Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

MIKO

S ummoning more of my dwindling strength, I dragged myself from the cage. My knees scraped the ground and my muscles protested each movement. But I managed to reach the platform, checking on the zombies' progress. They were frantic, though not done with eating the remaining flesh downstairs.

Thank God the exploding biter didn't get them skipping up here. I still had a chance to get away.

A surviving blood magi tried hiding from them in a cage, but failed to get the door closed in time.

"Leave me be!" the man cried, his blood magic useless now.

They crashed into the cage, filling it up in no time like a shoal of rabid piranhas. I looked away, not interested in being a spectator to the gore. I'd seen more than enough of it in this damn apocalypse.

I kept on crawling, keeping low as I made my way to a set of stairs leading up to another platform. It looked like there was an office up there—a possible source of shelter for me to recuperate in. I wasn't going out as zombie grub like those lot downstairs. To hell with the odds stacked against me.

God, my head wouldn't stop with its hazy bullshit, every limb ready for bed. Even when I promised my entire body a nice rest if it did its part to get us out of here, it didn't want to.

Yeah, I got it. Bed equaled good. But dead equaled not so good. So, what would these bones prefer? To be rested or gnawed on?

That seemed to give me an energy boost, adrenaline finally kicking in.

Good body. Nice body.

I got to my knees first, then managed to get vertical. Woozy as fuck, but steady, holding onto the metal banister for support.

You've got this, I reassured myself.

Now for some speed.

With a cursory glance at the carnage below, I got onto the first step, trying to keep my footfalls as light as possible.

Still not spotted by the biters, I did the second step, then the third, picking up speed, getting to the last step without making a sound.

One more to go. Almost there. I took the step, getting onto the platform and lost my balance, my legs giving out from under me. I went down onto my knees, making a nauseating clang on the metal floor. If it wasn't for the banister, I'd be tumbling back down the stairs.

Not good.

Really not good.

The horde of biters clocked me. They spilled out of the cage, falling over themselves to reach the stairs. Most of them were speedies, with a few slowies ambling close to the cluster of rabid fuckers. They reached the first set of stairs in seconds, bashing into each other in a frenzy of hunger as they scrambled for my blood. Their pink eyes flared, their teeth snapping, and the entirety of this metal structure shook under their aggression.

"Eat! Eat! Eat!"

At least none of them sprouted wings and claws for the time being.

I hurried as best I could along the remainder of the platform, reaching the office door. For a moment, I thought it was locked, but it opened.

Thank. God.

Inside, leaning against the door, a new problem presented itself. The door might be sturdy and heavy, but how long would the glass of the wide, rectangular window last?

Fuck.

I scanned the darkness, my werewolf vision picked up all the dusty details clearly, landing on a ventilation shaft above an empty desk.

Aggressive shaking rolled through my boots, the hissing of the biters deadly close.

I had minutes, if that, to save my life. And this had to be it, the last hoorah before my body gave out.

Where the hell did Lance escape to?

As I climbed onto the desk, I sniffed for him, the air clogged with the sweet stench of death. More so than before, this pink gunk all over me eau de decay. I kept trying to pick him up, working through the stink but got nothing.

Fuck him. I'd deal with him later if a biter didn't get to him first.

I pulled the cover off the shaft entrance, inspecting the space. It was just big enough for my body. A tight squeeze, but an exit. That's all that mattered.

Drawing a mighty breath, I hauled my arse into the shaft, taking a pause when my feet were inside.

God, it was hot in there, the smooth metal thick with dust. It tickled my nostrils, burning my eyes and the back of my throat.

The door to the office rattled violently behind me, along with an aggressive banging on the window. I heard part of it crack, answering the question of its sturdiness.

Keep going! my inner voice growled.

I crawled deeper into the shaft, no space to turn around. My vision blurred, sweat on my brow, at the base of my spine, everywhere. Damn this heat!

I kept moving, coming to a right turn. I took it, just about getting my big body into the next part of the shaft.

Fuck this.

Fuck all of this.

The sound of shattering glass came from behind me, followed by another bang and a chorus of hissing. My skin broke out in goosebumps. I picked up the pace, reaching another turn.

Those biters were in the office now. Shit, what a lucky escape. If it hadn't been for this shaft, I'd be a chew toy by now.

Could they follow? I didn't hang around to find out, navigating the network of tunnels, ignoring the hands of fatigue dragging me closer to passing out. The heat wasn't helping, sweat running down my face like rain.

I pushed through, finally reaching another cover. The pause was bliss, a chance to catch my breath and put the brakes on my depleting energy.

Checking through the slatted cover, I saw a bathroom below me. Three stalls, two sinks, grime everywhere. A group of vines strangled those sinks, winding up toward the heavily damaged ceiling. Moss smothered the floor, and even a few weeds sprouted through the cracks.

This might be a good place to rest. The door was closed and there were no sounds coming from behind the door or inside the room. The stall doors were all ajar, with no sign or scent of life.

All I had to do was climb down and curl up in a corner and recharge. Get back on track. Get over to Faery.

The thought of climbing down there right now hurt my soul. I rested my head on the metal beneath me. If I took a power nap for five minutes, maybe that'd help give me the strength to get down there.

Just five minutes.

All I need is five minutes.

A click sounded, along with the slow opening of a door. What the hell? I tried lifting my head as whispers drifted into the shaft.

But my head wouldn't budge, too heavy, too done with everything. A heavy wave of exhaustion crashed into me. Powerless against it, I went with the riptide, my body finally giving in to unconsciousness.