Fallocaust (The Fallocaust Series) (59 page)

“It’s okay, Perry, shhh, it’s okay.”

“I’m a failure, I’m worthless,” he screamed, almost deafening my ear. I looked behind him, and saw the whipwolf tear the head off of the old man with one leg. Several of them were banging on the mirrors. The whole wall seemed to pulse under their desperate blows.“Silas hates me, no one misses me. Nero... Nero... what do I have to do to get someone to say good job, just once? Or for someone to love me?”
“I love you, Perry,” I whispered.

“You’re all I have, you’re all I have Killian,” Perish whimpered. I stroked his hair back and held him tighter. “I love you. You make me happy, you’re the only one who makes me happy. You’re all I have.”

“I know.”

Reaver

I had found my bullet proof vest, the key, my M16 and my bullets, holster, and I had found my grenade and small knives. I was still missing my combat knife though. I was going to miss the ol boy.

I was feeling much more like myself again. I think as soon as I found my gun I started to feel myself come back. I was still hallucinating like you wouldn’t believe though, and I had a weird twitch in my eye but I was armed and ready to get the fuck out of this crazy house.

I ran into the surveillance room as quietly as I could. I turned on the cameras to Donnely and looked for Leo and Greyson. It took me a few moments to find them, but eventually I saw Greyson emerging out of a building. He was shouting something, I’m assuming it was to Leo.

I nodded to myself and tried to memorize their surroundings, before turning the TVs off and made my way to find Killian.

It didn’t take me long to find them.

Perish had his head on Killian’s lap, and Killian was stroking his hair back, his eyes staring at the floor. He was whispering things to Perish but in my haste I hadn’t caught them.

When Perish noticed me, he didn’t even bat an eye. I held my gun to his face.

“4001-PD.” No longer hyper rapid tones, his voice was defeated and low. “That’s the password out. Just leave us, please? Take anything you wish as my apologies for holding you. I’m sorry.”

I stared at him blankly, then my eyes found Killian’s. He hadn’t stopped playing with his hair. I needed him to say something, do something. Fuck I knew he wanted the asshole alive.

“Killian?” I said, taking a step back so if I did have to shoot the scientist I wouldn’t hit the kid he was half laying on.

Killian closed his eyes tight. “Leave, Reaver.” My heart broke, he sounded... serious. I watched as his lips moved, but no sound came out. “Bring the quad here.”

You little fuck why were you asking me this? So you could spare his life? Keep him alive? I knew that fucking little coward wanted to keep him alive.

I felt too fucked up to deal with his delay. I would kill Perish myself, I’d bring the quad around and go back inside. I’d laugh as Killian wailed. I turned away from the two love birds and slammed my fist against the door way.

Such weakness, first the old lady and now this? This one was dangerous though, this guy was a psychopath.

I walked down the hallway for the last time, free as I’ve ever been. I stood in front of the door and spoke. “4001-PD.”

It was almost orgasmic when I heard the
pssshhh
of the lock and the door push its self open. I shoved it open with both hands and put a brick in front of it. My legs crunched up against the curled linoleum and broken jip rock as I headed towards the open doors. The sun welcomed me with open arms. I opened my arms and welcomed it back. It felt wonderful, it felt free. I filled my lungs with air and sighed loudly; before stepping into the road.

Fog had rolled into Donnely, I suppose it was nearing the rainy seasons, a month or so I wasn’t sure. The whole town was draped in a mist, the buildings around me only looked like faint drawings in the background. Done with a light pencil on a grey canvas. I had never seen anything like it, I found myself admiring it like an idiot before I carried on down the road. I was sure I knew which direction the quad was in. Killian better hide him well. I was looking forward to playing hide and seek with him. I could play hot cold with Killian’s own heartbeat as my guide.

I shook out my limbs I was free. I tried to run but I was too tired and too sore from being chained. My wrists wept pus freely, it felt like a band of fire had wrapped themselves around my wounds. I found myself lifting my shirt up and bringing my cuffs back just to get the cold air on them.

I was able to manage a jog for awhile, and as I paced down the streets I listened out for Greyson and Leo and for any street sign I had recognised.

This fog had rolled in quickly, I hadn’t seen it on the video feed. I sniffed it, but it smelled like pollution and stale blood. I hope the rains would be coming soon. Perfect time to try and start growing those seeds Killian swiped and the peach pits.

Suddenly I stopped in my tracks and watched a shadow crawl, its mid section bobbing up and down as it moved. With every contraction of its body it seemed to grow and grow, until it was a long snake.

Then it started to melt, it drooped down into a puddle and absorbed its self into the cars, becoming only their shadows. I stepped closer and it vanished into the paved road. Misted and wet from the dew of the fog. Everything was glistening, just bright flares and sunbursts accumulating in the corners of my vision like metal shavings to a magnet.

I turned from it, only to see another.

I took my gun out, and shot at the shadow. Then as another appeared I shot at that one. They twisted and twirled into themselves, giant winged creatures. I fell backwards and shot at the sky, before erupting into laughter. I only got up when the clip was gone, and started in whatever direction I pleased. Chasing shadows, chasing starbursts.

I walked, and I chased. I climbed and I crawled, I even flew. I chased humans, animals, Perish and Killian, but I chased the shadows most of all. Strings pulling my eyes in every which direction, sunshine illuminating the fog motes, showering down on me like slow moving rain.

They floated down and gathered around the single shadow walking down the street.

It walked like myself, and I walked towards it. My mind told me to shoot it, but this one I wanted to see its face. The starbursts wouldn’t pull my vision, the strings would keep me staring forward. The shadow in the fog walked towards me, its heartbeat soft like a feathers. I stopped in my tracks and listened, staring forward. Listening... his breathing was shallow, his smell was of soap, he whispered. No he was talking.

“Reaver, baby?”

In a snap the fog cleared from my mind. My eyes jerked back to reality and I realized that I had only made it about a block from Perish’s door. My mind had gone everywhere in Donnely, for hours; shooting shadows, running, jumping... but in reality I hadn’t barely moved.

His blond face had gouges in the cheeks. I murmured and wanted to touch them.

“Reaver? Are you okay?”

I stepped back and stared at him. We were in the middle of the street, cars on either side of us. Crisp in the cold air, cold, fogless air.

The boy had gouges on his cheek? His lab coat was buttoned, he was carrying bags. He was looking at me with dead eyes, tired and brushed with red.

I turned and started walking back to the lab, it was time to kill Perish.

“Reaver, you can’t get back in.”

You can’t get back in.

You can’t get back in.

A blind rage fell over me with such ferocity I thought I was going to put my hands on him. “You weak piece of shit!” I shouted at him, I grabbed his shoulder and pushed him away. My chest rose and fell as anger flooded through my entire body. “Go back and be with him. Go back and be with him, go comfort him. He kept us prisoner, Killian! He tried to fucking rape you, and you let him live because of what? He fed you nice food and taught you all that neat science shit?”

Killian didn’t even look at me, he just took it. His eyes were void of anything. The bags still hanging off of his shoulder. This made me even more mad.

“You’re weak, just like you said. I knew you wouldn’t let me kill him, I knew you wouldn’t. I fucking knew it!” I screamed, my legs buckling under my emotions but the anger was bursting like a dam. “You fucking COWARD! BETRAYER!”

In my anger I grabbed him by his lab coat, I thrusted him towards me and as I did, the buttons ripped. The lab coat broke open and he dropped onto the ground, his bags spilling.

I clenched my fists and opened my mouth to yell more when I stopped.

Underneath his lab coat was another lab coat, this one was completely soaked in blood.

Killian didn’t get up, he sat there, staring forward. Blood soaking his entire chest, on his neck. I looked closer, it was smeared across his face.

“Killian?” I whispered. I couldn’t breath, all I could think of was that Perish had shot him, Perish had stabbed him, Perish had hurt him. All my feelings towards Killian flooded back. He was hurt, he was badly hurt.

What have I done?

“Killian?” My voice choked, I felt a burning behind my eyes.

Killian turned his head to the left, towards one of the bags he was carrying. I looked down to see where his gaze was, as I did, Killian loosened the drawstring on the bag and opened it.

I didn’t know what I was seeing, it was only when Killian pulled the rest of the bag back that I realized what it was.

Perish’s severed head.

I stared at it.

His lips were white, his glasses half off of his head, his neck had been cut by a knife, his spine had saw marks on it. His face was grey and his mouth and eyes were open, he had died screaming.

Killian had cut his fucking head off.

“You said you wanted his brain.” Killian’s voice was hollow.

I finally broke my gaze from the severed head, and kneeled in front of Killian. His head was bowed but his eyes were staring up at me.

“Never doubt my commitment to you again.”

I didn’t move, and he didn’t either. I just stared at him, I don’t know if I was waiting for him to cry, or speak first; but he didn’t.

Could I be so cold, callous and insensitive to say that he had never looked more beautiful to me? That wasn’t even a question, just a whisper of empathy that would soon be killed by my own demons.

Only Killian and I could lock eyes and just stare like this. Both lost in our own thoughts, what were his? Sympathy, despair, grief? No, his eyes were two shards of ice melting the coal of my own. Was it burning anger, hatred for me? Perhaps... maybe I had pushed my little blond boy too far.

No, he wasn’t a boy anymore. I saw the open mouth, the sightless eyes and the shreds of tangled flesh and arteries in the corner of my vision. He was no creature of weakness, he was no mess of tears, unstable and crying. He would be eventually, when we got home, when we slept, when I held him, when the shock wore off. But right now, he was a more heartless monster than I.

Killian had said he would get us out of here, and he had. He did things he didn’t want to do, things that I knew he would scream about in his sleep; but he had done it. Alone, with barely any help from me, too proud to sleep, too stubborn to let him help me. He had taken control, he had saved us.

He had saved us from what would have been his paradise. If he hadn’t been with me, if he hadn’t known me, if Perish had found him months ago. He would have stayed with him. Stayed underground and safe and clean, with amazing food, hot water, gardens and a lonely scientist begging for affection.

Maybe he wasn’t that smart.

That remark in my own inner monologue made me smile just a bit. I raised my hand and stroked his cheek, my fingers coming back streaked as I ran them over his gouge marks.

“I love you.”

As I said it his face didn’t change, but his heart jumped. A moment later he shuffled over to me still on his knees. While he did, I put my arms around him and pulled him close. He still didn’t cry. I squeezed him, then shifted myself to a sitting position. Kneeling was starting to make me dizzy. I sat with him on my lap, and eventually we ended up on the pavement laying down together. His face buried in my neck, my arms clasped around his back. We laid together, and though I felt my eyes get heavy. I still didn’t sleep. I didn’t want this moment to end. I wanted to drink in every second of it.

Just me, my boy, and a severed head.

Chapter 26

Reaver

“Greyson! GREYSON!”

Oh for fuck sakes...

“GREYSON!” He was hysterical, absolutely hysterical. I wanted to keep my eyes closed just so he could think I was dead for a few moments longer. Just to make him suffer for disturbing this intimate moment between me and my boyfriend.

I felt hands on me as Leo pulled me away from Killian, in a flash they were both there breathing all over us.

“Shit who’s injured? Both of you? Greyson look at Reaver, he’s completely fucked up,” Leo said, he started smacking the side of my face. I didn’t realize I was staring off into space again. I tried to find his eyes.

Wowee did he ever look terrible. “Reaver? Reaver?” he lifted up my shirt and swore. “He’s been chained, look at... fuck, they’re infected. That’s not his blood though.” I heard Leo take in a sharp breath followed by a anguished groan. “Whatever it is... it got Killian. Fuck, FUCK!” His voice was strangled, he thought Killian was dying, how cute. “He’s soaked... what is it Greyson? Is it too late?”

I couldn’t help it, I burst out laughing. My eyes focused just in time to see Greyson and Leo looking at me like I had lost my mother fucking mind and I probably had.

“Killian’s fine and it’s not his blood, you fuckwads.” My voice was raspy and slurred. “Show them, you little psychopath.”

Killian looked at me, the brave cold blond badass I had seen rolling a head to my knees was gone, his lower lip quivered. “It’s his-” he pointed to the head, “-his blood.”

Greyson swore and picked up the head by the ear, Killian took in a shuddered breath as he did and turned his head away.