Oh, gods.
Another emerged behind them, and I squinted to catch sight of Omira and Yung fighting a small group of Hollows several yards away.Morll would have punished me with manual labor for a month for allowing this to happen.Patrols always stayed together.Why had I told the others to go on ahead?Strength came in numbers, and we were divided.
Taio took one of the Hollows down as another lunged for him.I wavered between that one and the other heading for him, then went for the third.I heard more of them crashing through the trees behind me as I swung the sharp point of my skullcrusher.I missed as Taio kicked the attacking Hollow back then tripped it and slammed his weapon down.I swung again, catching the Hollow female attacking me in the arm.If the rain hadn’t been so loud, I imagined I would have heard the sickening crack of bone.Instead, her arm twisted into an impossible angle, and she kept coming.With a roar, Taio moved behind her, swinging his hammer-like weapon at the back of her head.I stepped aside as her skull caved in and she fell toward me.
“Mara!”Taio cried, and I caught myself before colliding with one of the Hollows coming at us from the rear.I pivoted, sliding out of reach and backing up.Taio was at my side.
“How many?”I asked.
“Too many.”He was right.I couldn’t count them now, and I couldn’t see past them to Omira, Yung, and Kintle.If they had the chance, I hope they ran.That was our only chance at this point too.“Run!”Taio yelled even as I started jogging away from the advancing pack.Another Hollow stepped out, blocking our path, and Taio swung his weapon, knocking the creature aside.We made it a few feet before two more came for us.I raised my skullcrusher, eager to dispatch them and escape the horde behind us.I could hear their grunts and hisses over the rain now, and the stink of them made it difficult to breathe.
But Taio caught my arm before I could lower the skullcrusher on the first one.“No!”he said, his voice filled with horror.I gave him an uncomprehending look then followed his gaze to the Hollows before us.
They were children.The one I’d been about to dispatch couldn’t have been more than three or four.The other was only a few years older and a female with tattered ribbons hanging from her dark hair.My mind flashed back to the chubby face of the boy I’d killed in that cellar.But these two had been dead a long time.Their flesh was little more than a tight casing for their bones, their mouth open and their teeth biting instinctively.
“I’ll do it,” I said.“Watch my back.”I went for the older one first as I could more easily fend off the smaller one.I kicked her hard in the chest, sending her sprawling, then slammed the point of my skullcrusher into her brain.I pulled it free and pivoted toward the younger one.She was already on me, but Taio was right there.He grabbed at her hair, pulling a clump of it free, then looking at his hand in horror as he tried to shake the hair loose.
“I have it,” I said.
“No,” he said, his jaw set hard.I didn’t have time to argue.The first of the pack behind us was within reach.I sidestepped the toddler and knocked the Hollow at Taio’s back onto his knees.Several of those behind him tripped over him, creating a pile that bought us an extra two minutes.When I turned back, the small child was on the ground, head nothing but a black and gray pulp.Taio’s blue-green eyes met mine, and I could see what his actions had cost him.I met his gaze, hoping my own reflected that I understood.That part of me had been lost in the brutality of this world and the Hollows I’d been forced to release to death.
Taio held out a hand, his shaking slightly.I took it, mine steady, and cold.As the first Hollow behind us lunged, we ran.
***
WE ENCOUNTERED ONLYone more Hollow as we fled.Taio knocked it down, and I stopped to dispatch it.We had enough coming after us without adding one more.The rain had slowed to a heavy drizzle, and I could hear the Hollows behind us.We were fast enough to outrun them, but I knew from experience they were tenacious when hungry.
These were very, very hungry.
I paused to wipe the bits of flesh and bone off my skullcrusher and onto the leaves.I rested my skullcrusher on my leg and bent to catch my breath.Taio was not winded, but he moved close to me and put a hand on my back.I raised my arm.“I’m fine,” I whispered.I doubted the Hollows chasing us could hear me with all the noise they made, but I didn’t want to take chances in case others might be close by.“What if we—” I made a circular motion with my hand, indicating we could circle the pack and emerge behind them, hopefully reuniting with the others.
Taio shook his head and pointed to the east.The way we’d come and the way we’d been retreating.He cocked his head that way, and I straightened and followed.A few moments later, I understood.He’d recognized that we were close to the cabin.We emerged into the clearing and circled it to make sure no Hollows lurked nearby.
In the distance, the sound of the horde grew louder, and Taio grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the cabin.I tugged him back before he could open the door.I’d been taught how to clear a structure, and simply walking in was the exact wrong thing to do.Instead, I pushed him aside and tapped on the door then listened.
Taio was growing anxious beside me, shifting from one foot to another and glancing over his shoulder.I pounded louder on the door in case whatever was inside hadn’t heard me.
Still nothing.
“Mara.”Taio’s voice was impatient, and my own fear was rising with the sounds of the approaching Hollows as well.
I held up a hand then reached for the latch to the door.I lifted it, pushed the door open and waited for an attack.
Nothing.
No scent of decay, no hissing or chatter of teeth from the darkness.Only the faint scent of cedar and herbs and dust.I stepped inside, followed quickly by Taio, who went immediately to a rectangular table in the middle of the small room and pushed it up against the door.The movement dislodged decades of dust, and we both coughed quietly as it swirled about us.Then the ground began to tremble as the pack entered the clearing.Fear gripped me like I’d never felt before.We couldn’t defend ourselves against this many.If they gained entrance to the cabin, they’d kill us in moments.I might have felt better if we’d been inside a structure that wasn’t quite so unstable.I knew by the way one side of the cabin listed that any prolonged attack on it would topple it.
Taio grabbed me about the waist and pulled me against what looked to be the strongest of the four walls.The hearth was built on this side, and we sank down, leaning against the brick.Outside the noise of the invading army grew.Growls and moans like I’d never heard before echoed through the wooden logs making up the exterior of the cabin.They hadn’t launched themselves at the cabin yet, so perhaps they didn’t know we were inside.
A window was built into the wall above the kitchen area, which was on our right.Heavy curtains blocked anything outside from seeing in, but occasionally I thought I saw a shape moving on the other side.Thumps against the walls of the cabin made me jump, and I closed my eyes and tried not to vomit.Taio reached down and took my hand, and I was grateful for that small gesture.I held his hand tightly, and he gave me a quick squeeze of reassurance.
Hours seemed to pass as the Hollows trampled through the clearing and milled about the cabin.They’d lost our scent or the sound of us, whichever they used to track us, and they seemed uncertain where to go next.I could only hope most of them had followed us so that Yung, Kintle, and Omira had been able to escape.I glanced at Taio, but his expression was unreadable.Still, I knew he must be thinking of his sister and his friends.
Gradually the sound of the Hollows faded, and Taio rose.He put a finger to his lips and moved in that cat-like way of his to the curtains at the window.Now that the majority of the pack had moved away, I listened for the patter of the rain on the roof.All was quiet.No light peeked from under the dark fabric, and my stomach told me it was past dinner, most likely full dark.Standing to one side of the window, Taio very slowly moved a corner of the curtain aside.I held my breath, expecting a gray face to appear at the window and hiss.But nothing happened, and Taio slid one eye in front of the small opening he’d made and looked out.He stood very still for a long time and finally he moved back out of sight and even more slowly lowered the curtain back into place.
I stared at him, wishing I could see his expression more clearly.But my eyes were accustomed to the dark now, and I saw when he motioned me to join him.My legs had cramped from sitting for so long, and I took my time standing and moving to join him.He’d shoved the table against the door, and chairs stood haphazardly in the center of the room.I sidestepped them and came to stand beside him.He leaned close, his lips against my ear.“I count five.They stand and move like trees in the wind.”
I nodded, and he stood aside.Imitating his careful movements from earlier, I slid a corner of the curtain aside and looked out.The window was dirty, but I could discern several shapes.I took my time separating those shapes from the trees.He had counted five, and I counted that many as well.Of course, that was what we could see.More might be out of sight of the window or waiting in the forest.The ones standing in the clearing were swaying slightly, reminding me of new mothers comforting fussy babies.What were they doing out there?Listening?Waiting?In some sort of hibernation state?
