The Rule of Three

— 6 —

They were scratching around out there, clawing at the ground. Dee could hear them sniffing. She could even hear their breath rattling out of their lungs as though they all had a bad infection. She alternated between sucking air through her makeshift snorkel and holding her breath. Somehow, the compost had the creatures confused. They seemed to know that she and Rachel were in here somewhere but couldn’t figure out where.

Dee kept herself still and focused on taking small, shallow breaths. She recalled the calming technique Jack had taught her and used it now to remain still. Dee could feel Rachel next to her. She would move her hand an inch or two now and then, but otherwise stayed as motionless as Dee.

The creatures sniffed around for several more minutes, scratched at the floor and let out the occasional shriek.

Finally, she heard them leave the shed and felt the vibrations of their strange, contorted limbs as they thumped across the yard. Rachel began to move but Dee held her back with a gentle hand on an arm, still fearful of the beasts. They could have left a sentry behind. It could all be a trick to lull them into a trap.

Without a visual, Dee wasn’t going to move unless she was certain. She counted to one hundred, then slowly dug away at the smelly compost and scraped some egg shells and vegetable scraps off her. She looked around.

It was now fully dark. The shed was empty, but Dee could see several footprints in the dry potting mix. She waited a few more minutes before digging the rest of her way out. Rachel rolled out of the soil and picked some celery leaves out of her hair.

“Eww,” she whispered.

“Look for your keys, Rach. We’ll hide inside.”

Rachel pulled the keys free and jangled them.

Dee held her finger to her lips, shushing her. “Not so loud. Okay?”

“I only have a key for the front door,” Rachel said. “I hope Mum and Dad are okay.”

“I hope so too, Rach,” Dee said.

Dee crept forwards, clutching the axe tightly, and scanned the back yard. It too was free of the creatures. Faint howls could be heard in the distance, but nothing came from close by. She pointed towards the front door and nodded at Rachel.

Dee inched her way down the side of the house, keeping her left shoulder hard up against the bricks, axe held ready. A faint odour of rotting fruit hung in the air. Dee sniffed, trying to pinpoint it, but couldn’t determine if it was just the compost or something else.

They reached the front of the house without seeing any of the creatures. Dee’s abandoned car was visible halfway down the street.

So close. But so far.

Rachel moved up beside her. “I can’t see any of those things,” she whispered.

“I don’t like it. It’s too quiet.”

“I just want to get out of here and inside.”

“Okay. On three.”

“Yup.”

“One.” Dee glanced left. Clear.

“Two.” She looked right. Clear.

“Three.”

Dee pushed off the wall and slid the axe into her right hand. Rachel screamed, Dee pivoted and gasped. The creature was on top of her friend, latched onto her back and tearing at her head and neck. Rachel screamed again and rolled to one side, trying to dislodge the beast.

The beast turned and its yellow reptile-like eyes bored into Dee’s. Its lips curled back into a snarl and it snapped its jaws at her friend.

A shriek from above jolted Dee from her stupor. Another creature leapt down from the roof and landed next to the first. It met Dee’s eyes. Even in the dark, she could see a glow coming from them, which invoked a fear within her that she never knew she had. This was something new. Something evil. The beast in front of her thought of her as food. Nothing more. Nothing less. And it was going to do everything it could to get that food. Her.

The beast had once been a woman, a half-torn skirt still in evidence around its waist. What had been blouse was now ripped and tattered, leaving the lace bra underneath visible. It hung loose on the shrivelled skin.

The creature crouched down and snarled at Dee before leaping at her.

For the thousandth time in the last few hours, Dee wished she had a gun or even her katana. She swung the axe with everything she had. Every last bit of strength. She not only swung it for her survival, but out of pity. Pity for the woman the creature had been.

The axe caught the monster in the side of the head and ripped off its lower jaw. Dark blood arced out over the lawn. The beast rolled over and righted itself.

Dee risked a quick peek at her friend. The creature had slammed her onto her front and was tearing at her back and head. Rachel was fighting, but failing fast, her shouts now coming in short, anguished cries.

Dee turned her attention back to the beast in front of her. She had to end this, and fast. Growling, she charged the monster. It gurgled something and swung its hands at Dee as she ducked beneath its groping limbs and drove the axe into the beast’s chest. It sank deep, shattering ribs and tearing away flesh.

A putrid rotten fruit scent invaded her nose. Dee shook her head and kicked the monster to the ground. It was still alive and tried to stand.

“Sorry,” Dee murmured. She swung the axe again, this time silencing the poor creature.

Dee spun and searched out Rachel. Rachel had her hand outstretched, begging for help. Begging for mercy. The creature that had once been a man was tearing strips of flesh from her neck.

Dee cried out and drove the blade of the axe deep into the creature’s head. It gurgled blood and slumped over, the axe still buried deep.

Dee glanced left and right, praying that no other monsters were coming. Several of the creatures appeared by her car and, spotting her, began to run.

“Get up, Rach,” Dee said, tugging on Rachel’s hand. When Rachel didn’t move, she frowned and crouched down. “Rach?”

She was staring blankly up at Dee, her lips moving in a whisper. Dee crouched down and grasped her hand. “Tell Dion I love him… I… sorry…” Blood and saliva bubbled from her lips.

“You tell him. Get up. We can make it,” Dee said, glancing towards her car. The beasts were only a hundred metres away but closing fast.

Dee slammed her fist on the ground in frustration. She didn’t want to leave her friend to become these creatures’ next meal, but she knew she was no good to anyone dead. With a growl, she shouted out a curse to the creatures and ran. Ran with everything she had.

Houses flew by in a blur. She jumped over kids’ toys, gardens and bikes. As she sprinted, Dee wondered where all the bodies or remains were. If these beasts were eating everyone, where were the remains?

She risked a quick peek over her shoulder. She had managed to lose three of the monsters but some, maybe four, still chased her.

Dee spotted a mountain bike lying in the middle of the road. A dark stain had spread out around it. Trying not think about exactly what the stain was, Dee skidded to a stop and snagged the bike.

Anything beats running.

Frantic, Dee searched for an escape route. She and Jack had spent many afternoons cycling through the city, exploring its many bike paths.

A lone howl echoed down the street, chilling Dee. She knew she had to decide, and fast. She looked down the road and grinned when she spotted a sign for the river. With one last glance to her pursuers, she pedalled away down the steep hill that led to the river path.

Dee breathed out a sigh of relief as the path ahead remained clear of creatures, and behind her, their howls wailed in the breeze.

Images of Rachel dying in a pool of blood, her arm outstretched in a plea for help, motivated her onwards into the night.