Four

Four

Written by Shanna Hackett

It was the fourth night. The fourth night of desolation. The fourth night of silence. The fourth night of uncertainty. It was the fourth night of this odyssey and Bailey was beginning to grow hungrier with each step. She had been walking since the car ran out of gas two days ago. “That was inevitable”, she thought to herself as she dragged her worn boots across the asphalt of the desert valley. US Route 50–what felt like the longest road in the country—seemed more dried out and barren than one would imagine. After Fallon fell apart, there was talk amongst a few survivors of something bigger. Someplace with walls, farmland, people working together and protecting each other: a community. Bailey knew she had to reach Delta but the 409 miles of land between the two cities—two states really—seemed to grow exponentially with every junction sign she passed.

Bailey had finally reached Austin, one of the small towns between her old home—now riddled with despair—and her new home brimming with the promise of hope. Keeping the approaching gas station in her sights, she moved forward, filled with the anticipation of finding food there. “One hundred and ten miles down, Bailey. Maybe this trip won’t be so bad,” she said aloud. Ever since the day those monsters appeared, everything changed. No one knew what they were, how they communicated, or how to get rid of them. Bailey was just a kid when they first arrived. She was supposed to graduate from middle school that summer. Her dad never made it home from work. Sometimes she imagines that he’s still out there somewhere, searching for her.

Chloe was her name. The name of the nineteen-year-old troublemaker who took care of Bailey at the beginning of the end. The one who gave her the heart-shaped locket when Bailey was too afraid to sleep in the truck they both escaped Fallon in. Chloe wouldn’t admit she was scared. If she admitted it, that would make it real. She had to choose between being honest with herself or supporting Bailey. She always chose Bailey. Chloe even sacrificed herself when they were targeted by bandits who came across their makeshift campsite. “Empty your bags, real slowlike.” Those were the only words the tall man with the gravelly voice said. Chloe nodded at Bailey, conveying that they should cooperate, before slowly taking her supplies out of her backpack. Flashlight. Thermos. The wind whispered through the trees. Hunting knife. Twigs and branches snapped. Bandages. Matches. The screeching of monsters. Chloe slowly looked up from her bag at the stranger who had held her and Bailey at gunpoint. Bailey shifted her eyes to Chloe only to reveal where Chloe’s true line of sight was directed. Just passed the stranger was an eight-foot-tall, emaciated creature, with snow-white skin, and large disfigured canines. With her hand still in her backpack, Chloe slowly directed her eyes to Bailey and mouthed “Don’t. Move.” The gunman, now visibly shaken by the screech, was beginning to panic. Beads of sweat began to congregate on his forehead. The creature moved closer to the three of them in a jittery fashion, like a jumping spider. Bailey could feel herself trembling as her fight or flight response engaged. She tried to regulate her breathing, but every inhale felt like too much oxygen and every exhale like it was being forcefully ejected from her lungs. Noticing the movement, the creature scurried to Bailey, only inches from her face. The smell of rotting flesh hung on its breath as it shrieked. Without much thought, Chloe knew she had to protect Bailey. She wasn’t just looking after her, they had become good friends while surging together. “And friends help friends always.” she reminded herself. Chloe took a deep breath, filled up her lungs with memories of herself and Bailey, and shouted, “Hey! Over here!”

In an instant, the monster snapped its neck in the sound’s direction and scuttered towards Chloe. With her hand still in the backpack, Chloe swung it at the gun in the bandit’s hand, startling him and causing him to drop it. “Run, Bailey!” Chloe screamed as she dove under the creature’s legs for the gun. Hesitantly at first, Bailey took a few steps back. “Get over he-” The thief attempted to yell, but as he took his first few steps towards Bailey he was swept away with the speed and force of a bullet train. Bailey covered her mouth with her hands to keep herself from letting out a bloodcurdling scream of terror. Gun in hand, Chloe shot at the creature multiple times. It was almost as if she had shot blanks. The bullets bounced right off of the pale, white, armored, leathery skin that surrounded the creature’s frame. The monster turned around and charged at her, demolishing their campsite in the process. Almost paralyzed with fear and shock, Chloe continued to shoot her useless bullets. “Go!”, she yelled at Bailey who took off running, too afraid to look back. Even now, as she desperately searched this Austin gas station for food, she can’t describe what that creature did to the bandit’s body. And refuses to imagine what it might have done to Chloe.