Chapter 27
Haley
I didn't know what to do with the information Victoria had shared with me. There was no way I could confront Noah about why he kept the portrait of a woman he seemed to hate. From what he told me he blamed Caroline for destroying his life.
I sat underneath a tree in the garden not knowing who to turn to or what to do. There was a gentle breeze in the air as leaves rustled in the wind. The sound of songbirds filled the cloudy day.
Just talk to Noah.
He could have had Gloria but he picked me. Why the hell was I biting my tongue? Why was I second guessing myself and Noah?
Because ever since I was born I have known I can't compete with girls like Gloria... Or even Caroline.
Damn I just hurt my own feelings.
I heard a snapping of tree branches in my head whipped around to their sound. It's sounded too heavy to be an animal and since it was day it wasn't anyone that was supposed to be here. I carefully stood up And duck behind the tree I was just leaning against.
Snap! Snap!
I couldn't see anyone but I could hear... Someone was here.
"... Move in on my count", I heard a voice say into a walkie-talkie. Someone was definitely here that shouldn't be here.
I ran between trees and shrubs, crunching underfoot branches and stones that stood in my way. The trees glowed gently in the Half-life as it dappled and trickled through the leaves overhead. My legs shrieked in pain as they somehow continued to carry me and my lungs burned with each breath in the cool air. I nearly tripped and collapsed a few times but each time would scramble to keep my balance, knowing full well the accursed doom that followed.
The woods seemed alive, pained with wailing moans and desperate screams as bushes shuffled and footsteps rapidly approached from all directions. There was a deeply rooted torment that closed in and hunted me, threatening to assimilate me into its ranks. All I could think about was getting inside, returning to Noah - to safety.
One of them caught a glimpse of me dashing through the trees. With a shaking, creaking turn of its head it leaned over into a hunch and emitted a deafening howl that roared like thunder through the woods, echoing into the shadows. It seemed like this one had a run in with somebody still living before; a rudimentary shiv still hung from its back and intestines hung from deep cut wounds from its encounter. It seemed to have gotten its feast, however, as dried blood still painted its cheeks and chin.
It made its move at full speed, charging in my direction after it finished its summoning cry. There was an audible change in the movements coming from the bleakness around me as the others responded to its call. I managed to run past it and continue on, only to find more approaching head-on soon after.
"I don't have time for this shit!" I yelled, stampeding directly into one and toppling it to the ground. It clawed and grasped for my leg, but I was long gone. I couldn't keep up a sprint for much longer, slowing my pace to regain my breath and soothe my sore muscles. As I panted desperately I checked around, listening intently to the sounds approaching. There wasn't much I could do about a whole swarm of these creatures entirely unarmed and I couldn't outrun them forever. They never tired, never slept, and never suffered as the living do.
At least, lights from the manor estate twinkled through the trees. Warm, cream hued brilliance that unmistakably implied artificial light. Of course, nothing could be simple. Around the wrought iron gates were more shuffling corpses in various states of disarray. At I slowed my pace to figure out how to get around them they broke from the fence and began darting towards me, first just a few snapping away from their group until the rest took notice and followed suit. I felt rigid with fear while my brain extrapolated a way out of this. There were yet more behind me, and if I didn't act soon there wouldn't be an escape.
