  Finally able to move again, Amanda ran to the front door and peered outside. The dark figure was gone.

  Bill raced to the sliding glass door and quickly parted the blinds. Amanda ran up behind him and tried to see over his shoulder. The two men that’d been standing on the sidewalk were gone. There was what appeared to be blood all over the concrete, and one of the men’s guns was lying there.

  Amanda ran back to the front door again. She leaned against it and looked out the peephole. No dark figure.

  “We should go get the gun,” she said, unlatching the door.

  “No!” Bill grabbed hold of her arm yanking her away from the lock. “It’s not safe!” He re-latched the door and led her to the back bedroom.

  “But we need it!” Amanda whispered harshly, hurt by his actions. She felt that he was belittling her by discounting her idea. “It looks just like the one we saw in the hospital. You know, the ray gun that disintegrated that man. Turned him to ashes.”

  “Yeah, I remember,” he said, looking back in the direction of the front door. “I’ll go get it.” He put the ladder in place and urged Amanda to climb up inside the crawlspace above the bathroom in the ceiling.

  “You’re not going without me,” she said, stuffing her hands on her hips. “It’s not safe.”

  “Will it be safer if we both go?” Bill shook his head, answering his own question. “There’s no logic in that.”

  “Well, there’s no logic in you going down there, as opposed to me going down there.”

  Bill sighed. He didn’t want to argue with Amanda. “Fine. We’ll wait ‘til morning. If it’s still there, we’ll go down and get it.”

  Frowning, Amanda nodded her agreement. “Okay. Safer in the daytime.” Going down there in the dark when aliens were roaming around wasn’t the brightest idea.

  Bill nodded at the ladder. Amanda grabbed hold of the rungs and took in a deep breath before climbing up into the crawlspace. She hated heights but was thankful for a hiding place. Once up there, she switched on her Maglite and glanced at the sleeping bags tucked away in the corner as well as their backpacks filled with supplies, and the cases of water against the wall.

  Grabbing a pillow from the bed, Bill climbed up a few rungs and handed it to her. “Here’s your pillow.”

  “Thanks,” she said turning to place the pillow behind her. That’s when she heard Bill moving the ladder across the room and then what sounded like the bedroom door closing.

  “Hey!” she hissed, trying to keep her voice low. “Bill?” Amanda peered out the cupboard door into the dark room below. “Aren’t you coming up?” she whispered. “Bill?”

  There was no answer.

  Amanda stopped and listened. She thought she heard the front door open and close. She shined the flashlight around the room. Bill had purposely left her up there and had shut the bedroom door.

  “Damn it!” she cursed under her breath. She had no way down without the ladder. She balled her hands up into tight fists, furious with him for trapping her up there.

  What was he thinking?

  She could hop down from the ceiling but knew that’d make a loud noise. Besides, what good would it do her if she were to land wrong and hurt herself? What if she were to break a leg? Amanda scolded herself for being such a chicken when it came to heights. She also scolded herself for allowing Bill to trick her into hiding. Next time, she’d make sure he climbed the ladder first.

  Furious, she thought of all the things she’d say to him when he returned.

  How dare he treat me this way? That’s when she heard more zapping sounds, and then shrill, high-pitched screeches, unlike anything she’d ever heard before.

  Frightened out of her mind, Amanda closed the cupboard door and scooted over to the wall. She pulled her knees up to her chest and trembled. She listened, waiting for something more to happen. Nothing did. There was nothing but silence. The silence was frightening her more than the shrieking. Holding her breath for what seemed like an eternity, too afraid to breathe; she finally gave in and let it out. The air escaping her lungs was deafening in the stillness. The only other sound was of her rapid heartbeat. Quickly, her anger diminished and was replaced with fear. She prayed for Bill’s safety.

  Chapter 2

  No matter how hard she tried, Kylie couldn’t seem to quiet her breathing. Crouching down in the back of the closet, she tried to maneuver her clothing that was hanging from the hangers by pulling the jeans and dresses in front of her. She hoped to use them as camouflage.

  Squeezing her eyes shut, she prayed for her safety. She prayed for her uncle’s safety and for the boy, Ethan Spencer that lived next door. Kylie had had a crush on Ethan for as long as she could remember but had never spoken to him until after the virus began to run rampant. Ethan was two grades ahead of her in school, a senior. Now he was all alone, just as she was, living in his parent’s house.

  Everyone else that she knew was gone. Her mother, her father, two sisters, cousins, grandparents… they were all gone. Dead.

  A lone tear escaped her right eye. Kylie could feel the warmth as the drop rolled down her cheek, leaving a wet trail that became cold by the time the tear fell from her chin. Sometimes she’d wished that the virus had infected her. She’d prayed that she’d become sick and die. Then she’d no longer be afraid. She’d no longer feel all alone.

  Her Uncle Jack was there with her, but he’d never been close to the family. Therefore, she didn’t really know him. She only knew the stories of his drinking and bar fights that she’d heard her parents talk about more than once. He was known for his horrible temper and him being a womanizer. Her mother hadn’t liked him, and her father would chuckle about it. Her father had told many stories about Uncle Jack in high school. Uncle Jack was her father’s older brother. Older by four years. He had been the school’s number one jock and star quarterback on the football team. He had also been the class clown. His temper didn’t grow out of control until his drinking got out of control.

  Even though Kylie didn’t feel close to her uncle, she�
�d been thankful for his surprise arrival a couple of weeks ago. He hadn’t much to say to her, but at least she was no longer alone in the house.

  Too afraid to move, Kylie tried to ignore the second tear that’d followed the first. She wanted to swipe it away but was too terrified she’d be heard. After the other alien ship had arrived, she’d prepared a hiding spot in the closet just in case. However, she’d hoped not to have to use it. She’d only been asleep for about an hour when her uncle came into her room, shook her awake, and told her to hide.

  Kylie hadn’t asked any questions. Uncle Jack had his shotgun in his hands. She’d heard the front door slam shut as he left the house. Not long after, she’d heard gunshots and what sounded like explosions.

  It’d been quiet now for quite some time. Too quiet, she thought. She’d never heard her uncle return to the house and she wasn’t sure how long she’d been hiding.

  Kylie listened. Silence. She couldn’t hear anything other than her own breathing and heartbeat. Her back, neck, and legs were aching from being curled up in a ball, unmoving, for however long she’d been in the closet. She also needed to use the bathroom. She could no longer hold it. If she didn’t get up to use the restroom, she’d have an accident.

  It should be safe, she thought while trying to make up her mind on what to do. Her uncle had told her to stay hidden until he came back for her.

  What if he never came back?

  Making up her mind, Kylie ran her fingers along the inside of the mirrored closet door. Her fingertips found the metal lip of the door, and she carefully slid it open just a crack.

  Sitting in the dark, with heightened senses, she listened. When she didn’t hear anything out of the ordinary, she slid open the closet door the rest of the way. Parting the jeans and dresses hanging from hangers in front of her, she crawled out onto the beige plush carpet of her bedroom floor. Getting to her feet, she tiptoed to the bedroom door. Before opening it, she pressed her ear to the cold, hard, wood and listened. Still nothing.

  Gripping the clear acrylic jewel shaped doorknob, that Kylie had begged her mother for several years back because she thought it looked like a diamond, she twisted it and opened the door.

  Before stepping into the hallway, she stood next to the doorframe and listened for any signs of life. The house was quiet. She walked down the hallway towards the upstairs bathroom that she used to share with her sisters, cringing, when her foot landed on a squeaky spot. She stopped walking. Her body stiffened. That’s when she felt it. The eerie feeling of being watched. She wasn’t alone.

  Glancing over her shoulder, two glowing eyes, reptilian in appearance, peered at her. A large dark silhouette hovered at the top of the staircase.

  Without thinking, a shrill scream of utter terror escaped her lips as she instinctively lunged for the bathroom. Whatever or whoever it was that’d been stalking her, pursued, crashing into the bathroom door right after she’d slammed it shut.

  Kylie fumbled with the lock, fingers trembling, trying to turn the lock. Once secured, she spun around in the room, her mind reeling. A loud cracking noise made her jump as the wooden door splintered. The creature threw its body against the door. Another crash would take down the door.

  “What do you want?” Kylie screamed. “Leave me alone!”

  She yanked open the bathroom drawers groping around for anything that could be used as a weapon. Her mind raced. She swung open the medicine cabinet by the sink and clutched a pair of scissors used for cutting hair. She then stepped into the bathtub and pressed her back against the tiled wall. She glanced up at the small bathroom window above her. She was too big to fit through it. But even if she could fit, she was on the second floor. She was trapped. Reaching up, she slid open the bathroom window and screamed for help. She prayed her uncle would hear her.

  If he was still alive.

  With two more loud crashes, the bathroom door flew open. Kylie had wanted to die. Or so she thought. But now she wanted to live. She had prayed the virus would take her so she’d be with her family again. Now she prayed for protection. She didn’t want to die. Not like this.

  Kylie gripped the scissors in her hand and screamed at the top of her lungs.

  ***

  Hiro sat in the dark, holding his semi-automatic weapon, watching the parking lot through the window of the restaurant. To the left of him was the commissary. He’d seen something dark move by the building. Squinting, he continued to stare. Something was over there.

  After a moment, he got up from the booth where he’d been sitting near the front door. He walked over to the far side of the dining room and sat down in a booth, staring out at the commissary parking lot to get a better look. He stayed in the shadows and watched, wishing he’d gotten his eyes checked before the virus had hit. His wife had been on his case for years telling him that he needed glasses.

  God, I miss her, he thought. Even her nagging. She’d been one of the first to become infected when the virus hit. Hiro pushed the circumstances of her death from his mind. They were too painful and distracting, and he focused on the shadows. His eyes were becoming tired and dry. He blinked hard trying to re-wet them, hoping that’d help with the irritation. Everything was becoming a bit blurry.

  He had been too stubborn and too proud to admit that his eyesight was waning. Ever since his sixtieth birthday, nearly five years ago now, his eyes had been giving him trouble. However, he’d never admit it. He’d never needed glasses before and had always prided himself on his perfect vision. Now, while staring out into the darkness, he couldn’t tell if he’d really seen something or not. Everything was quiet, but he was positive something had moved. His gut told him that it was something evil. He could feel it deep in his soul. The pit of his stomach burned and clenched with apprehension. His vision was still good, just not as sharp. It was mostly his ability to read small print close up that bothered him. So he didn’t doubt the fact he’d seen something at a distance move.

  From the corner of his eye, he noticed a flicker of something dark to the right of the front door, breaking him from his thoughts. Quickly, he looked back at the door where he’d been sitting just a few moments ago. There was nothing there. He turned to look again at the commissary. Nothing.

  Hiro rubbed his tired, bloodshot eyes. He felt his mind was beginning to play tricks on him due to fatigue. He hadn’t been getting much sleep since the spread of the sickness, and it was starting to wane on him. His temples were throbbing as he fought back a migraine that was threatening to take over. His body was telling him he needed to get some sleep, yet, there was no way in hell that he’d give in to his body’s needs. Sleep was not an option. In a few hours, the sun would be rising, and he could catch a few winks when Sheriff Mike relieved him of duty. They’d made a pact to take turns watching the lot through the night. Neither one of them trusted the others in their group with the responsibility. They were all good people, but not as capable. Hiro had combat training from his youth that’d been ingrained in him. He’d once been a warrior. Now age was catching up with him physically, but he was still a warrior at heart.

  Squeezing his eyes shut against the blazing pain of an oncoming migraine, Hiro told himself that a couple of minutes of shuteye would be all right. With his eyes closed, he listened for any sounds of movement outside. Everything was quiet. His hands gripped the weapon he’d set on the table to make sure it was still there. If anything were to happen, he’d be ready for it.

  Ten minutes passed, and Hiro’s head fell forward, his chin hitting his chest, waking him. With a jerk, his head jolted to an upright position, and his eyes popped open. Scolding himself for nodding off, he rubbed again at his scratchy eyes.

  “Bam!”

  Startled, Hiro jumped at the sound. Something tall and dark bashed against the window in front of the booth he was sitting in.

  Clutching the semi-automatic weapon, Hiro scooted out of the red, faux-leather seat of the booth, and aimed it at the dark shape at the window, but it was gone.

  “Whe
re’d it go?” he whispered to himself. He moved to the center of the dining room and examined the windows. There was no sign of whatever it was that had been at the window. He kept his gun ready, safety off. He walked around the room, staying in the shadows.

  “Bam! Bam!”

  Hiro’s heart leaped in his chest. There was a large, dark shape, more than seven feet in height, near the front door.

  “Bam!”

  He spun around at the sound. Another creature was by the window of the booth he’d been sitting in a few moments earlier.

  Hiro stood in the center of the room, ready to fire if one of the creatures managed to get inside. He waited unsure of what to do next. He didn’t know if the aliens knew they were inside or just speculating. Holding completely still, he waited for their next move.

  The front door began to shake and rattle. It was bolted shut. Hiro took several quiet backward steps towards the kitchen door. He’d need to wake the others in case they needed to escape out the back door in a hurry.

  “Bam! Bam!” There was more pounding against the side window facing the commissary.

  Hiro backed into the swinging door leading to the kitchen just as Sheriff Michael Wilson emerged from the pantry.

  “What’s happening?” he whispered, drawing his gun.

  “They’re here,” Hiro replied.

  “How many?”

  “Two.”

  “Did they see you?”

  “No. They sense me, as I sensed them.”

  Mike pushed past him and peeked out the door into the dining room. A dark figure was passing by the front windows of the restaurant. The one at the side windows was moving away from the building. He closed the door and listened. No more banging. No more anything.

  “I think they’re leaving.”

  “They’ll return,” Hiro said. “They know we’re here.”

  Mike knew he was right. They were going to have to relocate. For now, as long as it stayed quiet, he’d let them sleep. Everyone needed as much rest as they could get before morning.