Run for your life for th.., p.1
run for your life: For the Future Book 1, page 1
run for your life
For the Future Book 1
Wendy Zuccarello
Copyright © 2022 by Wendy Zuccarello
All rights reserved.
No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
Cover design and illustrations by Kaitlyn Zuccarello
For Allie - thank you for all that you do! Your support means the world to me.
The Adventure Begins
1. Preface
2. Fear and Pain
3. And then there were two...
4. Beneath the Surface
5. Things that go bump in the night
6. The Great Escape
7. Downs and Ups
8. Heat of a Different Kind
9. Acceptance
10. Reality is a Bitch
11. Chasing Reality
12. The Truth Shall Set You Free
13. Never Look Back
14. Making Plans
15. Time for Action
16. How to Save a Life
17. The Beginning of a Revolution
18. Run for Your Life
19. Back to the Frying Pan
20. Gone, But Not Forgotten
21. The End of the Beginning
22. Lesson Learned, But Not for Me
23. Things Are Not Always as They Seem
24. Free at Last
25. The Next Steps
26. Thank You
27. Other Titles by Wendy Zuccarello
28. Contact me
Preface
There was once a time when the world was completely different than it is now. A time when it contained vibrant trees and bountiful plants. When wildlife roamed the lands, things like farms and forests flourished. When it was full of life and purpose. When being human was enough. When people lived happily on the surface without a care in the world.
Well, not in their world.
People once lived freely without concern, not realizing that they were destroying what would in the distant future, become my world. Our ancestors lived as if their actions had no consequences, and for them, they didn’t. Their nonchalance led to the slow downfall of what most would call a livable world. It happened so slowly that it was almost unnoticeable.
Generations passed, and though they made a slight effort to change their ways, the damage had already been done, and it was irreversible. They had dealt a deadly blow to our planet, our chance of a future. Their great, great, great-grandchildren are now paying the price for their ignorance.
Humans are now an endangered species, separated into two separate communities- those that live underground, and those that live in domes on the surface. Surface temperatures have risen, and the pollution-thick air is far too dangerous to sustain human life.
Any steps they take on the surface must be taken with planned caution and precision. Protective suits have become a must-have accessory with their advanced air filters and temperature regulation. Humans no longer live off the land, unable to gain their sustenance from the plants and animals raised in captivity, because those things no longer exist. The once lush green pastures have been replaced with desolate wastelands filled with the skeletons of what were vital plants and trees. There is no grass, no flower-filled meadows, no soft, green earth to rest your head upon. There is only sand, and dirt, and rock, and death.
But the most threatening aspect of our world is something that was created in error, by those trying to help. The world was not built on good intentions, or so I have heard.
These monstrosities roam the surface, ruling it like the kings of the past. No single step on the ground happens without their knowledge, and they hunt the sources of those steps with a ferocity unmatched in all human history.
The future is uncertain – our future is uncertain.
Humans are no longer the dominant species on this dying planet.
Action must be taken.
Decisions must be made.
If not, we will spend the remainder of our days running for our lives.
Fear and Pain
"Real courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what." - Harper Lee,' To Kill a Mockingbird'
Dusk was falling rapidly around me with no signs of stopping - soon, the horrid shadows of the night would be upon me, and the chances of my survival would be next to nothing. The dark does not come alone; it never does. The creatures will be out in full force at any moment. The subhumans; monsters created by lesser monsters. Their existence is a result of failed experiments. They rule this world now with sharp claws and razor teeth. They may have been an accident, but they were truly designed with precision.
The darkness is thick and daunting; the perfect time of day for the creatures to emerge in full force. Their presence is not as strong during the day when the sun is high and powerful; they thrive at night when their vision is more acute, and their hunger is immense. In the past month, I have learned that it is better for me to move around during the day. It is much harder on me, the heat from the sun is almost unbearable, but that same heat makes the creatures lazy and almost dormant.
Each flutter of movement sends chills down my spine. My senses are on full alert, ready for what may come, for what is out there watching me, and I know they are watching, biding their time, waiting for me to make a mistake. My eyes move around, scanning for any sign of them. I breathe as shallowly as possible, knowing that even that movement will attract unwanted attention. Their hearing is beyond that of any human. But, perhaps the worst, is that they can sense us, feel the vibrations of our movements through the earth. My feet rest on the soft sand, an insult to our survival as the subhumans can detect the movement of even one single grain. The protective suit that I wear may keep me safe from the elements, but it certainly makes it hard to control what needs to be small, soft steps.
A horrific screech breaks the silence, and I startle. My head whips to the side out of instinct, shifting my weight, and I instantly regret the movement. I hear them coming, their claws scraping the sand with each step. I have no choice but to take off in a run like the devil himself is chasing me, and maybe he is. Their wails follow me, a reminder that they are on the hunt, and I am their prey. I run through the sand slowly, each step a struggle, but I push on. I have no intention of dying tonight. I have been out here, avoiding them, for almost a month. My supplies are almost depleted, my energy drained, the filters in my suit old. I’m not sure I have much more fight left in me, but anything is better than where I come from.
I spot a small cave ahead between the date palms and let out a sigh of relief. I slow my pace. I can’t just go rushing inside. I have no idea what may be in there, but I know that if I stay out here, I am as good as dead. I grab my flashlight. Nothing happens when I push the button. I shake it a few times, cringing with each sound that it makes, and it flickers to life. The light has dimmed, a sign that I am almost out of juice. I send up a silent thank you that it is hanging on for at least a few more important moments.
I take a small step, shine my light around, and search for any threats. The cave itself is small, only about eight-foot-wide and just as deep. The dank smell comes through my suit easily due to the aging filters and hits me hard. My poor nose crinkles in protest. Another screech sounds and I jump. Faced with the choice between certain death and an unknown cave, I move towards uncertainty. The wails of the hungry subhumans hurt my ears; they are close. I click off my light and huddle down behind a cluster of rocks in the back of the cave. I hold my breath for good measure and squeeze my eyes tight. The suit squeezes me tightly in my crouched position. Its dark color helps me blend in with the walls of the cave. My panting is fogging up the face shield, but I don’t have the luxury of taking everything off to clean it at this point. The fog is yet another sign that I am running out of time out here.
Everyone from the city knows the stories of what these creatures are capable of, what they can do. The tales are told to strike the fear of death into the residents. No one in their right mind would willingly leave the safety of the city, of the dome, to face the wrath of these things. Well, only me, but that should tell you something right there. I have seen the evidence of their carnage firsthand over the past month. I am not sure that you could really call what was leftover a body. More like pieces of a person. They were bones with bits of muscle and skin barely attached, hanging off as if a light breeze would cause them to detach. There was no way to tell which part of the body the pieces came from unless it was a skull. I saw one once that still had an eyeball hanging out of its socket. I nearly lost my lunch. It was easy to picture the feeding frenzy in which the poor soul was eaten alive. The visions were those of nightmares, certainly enough to keep you awake at night.
Movement right outside the cave brings me back to the present. I smell their acrid scent of sour milk and know that I am not alone. My pulse is hammering in my ears, and I wonder if the creature can hear it. I’m sure at the very least it is causing enough vibration in the sand that it can feel my presence. I open my eyes slightly but instantly wish I hadn’t. The sight before me has me questioning every decision I have ever made in my short life, a life that is about to become even shorter.
The saliva drips from its mouth, falling from its razor-sharp teeth unhindered to the ground. It is panting heavily, its head bobbing in response to the t
My hand feels around blindly in my pack, searching for something, anything I can use to defend myself. I don’t dare take my eyes off it. Its nostrils are flaring as it stares at me, almost daring me to make a move. My only hope is that I know they have no depth perception. It may know I am here, but it can’t tell my exact location based on its vision alone. It is close enough that I can make out its elliptical pupils, evidence of the rattlesnake DNA that was used in this subhuman.
My fingers find the long, thin plastic of my last flare. It’s not much, but I may be able to distract it long enough to slip out and make a run for it. I pull it out slowly, trying to hide my movement behind the rocks. Unfortunately, my weight shifts and the creature snaps its head in my direction. This has just become a now or never situation.
I pull the flare out and light it, holding it to the side. The fire spits its sparks all around, crackling and hissing, drawing the creature’s attention. The subhuman howls out a call of excitement at the heat from the flame and I throw it to the other end of the cave. As soon as it moves, I dart out from behind the rocks and make my move. Just as my front foot makes it out of the cave, I feel the back of my calf tear open as the creature claws at me with its keen talons. They are so sharp, that they cut right through the material of my suit, and my skin at the same time. I fall to the ground, letting out a cry of pain, which will only help other creatures pinpoint my location. Silence means nothing now that I am unable to move. I have mere seconds left before it descends on me, the scent of my blood only fueling its hunger at this point.
I hold my leg and close my eyes. I don’t want to watch, I can’t. Everything that I have gone through, all the pain, the suffering, the agony, the torment… my entire existence means nothing now. I promised myself when I escaped that no matter what happened out here, I would not let them get me. I would not die at the hands of these monsters. But I think some part of me knew in the end, it was either going to be these monsters or the ones in the city that ended me.
No. I will not go down without a fight. As I stare into the eyes of my would-be killer, I reach into my bag and grab the small pistol. It has five bullets left, but I only need one. If I am going out, it will be on my terms, not the terms of a vicious beast with little cognitive function.
I hold the barrel of the gun to my temple and open my eyes.
“Come and get me you son of a bitch!”
And then there were two...
"Moonlight drowns out all but the brightest stars" - J.R.R. Tolkein , 'The Lord of the Rings'
It’s almost amusing the emotions that run through your mind when your life is about to end. Fear, anger, sadness… worst of all is loneliness. You imagine all the things that you wanted to do with your life, all the things that you will lose. Flashes of memories fill your mind – some good, some bad. Time seems to still.
I didn’t want this life. I never asked to be… this. But if this moment proves anything, it’s that you don’t always get what you want. Life is a cruel bitch sometimes and she has no qualms about handing out disappointment.
My leg is throbbing, and I can see a large pool of blood accumulating on the ground out of the corner of my eye. My suit leg hangs open and I can’t be sure, but I think that might be bone showing through the slice in my skin. Blood pours down my leg, filling my boot. One thing is certain – if by some miracle I make it out of this cave (which I won’t), this wound will surely kill me.
The short reprieve I incurred from the flare is over as the creature turns its attention back to me. Its nostrils flare as it smells my blood which is apparently much more tempting than the heat from the flame. Its long tongue sneaks out as it takes its first step in my direction, hunger etched on its face.
This is it. This is the end. This is the moment that I will cease to exist.
I smile sardonically as I cock the gun held against the side of my head. “You lose, asshole,” I say as my finger itches on the trigger.
The creature shrieks and charges.
Before I can act, an arrow whizzes by my head, lodging itself in the forehead of the creature. It bellows in agony as it claws at the obtrusion in desperation.
A strong pair of hands pull me to my feet and out of the cave. I stare at a head that is quite a bit taller than me, and a back that is cut with so many muscles it should be illegal. How in the world is it possible to see muscle definition through a thick protective suit? He maintains a strong grip on my hand as he tugs me behind him, away from certain death. We move for what feels like hours but is probably only minutes. My injured leg drags through the sand behind me. I do my best to run with him, but really, he is doing all the work. He runs with precision and intent, the sand not having any effect on his steps. Mine, however, waver the farther we get, and I feel his grip get even tighter as he senses my decline. I have no idea where he is taking me, but I can’t find it in myself to be concerned at all. He saved me.
I can hear them chasing after us. This man is smart, though, because as we move, he is shooting off flares to our right and left to distract the creatures behind us. I can tell it is confusing them because they seem to back off. I chance a glance behind us to see some of them veering off to chase the flames, while the others bite and snap at each other as they fight for the lead in their pursuit. Their pants and grunts grow loud, but only because a brawl has broken out as they opt to take out the frustration of their lost meal on each other.
We eventually lose them when we make it to the mountain range at the edge of the sand. An outcropping of rocks is directly in front of us, and he maneuvers up and around them with ease. I, however, manage to pull my hand free of his and drop unceremoniously against one of the rocks.
The adrenaline of the moment fades and pain, as I have never felt, shoots up from my leg, causing me to cry out. I slide to the ground as blood pours from my wound and my vision blurs.
Right before the darkness claims me, I see the darkest brown eyes staring at me through a face shield and they are filled with concern. My vision is fading quickly, probably from the blood loss.
“I’ve got you,” my mystery savior says, his voice deep and calm.
I blink my eyes rapidly, trying like hell to stay awake, but I lose. The blackness takes me just as I am scooped into a pair of strong arms.
____
“Who is she?”
“I have no idea.”
“Then why would you risk your life to save her, Trav? You used almost all our flares! You could have died! And for what, some girl?”
“I wasn’t going to just leave her there to get eaten, Cray. That’s not who I am.”
I slowly come back to reality but keep my eyes shut and my breathing slow so that I can listen to the argument happening right outside of wherever I am right now. The mystery man may have saved me, but I know nothing about him. This may be an opportunity to get some information.
“What if something had happened to you? What about Abby? What would happen to her if you died?”
I hear the man growl. “Don’t you dare bring Abby into this, it has nothing to do with her.”
That is the voice of the man who saved me, that much I can tell. But who is the other man? And who is Abby? More importantly, who are these people, and what do they plan to do with me?
