The Fourth Phase

FOURTEEN

Boss peeked out from the flax bushes. He could see six of the beasts as they scampered back and forth along the edge of the crater lake, pausing and sniffing as they desperately searched for them.

Boss gently took off his pack and rummaged around for more ammo. He kept one eye on the creatures as he filled his pockets and loaded his shotgun and Glock. Max and George were huddled against him. Their body heat and the sounds of their breathing calmed him somewhat.

Boss looked up through the twisted, gnarled branches of the pohutukawa tree. The darkness of the night was beginning to fade as the sun crept above the horizon. Boss hoped he could hide out here for a while longer, knowing that the Variants didn’t like the sun so much. He pulled down his shirt, tucking it into his pants, then held out his hand and clenched it into a fist, trying to stop the shaking. This night had been a nightmare.

Boss checked his weapons again. Satisfied, he searched for a way out. There is always a way out, eh Jack? The waves crashed softly as they lashed the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. Glancing once more at the tree, Boss wondered if the branches could take their weight. But then what? Swim out to sea? He tried to remember where the nearest boat was, but came up blank.

Max broke free of George’s grasp and ran to the entrance of their flax hidey-hole, growling a warning, his teeth bared. Boss looked up at the noise and scanned the lake shore. Two of the Variants stared back at him. They raised their heads and let out a blood-curdling shriek. A bellow answered, the awful sound bouncing around the caldera walls. It wrenched at his soul. Boss watched, mortified, as the Alpha of his nightmares lumbered out of the cave. The Alpha looked out to the island and pointed his huge, meaty claw. The children’s heads mounted on his shoulders jiggled as he bellowed, ordering his Variant kin to attack.

The two beasts closest to the island leapt into the water and started thrashing their way over the lake. Several others scampered around the sides, clinging to the walls.

Boss stood up. With their cover blown, it was time to flee. He hoisted George to his feet. “Up the tree, now. Quick! Run around the rocks and hide.”

He boosted George up, watching as his little hands and feet grasped onto the thick bark.

Boss pivoted and raised his shotgun, aiming for the beasts on the walls. He let loose with a blast. He hit a couple, but they didn’t slow down. Cursing, he aimed a little in front of the lead one and squeezed the trigger. A section of its head painted the cliff wall, and its lifeless body splashed into the lake. A shriek and the thrashing of water shifted his attention to those swimming to the island. They were only a few metres away now.

Boss glanced up at the Alpha. He swore the monster grinned at him as he raised his left arm and bellowed. Dozens of Variants flooded out of the cave and started to climb and swim their way over to the island. Boss glanced to the island shore and quickly dispatched the two monsters climbing out. He risked a glance up the tree to see George had reached the top of the caldera wall.

“Go, George! Run. I’ll hold them off.”

George stared back at him, his red hair glowing angel-like in the early morning sun. He shook his head at Boss.

“George, run! Please.”

George’s head dropped away from sight.

Clenching his jaw, Boss squared his shoulders. He pumped the shotgun and twisted to his left, firing at the Variants. So many of the bastards. Boss managed to kill a number of the beasts. He aimed and fired until his shotgun clicked empty. With no time to reload, he reached down and pulled his Glock free. Several of the Variants had reached the island now, and were standing on its obsidian-laden shore, oblivious to the sharp edges.

The Trophy King lumbered forward and waded out into the lake, his bulk causing ripples as he strode towards the island, his towering frame easily staying above the surface. The Variants climbing around the caldera walls started to reach the island and were dropping down, landing with a thud, their yellow eyes watching him. Several pushed their sucker mouths towards Boss, tasting the air.

Boss slowly turned in a circle. He was surrounded. Sweat ran down his spine, soaking the waistband of his pants. Boss stared out at the Variant horde collected around the lake and island. He could feel his stump quivering, all his adrenalin used up during their flight. His nerves were starting to re-establish themselves, telling him that he hurt all over.

At least George got away.

Using the standoff, Boss clicked a fresh magazine into his Glock. He looked down at Max, who was still growling and baring his teeth. Boss’s heart hammered away in his chest. After all I’ve been through to survive, it’s going to end like this? Surrounded by man-eating monsters. After all those hours playing video games, killing all manner of beasts, and I’m going to be torn apart by them. Ironic.

Boss sighed, remembering his life. Home had been fine, and school was too, until he reached 14.

It wasn’t his fault she liked him. Anya was her name. Beautiful blue eyes and long blonde hair. All the boys liked her, including Boss. Especially his best friend, Thomas. Thomas chased her for months. When Thomas finally asked her out, she declined. Boss was surprised when she texted him, asking him to the movies. Boss agonised over his decision, but in the end accepted. Thomas then turned on him and accused him of ‘swooping’. He launched a vicious social media campaign, bullying Boss mercilessly.

Boss began to hate school, dreading each day. He spent his time hiding away from the other boys and their taunts. He spent weekends online, immersed in WOW, joining guilds and raiding.

It was some of the worst days of his life and, weirdly, some of the best. His parents advised him to chalk it up to a life lesson and told him to remember that real friends stick by you no matter what.

Anya dumped him and moved on. Boss felt empty and without a purpose. He struggled for the next couple of years. Now, with the Hemorrhage Virus, Boss had a motive. Survive!

With new determination, Boss stared into the eyes of the approaching Alpha, whose yellow eyes glared back at him. As he got closer, Boss saw that the trophy heads were rotting now. Bits of flesh and tissue had fallen off, and the whites of their skulls were gleaming through. He raised his gun, sighting the Alpha, though he doubted the bullet would penetrate his bark-like hide. Squeezing the trigger a couple of times, he watched as the bullets harmlessly bounced off it. One bullet penetrated one of the mounted heads, though. Boss winced. He holstered the Glock and let his hands fall to his sides. Heat rose up through his body.

Strangely, he felt angry. Angry that it was going to end like this.

He bit his lower lip as the Alpha reached the island and hauled himself ashore. The clear lake water sloshed off him, making the green and black obsidian glisten in the morning sun. Boss shook his head. He hated to admit it, but he felt abandoned. Jack, Dee, and Ben had left him alone to look after George, and when he needed them most, they weren’t here. Well. They had asked Erin to stay with him, but Boss felt responsible for George. Dee had made him promise to always look out for him. Eager to please her, Boss had readily accepted. He’d never imagined this.

The Trophy King reached him, and stopped a couple of metres away. He raised one of his claws and pointed above Boss. Boss turned around as screams reached him. Feminine screams. Beth’s blonde hair appeared on the clifftop between two Variants as they man-handled her. The Alpha then pointed to his right. Boss watched, horrified, as George appeared, firmly held by a large Variant. His blue eyes pleaded with Boss.

Boss turned back to the Alpha. All his anger and frustration at the situation boiled up. He sprang forward, pulling his knife. A blur of black and white followed. Max barked and leapt at the Alpha, managing to latch onto his ankle. Boss leapt, raising his hand, knife clasped tightly. He aimed for the Alpha’s neck, hoping to penetrate the skin and cut the jugular. The Alpha bellowed and lunged forward. He caught Boss in mid-air with one claw, holding him aloft. He reached down and, without taking his eyes off Boss, lifted Max off his ankle. The dog barked and howled in pain. The Trophy King grasped Max in his claw. With an evil glint in his eyes, he smashed the dog down onto the ground. Max let out a whimper and fell silent.

Boss started to thrash and twist his body, desperate to escape. The Alpha lowered the squirming Boss to the ground. A Variant moved up in front of him. Boss stopped struggling and looked at it. The Variant moved in close and excreted a hot liquid into his face. Boss spat some of it out as his vision started to fade. He struggled to keep awake. Thinking quickly, Boss reached down and untied his prosthetic. The sound of it clinking off the stones brought a smile to his lips. He twisted his heavy head, catching a final glimpse of George as his world went dark.