Sanctuary Read online

  CHAPTER 21

  ​The serrated, steel arrow head designed to pierce through a large animal’s ribcage and heart with little resistance, plunged into the center of the soldier’s face with ease, his body going limp and dropping to the ground. Byark quickly picked out another, solitary target and took him down with a well-placed shot to the side of his neck, presumably severing his spinal cord. He then took out another soldier walking the outskirts of the camp with a direct hit to the man's eye, the arrow bursting through the socket and out the back of the soldier’s head.

  ​Bryce was amazed by Byark’s accuracy from this distance, and he watched in awe as the warrior worked, killing without remorse or hesitation, exactly how they needed to be if they were going to save their friends. Byark took out one more soldier before running out of viable targets. Bryce scanned the outskirts of the camp, looking for anyone else they could take out before moving closer. Two soldiers and a civilian approached the edge of the tent grouping, heading directly for the body of one of the soldiers Byark had just dispatched. "2 O'clock, they're about to find one of the bodies, we gotta take them out. I'll take far left." Bryce said, lining up one of the soldier’s heads in his sights.

  ​"Ready." Byark replied as he took aim. Bryce pulled the trigger, sending the soldier down into the mud. The other soldier immediately dropped as an arrow burst through his forehead. The civilian turned and ran back into the camp, and Bryce could just hear the faintest sound of him yelling from this distance. He fired another shot into the center of the running man's back and then another into his form after he fell, as he tried to crawl away.

  ​"Fuck, that was quick." Bryce blurted out in frustration.

  ​"Keep calm, we can still take out more of them before we're spotted, get ready." Byark said calmly with his bow string drawn, waiting for his next target. The large camp erupted into chaos as half-dressed men and women exited their tents in confusion, and Bryce and Byark put them down indiscriminately. Bryce put a round into the head of a woman firing in their direction, seeing an arrow plunge into the stomach of an unarmed man running next to her as he did so. "I'm out of arrows." Byark said as Bryce fired two rounds into the chest of the man writhing in the mud.

  ​Bryce spent the better part of a minute picking off panicked targets in the camp before his rifle ran dry. "I'm out too." He said just as bullets began to splatter mud and splinter tree bark around them.

  ​"They’ve spotted us!" Byark yelled, backing away from the crest of the hill to take cover. "Let's sneak around and enter the camp on the other side."

  ​"Think we took out enough of them to stand a chance?" Bryce asked almost sarcastically as they moved through the woods.

  ​"Only one way to find out. If not, then we'll dine together in Valhalla tonight my brother!" Byark called out triumphantly as his pace quickened and he drew his axe and shield. Bryce followed the charging warrior, drawing his shotgun and feeling surprisingly inspired by the older man's devout bravery.

  ***

  ​Jason entered the tent where the others were just as shouts started to cry out around the camp. "We're under attack!" One voice yelled.

  ​"What the fuck happened? Did they find the guard already?" Connor asked nervously.

  ​Gunfire sounded out through the camp, and at that moment, Jason was sure that he didn't hear thunder a minute ago. "No, someone else is shooting the place up. Might actually give us a better chance." Jason responded, dropping the bag of weapons on the ground.

  ​"It's Bryce and Byark! It has to be." Sarah said hopefully as she turned to the other women.

  ​ Connor started to free the girls as Jason opened the bag. "Take your pick, I was in such a hurry that I didn't get much."

  ​Connor grabbed the shotgun, one of the pistols, and a knife. Sarah grabbed the rifle and a knife. Lauren grabbed a pistol and a knife, and Catori grabbed the machete and one of the pistols. "This is it?" Connor asked as he looked at the armed group. Jason just nodded in response. "Wow, you weren't kidding. You didn't even grab any extra ammo?"

  ​"We'll be fine, let's just get the fuck out of here." Jason said before peeking his head out of the tent. "The coast is clear, let's move." They all rushed out behind him and he led them towards the hiking trail in the woods. "We'll see if there are any Humvee’s in the parking lot, they're push to start so if there is, we'll take one and get the hell out of dodge."

  ​"What the fuck are you doing with those prisoners convict!?" A gruff man's voice blurted out from the right of the group. Jason turned to see a soldier storming towards them, beginning to raise his rifle. A cloud of blood mist erupted from his face before he could get the rifle up, and he shot back to the ground.

  ​"We're not fucking prisoners." Jason turned to see Catori with her pistol raised, steam billowing from the barrel as the rain hit it and sizzled away.

  ​Another soldier rounded a tent behind them, and Jason raised his rifle, sending two bursts into the man and dropping him. "Let's fucking move!" He yelled as he began to jog through the thick mud below him. The world around them erupted into flashes of light as they fired at anyone that came across their path. The soldiers fired into the woods at their hidden attackers and at infected that began to rush into the camp, drawn by the noise. Sarah and Jason took out men and women with their rifles from a distance. Lauren put a round into the face of a shirtless man that rushed them with a lead pipe as Tara hung to her waist. Connor fired a blast from his shotgun at nearly point-blank range into the chest of a soldier as they turned around a large tent, the Kevlar vest stopping the shot from piercing flesh, but the force of the slug shattering the man's sternum and stopping his heart. They approached another soldier with his back turned to them, firing off into the woods at an attacker that he couldn't even see. While the others chose to ignore him and to go around the man, Catori ran right up to him and fired a shot into the back of one of his legs. As he dropped to one knee and cried out, she brought the machete down on his head, plunging the blade deep into his skull before sliding it downward and out. The brutality slightly shocked Jason, but he could understand why the woman was doing the things she was, so he ignored it and trucked on.

  ​They were about to reach the edge of the giant camp, when Jason spotted Peterson bashing in the skull of an infected woman on the ground with the butt of his M4. Rage consumed him and without even thinking, he rushed in the direction of the other man.

  ***

  ​Byark fearlessly rushed into the camp just as the sun started to peek through the trees, slamming his shield into the throat of a soldier that was bringing his rifle up to aim at him. Blood erupted from the man's mouth as he fell to his knees and reached one, shaking hand up to his crushed Adam’s apple. Bryce fired a shotgun slug into the waist of another soldier as he turned towards them, then racked the slide, and fired another shot, splattering the young soldier's face. Byark held up his shield to cover his chest and face as he charged another man that was firing his M4 at him. The three shots the man got off all hitting Byark’s shield; two hitting the metal parts and ricocheting off, while another burst through the wood and glanced off the Viking’s chainmail covered shoulder. Byark swung out wildly with his axe as he came within reach of the man, sinking the blade into his shoulder and sending him to the ground. He then brought the blade up and slammed it down into the man's face, splitting it in half vertically as he did so.

  ​An infected woman rushed at the beast of a man, and Byark raised his shield just in time to block her attack, using her momentum to carry her up into the air and to slam her down into the mud behind him. As she struggled to regain her footing in the wet mud, Bryce fired another slug into the side of her skull, nearly blowing her head off.

  ​Bryce drew his .45 as a soldier unleashed a volley of fully automatic rifle fire at them from a few tents away, and he leapt to the ground, unloading almost the whole magazine in the man's direction. Several shots found purchase on the soldier’s body and he cried out, collapsing to the ground.

&n
bsp; ​Byark dragged the now mud covered and drenched Bryce up off the ground, and they started running through the camp, using the tents as cover. As Bryce looked around for their next target, he caught a glimpse of Catori moving through the tents about two hundred yards away from them. As he held his gaze, he started to see the other women with her. "There, I see them! let's move!" He called out to Byark while pointing in the direction of the women.

  ***

  ​"Where the fuck's Jason!?" Connor yelled to be heard over the gunfire, looking around the camp for the other man.

  ​Catori scanned their surroundings in a full 360 degree turn, not seeing the man anywhere. "I don't know! I don't see him!"

  ​"Fuck! He must have gotten taken out, we gotta keep moving!" Connor replied, getting up from his position of cover behind some supply crates. A figure slammed into him from behind, sending him into the muddy ground below.

  ​It took Catori a second to realize that it was Bryce on top of the smaller man, and he was bringing up a shotgun. "No! He's helping us!" Catori called out, pushing the gun away. Bryce looked at her for a second in confusion before getting off the man and standing up. Connor quickly turned, ready to attack. Bryce held out his hand, offering to help the other man up. Connor calmed himself and took the offered hand, allowing Bryce to pull him to his feet.

  ​"Sorry man, thought you were one of these assholes." Bryce said as they both ducked down to take cover, Byark approached from behind.

  ​"It's all good, just don't let it happen again." Connor replied with a surprisingly accepting attitude.

  ​"I knew you guys would come for us!" Sarah called out excitedly.

  ​Catori couldn't help the happiness and relief she felt upon seeing them, and she leaned in, hugging Bryce and covering herself in the mud that dripped from his cold body. As she slightly pulled away, their faces within a few inches of each others, she could see a huge smile spread across his face. "I'm so happy you guys are alright." He said as his emerald green eyes stared into hers. She blushed and turned away from him, needing to keep her mind on the task at hand.

  ​"Have your reunion later! We have to get the fuck out of here!" Connor yelled, slapping Bryce on the back. They moved through the rest of the camp quickly, most of the soldiers already being dead by this point, and they soon reached the edge of the camp and the start of the hiking trail that led into the woods.

  ​Catori turned to look for Jason one last time as they started down the trail, and that's when she saw him. Riley was running through the camp, firing rounds from his rifle into the infected that were beginning to overrun the place. She ran back into the camp and towards him as her need for vengeance took over, not thinking or caring about the danger she was putting herself in. You're mine you rapist piece of shit.

  ***

  ​Jason beelined straight for Peterson, running past infected and soldiers as if they were just extra scenery for his peripheral vision. A young, uniformed man ran out into Jason's path and confusingly raised his rifle at him, clearly not knowing if he was friend or foe as Jason sprinted forward. "Freeze!" The soldier yelled, and Jason started to raise his rifle. Just as both men were about to open fire on each other, an infected man leapt through the air to the soldier’s side and took him to the ground. The infected man began feeding on the screaming soldier, and within seconds, more of his kind joined in on the feast. Jason quickened his pace and ran right past the gruesome scene, Peterson being the only thing his vengeance fueled mind cared about in that moment.

  ​Peterson’s back was turned to Jason, and he raised his rifle to fire as he approached the other man. No, a quick death is too good for you. I'm going to kill you with a blade, just like you did McGowan you sick fuck. Jason dropped his M4 and pulled out his KA-BAR seconds before reaching the other man and slamming his weight and momentum into Peterson's unsuspecting back. Peterson folded backwards as he was hit, and the slam sent him flying into the ground, his face whiplashing into the cold, wet mud. Jason took a second to get his bearings as they hit the ground, and Peterson’s quick reactions saved his life. He threw back an elbow into the side of Jason's head, knocking the older man off him. Peterson scrambled to his feet quickly, spitting mud from his mouth and wiping it from his eyes. Jason got to his feet as well and the two men began to circle each other, Jason pointing his knife out at the soldier. Peterson drew his sidearm and Jason slashed out with the knife, slicing across Peterson’s hand and causing him to drop the pistol.

  ​"Knives it is then." Peterson said with a smile, pulling the very same punch blade that he used to kill McGowan from his Kevlar vest.

  ​"You're going to fucking die for what you did to him." Jason matched Peterson’s gaze, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

  ​"Who? Your old boyfriend? I knew you were full of shit in Riley's tent. Bet you two were sucking each other’s old, crusty dicks weren't ya?" Peterson replied, letting out a few laughs in-between words. Jason let his emotions get the best of him and charged forward, lunging out with the knife in his hands. Peterson side stepped his attack, grabbing Jason's arm and throwing a heavy knee up into his forearm. Jason could feel his bone splinter and crack from the blow, and he cried out, dropping the KA-BAR. Peterson then came back with his elbow, smashing in Jason’s face and sending him staggering back. Jason reached his good hand up to his bloody face as he tried to regain his balance and stay on his feet. "Did you really think you could take me old man? You beat up one guy in a bare-knuckle prison fight and you think what? You're some sort of badass now. You're nothing to me, I might as well be your fucking god. Your boyfriend should have felt honored that he got to die at my fucking hands!"

  ​Jason, now half conscious and filled with rage, rushed Peterson again, swinging his arm out wildly. Peterson laughed as he blocked the wild punch, in turn punching the blade in his hand into Jason's side. Jason cried out from the horrible pain as the blade slid into him, most likely piercing his vital organs. Peterson pulled the small blade out and punched it into Jason again, this time a few inches higher up, sliding it in-between two ribs, and then twisting it with all his strength, forcing the two ribs to spread apart and crack as well as opening a huge hole in Jason that blood began to pour through like a spout. Jason let out an inaudible gasp as he fell forward onto Peterson, practically hugging him. That was fatal. I'm going to die, he's killed me.

  ​Peterson untwisted the blade inside of him and slid it out of the wound. "Get off of me!" He yelled as he shoved Jason back. Jason stumbled backwards a few steps before leaning forward and falling to his knees, letting out panicked and pained wheezes as he tried to breathe. Peterson stepped forward slowly. "Look at you, you're nothing. Tell your boyfriend I said hi, you'll be seeing him in just a second." Jason looked at the blood that was being washed down his body by the rain, the red liquid fusing with the mud and water on the ground as his vision began to blur. Peterson grabbed ahold of him by his hair and forced him down onto all fours. "Beg, beg for your life you fucking dog." He said as Jason used his good hand to catch himself from hitting the ground face first.

  ​As his hand plunged into the mud below him, he could feel something, the KA-BAR. He wrapped his fingers around the handle just as Peterson pulled back his arm, preparing to drive his own knife into Jason one last time, finishing him off. "It's been fun playing with you, but it's time to finish this." Peterson said and adrenaline rushed through Jason's body. He used all the strength he had left in him to swing his head and torso back, ripping out his own hair as he broke free from Peterson’s grasp. He then shot his hand up and out of the mud, sinking the blade into Peterson’s lower belly, just under his Kevlar vest. Peterson’s hands shot open from the shock and pain, causing the punch blade to drop from his hand as he stared down at the knife sticking out of his belly. Jason pulled the blade out and shoved it in again, this time pulling the blade to the side and slicing his guts and flesh open. Blood, severed intestines, and literal shit began to erupt out of Peterson’s slit open belly, drenching Jason and the
world around him. A shocked, and somehow still alive, Peterson fell to his knees, trying to hold the wound shut with both of his hands. Jason forced himself up and onto his feet, rage and adrenaline fueling his body and keeping him alive just long enough to get his revenge. He dropped the knife in his hands and reached down, grabbing the punch blade out of the mud, almost falling face first as he did so.

  ​Jason walked back in front of Peterson and matched the other man’s gaze. "I told you, you were going to die motherfucker. I'm going to kill you with your own knife. This is for McGowan." He slashed out with the punch blade, slitting Peterson’s throat. Blood ran down Peterson’s torso to join the red puddle on the ground, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head as he fell forward. Jason caught him by his hair and held up his now lifeless head, staring into the whites of his eyes. He let out a painful, wheezing laugh. "A fucking god." He plunged the knife into Peterson’s left eye and left it there as he let go of the corpse, allowing the body to flop to the red mud below.

  ​He staggered weakly through the camp, the rain washing blood down his body as he stumbled along. A smile crossed his face, accepting the death he had chosen, the revenge sweeter than he could've imagined. "Jason!" Riley's voice called out to his right. Jason turned to see Riley storming towards him, his rifle raised. "You killed my fucking second!?" Riley screamed as he looked over to Peterson’s mangled corpse. "Where are my fucking prisoners!?"

  ​"Long gone..." Jason laughed weakly, spitting blood from his mouth as his legs buckled, causing him to fall to one knee.

  ​"Where did they go?" Riley asked as he got within a few feet of Jason, stopping his advance.

  ​"Fuck you." Jason grinned at the man, showing his blood-stained teeth.

  ​Riley fired a round into Jason’s left bicep, the pain extremely dulled in his half dead state. "Where!?" Jason just laughed and Riley fired another shot into the upper half of his right leg, causing him to fall to his side. "Tell me now!" Riley yelled, growing more enraged as he fired another shot into Jason's belly, a shot that he didn't even feel as his vision began to close in and death began to finally take him, peaceful bliss washing away his pain. Riley screamed in agony as he fell to one knee. Jason didn't see what had attacked him, or what happened to him after, but the last thing he saw on this earth before death took him, was the look of pure agony and suffering on Riley's face.