Sanctuary Read online

  ***

  ​"Catori!" Sarah yelled after her as she ran back into the camp, disappearing around a huge canvas tent.

  ​"What the hell is she doing!?" Connor asked in frustration as the group stopped their escape.

  ​"I'll go get her. Byark, get everyone out of here and back to the others, we'll meet you there." Bryce said.

  ​"You heard the man, let's move people!" Byark called out as he turned and started to jog down the hiking trail.

  ​As the rest of the group continued down the trail, Bryce turned and ran back into the dangers of the camp. "What others? Is Matt okay?" He heard Sarah ask, but didn't hear the reply as he returned to the chaotic noise of combat. He rushed in-between tents and around bodies that littered the muddy ground, heading in the direction that he last saw Catori.

  ​He didn't see any more soldiers as he moved through the area, any living ones that was, but he saw dozens of infected men, women, and children, feasting on the corpses and running around sporadically, shrieking up into the sky as they searched for more prey. He fired slug after slug from his shotgun as he moved, blasting any infected person that got in his way until he ran out of shells and tossed the weapon back into his pack, pulling out his sidearm.

  ​He only had to put down one more infected before spotting Catori. She was sprinting at a man in uniform that was shooting rounds into a civilian covered in blood and mud on the ground. As she reached the man, she slashed out with her machete, slashing a deep and debilitating gash through the soldier’s calf muscle and nearly severing his leg. He fell to one knee, attempting to turn and shoot her. She brought the machete down again, cutting a piece of meat from the man’s forearm, causing him to cry out again as he dropped the rifle and fell onto his back. She then slammed the heel of her boot into his face with two, hard kicks, knocking him out with the first, but adding the second for good measure.

  ​Bryce ran up behind her as she walked over to the man that was being shot, leaning down to check his pulse. "What the fuck? You ran back in here to kill some random soldier? We have to get the fuck out of here."

  ​"He's not some random soldier!" Catori snapped, straightening up and turning away from the dead man on the ground. "He's the piece of shit that raped me, and beat me, and humiliated me! He's their fucking leader."

  ​Bryce hated himself in that moment. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out as Catori began to sob. He took a chance, knowing that she probably wouldn't want to be touched, but not knowing what else to do. He walked up and wrapped his arms around her. She embraced the hug as tears fell onto his shoulder, adding to the rain that already soaked his shirt. They hugged for who knows how long, the rain battering them as infected howls cried out all around them. They released each other after a few moments, and she turned back towards the dead man on the ground. "He helped us escape, him and Connor. He died to help us..."

  ​"He was a good man, better than most." Bryce responded.

  ​"You and Byark put your lives on the line to rescue us, you're a good man too." She said, turning back to face him.

  ​"I don't know about that." Bryce said as images of torturing and killing replayed through his mind.

  ​"You'll just have to take my word for it." She said, walking over to the dead man. "Thank you. I won't forget you or what you did for us." She knelt and placed a hand on the man.

  ​"I'm sure he's at peace now." Bryce said.

  ​"Yeah, I hope so." Catori replied, her voice cracking slightly.

  ​Bryce gave her a few seconds to mourn the man. "What should we do about him? I'd understand if you want to kill him." He said as Catori stood back up, pointing to the unconscious soldier.

  ​She turned towards him and then looked at the man on the ground, new resolve spreading across her face. "We should interrogate him, I really doubt this fight is over. There's a hell of a lot more of them out there. Think you can carry him out of here?"

  ​Bryce holstered his pistol. "As long as you cover me while I do." He walked up to the unconscious form.

  ​"I got your back." Catori replied, scooping the man's M4 up off the ground.

  ***

  ​Bryce used straps that he cut from Riley's Kevlar vest to tie his hands and feet together before throwing the smaller man over his shoulder. They moved through the camp quickly, Catori only having to take down two infected before they made their way back to the hiking trail. When they reached the small parking lot, all the vehicles except for one military truck were gone, so they hopped inside. Catori kept watch of the unconscious man in the middle seat while Bryce pushed the button to start the ignition and began to drive, having to perform a five-point turn before they could drive down the road. Infected were swarming the woods, some chasing after the vehicle and some running around aimlessly. "How are there so many?" Catori asked, watching the crazed creatures through the window.

  ​"They were drawn by the gunfire." Bryce replied.

  ​"No, I mean how are there so many out here, in the woods? Not like that many people lived her when the outbreak started."

  ​"If I had to guess, I would say that they're running out of people to eat in the cities. Now that everyone's dead, they must be moving out to the woods where they can hunt. They're becoming less like people and more like wild animals." He theorized.

  ​"The new Apex predators..." Catori said quietly, lost in thought.

  ​As they turned off the dirt road and out onto the main highway, Bryce could make out two Humvee’s approaching from behind them in the distance. "Shit, we got company." They both watched in the rearview mirrors as he sped up and continued to drive away from the camp. To their surprise, the Humvee’s didn't follow them and instead turned down the dirt road they had just come from.

  ​"Looks like they're the reinforcements." Catori said.

  ​"Not much left for them to save, think they showed up a little too late." Bryce replied.

  ​Riley stirred and groaned, and Catori immediately scanned the surrounding area through the windows. "Pull off onto one of the side roads and pull over, were clear of infected and it's time to ask this son of a bitch some questions."

  ​"You got it." Bryce pulled down the next side street and put the truck in park before killing the engine. They both grabbed Riley and dragged him into the back of the truck, tying his hands to one of the legs of a metal bench that was secured to the floor. "You want to do this, or should I?"

  ​"I think you might have to, I'll probably lose my cool and kill him right away." Catori said.

  ​"I really hope I don't have to do this ever again. Interrogating and torturing someone wasn't that fun the first time around." Bryce said, drawing his knife.

  ​"When did you interrogate someone?" Catori asked with a look of shock.

  ​"How do you think we found you?" Bryce countered.

  ​"Oh, right..." She looked away, embarrassed.

  ​Riley's head lolled back and forth as he slowly regained consciousness, and Bryce slapped him with his empty hand, speeding up the process. "Wake up sleepy head." He said mockingly.

  ​Riley's eyelids slowly lifted, and his gaze was instantly drawn to Catori. "Hey beautiful." He said with a lick of his lips before pulling on his restraints. "I thought I was into some kinky shit, but you guys really take it to the next level. Cutting me, tying me up, and by the looks of it, now you're expecting a devil’s threesome. Well I got news for you buddy, I ain't no fag!" He spat in Bryce's face after finishing the sentence.

  ​Bryce wiped the spittle away and smiled. "You know what? As much as I hate to say it, I think I actually will enjoy torturing you." He reached out and shoved two of his fingers into the gash running through Riley's calf muscle, causing the small man to scream and kick out his legs. Bryce pulled his fingers out and wiped the blood off of them and onto Riley's pant leg. "Now, I got some questions for you, BUDDY. If you answer them honestly, then I'll play nice."

  ​"Fuck you!" Riley yelled, attempting to kick out at Bryce with hi
s bound legs.

  ​Bryce repositioned himself and shoved two fingers into the cut on his forearm this time, digging around inside of the wound. Riley screamed even louder than he did before. "I've heard you're the leader of this militia, is that true?"

  ​"I'm going to fucking kill you!" Riley screamed as he shot his red face forward at Bryce, his teeth clenched.

  ​"I guess pain isn't enough of a motivator for you, how about we scar you up a little more..." Bryce said as he scanned Riley's body, trying to decide what to do next. He settled on Riley's ear. He grabbed ahold of the flabby piece of skin and cartilage with one hand and began to saw up and through it right at the base where it was connected to his head, the knife gliding through with ease. Riley kicked and screamed and thrashed as Bryce did the work. Right before the ear was fully severed, the small amount of pressure Bryce was applying to pull the ear out and away from Riley's head, plucked it the rest of the way off, snapping the small amount of connecting tissue that was left. Bryce held it out in front of Riley's face and dangled it about. A look of shock and genuine fear spread across Riley's face and bile erupted from his mouth and out onto his chest. Catori looked away from the gruesome scene and Bryce audibly gagged, being disgusted with the gore and with himself, but he had a job to do, a character to play. He tossed the ear away from them and onto the floor, taking a moment to settle his own stomach and Riley’s. "Just tell us what we want to know." Bryce half pleaded.

  ​"You can't expect me to believe you'll actually let me live, I'm dead either way." Riley sobbed.

  ​"If you answer our questions, I'll make it quick, one bullet to the head. If you don’t, I'm going to cut away at you until there's nothing left." Bryce said honestly.

  ​"Do what you gotta do." Riley responded, resigned to his fate.

  ​"Cut off his pants." Catori said as she turned back to face them again.

  ​"What?" Bryce asked, confused.

  ​"Cut off his pants." She repeated herself.

  ​"Miss my cock already baby?" Riley asked with a small chuckle.

  ​"If you don't talk, I'll cut your lame excuse for a penis off and shove it down your fucking throat!" She snapped.

  ​Bryce used his knife to start cutting open Riley’s pants. "Come on man, this is too far. Don't let this crazy bitch do me like that, not even I would do this to someone." Riley begged.

  ​"If you don't tell us what we want to know, I won't try to stop her." Bryce responded, almost solemnly.

  ​"You call that a cock?" Catori said as she leaned in and pointed to the man's small member.

  ​"Fuck you bitch! You were fucking begging for it. You know the fucked-up thing is that I think you enjoyed our time together. You loved what I did to you and you hate yourself for it." Riley screamed and taunted. Catori let out a primal scream as she rushed forward with her machete, plunging the blade towards Riley's exposed genitals. "Okay! I'll tell you anything! Just don't cut me, please!" Riley's demeanor changed once the blade was within an inch of his exposed parts.

  ​Catori held the blade there for a few moments as she stared into Riley's eyes, and then retracted it, retreating back a few steps. "Are you the leader of the militia?" Bryce asked again.

  ​"Fuck no. I'm just a master sergeant, this thing goes way higher up than me, trust me. I'm just in charge of a few units and a few FOB's, that's it." Riley responded.

  ​"How many of you are there?" Catori asked.

  ​"There's more of us then even I know, hundreds, thousands, I don't know." Riley responded.

  ​"How many bases do you have?" Bryce asked.

  ​"Dozens, maybe even hundreds by now."

  ​"What's your purpose? You're plan?" Bryce asked.

  ​Riley laughed weakly. "We're the new united states military. Not the pussies hiding underground that caused this whole mess, but the real military, true order. We've taken over and we're going to keep expanding and growing and taking anything and everything that we fucking want. We have the numbers and more firepower than you'd believe, we even got fucking tanks and jets and helicopters, and now that you've crossed us, you're fucking dead, all of you, even the little girl. You think you fucking accomplished anything today? You took out one base. My boys will be scouring the woods for you as we speak. There's nowhere to hide. You just fucked with the united states military motherfuckers; they'll search every square inch of this fucking state if they have to until they find you. You're all dead!" Riley screamed into Bryce's face.

  ​Bryce considered his words for a few moments in silence before looking to Catori and shrugging, as he was at a loss for words, not knowing what else to ask. Catori shrugged too. "I think it's time." Bryce said as he stood up from his kneeling position and pulled his sidearm.

  ​"Come on baby, don't let him kill me. Me and you can get out of here, get back to my men and I'll fuck your brains out whenever you want." Riley begged.

  ​"No thanks." Catori responded without emotion.

  ​"I know you want to be daddy’s good girl and take care of him, untie me baby." Riley continued.

  ​"Shut the fuck up." Catori said, and Bryce could see her knuckles turning white as she gripped the handle of her machete harder and harder.

  ​"That's right, you don't want to be daddy’s good girl. You want to be his little slut again, don't you? You want to beg and scream for me don't you bitch?" Riley egged her on. Catori screamed again and rushed forward, plunging the blade of the machete down at his crotch, the blade bouncing off the metal flooring. Bryce looked down squeamishly at Riley’s mutilated genitals. His penis was vertically cut in half right down the middle like a sausage that had been cooked too long and burst open from the heat. His scrotum was sliced open and both testicles rolled the short distance down to the floor before unraveling. Thick, arterial blood poured from the wounds and began a quickly growing, crimson puddle on the floor. Riley looked down at his decimated crotch in genuine horror as shock overcame him. He remained silent for a few moments while he stared, the disbelief and shock stopping the realization from setting in just yet. After a few moments of tense silence, the screams and whales of the purest form of agony Bryce could imagine erupted from the man's mouth. Riley screamed and cried as his whole body thrashed violently, and even though the sick man deserved every ounce of pain he was receiving, Bryce couldn't help but feel the need to mercifully end his suffering.

  ​He brought his pistol up and leveled it at Riley's head. He turned to face Catori, realizing that the decision was not his to make. "Do it." Catori said with tears in her eyes. He squeezed the trigger.

  CHAPTER 22

  ​Bryce and Catori quietly crept through the woods, making their way past the cabin and fire watch tower that was now occupied by a half dozen soldiers. Their sanctuary having been stolen from them. They continued on their way, moving faster and with less caution once passing the grounds where they lived only two days before. Bryce hoped that he could lead them back to the group, but he wasn't sure that he could until he began to see hoof prints in the dried mud from the day before. "Did you guys save my horse?" Catori asked hopefully as they followed the tracks.

  ​"Yes ma'am, if you can call using him to carry all of our stuff saving him." Bryce replied, eliciting a laugh from Catori.

  ​"I know you've got a soft spot for animals, don't try and pretend you don't." She said.

  ​"You've unraveled my biggest secret." He replied sarcastically.

  ​"You're so mysterious." She said, matching his sarcasm.

  ​They started hearing voices and Bryce called out to them, to make sure they weren't shot while approaching the group. "They're back!" Tara called out excitedly as she ran up to the two of them, hugging one of Bryce's legs.

  ​"Hey kid." He said, putting one hand to her back.

  ​Grunt ran up to Bryce and stood on his hind legs, putting his muddy, front paws directly on Bryce's chest. "Good to see you too buddy." Bryce smiled as he gave the dog a few, quick scratches and pats.

  ​"Where
did you disappear to?" Lauren asked as she walked up and hugged Catori.

  ​"It's a long story, let's talk about it later, alright?" Catori responded, and Lauren nodded understandingly. "Oh my god, you're alive." Catori said, walking up to Alejandro and putting a hand to his shoulder. She examined his wounded face and moved to touch it. He smacked her hand away, shaking his head.

  ​"Good to see you again." Bryce heard Connor, the newest member of their group, say to Catori as Bryce walked past them.

  ​He could see Matt leaning against Sarah as he moved through their group, and he rushed over. "Hey man, how are you feeling?"

  ​"Like fucking shit but I'm alive, thanks to you." He replied weakly. "New doctor won't leave me alone."

  ​"Sorry about that chap, I'm afraid I'm my own worst enemy." Vincent butted in.

  ​"And mine." Matt joked.

  ​"So, you're the scientist Bryce told me about?" Catori added as she approached them.

  ​"Doctor Perry Vincent." He said, holding out a hand.

  ​"Catori. Are you British?" She said as she took the offered hand.

  ​"Why yes." He replied.

  ​"So, you're a scientist for the U.S. military, but you're British?" She questioned.

  ​"Yes, I don't see your point." Vincent replied, either genuinely confused or poking fun at the woman.

  ​"Never mind, it's good to meet you regardless." She surrendered.

  ​"Likewise."

  ​"Where's Byark?" Bryce asked as he looked around the rag tag group.

  ​"Went to try and catch something for us to eat." Sarah replied.