Killshot (Icarus Series Book 1) (28 page)

              “There is no way to know for sure,” Zander said. “There have always been competing theories on that. We do know that the EMP from the flare disabled anything electronic and pretty much any vehicle produced after 1960 would have some sort of electrical components. If, by some small miracle, you could find undamaged replacements, you are still left with the challenge of getting your hands on new circuitry and engine parts— not to mention finding fuel.”

              “What about gas stations?” I pointed down the road at the Kwik-Star.

              “That’s just it,” he shrugged, tossing a rock at a nearby stop sign. “All of the gas pumps are electric too. There are millions of gallons of gasoline buried underground, with no safe way to retrieve it. You could siphon gas from abandoned cars for a while, but eventually the fuel in the tanks would become stagnant and unusable. If you did get a car running, it would only carry you as far as its last tank of gas and then you would be stuck again.”

              “Right,” I said, kicking a chunk of broken concrete ahead of me as we walked. “I guess I hadn’t really thought about that.”

              “Yeah, apparently
nobody
did,” Zander slid his fingers through his hair. “Or they probably would have figured out a way around that by now.”

              “
Awesome
,” I said, wiping sweat out of my eyes, and launching the rock I had been kicking into the side of a nearby house.

              “You might wanna upgrade those shoes, Tinkerbell,” Falisha nudged Riley. “Looks like we’re gonna be hoofing it for a while.”

              “Ugh!” Riley’s poetic response pretty much said it all.

Chapter 28

With a Bang

               A few blocks later, we found ourselves at the Main Street stoplight. To our left was the main drag. To our right was the North Bridge; the big green monster that stretched across the Mississippi River. The bridge and its lesser used southern counterpart, connected Illinois and Iowa at the juncture of two middle-of-nowhere towns. I hitched up my pack and tightened the straps, absently wondering what things were like on the other side.

              Were there survivors over there? For that matter, was there any over
here?
Aside from Gunther and Bella, we had not seen another living soul since we ventured out of the safety of the high school. My thoughts wandered to my little brother and part of me feared the worst. I swallowed the lump in my throat and refused to entertain the possibility.

              My eyes darted all around, watching for any sign of movement within the azure glow that my fancy new night vision provided. Aside from the occasional bits of garbage floating on the faint breeze, there was nothing. The only thing interrupting the eerie stillness was the endless shuffle of our feet as we ambled toward the south end of town. The skeletal remains of trees scraped at the sky like tombstones in an ancient burial ground. The streets and sidewalks were littered with blackened debris, shredded car tires, and abandoned vehicles.

              Everything looked deserted.

              Dead.

              We had just trudged past the old little league diamond when I started to feel that tug in my chest again. Bella’s ears shot up and she slowed her pace, forgoing the lead in favor of trotting along at my side. A soft rumble echoed in her throat.

              “Liv,” Zander whispered, his hand clutching at his chest.

              “I know, Zan,” I muttered. The pain doubled, stopping me in my tracks. “
Goddamn it!
”

              Bella halted short at my hip. Her hackles raised and she lowered her head to the ground as if a predatory approached. She growled into the darkness ahead, her ears flicking every which way.

              “What’s up,” whispered Falisha.

              “I— I dunno,” I said, rubbing at the dull thrum in my chest. “Something just isn’t right. It’s like before, at the Community Center. I just can’t—”

              “Oh, for Christ’s sake!” Micah dropped Riley’s hand and turned to glare at me. “Can we just go, already? Seriously.”

“Micah,” Riley said, grabbing for his hand.

“No, Riley.” Micah bit back at her, then turned back to me. “Liv, we are like maybe five blocks from my house. How about we discuss your psychic alien heartburn, later. For once, could something
not
be about you?”

              “Take it easy, Micah,” Zander warned, one hand on his cousin’s shoulder.

              “No, Z, this is bullshit,” Micah brushed Zander’s hand away and took a step back. “I’m just—God, you guys, I’m fucking over it, okay?”

              “Micah,” Riley reached for his hand again, her brows knit in confusion. He dodged from her grasp, without even glancing at her.

              “What? Is nobody else going to even acknowledge the giant elephant in the room?” His eyes shot to Falisha, then back to Zander and I. “No? So it’s just me, huh?”

              “What are you talking about?” Zander growled, squaring off with his cousin.

              “I’m talking about you, and
this
,” he jabbed Zander in the chest and then gestured wildly in my direction. “You two have this whole alien virus super-hero thing going on, and that’s all well and good, but what about the rest of us, huh? Jack shit, that’s what.”

              “Take it easy, babe,” Riley said, shaking her head at his sudden tirade.

              “I don’t know about you guys, but I sure as hell can’t see in the dark, punch through a brick walls, or leap tall buildings in a single bound,” Micah flung his hands in the air. “I am not super strong, super smart, or super-fast— I’m not super
anything
. I am just a stupid kid, alright, and this stupid kid that just wants to go home.”

              Riley had tears in her eyes, but her expression was blank and unreadable as she stared at her boyfriend. Micah finally looked at her, deflating as his desperation replaced his anger. Zander stood tense at my side, ready to intervene if necessary, but I held his wrist and shook my head.

              “I’m sorry, okay,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Can I just go home?
Please?
”

              “You’re right Micah,” I said, eying him cautiously. “I know you want to get home, and that’s what we are going to do. We just have to take it slow and be careful, okay?”

              “Right, okay, whatever,” Micah said, sagging further into himself, as he turned and stormed off ahead.

              “What the hell was all that about?” Falisha shook her head.

              “He’s just tired, you guys, and worried about his mom,” Riley said, rubbing her eyes. “Let’s just go, okay?”

              She raced up to Micah’s side and tried to hold his hand but he kept his eyes forward, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. After a few seconds, Riley absorbed the rejection and busied her hands with the straps of her backpack. I got that he was worried about his mom, but Micah’s sudden attitude towards Riley was really starting to piss me off. I was trying to be patient with him, but the ache in my chest was making that very difficult.

              “Focus,” Zander said, grabbing my arm gently before I could open my mouth.

              The pull grew stronger with every step forward and I anxiously rubbed at my chest trying to ease that ache. Bella was on edge, her ears flicking forward and back as we trudged silently along. Despite her best efforts, Micah was refusing to talk to Riley (or anyone else, for that matter). After a few blocks, she gave up and fell back to walk next to Falisha.

By the time we reached his street, Micah had already pulled ahead by half a block. As annoyed as I was with his piss-poor attitude and disrespectful treatment of Riley, I could not fault his single-minded determination reach his family.

              We had just turned onto his road, when that invisible force hit me like a punch in the gut. My body and mind waged war on each other, one urging me forward and the other telling me to run away. Zander visibly flinched at my side, his forehead creasing with worry.

              “Go,” I said.

              He took off running and quickly caught up to Micah, but stayed a step behind to give him space. I picked up the pace as well, until I was walking between Riley and Falisha. I hooked my knife onto Zander’s belt, for easy access, and slid my arms through each of theirs, keeping them close. Bella trotted ahead a few yards, frantically sniffing the air.

              “What’s going on?” Riley asked.

              “I don’t know,” I whispered. “Just stay close, okay, and if I say run, you run.”

              “Liv?” she whispered, her voice shaking as her eyes darted around blindly.

              “It’s okay, Ry,” I said, squeezing her arm. “Just do me a favor and get your knife out, just in case.”

              “Okay.” Her hands shook as she slid the lime green handle from the side pocket of her hot pink backpack. “What about Micah?”

              “Zander is with him,” I choked out, trying to overcome the pain that lanced through me as we crossed the street onto Micah’s block. “He’ll be fine.”

              It felt like something was trying to rip through my chest. I took a deep breath, trying to concentrate on my other senses, the sound of my feet on the pavement, the taste of smoke and the impending storm that lingered in the air, but it didn’t help. My fingers and toes started tingling, and my head began to throb. I shifted my focus to my breathing. In through the nose, out through mouth. In through the nose, out through the mouth. The ache only intensified.

              “To hell with it,” I yelled, releasing both of their arms as I took off. “Come on!”

              Falisha and Riley huffed at my heels, struggling to keep pace. We caught up, just as Micah came to a stop in front of a small blue house surrounded by a white picket fence. His hands rested on the top of the gate, his head hung low, his breathing rapid and shallow.

              “Micah?” Zander placed his hand on his cousin’s shoulder.

              “I can’t, Z.” When he lifted his head, there were tears in his eyes. “My mom. What if…”

              “We’ll go together,” Zander said, reaching for the latch on the gate.

              Zander gently nudged Micah behind him and took the lead. My heart leaped up into my throat as I fought the urge to jump in front of him, but Bella must have read my mind. The second it was open she darted ahead, slipping past Zander and through the front door.

              “Bella,” he lunged after her, catching nothing but a hand full of shadow.

              “Stay here,” I said to Riley and Falisha.

              “No way,” they said together.

              “Damn it,” I hissed. We didn’t have time to argue and I wouldn’t have won anyway. “Fine, just stay back and be careful.”

              I grabbed my knife from my belt and flicked open the blade, holding it out in front of me. Falisha and Riley followed suit, brandishing their neon kitchen knives and staying close behind. Sweat dripped down my forehead and rolled off my eyelashes. I wanted desperately to brush it away, but I was afraid to lower my guard for even a second. The thrum in my chest intensified as we inched our way further into the house. When we reached the base of the stairs, I stopped and held my finger to my lips.

              “Zander?” I whispered, listening into the darkness.

              Nothing.

              “Zander,” I said, a bit louder as my feet hit the bottom step.

              A faint growl rumbled from somewhere above us, followed by a high-pitched screech that raked through my mind like nails on the chalkboard. Bella was up there, somewhere, barking erratically as heavy footsteps shook the ceiling overhead.

              “No!” Micah’s shouts echoed through the halls above. “No, stop!”

              “Micah!” Riley shoved past me and bolted up the stairs.

              More heavy stomps echoed between the walls, followed by more screams. A loud bang shook the house like a wrecking ball. I sprinted up the stairs after Riley, with the sounds of Micah’s screams and Bella’s frantic barking bouncing all around me. We rushed down the hallway, to the big bedroom at the end of the hall. I slid past Riley and burst through the door just in time to see Zander’s body go flying across the room.

              It was as if time had slowed and I watched helplessly as Zander’s eyes widened in shock, his arms and legs flailing at his sides. He hit with a thud, five feet from the ground, his back slamming mercilessly into the solid wall. His face went slack and his eyes rolled back in his head. His limp body fell in a heap onto the carpet, broken plaster and shards of wood rained down onto him.

              “God, Mom, stop
please
,” Micah screamed.

              He was backed into the corner of the room, his green knife practically glowing as he slashed it around in front of him. Bella’s barking continued, muffled only by the thin closet door next to him. Micah looked completely terrified. Riley lunged forward, but I held her back as a black figure streaked past me like a shot in the dark. It skittered on all fours and came to a halt as Micah tumbled back against the wall, boxed in.

              “Stay back,” Micah said, but he was not talking to the creature. He was talking to me.

              The animal slunk low to the ground, slowly inching towards him, growling low in its chest. Bella barked, and though I didn’t see her, I could feel she was close. I slid my way past the door and into the room. To my left was a tall dresser, covered in knick-knacks and little statues. I grabbed a ceramic cat and chucked it across the room in Micah’s direction.

              The kitty miraculously hit its target and the creature wheeled around, its sights now set on me. I stepped forward and Falisha and Riley ran past me to where Zander lay motionless on the floor. A low rumble echoed through the bedroom. The creature crept toward me and slowly raised itself onto two feet.

              “Don’t hurt her, Liv!” Micah was sobbing, as he inched his way out of the corner. “Mom, please!”

              “Stay there, Micah,” I hissed, still holding my knife out in front of me.

              “It’s me, Mom. It’s Micah,” he whimpered, rounding the corner of the bed. “Please, Mom, you have to stop this.
Mom
!”

              The creatures eyes were black as night. It sniffed the air and hissed at me from behind the veil of blood-soaked, wavy, blond hair that hung in its face. A thin white nightgown hung in shreds from her chest, exposing the scorched skin on her breasts and stomach. Her lips were all but gone and her teeth were exposed down to the gum. Her fingernails were caked with blood though I had no idea if it was her own or someone else’s. Blisters and oozing pustules erupted all over her arms and legs.