After Night Falls

After Dusk

That night Jake counted the group lucky that he'd discovered the panel that hid the fireplace. They'd quickly gathered wood taking into account Max's warning of the possible mix of chemicals they'd be burning, focusing instead on sticks and branches that had blown into the building, and set them ablaze. They were careful to keep the fire small, lest they be discovered by whoever had caused the assumed massacre inside.

Axel had taken his place in the bedroom an hour ago, leaving Jake and Marie in charge of the first watch. Because they were no longer outside the wall, he'd deemed that they would now need two or more guards while they slept.

Marie sat in a chair facing the closed door, while Jake leaned against the wall under the boarded window, facing the fireplace.

"So," Jake said quietly to her, being careful not to disturb the slumber of the rest of the group around him, "how did you get that scar?"

Marie cradled her left hand, rubbing her thumb along the leathery surface that extended beneath her sleeve, traveling unseen until it peeked out above the neckline of her shirt.

"My brother was in a burning building," she replied, "and my parents weren't home. Got it while I was trying to get him out."

Jake cocked his head. "Trying?"

Marie bounced her shoulders a little, the ghost of a shrug. "You can't really expect a young girl to be able to carry her unconscious older brother," she replied.

"That was brave," he commented.

"It was stupid."

"Stupid how?" Jake asked, affronted. "You tried to save him."

"I never said it wasn't brave," she countered, "just stupid. There were many better solutions that could have kept both of us out of the hospital."

Jake looked down at his hands resting on his knees. "Does it matter?"

"That there was a better way to do it?" Marie snapped. "Obviously."

"You were in the middle of a fire. You couldn't have known what to do," he attempted to comfort her, rising to kneel in front of her. "Someone once told me that 'there is no sense in punishing your future for the mistakes of your past. Forgive yourself, grow from it, and then let it go.'"

"Sound mature," she conceded, "who'd you hear that from?"

"My ex," he explained, grinning mischievously, "but she stole it from someone else. She was really into finding quotes on the internet."

The corner of Marie's mouth rose a little but quickly vanished at the sound of a harsh knock on the door.

Jake jumped to his feet, and they both raised their guns at the door.

"Who's there?" Marie shouted harshly at the door, stepping back from it slightly.

"Friendly," was the response through the door, "and I need you to let me in, now!"

"Axel!" Jake shouted to the back, waking up the rest of the group, who all rushed into the room as soon as they could be untangled from their sleeping bags.

"Don't yell!" the voice whispered loudly through the door, "they'll hear you if they're not coming for you already!"

"Who?" Axel yelled.

"The ones that crawl—we don't have a name for them!"

"What do you want?" Axel shouted again toward the door.

"To save you!" the voice hissed, quieter than before.

"Please let me in," it pleaded, "I can hear them."

"You alone?"

"Yes, yes, we couldn't risk sending a big group!" The voice was desperate.

Axel looked quickly at Marie, one eyebrow raised. "Guns at the door," he said after a moment of silence, "let him in."

Jake grasped the door handle securely, opening the door quickly to reveal a dark-skinned man wrapped in multicolored cloths.

"In," Jake ordered, grabbing him by his shoulder and shoving the man into the center of the room. Crystal, Jane, and Max shied away from him, eyes drawn to the large knife and sword at his hips.

"Pat him down," Axel ordered Brad while Jake shut the door again.

"You're going to want to press every bit of furniture you got against that door," the man warned quickly, hands high in the air. "I know you don't know me but if you can't trust me we're all going to die!"

"I'm the one giving orders here," Axel said, stepping around to face him. "Where did you come from?"

"A new settlement a few miles from here," he replied quickly, "it's where we went when—"

"When what?" Axel interrupted.

"Well, I was getting to that," the man said exasperatedly, "when the original colonists went crazy and—"

The man was interrupted by a long shriek, which sounded as though it could only have been from a house away.

"Oh heavens," he breathed out, "they're here."

"What are?" Axel asked, eyes locked on the door.

"Does it matter?" Marie asked, rushing into the bedroom and grabbing a dresser. "I told you I'd heard something last night."

"Now is not the time!" Axel ordered, rushing over and grabbing the other end. "Everyone," block off all exits using whatever you can."

Everyone rushed into the bedroom to grab pieces of furniture, flinching every time they heard an unfamiliar noise.

Creaks and groans came from the ceiling, sprinkling dust onto the frenzied group.

"Make as little noise as possible," the unfamiliar man whispered, assisting them.

The group quietly backed away from the door, watching warily as the dust fell on the misshapen pile of wood and cloth in front of the door.

Then it shook. Something from the other side was ramming into it, causing the furniture to groan and everyone to grip their weapons tightly.

Heads turned to the rugged newcomer as he whispered under his breath.

"We'll be lucky to survive the night."

***NOTE: I'd like to thank the people who have somehow managed to find this story already. I'll be honest, I was a little surprised at how often this has been added to reading lists already. But I'd like to thank you guys-- your support is heavily appreciated. I am so ecstatic to be able to bring to you guys a story outside of my own preferred genre, and hope you guys enjoy reading this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it! (At least what I have XD) Thank you all so much and I look forward to seeing you all next chapter!

*Also, according to my google search, the quote is by Melanie Koulouris. I may be cool but none of my quotes would ever be as good as hers :P