looked down the hill again. "I hadn't thought about it until now."
"Thought about what? What are you talking about?"
With his face as white as the bleached calcium surrounding them, Tom shivered. "The patches of bones. Why we keep coming across areas littered with them. I'd used it as a chance to educate you on which bone was which, but I didn't see the obvious." Losing focus, he rubbed his chin. "I didn't see the bigger picture."
The ground shifted beneath Jake again, and he had to throw his arms out to maintain his balance. "Come on, man, spit it out before I fall back down this bloody hill."
Smacking his own head with the heel of his palm, Tom seemed lost in his thoughts. "Why didn't I see it? I'm such an idiot."
Before he could restrain himself, Jake shook him. "What's going on?"
"The patches of bones, Jake."
"You've already said that."
"So many bones in one place, then none for miles, then another patch."
"And?"
"Jesus, Jake, isn't it obvious? We're stood in the aftermath of a feeding frenzy."
Jake's blood turned cold. If he were honest with himself, he'd been ignoring that same nagging thought. But with Tom saying it so directly, it was unavoidable. From his elevated vantage point, the path they'd taken up the hill looked very different. Each pile of bones had ridges leading away from them like the spokes of a wheel. Ridges made by burrowing creatures. Ridges like the one he was currently stood on.
Jumping away from it, Jake continued looking down the hill. On closer inspection, he saw scratches on some of the lumps of concrete closest to the bones. Scratches much like the ones he saw on the vending machine.
Images flicked through his mind. Flesh being torn free. Gnashing jaws. Dripping blood. "Tell me what you saw chasing me, Tom. Tell me what we're up against." Tell me what kept me awake last night .
Tom shook his head. "We need to keep moving."
Looking down the hill again, his view still no better than about fifty meters, Jake felt the strength drain from his legs. Could he keep going? "Do you think they're following us?"
Bouncing on the balls of his feet, Tom grimaced as if waiting around was causing him physical pain. "Come on, Jake. We need to go."
Flicking his head up, Jake held his breath for a second. "Did you just hear that? It sounded like shifting rubble."
What little color Tom had in his skin vanished. Shaking his head, he set off up the hill again.
"Are they following us, Tom? They could have been on our heels for days and we wouldn't see them through this bloody storm."
"Why do you think I want to keep moving?" Tom called over his shoulder.
Looking at the bones again, Jake's sinuses were suddenly alive with the metallic tang of blood. He could almost taste it himself as if he were part of their ritual. It was like the essence of the feast hung in the air.
Covering his mouth and nose, Jake looked down the hill one last time. He then bent over to pick up a steel pole. Looking at the jagged end from where it had broken free, he tossed it on the floor, the loud clang making Tom spin around. If they wanted to attack them, they would. Carrying a stupid pole would just slow him down.
Spinning around, Jake followed his friend.
***
Frowning, she watched on. It had taken Jake a long time to recognize the piles for what they were. Did he even see the scratch marks on the bones? They'd been damaged by sharp nails resting on them as they were picked clean of every inch of flesh.
Maybe that's how Tom should go? Eaten alive, his throat torn out first so he couldn't scream. Clenching her jaw, she imagined the pressure of her bite breaking his windpipe. It would be his birthday soon. That could be his gift.
Chapter Seventeen
A strange sense crept into Jake's dreams, a nagging feeling that he was being watched. That they were watching him. Opening his eyes, he gasped when he saw Tom staring down at him, his long face just inches away. Scrabbling backwards, the rough ground biting into his
"Thought about what? What are you talking about?"
With his face as white as the bleached calcium surrounding them, Tom shivered. "The patches of bones. Why we keep coming across areas littered with them. I'd used it as a chance to educate you on which bone was which, but I didn't see the obvious." Losing focus, he rubbed his chin. "I didn't see the bigger picture."
The ground shifted beneath Jake again, and he had to throw his arms out to maintain his balance. "Come on, man, spit it out before I fall back down this bloody hill."
Smacking his own head with the heel of his palm, Tom seemed lost in his thoughts. "Why didn't I see it? I'm such an idiot."
Before he could restrain himself, Jake shook him. "What's going on?"
"The patches of bones, Jake."
"You've already said that."
"So many bones in one place, then none for miles, then another patch."
"And?"
"Jesus, Jake, isn't it obvious? We're stood in the aftermath of a feeding frenzy."
Jake's blood turned cold. If he were honest with himself, he'd been ignoring that same nagging thought. But with Tom saying it so directly, it was unavoidable. From his elevated vantage point, the path they'd taken up the hill looked very different. Each pile of bones had ridges leading away from them like the spokes of a wheel. Ridges made by burrowing creatures. Ridges like the one he was currently stood on.
Jumping away from it, Jake continued looking down the hill. On closer inspection, he saw scratches on some of the lumps of concrete closest to the bones. Scratches much like the ones he saw on the vending machine.
Images flicked through his mind. Flesh being torn free. Gnashing jaws. Dripping blood. "Tell me what you saw chasing me, Tom. Tell me what we're up against." Tell me what kept me awake last night .
Tom shook his head. "We need to keep moving."
Looking down the hill again, his view still no better than about fifty meters, Jake felt the strength drain from his legs. Could he keep going? "Do you think they're following us?"
Bouncing on the balls of his feet, Tom grimaced as if waiting around was causing him physical pain. "Come on, Jake. We need to go."
Flicking his head up, Jake held his breath for a second. "Did you just hear that? It sounded like shifting rubble."
What little color Tom had in his skin vanished. Shaking his head, he set off up the hill again.
"Are they following us, Tom? They could have been on our heels for days and we wouldn't see them through this bloody storm."
"Why do you think I want to keep moving?" Tom called over his shoulder.
Looking at the bones again, Jake's sinuses were suddenly alive with the metallic tang of blood. He could almost taste it himself as if he were part of their ritual. It was like the essence of the feast hung in the air.
Covering his mouth and nose, Jake looked down the hill one last time. He then bent over to pick up a steel pole. Looking at the jagged end from where it had broken free, he tossed it on the floor, the loud clang making Tom spin around. If they wanted to attack them, they would. Carrying a stupid pole would just slow him down.
Spinning around, Jake followed his friend.
***
Frowning, she watched on. It had taken Jake a long time to recognize the piles for what they were. Did he even see the scratch marks on the bones? They'd been damaged by sharp nails resting on them as they were picked clean of every inch of flesh.
Maybe that's how Tom should go? Eaten alive, his throat torn out first so he couldn't scream. Clenching her jaw, she imagined the pressure of her bite breaking his windpipe. It would be his birthday soon. That could be his gift.
Chapter Seventeen
A strange sense crept into Jake's dreams, a nagging feeling that he was being watched. That they were watching him. Opening his eyes, he gasped when he saw Tom staring down at him, his long face just inches away. Scrabbling backwards, the rough ground biting into his
Similar Books
