“I think it best to show you,” Saul says with a grin that makes my stomach sink into my feet. There’s something not right about all of this.
The world is quite literally covered in monsters. Not only are there undead but it turns out, we also lived among creatures like vampires and werewolves without realizing it. Despite that, I still believe without a doubt that the most monstrous creatures are humans. I have a feeling Saul is about to prove that point.
We walk towards the commotion. From here, I can see a zombie ambling towards the camp, his groans drowned out by everyone’s cheering. I see a few people taking bets, using food instead of money. What the hell have I stumbled into?
Saul guides us to a good location in order to see what’s about to happen.
“We caught ourselves a werewolf,” Saul says, nodding towards the man I didn’t see earlier. Sure enough, there’s someone there with a collar around his neck and a long, heavy chain keeping him in place.
My mouth drops open. What in the actual fuck? I look around at everyone. Not a single person seems to feel the way I do. Everyone is so excited, so enthralled by this cruel entertainment. As if my faith in humanity could get any lower, something like this happens.
The zombie is getting closer and everyone’s cheering gets louder. Another zombie ambles from their place beneath the trees, coming towards the source of the noise.
The guy looks around, desperate to find a way to escape. There is none. He looks up at me and our eyes meet.
He’s dirty and injured yet somehow, despite that, he is beautiful.
I don’t have any words to give him but when our eyes meet, I do my best to convey everything I am feeling. This is not okay.This is cruel. I will do everything in my power to get you out of this. I will kill them all if I have to.
The eye contact lasts what feels like hours but just as quickly as it started, he has to look away in order to fight the zombie coming towards him.
I know what I have to do, I just have to figure out how I’m going to do it.
Chapter Two
Wade
The chain around myneck is heavy, making every movement harder than it should be. I’m slow and sluggish, partially because these assholes refuse to give me the water and food I need to keep going and partially because I’m tied down. I’m on my last leg. We all know it. It’s only a matter of time before these stupid games become too much. Then everything will blissfully, finally, be over.
I open my eyes and see a guy staring at me. I’m used to it. Everyone stares at me. I’m a werewolf tied up for everyone’s entertainment, of course they watch me.
This is different.
Hiseyes are different.
I keep myself on the ground but turn my head slightly to get a better look. He’s been here for a few days but he never gets into the gambling or celebrations that occur when nighttime falls over our camp. Everyone gathers around, cheering about whether or not tonight will be the night the zombies become too much for me. They wonder if this bite will finally be thebite to take. They pass canned goods and toilet paper and other supplies back and forth.
This new guy never does that. He sits atop the hill and watches but there’s more of a calculation to his gaze. When no one is looking, I see the way his lips curl in disgust. A long time ago, I gave up the concept of hoping for someone to come save me. As much as I wish I had the strength for that now, I just don’t.
That doesn’t stop me from wondering why he’s stayed if he hates these people as much as I do. Maybe he wants to see how things will end.
There are a few people milling around but no one pays the new guy any mind. He stares at me, long and hard before pulling out a piece of paper, holding it up for me to see. If I wasn’t a werewolf, there’d be no way for me to make out the words but with my enhanced sight, I can see every word.
Save your strength. Tonight’s the night. Be ready. We’re running north.
I blink at him and he takes that as my signal that I’ve read the note. He tucks it away before anyone can see what’s just happened before turning around and heading in the opposite direction. I watch his back as he goes until he finally disappears past where I can see.
Turning onto my back, I stare up at the sky above me. My chest gives a small twinge, something I used to feel before I was captured. I don’t let myself hope, but it happens nonetheless. Just maybe, this guy is the real deal. Maybe not all of humanity is lost.
Or maybe he’s fucking around with me, leading me into some bullshit trap that Saul has thought up. I run north and then the hunters chase me into the woods.
It might be a trap but fuck it. Running and fighting the hunters of this group sounds a hell of a lot better than staying where I am. At least then I’d go down with a proper fight.
One of my ‘handlers’ kicks me in the side. I grunt before rolling over onto my hands and knees, looking up at him with narrowed eyes. If I didn’t have this fucking silver chain around my neck, things would be different. I would eat them all alive, literally.
“Look alive, puppy. The sun is starting to set and you know what that means.”
I growl, deep and low, the sound coming from my chest.
