Raven

Chapter Eight

The light was filtering into the cave via the opening in the cave roof. Raven could hear the faint chirping of birds outside. She felt warm and comfortable, as she stirred from her slumber, she realised something heavy was draped around her waist. She moved slightly, only to find the heavy weight pulling her back. With a start Raven opened her eyes. She was lying naked on the cave floor, with Slade curled around her back, and one of his wings covering them both. Slade began to stir at her movements. "Morning sunshine", he husked in her ear. Raven's body had a mind of it's own, and responded out of its own volition. Raven gave a great big yawn, and slightly turned to Slade, smiling, "Morning", she began to sit up and searched for her clothes.

Spying the articles in question at arms length away from her, she snatched up her t-shirt and pulled it over her head. "We should get going, by the sound of mother nature, we already missed row call this morning" she was busy getting into her cargo pants, hopping from foot to foot as she was dressing. Slade already had his jeans on, and o ye gods did he make that scene look extra good. Raven quickly turned around to find her boots, before she decided to pounce on the man and devour him. When she turned around once more, he was fully dressed and ready to go.

They emerged from the cave entrance to find the forest freshly washed clean from the previous days storm, everything seemed normal, yet there was an eerie tense feeling in the air. Something was seriously off. They headed through the forest, to the clearing and out to where the Jeep was parked. The eerie silence hit home on a more serious level this time. Slade started the vehicle, and turned them in the direction of the compound. In the distance above the trees, smoke could be seen rising into the perfect blue sky. Raven gave Slade a worrying look, "I hope that is not something to be concerned about?". Slade glanced at her "Neither do I".

They proceeded toward the compound in silence, noting that no traffic was coming or going toward the military centre. It was when the approached the main gates that they knew something was up. The gate was hanging skew on its hinges, and no one was there to man the guard house for visitors. In the distance, the mess hall to be on fire and billowing smoke from the roof. Slade stopped the Jeep and reached into the back, under a tarp was some military issued weapons and grenades. Raven was already out of the vehicle and had her weapons activated, ready for a fight. "that's my girl" he smiled as he got out and readied himself for the battle ahead.

All geared up, and psyched for action. They entered the main building, which housed all the offices, not a soul was in sight. The lights were flickering on and off as if they were not functioning correctly. Like a well trained swat team, Slade and Raven moved in and out of offices, while heading through the entire building. Making their way to the exit and onto the next building, which was the living quarters of all the cadets and military personnel working at the facility. Upon entering the building, it was evident that there was a struggle, beyond the recreational room the bodies began to appear. Mutilated bodies, guts and gore, blood was everywhere. It was a slaughterhouse in there. While the stench of brimstone was evident in the air. A demon hoard had definitely attacked the compound. With a series of military hand gestures, Raven showed Slade to move forward into the mess hall.

The mess hall was still on fire, all that could be heard was the crackle of the flames as it tore through the building and consumed every inch of it. Slade held the door open with his foot and motioned Raven inside. The smell of burning flesh was the first to assault her nostrils, and Raven had to hold her breath for a second to prevent from gagging on it. Here was the first evidence of the demons, the other cadets had made a stand here and a lot of them had lost their lives doing so many familiar faces could be seen amongst the dead. A fairly large amount of demon bodies construed the mess hall. From the other end of the mess hall came a loud crash, they both started moving in that direction, careful not to attract any unnecessary attention to themselves.