Julie Conti

3:57 a.m., Wednesday, February 5, 2020

 

Julie Conti pressed herself into the corner, the warm body of Erind to her left, the cold wall to her back, and a rusty filing cabinet to her right. Her palms sweated as she tightly clutched her gun, her finger stiff by the trigger. She wanted to shoot the attacking monsters but she might hit her self-proclaimed rescuers in this cramped space.

A towering tree creature, its crown of barbs scraping the ceiling, protected them, sweeping the monsters with its trunk-like arms covered with spikes and blades. Julie knew there was a woman named Barb inside the huge body made of bark; she briefly revealed herself before the monsters came. The story that she wasn’t an Adumbrae, and that she and this other guy were Erind’s friends, sounded far-fetched. Julie, however, didn’t have any choice but to believe them.

The monsters came in droves. Barb mowed down all of them.

Julie wanted to close her eyes, cover her ears, and scream as loud as she could to drown out the shrieks, snarls, and roars. The smell of the black blood from the shredded monsters was too much. Even breathing through her mouth didn’t help.

But she pushed back her anxiety. As Barb effortlessly killed one monster after another, hope surged in her heart despite the uncertain situation. These people might be able to save her brother!

“I’m out of bullets!” shouted Johann, the one who introduced himself as an undercover cop. He even showed her his badge. But why was he working with the mysterious Barb?

“Why bother?” said Dekano, the head and torso with missing augmented limbs.

Julie wasn’t clear on his story either. From their conversations, it sounded like he was with those twin Adumbrae that attacked them. But why was he with these two now, the supposed friends of Erind? Julie couldn’t let her guard down and trust them completely.

He said, “Your puny pistol isn’t helping at all. It’s your tree friend here doing all the heavy lifting for you.”

“For all of us. We’re dead without her.”

“Augs are the key. You can’t be just a normal human running around in this world.”

“Do you have anything that can help us then? Where are your combat augs?”

“No, Finlay pulled them out—”

“Then shut the hell up,” Barb interjected, her voice distorted by the all the bark covering her face. “They’re thinning now. I’m pushing out before the next wave comes.”

“Or that giant,” Johann said. “Um, Judy, you get Erind. I’m carrying this useless sack.”

“I’m helping you guys get out of here,” Dekano said as Johann secured his body with frayed wiring, carrying him like a backpack. “Some gratitude would be nice.”

“It’s Julie,” she said, not sure if they heard her. She pushed the cart over the dead monsters. Thankfully, Erind wasn’t heavy. She felt like she was going to vomit just seeing the corpses, but she had to look down or she might slip.

“Coast is clear,” said Barb, checking both sides of the hallway. Then she stooped down and cut the ropes tying Erind to the cart.

“What are you doing?” Julie demanded. Barb touched the end of her gun and gently pushed it aside. She didn’t realize she unconsciously raised her weapon. “Uh…sorry.”

“Don’t worry. Just taking a page out of Johann’s book. I think it’s easier if I carry Erind on my back. We can move faster.”

“Um…sure.”

“My sensors are detecting unnatural vibrations,” Dekano said. “The giant is coming. You should feel the shaking soon.”

“Are you really sure it can get us out of here?” Johann said. “Don’t bullshit us. Remember, we saved your life.”

“Yeah, I know our deal. I’m ninety, maybe ninety-five percent certain the giant is strong enough to tear through the vines outside. Such an interesting specimen. If not it, then Bob. A hundred percent Bob can do it. Luring those two at the same time was unnecessary. You just need to trick one of them into destroying the vines.”

“They were already fighting each other,” Barb said. “Might as well bring both of them along.”

“More monsters showing on my biosensors,” Dekano said. “Most below us, but three are coming up the stairs to the left.” Julie could hear them too if she concentrated hard enough. “You’re attracting too many of them with the XR-Field Generator,” he said, “especially with it at max.”

She glanced at the box Dekano was talking about. It looked like the same metal box they got from the armed men they met in the elevator. It might be the same actual box.

“The more the merrier,” Barb said.

“Sure, whatever you guys want. Just bring me to Stella, and keep those monsters chasing your ass, especially the giant, away from our side. Then it’s a truce—”

“Put him down, Johann.”

“Dekano? Why? Are we fighting here? Shouldn’t we continue running since we’re near—"

“Put. Him. Down.”

“What are you doing? We should go now,” Julie said. She wanted them to hurry up, not just because monsters were coming, but so that they could reach Paolo sooner.

“The fuck?” Dekano yelled as Johann untied the straps and dropped him to the floor. “Oy! Pick me up! The goddamn hell is this shit you pulling?”

“I guess this is where we part ways,” Johann said.

“You fucking bastards double crossing me?”

“Yes,” Barb replied.

“Look, there’s one monster over there,” Julie said. “Are we really leaving him here?”

“You shitty brats don’t have any honor? Stella is at the end of this floor. Just fucking put me by the door and go—”

“Honor?” Johann scoffed. “That’s rich coming from you.”

“We’ll be the ones going to Stella,” Barb said.

“I helped you get Erind! I told you the way to escape!”

“Did you seriously expect us to let you live after seeing our faces? Wow, I sound like I’m the bad guy.” Barb chuckled. “I’m sure you’re planning to kill us too once you’re reunited with Stella.”

“Ungrateful little shits! You’re all dead when they find out what you did to me! Come back here, and I may just forgive you.”

“Judy, let’s go,” Barb said. A large vine grew out of her back and coiled around Erind, picking her up and attaching her to her back.

“You can’t just leave me here to die!”

Julie shuffled her feet after Barb. “Are we—”

“Come on,” she said.

Julie hesitantly looked over her shoulder at the helpless Dekano lying on the floor. He shouted curses at them, his saliva flying everywhere. His bionic eyes seemed to bore right through Julie’s heart. She was glad he had those instead of normal human eyes so she couldn’t see the despair in them. He’s the enemy, she reminded herself. He was part of the reason people in this building turned into monsters.

More and more monsters arrived. They crawled all over Dekano. He couldn’t do anything except scream for help. Barb paused for a couple of seconds. Julie thought they were going back to help him. But they didn’t. They just watched…watched as he was torn apart and eaten.

“He deserves it,” Barb said, more to herself than to them.

“Yes,” Julie half-heartedly agreed. She couldn’t bring herself to be angry at him. After all, this was the first time she had seen him. The monsters spotted them. “The conference room is this way,” she said, running ahead. She should focus on getting the help to her brother. “Oh…what?” A thick tendril wrapped around her waist.

“I’ll carry you too,” Barb said, putting her beside Erind. She also grabbed Johann, placing him on the other side of Erind. “Much faster.”

“Ah! I can’t see the way,” Julie said.

“Just tell me the directions.”

“Ah…um,” she tried to reorient herself and remember the way while facing backwards.

“Is this it?”

“You took the wrong turn! Go back.”

“The building’s quaking,” Johann observed. “Or is that just you, Barb?”

“Left…uh, right! Your right, not mine. Sorry, I’m getting confused—AAAH!” Something burst out of the wall. What were these?

“Fingers!” Johann said, answering the question in her mind. It was the fingers of the giant monster, trying to enclose them.

“No, you don’t!” Barb swatted a couple of the fingers away and evaded before they were caught.

Julie saw the giant’s hand crushing the floor where they were a few moments ago. The walls blackened upon contact with the giant’s smoldering charcoal skin. Julie yelped in surprise as Barb smashed through a side room, went out the opposite wall, and circled back to the correct path.

“Wow, that was close.”

“Are you okay, Judy?”

“Yes,” she answered Johann. “I’m fine. And it’s Julie.”

“Where next?” Barb called out.

Julie glanced at the sign they just passed. “Turn into the wide hallway with red carpeting.” Barb followed her instructions. “Then just straight. It’s the large room at the end.”

“Got it.” Barb suddenly paused.

“What’s wrong?” Johann said.

“Bob’s stupid pillar is blocking the way. I’ll go around—oh, it’s going back down.”

“Both of them are here now. What’s your plan? You didn’t explain it earlier since Dekano was with us.”

“I’m going to bring everyone inside that room where Stella is.”

“Wait, what?”

“The giant, Bob, all the monsters behind us.”

“Are you going to just charge inside? That’s not—”

“We lead the monsters to Stella then hope that either the giant or Bob open a way for us.”

“That’s not a plan!”

“Maybe we can also take down Stella while we’re at it. I really want to take that bitch down a peg.”

“And you didn’t answer my question. You’re just charging in?”

“Can you save my brother too, please? You promised me you would.”

“Uh yes, yes to both your questions. Here we go!”

“You’re insane!”

Julie felt Barb accelerate. She was jolted each time Barb’s feet hit the ground. Then they cleared a huge hole made by the one they called Bob, whoever he was.

In the brief moment she looked down, she saw many monsters below climbing up. There was also flames and smoke in the lower floors. She recalled Johann said Finlay disabled the fire system of the building. She was worried for Vince, his son, and Samantha, hiding in a room somewhere, unaware there was widespread fire.

Some monsters also showed up behind them, rounding the corner, probably looking for the metal box. She wanted to try shooting them, but the world was shaking so much.

“Brace yourselves!” Barb giddily called out.

“You’re really insane!” Johann repeated.

“We’re going in!”

BAAM!

Julie closed her eyes and held her arms over her head. She instinctively tried to use the gun as cover and hit Erind’s head with its butt. “Oh my god. I’m so sorry!”

“Watch it,” Johann snapped at her.

“Eat this shit, Stella!” Barb yelled, throwing something far into the room, presumably the metal box.

Julie couldn’t see what was happening. She only had a view of the corridor leading to the room. Monsters amassed, many emerged out of the hole from the lower floors. They attacked and ate each other, but several were making their way to the conference room too.

“Why is that here?” someone exclaimed in a voice with a robotic tinge.

“Pino?” Julie said. “Where is Pao—what?” One moment Pino was there, and the next she wasn’t. Julie was certain it was her. How could anyone miss a metal woman? “Where did you—huh? Doms?”

Doms was on the floor, laying on a pool of black blood. A kid was on top of her. This child had white hair, purple scales covering parts of her arm. A monster!

“Doms! No!” Julie fumbled with her gun; her arms shook as she tried to steady her aim. Should she shoot? She might hit Doms instead. But she just couldn’t watch her get eaten by this creature. “Get off of her, you monster!”

BANG!

The marble floor a couple of feet away from Doms shattered.

Julie turned to her left. “What the…?”

“Don’t shoot.” It was Erind. She had awoken. She pushed away Julie’s gun, making her miss.

“But that’s a monster.”

“Lizzie…ow, my head hurts. Spinning.”

“Erind?” said Johann from the other side. “Myra—er, Barb! Erind’s awake! She’s alive!”

Barb didn’t answer him. She was busy talking to Stella.

“Let go of my gun.” Julie didn’t have the strength to pull it from Erind’s grip. “I have to shoot the monster.”

“That’s Lizzie.”

“That’s…Lizzie?” she softly repeated. The clothes of the small monster, even if soaked in the vile black blood, indeed looked familiar. “What happened? How did you know?”

“Too long to explain,” Erind said. “Myra! The monsters are coming.”

“Incoming! Incoming!” Johann said, rapping his knuckles on Barb’s bark to get her attention. “Move out of the way, they want that box.”

“WHO IS THIS?!” a voice thundered.

“Paolo!”

“Was that Ramon?” Julie asked. “Ramon! Ramon!” she frantically called. “What happened to Pao?” She craned her neck as Barb turned to move to the side. “Pao! Where are you?”

“Myra, those two on the floor,” Erind said. “Get them too!”

Barb stretched out an arm, growing dozens of vines, and lassoed Doms and Lizzie, pulling them to safety with them, just in time before the monsters outside stampeded in. She carried all of them to the corner of the room, and positioned herself to protect them, growing more vines to make a wall. “Everyone just stay here. I’m waiting for an opening.”

“WHERE IS ERIND?” said the voice that sounded unnaturally amplified. “CALDER? ARE YOU PLAYING TRICKS ON ME?”

“Let him go!” That was definitely Ramon. Something bad has happened to Paolo.

“DID YOU SWITCH HER WITH THIS DEAD GUY?”

Dead guy? Julie’s heart sunk to her stomach. Please don’t let it be my brother. “I need to see Paolo.” She had a hard time talking, valiantly keeping back the tears. She tried to get out of the tendril holding her. “Turn around again. Barb! Or put me down. Barb, put me down!” The vine loosened and she dropped to the ground. “What’s happening?” she asked. “I can’t see.”

“The monsters are attacking Stella,” Barb replied.

“Paolo! Where are you?” Julie peeked through a small gap between the vines that weaved together to form a barricade.

The tide of monsters attacked a moving twelve-foot-tall statue of a heavily muscled woman; this should be Stella. She looked like those anatomy models in science class, the ones that showed the muscles of the human body, but with the color and texture of concrete. Her eyes glowed a blinding white light. In her right hand, she gripped a bloody limp body.

“Ramon!” Julie called out when she saw him climb up Stella’s arm. Then it dawned to her. “Is that Paolo? Save him!”

Stella was distracted with the monsters trying to bring her down. She opened her mouth. A burst of light came out, the same color as her eyes, and fried the creatures clinging to her legs. “PESKY LITTLE SHITS.”

“That’s Stella’s power?” Erind was beside Julie, also trying to see what was happening on the other side of the vine shield. “Myra, Barb, whatever, I don’t think we can take her on. We should go—”

“Chill out, Erind,” Barb said. “Our gift to Stella is still coming.”

“What gift?”

“There it is.”

A huge hand burst out of the floor. It was the giant!

It grabbed Stella. She blasted it with the light from her mouth, taking chunks off its arm, but it didn’t release her. Ramon took that chance to free Paolo from Stella’s grasp. Both of them fell into the horde of rampaging monsters.

“I’M GOING TO KILL ALL OF YOU!”

“No!”

“Don’t go out there,” Johann said, pulling Julie back down as she tried to climb up the vines. “Do you have a death wish?”

“I need to save Pao. Please! Anyone, please help him.”

“Ramon will save Paolo,” Erind said. “Trust him.”

“How do you know both of them?”

“There he is.” Ramon emerged out of the crowd of monsters. He was carrying a body on his shoulder while hacking the monsters with his blade arm like he was forging a path through thick brush with a machete.

“That monster-guy is coming to us,” Barb said. “Is he a friend?”

“Yes!” Julie said. She pushed Erind aside to get a better view through the gap. “His name is Ramon. And that’s Paolo, my brother, he has with him.”

“Got it,” Barb said. “I’m going to whack the monsters following them.” She stood up, leaving a large gap in the wall of vines. “Yow! Come here!”

Ramon was surprised by a tree monster talking to him. Then he saw Julie waving at him and understood. Behind him, the head and upper body of the charcoal giant followed its hand, widening the hole on the floor. Several monsters fell down. A huge pillar was pushing the giant up. The giant roared, showering the room with glowing embers.

“BOB? IS THAT YOU? WHAT IS THIS YOU BROUGHT WITH YOU?”

“This is getting dangerous,” Erind said. She had her hand over her face. Her expression was conflicted.

Barb bounded forward. She ran past Ramon and planted herself in front of the monsters chasing them. Ramon carried Paolo through the gap in the wall, delivering him to Julie.

“Oh my god. Paolo!” Julie held his head and put it on her lap. His body was badly mangled, barely recognizable from all of the injuries.

“Where is Pino?” Ramon said. “We need her to heal him.”

“I don’t know! She disappeared!”

“Huh? What do you mea—Erind!” Ramon jerked back in surprise. “You…you’re alive!”

“Why would I be dead?” she said. She examined Paolo. “He’s not breathing.”

“Oh no! Pino, where are you?” Julie hysterically looked around.

“What happened to Doms?” Ramon said. “Is this Lizzie? What’s going on?”

“I don’t know! I don’t know!” She cried as she tried to see where Pino could’ve gone.

There were too many things going on in the large room that Pino could be deep in the sea of monsters, or she could've fallen to the floors below through the hole and no one would’ve noticed.

Stella growing non-stop, trying to match the charcoal giant in size. Another person also joined the fight, a freakishly large man carrying an even bigger pillar; but tiny compared to the two huge monsters fighting. The charcoal giant spewed fire up at the ceiling. Tongues of fire rained down. Barb rushed back to cover them.

Julie didn’t care for any of that. “Pino…where’s Pino?” She could barely see anything, tears flooding her eyes. Hiccups overcame her, she couldn’t speak straight anymore.

Her hands grew cold, her chest tightened. She slowly realized there was nothing she could do.

No!

No….

…no…

It was as if the sounds of all the fighting, of all the monsters, of the building collapsing…everything was muted.

She tuned everything out as she stared down at her brother’s face. They weren’t close or anything like that. He did his guy thing; she did her girl thing. It was normal siblings didn’t go all up in each other’s business, especially at their age.

I didn’t know much about him.

His friends. The name of his band’s songs; she didn’t even know the name of his band—she always put her headphones on whenever he practiced with his instruments. She hadn’t met any of the girls he dated, she only heard about them after they broke up. At least his favorite food…was it still shepherd’s pie?

She pried his eyes open, knowing that wouldn’t do anything. Her brother gazed at nothingness with glazed eyes. She knew…she just knew Paolo was gone.

All alone. Mom…Dad…now Paolo. They all left her all alone. Maybe she should just stay here with Paolo’s body and wait for the end too. She didn’t know what else to do. She bent down to hug his head.

I’m just going to stay here like this…

…and wait for everything to end.

She closed her eyes.

…

…

…

Someone grabbed arm and pulled her up. “We need to go!” Erind yelled at her face.

“Huh?” she answered in a daze.

“Stella destroyed part of the vine wall! Get up now.”

“Come, follow me!” Barb flung Johann over her shoulder and ran the length of the wall of the room, sticking to the side as much as possible, plowing through stacked tables and chairs, shoving heavy machinery aside. She was carrying the unconscious Lizzie and Doms on her back.

“I’ll carry Paolo,” Ramon said.

“Uh-huh,” Julie replied.

“She’s in shock.”

“Go!” Erind said. “I’ll bring her.” She put one arm under Julie’s leg, her other arm holding her back, and ran after Barb.

Their voices were faint. Julie stared at the high ceiling. It was burning. The flames reflecting gracefully off the intricate glass chandeliers. Streams of fire shot forth everywhere, crisscrossing with beams of light. Beautiful.

“WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING?”

“Shit, Stella saw us.”

“Be careful she’ll shoo—to the left!”

“Damn it, we nearly got hit.”

“Out, out! We’re fucking home free!”

“Hmmm?” Julie wondered. The burning ceiling was replaced with a dark blanket peppered with glowing things. Stars. Oh…we’re outside. It was a clear night sky. Beautiful. I hope Paolo can see this.

“Where are we going next? Barb, stop. That’s the end of the balcony.”

“We’re jumping, where else are we going?”

“You’ve lost your mind! We’re not going to fucking survive this.”

“There’s a pool below. Hurry up, Stella is following us.”

“Gather round everyone. Quickly! I’m going to cover us with my bark.”

“COME BACK HERE!”

The beautiful sky turned into absolute darkness. This was also good too, Julie thought. Dark meant time for bed. She just wished everyone else would quiet down now. I’m going to sleep. Maybe tomorrow I’ll ask Paolo the name of his band.

“And away we go!”