Molly couldn’t count the gun shots. They were like a single rapport played out in an echo chamber. The two forms struggling staggered together like a drunken dancing couple and crashed into the soft grass.
“Aw Gawwwwwwwwd!” Camo man’s voice wailed into the night. He was frozen in place with only his mouth moving. A form rose from the darkened shadows and staggered upright. The second figure lay motionless in the grass beside his rifle. Camo man was suddenly fumbling in his pocket to reload.
Among the shadows and vague streetlights, Molly saw an outline face the camo man. The jaw dropped open and a low growl froze time between them. Camo man looked up and his face became covered in shock. The thing took a step toward camo man and the spell was broken. He ducked, turned and ran toward the hotel.
“Awwwww, sweet Jesus!!!!!!!” She heard him sob. “Sweet fucking Jesus!!!”
Molly slowly stood up in the shadows, shoulders shivering uncontrollably. Was it really this cold out all of a sudden? Her mouth had parted slightly as she stared at the thing. It was watching camo man as he retreated down the street. The head then turned slowly back to its motionless prize lying in the grass. The teeth parted in anticipation.
For an instant, a thought seemed to cross its face and it looked up briefly. He was almost handsome, young and once full of life. He wore a checked shirt with crimson rings pocking the fabric. The nose seemed to wrinkle almost imperceptibly. The shoulders hunched with animal intensity. Something is here. The pus yellow eyes scanned the darkness.
He smells me, Molly swallowed. Oh god, he knows I’m here.
It took a step toward her. It was like the shadows peeled back before it and revealed her to him. She felt helpless, naked and frightened. Their eyes met through the shadows and for a second time the jaw opened and uttered an animal challenge.
Molly took a step back and then another. They were slow and careful foot falls. Their eyes were locked and riveted on another. It took another step forward and assumed a ragged stance in front of the body on the grass. Again, it hissed loudly without blinking at her.
Leave..........leave me now. It took a stand in the dark and spoke without words.
Molly backed away faster now and it did not follow. She turned to walk away at a quicker pace with her breath still trapped in her throat. Molly stole a terrified glance over her shoulder. It was making sure she was gone. The eyes seemed to gather what little light was around and reflect it back to her. God damn it, they seemed to glow with an inner fire. Molly was almost running now.
As she crossed the parking lot Molly dared one more look in its direction, satisfied that it had vanquished all threats, the thing turned back toward the dark grass, it carefully knelt down beside the motionless shape that was its’ prize. Two shadows then seemed to meld into a single, larger form and the victor extended his teeth into the soft, precious and still warm flesh.
Her feet felt unsure amid the curbs, grass and corners of buildings. A Wendy’s that had been closed and re- opened as a field kitchen offered no light in the darkness. The glass windows were hidden by wooden boards six feet high. The window peeking over the top of the new barricades gave a pill box impression. It was just another place under siege.
Molly watched the shadows carefully as her pace quickened toward the highway. Each one was a warning, a cold moment in time. The darkness seemed almost mummified. She carefully watched the blackest centers of the shadows, looking for a hint that the sable canvas would move and follow her. Molly’s eyes slowly traversed the territory. On the other side of Third Street a funeral parlor sign etched in concrete caught her attention. She took a fast run across the asphalt divide of the road and slipped in behind the concrete pillar. At one time, it would have been lit by off white, delicate luminescence.
A gentle reminder of services offered that no one spoke about. The lights on the sign had been extinguished long ago. The choices now were cremation or closed casket burial after decapitation. Most agreed on cremation, a final assurance against return. Crouching behind the concrete block with etched characters, Molly pulled out her secure Blackberry and checked the time. She had made the distance from the hotel in a remarkably brief period.
It only felt like a million years inside her head, her heart was playing out her life rhythm loudly. She swallowed hard with a dry mouth and began to walk towards a rusted sign post that was still readable.
TO HIGHWAY 7 HIGHWAY 527
CHEASAPEAKE
There was a gentle incline upwards toward the bridge across the Ohio River. Molly used the terrain to try and stay out of the line of sight of any sentries. They probably wouldn’t be looking this way, anyway. Molly turned three hundred and sixty degrees as she started to walk slowly across the 6th Street exit ramp. She was thankful for the silence of her shoes on the road. The quiet of the night time was far from calming, however. What had she thought back in Elkin?
It’s too quiet.........
It came at her from the sliver of moonlight in the sky. A dark bat-like shape that seemed like it was only visible to her eyes as a shadow that blotted out the stars. There was a barely perceptible hum in the air. It had the same volume of an idling car engine. The form passed over her and landed softly in a small indentation of green and shadows between a squat building and more highways.
Molly instinctively crouched down and eased over the concrete dividers and let the embankment speed up her pace to the awaiting helicopter. The sound of the beast grew louder as she approached. A soldier casually had one foot out of the open side of the machine.
“Evening, Miss,” he smiled. “Nice night for a walk.”
She looked at him for a moment and wrinkled her mouth. This kind of cool never did much for her, false bravado, an almost casual one-uppance.
“Where are we going?” He started to straighten up a bit and prepared to leave.
“That way,” Molly pointed west without breaking eye contact.
“I need you to be more specific, Ma’am.” There was a nasty curl on his mouth. The eyes were hooded orbs.
“That way, will do for now.”
“Ma’am, we’re wasting time.” He leaned forward and raised his voice slightly. “I need to know where we’re going.”
“And I need to make sure you’re not going to kick me out after you’ve found out where Beauragard is.” Molly replied firmly. “So for now, that way will do.”
His mouth opened slowly as he shook his head and leaned back impatiently with a play of his hand to the co-pilot, an invitation to join in the conversation.
“Ma’am.” The co-pilot began. “I need co-ordinates to put into our GPS.”
“Good,” Molly nodded with a sly curve of her mouth. “Put in that way.”
“God damn it, Ma’am.” The soldier piped in and then paused long enough for Molly to cut in:
“Now, who’s wasting time?”
“Sir, we need to get a move on.” It was the pilot now.
The soldier Molly had been parlaying with sighed and made room for her in the entranceway. He took a spot in the rear compartment and looked away. He was done with her for now. As soon as Molly had found a seat and something to hang on to the co-pilot turned to her once again.
“Ma’am,” his voice sounded very young all of a sudden. “Which way did you say?”
“That way,” she replied in a neutral tone with a point of her finger.
The ground fell away as they gained altitude like an almost spectral phantom. As they passed over the bridge, Molly swore she saw a sentry look up to the sky in shock. His face was paper white against the darkness as his features were stone cold in their surprise. A second sentry broke away and fumbled with something on his belt. As he watched