Beyond the Walls

Encounter (2)

“This is a bad idea.” Adam said seeing Alexa pushing the round ride to the ride railings.

“Get on.” Alexa ignores him.

The mutants had come up. 

Elijah did as he was told to and rode inside the almost deflated balloon looking ride.

“You're gonna regret this.” Adam said and jumped inside.

Alexa pushes the ride out in the sun.

“Are we not going to help her?!” Elijah looked back and felt ashamed that a girl is pushing the ride with two grown up men inside.

Adam is in the middle of signing of the cross then stretches his hands to the side and grip it as hard as he can. 

“Kid, that woman is stronger than most men I know.” He said and took a deep breath as they got closer and closer at the end of the tunnel. 

Before they got out a staggering flying half harpy had welcomed them first at the end.

“Hey! Hey! Hey!!” Elijah is panicking while clinging to Adam and shaking him.

“Kid, Let go! I am not into boys!” Adam tried breaking free but that would be hard with him not letting go of the metal is holding.

“T,that! Look!!”

As if he is deaf, Adam continued his breathing exercises. “Shh!! I’m concentrating!”

A tear is concentrating in Elijah’s eyes hearing the irresponsible adult’s reply. 

They are nearing the waiting flying harpy. Just right after hitting the sunlight, the harpy opened its mouth. Alexa slides to Elijah’s other side, bending backwards her body to avoid the bony wing of the harpy. In doing so she sees several other mutants coming from behind and she can’t help but smile.

“Hope we don’t see each other again.” 

The end view was beautiful even though the world was reduced to this rubbish look.

In a split second the view went down, almost 90 degrees down.

‘Eh?’

The ride slides down the slope.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Elijah was caught off guard.

*Thud thud

Maybe because the ride was supposedly filled with water, their trip going down the slope was bumpy and extremely dangerous. Sparks fly out wildly.

It lasted only a few seconds, but it shaved a few years off in Elijah’s lifespan. Just when he thought he wanted to experience the rides in a pre-apocalypse world this totally changed his heart.

“No! No!” He begins to shake his head seeing that a large pillar stone is on the ride’s path.

“Can you jump?” Adam shouted.

“...?! Huh?”

“Jump to the left side, on 3.”

“We will not crash before –”

“3!!!!”

“Damn!”

They all jumped out and their ride collided and shattered in pieces.

“Let’s go.” Adam, who was already on his feet, urged Elijah to stand. Elijah looked at the woman, she was already alert and watching the surroundings like she had been standing there for long.

“Can’t I catch my breath first?” Elijah complained.

“You can, if you want that to be your last breath.” Adam offered his hand.

“I like you mister.” Elijah grabs the helping hand.

“Kid, I don’t like boys.” Adam smirked.

“Are you done or I’m going ahead?” Alexa turned with a scowl.

“Stop frowning too much, Gabby is taking after you.” Adam said.

The whole ride was like a snake body, with small caves and human built falls and bridges. It was a large ride with many openings and attractions.

“Who is Gabby? Oh. I didn’t know your name yet. I’m Elijah.” Elijah feels at ease with them suddenly.

“Brat, you said your name is ‘Ja’” Adam gave him a look. 

“...I, I said, Elijah, maybe you haven’t heard the first syllable.” A blunt lie.

“...”

“Fine, Would you tell someone who looks dangerous your real name at first sight?”

Adam ceased his look and nodded as if saying he get it but as he put his arm around Elijah he whispered to him,

“You better not lie again kid, the women in this group don’t take white lies into consideration.” He tapped Elijah’s shoulders and continued. “By the way, I am Adam, that beautiful creature over there…was my wife, Alexa.” 

They entered the first cave. It was dark inside. Alexa flashed her light inside and inspected the surrounding. Seeing no movements after throwing a rock they proceeded.

In a small voice, Adam asked. “Who is Gabby then?”

“Hmm.. someone like our daughter. She is here with us. We got separated.” Adam flashed his all white teeth as he braggingly mentioned.

“Why are you here anyway?” Elijah doesn't get it. Why bring along your kid and brag about it.

Adam closed his mouth and the silence suddenly felt heavy as if he touched a sensitive topic.

“You’ll know, once we meet with my daughter. She’ll tell you… or not.” Adam tried to brush it off with his playfulness.

Inside the dark cave, bits and pieces of the remains of the used to be on display here. 

“What were they supposed to be?” Elijah wondered.

“Dinosaurs.” Alexa answered. It was Adam’s turn to look out. The outside is full of wandering mutants that’s why they decided to stay inside the cave.

“You mean the monsters from before humans.”

Alexa looked at him with an amused face and can’t help but smile at the innocence.

“Well, something like that. They were wiped out millions of years ago. This was made to remind us that they existed a long time ago.”

“I see. Do you think undead and mutants will be remembered like this?”

Alexa never thought of it like that. Sometimes, the kids have their own way of outsmarting the adults. Though this kid in front of her is maybe in his late teens or early twenties. They are still from a generation that doesn't know the pre-apocalypse world.

“I guess. It would be great if that would be the case…”

Because the day arrives when the undead and mutants become a display like this then it means, these monsters are already extinct and no longer exist.

“I would love to see that, when that happens.” Alexa smiled. 

*Whistle

“Let’s go.” Alexa says. 

The whistle signals that it’s clear. They jogged around the ride and took off in a small space out of nowhere. They’ve escaped undetected.

“I’ve never met anyone with light steps like you two.” Elijah was a thief that’s why his slender moves and light steps are given, but his two companions have lighter steps.

“You are not bad yourself.” Adam praised back as they put their back on the wall and Alexa raised her mirror to check the surroundings.

Empty. 

They run out and take cover until they find a decent booth to hide but they immediately close it after seeing two skeletons with half limbs in there. They settled on the next closest decent one. 

There are mutants that pass over them but they don't turn violent nor in a rush.

“They didn’t tell us mutant guts can cover our scent.” Adam said.

“I don’t think every mutant is like that. Those ghouls just have good noses.” Elijah blurted out.

“You even know their classification.” Alexa said with a questioning look.

“I,it wasn’t me. It was my companion who knew these things. He used to be an outlander… AH! s**t s**t. This mouth really!”  He punished himself by slapping his loose mouth. He noticed it before but he is really weak on beautiful faces, when he is caught off guard, either blurted things out or embarrassed himself.

“Where are they?”

“Ah… I don’t know. We got separated.” Partially true. He had to avert his eyes and look outside pretending.

“We have to go back to the car.” Alexa said.

“You have a car?!” Elijah perked up at the news.

His excitement was crushed after seeing the state of the car. It was unsalvageable.

‘It’s a piece of junk.’ disappointed he looks around else and his eyes sees a shoe not far from his place. He walked towards it and his eyes rounded after it up close there was a severed foot inside.

Alexa clicked her tongue seeing it. 

Few hours ago, right after the car impact. It was hard to move with the air bag filling the car.

She was still in daze after hitting her head, her hazy attention snapped after seeing in front of him. Xian, the detective, is being torn from the window’s seat. A ghoul is eating his arms. 

*Bang

She immediately fired a gun to it, but it got away with Xian’s entire arm. With Xian unconscious, there was no screaming. Adam, who had been awakened, removed his jacket and tried stopping the overflowing blood on Xian. He tried pushing to stop the blood flow.

On the process of first aid. Adam wrapped the wound tightly while Alexa kept the mutant in bay.

“Gabrielle! Wake up!!” She called but Gabrielle was just groaning.

*THUD

Something heavy landed on top of the jeep and it started scratching and stabbing the roof.

“f**k!”

On the other street, they can see a horde is coming close. 

“Dammit! We need to leave now.” 

Adam looked at Alexa with a surprised expression but he realised it was their best choice. They covered Gabrielle with all things they could find.

They will have to act as bait. If they stay there, all of them will die.

*SCREEEEEEEEEECH

The jeep’s top opened and the strong sunlight blinded them. Adam and Alexa fired shots at unseen mutants but they can only hear deflecting sounds and…

It snatched away Xian’s upper half.

Nobody had noticed but Xian’s lower half was stuck after the crash. 

“We need to go!”

*BAM!

Alexa kicked the door and it flew on the nearest mutant. They crawled out of the jeep and began to lead the horde away from the jeep.

One ghoul came in the jeep snooping around and it sniffed Gabrielle’s spot but it eventually turned to the gushing half body in the driver’s seat. It starts digging on the remains and runs away.