They Walk

Chapter Sixteen

Dan slowly makes his way over the rubble of the door with a bat in his hands. Raising it high, his eyes take in the darkened room, and then finally fall on me. I’m not sure what I look like, but his eyes widen. They drift down to the ax still gripped in my hands, then to my feet where Matt’s body lays. Lowering the bat, he rushes over to me, and I can’t help but flinch and take a step back. He stops just inches from me, and looks behind him as Gabe makes his way into the room. He takes the room in the same as Dan, with his fire poker raised high.

He sees Matt first, then the ax in my hands, then he raises his eyes to mine. I feel my eye’s watering as I see my pain reflected on him. He lowers the fire poker, and stops just inside the door. His eyes never leave mine. Dan reaches out his hand and places it on my shoulder, but I cringe back and hit into the side of the truck. I interrupt him before he can say anything.

“I found a truck for us.” My voice sounds so quiet and hollow, and I can’t imagine it belonging to me.

I feel my insides begin to shake, but I know it’s all of me when the ax starts to slip from my trembling fingers. I refuse to let it fall, even though its covered in blood, I grip it tighter. Letting it anchor me. The guys look to the truck briefly, and then they continue to watch me. I hear shuffling out in the hall, and I start to raise the ax again, fear already pumping in my veins.

Gabe turns, and I see Sam.

With a shuttering little cry, I relax and lower the ax again. My arms remain tense though, and Dan moves closer to me. He’s hesitant now, afraid how I’ll react, and I wonder if they are frightened of me. This seems odd, since every sound is sending me over the edge.

Gabe backs up to the side and I have a better view of Sam, who is holding a butcher knife awkwardly and his eyes are wide. I have an obnoxious thought that maybe his eyes are naturally wide, when I notice he’s not looking into the garage, he’s looking at something in the hall. My eyes follow his, and I see Austin’s dog. It’s barely recognizable, its fur matted with blood. I’d forgotten about the dog, who in retrospect seemed to know Matt was about to turn before I did. I feel shame, and my eyes water again.

Yet, they still do not fall.

I’m about to look away, when Sam makes a high pitched yelp. He’s jumping back into the wall and drops the knife. That’s when I see the dog rise up. It’s making a keening noise so low and gurgled.

I almost didn’t hear it at all. My heart speeds up, and I freeze in place. My arms lock up, and I don’t have the strength to lift the ax. Dan is there then with his bat held high he stands in front of me.

The dog is about to pounce at a defenseless Sam, when Gabe is suddenly upon them. He runs over to them swinging the fire poker, he hits the growling dog. It gets knocked into the wall with a yip, and is about to get up again, now focused on Gabe. He kneels down then and drops the fire poker, and I feel my breath catch, but I don’t have to worry.

His free hand reaches out for the knife on the floor next to him. Just as the dog is almost on him, he grabs its fur and thrusts the knife under its jaw and into its head. It yips and struggles once, but Gabe shoves the blade in further until I can’t see his head holding the hilt under its fur. It stops moving then. He pulls the knife free with a suction sound, and lets the now dead dog fall to the ground.

He shakes the blood off it and stands up.

Stepping away to stare in awe of Gabe, I realize that Sam was plastered to the wall the whole time.

“Wholly Shit.” He says.

Gabe walks over to the dropped fire poker and picks it up. He tosses it to a surprised Sam, who nearly drops it.

“Next time, don’t lose the only weapon you have between you and death.” He says as he tucks the knife into the side of his belt. “You may not always have help, so don’t be stupid.”

Sam only nods his head, being too shocked to say anything. Gabe comes back to the door of the garage then, and finds my eyes.

“Is this what happened to Matt?” he asks.

My breath is coming is shallow pants. My fingers are numb.

With a clang the ax falls from my grip and onto the ground. Startled Dan jumps back and faces me questioningly. But I don’t see them, I see Matt. I see his snarling face as I cut off his head. Bile rises up into my throat again, and I don’t have the strength to push it down. With a cry, I bend over and throw up. I heave until I’m shaking in a cold sweat.

My eyes clench shut begging for the image of Matt to disappear.

Kneeling now, my damp hair falls into my face. I don’t know if it’s dampened by sweat or blood. And for a moment I don’t care, I squeeze my abdomen as I stop heaving. I feel hands on my head, pushing back my hair then. Slowly I look up and see my brother. He looks as though his heart is breaking, and I’m about to ask if he’s alright, when I realize it’s because of me.

I sit back then and let him take me in his arms.