The Last Colony

Part 54

Mark whirled around, snatching up Becky from the living room. Kenny and Zero rushed to get their weapons. Mark didn't wait for them as he yanked the front door open and rushed out into the crisp morning air. It was pretty light out even without the sun, allowing him to look around at the land as he yelled out. "NATE!" Nate didn't reply and he saw nothing. The field and animal enclosure looked empty. Mark's heart raced. Kenny and Zero stumbled out onto the porch behind him, causing him to turn and call out. "Stay together. Go check around the house!" Kenny nodded, patting Zero's chest as they jumped over the porch banister. Mark started to make his way toward the truck to see if Nate had messed with it or left any clues. Testing the truck door, he realized that it was still locked. Mari rushed out onto the porch; her katana drawn as she asked a little shaken up. "What's going on?!" Mark raised a hand to her, warning her sternly. "Stay inside! Nate's missing." Mari started to move out more, retorting sternly. "I can help!" Mark pointed at her now, snapping out. "Just stay there!"

Just then the barn doors began to rattle as the horses let out wild distressed whines. Mark dropped his hand and dashed toward the barn. Swinging himself over the metal gate, Mark landed heavily inside the fence. Kenny and Zero were racing toward the barn, slipping through the barbed wire farther down. Mark cursed as Mari ran toward the barbed wire, dropping to slide completely under the wires before getting up to run toward the barn. She was small, but fast enough to outrun him. He yelled at her to stop, but she ignored him. Reaching the barn, she made a sharp turn and jumped to grab the barn's drainpipe. With just socks on, she was able to grip the pipe and climb up quickly without a sound toward a second-floor window. Mark skidded to stop, cursing as he watched her slip into the window. Zero reached him, telling him quickly. "Don't worry about her. Come on." Zero notched his bow, getting ready to draw the string as they crossed in front of the barn. The barn door burst open and Mark barely yanked Zero back in time before one of the heavy doors swung into him.

The doors slammed loudly against the sides as the horses came bolting out with the sheep at their feet. Finbar tripped, stumbling to the ground where the sheep trampled him or leapt over him. Agro bolted out only a few feet, before whirling around to Finbar's screams. As the sheep scattered out across the field, a large Komodo dragon raced out after them. The Komodo Dragon slid into a sharp turn as it saw Finbar struggling to get up. Opening its mouth to reveal a long dripping tongue as it hissed. Agro ran up, stomping her hooves menacingly as she tried to scare the Licker away with aggressive whines. Zero lifted his bow, drawing the string to aim at the hissing Licker. As he released the arrow, Mark watched perplexed as the Licker dived into a roll to avoid the arrow without even knowing that Zero was there! Rolling back up to its feet, it looked at them and hissed louder. Zero gawked at it, saying a bit terrified. "Ok... That's new." Zero notched another arrow, but the Licker began to dash around to keep Zero from getting a good shot. The Licker kept his movement unpredictable and then leapt straight for Zero!

Mark raised Becky to try blocking the Licker's tongue from reaching Zero and to hopefully impale it. The Licker's tongue wrapped around Becky's handle, but before its body got close enough... a loud 'BANG' rang out. Mark flinched, then saw the body of the Licker hit the ground with a bullet through its temple. Panting just off to the side, Kenny lowered his smoking gun as he told them breathlessly. "I did that WITHOUT coffee..." Zero chuckled softly to himself. Mark moved around Zero, peeking into the barn. The barn was lit up with oil lamps, giving the place a warm glow and lighting up the scene of horror. In the center of the barn was a horse in a red hazmat suit and on its back was Nate. Nate looked beaten bloody and was tied up with a gag in his mouth. He barely looked conscious. From the rafters above, a noose had been strung up and wrapped around Nate's neck. While crouching on the rafter was a figure in blood red armor with a rifle draped over his lap. Mark's heart sank to the pit of his stomach as he whispered to the others. "Oh fuck... It's War."