Deluge: The Conqueror Worms II

CHAPTER 24

Arms outstretched, the thing that had once been Earl Harper lumbered forward. Henry was surprised at its speed. Before he could act, the creature seized Moxey from her perch amongst the debris and lifted her into the air. Weakened, she howled and scratched, but her efforts to defend herself did not deter her attacker. Moxey’s claws ripped through the pale fungus. Water dribbled from the cuts.

“Put her down, you fucker!”

Earl laughed. Even as Henry charged him, his root-like fingers bored into Moxey, burrowing through fur and skin. Blood welled from the wounds. The cat’s howls reached a frenzied, frantic pitch. Earl flexed his arms and ripped Moxey in half. Henry screamed as parts of her splashed into the mud. The puddles turned red. Earl tossed the halves aside and beckoned Henry forward.

“That’ssss… right. Come get… soft… some.”

Henry skidded to a stop. He was nearly overwhelmed with rage. His ears burned, his lips felt thick and swollen, and his pulse pounded behind his temples and in his throat. But his survival instinct overrode his anger. The creature wanted him to charge—wanted him within arm’s reach. Only then could it infect him, just like Mr. Burke had tried to do. That was why Earl had killed Moxey.

“Come… on…,” it urged with a phlegmatic gurgle. “Here… kitty kitty… kitty…”

Henry shook his head and backed away, trying very hard to resist the morbid compulsion to glance down at Moxey’s body. Some part of him was convinced that she was still alive—that if he could just get to her, he could scoop her up and put her back together again and make her good as new. He opened his mouth to breathe and heard someone screaming. After a moment, he realized that it was him.

Earl clambered over a mound of broken masonry and reached for him. Henry retreated, more through instinct than any conscious act. It was hard to focus on anything other than Moxey. He couldn’t get the image of what had just happened to her out of his head. He stumbled backward, almost tripping over the scorched and cracked remains of a microwave oven. Laughing, the creature pursued him.

Henry glanced around the wreckage, searching for a weapon. A photo of Mr. and Mrs. Garnett stared up at him. The glass in the frame had shattered and raindrops pelted the photograph. Soon, the rain would wash them away. Henry paused, intent on rescuing Teddy before that happened.

What the heck is wrong with me? It’s just a photograph! Moxey… I should rescue Moxey instead.

The world stopped. The rain ceased. Earl fell silent. The only sound was Henry’s heartbeat. He took a deep breath, flexed his fingers, curled them into fists…

…and then the world came rushing back again. The rain was cold on his skin. Earl’s mocking laughter turned into a howl. Henry spun around, alarmed. The creature was only inches away from him. Ducking, he scrambled away as Earl grasped at him. The mold-covered fingers clawed the air, instead of Henry’s arm.

“Basssstard…”

“You killed my cat, you asshole!”

“No… your… cat is now… soft…”

Henry jumped over a pile of splintered wooden beams. His bare feet squelched in the mud. Something sharp punctured his heel, but he barely noticed. Gritting his teeth, he picked up a length of pipe and faced his opponent. Before he could swing, however, he saw more of the creatures stumbling out of the mist. Most of them were human. He’d known them in the past, before the rain had come. He was surprised to see Tammy Lapp among them. Henry had a crush on her when they were in middle school. She’d been beautiful once, but that beauty was now lost beneath the white fuzz growing on her cheeks. The fungus had already engulfed the rest of her body, bulging out from beneath the tattered remains of her clothing. In addition to the infected humans, there were other creatures that the fungus had taken over—a deer, a fox, several dogs, and even a few cows.

“My Lord,” Henry whispered. “Oh my Lord.”

“Henry,” Tammy rasped. “Don’t… fight… it’s so nice…”

Earl crept closer. He stepped on the picture of Teddy and his wife, leaving a moldy footprint on the photograph. Over the creature’s shoulder, Henry spotted Moxey’s remains.

“I’m sorry, girl. I’m so sorry.”

Then he flung the pipe at Earl, turned around, and fled into the mist. Blinded by tears, he heard the monsters give chase. Spurred on, Henry wiped his eyes and ran faster. Starved, thirsty, wet, nearly naked, and bleeding from dozens of cuts and scratches, he felt like stopping—just kneeling there in the mud and allowing them to catch him. After all, Tammy had said it was nice, hadn’t she? And maybe it was. At the very least, he could be with Moxey again. All he had to do was stop running. Then Earl made a hooting cry and Henry shuddered. No. No way would he allow himself to become one of those things.

He could avenge Moxey by living long enough to fight them on his own terms.

Determined to do just that, Henry fled toward Bald Knob and the forest ranger tower.