Four days had passed since Adams, Elena and Riven had left the school shelter.
They’d stopped trying to use major roads in the city after they were blocked by abandoned vehicles or found to have become hunting grounds for the monsters or simply blocked by traffic and dangerous, unknown obstacles. Instead they’d taken side streets, squeezing between buildings and finding places to sleep for the night.
It wasn’t easy living, but it got the job done.
Their food supplies had begun dwindling the next morning.
Riven sat cross-legged in the floor of an abandoned pharmacy counting what little they had as Adams perched on the broken windowframe and Elena watched. "Two bottles of water between us, some biscuits..." He frowned at the small pile before shaking his head. "And three cans of food."
Elena exhaled sharply. "That won’t last."
"I know."
Adams’ eyes were fixed on the road ahead. "There’s an industrial district to the east of here."
Riven turned his gaze to follow his friend’s line of sight. "How do you know that?"
"Signs back there," he said, indicating the road with a glance over his shoulder. "Food processing plants and warehouses. Something useful might have been left in any of them."
Riven gathered the supplies with a grunt. "Worth checking out."
Elena straightened as she adjusted the strap of her bag. "Then let’s go before it gets dark."
They left the pharmacy shortly afterwards.
The city seemed eerily silent to Adams, and he took comfort in that. He could hear things when it was quiet.
They’d traveled a few blocks in silence before Riven halted suddenly.
"What?"
Riven gestured ahead with a raised brow. There was a metal drum wedged between two brick buildings with an crudely painted arrow on one side, and another further down the road. With an expression of mild distaste he crouched to inspect the nearest one.
"Paint’s fresh," said Riven, his voice barely more than a whisper.
"People," Elena murmured.
"Recently," Adams agreed.
They traced the marks until they led to an area walled off by a high concrete fence. There were several vehicles lying on their side across the gate, and a makeshift watchtower constructed from scaffolding. But the most interesting thing was the rifle slung over the shoulder of the man who stood on top of the tower, peering at them with cold eyes.
"Stop!"
Adams halted immediately and was joined by Riven and Elena. The man raised an identical rifle from his vantage point atop the wall. A second rifle appeared beside him as well, wielded by a man who climbed down the roof of a nearby warehouse.
"Don’t come any closer."
Adams raised his right hand in a gesture of peace. "We’re not here to cause trouble."
"Then turn around."
"We need supplies."
"You’ll have to find them elsewhere."
Adams turned his head, taking in the sight of the armed men behind the wall. There were at least six in view, but he knew there were more. Elena frowned as she took in the sight as well. Riven gave a small, pained smile. "We should be going."
Adams was about to agree when a scream rang out from within the compound. Everyone stopped and listened. A few moments later, another scream followed, this one cut short.
Elena’s expression darkened. "What was that?"
No one had an answer to that. Another scream echoed from inside the compound. This one was longer. Adams turned to the man on the roof. "What is happening in there?"
"None of your business."
A woman cried out from somewhere inside the compound. "Please!"
Elena took a step forward. "Who’s in there?"
"Keep walking."
"Are you holding people?"
The man raised his rifle. "I said to leave."
Adams’ gaze went to the space between the buildings where he could see several figures. One of them had been dragged across the dirt yard to the front of one of the warehouses, his wrists bound behind his back. Two men stood behind him, struggling against him as they tried to drag him to the building’s entrance. Elena’s expression was grim as she took in the sight. "Adams."
"I know."
The man on the roof shouted. "This is your last warning."
Adams met his gaze. "Let them go."
Several tense seconds passed before the man on the roof laughed. "You think you can tell us what to do?"
"No." Adams rested a hand on Gravemarsh’s hilt. "I think you should."
The rifles came up.
"I don’t think so," said Elena, grabbing Adams’ arm. He turned to her. She shook her head. "Not unless we have to."
With slow, measured movements, Adams withdrew his hand from Gravemarsh.
The man on the roof smiled. "Smart choice."
With that, he disappeared behind the wall. A moment later, the gate rolled open just enough for four armed men to step out. The first one was taller than the rest, and he brandished a pistol as he leveled it at their bags. "Put everything down."
"We can trade for it," said Riven.
"Everything."
"We don’t have enough to—"
The man struck Riven across the face with the pistol. Elena was immediately on her feet. "Hey!"
The man leveled the gun at Elena. "Back up."
"I’m fine," said Riven, brushing a hand over his mouth.
Adams turned to the man holding Riven. "Don’t touch him again."
His expression darkened. "You still don’t understand." He walked up to Adams. "You’re standing in my compound with food, medicine and weapons." He gestured at Gravemarsh. "You’re giving them to me."
Adams glanced over his shoulder, taking in the sight of the bound young man. There were others in the compound as well, some lying in the dirt against the wall. One was a woman with blood trickling down her forehead.
"How many people are you keeping?" asked Elena.
The man smiled. "People who come here stay here."
"That’s not an answer."
"It is the only answer you’re getting."
Adams turned his gaze back to the bound prisoners. Then to the man standing before him. "Open the gate."
"No."
"Then we’re leaving."
The man laughed. "You’re not going anywhere," he said, turning to his men. "Take the bags."
One of them grabbed Elena’s arm. She fought him off. He tightened his grip. "Let her go," said Adams.
The man shoved Elena. She stumbled. And that was when the fight broke out.
Adams’ fist flew into the first man’s stomach, knocking him to the ground. He barely had time to react to the swing of the machete before he caught the attacker’s wrist. With a grunt, he wrenched the knife away from the man before sweeping his leg out from under him. He sent the unconscious man flying into the dirt.
The first gunshots rang out as he turned to get a better look. He threw himself sideways as the bullets whizzed past him, and Riven ducked behind a wall. "Elena! Get back!"
There was the sound of several other rifles being raised. "There’s too many," said Riven.
"I know."
"Look!" whispered Elena, her gaze fixed on the bound prisoners. "They’re going to kill them!"
Adams peeked over the wall. The leader had recovered, and was shouting orders now. "Bring them out!"
Two men dragged three others into the open, shoving them onto their knees. One of the prisoners was the young man they’d seen earlier. He struggled as the man at the front of the group took aim.
"Anyone else wants to run, this is what happens," he said.
"Wait!" said Elena. She caught Adams’ arm. "Maybe we can—"
There was the sound of a gunshot as the young man dropped. Another followed, and the old woman next to him crumpled to the ground. A whimper escaped the boy’s lips.
Adams didn’t hesitate.
Gravemarsh came free with a low growl.
He crossed the distance before the next shot could be fired. The man barely had time to turn before the long dagger cut through the pistol in his grip. Adams hit the man across the face, sending him flying. He took a step back when a rifle came up.
The bullet grazed his side, but he staggered forward anyway. Another rifle came up. Gravemarsh moved first this time, the black edge slicing through the man’s rifle. The man looked stunned as he held his broken weapon with wide eyes. Adams shoved him into the side of the warehouse and he landed with a grunt.
Adams spun just in time to see one of the rifleman’s approaching. He barely had time to react before a machete came flying at his ribs. He caught the man’s wrist, twisting hard enough to make him drop the weapon. Then he kicked the man in the leg before shoving him to the ground.
Adams turned to face the next attacker, who was close enough to drive a knife into his back. He grabbed the nearest object and threw it at the man’s head. He barely had time to turn before another rifle came up. Gravemarsh moved first, the black edge slicing across the man’s chest. The rifleman looked surprised as the blade pierced his flesh, but he staggered closer anyway. Adams drove his shoulder into his chest, sending him sprawling over the edge of the roof into the warehouse below.
Someone came up behind him. Adams spun, but it was too late. A machete sliced across his back. Elena screamed. He staggered, but then his fist met the attacker’s jaw. The man flew to the ground and lay motionless.
Another man charged him from behind. Adams crossed his arms in a blocking gesture as the machete came down, but he stopped dead when he felt the blade in his ribs. The man looked stunned as he stared at the wound. Then his legs gave out and he lay lifeless on the ground.
Everything slowed as Adams stared at the man’s body.
It was his. A human being, not a monster. Dead because of him.
A gunshot snapped him out of it. He turned to see who’d fired, and killed them in a heartbeat. Another shot rang out. He turned again, killing the other shooter.
The next few seconds were a blur of death and destruction. Finally, the survivors ran off into the night. Adams didn’t pursue them.
He stood in the middle of the yard, blood trickling down Gravemarsh’s edge.
The boy who’d survived the execution was staring at him.
Elena ran past him and dropped beside the boy, her hands glowing as she pressed them to his wounds. "It’s okay. You’re okay." Her hands glowed green as she healed him.
Riven came over to Adams. "You’re bleeding."
Adams looked at the dark stains on his shirt. "I’m fine."
"You killed them!" said Elena. She was staring at the bodies on the ground. "They were killing people!" Her hands stopped glowing. "They were people like us!"
Adams stared at the bodies. "They were people like us." He turned to face her. "But they still deserved to die."
"That doesn’t—" She stopped, then took a deep breath. "No, it does." Her hands resumed their slow glowing as she looked down at the boy. "I know what they were doing. That’s why I can’t understand how you could do this."
Adams stared into her eyes. "Because it’s what I have to do."
"That’s not an answer."
"It is." He lowered Gravemarsh. "I’m still me."Are you?"
The question lingered between them for a moment. Then Riven quietly moved the supplies that had been scattered around the yard. No one spoke for a few minutes.
Finally, Elena moved towards the prisoners. "I’ll take them somewhere safe."
"I’m coming." Adams stared at her. "Elena."
"No." She looked up at him. "I need some time." She looked back at the bodies. "Not to be alone, but to think. About what this world is turning us into."
Adams said nothing. He watched silently as she led the survivors away.
Riven watched her go around the corner. Then he looked at Adams.
"You coming?"
Adams looked down at Gravemarsh. It was still bloody from the battle. He wiped it clean. "Yeah."
They walked in the opposite direction. Neither of them spoke.
Killing monsters had always been easy for Adams. They jumped out, and he jumped in.
Today had been different. Today the enemy had spoken, and he’d killed them anyway.
He didn’t know if that made him stronger, or simply different.
But he knew one thing.
The world wasn’t going to wait for him to figure it out.