“What are you two talking about?” Jude’s face twisted as he turned to us with a sneer. “Is this some code you two came up with?”
My cheeks burned as I fought back the grin threatening to split my face, our gaze never breaking contact. I incorporated the lyrics in my farewell, and she caught on. It was like we had a secret between just the two of us.
Before we could answer, a cacophony of screams sounded from outside the door. A sharp crack followed by a tinkling cascade of shattered glass cut through the terrified screamsof the humans outside. Like a monstrous beast unleashed, a deafening roar ripped through the chaotic scene, draining the color from my face and leaving me weak with terror.
The Dog escaped.
Chapter Fourteen
Terrified humans swarmed around me, their faces etched with fear, each clutching children close as they desperately sought safety. The chaos that filled Silvertown reminded me of the night the humans invaded Elysium. The irony was not lost on me, and I secretly swallowed the laugh from escaping my throat. Now it was their turn to feel the fear I felt as I walked through The Wastes.
Serves them right.
My disdain held for a moment before I realized that, as much as I’d like the Dog to destroy this place and everyone inside, I needed to help to ensure my safety. The crowd was a sea of faces, but I desperately searched for Jude, hoping to see his blond hair above the milling people. I shoved through the packed crowd using my elbows to fight against the human current.
Amid the bobs of hair and blurred earthtone clothing, a stark white robe, pristine and smooth, appeared a few feet in front of me. Jude was pushing against the crowd, like a salmon attempting to get upstream through rushing waters. The sharp crack of gunfire echoed through the mall and was immediately followed by a low growl. Piercing screams cut through the air,sending a wave of panic through the crowd as they scattered, their footsteps a chaotic rhythm against the ground.
I swiftly followed Jude toward the chaos happening in the mall’s middle. As I drew closer, the extent of the Dog’s destruction became horrifyingly clear. Shattered remnants of wooden wagons, once laden with food, lay scattered across the floor, while the plants that once climbed the columns now hung loosely, resembling tattered ropes.
An army of men with guns outstretched was fanned out in a semicircle, their gaze never leaving the far end of the center. I saw the Dog to my left, its body low, front legs planted firmly on the ground, while its hind legs kicked in the air—a playful stance. Its tongue lolled out, a metallic pink, and its tail, a gleaming steel rod, shot straight up in gleeful anticipation. I knew if it were a real animal, its tail would be wagging.
It was enjoying this. It was playing.
A series of sharp, echoing gunshots ripped through the air in the mall, and the Dog ran straight toward the sound. Its body twisted and turned with impossible grace, each movement a blur as it dodged the hail of bullets. The creature sprang into the air, a chilling metallic shriek echoing as its maw opened, revealing wickedly sharp teeth that tore into the guard’s head with brutal efficiency. Piercing screams filled the mall as more gunshots rang out, the sounds echoing through the corridors.
“Vincent, you shouldn’t have followed me!” Jude yelled as he shoved my shoulder.
I was glued to the scene before me—the metal Dog’s mouth clamped down on the man’s head, its teeth grinding on the metal mask with a sickening crunch. His screams, raw and filled with terror, were the only sound until the creature twisted its head, and a heavy silence descended. A dark, glistening pool of blood spread around his feet before his body hit the ground with a definitive thud.
Crimson liquid, warm and viscous, dripped from the creature’s chin as it spat out the dismembered head, its hungry eyes darting to another nearby man. The group stumbled backward, their guns outstretched, as the Dog’s unpredictable next move sent shivers down their spines. Another series of gunshots cracked through the air, and the metallic animal again dodged each one with impossible grace.
It launched itself into the air, a blur of motion, and landed softly nearby. Fixed on Jude and me, the creature began to sprint, its approach a terrifying thud in my ears. Panting, two men ran toward the Dog, its head swiveling between them, a low growl rumbling in its throat. Its front paws lifted from the ground, landing on one chest, then sprang off to the other. The two men were hurled backward, their weapons spinning across the floor.
With soft precision, the Dog landed a mere couple of feet away. Many human guards stood at attention, weapons trained on the escapee, their faces grim, and fingers hovering over triggers, waiting for the order to fire. I watched as the Dog reared up on its hind legs, locked onto both of us.
My body was shaking. Is it going to go for me or Jude? What should I do?
A bark from the inside of the Dog escaped its mouth that sounded like a bear’s roar. Dried blood, crusty and dark, clung to its lips as its neon red eyes darted to each person in the room, the chilling glint of them catching the dim light, and it inched closer to us. My body was frozen, every muscle rigid with fear, and once its sharp snout was less than a foot away, it lunged, a blur of teeth and metal.
In the blink of an eye, Jude launched himself, arms outstretched, sliding between the snarling Dog and me. It soared through the air, latching onto the white robe protecting the blond-haired man. I stood behind Jude, completely paralyzed infear. The Dog’s head snapped around so fast that time seemed to freeze; the air whooshed as Jude flew across the room and landed heavily with a muffled thud.
Terror seized me, making my body tremble violently as I stared into the Dog’s unnervingly bright, electronic eyes. Like startled embers, the red irises flickered white before resuming their fiery red hue. These eyes are what haunted my dreams, what killed my mother.
My jaw dropped in shock as the creature turned, now fixated on the man it hurled across the room. With a powerful surge, the Dog reared, its hind legs propelling it into the air before landing squarely on either side of Jude, pinning him to the ground.
I turned to look at the guards surrounding the perimeter. They remained glued to the Dog with their fingers hovering inches above each of their guns’ triggers. Are they not going to help? In disbelief at the spineless military, I ran to the nearest guard, wrenching the machine gun from their limp hands.
I may not care for the man, but I couldn’t let Jude get his head ripped off, right? Although killing him could give me enough time to escape this godforsaken mall. With half a mind to make a run for it, I watched a trembling Jude struggle under the weight of the Dog and decided against my escape. We needed to work together to stop the Dogs.
I closed one eye, taking aim, but couldn’t get a clear shot without the risk of hitting him, so I had to run directly into the line of fire to save him. Before my brain registered my actions, I slung the gun across my chest, and my feet pounded the dirty tiled floor.
The Dog’s eyes narrowed, and Jude’s face went pale as he braced for the attack. Was I going to make it? The Dog’s grin stretched wider, its jaws falling open to reveal a terrifying row of needle-sharp teeth. This was my shot—without another thought,I launched myself into the air, muscles straining with the effort, a silent scream building in my chest.
I like to think of myself as a smart guy. This was not one of those times.
I collided with the Dog, the sudden weight of my body crashing down on my shoulder. After making impact, gravity took over, and my hip slammed against the hard floor; the sounds of screeching metal reached my ears. My heart pounded in my chest as I instantly leaped to my feet, my hands shaking so violently that I barely held the gun steady as I pointed it at the Dog. I knew the exact spot I needed to hit, but I had to get closer to line it up. I slowly shimmied to my left, hoping to get a closer shot of its head.
“Vincent, stop!” Jude yelled from behind me.
