Blood Water (16 page)

'
Our closest relation – in terms of intelligence at least.
If so . . . I really don't know whether to be overjoyed
at this discovery or terrified. Considering what it did
to the fish, if it can do that to any species it could be
dangerous. I certainly don't want to touch it. But what if it
could communicate? What if apparatus could be set up to
allow it to communicate with human beings? I wonder
what it would say . . .
'

Sean already knew the sort of thing the creature
would say if it could talk to humans. And it was nothing
they wanted to hear. His boots were now caked with
mud, making each step heavier than the one before.
Waites seemed to have found a trail that led up the side
of the hill. Sean was feeling drained, ill and battered,
but he thought Waites must be in a far worse state
after being brutally attacked twice. Were they up to
the challenge of stopping that creature now that it
inhabited a stronger body? And without harming James?
If it was to be killed it would have to be forced to leave
his body first. That meant getting him to swallow the
salt solution.

Suddenly Sean heard the yapping of a dog. He turned
back towards the study centre, but could see nothing
in the dark. If the dog had survived its ordeal, there
seemed no rational reason why it would want to follow
them – they hadn't exactly been nice to it. He listened
carefully, but could hear nothing more, so he turned and
concentrated on following Waites.

It was a hunger now, an insatiable yearning that drove
the creature on, pushing its host body ever forward,
tripping and sliding in the thick mud several times,
but always getting back on its feet, never allowing
its thoughts to deviate from its objective. The young
man's body moved awkwardly, as if it was drunk,
exhausted or on the verge of collapse. When it
reached the cave mouth, it didn't even stop to read
the warning sign: it just climbed over the thin chain
that had been strung across the entrance and stumbled
ahead into the darkness, the torch seeking out each
nook and crevice. They were here somewhere –
but where?

Waites had to stop for a moment to get his breath
back. He turned to look at Sean and was about to say
something, but changed his mind and started limping
off again. Sean could imagine a number of things that
Waites might have said, but none would have really
helped them at this point. He retrieved the tape recorder
and played the last of the message, holding it up now so
that they could both hear.

'
. . . but one thing is for certain. This creature, whatever it is,
cannot co-exist with other animals. Whatever capacity it has
for actual thinking, it does not take even a second to consider
the consequences of possessing another creature: it just does it,
as if it's natural. With both the fish and Sally's python, it used
their bodies to try and escape, assimilated all the information it
could, then departed, leaving behind a corpse. Either it is
incapable of understanding morality, or sympathy, or it just
doesn't care . . .
'

If Waites had heard it all, he didn't give any indication.
Sean put the Dictaphone back in his pocket and
waded on through the mire. Once over the rise, they
stopped briefly to look for signs of the creature's progress.
At first they saw nothing: the countryside around them
was pitch black . . . then there was a flicker ahead of
them. Waites shone the torch towards it and they saw a
dark opening in the rock face.

'Must have gone that way,' Waites said.

'Do you think they're in there?' asked Sean.

'Must be . . . At least, it believes they are. But what if
this Holland guy was wrong?'

'Doesn't matter. We have to catch it either way. And
I've got to save James,' Sean replied as he turned to
walk on.

Waites caught up and took his arm gently. 'Sean . . .
you know . . .'

'I know. But we have to try.'

They shared an agonized look, then went on towards
the cave. Sean's boots were really heavy now, and each
step was sapping his strength. He was beginning to
wonder if he was actually up to fighting the monster,
fighting for his brother's life.

The creature had no concept of fear. Its natural sense
of self-preservation made it cautious, but it didn't feel
the apprehension that a human might: it didn't have the
imagination to foresee hidden dangers. So as it made
its way through the dank cave, it didn't wonder what
might be lurking in the shadows, didn't question the
source of the strange sounds; it just went on searching
for its goal. It stopped and swept the torch beam around
the cavern walls. There didn't seem to be an exit. It must
have taken a wrong turn somewhere. It backtracked to a
fork, this time taking the other path. Somewhere around
here, somewhere close perhaps, were its kin, others that
would help it spread through the human race and then
the rest of the animal kingdom like wildfire, until there
was nothing left.

* * *

Not too far away, the creature's pursuers stepped
cautiously into the mouth of the cave, listening carefully.

'Have you been here before?' Waites asked Sean.

'No – but James might have.'

'Well, it could be dangerous, so watch your step.'

'How will it know where to go? This cave system
could be vast.'

'Maybe it found a map . . . Or maybe it's a small
cave. Either way we'd better catch up before we get
lost. Come on.'

Waites moved the torch beam around the cavern until
he was sure of the way. There were a number of small
openings set into the wall, but luckily only one proper
passage. They advanced, and as they did so, Sean reached
into his pocket and made sure the solution was still secure.
It was the only chance they had of getting that creature
to leave James's body. If he lost it, that was it. Waites
stopped up ahead and shone the torch around again.

'What is it?' Sean asked.

'I think there are two passageways here. It's hard to
tell . . . We'll just have to eliminate them one by one.'
Waites led the way into the left opening. They were only
a few paces in when he cried out and suddenly the rocks
dropped away beneath them. Sean scrabbled frantically
for something to hold onto, but it was too late – he was
falling through thin air.

The creature had entered a large round chamber. When
it shone the torch ahead, strange patterns danced across
the wall as the light reflected off a pool of water. It stood
by the edge, looking down into the dark water through
the young man's eyes. Was it a trick of the light, or was
there something moving down there?

Suddenly there was a crash from above, and it seemed
as if the whole ceiling was falling in. The creature turned
and looked up to see rocks and a body tumbling down
towards it. The figure landed with a thud, winced, then
looked around, startled. The creature watched as the
cloud of dust settled, then turned back to the pool. There
really was something moving in the water. In fact, there
were a lot of things moving . . .

Waites had managed to get hold of a ledge of rock
and avoid slipping down the treacherous, rocky slope
towards the cave at the bottom. He hadn't been able to
grab Sean though; he swung the torch beam frantically
around the sloping tunnel, but there was no sign of the
boy. He couldn't tell where the slope led to, or how long
it was, but Sean might still be alive: he had to reach him
fast.

He retraced his steps, hobbling painfully over the
loose rocks and was soon back at the fork. The other
passage was narrow at first, but it soon widened out. He
hobbled along as fast as he dared, aware that there could
be another collapse, shutting his mind to the pain in his
foot. If Sean was injured or worse, it might take a very
long time for rescue to come – and he had other more
pressing problems . . .

The creature was aware of the boy scrabbling about in
the rubble, panting, cursing and trying to get back on
his feet, but all this was only on the periphery of its
consciousness. It couldn't tear its gaze away from the
black shapes swirling beneath it. There were so many
of them, swimming under and over each other. Tens
of thousands perhaps. It knelt down and reached out
to touch the surface of the water. Gradually it became
aware of sounds, voices even, all talking at once, saying
the same thing . . . although the meaning was unclear.
Perhaps the language was unfamiliar because of the time
the creature had spent in human minds. And perhaps
this odd language had been forgotten over the millennia
of separation. How joyous though, how wonderful
to finally be here, with so many of its kindred, after so
long. The loneliness, the isolation had been appalling.
But now all that was at an end. The creature felt like
crying with relief.

Sean was in pain – lots of pain. He didn't try to get to
his feet straight away; instead he moved each arm, then
each leg and foot, just in case something was broken.
Despite being banged about and bruised he didn't think
he'd suffered any serious damage, so he carefully stood
in the darkness. He was shaken, and for a moment had
no idea where he had landed, but it was clear it must be
some large subterranean cavern. He saw a figure in the
distance – could it be Waites looking for him? – and
was about to call out when he heard it laugh out loud
and realized who it was.

'James.'

The creature heard the name and knew what it
meant, but still it didn't turn round. It could feel as well
as hear them now. It felt like it was absorbing energy
from them – some kind of force that was generated
from their mass.

'James!'

Again the creature paid the call no heed. It was so
close to its goal now. But suddenly the sense of familiarity
was gone and it experienced an odd feeling of
disassociation. Now it was actually questioning what it
was doing, and what these creatures really were. Had it
really been spending too long inside the minds of these
human beings? Was its true identity becoming lost? It
started to panic. It couldn't allow itself to have second
thoughts: this was something it had to do, this was what
it had been yearning for.

'James, it's me, Sean . . .' The voice was closer now –
it was irritated. But it didn't matter, it could put up with
it for now. All those dark bodies down there, all twisting
and writhing together. Family. The creature wanted
to belong more than anything else, more even than
conquering the human race and spreading through them
like a virus. It now knew with absolute certainty that it
was never meant to be on its own, it was meant to be
with them; now it could return to its family for good.

'James, I know you're in there. Please listen to me. It's
me, Sean, your brother. You have to fight it.' The voice
was right behind it now, and louder than before. The
creature was having difficulty ignoring it, its thoughts
confused. It could feel the boy, hear his breathing.

'James, please just try—'

The creature turned and pushed the boy over with as
much force as it could muster.

Sean went flying across the hard rocky cave floor.
He felt his whole frame shake. His back hurt the most,
followed by his head, but pretty much every part of him
groaned in pain. He looked up to see that James and
the thing that controlled him had now turned back to
the pool. James was holding his arms up, opening them
wide as though ready to embrace some invisible friend.
A prolonged gasp seemed to issue from his mouth and
he was swaying on his feet, in danger of falling forward
into the pool. Sean hadn't actually seen what was in
the water, but now he realized that the creature must
have found its kin down there. Was it going to free
them somehow, let them loose?
This could be the end,
he thought.
Unless I do something right now, this could
be the end for everyone
.

He tried to push himself up onto his feet, but the
effort required was too great. Most of his strength
seemed to have left him. He looked across at his brother
in anguish and frustration. Had welts started to appear?
He had to do something before the disease took hold.
Sean put everything he had into moving his battered
body, but as he regained his feet a wave of dizziness
came over him and he had to put a hand on the cave
wall to steady himself. He tried to focus, and just as he
turned to look across at his brother, the worst happened.
With a loud, echoing splash of water, it was all over.

Waites was lost. The path had led over jagged rocks and
through narrow, claustrophobic tunnels. He could well
be getting further and further away from Sean, and if he
came to a dead end he might never be able to find his
way back. He swore and decided to carry on for another
minute or two before turning back and finding another
way. Suddenly, in the distance, he heard an awful scream.
A cry of denial, of horror. He stopped to listen, but it
wasn't repeated, and he had no idea where it had come
from. He walked on, praying he was on the right track,
but stopped when he heard another noise behind him
somewhere – a movement. Something had disturbed
the rocks. He turned and shone the torch into the darkness,
hearing his breathing quicken. Nothing.
Must be
that dog
, he thought.
Must have tracked me all the way
down here
.

Sean rushed towards the water's edge, ignoring the protests
of his muscles. When he reached the pool he picked
up the torch his brother had dropped and was awed and
repulsed to see the teeming mass of black creatures,
so numerous and so animated that he was reminded
initially of television static. Of James there was no sign,
and despite the overwhelming urge to do something to
save him, he could only gaze at the pool of death from
which his brother would surely never return.

But just then a hand reached up through the surface
of the water, scrabbling for the rock. It was followed by
the head, hair dripping, eyes bulging, with several black,
wriggling creatures squirming all over it. Sean could
see the desperation in his brother's eyes. He dropped
the torch, reached down and grabbed both his brother's
hands, pulling him up with every ounce of strength he
had left, until they both lay gasping on the floor of the
cave. Immediately Sean began to help James tear off the
slug-like things and throw them back into the water.
James was spluttering with horror. 'Get off! Get off
me!' Finally his body was free of them.

Sean retrieved the torch and pointed the beam across
at his brother, who now lay staring at the ceiling, slowly
shaking his head.

'James?' Sean asked. 'Are you OK?'

'I remember now,' James said, looking beaten,
dejected. He was shaking and crying. 'I remember all
of it.'

'Remember what?' Sean asked.

'They're not like me. Not one of them.'

Sean was confused.

'They have no interest in power . . .' James growled
angrily. 'Why must it be like this?' He turned to Sean
with open, searching eyes. 'If only they could see how
I see, then this world could be ours. How can they
possibly be content here, in the dark, for all this time?'

'Sean!' It was Waites's voice. Sean turned to see him
limping over from the other side of the cavern.

'Pathetic,' James said. 'Every one of them.' Suddenly
he sat up and roared at Sean, reaching out to grab him.
Sean knew he had to act fast. He pulled the container
of liquid from his pocket, screwed off the lid, then
rolled onto his brother's body before he could react, and
poured some of the liquid into his mouth. He clamped
one hand over James's lips, the other pinching his nose,
and forced him to swallow. James bucked beneath him,
his eyes bulging as he easily pushed his brother off. He
was soon able to get to his feet, where he stood coughing
and retching.

Waites approached him, mouth open with horror,
but before Sean could shout out a warning, the black
creature, covered in a fizzing white foam, shot out of
James's mouth and landed on the teacher's face before
forcing its way inside. Almost gagging with revulsion,
Waites tried to bite down, but the creature's body was
as tough as leather now. Somehow it had adapted: it
had learned to survive. In no time it was sliding and
squeezing its way through the man's sinuses and up into
his brain.