The Last Winter

Saturday: Disturbed Occupants (35)

Michal cries out as he reaches between the bars to viciously stab his brother's attacker. I manage to drag my sister halfway down the hall before Michal finally tears Nolan free.

I pause to watch as Michal quickly grabs his brother so he won't fall. They stagger forward a few steps before I see the howler from the ceiling crawl into the hallway entrance.

"RUN!" I scream. "IT'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU!"

Michal doesn't need to be told twice. They sprint toward me, running through the reaching hands that claw and scratch at their faces. Oriana manages to climb to her feet, and I drag her into the office at the end of the hall. Michal and Nolan enter a split second later, and Michal immediately slams the door shut and twists the lock below the handle.

We're all struggling for breath as we turn around to face our new dungeon--a large office with two desks and junk littered everywhere and--another doorway on the opposite wall. The door had been ripped off its hinges a long time ago, and a wendigo is poking its head inside on hearing our alarming entrance.

With one swift motion, we all duck downward. My sister and I behind one desk, and Michal and Nolan behind the other across the room.

I lock wide eyes with Michal, who returns my stare with a slow shake of his head, as if to say, Be quiet. Don't move.

I place a hand over my mouth to silence my breaths. I see Nolan struggle to suppress a choking cough, as he's still thirsty for air. A pained look crosses his face as he rests the back of his head against the wood of the desk, squeezing his eyes shut to focus on being still. Michal slowly raises his pistol, cocking his head to the side and holding his breath to listen. I don't see my kitchen knife.

I slowly and quietly turn to glance at Oriana. Her face is pale, and although it's freezing in here, beads of sweat drip down her blood-spattered forehead. Both hands are applying pressure to her neck wound, which is a bath of blood at this point.

I'm not so sure we can wait until dawn anymore. She needs a hospital right now.

The howler hisses quietly, but it's just loud enough to tell me that it's not lingering in the doorway anymore. I go still, very still. Nolan opens his eyes, and they find mine slowly. Then they shoot up quickly.

Something heavy collides with the top of the desk, making the wood groan and papers rustle. I can distinctly hear the howler's claws scrape up against the surface as it adjusts to its position on top of the desk. I hear it hiss again.

I squeeze my eyes shut for a brief moment.

It's right above me!

When I open my eyes again, Nolan and Michal almost look like their struggling against a seizure. Their eyes are wide and they look quickly between me and something right above me. They jerk their heads and mouth something urgent.

What? I mouth back to them, fighting every impulse to follow their gaze.

I know it's on top of the desk. I know I'm mere inches from certain death. Should I stay with my sister or bolt for my life?

Then I hear something made of glass roll over somewhere on the desk, and before I have time to connect two and two together, an old alcohol bottle falls from the edge and shatters to the floor an inch from my right hand.

I trade a terrified look with my sister before the howler cries out and jumps to the front door. It whirls around to face me, and I've witnessed too many friends die tonight to know what's going to happen next.

I'm dead.

"No!" Nolan shouts, springing to his feet.

The howler whips its ugly head in his direction, and before Michal can stop him, Nolan throws everything on top of his desk toward the creature in one big sweeping motion.

I stagger to my feet and pull Oriana after me, using this tiny opportunity to bolt for the exit doorway. I hear the howler cry out in anger, and a loud crash ensues somewhere behind us.

I push my sister out the door before I risk a glance back--Nolan is pinned against the side of his desk as he struggles against the howler, using every ounce of his strength to keep from getting bit. With a horrible scream, the creature overpowers him and dives its teeth deep into his neck. In a big sickening jerk, it rips out the side of his neck, and Nolan's body falls limp.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Michal screams, his voice cracking.

He's on his knees, watching in utter despair and shaking from head to toe.

The howler slowly swivels its head toward him, a large chunk of flesh--which I can only assume is a piece of Nolan's neck--is hanging loosely from its jaw. Blood drips down its chin and splatters over the floor.

"Michal!" I shout, running just close enough to drag him backwards by taking a hold of his shoulders.

He's sobbing hysterically, unable to cope with watching his only brother get eaten in front of his eyes.

"Michal, we gotta go! We gotta go! Get up!" I shout at him, pulling him as much as I can. But his body is heavy and he's not exactly making this any easier.

The howler watches us for a few moments, a daunting grin slowly taking shape on its bloodstained lips. It drops Nolan to the floor, losing interest in its fresh catch. A split second later, the front door shakes in its frame as the other pursuing howler slams against it. A chorus of howls from the cells explode on the other side, and the demonic creature turns its attention to the front door, making some sort of loud guttural sound.

I manage to drag Michal to his feet, but he lunges toward his brother before I can stop him.

"Nolan! Nolan!" he shouts. He reaches out to gently touch his brother's blood-soaked face with trembling fingers.

I grab his hand and jerk him back, glancing anxiously at the howler as it starts crawling up the door, examining the frame. The door jolts again with the impact of the creature on the other side.

"We have to leave him!" I tell Michal a little quieter.

He looks at me, his eyes wide and out of focus. He's not quite here with me, but somewhere else. Hopefully somewhere better--much better, in a meadow of warm sunshine and flowers, laughing and joking around with his brother and the rest of the youth group.

"Nolan--" he says softly, choking on a sob as his face twists into uncontrollable grief.

I pull him backward and through the doorway.

"We have to go," I tell him again, my throat closing up. I feel a lump forming. I swallow with difficulty.

He saved me. They all could've let that thing tackle me and rip me to shreds, but Nolan was the one who jumped to his feet and did something reckless.

And now...now he's dead. He'd be alive if it wasn't for me.

I push the image of Nolan's bloody corpse out of my mind as we leave the office.

Get to the roof. Wait until dawn. Get off the mountain.

Get to the roof. Wait until dawn. Get off the mountain.

Get to the roof. Wait until dawn. Get off the mountain.

............................................

Next chapter: Until Dawn

"What a shame," I hear Ronnie wheeze out once again. I struggle to wriggle away from him, but he doesn't make any move to stop me. "I wanted you to live," he confesses quietly.

ONE CHAPTER LEFT.