Hunted

Logan's transformation is complete but is he truly dead or is something inside him waiting to awaken and stalk Matthew and Keller

Start of Chapter 4

Through the sound of myself and Matthew weeping, a new noise began to split the air. A noise that haunted my mind and both Matthew and I regained our composure as our ears took in the noise. It was almost liked the singing of a small child. Haunting but compelling. Loving and disturbing as only the one voice broke the silence. Only one voice alone and with the innocence of a child dared to make itself known. As we both listened entranced by the tune, its notes began to change. The small wonder of the song began to form words. The words I to this day cannot fully remember but they spoke of hatred and pain. Anger and death. These words struck at our souls and threatened to drive us mad. To drive sanity from our minds and turn us into machines that would kill to forget the words. Something other than human. Something unable to love.

Matthew and I huddled close with the body of Logan willing for the maddening song to end. Willing the childlike voice to die. However, there was no stopping it as the voice rose in volume. Spreading its hatred throughout the pier calling others to join it. Calling other’s who had always housed great evil in themselves to finally give in and end what the voice was starting. To kill, maim, and devour everything that brought the voice grief. To end all life in a whirlwind of blood and death so that nothing would survive. Then suddenly the voice ended.

Both Matthew and I realized we had been weeping and screaming as the voice had sang and we both silenced ourselves worried that it would disturb the now silent voice. My throat felt raw and torn and my eyes burned from the amount of tears they had shed. Matthew had a small trail of blood running from his mouth and he appeared to be totally incoherent to the moment. His eyes darted back and forth like a caged animal. Seeking and not locking onto anything that would bring it comfort or peace. I tentatively reached out a hand to Matthew. Silently saying a prayer to the God that Matthew had once told me and taught me about. A God that loved His creation and wanted His creation to show one another love. A God that sacrificed and promised comfort and peace to those who believed in Him. A God that promised life after death. I hoped that God would hear me and spare Matthew from the evil that had overtaken Logan as my hand touched Matthew’s broad left shoulder. His head turned slowly and stared at my hand before following my hand and arm up to my face.

Our eyes locked and I saw the same wild look that I had once mistaken for fear in Logan’s eyes and dread filled me. I steeled myself for what I knew would come next. The same transformation that had taken Logan from me and I prayed once more that I would be strong enough to bare what was about to happen. However, the answer I was given was not what I expected. I was given no strength as the wild look in Matthew’s eyes began to flee and I saw Matthew return to himself. He looked around at his body, mine, and finally Logans. He reached up and slowly rubbed the red ruby blood from his chin and lip where it had settled after the song.

He finally spoke after what seemed like hours even though this had taken only seconds. His voice came out as a ragged whisper from the madness that had caused me and Matthew to scream and cry like small fearful children during the demented song that had ridden the wind to us. “Something is not right. That that voice. It was not human it cannot be. No human voice can cause that much terror. I felt myself losing myself during that song. Something started to rise up within me man. I do not know what it was but it wanted. It desired. What it wanted I do not know but it wanted me to get it. Something bad man. It wanted my body and then it vanished. I found myself in the madness and somehow that pulled me back to me.” He sighed right after and then looked at Logan.

“I wonder if he had the same chance? If he had just found himself he could still be here or if he never had the chance. Maybe he is still in there anyway, I do not know but he did not deserve this no one did.” He looked up at me. “We have to get out of here man. Whatever was rising up inside me wants out and it will find other people who may not die like Logan did. They may be hunting for us and wanting to kill just like that song said. Logan would not want us to die, not if he was still himself.”

“I know Matt. But how can we leave him here. We gotta bury him at least. We owe him that much.” I bent down to drag his body while looking for a fitting place to bury him. As I dragged him towards a small patch of dirt near the pier, I looked down at his body lovingly as one of my best friends and suddenly Logan’s eyes flashed open and a roar broke from his lips. For the second time that day, I found myself airborne as Logan kicked out both his feet and flung me halfway across the pier before he leaped to his feet. Matthew was about 3 feet away from him and shock was written all over his face. However, Logan did not attack him as another transformation began to wrack his body. Muscles began to ripple in Logan’s back and they began to grow. With a shriek that tore at my sanity two massive scythe like structures of bone ripped out of Logan’s back. As skin cascaded off of the blades I still saw no blood from Logan’s body marring the bone white structures that had just broken free of their skin housing. In the moonlight, Logan took on the persona of some demonic reaper as I saw a small smile break his priorly dead features. A smile with teeth that had grown to possess overlapping jagged points. They shown needle light in the dull light and Logan turned slowly towards Matthew the demented smile still on his mouth.

At Logan’s final transformation, Matthew seemed to finally break free of his shock. He threw himself to the side as Logan leapt at him with his clawed hands outstretched. As he missed Matthew, the new bones on Logan’s back sent a deadly sweeping blow at almost connected with Matthew. Whether it was Logan trying to get used to his new body or just sheer dumb luck the blades were unable to swing properly as their position at Logan’s shoulder blades inhibited a full swinging motion. It appeared that the blades would only be able to stab downward or Logan would have to spin his body in a single direction in order to swing from left to right or right to left.

All this I guessed at in a matter of seconds. Just enough time for Matthew to regain his feet and Logan to spring at him again. Matthew dived away but did not avoid all contact. Logan’s left hand sliced a gash into Matthew’s right shoulder ripping through his shirt and leaving a small trail of blood running down his back. Matthew grunted and then bolted once he hit the ground. He thundered towards me Logan hot on his heels “What are you doing Kell! RUN!”

Suddenly, I realized the explicit danger I was in with a mutant in Logan’s body crawling after Matthew right towards me. I turned and ran cursing my lack of an athletic body as Matthew began to gain on me. Even as I felt the threat to my life I still felt a great disturbance looking at how Logan now moved as he pursued Matthew. It was akin to a Spider crawling after its prey. His disjointed legs moved at a high speed while his hands and the blades on his back help him crawl swiftly and with great dexterity as park benches, railings, and overturned tables proved unable to slow him down as Matthew and I headed for the alleys at the end of the pier.

Despite my adrenaline I could only what as Matthew and by extension Logan moved closer inch by inch. I knew once they caught up to me Logan would have no killing or maiming me in our reckless flight. Somehow amongst the fear of death and the absurdity of the recent events something clicked in my mind about Logan’s transformation. Had he been dead when he transformed. Was the real Logan ever really alive since the shockwave? Had his dead body given in to this sickening transformation and the madness that he was now displaying? I do not want to die. I don’t want to be like him. These thoughts crossed my mind as mental images of my family entered my mind. My younger sister waiting for her brother to take her to see their Grandparents tomorrow. My father unable to move body racked in pain trusting me with his life to take care of the family. I cannot die! In some deep part of me something began to awaken. A fear that was not like the terror of pain or death. The fear of failure. The fear of my sister and father being torn apart by some creature like Logan. Coming back from death after mutating beyond physical recognition. A husk of a human housing a monster.

The thought of my family becoming these monsters provided a surge of strength that I did not know I possessed. My legs pumped faster and faster as I began to keep pace with Matthew’s speed keeping Logan a safe distance from myself. I began to feel that we would make it out of this nightmare alive, possibly without hurting Logan but nothing ever goes to plan. Over my heavy breathing and the pounding of feet I heard a crash than a scream. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Matthew had fallen to the ground and Logan was perched over him trying to tear at him with his bladed shoulders. Matthew had Logan’s mutilated and deadly hands restrained by holding on to his wrists and he was wiggling back and forth as best he could with Logan’s weight bearing down on him.

Franticly my mind contemplated what to do. I looked around for anything that could be used as a weapon and my eyes rested on a scooter someone must have been riding when the shock hit. I ran the 25 feet to the scooter over the uneven wood willing Matthew to hold on. The heavy grey scooter felt excessively light in my hands as I sprinted to the thrashing forms of Matthew and Logan swinging the scooter with a yell I used it like a board. The section of the scooter that broke the scooter down into a compact object hammered into Logan with my full body momentum and adrenaline behind it. Logan’s body flopped awkwardly off of Matthew his back claws flailing dangerously and coming within inches of striking my body as momentum continued to carry me forward into my swing.

However, none of the sudden turn of events seemed to hinder Matthew in the least as he sprang to his feet before I recovered from my swing. Logan was hindered by his new body as he attempted to rise to his feet. Sadly, he did not take as long as I would wish as I dropped the scooter and began to run when he used his new limbs as a rising fulcrum as he dug the blades into the wooden pier and hoisted himself off the ground.   

Watching his contorted body rise up from the ground, my old strength and revulsion returned. Soon I was leveling the distance between Matthew and myself as we continued our headlong dash towards the alley and the safety it would hopefully provide. Glancing over my shoulder I saw Logan slowly gaining on us a mad fury in his bloodshot eyes. Like some ancient ancient corruption chasing down the innocence of humanity. The boards under my feet zoomed by faster and faster as my legs carried me into the open maw of the alleyway. The dim lighting provided barely enough illumination to reveal the scattered boxes, piles of rotting garbage, and sharp objects as I followed Matthew deeper into the alley as Logan drew closer and closer. Suddenly, Matthew pulled up and I nearly collided with him instead throwing myself to the side and narrowly avoiding a metal pipe that sat upright in a pile of trash. I looked to the left and saw the haunting view of Logan scuttling towards us hardly slowed by the treacherous terrain.

"We have to keep going," I yelled at Matthew grabbing his shoulder and trying to force him into a run. Instead, Matthew broke free of my grip and lowered his shoulder into the door shaking it on its hinges. He hit it again and again in a frenzied set of body slams splintering the weak wooden door piece by piece as I grabbed the pipe preparing for Logan's unstoppable advance towards us. Before he could approach us, the door finally gave crashing to the ground and I dashed in after the broad shouldered body of Matthew.

Dim lighting lit the entryway to the visibly vacant building. The small glow illuminated what appeared to be a receptionist's desks and an two sets of stairs. One led up and the other led down where the walls changed from fading red paint to the dull gray of concrete walls. Hearing Logan behind us, we made the split second decision and sprinted down the stairs hearing the hollow thud of our feet on concrete and hearing the shaky breathing of Logan echo off the concrete walls. The stairs led down and down built so an individual cannot see what is around any corners or what is approaching from higher up the staircase.

Every moment I expected to see Logan behind us with his clawed hands reaching out to take us into their deadly embrace. To devour us as a predator eats his kill. Strange, I thought, during my headlong flight, how we often equate mortality to that of an animal. Like we at the end of our lives all become the prey of the hunter called death and death incarnate surely followed Matthew and I wanting to claim us for his own. His kill, his prey, and his friends. Such a strange paradox of thought  but all of it true as I ran down the steps trying not to stumble and secure my own death. Trying to push on, despite the ache in my legs and the slowly forming bruises from the shock wave blast and then Logan throwing me across the pier.  

After what seemed like hours even though it was a few mere seconds we reached the bottom floor of the building. Grey concrete rose up the walls and formed into an impenetrable ceiling of rock painted beige to, perhaps, provide a relief from the dull grey of the concrete. The interior itself was the duplicate of a normal parking garage with white lines separating the various parking spots and concrete dividers at random intervals to separate sections. However, the garage appeared to have little use anymore as piles of trash littered the ground and small piles of broken concrete lay near the entrance where it appeared someone had smashed massive chunks out of a support column.

However, my contemplation of this area was ended abruptly when I heard an ear splitting shriek from Logan reminding me of the mortal threat directly behind us. Matthew and I both ran for the entrance hoping to slip out before Logan reached the bottom of the stairs. However, this was not to be as Logan bounded of the entrance body tense on all fours. Logan and I both swiftly leapt behind a concrete divider in the parking garage before Logan could see us. The dull cracked concrete provided an excellent hiding place for Matthew and myself but as much as it provided us protection from Logan’s eyes it also prevented us from being able to see him. The only way we would be able to guess at the location of Logan was by the mewling noise that was coming from him. It was almost like that of a cat of twisted and full of anger rather than pain. It appeared that not chasing us or having the promise of inflicting physical pain somehow hurt Logan psychologically or even physically.      

Accompanying the mewling was the small clack of Logan’s bladed shoulders touching the concrete as he supported his crawl on all fours across the hard cold concrete. In the wide expanse of the parking garage, it became apparent that either I or Logan would have numerous difficulties pinpointing the source of the noises as they bounced off the concrete walls creating a unharmonious symphony of sounds.

I tried to control my shaking body as the sounds bounced off the grey walls. Matthew sat next to me grim faced but with a fire in his eyes. If anyone would be able to help us get out of this building it would be him. I never had the drive, determination, and fearlessness he had always possessed I silently reflected. During this time of self pity, I realized Matthew was whispering instructions to me, “...after that I need you to run.”

“What? Wait what are we doing? We cannot run out with Logan there he will kill us Matthew.”

“Not if we hit him first then run.” Matthew responded hefting a size of concrete about the size of a basketball. “I am going to hit him then we are going to run as fast as we can out of here. Just stick with me man. There is an abandoned Gas Works not far from here. If we can make it there we can hide in the building and then get out of here.”

I took a shaky breath and tried to reign in my terror of leaving this momentarily safe location. “Okay man. I’ll stick with you. Let’s get out of here.” Matthew nodded his head in agreement. He shifted his weight to allow him a stronger throw and he swiftly rose up to standing his arm cocked back ready for a throw as the door on the other side of the parking garage exploded open and a human being in ripped jeans and under layers of jackets covered in dirt and grime came running out yelling and swearing at the top of its lungs. It was only after the original shock of the sudden appearance that I realized the human being was a male and had either lost his mind from the most recent turn of events or he was in a drug induced stupor and was totally unaware of the danger facing him as Logan instinctively twisted around towards the new source of noise.   

Matthew seemed frozen in shock at the sudden turn of events as he still held the rock poised to throw but his eyes had glazed over. If only Logan had been as surprised as his muscled coiled for the spring and he threw himself upon the man. As they landed Logan already had the man pinned by his blades ramming both of them through the man’s shoulders. The man’s babble quickly turned into a pained scream echoing around the parking garage as Matthew and I both watched transfixed by the scene. The man’s screams increased in volume and pitch grating over my ears as Logan drew out his first kill. It was almost like watching a cat play with a helpless creature. He twisted his blades in deeper and deeper into the man’s shoulders opening the wound. Deep red lifeblood bled from the man as Logan continued his kill.

Logan pierced the wrists of the man with his fingers causing the man to arch his back and writhe in the agony that was overloading his senses. His blades and fingers dug in deeper and deeper as Logan’s face slowly leaned in closer and closer taking in the agony that he was causing. Absorbing the agony and pain like a sweet meal. The pure ecstasy on Logan’s face haunts me to this day. Every second of agony he inflicted was a second of pure and unbridled pleasure within himself. Every drop of blood another sweet drop of joy for Logan. After what seemed like an eternity of madness and pain. An eternity where I saw the full extent of Logan’s transformation. Logan’s blood lust was sated as he bent down and took the man’s throat in his jaws. A quick wrench of his head and a small fountain of blood ended the man’s suffering.

The silence that took the place of the pain was deafening. It seemed to fill every last square inch of the world as I gazed upon the dead body and blood splattered body of my friend. Now a creature that glorified in the causing of pain. Slowly, I felt Logan pulling at my arm urging me to flee the scene as Logan split the silence with a deafening roar. A roar of power and hatred for all living things. A roar that shook my bones and reverberated within me. Calling to something that I felt rise up inside of me. Something that was altogether unholy. Something deadly that did not know fear but knew some ancient secret. Some carnal desire and need. Something that wanted me in my entirety, Something deep down inside of me knew it was what now possessed Logan. That it wanted all of us and if it could not have us it would kill us slowly in repayment of our rejection.

I fought against it as my mind replayed the butchery of the man whose life had just ceased. It wanted me to desire that kill. To desire the pain I could inflict if I just gave in. If I was willing to give my body to the power inside me. The power that clawed at my brain and my very being promising sweet pleasure and the ability to unleash all of the rage and anger at the world that I felt everyday. The ability to do something about it. The ability to kill and kill and kill and feel such intense pleasure it would consume me and provide a home that I would always live within.

Even as I fought against it another power rose up inside of me. It spoke of the pain of the world but that hope that lives inside each person. The ability to chose good over evil or evil over good. The hope of a life lived well and for the betterment of others. The hope of helping others achieve their dreams and protecting them from the evil of the world until the evil hid for the fear of humanity. That the evil would be stomped into the ground if I was willing to fight against it.

Both these waged war and my body shook with their power. I did not know if I would give in but Logan finally ended this war. As his roar faded Logan tore into the man. His blades swing in frenzied strikes and he tore at the man’s corpse with his hands. It took me a moment to realize that he was feeding upon the man. The man he had tormented with ceaseless joy and the war inside me ended as my revulsion rose. My humanity won the battle. My desire to see good come of my life rose up inside of me in a blur of images. My father when I was seven taking me fishing. My little sister crying as my mother left us. Me comforting her that night and many nights after. Hearing my sister saying she loved me even when it felt like the sky was falling down all around us and the pride that I took from seeing her rise above the pain and want to help those around her. Of my friend’s Logan and Matthew sitting beside me at a football game. Joking around about the poor performance of our team and commenting on the vulgarity of the parents cursing at their children as they left the football field during yet another sad drive. Another memory of Logan, Matthew, and I sharing our histories for the first time and solidifying the bond of friendship that was forming not only on our view of the world but our trust of one another.

Many more images continued to pour from my memory in an unstoppable flood of joy and pain but each image range with the sound of hope for a new day. The sound of hope for my life and cutting through this sound I felt myself moving with Matthew towards the entrance to the parking garage. Our own little gateway of hope, I thought, as we reentered the streets with the chance to survive this nightmare and give hope to others that they will survive.

Author's Note

This work is still far from complete but the nuts and bolts are here. I will be updating the posting as time allows