Dark Inside (34 page)

“Change of plans,” Michael yelled.

“Follow me,” Aries said. “We’ll take the stairs.”

They ran off toward the women’s purses. It wasn’t until they reached the hosiery department that everyone stopped dead in their tracks. Jack raised his baseball bat up in the air.

“What the hell?” Mason said it best.

The area had been completely cleaned out. Hundreds of sleeping bags lined the floor, pressed tightly together like sardines. Empty cans, packaged food, and discarded bloody clothing covered the space. In the corner, piles of uneaten groceries and survival goods were stockpiled. Without thinking, Clementine reached down and picked up a discarded rag doll. Dried blood was smeared across its rosy cheeks.

“That is one big slumber party,” Michael muttered. He kicked at a pile of discarded laundry.

“That explains the generator,” Mason said. “They’re living here. And we just walked right into their nest.”

From behind them, back at the escalators, the scuttling noise of several people running echoed across the store.

“The Baggers are in the building,” Clementine muttered.

“I’d ask you why you call them that, but I don’t think we
have time for a chat,” Jack said. “I think the proper thing to do in this situation is run.”

There were no disagreements.

They headed toward a glowing exit sign and found the stairs. There was only one more flight to go before they reached the main floor. Then they raced toward the makeup and perfume counters. Clementine had always avoided these areas in the past. She had allergies to perfume and hated the way all the scents mixed together. Even now, weeks since the store saw its last real customer, the heavy smells assaulted her nose. Suppressing an intense urge to sneeze, she ran straight for the doors, pressing hard against the latch to try and get it open. It didn’t budge.

“Door’s locked,” she said.

“Same here,” Michael said, pressing both his hands against the glass in frustration. “We need something big to break it.”

“I think we need another exit,” Daniel said. “Look.”

She hadn’t seen it at first because it was dark outside and still in the light. But looking out onto Granville Street, she saw that the pavement was lined with Baggers. Dozens of them, maybe even a hundred. They stood quietly, waiting, watching the store.

“That’s it,” Mason said quietly. “Game over.”

“No,” Clementine said. “There has to be another way out.” She turned to look back at the perfume counters, but the Baggers were already there. Walking down the rows, at least twenty of them were spreading out across the floor, grinning.

“We’re surrounded,” Aries said.

“It’s been a good fight,” Michael said.

“It’s not over,” Clementine snapped. “There’s gotta be another way.” She looked back over her shoulder to see that more Baggers were appearing in the street.

Michael reached out and took her hand.

“No!” she screamed. “I’m not dying this way.”

One of the Baggers leaped toward her, fingers reaching for her face. She felt Michael’s hand tugging her back, but he wasn’t fast enough. Just as the monster reached for her, Mason shoved her out of the way and tackled the Bagger head-on, knocking him to the ground.

It was the sign the monsters were waiting for. They began to surge forward toward the group. Behind her, Clementine could hear the sounds of them banging against the doors. Glass shattered and a burst of cold wind hit her neck.

He’d seen the guy coming and managed to get Clementine out of the way before he took the hit. The pain in his wounded hand was horrible, but he clenched his teeth tightly and fought back the nausea welling up inside his stomach. The Bagger dropped to the floor, smashing its head and knocking itself unconscious. Not that it mattered. One down, several hundred more to go.

Behind them, the glass shattered. Before he had a chance to turn, one of them slammed into his back, knocking him straight onto his knees. Someone grabbed him by the hair, jerking his neck back at an awkward angle before Jack stepped in, punching the Bagger hard enough that it let go.

He nodded at Jack; there was no time for more thanks as the Baggers swarmed the store through the broken doors.

Mason started throwing punches with his good hand. He saw Clementine and Michael picking up perfume bottles and hurling them at the monsters. Daniel went down in a sea of crazies, clothing and skin blurring as they toppled over one another to get close enough for the kill. Jack and Aries stood together, the baseball bat high above his head, as the crowd closed in.

This was it.

A female Bagger circled Mason from behind, and a brief flash of metal appeared in the corner of his eye as she raised a knife toward his face. She screamed like a banshee, filthy hair whipping around her shoulders. Mason dodged her, kicking at her legs and bringing her to the ground. With his good hand, he punched another attacker in the nose, working his way through the crowd to where Aries and Jack battled their own group of monsters.

He got to them too late; saw the baseball bat driving down into the back of Jack’s skull. The sound of aluminum meeting bone, and Aries screamed. Jack’s knees trembled, his entire body collapsing against a display of beauty products.

Mason dived down and managed to catch Jack before he hit the ground. As he held Jack tightly, Aries was beside him in an instant, pushing his arms away so she could take the wounded guy in her arms.

Jack’s eyes were closed.

“Oh, God,” she whispered. “Oh, God. Jack. No.”

The same Bagger grabbed Mason’s hair, yanking him backward. He fought his way free, picking up a discarded perfume bottle and smashing it over the Bagger’s head. He stumbled back to Aries. Jack was motionless in her arms, blood matting his hair and slowly staining her shirt a dark red.

There was no way to sugarcoat the words that came next.

“Put him down,” Mason said. “We need you. Care for him when we’re done.”

Aries ignored him, her eyes filled with tears. Mason reached out, touching her cheek, forcing her to look at him.

“He’s not dead,” Mason said. “He’s breathing. Don’t be stupid and give up now. He’s going to die if you don’t fight to save him.”

Aries blinked several times as the words reached her ears. Finally she nodded and carefully placed Jack’s head gently on the ground. She picked up his bloody baseball bat as she stood and immediately swung it, hitting a Bagger in the shoulder.

“You’re right,” she said, swinging it again. “He’s not going to die. I won’t let him.”

Mason gave her a crooked grin. The girl had guts.

Then suddenly the store groaned, rebar stretched, more windows shattered, and the floor heaved upward as if the ground had opened its mouth and taken one gigantic burp.

“Earthquake!”

The building started shaking, makeup and perfume bottles were knocked off counters, and the sickening smell of a thousand different scents filled the air.

The Baggers stopped fighting. Many of them dropped to the ground, rolling around on the floor and muttering words no one understood. Some of them screamed in unison, a creepy, high-pitched noise coming from deep within their throats. Above them, pieces of the ceiling broke apart, plaster dropping down onto the group.

“It’s gonna collapse,” Michael screamed. “Everyone, outside!”

Aries and Michael grabbed Jack, pulling the unconscious kid into their arms, and carried him through the broken window.

Mason ran toward the doors, jumping over the fallen Baggers and pushing through the broken glass and onto the sidewalk. Granville Street was heaving: concrete cracked and split apart while large holes opened up to swallow street lamps and abandoned cars. A fire hydrant exploded, sending a fountain of water straight up into the air.

They staggered toward the intersection of Georgia Street, while the Bay department store gave one final shudder before collapsing into itself.

The sky opened up and rain started to fall, a few quick drops that quickly changed into a heavy shower.

There were still several Baggers on the street, but the majority of them had been trapped inside the store. Those that were outside were mostly on the ground, still writhing around, doing their strange chicken dance.

As quick as it started, it ended. The earth stopped moving. In the distance, car alarms sounded and Mason could hear a dog barking. The rain continued to hit the pavement; his hair and clothing were already soaked.

“They’re moving,” Clementine said. Sure enough, several of the Baggers climbed to their feet, bewildered expressions on their dirt-covered faces.

“We should split up,” Aries said. “We’re supposed to meet the others at Second Beach in Stanley Park. You know where that is, right?”

He could feel the picture in his back pocket the second she spoke the words.
Mom and Mason—enjoying the sun
. It took willpower to keep from yanking it out and babbling about destiny.

“I’ve heard about it,” he finally said. “I know it’s somewhere in the downtown core. We must be close. But I’m not sure where to go.”

“Us neither,” Clementine said.

“Then I guess we stay together.”

“I’ve got a better idea,” Daniel said. “There’s no way we can outrun all of them, even with their numbers down. Aries, take your friends and head for Second Beach. Tourist Boy and I are gonna stay behind and create a diversion.”

“No,” Aries said. “You’re not leaving me again.”

Tourist Boy? Mason disliked this guy more and more by the minute. But still, the creep had a point. A diversion was exactly what they needed, and he could give it to them.

“I’m in,” he said.

“Then it’s settled,” Daniel said. Moving toward Aries, he put his hand up to her chin. “I gave you my word, and I will keep it this time. I’ll meet you on the beach.”

She started to protest, but Jack weakly called out her name. Clementine and Michael were holding on to him, trying to keep him on his feet. Aries leaned in toward him, and he whispered a few words in her ear. It must have worked; she nodded, crossing her arms over her chest.

“You’d better be there,” she said. She tried to hand over her baseball bat, but Daniel wouldn’t take it.

“Keep that, you’re going to need it.”

Aries went back to the others. Michael was in charge of Jack now; he’d picked him up piggyback-style. His face was flushed under the extra weight, but he looked strong enough to carry him for a good ways. Jack was semiconscious and clinging weakly to Michael’s shoulders. There was no way he’d be able to walk two feet on his own.

He hoped they’d be able to make it.

Mason watched them as they headed off down Granville Street. He knew this was the right thing to do, so why did he feel so apprehensive?

Daniel turned toward him, holding out a roll of black electrical tape. “Give me your hand.”

Mason held out his broken fingers. Daniel examined them briefly.

“This is gonna hurt,” he warned. Pulling gently, he straightened the bone.

Mason clenched his teeth, trying hard to ignore the pain. A wave of nausea filled his stomach.

“Let’s get one thing straight,” Daniel said as he began to tape two of Mason’s fingers together. “I picked you for a reason. The Baggers, or whatever you want to call them, are coming. They’re not going to play nice. There’s only one way to deal with them.”

“Yeah, I get it,” Mason said. “No need to be an ass about it.”

Daniel finished with the tape and tossed it on the ground. “That should hold for now.” He pulled something out of his pocket. The metal gleamed against the moonlight. He held the knife out to Mason.

“I’m not a kil—” But he was, wasn’t he?

“I know you can do it. That’s why I picked you. You’re stronger than the rest of them. You’ve felt the darkness.”

Mason took the knife in his hands. The blade was heavier than he expected.

“Feels good, doesn’t it?”

“No.”

“Liar.”

Mason’s face grew hot. “Just what are you implying? You say a lot of stuff, but none of it makes much sense. I’m not like those monsters. I’m not into killing. I don’t give a damn what you think.” It took him a moment to realize he was trying to convince himself as much as Daniel.

Daniel smiled. “You’re right. You’re not one of them. But you’ve got potential. I can see it inside of you. You’re walking a thin line right now; it’s just a matter of time till something tilts you over to either side. You need to decide, Mason, who you want to be. You can fight here for a good cause and go join your new friends and start a life that’s gonna keep you clean, or you can give in to those voices that whisper about
all the bad things you’ve done. Make your choice. I suggest you get over it. Suck it up. Whatever you did, it’s not nearly as bad as you think.”

Mason stepped backward, his body pressing up against the wall behind him. “Who are you? How the hell do you know these things?”

“I’m just a guy who sees a lot, and you’re like an open book, my friend.” Daniel pulled a second knife from his pocket. “Now, are you a warrior or are you just some monstrosity? Follow your own road.”

The words hung in the air between them.

“I’m in.”

The roaring waves washed against the shore. She stood a few feet away, staring out into the darkened water. The sound was loud but strangely soothing. Her eyes grew heavy and her heartbeat relaxed to the most normal pace she’d encountered all evening. It was impossible to stare out at the ocean and not feel peaceful.

Behind her in the east, the sun was beginning to peek through the trees. Soon it would be light and they’d have to go. It wasn’t safe wandering around in the day. They all knew this.

All that energy spent on running and hiding. So much had happened in the past month. She’d almost forgotten what it used to be like before all this started. Wasted days hanging at the mall with Sara, hundreds of hours spent giggling over silly things. Wouldn’t it be nice if she could turn back the clock?

Time was precious. There never was enough of it to spare.

Were her parents still out there? Would she ever get the chance to go home and see for herself?