IV

4 0 0
                                    


"Okay, now we need to stay together and quickly go out of here before Ailana comes to search for us." Ryan explained
Anna got the GPS out. On the satellite map on the screen, they could see three separations: grey, green and red. The little light which represented their location was flashing in the grey zone. It was the part of the territory where all what was left was dirt and abandoned buildings. The red zone was the zone inhabited by the robots. It was the dangerous zone whereas the green one was the forest where the robots were scared to go because of the living animals or creatures.
"I think we need to head towards the forest. It would be much safer for us." Shanna said looking really scared.
"No, we need to look around here first, around the place where Anna has been illusioned. But we need to be really careful. Let's separate in two groups: Anna, Emma, Brandon, you guys go near the bank. Shanna, come with me, I know where Anna was. We will meet by twilight at the forest's north extremity. And remember, try to be as silent as possible. Don't use the radio too much, just in case of big trouble." Ryan said authoritatively.
The others nodded and started running with their group. Ryan looked at Shanna and said softly:
"We are going to be okay, don't worry".
Ryan started running towards the supermarket behind which Anna had been illusioned. Shanna followed him determined to prove herself and be strong. They stopped at the right emplacement: there was blood on the ground. Ryan kneeled and smelled the blood. Emma had told him that the survivors' blood had no specific smell and was generally pale red. This one had a vague smell of vegetation and was dark red nearly black. It certainly was the man's blood. Shanna got a little bottle out of her bag to take a sample of it. They had an examiner at the base and could ask J what it was.
"We need to try and track him, if he is hurt, he won't go very far" Shanna said.
"You are right. But we don't know what this creature is made of. Maybe it is a lot stronger than us." Ryan sighed.
A little further, Shanna spotted another blood trail heading towards the forest:
"Ryan look!"
Ryan approached, looked at the blood sample and the blood on the floor and realised there was a problem: the two bloods were not the same.
"Shanna stay back. It is a trap" Ryan whispered, scared.
At this very moment, a man-like robot came out of his hideout with a gun and a jar of blood, probably fake blood. The two teens didn't move, they stayed down, kneeling on the muddy floor. They had very little chance against him. He had a quick look at them, took his radio and said something in the robot language. Finally he told the Shanna and Ryan to come with him. They both exchanged a look: that was it, they were caught, that was the end. However, really far inside of her, Shanna knew there was still hope, she couldn't just let go. She knew she could do something even if it was very risky: they had nothing to lose. So Shanna took a deep breath and with her knife, she cut the electricity wire that was behind the knee of the robot, the only place where he didn't have any armour. The robot fell down on one side and Ryan, who had understood the move of his friend jumped and cut the other wire so that the robot could fall entirely on the ground. The robot tried to crawl to his gun but Ryan put a foot on his throat to prevent him from moving any further and warning other robots. Shanna took the robot's gun and shot him in the head. She knew that it

wasn't going to kill him but only make him lose consciousness. She looked at the robot pitiless.
"Come on, we have to keep moving."
~
The three friends all looked towards where the gun noise came from. They were really scared. Emma took the radio and said:
"Ryan do you copy, this is Emma is everything okay? Over."
They looked at each other reassuring themselves. After some stressful minutes, Ryan finally responded:
"Emma, this is me, we are fine but we got attacked, be very careful, he could have called reinforcements. Beware of fake blood ! That is how he got us. They know what we are looking for. Over"
Emma smiled and let out a sigh of relief: they were alive.
"I copy, we will be careful, promise. Over." She turned to her friend " Let's move." The three friends started running again, always on their guards. It was starting to get dark and the sun had nearly set. Yet, they had found nothing. They stopped to discuss their next move.
"We need to get to the forest now. It is getting dark and the night will be here soon." They all nodded and started to run towards the forest. Around them, all was destroyed:buildings had turned into ruins, trees into weeds and cars into wrecks. There were huge pieces of buildings in the middle of the streets under which were lying dead bodies. They all wanted to get to the forest as fast as possible as this place was dreadful. Once they arrived at the forest, Anna took the radio and said: "Ryan this is Anna, do you copy? Over."
"Hi Ryan, this is Shanna, we copy. Over." Shanna said after the radio crackled.
"We have just arrived at the forest. Where are you? Over."
"We are coming, nearly there. Don't stay at the extremities it is dangerous, wait for us inside the forest. Over", Ryan said in the radio.
"Understood. Over"
The three friends entered the woods. A few minutes later, Ryan and Shanna arrived. "Did you find anything?" Ryan asked
"No, nothing at all. But the place where we were was awful." Said Emma shaking. "All was destroyed, it smelled terrible and there were dead bodies under ruins."
"Shhh, I know it is awful but don't worry, it is going to be fine." Ryan reassured her giving her a hug.
"We found blood. Dark red blood. We took a sample of it, we think it might come from a man from the forest as it smells like vegetation."

"That is possible, but it could also come from an injured animal. Give it to me please, I would like to have a look at it." Emma asked.
She took the sample Ryan handed to her and examined it.
"It is human." she said agape.
They all looked at each other smiling.
"Oh my god Ryan you were right!" Shanna said happily.
He opened his mouth wanting to answer when the ground started to tremble. Two seconds later, they heard a really loud roaring and the plants in front of them started to get down. Soon, a huge beast was standing in front of them.
"What on earth is that?!" screamed Brandon horrified.

We are called « the survivors »Where stories live. Discover now