Into the Void

Chap #13 - Mountain of Corpses

"~ 'Let us feast, one last time' ~"

Bodies. All dead. The coppery smell of blood is thick in the air, along with that of putrid, rotting flesh. It's not only cars making up the barrier, but bodies too. I gag and take a startled step back, nearly tripping over a festering limb. But I'm more worried about where we are. On the wrong side.

James stands behind me and places a hand on my shoulder. I tear my eyes from the gory scene to look at him. His eyes are sad, but determined. I look over at Ella to my left and see her wrinkle her nose in disgust.

"We...have to...climb it," James says haltingly, his expression grim. I'm repulsed by the thought, but I know he's right. He reaches down and grips my hand tightly. "Together." I nod in agreement. There's really no other choice.

"Together." I reply. He pulls me forward, towards the wall of corpses.

I stumble at first, not wanting to touch the deceased more than necessary. At one point, my ankle catches on a limp, pallid limb and a horrible snapping sound echoes through the darkness. I can barely see where I am. It's pitch black, meaning that if we were to come across any voids...we'd never see it coming.

"Ella?" I call out softly, wanting to reassure myself. James squeezes my hand and whispers through the shadows. "She's here. On my other side."

"Raina..." Ella whimpers, and I feel my heart start to pound. "I think I saw something... Up there, up ahead."

I stop moving and dip into a crouch, pulling James after me. The horrid smell wafts over us in thick, warm waves. "Stay down!" I hiss, keeping my eyes wide open as I scan out surroundings and attempt to slow my ragged breathing. I almost lose my balance for a second as my ankle gives way, and I fall to James for support rather than the carpet of corpses. My eyes are open, aware, but it's no good. My eyelids might as well be closed for the oppression of the darkness.

I stay that way, huddled in James' arms, crouched on top of a degrading rib cage, for a long time. The smell of the dead haunts me, worming it's way into my senses, fuelling my nerves and anxiety. My breath comes out in tempered cauliflower cloud bursts, seeming to bloom in front of my very eyes and fading into the darkness of my surroundings.

The only sounds of the night are our rough breaths, and the haunting sounds of shifting and moaning. Trees nearby creak as they sway in a welcome breeze. I reach up to brush a strand of sweaty hair from my forehead, and wipe my face. The moisture from all of these decaying bodies is starting to make me uncomfortable.

"Ella," I start, quietly, as if I'm trying not to wake anyone up. "Are you sure you really-"

I'm cut off by a low growl, and I hear three simultaneous sharp intakes of breath. One is mine. I can't muster the courage to say anything else, but I squeeze James' hand and squint into the darkness. Maybe I imagined it.

But no, another menacing growl reaches my ears, this one lower and deeper. It's a guttural sound that raises the hairs on my neck and makes me want to shrink into a small ball. An involuntary shudder runs through me, and James runs a calming hand down my back. My breathing hitches, then slows, but I realize that he's not as calm as he pretends to be either.

"James." It's the quietest of sounds, barely a whisper. "What...is that? What are we going to do?"

A pause, then:

"Relax. We'll have to wait it out."

Another groan, a soft growl, closer this time. It's nearest to Ella. I shiver. The wind picks up, whipping my hair off of my sweaty shoulders and causing James' jacket to flap in the wind. He winces, as if expecting the rustling sound to lure whatever lurks in the darkness to us. He moves closer to me, protectively. I lean over him, moving slowly and carefully, and reach out to Ella. She grips my hand. A drip of sweat runs down my forehead.