THE RUINS

Chapter 12- The Wastelands.

"My name was Travis and I was a traitor." Read the sign pinned to the headless body stuck to the large wooden cross. Next to the crucified body were two pikes equipped with the unforgettable heads of Robert and Mark. 

Overseeing this display of carnage was Rebecca. She could not even muster up the appropriate reaction of horror and hysteria. Witnessing the fate which had befallen her husband left her empty. She could merely stand there and stare at the macabre scene.  It had been a day since these bodies were discovered and the only reason why they were not taken down was the note left by Victor informing them that if they did he would just replace them with more. 

Despite their best efforts they had fallen into a deep fear of Victor. Joseph had officially announced that they were moving from the camp. They would travel to the fabled new land where nothing ever went wrong. The biggest issue was that it involved travelling through the wastelands. Which ultimately meant that they would encounter the abhorred demons known as Remnants. The only creatures outside of Victor that struck fear into the hearts of the people.

There was no time to waste, they had to leave today or Victor would raid the camp and they would all meet a ghastly fate. As they trotted through the mud and past the thin trees. Rebecca could begin to feel the heat of the wastelands beat at her face. 

They had finally made it past the giant malicious oaks when they saw the wastelands. They overlooked the wretched, hellish land scape before them. It was tinted red and contained nothing but treacherous stone structures for as far as the eye could see. There were a few decayed remains of houses but they were merely rubble at this point.

It was time. They each climbed down the steep muddy hill and jumped to the ground. Nathan, one of the larger men of the group slipped and fell to the ground yelping in a quick reflex displaying pain. He had put his hands out to stop his fall and when he got back up he noticed that the flesh had been burnt from his hands due to the extreme heat of the ground. With slight hesitation they marched onwards.

Along the desolate wastelands were small patches of water. The group was almost shocked to see this refreshment in such a boiling and dry environment.

They had been walking for miles when all of a sudden Nathan fainted. Joseph quickly ran to his aid. "He's got heat exhaustion. Does anyone have any bottles of water or anything cold?" He said in a panicked tone.

Rebecca quickly reached into her satchel and handed Joseph a flask of water. He poured it onto Nathan's face and slapped him. He woke up but was clearly very weak from the exposure.

He got up and they continued their journey. It wasn't long before they began to hear grunting. They looked into the distance and saw walking nightmares. They saw the remnants.

Even at a distance they were unbelievably massive standing at easily 12 feet tall. They couldn't get a good look though due to the distance. Well, that was until they heard the most horrifying, most ungodly scream that had ever pierced their brains.

Their nasal passages were immediately invaded by a putrid, foul oder and the sun became dark as it was covered by a hulking beast. Standing in front of them was a remnant. In the flesh. It was huge, it had to of been about 12 or 13 feet tall. It's eyes were a diabolical tint of yellow. It's skin was red and blistered and it's body was a mass of radioactive tumours. It's neck was aligned with thick black veins that proceeded into it's forehead and down it's biceps. It howled at the petrified onlookers as it raised a giant wooden club. Bringing it down to the ground with a crash.

The brute pursued them with malicious intent and hunger in its eyes. It grabbed the weak Nathan and hoisted him into the air. As he kicked and screamed the monster opened it's hideous mouth revealing it's yellow crooked teeth. It's stale breath landed on Nathan's face as the creature bit down onto his neck.