The Unwilling Darkness

Prologue

        Feed the fire, stay alert, and hope they don't show up. Thats all Aaron can do as the others sleep. Right now there were six in the group including him. His brother Greg, Gregs childhood friend Sally, Jacob, David, Jesse and Aaron himself. He keeps his rifle close as though it were his only friend, listening for the sound of glass. He had set up a trip wire around the area tied with glass soda bottles in hopes it would warn the group if something was moving in on them. He and his brother Greg got the idea from some movie they watched when they were kids though he couldnt remember the name if his life depended on it. That thought ran through Aarons head and he gave a quiet chuckle out to himself thinking of the irony. It wasn't the name his life rested on, but the cheep movie seen impersination. It had worked twice in the past so the idea failing wasn't what Aaron was afraid of.

        He wasnt too scared to be outside like he was. A few days back he and two others, Herald and Sally, were going through an abandon neighborhood looking for food when they found a dog tied in a yard half starved. It was a boxer with brown and black spots. They had untied it and brought it along after a debate. Unfortunately, as they did so, they were attacked and Herald didn't make it back. Not alive that is. Now Spot, the dog, lay next to him quietly staring into the fire, serving as both company and a helpful eye. The most unique feature about this dog Aaron noticed was the markings on its chest that looked like the infinate symbol. Sally liked to think of it being a sign but Aaron just saw it as a doggy birthmark.

        As he contiplated on the day they got the dog, he started hearing the bottles gently chimming together. Aaron grabbed his rifle and stood up off the ground. He felt a slight chilling breeze and hoped thats all it was. He looked at Spot who was spralled out still on the ground in front of the fire. He looked up at Aaron with those big brown eyes as if asking if Aaron was alright. Aaron lowered his rifle and took a breath. He felt his heart pounding. It had been a while since they had an incounter with the creatures that they've been running from.

        Almost a month ago, something happened that made people start attacking and eating each other. As bizarre as it sounded, it was really happening. Some say it had to do with some chemical experiment a highly known medicine developer conducted without public announcement and some say it was some kind of warfare man made virus. A lot of the religious believed it to be armageddon. What it really was didn't matter, Greg would say. The only thing that mattered was surviving until it passed and hopfully it would pass soon. Aaron didn't see the logic behind fighting for a world that has crumbled but at the same time didnt fight his brother on it. He wanted to live. Thats all that ran through his head was survival. Maybe, Aaron thought, there is a logic...maybe.

        The bottles began to chime again only this time it was too strong to just be a breeze. Spot was standing and looking out to the darkness, growling and the fur on his back standing on end. Aaron was quick to raise his weapon even though he couldnt see anything. It was a moonless night making it impossible to see past the light of the fire that burned dimmly.

        "Greg" Aaron gave a hoarse whisper, "Greg wake up." Greg, who had been sleeping next to him, gave out a grunt and rolled over. Aaron's eyes flashed between the darkness and his brother who'd been laying on the ground. Fustrated, Aaron kicked Greg in the head. Greg woke up and rubbed his head.

        "Hey man, what the f-" Greg shouted.

        "Sh!" Aaron shushed him before Greg could finish his sentence. "Listen." he whispered. Greg sat there quietly, listening to the chime of the glass bottles in the darkness

        "We need to go." Greg said, fear making his voice tremble. Greg grabbed Spots blue collar and began to lead him to the RV where the rest of the group were sleeping. Aaron followed keeping the guns sight trained on the dark path behind them. Spot then began to fight against Greg the closer they got to the RV growling and barking.

        "What are you doing dog?" Greg said agitated. "What's your problem?"

        Just then the RV began to shake and something on the inside was banging on the door. Confused both brothers looked at one another, eyes wide. Pulling Spot by the collar with all his might, Greg moved slowly toward the RV, reaching for the door handle. Again and again the door would shake after getting slammed harder and harder from the inside. Spot's barking and growling got more aggressive the closer Greg got to the RV. His fingertips were so close to the handle when Spot jumped up and bit Greg. Greg let go of the collar and grabbed his wrist where Spot bit. The dog backed away from the RV as fast as it could still barking.

        Before Greg could scold him, the door flew open off its hinges and hit the floor inches from Greg's feet. Just then something heavy landed on Greg, making them both fall to the gravel on the ground. Aaron whipped his head to look behind him to see what had happen, but just as he did, something emerged from the darkness and grabbed at the barrel of the rifle.

        Aaron fired without seeing what had grabbed the weapon. When he realized it was one of those creatures, he felt his heart jump out of his chest. The bullet had passed through its chest leaving a gaping hole, but the creature stood unscathed. Aaron felt as though the world had flipped upside down in a flash. Unable to react in time, another burst into sight from behind the first and latched itself to Aaron before biting deep into his arm. Spot attacked and launched himself at one of them, attacking the throat, but it was useless. Aaron fell to the ground and began to buck and kick as the creatures ripped at his flesh.

        Greg managed to push whatever was on top of him off. He rolled over on his back and sat up. As soon as he did, he say what was on top of him was Sally. But she was covered in blood. After looking closer he could see she was dead. He was stunned. This couldn't be happening, Greg thought, this isn't real. It's just a bad dream and i need to wake up now!

        He sat there, staring into her lifeless eyes. The rest of the world forgotten and lost to him. He could hear Aaron calling his name, but he couldn't react. He couldn't even breath. Just as he was starting to come down to earth, he felt something latch onto his sleeve. He pulled away and pulled back before he saw it was Spot. Greg then began to think about the others. He stood up and rushed inside the RV and just as he step foot inside, he'd been tackled hard. He felt an intense pain in his neck. Something was biting it. He tried to fight it off before his body started growing cold and the world darkened.