Embers of Night: Red Horizon

Bittersweet Farewell

"No..."

Gavin, Ryan, and Tim shrank away from yet another billowing fire at Grampy's house. The losses were piling up, and the effect it was having on him was exponential, not cumulative. He couldn't take it anymore.

Gavin put his CZ-75 through his belt with his combat knife which came in a convenient case with shaking hands. Zach peeped over his shoulder from the driver's seat and shook Gavin's shoulder, both concerned and mortified.

"We need to get out of here and find supplies, now," Gavin said abruptly, as if stirring from a daydream. "First dad, now Grampy. They'll come for you guys next! They'll..."

"You guys can crash at my place if you want," Zach said.

"We have to go to Pennsylvania to be with the other side of our family. Maybe we'll find answers out there. We have no other options. They live in the middle of nowhere, so it should be safe."

Gavin handed them a sheet of paper with the addresses of his grandparents and uncle's house, should they need it. Told them not to use their phones unless absolutely necessary.

"Sounds good." Zach nodded. "Tim, want me to drop you off at your house?"

"No... drop me off with them," Tim said. His voice was wavering. "I wanna come with you guys. I'll do anything to stand between you and them. I need to become my own person, and I think this is how I do it. I have fifty bucks on me. You got money right?"

"Nevermind that. Tim, this is where you grew up, and this is where you belong," Gavin said, taken aback.

"Thanks, but still going with you," Tim said.

He was shocked by Tim's eagerness to accompany them. It seemed he had more loyal friends than he knew.

"You can come. Ry— give him a gun. We need all the help we can get," Gavin said. He tried to convince himself he was strong, and he could handle anything, but the truth was quite the opposite. His hands shook uncontrollably once more. He thought of his knife again, and again the buzzing in his head brought the voice forth.

"Find her..." it said. "The knife..." the voice trailed off. Again, he saw a brief vision of an alleyway. A subtle campfire glowed mysteriously in the night, splaying two shadows on a brick wall beyond.

"You guys take care. I'll catch up in a few days, my parents would disown me if I left right now," Zach said. He rummaged around the Suburban until he found maps of New Jersey and Pennsylvania tucked away in the glove compartment. He handed them to Ryan. "Take these, I'm sure you'll need them. Gavin? Are you alright?"

"Huh? Yea... I'll be alright." Gavin said. "Get home safe... Thanks for everything, Zach... Couldn't have gotten through high school without you.

"I know," Zach stifled a laugh, remembering all the times he gave both Tim and Gavin test answers and homework.

"Let's go!" Ryan almost shouted. Waiting irked him. Even now, when they were about to head out on a suicide mission against creatures that could've easily come from hell.

Gavin, Ryan, and Tim got out of the SUV, gave Zach one final wave, then surveyed their surroundings in the dark.

"...What are we doing?" Gavin said, now fully aware of the situation. They were in the middle of suburbia at two in the morning, even the peaceful night unnerved them. Woods surrounded them on two sides of the cul-de-sac, so there weren't many houses close by. Streetlights cast a frightful glow on the pavement, and the bare trees moved their thorny fingers in the cold breeze.

As the SUV neared the end of the street, Gavin turned around one last time to give his friend a wave. Screeches came from the Suburban at the far end of the street. They made him feel dizzy and Tim had covered his ears as he turned around too.