Flesh Eaters

Breaking Free

Chapter 25 - Breaking Free

*Grey's POV*

I scream, I don't even realize it until I pause for a breath. "NOOO! YOUR A MONSTER! A FUCKING MONSTER!"

I feel hot tears stream down my checks as I watch the tiny body of Hope fall to the ground in a bundle of bloody blankets. Rage toward this man in front of me pushes me forward. A set of arms wrap around me stopping me in my tracks. I scream as I claw at them.

I want to strangle the life from the murderer in front of me. "Restrain them," he says, "eaters won't be absent for long."

Large hands grip my arms and pull them behind me before they tie a rope around my wrists.

"Let me go," I growl as I send back a kick.

The person grunts and releases me. I race forward, blinded by rage. Before I even know it's happening the murderers fist collides with side of my head.

I fall back and lay still on the ground, stunned. Slowly my vision darkens and little stars dance in my eyes. The sound of the ocean whooshes in my ears as my world darkens. A cold, numb feeling falls across me, pulling me under, and then... nothing.

**************

I shiver as a cold wind blows across my exposed skin causing goosebumps to raise. To my left I feel warmth and inch myself toward it.

"Grey?" a rough voice asks.

Slowly I open my eyes and lift my head. Next to me I find Baird. His face is barely recognizable, being swollen and bruised. His upper lips cracked open and crusted with dried blood. His eyes are both swollen and a deep purple and red bruise marks his cheek. A matching bruise sits just above his eyebrow.

"What happened," I ask as I take in his damaged face.

"To me, you, or Murphy?"

"Everyone."

"We're hostages, I don't know what for but they think we have something to do with Safe Haven," he croaks before he clears his throat. "They knocked us all out and just like you we woke up here. They took me for questioning. When I didn't provide the answers they wanted they punished me."

"And Murphy?"

"Simon took him for, questioning."

I furrow my eyebrows, "Simon? Who's Simon?"

"The fucker who killed Hope. My... my daughter."

I fall silent, unsure how to respond. Hope, she wasn't even a day old but I felt something like love towards her for the few minutes she was here. Her loss is a great blow to my emotional state but I push the feelings away. There's no time to mourn, not now, not with things the way they are.

I look away and take in my surroundings. A stack of small logs sits next to a low burning fire. It crackles and sparks a few feet away from my feet. I take note an axe leaning again the logs. Between the low hanging branches surrounding me I can make out small tents. In the distance I hear voices whispering to each other in the shadows of the trees. Chains attached to the collars of dogs rattle as they drag across the ground. The scent of cooking meat drifts around making my mouth water and my stomach growl.

A unchained dog wanders over and sits at my feet, wagging its bushy tail.

"Hey there," I whisper.

The dog tilts its head to the side and angles its pointy ears toward me.

I glance over at Baird who watches the dog at my feet. Looking away from the mutt he asks, "what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that we're gonna find Murphy and get out of here."