Eden (Eden Saga) Page 21

  “Look out!” Thomas said as he turned and pointed his gun to the sky.

  “Wait!” Alexandra said, but too late.

  The boy fired a single shot at Erzulie, but missed.

  “Stop!” Alexandra said. “She’s on our side, remember?”

  Erzulie descended to the ground and gathered her dark wings against her back. The angel’s metallic breastplate was covered in new scratches and dents. Small cuts crisscrossed her skin and silvery angel blood congealed around the wounds.

  “The main force approaches,” Erzulie said with her usual melodious tones. “Have your men with guns focus on the larger demons as they won’t go down easy.”

  Alexandra nodded and said, “Are you okay?”

  “Don’t be concerned for me,” Erzulie said. “I’ve been in many battles.”

  “Oh no!”

  The cry came from Nicole.

  “No, no, no!”

  The girl knelt next to the still form of Francine. Lying on her chaise, the older woman looked peaceful. Her sunglasses on, the only evidence of her passing was a dark spot in the middle of her flowered dress. Somehow, Alexandra missed what happened.

  “Is she dead?” Alexandra asked, surprised at her coarseness.

  Nicole nodded and turned a tearful face to Alexandra. The girl seemed incapable of speech.

  “I see them!” Benjamin said from his position atop Santino’s rig.

  “Get inside,” Alexandra said, pointing to Nicole. “Benjamin, Marco – focus your fire on the larger ones!”

  The soldier nodded and peered down the barrel of his weapon. Marco rammed another clip into his pistol and looked over the wall.

  “More?” Father Callahan asked from the entrance to Holly’s tent.

  Alexandra nodded and said, “How are things going in there? Everyone okay?”

  Father Callahan lowered his eyes and said, “A hound got into the tent. Jason’s badly wounded and Holly’s not doing so well.”

  “Keep them together,” Alexandra said, “We’re not out of this yet.”

  “By your leave,” Erzulie said, “I will continue to protect the flanks from being overrun. I will also keep an eye on the tents.”

  “Thanks,” Alexandra said as she joined Marco at the wall.

  Like a full marching band running for cover under the rain, a mob of figures careened towards the barricade. Unfazed, Koneh stood at the apex of his semicircle. How was he going to survive? Would she get the chance to tell him that her feelings were stronger than she first thought? That she maybe loved him?

  Such thoughts gave way to more pressing matters. She performed some quick math in her head. If they started with ninety-nine, and maybe fifteen were killed, that left over eighty demons. All eighty at once, they would crash against the makeshift barricade like a wave against a sandcastle.

  Rat-tat-tat-a-tat-tat!

  Benjamin’s assault rifle sung its tune. As the army closed, Koneh lifted a knife from the ground and hurled it at the nearest belcher. The creature breathed a final puff of fire before being trampled by the larger demons.

  Alexandra lost sight of Koneh as the demons rushed past him and rammed the barricade. Marco and Thomas joined Benjamin. The roar of gunfire was almost louder than the thunder cloven feet.

  Most of the demons were the size of an adult human, but with exaggerated spines, claws and two ram-like horns on their heads. Alexandra’s heart sank when she noticed that some of the newcomers were much larger. These demons stood about ten feet tall and wielded large swords, axes or spiked chains. These giant demons destroyed sections of the barricade with each stroke of their weapons. However, Benjamin and Marco kept them harassed with constant gunfire.

  “One down!” Benjamin said as one of the larger demons toppled through a hole in the barricade, its bones exposed from numerous wounds.

  As the smaller demons and belchers used the fallen demon as a doormat, one of the larger ones pointed his sword at Benjamin and said, “Flan-nese!”

  A small group of belchers hopped onto Santino’s rig and Benajmin’s gunfire stopped as the area was covered in flames.

  Alexandra was forced to return her attention to the barricade. Erzulie swooped in and engaged the large demon. Marco and Alexandra backpedaled as the horned demons approached.

  “Any ideas?” Marco asked as he reloaded his pistol.

  Too frightened to speak, she readied her sword. Demons rushed them.

  Pop-pop-pop!

  Marco fired a series of expertly placed shots and several of the demons tumbled to the ground. As the others advanced, Alexandra recalled Koneh’s training session about reach. Since her sword covered a better distance than the horned demons claws, she kept them at bay for as long as she could. She scored some superficial wounds, but she knew she would have to leave herself open to engage.

  Several of the horned demons turned away from Marco and Alexandra, as Thomas and Justin got their attention. Through the corner of her eye, Alexandra saw the section of wall behind the two American boys shatter, and a large demon with a chain roared. She lost sight of the boys as the horned demons pressed forward.

  Rat-tat-tat-a-tat-tat!

  The rest of the approaching horned demons scattered as bullets rained down from above. Alexandra peeked at the rig and saw Erzulie jump from the top of the vehicle. Benjamin resumed his attack.

  “That’ll help,” Marco said as he overturned a table and took cover.

  Alexandra turned to see one of the boys – she wasn’t sure which one – flung over the wall by the large demon with a spiked chain. The other boy was nowhere to be seen. Mustering all her strength, Alexandra subdued the urge to vomit.

  As Koneh predicted, people were dying. For the first time in her life, Alexandra believed she was going to die. Even worse, the death would probably be unpleasant.

  The demon that breached the wall smiled and pointed a clawed finger in her direction. More horned demons poured through the openings in the barricade and rushed in her direction.

  Pop-pop-pop!

  Marco fired from his new position and Benjamin downed the large demon with concentrated fire. Some of the horned demons ripped at the tents and entered.

  “Dammit!” Alexandra yelled, “They’re in the tents!”

  Moving along the base of the beached cruise ship, she approached the tents. One of the smaller horned demons charged her and seemed unphased by several gunshot wounds. Alexandra readied her sword and watched the creature’s claws. After several moments of positioning and feints, the demon lashed out with its tail and opened a stinging cut on her cheek.

  With a squeal, the creature lunged at her and she raised the tip of her sword enough to impale her attacker. Warm blood spattered her face and arms. Gurgling, the demon fell to the ground.

  Stepping over the corpse, Alexandra dashed through the ripped side of Holly’s tent and this time, she vomited.

  Fire from a burning corpse illuminated the interior of both tents. Blood and someone’s body parts were everywhere. Father Callahan stood in front of Holly’s bed, his cross outstretched and his arms bloodied. Crimson stains on the canvas walls gave the interior the look of old floral wallpaper. It appeared as if someone exploded inside the tent.

  “Stay back, creatures of Hell!” Father Callahan commanded.

  A pair of horned demons advanced on Father Callahan and Holly. Then, one of the demons turned and approached Alexandra.

  At that moment, Alexandra found a new resolve within herself. She couldn’t let her friends die. She had to be strong for them. Armed with a new strength of will, she closed the distance with the demon. However, as she stared into the grisly face of her enemy, her resolve faded away just as quickly as it had arrived. All of Koneh’s training drained from her mind like water through a strainer. Fear gripped her as she wondered how she got to this place. Two months ago she owned an upscale apartment, played racquetball and dined at expensive restaurants. Now, she was bloodied and carrying an angel’s sword. She witnessed the slaughter
of her new friends. Blood dripped from the canvas of the tent and from her gashed cheek. What was she doing?

  A howl pierced the tent and the two horned demons scurried from the area.

  “Are you all right?” Father Callahan said, his hands trembling.

  “How long can you keep them at bay?” Alexandra asked.

  He shook his head. “Unfortunately, not very long. Not long enough.”

  “Well,” she said, “it’s something. Get outside and help Marco and Benjamin. You may be able to give them the few moments they need to keep the tent clear.”

  Father Callahan nodded, wrapped his rosary around his forearm and rushed from the tent. More gunfire, shouts and roars echoed off the hull of the beached cruise ship and into the tent. Exhausted, Alexandra turned to the cot.

  Though pregnant, Holly pulled her knees to her stomach and buried her face in her arms. She appeared in shock as she drew one sharp breath after another. The cot sagged from the combined weight of its occupant, blood and water. The stink of sweat, vomit and burnt flesh greeted Alexandra’s nostrils as she stepped around the carnage on the floor of the tent.

  “Holly?” Alexandra asked, wondering why she felt the need to whisper.

  There was no response. Holly’s body shuddered with each intake of breath. Then, Alexandra saw what may have thrown the woman into shock – Jason’s shredded form. The American’s mangled life jacket still clung to his body, like the chewed wrapper on a candy bar. His limbs were no longer attached. Something tore the man to pieces.

  Outside the tent, Benjamin and Marco’s guns popped at random intervals. Someone shouted incomprehensibly, but Alexandra didn’t care. She rested her sword against a crate and joined Holly on the cot.

  “Shhh,” Alexandra said, “don’t think about anything but your baby.”

  Turning Holly away from the sight of her husband, Alexandra hugged the sobbing woman and scanned the rest of the interior. She counted three main entrances - the original opening, the tattered side where Alexandra entere, and the cutaway to the other tent. Jason’s limbs, organs and blood covered almost everything. Where was Santino? He was in this tent when the battle started. Were his body parts amongst the grisly mess?

  “What did I do?” Alexandra asked.

  Before Holly or anyone else could answer her question, Alexandra heard a loud sniffing at the ripped side of the tent. A large snout pushed its way into the opening, followed by two smoldering eyes – a hound. This wasn’t any normal hound. Alexandra recognized this hound as the one from the café where she sought refuge from the toothless man.

  Sustaining a low, guttural growl, the creature advanced into the tent. Smoke leaked from its nostrils as the canine locked gazes again with Alexandra. Cursing her own carelessness, she glanced at her sword which rested just out of reach. The hound followed her eyes to the weapon and grinned. Unlike a normal dog, this beast seemed intelligent and aware.

  Alexandra wanted to call for help, but she knew that nobody could arrive in time. The men from Father Callahan’s town now spoke the truth of her fate. The demons were killing all women and babies.

  “I’m so sorry,” Alexandra said into Holly’s ear, “I’m sorry I might not be strong enough to save you.”

  If this was her fate, Alexandra decided that Holly shouldn’t share it. She pushed the pregnant woman aside and leapt for her sword. However, the hound pounced on her leg and Alexandra crashed to the ground. She turned to face her attacker and was greeted by a vicious headbutt. Stars exploded across her vision and she felt herself spinning and falling.

  Through waxing and waning consciousness Alexandra felt she was at her dentist’s office again, going under anesthesia for her wisdom teeth extraction. She fought the encroaching darkness as Holly’s life hung in the balance.

  Then, she fell to the ground. Wait? Wasn’t she already on the ground? Her vision cleared and she was surprised to find herself outside, a good thirty feet from the barricade. How did she get here? The hound growled and turned to the sky. A dark, winged form lunged at the canine and the two bodies tumbled across the ground. With a yelp, the hound separated and retreated into the darkness.

  Alexandra recognized her friend. “Erzulie!”

  Erzulie glided into the air and dropped at Alexandra’s side an instant later. Silvery liquid oozed from under her breastplate and matted many of her black feathers together on her wings.

  “Are you harmed?” Erzulie asked as her eyes scanned Alexandra’s body.

  “No,” Alexandra said as her brain flipped over like a pancake in her skull. “I’m just… a little woozy.”

  Erzulie extended her wings and said, “I’ll go finish that hound.”

  “Wait,” Alexandra said, though she struggled to form the word. After centering her eyes, she continued, “Help them… Help Holly.”

  “As you comm-” Erzulie stopped and swayed on her feet. Her eyes fluttered.

  “Erzulie?”

  The angel blinked and then focused on Alexandra. “Many apologies. I am… woozy as well.”

  “Don’t apologize – just go!” Alexandra said.

  Nodding once, Erzulie shot into the air and flew over the remains of the barricade. At the edge of her vision, Alexandra saw some hunched forms moving away from the beached cruise ship. The backdrop of gunfire was replaced with silence. Was it over?

  Through monumental effort, she rose to her feet. She moved as fast as she thought she could, without losing consciousness, to Holly’s tent.

  “We’re over here!” Marco said.

  Alexandra picked her way through the rubble and demon carcasses. A few bloodied people were gathered at the center of their encampment. Holly rested on a chaise, her hands over her face. Nicole knelt on the ground beside the pregnant woman. Marco waved his pistol to catch Alexandra’s attention and Erzulie perched behind Holly. Benjamin stood on the roof of Santino’s rig, his gun scanning the horizon.

  “This isn’t everyone,” Alexandra said.

  Marco stepped towards her and said, “Alexandra, listen-”

  “Where’s Koneh? Richard? Santino?”

  Without waiting for an answer, she climbed over the rubble of the ruined barricade and looked to the last spot she saw Koneh. A carpet of demonic bodies covered the area. Was Koneh’s body amongst them? To the far side, she caught some movement with her eyes.

  “Santino’s fine,” Marco said, “He got knocked out when some crates fell on him. But you need to know something.”

  Ignoring her companion, she ran to the spot where she saw the movement in the wasteland. When she reached the area, she didn’t see anything. Then, one of the large demons twitched from his position facedown in the dirt.

  Alexandra stepped backwards and grasped for the sword at her belt, but the weapon wasn’t there. Still dazed, she struggled to remember where she left her sword.

  The demon twitched again and rolled onto its back.

  “Look out!” Benjamin said from his elevated position.

  Marco rushed forward and yelled, “Alexandra!”

  Prepared to wring her vengeance with her own two hands, she stood her ground. But the demon didn’t open his eyes. Instead, a very bloody Koneh pulled himself to his feet from under the massive form of the demon.

  All of Alexandra’s emotions crashed at that moment – elation at seeing her friend alive, terror over watching so many people die, and guilt about putting her friends in so much danger. Alexandra hugged Koneh as tears streamed down her face and stung her wounded cheek.

  Managing a few words, she said, “You’re alive!”

  Koneh stumbled in her grasp.

  “Easy,” Alexandra said. “Are you hurt?”

  Covered in blood, his rags appeared more shredded than before. His left arm hung limp at his side and his breathing came in long wheezes.

  “Priest,” Koneh said. “Gone-”

  “What?” she asked.

  “That’s what we were trying to tell you,” Marco said. “The Padre is dead.”

>   “Padre?” Alexandra asked, her head clearing. What Padre? Wait. “You mean, Richard? Father Callahan?”

  Marco nodded. “Si.”

  “No,” she breathed, her thoughts swirling. Father Callahan couldn’t be dead, she thought. He was just in the tent with Holly and me. He was just sitting by the campfire. He was just telling me how he looked upon me as his own daughter. He was just-

  Chapter 21

  Alexandra ran.

  Father Richard Callahan couldn’t be dead. He was her voice of reason in this new, chaotic world. How could this happen?

  “Over here!” Benjamin said, the flashlight on the barrel of his gun pointed at a motionless form on the ground near Santino’s truck.

  “No, no, no!” Alexandra said as she knelt beside her friend. “You don’t deserve this.”

  Father Callahan was face down, his clothing wet with blood. Alexandra plucked his battered rosary from the dirt and held it to her chest. Her tears had stopped and she felt like there were none left. Then, the pain turned to guilt as she realized she was responsible. She was the one who ordered him from Holly’s tent and into danger.

  “It’s my fault,” she whispered.

  With a hand around Alexandra’s shoulders, Erzulie said, “The Father’s death was not of your making.”

  “Maybe we should be blaming you then, demon,” Marco said, his eyes locked upon Erzulie.

  Koneh slumped to the ground near the group. His voice little more than a gasp, he said, “The mere fact you called her a demon speaks to how little you know about the situation.”

  “And what the hell are you?” Marco said. “No human could have survived that. You are a demon too, aren’t you?”

  Benjamin descended from the top of the rig and joined the group. His hair and eyebrows were gone and his face was blackened from the belchers. “Why are y’all arguing?” He said, “Koneh just killed a bunch of those things. You really think he’d do that if he was one of them?”

  “I dunno,” Marco said as he pointed at Erzulie, “She’s one of them too and she was fighting them.”

  “Stop laying blame,” Alexandra said. “I made the decision to stay. I’m responsible. Let’s just leave it at that.”