Regeneration

Chapter 32 - A Face In The Dark

The faded echos of tormented screams fill the city streets of Brighton. The commotion was moving closer to us; we had to leave the area quickly as the sickening growls of the hunters laying waste to their victims could be heard nearby.

Marco retrieved the bags which he had camouflaged with twigs and leaves in a hollowed tree bark.

He opened his bag and pulled out two rifles. Strapping one onto his chest, he threw the other over to Romero.

"We need to get out of the city, the hunters will be crawling about this place soon," Romero said looking around.

"You know how to use one of these?" Romero held out his pistol to Lucas.

"I have an idea," Lucas said as he took the gun.

"So Enzo was behind the safe zone," I said, pulling the slide back on my own gun. I saw Lucas follow my action.

"Releasing hunters into the streets wasn't enough, why kill so many innocent people?" I asked.

"I don't know but whoever is behind this has to be one sick bastard," Marco answered.

"Those people... families... must have traveled miles to their own deaths." My heart broke for those who were deceived by the promise of safety.

"Who's Enzo? And what does he have to do with all of this?" Lucas wore a confused expression.

"I'll explain later, but we need to get moving."

"What about those other people that made it out?" Lucas asked.

"They'll get away from this place, try to survive, that's all any of us can do now."

Rapid footsteps rushed towards us; three figures appeared. We all aimed our guns to them, making everyone freeze, our breathing being the only sound spoken. They were survivors like us. They looked like deer caught in headlights. After a second passed they hurried on their way and we let them. Growls followed from the direction in which they came.

"I think we all know what that means," Marco said as he took off first.

We ran through the streets trying our best to evade the hunters that followed us.

"This way!" Marco shouted as he dashed down into the entrance of an underground car park.

We lost the hunters on our trail as more survivors running by caught their attention.

The car park was immersed in shadows, making it hard to see anything at all.

Romero and Marco flipped the flashlights on their rifles on and began scanning the darkness for a car.

Romero flashed his beam of light on a red pick-up truck; walking over to it he looked inside before shattering the glass and unlocking it.

Just then I froze, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. There was the sound of heavy breathing to my right.

"Marco!" I shouted to Marco who was nearer to me and he flashed his light toward me.

I turned to my right, aiming my gun, but there was nothing.

"Something's in here with us," I said looking around me.

"Hey!" Lucas yelled out frantically spinning, aiming blindly at the darkness, "Something just brushed against me."

Romero flashed his rifle in the direction; catching a glimpse of the figure, he fired a shot at it.

"Ugh."

"Get in the truck!" Romero shouted as he sparked the wires under the steering wheel.

The engine sparked to life as we boarded the vehicle.