SHRED

Chapter 2 - Help

As they ushered the last few people through the trees, Kaiden repeated his command: "Move!" Mitch led the group to their campsite, while Kaiden kept watch on the trees behind them.

Once they arrived, Kaiden turned to his friend and motioned to his tent. "I have weapons and ammo in my a duffle bag."

Without a word Mitch moved swiftly into the tent and returned with a large bag. He took a hunting knife for himself and passed one to Kaiden.

The woman who had grabbed Kaiden earlier asked Mitch, "Do you have anything we can use?"

Mitch rummaged through the bag, producing a flare gun. He handed it to her. "Aim and squeeze the trigger, then run. You only have one shot, and it takes a while to reload. It's loaded, and we only have 9 other rounds, so make it count."

Her hands shook as she held the gun, but she nodded.

"What about us?" a tall man in the group asked.

"We need to keep moving," Kaiden interrupted. "Those things are coming; they're slow, but there's more of them now."

"Things?" the man asked, confusion etched on his face.

Ignoring the question, Mitch led the group away from their spot, and Kaiden covered the rear. As they jogged through the forest, screams echoed around them.

"Who are those people? What do they want?" One woman cried, wiping tears from her eyes.

The woman with the flare gun linked her arm with the crying woman. "It'll be okay, Yuki. These guys seem to know what they're doing. They'll help us."

Mitch suddenly halted, holding up a closed fist. "Everyone, stop." He pointed to a spot near the river. "Wait there a minute while I speak with Kaiden. Don't move."

The group complied, and Kaiden joined Mitch. Mitch gestured in the opposite direction the group had just gone. Kaiden's gaze followed his gesture and landed on the remains of a man. The corpe's torso was ripped open, the organs gone, neck torn open, and face mangled.

"What the fuck could have done that?" Mitch asked, his voice low.

"I don't know," Kaiden replied.

Mitch released a deep breath. "Two tours in Afghanistan and I still don't feel prepared for this shit."

They were quiet for a few moments as they listened to the blood-curdling screams echo all around them.

"We're surrounded," Kaiden said, his voice low and serious.

Mitch gave a grim nod. "Sounds like it."

Suddenly, a scuffle broke out among the group. The tall man shoved another man, pushing past him. Kaiden and Mitch trained their guns on a woman who had appeared in front of the group. She was dressed in white, her upper body covered in blood.

"Help," she croaked, her voice barely audible.

"She needs our help!" The tall man called out as he approached her.

"Stop—" Kaiden's warning was cut off by the sounds of screams as the woman quickly pounced on the man, pushing him to the ground. Her eyes rolled back as her jaw dislocated, revealing long, sharp teeth, before she tore into his neck and chest.

Kaiden and Mitch fired their guns, but their bullets seemed to have no effect. In the chaos, the group started to scatter.

"Stay together!" Mitch yelled, firing at another creature advancing towards them. His shot landed in her head, and she collapsed to the ground.

The woman with the flare gun aimed at a man with an unsettling look of dispair on his face, his teeth stained with blood. She retreated backward, her hands shaking, until she was knee-deep in the river.

She lowered the gun at the sight of the man's face; he was emotionless. He was just staring at her from the edge of the river.

"Everyone get in the water!" she yelled.