Eve of Man (The Harvest Book 2) (14 page)

“If you get in a bad situation, aim low and pull the
trigger. Ok?”

“Ok.” She placed the gun in her backpack. “Can we go
inside now? I’m hungry.”

“Sure.”

Kyle killed the engine. They grabbed their gear and he
locked up the truck. Before going inside, they kicked snow onto and around the
tires hoping to give the truck the same settled appearance as the other
vehicles in the lot. As a last added measure Kyle tossed some snow on the
windshield. They could always find another vehicle, but he liked this one. It
was new, no remnants of a previous owner to worry about. At the door Kyle
stopped and looked up and down the street. Satisfied it was deserted, he went
inside where McKenna waited for him by the reception desk.

“Should I ring the bell?”

“I don’t think so.” Kyle still had reservations on the
merits of finding more people. Taking on a twelve-year-old was manageable, but
an adult could not be predicted to act one way or the other. “Let’s see what’s
available.”

Behind the desk Kyle found the room keys, realizing
they probably weren’t going to work without access to the hotel’s computer
system. He thumbed over the white plastic cards thinking of what to do. He
glanced behind him at the two office doors standing ajar. From where he stood
he could see one was definitely empty. He suggested to McKenna they setup camp
in the office. This was greeted with much protest and Kyle withdrew the
suggestion. McKenna wanted to go to the top floor, but changed her mind when Kyle
pointed out the elevators weren’t working. Elevators aside, Kyle was thinking
of escape routes and safety. The second floor near the interior steps seemed
the most logical location.

 Using a crow bar he found inside an abandoned
vehicle, Kyle jacked open the door to one room. Once let loose McKenna was like
a kid on vacation, jumping on the bed, running between their rooms, praising
the wonderful amenities of the Best Western. While she examined each nook, Kyle
went about getting settled. He placed the portable heater and an extra cylinder
of propane next to it, which should be enough to get them through the night. He
looked over at the window and wondered if the hotel’s kitchen might have
aluminum foil. He would need to go scavenging before dark set in.

McKenna’s scream startled him. He sprinted into the
other room. She wasn’t there.

“McKenna!”  

“There’s no hot water,” she yelled from the bathroom.

Kyle expelled his breath. “Shit.” He walked over to
the bathroom.  McKenna stood at the sink shining her light on the running
water.

She flashed her light at him. “There’s no hot water,”
she said in a quiet more matter of fact tone.

“I told you there probably wouldn’t be,” Kyle reminded
her.

“I guess I won’t take a shower,” she sighed.

Her disappointment was heartfelt and Kyle, still
feeling guilty for being a shmuck felt compelled to do something about the
water. “Maybe the tank is on a back-up generator. I might be able to get it
working.”

“Really?” Her face lit up.

“Don’t get your hopes up.” He returned to the room 

“I have faith in you.” McKenna sat on the bed watching
him setup the battery powered lantern. Soon a soft circle of yellow was cast about
the room.

“Doesn’t mean anything,” Kyle replied. “I’ve had faith
in a lot of things and they still failed me.” He closed the curtains tight. No
need to cast a beacon for anyone to see.

“They?”

“They. It. Whatever. People and things are not more
reliable or liable to do things simply because you believe in them.”

“I bet you a million dollars we’ll have hot water
tonight,” she persisted.

“Funny girl. Ok, I’ll take that bet and raise you
another million that I won’t.”

“No sand bagging,” she warned.

“Don’t worry. Hot water is worth two million. Now if
you’ll stay put, I’m going to see about losing a bet.”

Kyle walked towards the door, but McKenna jumped off
the bed and ran after him, grabbing his arm. “I’m coming with you.”

Kyle looked down into her frightened eyes and nodded
ok. At times it was hard to remember she was a kid and, in their circumstances,
what kid wouldn’t be afraid. Truth be told, he didn’t want to leave her behind
anyway. With guns in hand, the pair eased the door open checking the hallway
before exiting the room. Kyle guided the door until the broken lock touched the
jam. They waited and listened to the silence of the hotel. He half expected to
see little Danny, from Stephen King’s
The Shining,
riding his bike down
the hall repeating redrum, redrum. A shiver ran the length of his spine.

Down in the lobby they passed by a golden lion encased
in a glass cage. McKenna didn’t look at the lion. She hated stuffed animals.
Their eyes always seemed to follow you. Her dad had a shed full of stuffed
animals out in their backyard. She’d only been in the shed one time. She
shuddered and didn’t think about it anymore. Reaching for Kyle’s gloved hand,
McKenna grabbed hold not looking at him when he turned questioning eyes down upon
her. He thought her brave, but she really wasn’t.

After thirty minutes of wandering around, Kyle located
the boiler room at the back of the kitchen and took a look around inside while
McKenna waited in the doorway. The room was like a concrete cavern. He located
the high pressure steam boiler at the far end of the room. Kyle flashed his
light over the complex control panel and swore under his breath. Hot water was
officially out of the question. Kyle headed back towards the door his thoughts
churning. Maybe he could heat enough water for a bath using the portable
heater.  

McKenna’s scream again startled him, and this time he
knew it was serious. “McKenna.” He ran for the door, but it slammed shut in his
face. Kyle yanked on the handle. Locked! He heard McKenna screaming his name.
She was still near. It wasn’t too late. He yanked the shotgun around and fired
at the lock. The force knocked him back a step. He fired again and then turned
to hitting the knob with the butt of the gun. After what seemed like an
eternity the knob gave way and Kyle yanked the door open.

Kyle burst into the kitchen gun raised, but no one was
waiting for him. He ran from the kitchen into the dining room. “McKenna!” From
outside he heard her screaming. Kyle plowed through the dining room and out
into the lobby like a raging bull. He ran out the front door, where a man was struggling
to put McKenna in the back of his truck. She made this as difficult as her tiny
frame could by kicking and flopping about. Kyle saw red when he grabbed the man
and threw him down on the ground. He pointed the shotgun at the man’s head his
finger itching to pull the trigger. “You ok.” He asked McKenna, not taking his
eyes off the man.

She sniffled. “I’m...I’m ok.”

“Come over here behind me.” He jerked his head over
his shoulder. “Who are you?” Kyle asked the man, thinking it didn’t matter who
he might be. Kyle ached to smash in his face in.

The man stared back at Kyle and sneered, but said
nothing.

“I asked you a question.” Kyle poked him with the
double barrels.

“Let’s leave.” McKenna tugged on his arm. “There’s
time before it gets dark,” she begged.

Kyle glanced at the fading suns, knowing he had little
time for anything.

“Better think fast boy,” the man spat.

“What’d you say?” Kyle stepped on the man’s neck.

“You’ll never make it out alive,” he choked out,
cackling afterwards.

The man’s laughter was dwarfed by the sound of a gun
blast and the shattering glass of the front door of the Best Western. Kyle
grabbed McKenna, threw her over his shoulder and ran inside the hotel as a
second bullet whizzed close by them. Kyle took the steps in twos and threes to
the second floor. Behind him he heard more than one pursuer gaining on them and
kept going right past their room, past their supplies. He’d the foresight to
keep the truck keys in his pocket and knew if they wanted to stay alive reaching
the truck was their only chance. At the steps on the other side of the hotel,
Kyle set McKenna down telling her they had to make a run for the truck. He took
the hand gun from her and when the first pursuer’s head popped out into the
hall, Kyle fired off a shot. Not waiting to see how many were coming after
them, Kyle again took the steps two at time landing on the bottom with a thud.

Outside darkness had fallen, causing McKenna to
hesitate in the doorway, but Kyle yanked her through. If he’d seen what she’d
seen, he might have reconsidered who or what was the bigger threat. They fast
walked blindly across the parking lot not stopping until they almost collided
into an abandoned vehicle. Kyle heard the hotel door open and pulled McKenna
down by the tire. A ray of light scanned the parking lot, but wasn’t strong
enough to reach them and was turned off not to come back on. Whoever was after
them knew not to come out, to not make a sound, for Kyle didn’t hear a word
spoken, but did hear the door close. Now that one threat was removed he had
time to consider others and wonder if he’d made the right decision.

It was too cold to think over choices. He had to get
them to the truck and fast. Kyle grabbed McKenna’s hand and felt his way around
to the back of the car. They moved towards the front entrance going car by car.
If their pursuers were afraid to come outside then he and McKenna could make it
to the truck. The question was did he dare turn it on? The obvious answer being
he had no choice. The heater was in the room. Most of their provisions were in
the room. Kyle cursed himself for not being smarter.  An eternity seemed to
pass before they reached the back of the pickup. Kyle fished the keys out of his
pocket, his hands shook so bad he almost dropped them.

“Shit.” Kyle took a deep breath and forced his hands
to ignore the cold long enough to find the right key and insert it into the
lock.

They scurried into the back of the truck and closed
the doors without making a sound. At least under the camper they were protected
from the wind and prying eyes and whatever else might be lurking in the
darkness. The camper had no side windows which allowed Kyle to turn on the
flashlight.

“Are you ok,” Kyle whispered.

“I can’t feel my toes.”

“I know. I can’t feel mine either,” Kyle replied. “I’m
going to start the truck. I want you to stay back here ok?”

“No. No. I’m coming up front with you.” She grabbed
hold of his hand squeezing hard enough to make him wince.

“Ok. Ok. But let me go first.” He pried her hand lose.
“It’s going to be ok McKenna. I promise. We’re gonna get outta here.”

“Ok,” she replied, sounding unconvinced.

Kyle turned off the light and slid open the windows
leading to the cab. He looked in the direction of the hotel lobby, but saw only
the black abyss. He squeezed himself through the opening and up into the
driver’s seat. He heard McKenna land on the back seat and slide the window
closed. With the key in the ignition Kyle held his breath and turned the key.
The sound of the engine coming to life reverberated across the parking lot.
Inside the hotel a light came on and a beam flashed out panning the lot. Kyle
ducked when it hit the windshield.  The beam waved back and forth one more time
before being turned off. It was now or never. Pulling forward meant driving
right past the front entrance. Behind them was a small curb and what at one
time might have been hedgerow, now a hedge of snow. Kyle thought for a few
seconds, before shifting into reverse and hitting the gas pedal.

Several beams of light came on inside the lobby, and
then exited bobbing and weaving in pursuit. Kyle cranked the wheel and shifted
into drive when the first bullet hit the side of the truck.

“Son of a bitch.” Kyle floored the gas pedal making
the tires spin. Another bullet hit the camper and McKenna screamed. He let up
on the gas until the tires caught traction and the truck catapulted down the
street. The rear fishtailed wildly before straightening out. Kyle checked the
side mirror, letting out a sigh when all he saw was the dark night.

“Are you ok?”

“I’m ok.”

“You can come up here. It’s safe now.”

McKenna stuck her head in between the seats and stared
out the windshield, trying to see beyond the glow of the headlights.

“It’s ok. Those men aren’t coming after us.”

“I’m not worried about them.”

“Oh.”

 McKenna climbed up front, peering into the dark
looking for things, or beings, that didn’t belong. She’d heard the aliens at
night on the roof, their long nails scraping and clicking along. On those
nights she slept under the bed, if she slept at all.

“Maybe we should find somewhere to stay,” McKenna
suggested.

Kyle glanced over at her. The glow from the dashboard
lights was enough to see her frightened expression. He reached over and squeezed
her knee. “We’ll be ok.”

The ‘k’ of ok coincided with a loud screech that shattered
the night. McKenna dove into the back seat and pulled the blanket on up over
her head. Kyle slowed the truck to a stop, cut the lights, and was debating on
whether to turn off the engine when something bumped into the passenger door.
Kyle caught his breath, but didn’t dare turn to see the cause, somehow knowing
that bump came from something not of this Earth. McKenna didn’t make a peep. Another
bump to the hood, to the back, to the roof. The bumps stopped. A minute ticked
off the clock and then another. Kyle’s grip on the steering wheel eased up,
allowing blood to return to his fingers. He leaned back against the head rest
and stared into the pitch black. The air trapped inside his lungs was expelled,
slow and deliberate. The engine fan kicked on startling him. He released the
steering wheel and lowered his hands. Another minute ticked off the digital
clock. Kyle grasped the light lever between his fingers. Two clicks forward was
all it took. A slight flick of the wrist and he would know for sure if they
were alone. But what if he was wrong? He dropped his hand and shifted his eyes
to the glowing numbers on the dash.