Inferno (Page 18)

She shook her head, not wanting to move out of his arms for even a moment. She was opening her mouth to speak when Devon stiffened against her, just as Julian’s head whipped to the right. Cassie tensed in anticipation, leaning forward to pull the curtain back further. Devon seized hold of her hand, stopping it in mid air.

“Don’t move,” he hissed.

Cassie froze, her heart thumped loudly, her breath froze in her lungs. Julian and Devon were as still as stone, their eyes focused outside. Cassie was afraid to speak, but she was dying to know what was going on. Devon released the curtain slowly, pulling it back into place with barely any movement. He pulled her back a step, his arms tightening around her.

Then she heard it. The breath exploded from her as her heart leapt wildly in her chest. All three of their heads tilted back as a scurrying noise rattled across the roof, coming from the back to the front. It paused halfway across the roof. She waited tensely, adrenaline coursing through her as she waited to see what the thing was up to, what it was going to do.

A loud crash echoed from above, it reverberated through the room. Cassie jumped in shock, Liam jolted awake his eyes were wide as he searched the darkness wildly. The lantern she had set on the shelf vibrated toward the edge, tilting precariously. Julian moved silently and swiftly, catching hold of it before it clattered to the floor.

Cassie stared at him in wide eyed amazement as he settled it on the floor. Another crash reverberated through the building, causing Cassie’s breath to hitch in her chest. The windows shook loudly. Devon’s arm tightened upon her, pulling her back another small step as the scurrying resumed toward the front of the building.

He glanced sharply at Julian, nodding toward the back. Julian moved as silently as a wraith toward the back of the store. Liam took a step toward them, his hands fisting as his gaze remained focused on the roof. Another loud bang echoed from the back of the store.

Cassie jumped as Devon pulled her back another step. “Move slowly,” Devon whispered in her ear, his voice just barely audible, even to her.

The three of them crept toward the back as something scurried loudly over the roof again. A series of loud grunts and shouts echoed forth. Though they had once been human, Cassie could not help but see the creatures as anything more than apelike monsters now. She hated herself for it, but she knew that she was going to have to keep that attitude if she was going to be of any use against them.

They finally reached the back room. Liam hurried to Annabelle’s side, wrapping her in his arms. Everyone was awake and on their feet, staring up at the ceiling as another thumping crash shook the building. “Do they know we’re here Chris?” Cassie asked softly.

He shook his head, his eyes dark and troubled, his face pinched in concentration. “There’s no reason to them,” he whispered. “There’s nothing but confusion and hunger and destruction. I cannot tell what they do and do not know, or what they want, other than blood.”

A shiver worked through her at his words, her mouth parted slightly as she glanced wildly around the room. She wanted to bolt out of there, yet she remained frozen, her legs unwilling to move. Julian emerged from the shadows, four crossbows tucked under his arm. Cassie reluctantly pulled away from Devon as he handed each of them one and tossed the other to Liam.

“Do not hesitate,” Julian hissed to her.

She frowned fiercely back at him. “I won’t.” He raised an eyebrow questioningly at her, his eyes pointed and harsh. Cassie swallowed heavily. “I won’t.”

He nodded briskly before turning away, moving to stand by the doorway to the main room. Devon squeezed her arm gently before taking a stance opposite Julian. Another loud thud rattled the building. Cassie glanced sharply up as one of the things began to jump up and down on the roof, its loud squeals echoed throughout the building. Cassie winced against the harsh sound, wishing she could cover her ears against the strange animalistic noises, but the crossbow stopped her from doing so.

Another loud thump rattled the windows. There were four of them on the roof now, with no way of knowing how many more might come. Straightening her shoulders, Cassie held the crossbow tightly with both hands as she moved toward the back windows. She heard Devon’s soft hiss of displeasure, but she did not stop.

Pausing at one of the windows, she slowly pulled back the curtain. The night beyond was dark, but it took only moments for her eyes to adjust. She could see nothing in the back yard, nothing moved amongst the mangled corpses of animals. A shadow suddenly jumped from overhead and another bang echoed throughout. Though it had startled her, Cassie did not move, did not even flinch. To do so very well might have meant the death of all of them.

Ever so slowly she dropped the curtain and backed away from the window. She crept to the middle of the room. “They’re coming from the roof of the bank,” she whispered, pointing toward the building next to theirs.

Devon and Julian turned toward the bank, staring at the wall as if they could magically see through it. They stood silently for a long time, tense in anticipation as they waited to see what would happen. The noises and thumps continued, the grunts and squeals grew louder and more frantic before dying down. Two more thumps hit the roof, causing everyone to flinch in anticipatory response.

After about an hour the shouts died down, and the noises drifted away. Cassie slowly began to relax, her shoulders eased but the muscles in them remained stiff and aching. She unfolded her hands from their tight grip on the crossbow, stretching them out in an attempt to get the cramps out of them.

She gave Chris a grateful smile as he took the bow from her. Devon propped his crossbow against the wall, his attention still focused upon the ceiling. “Where did they go?” Melissa asked softly.

“They’re hunting,” Julian answered, propping his crossbow on his shoulder. “And the food supply is getting scarce, so they’re going back through the areas where they have found food before.”

“Why didn’t they come in here?” Cassie asked quietly.

“Because they’ve never come in here; the place is in too good of shape for that to have happened. Next time they come back, they’ll come in. They’ll start to tear this town apart before they spread out of it,” Devon answered.

Cassie inhaled sharply, Chris slid his hand into hers, squeezing it tightly. Relief washed through her as she clung to him, Chris had been distant ever since they had found her. But now, for the first time, she actually felt as if she had her friend back. He smiled wanly down at her, his hand briefly tightened around hers as he turned back to Julian and Devon. Julian was watching them intently, an odd express on his face.