Chapter four - The Predator

Chapter four — The predator.

 “I got this”.

 Xiao pulls her sword and throws the sheath aside, the zombie stare at her as she lunges forward steadily with her blade pointing straight at it. She makes her first strike, but the zombie swayed slightly and grip the blade of the sword. Blood drops from his palms, but the zombie keeps staring blankly, she tries to pull it, but her effort seems fruitless . As soon as she let go the zombie holds her arm, Strenuously, the zombie twisted the blade and broke it into half, in a split seconds, he shoves the other half into Xiao's neck, and kicks to the ground.

Xiao wrap her hands around her neck as blood spurt out of her mouth.

“Xiao!”

 Mel scream, and pulls out her dagger, the zombie sights her with the corner of his eyes.  He darts his arm forward to cut her with its claws, but Mel slide under his arm, then she stabbed him on the neck. The zombie froze as blood oozed out of his neck. Mel pulls the knife and stabs the zombie repeatedly, but he remains still without flinching as she keeps shoving the knife on his back until suddenly, he holds her.

 Eddy shoots at the zombie before he's able to hit Mel. The Predator el away and dash to Eddy. Despite appearing strong, Eddy is no match for the predator. The lands a blow on Eddy's chest, instantly, Eddy falls to the floor then he lifts him up and slam him on a nearby car. The car glass shatters and the Predator keeps punching again and again with his blood stain hand.

 Larry taps my shoulder, “Keep it busy, I have a better idea”, he says.

I aimed at the predator's head before pulling the trigger. He falls to the ground, and suddenly gets up again. 

“This is not good” I mumble as it turns to me, looking straight at me with rage written all over his face. He growls loudly then black veins appears suddenly on his neck.

 My hands shake with every step the monster takes, I feel ripped apart. I don't know if shooting is going to change anything, but dawdling around as it moves closer won't do me any good. I grip my gun tightly with my wet palms.  I fired multiple shots, but it seems useless as expected, aiming at every part as possible doesn't seem to slow it down a bit.  The bullet keeps puncturing his skin as he gets closer, but he doesn't seem to care. Suddenly, my gun ticks.

“Come on, Not now!” I shout, as my heart begins to pound faster.

 Quickly, I draw out a magazine from my waist pocket, but it slipped from my shaky hands. I bent to pick up my magazine but as soon as I look straight, the predator kicks it away, Now I'm just an inch apart from this dread monster.  As it raises its claw, a car bashed it out of its way. He rolled away and hits its head on a truck, its head went deep into it.

Larry suddenly pushes the door open.” Come on! Get in!!”

I jump in and sat beside Larry at the front seat, Eddy carry Xiao who's still soak in blood, he places her gently into the back seat, Mel stands up and run towards the car. She carries two backpacks and, roughly, she throws it into the car trunk before getting in.

 The predator wounds heal instantly as it got up. My heart raced as soon as our eyes meet

“Go go… Now” I shouted at Larry.

Larry reversed quickly as the Zombie growled like an angry beast and dash towards the car, my heart skipped as it got closer. Larry almost bashed the car against a wall, but he turned the steering quickly to the left side. 

“Adam! The shotgun,” Eddy says to me,

 I grab the shotgun on the dashboard and give it to him. He whined the car door glass and fired multiple shots at the zombie, luckily it slowed it down. The zombie staggered with every shot trying to dodge it but still kept running towards us. 

I looked at the car speedometer, 'fifty kilometers per hour' but this monster still manage to catch up. 

“Take this”

 Mel handed a grenade launcher to Eddy whose body is tucked out shooting at the Predator. Eddy quickly grabbed the grenade launcher, the zombie keeps running like a cheetah chasing a car, while Eddy waits to get a clear shot, he fired the first shot, but the zombie bent down to dodge it, Eddy missed. He shoots again and miss the target, the grenade lands and explodes behind the predator.

“There's only three ammos in it, Eddy make it count” Larry says, as he glances at the mirror. 

Eddy shoots at a tree by the roadside, Luckily, the timing is correct as part of the exploded tree falls on the predator. Finally, we're out of its reach, Eddy stick his head in, and we drive off. 

 ********************

 After a while Larry pulled over, At first, I wonder why he had to. He alight from the car and the others also joined. Oh, I almost forgot, Xiao is still wounded.

 Eddy placed her on the grass floor by the roadside. The whole place seems quiet, the forest at both side show how exposed we are, I just wish we can keep moving, if a hoard of zombie attacks us in this place, it'll be difficult to wade them. I try not to think of what'll happen if the predator gets here. 

 “Easy, easy” Mel said as Xiao Eddy place her head straight. 

The bleeding stops, but the tiny piece of metal can still be seen hanging in her throat. Mel pulled off Xiao's neckerchief, soaked in blood. Our bags are stacked with little food but loads of weapon, without any first aid kit, who could imagine we'll be needing it.

 “We need to widen the wound surface, the blade is being enclosed by her flesh trying to heal, get me something I can use in pulling out this blade." Eddy sounds like an expert in surgeon.

 Larry rush to the car and search  around the car while Mel keeps trying to soothe Xiao with assuring words, but I doubt that's effective now.

“Found it” Larry says as he hurried back to Eddy, he hands over a pair of pliers to him.

“Exactly what I need” He says, as he collects the pliers, then he turns to Mel “I want you to hold her head firmly when I pull the blade out, she may try to move during the process”.

 Mel shook her head, then Larry pulls her bandanna, and shoved it into Xiao's mouth. “Bite this” He said.

 Eddy slit her neck slowly with a dagger, with fresh blood oozing out of her neck while she breathes in. After making a small opening, Eddy shoves the pliers carefully into Xiao's neck, which is almost covered in blood. He pinched the blade with the pliers, impulsively, Xiao's eyes widened. She made a low grunt as Eddy pulled the blade, her face reddened as Eddy keeps pulling. Blood spurts out of her neck, splashing on Eddy's face. And Finally, Eddy pulls out the blade.

 He drops it to the ground close to me while I look at it carefully, it's longer than I thought.  I turn to Xiao, who's suddenly covered in sweat. Gradually, her wound enclose then she sat up and pulled the piece of clothing in her mouth, she utter some words that I don't really understands, then throws it to the ground and sigh in relief.

 “How are you feeling?” Mel asks, holding her hands.

 “Better” She replied with a smile which faded quickly.

She stood on her feet immediately. “We have to get going, it's getting late,” She says.

We all got into the car, this time Eddy sits beside Larry in front, while I sit between the girls. As soon as Larry starts the car, a spark echo, then fumes stream in through the dashboard from the bonnet.  We all rushed out, coughing and gasping for breath, what could have gone wrong? This car isn't faulty before Larry pulled over and parked, now that we're in the middle of nowhere, we are exposed, and we're not even sure if that thing is not still following us.

 “Shit! Gasket”

Larry kicks the car as he looks into the bonnet, the fumes are starting to fade. He shuts the bonnet and sits on it. For sure, we're going to continue our journey on foot. 

“We have to keep moving, it's getting late,” Eddy says, as he opens the car and throws our bags at us. Larry opened the bonnet again and pulls out the car battery. He pulled the car inner, rear and front lights, and shoved it quickly into his backpack.

“We need the lights” He says, as he walks past me.

We walk down the desolate road with our eyes open, we're at the peak of alertness, knowing that there's something much stronger than us.

 “How many meters have we covered so far?” Eddy asked Xiao, whose eyes are fixed on her cracked tablet screen.

“Forty Kilometers to the facility” Xiao responded. “We still have a long way”.

 ******************

After walking for hours in the forest without stopping, it's strange that we haven't come across any Zombie.

 Finally, we spotted a small canopy in the forest, it's opened and no one is inside, I guess that's where we will be spending the night. The canopy isn't large enough for the five of us, probably only two people will be sleeping inside tonight.

 Larry connects the light with some wires, then he placed it on the battery. The whole place brighten, we all sit and rest after the long hours journey. I dipped my hand into my backpack, I drew out what's left for eating; an energy bar, two sausages and a small amount of water remaining. I try not to think of what's going to happen to me once I run out of food, unfortunately it's not only me, Larry already run out of, while the others are soon going to be like him soon. The stores we encountered are mostly ransacked of food items, leaving other invaluable items. I cut my once large piece of sausage and gave it to Larry, he shook his head and collects it from me, then he gobbled it quickly, drinks the small amount of water remaining in his bottle, he tosses it aside and sighed in relief.

 We all sat in silence as insect in the forest feast on us, I gave up trying to kill the insect as I keep slapping myself.

 “Are we just going to sit and pretend that the five of us got our asses whooped?” Mel says.

“I hate to think of it” Eddy respond.

“We have to, there's a tendency that he's following us, you saw how fast he could run”

“So? What do you suggest we do?” Larry asks as he pulls out his earpiece. “We've tried headshot, close combat, explosion and this thing keeps healing like…” His voice trailed off as he tries to think of what to compare the Predator with.

“It heals like us” I complete his sentence.

 “How many more of the predator are out here?”. A shiver runs down my spine as Larry ask, but I try not to think of it, we are supposed to be the predator now we're the prey.

“Larry is right” Xiao says.

 “Who knows how many of those things are out here as we speak, and what if…” Her voice trailed off then she shook her head, “I prefer not to think about it, there's no way that thing was once like us, it may heal faster like us, but I don't think it's the next chain of mutation”.

“Are you even sure the cure we are searching for will be able to cure predators too?” I ask then I turn to Xiao who shrugs.

Eddy had enough of our talk, and it's beginning to piss him off. “Knock it out guys, it's getting late, get some sleep and tomorrow we'll have to do some supply run, we've run out of food, and we need energy or one of us might collapse during a zombie fight”.

“But the canopy can't contain all of us, where do we sleep?” Larry asks. 

Eddy sigh. “Adam.” He points to me, “You'll be on watch for tonight, Xiao and Mel can sleep in the canopy while we enjoy the cool air outside”, he said before lying his back to the ground, he placed his pistol on his chest then he shut his eyes.

“Good-night boys” Xiao said as she followed Mel into the canopy.

*********

 Everyone is fast asleep that night, while I try not to doze off, despite being tired. I hear the rustling sound and low growl of Nightwalkers roaming around they can't get too close because of the light, so I'm not bothered about them. I yawn for the fifth time and pinched myself to stay awake. Deep down, I really need to sleep, but that's not possible at the moment when we're surrounded by nightwalkers and the wind trying to shift the wires on the battery. Quickly, I place my bag on the battery, to stop the wires from disconnecting, the nightwalkers won't hesitate to tear us apart as soon as the light goes off, fighting Zombies is the last thing I want now.  

 “Do you need company?”

I turn to see Mel standing close to the canopy, she had changed her bloodstain camouflage. We all have extra but so far, only she and Xiao change theirs, my extra is still in my bag while the one on me is colored in blood and mud, but I care less about my looks for now.

“Sure” I responded with a smile.

 Mel sat beside me for a while without saying anything. We watch the stars in the sky and the bright moon amongst the stars. The insect still bites, but I've gotten used to it, besides we're Metas, and I don't think malaria will have any effect on us.  Thankfully, at the moment, I have someone to keep me awake.

“Are you alright?” I ask, trying to bring up some conversation. Mel turns to me and shook her head. She turns and stares blankly at the woods in front.

“Do you think we're going to make it?” She asks. Her voice sound hopeless.

I sighed. “We are human's last hope, and besides I don't think there's anyone out there that can do it better than us, no one can survive this long”

I was beginning to feel bored with her hopeless conversation, I decide to bring up something cooler.

“What's your favorite color?” I ask, then she scoffed.

 “You want me to talk about myself?”

I shook my head. “Yes, just want to know you better”.

“Ok then. I grew up in Texas with my parents and my younger brother Rick, he was twelve, loving, and full of life. My parents are the busy ones, and they don't seem to have time for us, they're always on business trips, and that's how my brother and I learned to look out for ourselves.

 “Unfortunately, they went missing at the beginning of the first wave, while my brother and I joined some groups of survivors. We heard about the safe zone in Washington where other survivors are, it's a long journey, but it's worth a try, the whole city was filled with the undead, it's so strange how the virus spread-”

“Virus” I say, interrupting her.

She shook her head and continued. “I heard a rumor that this whole thing is an experiment gone wrong, some said it's an alien invasion while the religious ones believed it to be a punishment from God because of our sins” She paused and exhale slowly. “We started as a group of fifty then gradually we reduced, some died of hunger while most of us got infected. Only my brother and I made it to Washington. We were so close to Safe space when a horde of zombies attacked us.

"I tried to protect my brother, I told him to leave me and run for his life, but he refuse.” She paused and sigh again.

 “I had to push him away, then he finally let go while I try to buy him some time. I was surrounded, but I still fixed my gazed at his back making sure he escapes. Suddenly, he stopped and turned to look at me, he made a mistake by picking up a gun to fight off the zombies. He didn't last long, eventually, they crowded him and I heard his high-pitched scream. Those beast tore him apart.

 “At that moment a zombie bit my hand, I knew I was going to turn, but I won't go down alone, I fought until my last breath. While I was weakened by the zombie bite, I caught a glance of my brother's shattered body laying in a pool of blood, my life ended that day.

"After a while I opened my eyes again but in a hospital ward with two doctors, they explained what happened to me and my new self, but I'd prefer my brother survived instead of me. I joined the resistance and that's how I met Xiao and Eddy.

"The new me emerged, my brother died saving me, and I'm to lay down my life to save the world”.

 I felt emotional at the moment and I can't imagine how difficult it is to bear a loss. Thankfully, I never experience such.

“I heard you were in coma during the entire period of the first wave?” She asks, then I shook my head. 

"Yes" 

“Lucky you, you didn't experience how the world turned to a mess, I wish I have amnesia like you”.

“But at least you had some happy moment before the apocalypse, I'm sure you had a boyfriend, and you guys stay up all night texting”. I gave a funny look.

She laughs. “I had a girlfriend, Sally”.

 I paused for a while.

“Girlfriend?” I ask again to be certain.

“Yes. Just like my mom, I'm bi. I've had relationships with both gender, but Sally is special. I met her during my final year in high school, she's part of the female football team while I'm the cheerleader. That day we won against Garfield, Sally was crazy, she kissed me in front of everyone at the end of the match and I felt it-”

“Felt what?” I asked, curiously. “What's so special about placing your lips into another person's mouth?”

She laughed again, and I felt strange, did I just say something funny?

 “You must have had it with one of those African girls too, it's a shame you can't remember.”

“Ok then, how does it feel?” I ask.

She pauses and look straight at me. “There's this sensation you have when you kiss. Goosebumps, hormonal drive, relaxation of your muscles and the more you engage in it, the more your love bond strengthen”

 I tried to look away from her exciting face. I wondered if there's someone out there missing me also. 

“But,” She continues, “If you want some, we can do it only if you promise not to tell”.

We?Does she really wants to kiss me? What do I say?

“Sure” I blurted out, I don't know if it's courage or stupidity, but I want to feel it as well.

 She smiled and drew her face closer, it looks like she's about to nod me with her forehead. She paused as I stare into her blue eyes. 

“Come on, close your eyes” She whispers.

“Is it necessary?” I ask.

She shook her head and smile.

 As soon as I shut my eyes I felt my lower lips in-between hers, it felt weird but stimulating as our breath coincide, she places her hand behind my neck and I smell her hot breath. The kiss goes on for a while then she withdrew, I can still feel the taste of her saliva moments after she pulled away. 

“Well, that's it” she says, then she stood up. “Goodnight”.

She walks back into the tent and zipped it from the inside. I turn to the forest as I try to comprehend what just happened.