Intentional Killer - Book 2 In The Jessie Series

Chapter 32: Cranks

It was all I could do to stay alive. I screamed right back as I fought for my life; and the life of Thomas. I could give them time. Keep these wild animals busy. Unlike the cranks from the mall, these ones fought like a pack. There was still a little bit of sanity left, just a sliver, so they knew one at a time I'd end them all, but trying to fight all of them was almost impossible.

I didn't have someone watching my back, so I had to constantly spin, trying to keep my back protected. I had lost my backpack at some point in this dog fight. My knives were bloody in seconds. Cranks dropped, but another one took its place, or it would jump back up, regardless if its stomach contents were spilling out.

These cranks didn't have weapons except a few old pocket knives or a few metal pipes. I avoided them the best I could.

Pain exploded in my spine, making me tell out. One of the cranks took a swing with their pipe and it connected. The impact made me crumple to my knees. I had to scramble to the side as they all tried to converge on me. I still had both my knives clutched tight in my fists. Even as I scrambled to my feet I was swinging stabbing and slashing anything that came at me. I wasn't thinking anymore, I was just trying to survive at this point.

Thomas and Brenda must have a good head start by now. But no matter how hard I tried to escape, they kept pulling me back into their midst. I could feel their nails clawing at my skin, they had ripped my jacket to shreds.

With only a few cranks left, I gutted another one, making it shriek and collapsed, somehow it clawed his way closer and bit down into my calf. I screamed and ended up on my knees. A pipe made contact with the side of my head, sending me flat on my back disoriented for a moment. I tried to blink the black spots away and swallow the bile that tried to come up.

A crank stepped over top of me. He was the wildest looking one I'd seen, he looked like he would probably love nothing more than eat me alive. His psychotic smile actually made a small whimper escape. He reached down and grabbed my face and held it clamped tight in his huge disgusting hand. His long dirty nails cut into my skin. I felt a trickle of blood.

"You have pretty eyes. And probably a pretty tongue." His voice was a snarl. "I want them."

"Well you're going to be disappointed." I growled back.

He didn't like that, apparently.

I felt an intense overwhelming pain in my side. It was so intense and sudden it made me scream out. The pain made my eyes roll for a second. This crank had slammed a knife into my side. The white hot sharp pain didn't go away, it was getting worse. I couldn't breathe properly, I was gasping short and shallow. The Crank grined even bigger, madness swirled in his eyes.

"I want them. Eyeballs are tasty. Taste like undercooked eggs!"

I knew if I didn't kill this guy and get out of here I'd die a long and painful death. With a growl of defiance, trying to harness what little strength and energy I had left, I grasped the handle of my knife. The crank yanked me up towards him, his slobbery mouth was only inches from my face now. He had blood and black goo dribbling down his chin, thick black veins webbed across his face.

His eyes widened in surprise as I drove my knife up and into his chest. I felt warm and sticky blood flow over my hand. I twisted the handle, and let go. The Crank let go of my face and I collapsed to the ground. He clawed at the handle sticking out of his chest. He graggled and gasped. He collapsed to his knees and then onto his side, his legs twitched. Blood dripped from his mouth.

"No no no no!" A crank yelled. Grunts and heavy breathing. Someone banged on a wall, a series of deadened thumps against the concrete. Arguments broke out, frantic exchanges of gibberish.