Bloody Walkers.
With a deep panicked breath, I stepped into the water. Saltiness lapped around my shoulders as I continued further out into the cool waves. Suddenly, the ocean floor stopped its slow tapering and dropped away violently. I went under, spluttering the entire way. Luckily, I managed to close my airway, otherwise I’d have drowned immediately. Kicking my legs, and doggy-paddling my arms, I made it back to the surface. I pushed my heavy hair off my face, wishing I was wearing the light Spurn wraps instead of jeans and a t-shirt, which weighed a hundred tons.
After a few deep breaths, I ducked my head under, looking left and right. I was at a loss as to where Talina and her family were. The waters surrounding me were empty of all life forms – not surprising if those creatures were cruising around.
I continued my frantic search, my churning legs pushing me further from the shore. If I didn’t find someone soon, I’d be the one in desperate need of rescue. Finally, I made it into the deeper water, close to where Josian was wrestling two giant octo-dragons. I shook my head, transfixed for a moment by the sight of such reckless stupidity. Walkers were awesome.
Ducking under again, I could still see almost to the ocean floor. I noticed some movement in the dark area to my right. Pulling my head out, I gulped in as much air as possible. Hoping half-Walkers didn’t really need oxygen, I dived under and powered down. My muscles worked effortlessly; I enjoyed the mild burn as I churned through the water. I was relieved as the three Spurns came into sight.
It was their rolling movement that had caught my eye as they strived to free themselves from the ropes. Talina’s eyes widened as I came into focus. My lungs weren’t struggling yet. I wasn’t panicking, but I didn’t want to push my luck. I knew if I got one of the three free, the rest would be okay. I was good with knots, but I didn’t have to worry about that since I’d strapped a small knife into the side of my now ruined right boot. I don’t like to leave the house unless I’m armed with at least one weapon.
Reaching down, I yanked it free, and started to swim around Talina. The clear lenses flickered up and down over her eyes, which honestly made me want to barf into the water. Luckily, I managed to control that impulse.
Once I was at her back, I lifted the knife; it was difficult moving against the water at this depth. Why the hell did the water feel heavy? Eventually I held the blade level with her bound hands. I sawed through the top section, groaning as I realized this was a double-layered vine-rope. I’d just cut into the second part when something that felt like steel bands gripped my ankles. I screamed, bubbles streaming from my mouth as I was dragged.
Pure panic gripped me as I was pulled at the speed of a bullet through the water, heading out in to the deep. I shifted my head to the side, trying to see what was taking me. Images of sharks and octo-dragons ran through my head. But as I finally glimpsed my captor I realized it was something much worse than an ocean creature.
Psycho-Walker was back.
I didn’t have much time before I lost it, the lack of oxygen was starting to make itself known to my confused nervous system. My brain was pretty sure we needed oxygen to live, and it did not like going without.
In the back of my mind I knew we were eating up the miles, traversing away from the land. I clenched my fist and winced as something bit into my palm. I still had my knife. Somehow my pincher finger had clamped down on it. But how was I going to get into a position to hurt a Walker? It would have to be a near-fatal blow to slow him down. I would need to hit one of the major arteries. I quickly thought back to anatomy class, which at the compound was more a combination of first-aid and murder 101.
Sometimes you needed to know how the body was designed, so you knew the easiest way to kill a person. I wasn’t generally the compound’s perfect little soldier, but in that class I’d eagerly listened. I was always on the street and needed all the advantages I could find.
Considering how fast Walkers healed, I’d have to sever the artery, hitting it at a jagged angle to give myself the most time.
I had a few options.
One of my favorites was the femoral artery, easy to find, high on the inner thigh. It was a big artery, and if I hit it right he could bleed out in a minute. I had also been particularly proficient, during dummy practice, with the jugular vein and carotid artery. Although, considering how tall this Walker was, I’d be lucky to have enough reach for a clean shot into the side of his neck, which left, in the upper body, the brachial artery, though this small knife would have trouble severing the bicep muscle, and the axillary artery, which I could get to under the armpit.
I favored the axillary. It would be hard for him to reach and apply pressure to slow the bleeding. Therefore, it was my best hope that the healing would take long enough to give me a chance to escape.