*.*.*
“You’ve got to connect with her again, Randolph,” Dust murmured under his breath almost two hours later.
“I’m trying,” Randolph muttered, tiredly rubbing his forehead. “I don’t know if it is the storm or what, but all I’m getting is a blank wall.”
Dust released his breath and rose to his feet. “Keep trying,” he said, turning away.
“Dust,” Randolph called quietly.
Dust turned and glanced down at Randolph where he sat on the bottom bleacher near the door of the gym. He could see the shock and grief still mirrored in Randolph’s eyes. Dust felt sorry for Randolph and Josie. While he couldn’t say he had liked Beau, he wouldn’t have wanted the old man dead either.
“Yeah?” Dust asked, thrusting his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.
“Thank you… For giving dad a proper burial,” Randolph said before he turned back around and closed his eyes.
Dust turned back and began walking along the bleachers to the end. His mind kept replaying the scene from earlier as he silently climbed back down and headed toward the locker room. He kept trying to think if there could have been some way he could have prevented Beau from being killed. Drawing in a deep breath, he thought of the short funeral they had given Beau. At least, they had been able to give Josie and Randolph that simple ceremony to help with their grief, and hopefully give them a semblance of closure.
*.*.*
Dust tiredly rubbed his forehead. Shortly after the battle, he and Randolph had wrapped Beau’s body in an old furniture blanket that Raymond had found in one of the storage closets. There hadn’t been much time to say goodbye. The storm had grown closer and more intense. Sammy held Josie up while Denise stood next to Randolph. Raymond held Martha. Each person said a quiet goodbye before Dust knelt and touched the ground, opening it just far enough for Beau’s body to disappear before resealing it again.
He watched as everyone but Sammy and Josie turned and slowly walked back to the shelter of the gym. Walking over to the two girls standing silently nearby, he stepped between them and wrapped an arm around each one of them in support. Sammy leaned her head against his shoulder while Josie stood stiff, a small part of her closed off.
“Why does the world have to be so heartbreaking?” Sammy whispered, staring down at the fresh grave.
“I don’t know,” Dust murmured, staring out at the approaching storm. “If I could shield you two from it, I would.”
“Well, you can’t,” Josie replied bitterly, raising a hand to wipe at a tear. “You can’t make the world a better place. It just keeps getting crappier.”
“We can try, Josie,” Dust said, sliding his arm from around her to hold her hand. “Together, we can make wherever we are a little better, brighter, than it was.”
Josie pulled away from Dust, staring at him and Sammy with a twisted expression of grief and anger. She opened her mouth to say something before she closed it. Shaking her head, she turned toward the gym.
“I need food,” she said.
“You’re hungry?” Sammy asked in astonishment.
Josie shook her head again and stared at them with hard, cold eyes. “No, but if we are going after Todd, I’m going to make sure that I’m fully charged. No one messes with my little man and gets away with it. I’m pissed, and the next time I meet that hairy-assed bitch, I’m going to drop a fire bomb down her throat.”
Dust winced when pea-sized hail began to fall. He raised his hand, forming a shield around them without thinking. Together, they hurried back inside the building.
Dust thought of Josie’s vow to get Todd back. Deep down, he hoped that they could. He knew one thing; he would do everything he could to bring the little boy safely home or die trying.
*.*.*
Pulling his thoughts back to the present, he was almost back to the locker room where the others were sitting, when he felt the first thread of connection. Stopping in the short corridor, he pressed his back against the wall and closed his eyes. His heart raced before slowing as the image grew clearer.
A few miles from the gym was an old building. It looked like it was a grain processing plant or something. Dust was staring up at the roof. Rain poured through the opening where part of the metal had been torn back by the weather.
He slowly looked down at the body he was in. It was the She Devil. She had changed back to her more ‘human’ form. In the background, he heard a slight shuffle. Turning, he saw Todd sitting in the corner.
“Why are you doing this?” Todd asked in a trembling voice. “Why do you want to hurt us? We haven’t done nothing to you.”
Dust’s heart ached for the frightened, but courageous little boy. He was so much like Sammy, that Dust couldn’t help but wonder what he would be like when he grew up. Refocusing on the scene in front of him, Dust waited for the She Devil to respond.
“You ask why I seek power,” the She Devil said, walking over to stand in front of Todd. “I was once like you, small and weak. My brothers and sisters pushed me out into the storm, uncaring of my fate.”
“You’ve got brothers and sisters, too?” Todd whispered in awe.
The She Devil’s soft chuckle filled the small area that was once an office. She reached out and lifted Todd’s chin. Dust could feel Todd’s reaction, but the She Devil tightened her grip until the little boy whimpered in pain.
“Had,” she murmured, releasing Todd’s chin. “I killed them and the bitch that had me. I was hungry, ravenous for food. I discovered the more I ate, the more powerful I became and I began to… Change.”
“You mean like Dust and Josie?” Todd asked innocently.
The She Devil looked thoughtful before she turned away to stare out the door again. Dust could feel the cold metal from the frame between his palm and clenched his fists. He had to remain silent so that the beast wasn’t aware of him inside her.
“Not like the female that makes fire, though she is interesting,” the She Devil murmured. “No, I am more like the one called Dust. He continues to evolve like me. Together, we will make a new species.” She turned to look at Todd again. “A species that will rule this new world.”
“But… Why do you want to hurt Sammy? She doesn’t want to hurt you,” Todd insisted.
The She Devil snorted and turned away again. “She stands in my way,” she whispered. “She has your heart. Do you think I do not know that you are inside me, Dust? Do you think I can not feel your presence? Come for the boy, but bring me the one called Sammy. I will spare the boy in return for her life… And your promise to stay by my side. Come to me or you will feel every slice I make into the young human’s body as if you were doing it.”
Dust jerked, opening his eyes and pulling away. He stared into Sammy’s worried ones. Her lips were slightly parted and her eyes were wide with horror. It was then that he realized that he had spoken the words of the She Devil aloud, as if they were coming from him.
“Don’t let her,” Sammy whispered. “Please, Dust, don’t… Don’t let her kill him, too.”
Chapter 26
Evolution:
Dust stared out the window of the old bus. He had wanted to come alone, but both Sammy and Josie had threatened him. Fear twisted his gut and he glanced over at Sammy sitting across from him. She turned her head to stare back at him, a faint smile curved her lips even though it didn’t reach her eyes.
“You should have stayed back at the gym,” Dust muttered, his voice barely loud enough to be heard over the sound of the engine.
“You are beginning to sound like a broken record,” Sammy replied, turning to look out of the window. “The storm clouds are building again.”
“Yeah, I saw that,” Dust said, sliding across the aisle to sit next to Sammy. “We’ll pull up here,” he called out to Josie.
“’Kay,” Josie replied, pulling off the road onto the median. “So, is that the place?” Josie asked, turning off the engine.
“Yeah,” Dust said, sliding out of the seat to stand up next
to Josie. “Remember the plan.”
“I know,” Josie retorted. “You and Sammy keep the She Devil distracted while I sneak in and rescue Todd. I get him away, then I launch a fireball to let you know that we are clear. In the meantime, you guys keep her distracted without getting killed. Once Todd is hidden away, I come back and help you defeat the bitch while Sammy takes Todd and runs.”
“Something like that,” Dust retorted with a shake of his head and opened the door of the bus. “We’ll drive slow to give you time to get there.”
“Thanks. I just hope the storm holds off until this is over,” Josie replied with a sigh.
“Me, too,” Sammy said, pulling the strap of the quiver holding her arrows over her shoulder before she flipped her ponytail back out of the way. “Be safe, Josie.”
Josie paused as she started down the steps. A wry smile curved her lips. She stared back at Sammy for a brief second before she shook her head and stared out the door.
“I’ll bring Little Man back safe, don’t you worry, Sammy,” Josie replied in a soft voice before she disappeared out the door.
Dust and Sammy watched as Josie took off across the uneven ground at a steady jog. They waited in silence until she disappeared. Dust leaned forward and grabbed the lever for the door and closed it again.
“I hope the storm holds off,” Sammy said softly, glancing up at the strange, swirling clouds. “I don’t like the feel of this one. There’s something weird about it.”
“Yeah, I feel it, too,” Dust muttered. “You’d better sit back down. The road isn’t in very good shape off of the main highway.”
Dust started the bus and put it into gear. Releasing the brake, he gave the old bus enough gas to get it rolling. His gaze kept moving to the clouds. Sammy was right, there was just something weird about them today.
*.*.*
Josie breathed deeply to calm her pounding heart. Her gaze swept over the building. It looked more like a death trap. Large sections of the processing plant were lying like twisted skeletons on the ground, with long pieces of metal sticking upward.
She scanned the area thoroughly before she ran to the next section of debris. Dust had drawn, from his vision last night, a rough sketch of the processing plant interior. Josie just hoped it was accurate. If it was, Todd would be on the second floor in the main section where most of the windows were missing.
Jogging over to the side of the building, Josie glanced up at the second floor. She walked along the side, keeping a metal walkway between her and the second floor windows just in case the creature decided to take a peek out. Her head turned when she heard the loud sound of the school bus and the flash of the headlights in the dim light of the afternoon.
“Time to climb,” she whispered, grabbing hold of a drainage pipe connected to the corner of the building.
She tested it before she began climbing. Her head turned when she heard the bus stop. From this angle, she could see Dust through the windshield. She paused until she saw him rise out of the seat. Gripping the metal railing of the walkway, Josie gingerly pressed her foot to it while still holding onto the pipe. Reassured that it would hold her weight, she nimbly climbed over the railing and pressed her back against the building.
“She Devil,” Sammy yelled. “I want my brother back!”
Josie bit back a laugh. If that didn’t get the bitch’s attention, nothing would, she thought.
Peering through one of the broken windows, Josie decided it would be better to be inside than out on the walkway like a duck on the Duck Shoot at the local fair. She glanced inside and noted where the glass was before she climbed through the window.
Now, to find Todd, she thought as she moved through the first room.
*.*.*
Dust winced when Sammy yelled out. He knew it was part of the plan, but he suddenly wished they had thought of a better one. He definitely didn’t like the fact that Sammy was standing out in the open.
Sammy stood with her feet apart, her bow gripped tightly in her left hand and an arrow in her right. The wind swirled around them, stirring up the dirt and sending icy chills down the collar of their jackets.
“She Devil!” Sammy yelled again. “You want me, you come and get me, but I want my brother first!”
Dust’s gaze narrowed when the creature stepped out of the shadows of the warehouse. She was dressed once again in a sheet wrapped around her like an ancient toga. A shiver ran through Dust when the creature’s gaze moved down over Sammy with a slightly triumphant glare.
“Where’s my brother?” Sammy demanded, threading the arrow and lifting it to aim at the She Devil.
The creature paused and tilted her head. Dust took a step closer to Sammy. His fists clenched in anticipation.
“I see why you enjoy him,” the She Devil finally responded. “He is amusing.”
“Where is he?” Sammy asked through clenched teeth. “If you’ve harmed one hair on his head, I’ll kill you.”
A delicate laugh escaped the creature and she smiled, showing off her sharp teeth. “You have no powers, yet you threaten me. You are like the others of your species. You act fierce, but in reality you humans are weak. The men screamed and tried to fight me when I came to them, yet they were helpless.”
“I’m the one you want,” Dust interjected in a quiet voice. “Release the boy and let him and Sammy leave. This is between us. Leave them and the others alone.”
The She Devil shook her head. “As long as she lives, you will never really be mine. You may take the boy to the others in your pack, but the girl is mine in return. Then, you will come to me,” she stated with a wave of her hand.
Dust’s shook his head. “I can’t do that,” he replied when he saw a brilliant flash of light in the sky behind the warehouse. He turned his gaze back to the She Devil. “Sammy, get out of here.”
*.*.*
Sammy nodded and started backwards, keeping her gaze and the arrow on the She Devil. She had seen Josie’s signal as well. The soft growl of the beast caused her to pause, but only for a moment. Turning on her heel, she ran for the bus when the warehouse behind the She Devil suddenly exploded into flames.
Rage flared in the creature’s eyes and she snarled. Her face twisted, changing as her body shifted. The loose fitting tunic ripped as she continued to grow in size. Sammy watched in horror as the She Devil mutated into a far different beast from even the night before. Her legs lengthened and hair grew along her body. Her nose grew into a long muzzle and her sharp teeth became even longer.
“Oh, my god,” Sammy whispered as she slid into the driver’s seat of the bus. Her fingers fumbled for the key. She turned it to the on position, waiting impatiently for the light on the dash to go out so she could start it. “Come on!”
A startled scream escaped her when the creature howled loudly. Sammy twisted the key and pressed on the gas. Gripping the shifter, she pulled it down into reverse and pressed her foot down as far as she could. The She Devil had evolved again – this time into a werewolf.
*.*.*
Dust could feel the change sweeping over the She Devil. He felt his own body reacting to the danger. For a moment, it felt like he was trapped inside himself, struggling to get out. Saliva flooded his mouth and when he tried to swallow it, his tongue brushed against the back of his teeth. That wouldn’t have been a problem if it wasn’t for the fact that his canines felt strange, longer than normal.
His vision suddenly cleared and he swore it was sharper than before. He could see the pulsing vein in the She Devil’s throat. The sound of her heart beat like a drum in his head. Dust backed up, staring through the doors of the burning building. He could see a figure emerge from it. Behind him, he could hear the grinding gears of the bus as Sammy sped away. All of this he was able to process within seconds.
“What’s happening to us?” Dust choked out, staring at the large fur-coated beast in front of him.
The She Devil snarled at him. Dust felt sure that she would attack, but instead, she turned and headed
straight for Josie. A dark rage hit Dust hard and he moved. One second he was behind the beast, the next he was in front, forcing her to fall back.
“Uh-oh,” Josie whispered, the flames lighting her body up. “Dust?”
“This is between us, Josie,” Dust growled, staring at the She Devil as she paced back and forth. “Go find Sammy and Todd. Make sure they get back to the gym safely.”
“Okay,” Josie muttered, eyeing Dust and the She Devil with wide, wary eyes. “Are you… Are you sure?”
“Get out of here, Josie,” Dust snapped, his eyes blazing a dark red.
Dust turned, circling the She Devil when she snapped at Josie. A hiss escaped him when the She Devil lunged, trying to get past him. He threw up his arm, blocking her from getting past him.
“I told you that this was between us now,” Dust warned.
You should have joined me, the She Devil snarled. Now, we are mortal enemies. If you had joined me, we could have ruled this world.
“I never wanted to rule the world,” Dust responded in a quiet voice.
The power was ours, she growled.
“The power should be used to make this a better place,” Dust argued, circling around the She Devil.
There will be others like me. I will create them and we will rule, she hissed in anger. I wanted you to rule by my side. Our two powers could have forged a greater one.
Dust paused and shook his head. “We have evolved, Daciana,” he whispered, the name for her whispering through his mind like a ghostly figure. He didn’t know how he knew that is what she would come to be called, but the name fit her. “What we make of our species will be up to us.”
The She Devil slowly shifted, her face and body twisting and pulling back into itself as she became more human-like. She stared back at Dust with dark, distrustful eyes. Dust kept his gaze locked on her face, waiting for her response.