Dusk of Defiance (The Era of Ensemble Book 1) (15 page)

Luke glanced around the room confused. He was in the commentary box. He placed his hand over his eyes and rubbed them to help wake himself up.

“Are you alright?” Ramiro questioned, concerned with the amount of noise Luke had made in his sleep.

“
Yeah, I think so.” He replied still trying to come to terms with what he had dreamt.

“
It sounded intense. I thought you were going to squirm out of your covers and fall down the ladder.” Ramiro laughed as he handed over a bottle of water.

Luke took a few gulps and wiped his lips.
“Thank you.” He spotted Juan in the corner below the desk staring at him. His eyes looked at him in terror.
He’s scared of me.
“Did I say anything while I was sleeping?”

“
Yeah.” Ramiro spoke in a flat, unimpressed tone. “Something about killing Elizabeth.” He gazed at Luke, and weighed him up. “Did you?”

“
No.” Luke replied unconvincingly. “I don’t know.”

“
What do you mean you don’t know? You either did or you didn’t.” Ramiro backed away from Luke positioning himself in front of his son.

“
I thought I just woke up from deep sleep, but now I’m not sure what I’ve done. What if I woke up before that and did things I can’t remember? I just don’t know what’s happening.”

“
You’re probably just dehydrated or something.” He studied Luke. “When was the last time you ate a proper meal?”

“
I can’t remember. I’ve eaten, but not a full meal.”

“
Well I was stocking this up. I don’t know how long this chaos will prevail, but we’re going to have to go back out to scavenge eventually.” Ramiro crawled under a desk and lifted up a sheet to reveal a horde of boxed, tubed and tinned food.

Luke’s mouth opened. He felt his saliva moisten his dry cracked lips as he licked them.
“What’s the expiry dates on them?”

“
Some of this stuff could last a real long time.” Ramiro picked up a tin and threw it for Luke to catch. “That’s not got long left, you can eat that now. We can spare a few more tins. You know, for the road.”

“
Ramiro?” Luke waited for him to turn around and look him in the eyes. “Thank you.”

“
I’d like to think someone else would do the same for me out there.”

Luke pulled the ring at the top of his tin can and opened the lid. He could smell the sweetness of the fruit. He savoured the smell for a little while longer before he pulled part of a sliced peach out with his finger and thumb. His tongue danced in the pleasure of the taste. He chewed slowly letting the juices swim and slide through his mouth before he eventually swallowed.

“I can see you’re enjoying yourself.” Ramiro smiled.

“
Do you want a piece?” Luke lifted the tin in Ramiro’s direction.

“
I’m good, thanks.”

“
I’ll have one.” Juan said cheerfully. “I love peaches.”

Luke placed his fingers into the tin again and retrieved another piece.
“Here, catch.” He said as he threw over the slice of peach.

Juan struggled to grip it. The peach slice squirmed around like a fish out of water. He eventually controlled it and placed it in his mouth.
“Thank you.” He said as he chewed the fruit.

Luke’s fingers were wet from the sugary liquid inside the tin. He emptied the liquid out into his mouth and drank what remained in the tin, and then licked his fingers.
“I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a tin of peaches as much as I did then.” He glanced at the tin in his hand. “What do you do with this?”

“
Oh we have a recycle unit somewhere around here.” Ramiro said, but he noticed the confused look upon Luke's face, and answered properly. “We usually just throw it out onto the grass. It lands quietly. It’s not like we’re going to be handed a fine for littering and those brutes don’t seem interested in the smells from the tins and boxes. It’s as if they only sustain themselves by eating people. And if there are no people around, they eat each other.”

“
Disgusting creatures.” Luke said as he tossed the can out of the commentary box. He glanced down to his wrist device. A small light flickered in the corner. Megan had pinged him. He pressed a few buttons, typed on the screen and called his sister.

“
Luke? Are you okay? I was worried.” Her voice was soft and sweet.

“
Yeah I’m fine. A couple of people helped me out, took me in for the night and fed me. There’s still good people out here, Megan. You just have to find them.”

“
I’m glad to hear that.” There was a pause, and just when Luke opened his mouth, Megan continued. “You should tell them to come to the Bastion.”

“
How are things there?” Luke inquired.

“
Not too bad. We picked up the rest of those supplies I found. They should keep us going for a month or two. Oh and people have pretty much forgotten about you. I bet you could come back and nobody would even notice.” Her voice was filled with optimism and hope. “Please come back, Luke. I miss you.”

He felt a tear building in the corner of his eye.
“I can’t, Megan. Not yet, but I promise I will return.” There was a long silence, not even Ramiro or Juan made a sound.

“
Okay, Luke. Just keep in touch with me. I…” She stopped, her hope seemed to fade away in the silence. “You’re all I have left. So… don’t get caught by those beasts, okay?”

“
Don’t worry. I’ll be back before you know it.” Luke ended the call and turned to face the father and son. “You could go to the Bastion. It’s as safe as anywhere could be on this ship, and you can scavenge in groups.”

“
I don’t know. Juan and I have managed fine so far.” Ramiro patted his son on the head.

“
What if something happens to you? How’s your son going to survive?” Luke saw the look upon Ramiro’s face, he hadn’t thought about it. “My sister, Megan, could help you. She’s a good kid… She’s not a kid. She’s twenty five. I just see her as my little sister.” Luke paused and sighed. “I should really be back there making sure she’s safe.”

Ramiro glanced down at his son. His eyes reflected the light from the flood lights like the moon reflects the sun.
“We’ll go to this Bastion. I can keep an eye on your sister for you too.”

“
Thank you.” Luke said sincerely and watched Ramiro nod his head in acknowledgment.

They checked below the commentary box to make sure it was clear of cannibals. After he gave the all clear, Ramiro began to lower the ladder. Luke went down first. He could only hear the lights flickering in the distance. He stepped away from the ladder to let the other two reach the ground.

“We’ve left most of the supplies up there for an emergency.” Ramiro paused awkwardly. “Take care out there.” He held out his hand.

Luke grabbed it and they shook hands.
“You too.” He turned to Juan. “Look after your old man.”

“
I will.” Juan replied self-assured.

“
Tell Megan to contact me when you get there.” Luke watched as Ramiro nodded, grabbed his son’s hand, and then led him away out of view.
I guess it’s just me again.

Exiting the
Entertainment and Sports section was easier than Luke had anticipated.
Maybe Ramiro was right about it being too bright for them
. He approached a flashing sign which indicated the tram station was close. A map of the ship with the tram stations lit by little bulbs. They were green if they were running and red if they weren’t. He quickly found where he was, on the outskirts of the Entertainment and Sports block. The tram would take him as far as the Medical Bay, and then he’d have to find his own way through 'Housing A' and into the Captain’s Quarters besides the bridge.

After Luke studied his route, he headed through a pair of doors and into the station. His eyes adjusted to the dark blue glow of the room. He’d
become used to the safety of the lights. He stopped and listened for noises. He could only hear a computerised female voice, but he wasn’t close enough to understand what she said. It was coming from within the tram. He stepped softly along the floor, adapting to the change from the wooden surface to a metal one. He could hear breathing. There were cannibals near, but he couldn't pinpoint where. The tram's doors were open. Bloodied footsteps were visible, showing where the beasts had roamed in and out. Luke proceeded carefully. He retrieved his revolver from its holster and checked its cylinder. It had six rounds. He remembered reloading it before he went to sleep in the commentary box.

Luke held his breath as he entered the tram. It smelt disgusting. A combination of urine, faeces, rotting flesh and for some reason sour milk. The benches were smeared with foul substances, and so were most of the windows. He could barely see through
any of them. A half-eaten leg lay on a nearby bench. He could scarcely recognise which appendage it was. A few toes were scattered along the floor of the tram. He glanced at one, teeth marks plagued the skin like a rash. Luke knocked it under a bench with his foot. He cringed at the thought of someone chewing on any part of him.

“
Please step away from the doors so the tram may continue. Thank you.
” A ping followed the female computerised voice. Luke glanced behind him at where he entered the vehicle. There was nothing which blocked it. He checked the other doorway in his carriage and there was nothing blocking that one either. He moved to the door which led to the next carriage and opened it slowly. It shifted fractionally. Something was leaning against it from the other side. Luke gave it a firm push and heard something topple over in the next carriage. He squeezed through the gap in the door and closed it behind him. A motionless body lay on its side near him. Its belly was non-existent, just a hole where some of its organs once called home and a hint of the white bony spinal column keeping the back straight. He turned away from the corpse and walked down the centre of the tram's carriage.

The windows and benches were similar in this carriage to the last. Both of them defiled. There was a gun across one of the seats. A sub machine gun smothered in blood and guts. Luke saw engraved letters, but they were unreadable. He picked up a piece of torn clothing from the floor and wiped it across
the sub machine gun. The letters read 'E.o.M.'.
I didn't know the Ensemble of Man Corporation manufactured weapons.
He grabbed the gun, but it was too sticky and he placed it back down.

A grunt emanated from outside on the platform. He kept quiet and moved through the tram to check the doors. The first door on his left was clear. He looked through it to check where the noise had come from. Two savages circled one another
with a corpse in-between them. One was large, tall and broad, the other was thin and nimble. They snarled at each other. It looked as if they were both staking their dominance to the other like they were wild animals. The broad one suddenly leapt and landed on top of the other. They struggled and squirmed together on the floor rolling through puddles of blood and urine. It didn't seem to bother them though, if anything it made them more aggressive. The smaller agile one squealed as it was bitten by the other and the rags it wore stuck in the bigger creature’s blood soaked teeth. The larger one roared in triumph, but the fight wasn’t over. The downed creature jumped to its feet, pounced quickly and brought the larger one down. It crashed falling backwards and onto the floor. Luke took it as a chance to check the other doorway. He silently walked across the carriage always searching for a spot in the window he could look through. He caught a glimpse of the fight. The abominations were slashing their claws at each other.

Luke reached the doorway, but he couldn't see any blockage.
He glanced warily around, scared to move any further, with the creatures fighting not far away.
What if their fighting attracts more of those abominations? Or what if more are already waiting in the shadows...? I'll check one more carriage.
As he moved to the next carriage he noticed a rotting torso which lay on the floor between the doorway. Luke glanced up from the corpse. The savages were circling each other once again, each waiting for an opportunity to strike at the other. He quietly moved to the blood drenched torso and began to nudge it off the tram with his foot. It shifted silently and slowly until it snagged. He pushed at it again, but it was too heavy and wouldn't budge. He slipped his foot underneath the body and began to raise it a little, as he was trying to turn it slowly from its back to its front. He lost control and closed his eyes in anticipation of the sound it would make. The torso crashed to the floor with a thud. He opened his eyes and realised the two creatures had stopped fighting and were hurtling towards him viciously and uncontrollably.

Luke backed away from the door
, which now closed and opened effortlessly, and into the thin aisle between the two sets of benches.
There's only two... I think.
He held up his revolver aiming down the aisle towards the door and waited for them to charge at him. They weren't as predictable as Luke thought they would be. One ran down the middle, while the other jumped onto benches, hopping from one to the other. Luke steadied his aim and fired his first round at the broad savage. It ripped through its head and blood burst across the carriage, splattering against the windows. By the time he aimed for the next one it was right in front of him. He closed his eyes and fired, in instinct rather than control. He reopened his eyes to find the beast breathing heavily and lying across a bench. Luke approached it, almost feeling pity for it as it whimpered, but as it spotted him, it became enraged and grabbed out, its nails covered in dirt and blood. Luke raised his revolver and shot the abomination through its head.

“
Please stand clear of the doors. Thank you.
” A ping sounded again as the female computerised voice stopped. The doors slid closed effortlessly. Luke cleared the blood which had splattered up onto his face, with his sleeve, as the tram began to move.