around. I shot until there weren’t any bullets left. I grabbed for the other gun in the back of my jeans, but my hands were sweaty and
slipped off. Wheezing, I tried again.
“Sherry!”
I wrenched my head around. A creature – furry-faced and snarling – was coming for me. I heard Joshua loading his gun as fast as he could. Click. Click. Click .
I shot twice at the Weeper and missed both times. My hands shook so much I wouldn’t have hit a target twice the size.
Concentrate, Sherry.
My third shot hit the creature in the shoulder. Strips of dead skin fell off its body, leaving glaring red flesh. It didn’t slow down. More gunshots cracked in the warehouse, followed by
roars and whines, and something that resembled a human cry.
Joshua? Where was he?
Determination burned through me. I managed to hit my target twice more, in the chest this time. The creature stumbled and dropped to the ground. It raised its head a few centimetres and looked
at me with eyes that were too intelligent to belong to an animal. Milky tears poured out of its eyes, sticking to its fur.
Weepers. I wished the name wasn’t so fitting. But it would have killed me. It was either the Weeper or me, and I’d made my choice. Yet it had been a person once. Maybe a dad, or
mom.
Stop it!
I pulled my eyes from the dying creature and looked around. Where was Joshua? My throat tightened, as if invisible hands were choking me. I grabbed a few bullets and loaded both guns as fast as
possible.
“Joshua?” I shouted, my voice quivering. “Joshua!”
Footsteps came closer. Clattering. Something shattered on the ground.
I took aim.
Joshua came running out between two shelves. His right sleeve was torn and blood was dripping down his arm. I pointed my pistol towards him – I’d shoot whatever was chasing him.
“Get out of the warehouse!” His chest heaved. “There are more behind me.”
I whirled around and bolted towards the closed door. Joshua caught up with me. Piles of tyres had been thrown over and were rolling through the warehouse, casting twisting shadows on the walls.
There was movement everywhere. I couldn’t tell the Weepers from the tyres. Dust filled the air, making me cough. Joshua’s legs were much longer than mine – he could have run
faster – but he matched my pace. We jumped over tyres barring our way and dodged the ones rolling towards us. I was panting when we reached the door. I tried to open it, but it was stuck. Or
the Weepers had blocked it. I jiggled the handle as hard as I could, hammered and pushed until my hands burned.
It didn’t move. Not a centimetre.
Joshua turned and shot bullet after bullet. The gunshots no longer hurt my ears. I risked a look over my shoulder. Five Weepers pelted our way, shoving each other and ripping skin off in their
greed to reach us. Two were moving on all fours, the others upright like humans.
I kicked the door and threw myself against it, while Joshua kept firing. Pain shot through my arm. Desperately we crashed against the door together, and it swung open. I fell to my knees and
dropped the gun.
Sunlight blinded me. Joshua gripped my arm and pulled me upright, still shooting. I glanced behind us. Only three Weepers were left standing, but they were close. His hand clasped mine as we
ran, dragging me behind him. It was difficult to keep up with his pace. Without his grip on my hand I would have fallen. Every muscle in my body protested.
The Weepers followed us out of the warehouse, but in plain daylight they were easy targets. Joshua shot another one. The ones left stopped chasing us and disappeared from view.
“Where are they?” I panted, my eyes searching our surroundings.
“Hiding. They must have realized that they don’t stand a chance against our guns.” He gasped for air. We didn’t stop running. Hot air filled my lungs with every ragged
breath. It burned.
It wasn’t long before we reached the Lincoln. We jumped into the car, grateful for its
slipped off. Wheezing, I tried again.
“Sherry!”
I wrenched my head around. A creature – furry-faced and snarling – was coming for me. I heard Joshua loading his gun as fast as he could. Click. Click. Click .
I shot twice at the Weeper and missed both times. My hands shook so much I wouldn’t have hit a target twice the size.
Concentrate, Sherry.
My third shot hit the creature in the shoulder. Strips of dead skin fell off its body, leaving glaring red flesh. It didn’t slow down. More gunshots cracked in the warehouse, followed by
roars and whines, and something that resembled a human cry.
Joshua? Where was he?
Determination burned through me. I managed to hit my target twice more, in the chest this time. The creature stumbled and dropped to the ground. It raised its head a few centimetres and looked
at me with eyes that were too intelligent to belong to an animal. Milky tears poured out of its eyes, sticking to its fur.
Weepers. I wished the name wasn’t so fitting. But it would have killed me. It was either the Weeper or me, and I’d made my choice. Yet it had been a person once. Maybe a dad, or
mom.
Stop it!
I pulled my eyes from the dying creature and looked around. Where was Joshua? My throat tightened, as if invisible hands were choking me. I grabbed a few bullets and loaded both guns as fast as
possible.
“Joshua?” I shouted, my voice quivering. “Joshua!”
Footsteps came closer. Clattering. Something shattered on the ground.
I took aim.
Joshua came running out between two shelves. His right sleeve was torn and blood was dripping down his arm. I pointed my pistol towards him – I’d shoot whatever was chasing him.
“Get out of the warehouse!” His chest heaved. “There are more behind me.”
I whirled around and bolted towards the closed door. Joshua caught up with me. Piles of tyres had been thrown over and were rolling through the warehouse, casting twisting shadows on the walls.
There was movement everywhere. I couldn’t tell the Weepers from the tyres. Dust filled the air, making me cough. Joshua’s legs were much longer than mine – he could have run
faster – but he matched my pace. We jumped over tyres barring our way and dodged the ones rolling towards us. I was panting when we reached the door. I tried to open it, but it was stuck. Or
the Weepers had blocked it. I jiggled the handle as hard as I could, hammered and pushed until my hands burned.
It didn’t move. Not a centimetre.
Joshua turned and shot bullet after bullet. The gunshots no longer hurt my ears. I risked a look over my shoulder. Five Weepers pelted our way, shoving each other and ripping skin off in their
greed to reach us. Two were moving on all fours, the others upright like humans.
I kicked the door and threw myself against it, while Joshua kept firing. Pain shot through my arm. Desperately we crashed against the door together, and it swung open. I fell to my knees and
dropped the gun.
Sunlight blinded me. Joshua gripped my arm and pulled me upright, still shooting. I glanced behind us. Only three Weepers were left standing, but they were close. His hand clasped mine as we
ran, dragging me behind him. It was difficult to keep up with his pace. Without his grip on my hand I would have fallen. Every muscle in my body protested.
The Weepers followed us out of the warehouse, but in plain daylight they were easy targets. Joshua shot another one. The ones left stopped chasing us and disappeared from view.
“Where are they?” I panted, my eyes searching our surroundings.
“Hiding. They must have realized that they don’t stand a chance against our guns.” He gasped for air. We didn’t stop running. Hot air filled my lungs with every ragged
breath. It burned.
It wasn’t long before we reached the Lincoln. We jumped into the car, grateful for its
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