Artificial Earth

44

Route 11

"GET THAT CAR OFF THE ROAD NOW!!!" Patrol Officer Willy cried out, moving towards the Tow Truck.
"On it Chief! My guys are securing the clamps! It'll Probably take twenty minutes top,,rain's slowing my boys down!" Arnold answered back, leaning out the window.
"We don't have twenty minutes!" Willy shouted back, over the noise of wind and rain. "Convoy's heading our way! Twister's right on their tail!" he added.
"Holy Crap!" Arnold cried out, looking the other way.
"We're moving back! Pull that goddam car and get your asses behind us!" Willy said, running back towards his patrol car. Willy tapped gently on their patrol cars window, his partner Boon, who was sitting at the drivers side rolled it slightly down.
"Start the car! I'll just go check on the others!..Be back!..." Willy said, turning towards the RV.
Ned opened the RV's door and let Officer Willy in. His dad Randolf was seated at the drivers side of the vehicle, his wife Angela was sitting across from him.
"Hey....Can't stay too long, have to get back....You guys get ready to move...We'll lead the way, you follow. That Convoy's headed straight for us and it won't be stopping for anything. The others..." Willy was saying.
"They already know." Randolf replied.
"Good. There's no time to waste....stay close behind us. Goodluck."
"Thanks."
Willy rushed out and Ned closed the RV's door.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Danvers Bar
"Cathy"

"GOD.....MY HEAD FEELS SO HEAVY....AND....OWWW, hurts like hell. Must've hit it when I fell....Everything's still fuzzy. Okay, Let me see...fingers...(Cathy tried moving her fingers) check....toes....check. (Cathy opened her eyes) What happened?" Cathy thought.
"You're awake! Cathy...Guys! Cat's awake!" Jenny hollered.
"I remember her...Jenny..."
"Are you okay honey?" Jenny asked checking her, looking at both her eyes for any signs of shock. "Are you hurting anywhere?"
"No...head still hurts a bit, that's all." Cathy replied.
"Thank Goodness you're okay! You scared me there for a while..."
"Sorry." Cathy said, trying to sit up.
"Nothing to feel sorry for." Jenny said, helping her. "What's important is that you're back." she added, tidying Cathys hair with her fingers.
Cathy looked around the dimly lit room. A gas lantern was in the center of a large wooden table across from her, on the the other side, on the couch, Tommy was sitting next to his father who was sleeping, the couple, Maria and John were adjacent to them, locked in each others embrace, and on the far side, sitting on the floor next to the hole in the wall, hugging a riffle was Jake...all looked tired and worn out and were staring at her.
"Where are the others?" Cathy asked Jenny, turning to her.
"They're upstairs...getting supplies and medicine...they'll be back soon."
"Been awfully quiet upstairs, think they're okay?" Tommy asked, turning towards Jake.
"Them three will be fine. Tough bunch...probably just being careful and quiet thats all." Jake replied.
"So...What's your story? You okay now?" Jake asked, looking at Cathy.
"Yeah,..I think so." Cathy said.
"So what happened back there?" Jake asked, prompting her.
"I...I can't remember. I was...then...must've slipped or something." Cathy said.
"What's with the screaming?...You must have seen or at least heard something?" Jake prompted on.
"Don't....Can't remember..."
"Jeeezit..." Jake mumbled out.
"That's enough!" Jenny exclaimed, cutting in. "She's still in shock...."
"But we need to know what went on in there so we would know exactly what we're dealing with here." Jake countered.
"She needs more time.....can't you see she's still shaken?" Jenny shot back.
Cathy looked at Danver who was lying still.
"How's the old man?" she asked, her voice barely above a wispher.
"He...He's fine. Just needs some rest...Once the others get back with some medicine he'll be okay." Jenny replied.
"I'm really sorry...." Cathy said, starting to cry.
"Now don't you worry honey...just focus on getting better, save your strength." Jenny said, brushing away tears from Cathy's eyes. "Tommy...Do we still have some soup left?"
"Yeah...in the kitchen." Tommy replied.
"We'll go get some, John.." Maria said.
"Thanks Maria." Jenny said, smiling back.

Joe, Garth and Rob got back with some medicines and other supplies.
"Any problems?" Jenny asked.
"None. Everything's quiet upstairs..." Joe said, handing the medicine and bandages over to Jenny. "Got some pain killers and antibiotics but that's just about it, nothing left,..Garth and Rob were able to find a few bandages, brought back a couple of blankets, towels and an ancient battery powered radio with two sets of batteries."

"This will do." Jenny said, looking at the bottles and taking the bandages. "No sign of the...that...thing?" she asked, standing up.
"That's whats bothering me..." Joe said, taking a seat.
"Think it left?" Jake cutted in.
"I don't think so.....maybe it's sleeping or something." Joe said.
"I think it was there...I cant say how I know but I can feel it watching us somehow." Garth injected.
"What? You psychic now Garth?" Jake said. "Owww!" Jake cried out after Garth hit him on the head with his palm.
"SmartAss." Garth said, frowning.
"Hey Tommy! Does this thing still work?" Rob asked, looking at the old radio. Tommy went over and unwrapped the batteries, placing them inside.
"I think so...This was my Dad's....Keeps it in good condition, says it's vintage...should probabably belong in a museum." Tommy said, turning the radio on. He turned the dials looking for a station...static.....hissing then more static.
Just then, Maria and John got back from the kitchen, each carrying a tray with several bowls of soup.
"Okay guys, better get some while they're hot." Maria said, placing the bowls on the center table.
"Hey Danver...Wake up...Danver..." Jenny said, gently tapping his cheeks.
"Uuurgh, Wha...Hmmph..." Danver mumbled out, sleeping again.
"Danver....wake up..." Jenny tried again.
"What the hell.....Leave me alone...Owww...damn shoulder... can'tcha see man's tryin'a sleep?" Danver shot back.
"Danver get up. You need to take your medicine. Come on now.." Jenny urged, helping Danver up.
"Dammit...What time is it anyway?" Danver cussed, sitting up.
"It's time for you to take your medicine." Jenny replied, handing him two pills. "One's for pain, the other is for infection." she added, holding the glass of water in front of him.
Joe looked at his wrist and remembered that he didn't wore his watch, a natural reaction upon hearing someone asking about the time.
"Hey...Any of you guys know what time is it?" He asked.
"Cellphone's dead...no idea." Jake replied.
"It's probably around eight or nine in the morning I think, can't really tell 'coz it's darn dark outside, like it's nine in the evening." Garth explained.
"Hey guys...I think I got Marble City News on the radio.." Tommy said, fiddling with the dials.

"....Bay area's flooded....bzzt...motorists advised....bzzzt....road....bzzzt...."
".....weather anomaly detected...bzzzt...science team....bzzzt...investigate....bzzzt...."
".....military presence....bzzzt...goods...bzzzt....evacuation......bzzzt....over Kennebeck Stadium....bzzzt..."

Cathy started acting strange, going through her soup with unnatural voraciousness, small droplets of beads were forming on her forehead, slipping down her curve face. No one seemed to notice except Jake who was staring and thought it was natural since she did woke up from some kind of traumatic ordeal. After consuming her soup, Cathy stood up, not bothering to wipe her chin, which was dripping with soup, eyes blank, then started walking towards the front door of the bar where a number of tables and chairs were piled up blocking the entrance.
"Hey Cathy..." Maria said as Cathy walked past her and John.
Everyone in the room was staring at her as she started removing a chair from the barricade.
"Hey Missy!" Rob called out as he headed towards her.
"Somethings wrong." Jenny thought. "Hey Cat!" she called out as Cathy continued pulling the chair.
Rob extended his arm and was about to pull Cathy away from the door when Cathy suddenly turned and pushed Rob, sending him flying back a few feet in the air, landing back first on the center table, breaking it. Bowls flew and soup splashed in all directions. Joe was caught by surprise as Robs body crashed on the table in front of him, tried to stand and move away, tripped on his foot, fell backwards on his chair, sprawling feet up on the floor. Jenny instinctively turned her head away placing her arms and hands up protectively as a bowl flew inches above her head, spraying her hair and a part of her face with soup.
The gas lantern in the center of the table was also thrown off, landing on the floor next to where Joe sat, instantly breaking and exploding, scattering flames, lighting the entire room a few seconds before diminishing, plunging the bar in darkness and in the darkness Cathy shrieked and screamed a loud inhuman cry.

----------------------------------------------------------

Authors Note

Hi there! It took me a while to write this bit part probabably because I wasn't really sure where I wan't the story to go. There were several directions to choose from and I guess choosing to not reveal Cathy's fate entirely was the most logical. Again, Thank You so much for staying...Have a great day!!!
Please don't forget to Vote, Share or Comment!!!