Darke Night

Let's Finish This

Sage

It picked up the scent like a wolf on sheep. Quickly shifting gears and heading back towards the compound, this could not be allowed! This was it! Larien attacked as Zane once again engaged the creature. I kept my eyes on both of them, even as I fought the immediate zombies that had arrived with the creature. Running, jumping to attack from above as we worked together to bring them down efficiently . These were nothing compared to what Zane raged against. I watched as he and Larien took hit after hit. Still they swung back, always trying to find ground, to gain a little bit more, piece by piece. Pushing it backwards and away from the Stronghold. Pushing and pushing. Bruise after bruise. Soon the mass horde would be here. We were still to close. We had to keep moving them on. I watched as longer and longer, they pushed it further and further out North along the ravine. Scouts reporting back, that the horde was following, shifting further North in their travel. One zombie after another, one more step closer. When suddenly, everything changed. I watched as Larien went flying, and Zane was thrown down, the creature stomping on him, time and again. I felt something within me snap, and the world went red. Felt a power and a clarity that I had never known before and I heard the words, "have faith in yourself!" And I flew to it. To face it alone.

Ash

She squeezed his hand as another contraction came, the pain building, the stomach muscles tightening like rock. "Do we have any idea how to do this?" She asked.

Ash smiled, a partial grin and partial grimace, "No!" He shook his head. "We hoped to have a nurse or doctor to help. We assumed a C-section for their delivery."

"I don't know if I can do that?" She said with a look of concern. "I would hurt you."

"If it comes down to it, I trust you. All that matters is that they are born. All else, including me, is second." Ash said with confidence.

She nodded. "My name is Rebekah."

He nodded as another contraction took him. "I am Ash."

Sage

My movement was quick, so quick that I was there before the eye could blink. I threw myself into its backside, knocking it knees out from under it. It rolling away from Zane, who lay too still on the ground, blood everywhere. I looked up as Larien approached. "Protect him!" I said. He went to argue, when my growl stopped him short. He took a small step backwards and shook his head in agreement instead. I stood, facing the creature as it prepared to stand and I flew at it with a fury.

Ash

The contractions were one on top of the other. Ash had long since abandoned his shirt. His fur was damp, pain causing sweat to pop out everywhere. "Well I can definitely say I now understand what a woman means when she says you could never understand childbirth unless you go through it yourself."

Rebekah laughed. "Really!" There was a smile in her voice. She steeled herself, "I know I don't know enough here, but I know that these young should be here anytime. What do you want me to do?"

"You have the knife ready?"

She nodded.

"Then do whatever is necessary."

Sage

I flew at it, claws wracking at its face, gouging eyes, at its muscles and torso. It howled, screamed and raged. It scented the air. Blind to me now. It stumbled. I wracked my claws along its tendons, running up the back of its ankles, immobilizing it further. It only raged at me all the more. Striking out with claws and dwindling strength. And I waited, waited or that exact moment when it stopped...and I was on it.

Sinking my teeth deeply into the softness of its neck! I could feel the thick skin give way, felt as blood filled my mouth, as muscle ripped and shred. Until I felt the pulse, and bit down completely. It thrashed underneath. Felt as its life, pumped out from within it. I pulled back my head and spat the blood to the earth. Felt my fur shudder as the energy ran its course. And I looked around.

"You scare me." Zane suddenly said with a bruised smile.

Ash

Rebekah held the knife, cleaned and sterilized. She shook slightly, but held most of the worry at the back of her mind. There was a good chance that no matter what she did, Ash would die from this. There were so many factors involved. She took a deep breath. But Ash screamed before a single cut could be made. Grabbing his abdomen.

"What?" She cried.

"Pain. But its not the contractions!" He rocked for a moment. Before pulling himself back to a prone position. As they both watched a red seal, a line, appeared along his abdomen, under the belly-button area. The line darkened, as it suddenly split, two separate seams opening wide and a red and purple sac within becoming visible.

Rebekah released her breath, as she leaned forward with the knife. The divide contained. No blood leaking outward as she made the first incision and a small foot appeared to the world...

Sage

I stood, looking out across the ravine. Behind me, I still heard the others fighting zombies. Struggling with the numbers. But looking forward, I saw that we were too late. For in front of me, all along the bank of the ravine, the horde stood, thousands strong and deep, staring back at me. The blood so strong.

I shook my shoulders, regrouped my thoughts, strengthened and prepared to spring forward, when the ground began to shake...

A few subtle movements, the earth grumbling, when suddenly it roared! It shook with a violence that knocked us to out knees. Shook and shook. As we watched, the ravine split, the water falling down into the deep and dark crack. The two sides of the rock face, sliding further and further apart and gaping. And the shaking continued. As we watched, the bank opposite us began to recede, to move further downward, as our own, began to rise upward. One by one the zombies falling into the gulf created by the earth, created by God himself as the zombies tried to breach us and jumped to their own demises. Even as the shaking continued, the skies split open and rain poured down to drench us, washing away the blood and the death.

As it ended some time later, we stood there, stood at the edge of the rift in which no zombie could cross. We were risen above and out of reach. And the sun broke through, the golden rays, glowing down upon us, upon this new Creation, upon this new Divide.

EPILOGUE

Peace. The rift had created a safe haven. My young were at the human size of 8, while Ash's five were not far behind. We would grow, learn and survive in acceptance, in love.

© 2016 Aelfwynn MacGregor, AMB