horizon. Bobby rode on the back of the flatbed with an M-16 trained on the shadows surrounding them. When they reached the turnoff to the cabin, he banged on the roof and pointed towards a steep incline. Doc accelerated and took a run at the icy road with the truck’s double wheels fighting for traction. The rear of the truck slide back and forth as it inched its way up the incline. When they all reached the cabin, Bobby jumped down from the back of the truck and walked over to Doc’s window.
“Got to warn you, Doc,” he said. “Ralph and me weren’t much for housekeeping.”
“That’s alright. How secure is she?”
“Not bad. All the windows are boarded up real good and we cut us some shootin’ holes for when them creeps show up.”
Doc climbed out of the truck and began unpacking. Bobby put his gun down and grabbed a case of food.
“Bobby, can you stay on that gun in case we have trouble?”
“Sure Doc. Just tryin’ to help.”
Inside the cabin, empty bottles and debris covered the floors and a stack of broken furniture sat piled in a corner, ready to fuel the fireplace. There was a flurry of activity as people carried supplies in and garbage out. Bobby and Sully patrolled the perimeter of the property, careful to remain within the glow of the lanterns. Both men knew the creatures could come fast from the dark woods surrounding the cabin.
“It’s all in,” Jesse said, walking over to Doc. “Jimmy’s parking the trucks along the porch to keep them things from getting a running start at the door.”
Suddenly a shot rang out, startling them both.
“Dammit, Bobby. Save the ammo!” Jesse yelled. “Ain’t nothin’ but a squirrel.”
Once unloaded, they settled in, and prepared for a night without the safety of the camp. The younger children slept in a windowless bedroom, while Daniel stayed up to help keep watch.
Jackson put a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “Good thing you knew those mines so well. Or we’d still be on the bottom of that quarry.”
Daniel looked down at the floor. “I should have realized you couldn’t make it through the bars.”
“Listen man, there’s no way you could have known. Besides, you knew about the ledge which saved my life. And you got Jen out safe. That makes you a hero.”
Daniel looked embarrassed by the praise. “Do you think we can keep those things out of here?”
“We’ve got twelve hours to find out.” Jackson turned and watched as Sully boarded up the front door.
C H A P T E R F O R T Y - F I V E
“W elcome home, Barry.”
Unafraid, Barry rose and turned towards the sound of a voice. A woman and a man walked towards him through the splendid gardens of the plantation house. The woman had waist length black hair, translucent white skin and wore a gown with no shoes. The man was dressed in trousers with a leather vest and boots, with black hair slicked back. Both had the same black eyes. The woman stepped closer and took his hand.
“My name is Evangeline and this is my brother Ezra,” she said, gesturing with a delicate hand tipped with long nails. “We are your family.”
Barry stared in silence and everything that came before was gone from his mind. He only knew the present and the moment he now shared with these creatures.
“Come join us, we have been waiting for your arrival,” she said.
Barry followed them across a lush lawn where a mist hung over the ground. The house was brightly lit and the air was filled with the sound of music. Revelers stood along the veranda drinking wine and laughing. The crowd parted as they approached. Onlookers gazed at Barry with their black eyes shining in the light cast by oil lamps hung along an iron railing. A young woman approached and handed him a crystal wine glass. He sipped the wine and let the earthy liquid pour down his throat.
“Specialty of ours,” Ezra said. “We grow the grapes ourselves.” Ezra swept his arm around at the crowd. “All these are your kin,
“Got to warn you, Doc,” he said. “Ralph and me weren’t much for housekeeping.”
“That’s alright. How secure is she?”
“Not bad. All the windows are boarded up real good and we cut us some shootin’ holes for when them creeps show up.”
Doc climbed out of the truck and began unpacking. Bobby put his gun down and grabbed a case of food.
“Bobby, can you stay on that gun in case we have trouble?”
“Sure Doc. Just tryin’ to help.”
Inside the cabin, empty bottles and debris covered the floors and a stack of broken furniture sat piled in a corner, ready to fuel the fireplace. There was a flurry of activity as people carried supplies in and garbage out. Bobby and Sully patrolled the perimeter of the property, careful to remain within the glow of the lanterns. Both men knew the creatures could come fast from the dark woods surrounding the cabin.
“It’s all in,” Jesse said, walking over to Doc. “Jimmy’s parking the trucks along the porch to keep them things from getting a running start at the door.”
Suddenly a shot rang out, startling them both.
“Dammit, Bobby. Save the ammo!” Jesse yelled. “Ain’t nothin’ but a squirrel.”
Once unloaded, they settled in, and prepared for a night without the safety of the camp. The younger children slept in a windowless bedroom, while Daniel stayed up to help keep watch.
Jackson put a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “Good thing you knew those mines so well. Or we’d still be on the bottom of that quarry.”
Daniel looked down at the floor. “I should have realized you couldn’t make it through the bars.”
“Listen man, there’s no way you could have known. Besides, you knew about the ledge which saved my life. And you got Jen out safe. That makes you a hero.”
Daniel looked embarrassed by the praise. “Do you think we can keep those things out of here?”
“We’ve got twelve hours to find out.” Jackson turned and watched as Sully boarded up the front door.
C H A P T E R F O R T Y - F I V E
“W elcome home, Barry.”
Unafraid, Barry rose and turned towards the sound of a voice. A woman and a man walked towards him through the splendid gardens of the plantation house. The woman had waist length black hair, translucent white skin and wore a gown with no shoes. The man was dressed in trousers with a leather vest and boots, with black hair slicked back. Both had the same black eyes. The woman stepped closer and took his hand.
“My name is Evangeline and this is my brother Ezra,” she said, gesturing with a delicate hand tipped with long nails. “We are your family.”
Barry stared in silence and everything that came before was gone from his mind. He only knew the present and the moment he now shared with these creatures.
“Come join us, we have been waiting for your arrival,” she said.
Barry followed them across a lush lawn where a mist hung over the ground. The house was brightly lit and the air was filled with the sound of music. Revelers stood along the veranda drinking wine and laughing. The crowd parted as they approached. Onlookers gazed at Barry with their black eyes shining in the light cast by oil lamps hung along an iron railing. A young woman approached and handed him a crystal wine glass. He sipped the wine and let the earthy liquid pour down his throat.
“Specialty of ours,” Ezra said. “We grow the grapes ourselves.” Ezra swept his arm around at the crowd. “All these are your kin,
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