Blight Ch. 2

Chapter 02

Hazardous Work Environment

Sun was setting on Osmo. All major rushes were over, only individuals and small groups from here on out. Though both Annie and I had a chance to breathe downtime was the worst part of the job. As the last customers quietly left the dining room was officially deserted. Watching the grill sizzle lonely the dark ominous feeling I had all but shaken off settled on my nerves like a soft snow on a dangerous mountain top.

Leaning against the counter Annie gave me a look of supreme boredom that must have only been a reflection of my own. George was hanging out in the office with his door closed. I mulled over trying to apologize for being late and maybe getting tomorrow off. It wouldn’t fly, was it even worth trying.

With a ding of the bell a potential customer stumbled in the big glass doors drawing our attention. Not the average customer but far from uncommon. The man wore a dirty ragged over coat, stained muddy pants and shoes. Mumbling to himself with half closed eyes he made his way to the counter and flopped his hands on the surface. Though the unkempt bum made an effort to speak, the distinct smell of alcohol was all to leave his lips.

Annie manned the counter while I stood over the grill waiting with curiosity, drunks come up with some interesting requests. A sudden vibrating on my pants startled me, reaching into my pocket I snaked out my cell phone. I had forgotten to turn it off when coming into work today. A glance at the caller and my stomach turned, Christy. Quickly moving to the back of the kitchen and out of sight, I pushed the little green answer button and brought the phone to my ear.

“Hello?” I answered.

“David! Thank god… I…” The shrill and frightened voice put me on edge.

“Christy? What’s going on? What’s wrong?”

“I… the door isn’t holding!” She cried, “They’re getting through, David!”

“Don’t! Dammit!” The hairs on the back of my neck stuck straight up as Annie shouted. Spinning around I found Annie standing helpless as the dirty bum stood hunched over the counter. Annie’s dilemma: how to wake him without touching him.

Doing my best to stay calm I put the phone back to my ear. “Who, Christy, who is getting through?”

“The… I don’t know…” She stammered.

“Where are you?” I said, “I’ll call the police.”

“I’m in… some warehouse…” She said, “I’m so scared, David. They are almost here!”

“David, I could use some help over here.” Annie shouted, “What am I supposed to do with a sleeping bum!”

“Wake him up!” I snapped at her without so much as a look. “Christy, what warehouse!”

“Its… across the street from the studio… No wait! David, just get as far away from Bloom as you can!”

“What? Christy?” A high pitch scream answered my desperate calls followed by an eerie ring tone.

“Christy can wait!” Annie shouted, “I can’t wake this guy, he’s out cold! I think there’s something wrong with him!” With shaky hands I dialed out 9-1-1 looking back at Annie only when the phone was ringing. Annie was looking at me with distaste while the bum was behind her, awake on his own two feet again. About to tell Annie off, I stopped at the sight of the man looming over her with glazed eyes.

“9-1-1 what is your emergency?” The officer on the other end asked. Still staring at the odd, disturbed looking fellow, I tried to find the words any words. Quick hands snatched Annie’s arms snapping her backwards as sharp white teeth slid out from pale white lips. The bum sank his teeth into Annie’s tender neck, screaming as he violently bit and thrashed her. Annie dropped to the floor and fell to the floor, the monster of a man dimly looked around, blood drenched from his chin down.

Mildly aware of the officer speaking I could say or do nothing but stare at what had just been Annie the cash register girl. Gravity caught up with me, literally as my phone worked its way free of my hand and fell to the ground with a bang. The feral monster froze with wide-eyes locked on me before shrieking before scrambling over the counter and rushing after me with inhuman speed.

Legs took off from underneath me toward the back door but the monster caught and slammed me against the wall. Cold clammy hands wrapped around my throat choking the life out of me. Out of the corner of my eye the back door handle was mere feet from me, could probably reach it if I weren’t struggling for my life. It was all I could do just to keep its nasty blood drenched choppers from digging in. Room was getting dark as breathing became harder and harder. It was the end, game over, I would die staring into the pale face.

Evil hell bent eyes widened as a blood drenched hand grabbed hold of a mess of hair and yanked back. Sharp serrated knife was driven home into the eye of the beast with a gory unsettling squish. The pacified man fell to the floor in a heap, breathing returned though raspy.

One standing over with bloody spreading knife in hand was Annie, blood running down the sick gash on her neck, calm and pleasant attitude replaced with fiery wrath. Holding out her hand I took it, settling on weak knees.

“What the hell is that thing?” Annie gave the dead thing a sharp kick, making sure it was dead.

“Who cares? Let’s get you to a hospital before you keel over.” Fishing out her car keys she moved into the dining room toward the front door. Stopping abruptly in front of me I soon realized why. Outside was a true horror that put my heart in my gut, six or seven of them, slow, disoriented bums in the street. It did not take long for them to notice us confirming our suspicions and rushing the front door with the same inhuman speed.

“Get a chair quick!” Grabbing the handles Annie braced the door as the feral men charged the door threatening to toss her like a rag doll.

“Where?” I despaired, “All the chairs are bolted to the floor!”

“Get… get the broom!” She shrieked as they neared the doors. I grabbed the broom and tossed it to her just in time to slide it between the handle bars. They slammed into the door only to stumble backwards and trip over each other.

A sigh of relief cut short by the shattering of the enormous glass windows lining the wall. Shards of glass flew as they stumbled in. Grabbing Annie by the hand I yanked her back as the broom snapped and more barreled in. Coming at us in all directions I ran back into the kitchen. The back door burst open only a few feet in ahead of me as more rushed in cornering us.

They merely loomed over us for a second or two like lions looking over a piece of meat just before digging in. Just then the office door burst open and with a booming voice George stormed out. “What the Hell is going on out here!?” Every single one spun around in surprise, jumping him and tearing him apart.

“George!” Annie shouted rushing forward with knife firmly in hand. Searching for something anything that might save us, my hand fell on the chilly handle of the freezer door behind me, our only hope. Grabbing Annie by the belt I yanked open the freezer door and shoved her inside, quickly following behind with a slam. Fumbling around in the dark I found the pin that locked the freezer and slid it in place. Realizing our absence seconds later, they furiously attacked the heavy metal door, this one would hold.