Across the Deadzone

Chapter 25: Wystan

We camped out there for the rest of the night, the wind, rain, and thunder never once relenting. We huddled in the middle of the hut, avoiding the windows and door at any cost.
None of us really slept, too worried that any sound could be the monster that got Coatés, coming back for more. We rested, closed our eyes in short bursts, but by the time the storm had ended, and weak sunlight filtered in through the shattered windows, we were just as exhausted as we had been last night. Maybe even more so.
When we stepped outside the building the next morning to wet sand and thick gray fog, things only felt eerier. Anything could be lurking out there, waiting for the perfect moment to leap from the shadows to snatch us up. Still, none of us talked, too numbed by the shock of Coatés' death.
Ophelia stayed close to me, her machete gripped in her hand. I don't know if she was looking for comfort after what happened, or if she felt as unsettled as I did and this was her way of trying to protect me. Either way, a slight sense of calm washed over me with her by my side.
We crept toward the edge of the town, staying as silent as we could for reasons none of us could really explain.
The fog was blinding. We couldn't see more than a foot ahead of us. It would be all too easy to get ourselves turned around and lost.
I looked to O, ready to say this when Timber let out a high, sharp yelp. Everyone flinched and looked at her. Her ears were pushed flat against her head, her lips drawn back, revealing her teeth. The hair on her back stood up straight and she stood protectively in front of the four of us, staring out into the fog.
"What is it, Tim?" Ophelia asked quietly, trusting the dog's instincts and lowering herself into a defensive stance, machete held out to the side.
A low growl was lured from Timber's throat, and she crouched, ready to attack.
Then, a dark figure appeared in the fog, looming just far enough away that we couldn't make out any of its features. Whoever- or whatever- it was, was short and stocky. And it just stood there, as still as a statue.
Hell, it might be a statue.
But with the way Timber was acting, even I couldn't be naive enough to believe that.
Slowly, Ophelia took a step in front of me, eyes narrowed into slits.
"Who are you?" she called out, her voice not showing even a hint of fear. The figure moved then, holding out its arms.
"We are your saving grace," they responded. Their voice was dull, yet somehow charismatic. It slid like a person across a frozen lake, soothing and calm, and yet it made the hair on my arms stand straight up. There was something dead about it, drone-like. And vaguely familiar.
Alright, so definitely a person.
"We?" Ophelia asked then, her head swiveling around apprehensively, expecting other figures to step out of the fog.
The person finally stepped out of the fog and a collective gasp left the party.
"Coatés?" Zilla asked in awe, her mouth hanging open.
Instead of responding, the man just sneered, his lips pulled back unnaturally far. He didn't look up at us which made the dried blood on the front of his shirt glaringly obvious.
"We are no longer 'Coatés'," he said, inspecting his arms slowly. "Not fully, at least."
My stomach squeezed uncomfortably, making me slightly nauseous. We all glanced at each other for a second, confusion glimmering in each pair of eyes. Everything about this felt deeply and truly wrong.
"What are you, then, if you're 'not fully' Coatés?" I asked, stepping from behind Ophelia.
"We have been Enlightened," he explained, although it didn't help to clear anything up. He continued speaking to the desert floor. "We have seen what comes next. Thanks to the All-Powerful Being."
Ophelia spoke to us over her shoulder, keeping her eyes glued on 'not-fully-Coatés' form. "I think I've seen this before. Back with Becka." For a moment she didn't speak, trying to remember exactly what had happened. "We called them Zombie-crawlers." Not-Coatés scoffed at this, but let her continue her explanation. "It looks kinda like a-a giant leech. It latches itself onto the backs of people's necks with this sucker-looking-thing. It infects them. Puts them into a giant hivemind so that-"
"So you are familiar with the All-Powerful Being," Not-Coatés asked slyly, sounding as happy as an infected person could.
"More like almost became one, but yeah," Ophelia replied flatly. "Where are your buddies?"
Not-Coatés tsked. "They are merely an extension of our being. Once we merge, we become one. Almost. It's beautiful. No pain, no fighting. You can become one with us, too. And if you collect enough extensions, you could even become one with the All-Power-"
"All-Powerful Being, we get it," I cut him- it- off.
If it was a creature doing this, how was it programming all these beliefs into peoples' heads? Maybe it had been created as a weapon before it had escaped the lab.
"It is not in your best interest to insult us, or the All-Powerful Being." Not-Coatés body jerked, barely noticeable. Then again. And again. Stronger each time. It looked painful. Suddenly, it stilled, and if it hadn't been standing I would've thought it was dead.
"Coatés has told us all we need to know," Not-Coatés said. My insides flipped again and, trying not to attract the attention of this parasitic creature, I slipped the knife Ophelia had given me out of my pocket.
Things weren't looking so good for us. Especially when other figures began to materialize in the fog all around us.
My heart leapt into my throat, but I forced it back down, keeping my breathing steady even though I actually wanted to vomit.
Not-Coatés finally looked up at us. His eyes were cold, deadened. The mischievous, endearing sparkle that had been there just the day before was gone. And his smile was enough for me to know that this creature was evil. Definitely not 'Enlightened.'
"Ophelia and Stevie will be put into conditioning." Instead of coming from just fake-Coatés, the words came from all around us. All the creatures were speaking as one. "We have no use for those who will never be willing to accept the All-Powerful Being. The other two, Wystan and Zilla, will go straight to the Cave of Enlightenment. They will be prepared for the ritual."
"Like hell," Stevie shouted.
Ophelia once again positioned herself in front of me, glaring around rabidly, but it was no use. We were surrounded.
Faster than should have been possible, hands were gripping my arms, forcing Zilla and I away from town. They tore our group in half and began to lead the other two in the opposite direction. Deeper into the town.
I heard the collective voice say, "Kill the dog."
"No!" Ophelia screamed, her voice screeching. "Please. You don't have to-"
"Ophelia!" I yelled, trying in vain to escape. Panic was flooding my veins, clouding my vision.
She twisted her wrist and elbowed the thing that had been a person in the face. It let go, more out of surprise than pain. She fell to her knees, hugging the dog as close to her as she could.
All the creatures froze for a moment, conversing silently. "If you comply," they said, "the dog lives."
Ophelia didn't even think about it, she just nodded quickly. I saw the gleam of tears in her eyes. "Fine." She still hadn't released Timber from her hold.
Then, as we were forced away, they all disappeared into the fog.