I leap off its back with the dagger in my hand and charge at the herd of abominations barreling through the hole, ready to continue the battle even through the wall.
I spot Sylas jumping down from the wall, disappearing into the wave of their bodies. I want to cry out to him, but an abomination blindsides me and knocks me to the ground. I roll backwards and push myself upwards with my arms, launching into a flip. It nips at my ankles as I skitter to the side then slide the dagger through its enormous chest.
Another charges at me from the left. I spin around, steering the dagger downward, but it knocks it out of my hand. I grab ahold of its neck and pull it around with me as I glide to the ground, swoop up the dagger then swing us around. I stab it over and over again in its back. It lets out a roar, throwing its head back, hitting me in the chin before it falls to the ground as I stagger back from it, feeling my jaw pop out then back into place.
I pause to recover, but then something brushes my back. I instinctually spin around, my dagger ready to plunge it into the attacker, but I stop myself just in time as Sylas leans on me. He’s covered in blood and looks exhausted, however I can see that there is still fight in him. He’s not dying yet—we’re not dying yet. Can we even die?
Blood trickles down his side and there’s a large gash through his shirt and flesh.
“Are you okay?” I yell out as I glance around with the dagger out in front of me.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” he says, but I feel his lie all over him. “It’s just a little scratch. I’ll heal.”
I swallow hard, feeling the end nearing. The wall is gone; cars are toppled on the ground in piles with bodies around me of both the abominations and people. Some of the people are rushing into their homes while others flee down the side of the wall, heading to the other end of the city. A few more are heading to the center of the city, trying to get away.
It hits me as the abominations chase them down towards the center of the city that we need to get somewhere where we can corner them. We need to keep them from heading further into the city towards the lab; somewhere where we can keep them from coming at us in all directions.
“Gather some of the Day Takers and follow me!” I yell to Sylas and to the people still alive around me. “We need to lead them another way!”
Sylas nods and then races off to gather them while I gather the stronger people around me. Once we all regroup, I take off and they follow me up the street.
“And make a lot of noise!” I shout out. When Sylas gives me a funny look, I add, “It’ll get them to follow us and move them away from the weak.”
He nods again and we make noise as we run down the street swiftly. I shout, trying to get the abominations to follow me, diverting them from going towards the lab. For the most part, it works. Many of them follow us, although some stay behind.
There are fires burning where people have fallen to the ground, dropping their torches, and blood stains the ground. Many of abominations are right on our heels, which is right where I want them. Finally, we reach the alley that Maci took me to earlier. I’m a little out of breath while, at the same time, my cuts aren’t healing as quickly as they normally do.
“This is where we can hold them off without them attacking us from other sides,” I say as we reach the alley with the people and even the Day Takers more out of breath then Sylas and I. “You four with spears line the width of the alley.” I point at four people holding swords then move my finger to another group of people. “You two go herd more in our direction.” I slide my finger to the Day Takers. “And you stay behind me and wait for any to get through.”
Everyone follows their orders, taking off in different directions. Seconds later, a handful of abominations rip around the corner, a herd of them at the others’ heels. Their eyes bleed as they rush at us, their feet plowing at the ground. The front row target their spears and swords towards the front of the alley. Seconds later, the first group of abominations collides with their weapons. Sharp points pierce their rotting flesh and they die almost instantly, crumpling to the ground. More keep coming, though, and then the people behind me suddenly burst around in a panic and barrel towards the beasts.
“Stop!” I cry. “Fall back!”
They don’t listen, and all I can do is fight. I stab the first abomination that reaches me and blood spurts all over my face. I tear the dagger from its body and spin into the next, stabbing at its chest. Sylas moves beside me, and we fight together, dipping and dodging as we slice through flesh, coating ourselves in their blood.
The abominations’ bodies pile up at the alley and create a small barrier for us. My mood begins to lift as I think that maybe, just maybe, we can beat them. Then I hear a loud thudding noise that grows louder and louder before I then feel a ripple in the ground. I know before I see it what it is.
Moments later, the over-sized abomination charges around the corner of the building and down the alleyway at us. The rest of the abominations move out of the way, creating a path for it to get straight to the pile at the end of the alley and to us. There’s nowhere to go and I’m not sure if we’ll survive fighting it.
“What the hell do I do?” I mutter, glancing around at the Day Takers and people waiting for me to give them a command.
I feel someone touch my arm. I turn my head to meet Sylas’s eyes.
“Run,” he says in a low voice, his eyes pressing for me to listen.
I shake my head. “No… I’m not running away like a coward. What the hell are you talking about?”
His grip on my arm tightens as the massive beast starts to charge over the wall of abominations at the end of the alley. “You are the key to the cure. No one else,” he presses. “Go back to the lab. Make sure that you get Mathew and the others out of here... make sure you survive.”
He jerks me towards him and kisses me quickly. I barely register it before he’s shoving me away, breathless. He whirls around, sprinting for the beast. Even though it tears me apart, I do what I have to do. I hurry and spring over the wall at the end of the alley, landing on the other side in another street, telling myself he’ll make it. That he’s a Day Walker. Deep down, I’m not sure, though. I’m not sure of anything anymore.
Blood stains the building walls and the ground below me. Horrifying screams blare at me from every angle, but I shut out the sight and run. I pass the blood and abominations, pass the bodies, pass all the death.
Was this all worth it? If Mathew’s still alive, will he even be able to save everyone? Will I be able to go through with the fading?