The Ark of Asylum (The Ark Series Book 1) (17 page)

              As everyone goes through a last minute inspection of their gear, Peter finds an area of overgrowth and sets up shop in some tall grass. Once Dave, Jason, and Simon are all set, they pull down their night vision goggles and proceed to move down the hill. Formation is tight when they get to the bottom of the hill, and they stop at the edge of the parking lot. None of the bodies lying on the asphalt have moved, so the tension alleviates a bit. They move across the parking lot with their rifles up, periodically stopping and taking cover behind abandoned cars along the way.

They soon get to the first store in the strip mall, and they continue their pace, moving along the storefronts. The realization that most of the store windows are smashed and their contents looted slows the pace with every empty store they pass by. With doubt and fear of disappointment setting in, they finally get to the health food store that looks the same as the rest. They crouch down in front of the store and peer in at the sight of the unmistakably ransacked and almost empty shelves.

Jason looks at the disappointment on Dave’s and Simon’s faces. “Well, doesn’t that just suck the life right out of you? Well, we didn’t come all this way to window shop; let’s see what they got. Hey, Pete, how we lookin’? Are things still nice and quiet?”

“Things look good from up here. You guys are clear to move forward. How’s the store look? Are we in luck?”

“Ah, hard to say from out here. We’re moving in, so we’ll have a better idea soon.”

              “Copy. You guys be safe.”

              Jason taps Dave on the shoulder, and Dave moves around the corner and into the store followed by Jason and Simon. He immediately kicks a can lying on the ground across the store, smashing it into a shelf and making a loud noise. They pause for a second and then continue to the back of the store.

“Alright, it looks like most of the food’s taken but not all of the supplements, which is good because most of what we’re looking for will be found there. We have our lists, so you guys get to searching and I’ll clear this back store room. Call out over the radio when you’ve found something, so we can all clear it off our lists.”

They all go in separate directions with Jason and Simon searching shelves and Dave going to the back door, which is locked. He thinks to himself how strange it is that this door is still locked, but he just figures whoever looted this place wanted to be out fast, so they hopefully didn’t even bother to check the back room.

He jiggles the handle and puts his ear up to the door only to be met with a loud thud as something smashes into the other side of the door. Dave quickly jumps back and raises his weapon at the door. Something again smashes into the door, but this time it lets out a screech that sends shivers down his spine.              

The screecher bangs on the door in a furious rage, prompting Dave to call for backup. “You guys need to get over here, now. There’s something behind this door.”

As soon as he gets done talking, Simon and Jason appear behind him pointing their rifles at the door. The three of them stand at the door listening to something on the other side trying desperately to get out.

Jason scans above and around the door, trying to find some kind of window to look in and see what they’re dealing with. “Guys, there’s obviously no way to see what’s behind that door, so I say we let sleeping dogs lie and just move on. If that thing hasn’t gotten out by now, I don’t think we’re in any danger of it getting out while we’re here. Let’s just hurry up and get the fuck out of here. Do you guys agree?”

Dave looks over his shoulder at Simon and then at Jason. “That could be the stock room. It could be full of a lot of the items that we’re looking for. I think it would be foolish to leave this. Have you guys found anything off the list yet?”

Simon takes out his list. “Not really. I found a couple of things, not much so far, but we just started looking, so there could be tons of stuff still in here that we haven’t found yet.”

“And there could be tons of shit that we can’t find out here in there. I say we take this mother fucker down and find out what’s in there!”

Jason lowers his head and shakes it. “Damn it, bro. Let’s check the store before we go knocking on hell’s door. There might be everything we need out here. Let’s just check first.”

“You guys got five minutes to find ninety percent of what’s on that list or we’re going in, alright?”

Jason and Simon both nod their heads and break off to search again for supplies, as Dave stands at the door with his grip tight on his rifle. After a few minutes, Peter breaks radio silence. “Contact. Two people entering the opposite side of the parking lot and moving in your direction. Do you copy?”

Simon and Jason meet back up at the back of the store with the same disappointment as before. Dave looks at both of them and then answers Peter, “Copy that, Pete. Moving fast or slow?”

“Moving slow and looking not so alive.”

“Copy, and stand by. Let us know when they get twenty yards from our location.”

“Copy that. Standing by.”

Dave turns away and looks at the door. “We’re out of time, so we’re going in. Rock and roll, boys. Hooah!” Dave steps closer to the door and taps on it and stands back. The thing on the other side smashes against the door again and screeches. Dave aims his rifle at the door and pulls the trigger numerous times, aiming up and down the door, and then he lunges forward, kicking the door in near the handle.

He feels the weight of a man as he kicks in the door. He fires off a few more rounds when the door swings open. An infected man gets off the ground and moves in his direction. Dave fires two more shots into the creature’s head, putting it down. 

He admires his work and looks behind him at his brother and smiles. “That’s how it’s done, boys. Easy as
—
”

Suddenly, out of the dark room comes a man lunging at Dave, catching him off guard and knocking him to the ground. Dave manages to react quickly by spinning in mid air and slamming the man to the ground under him. The man screams as foam propels from its mouth.

Jason pulls his pistol from his vest and puts a bullet in its head, immediately quieting it. Dave looks up at Jason and then spins around again to face the door as he pulls his pistol from his vest and points it into the room.

“Thanks for having my back, bro. I shouldn’t have been so careless and cocky. That’s like a rookie mistake, and it won’t happen again.”

“Don’t mention it, bro. Let’s just hurry up and get the fuck out of here before our two friends show up.”

Dave gets up and moves into the storeroom and clears it, followed by Jason and Simon. They look around at all the new stock and feel a sense of relief. They are going through the shelves looking for items on the list when Peter speaks over the radio.

“You guys need to hurry it up in there. The two people are getting close. I’m also hearing noises behind me, and I’m getting a bad feeling. Are you guys almost done?”

Simon stops looking on the shelves and replies, “We should be done in a couple of minutes. Is everything alright? What are you seeing and hearing out there?”

“I’m not sure, Dad. It’s just some rustling in the leaves, might just be the wind or that dog, but I’m not sure. I’m just starting to get a really bad feeling in my gut. Just make it as fast as you can.”

“We’re almost done, son. Hang in there, but do me a favor; give me a time estimate on their arrival, and then check your six. Just make sure you’re fine up there, alright?”

“Copy. I say you got about a minute or two before they’re on you guys, and I’m turning around to check my six.” Peter gets off the ground and gets to one knee just above the grass and scans the area behind him. The sound of sticks breaking and leaves crunching becomes louder and louder, and he panics. His movements become erratic when he hears movement to the right of him as well. His breathing is heavy as he scans the woods back and forth.

“There’s something out there. You need to get back here now. I’m hearing movement from multiple directions!”

Simon notices the distress and fear in his son’s voice and drops his bag and bolts out of the storeroom. He sprints down the aisles and yells into the radio, “Displace, son. Displace. Leave your position, and move toward us now. That’s an—”

Suddenly, Simon slips on a can and falls into a shelf, bringing it down with him on top of it. The loud crash can be heard over the radio, making Peter very nervous.

“Dad! Dad, are you alright? What was that? Oh shit! They’re almost at the store front!”

Dave runs up to Simon sprawled over one of the shelves and tries to help him up.

“Your dad’s okay, Pete. Just get yourself over here now.”

“I’m on my way.”

Peter forgets to scan the area behind him one last time before he gets up. He throws his rifles over his shoulder and turns toward the hill.

All off a sudden, the movement from the woods becomes close, and Peter hears footsteps in the leaves moving quickly in his direction. He instantly turns around and sees a green-looking human charging him. Before he can react, the human leaps at and hits him, knocking him backward and sending his goggles flying off.

Peter falls backward on the hill and slams his head on the ground. The person lands on top of him just as the rifle discharges from slamming the ground. His eyes desperately try to adjust to the dim moonlight but with no luck. He frantically tries punching and screaming at the man, trying desperately to get him off, but the man weighs too much.

His losing battle is realized when the man’s teeth sink down into his arm. The pain of it induces just a tear as the horror of the situation sets in. He frantically kicks and punches with his free arm and legs. His screams become more and more desperate.

Meanwhile, Jason and Dave both pull Simon off the shelving with a strong lift. Simon says with a look of fear in his eyes, “I heard a gunshot. Let’s move!”

As soon as they get to the door, they are met by the two half-deads, who are coming at them. Their eyes grow large at the sight of the fresh meat only to be blown apart by Dave’s two shots to their heads. Nothing in their way, the men sprint toward Peter while scanning the parking lot.

While it seems to Simon, as he hurries along, that Peter couldn’t possibly be any further away, the creature sinks his teeth further into Peter’s arm.

Peter’s adrenaline finally succumbs to the pain and it hits his brain like a gunshot. Tears roll down his face. He can no longer scream as the terror takes over his body. Peter slowly turns his head away from the man as his eyes try to focus on something moving toward him through the grass. When he realizes another creature is going to attack him, he slowly loses strength. As its face starts to get closer to his, he slowly closes his eyes and contemplates giving up.

Suddenly, the object in the grass growls and jumps on the man on top of him, pulling him off. The man flies off of Peter and lands just a few feet away. Peter can see a dog attacking the man by his neck and holding him on the ground as the man tries to get up. Peter cradles his injured arm with his other arm and gets up off the ground, blood dripping all over his hand. He pulls his pistol from his vest.

“Get off, dog! Move!”

The dog continues to attack the man, not allowing him to get up.

“Move! Leave it!”

The dog immediately releases its grip on the man’s neck and backs away. Just as the man starts to get up, Peter fires his weapon and puts two bullets into the man’s chest and one in his skull. The man’s lifeless body falls to the ground, and the dog stands over it. Peter looks at the German shepherd, who lowers his ears and then his head.

Peter crouches down and puts his hand out. “Come here, boy. It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you. It’s okay. Come here. Good boy.”

The dog hesitates but then very slowly lowers his head again and moves toward Peter. The dog wags his tail when he gets close to Peter, who in turn pets the dog.

“That’s it. Good boy. It’s okay. Good boy.”

Suddenly, the dog’s ears perk up, and he growls. He then quickly moves around Peter and barks toward the parking lot. Peter pulls his pistol up and aims it only to see his dad, Dave, and Jason run up but stop twenty feet away.

Simon tries to get close to his son, but it only aggravates the dog even more. “It’s okay, doggy. Calm down. Good boy.”

Peter pets the dog to calm him down, and he slows his barking but still stands directly in front of Peter, guarding him.  “It’s okay, you guys. This little guy just saved my life.”

Simon looks at the still barking dog and then over to the dead man on the ground. He slowly walks toward them. “Are you alright, son? What the hell happened out here? Where did that guy come from, and what the hell happened to him?” The dog stops barking but continues to growl as Simon gets closer.

“He saved my life. That guy jumped me from behind and got on top of me. This dog pulled him off, and then I shot him. I wouldn’t have been able to get him off of me if it wasn’t for this doggy. He was just too heavy. So, like I said, he saved my life.”

              Dave slowly moves toward them as well, making the dog even more anxious. “That must have been the dog that was following us this whole time. Looks like you’ve got a guardian angel looking out for you. Wait, what’s that on your arm? Is that blood from you? Have you been bit?”