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The dust cleared and I could see the mangled edge of the bridge, still attached to the rocks in front of us. There was a similar lump on the other side of the gap but it was too far to jump. A cluster of Creepers, howling with frustration, lined the opposite bank baring their teeth and snapping their jaws at us.
A huge, filth-smeared man with a bare, heavily muscled chest covered in scars stepped forward. He shook a filthy mane of black hair away from his face, splattering water outwards like a dog shaking its fur as he raised a hand and pointed at us.
“You're dead already," he snarled and the sound carried across the abyss between us as if he were standing just feet away. "It's just a matter of time." He turned and headed back into the forest, followed by the others, the weight of his words sending a shiver of fear through me. The wall of rain fell harder than before and obscured our view once again.
"Is that their King?" Alicia asked, looking to Coal for her answer.
“Looks like it. We should move, I don't think that's them giving up somehow," Coal said and he turned to head into the forest, releasing me as he held his assault rifle ready.
“Do we know where the truck is?" Laurie asked, looking from side to side as she tried to get her bearings.
Alicia flipped out the GPS. "Follow me," she said, leading the way into the cover of the trees, shoving huge leaves aside as she went.
It seemed like we were out of danger for now, but I’d only relax once we were back in the truck and driving the fuck away from this place.
The truck was sitting right where we'd left it, covered by the camouflage tarp at the end of the dark track. It took us a few moments to spot where it was hiding, shrouded in the shadows. Coal pulled the tarp off and we all jumped in. Kaloo still hadn't made an appearance but Coal reassured me that she would turn up.
Alicia threw the truck into reverse and we started the bumpy journey back towards the road. She cranked up the heating and I wrung my hair and clothes out as best I could, trying to force some feeling back into my numb limbs. I threw my coat down into the footwell with everyone else's; it was too wet for it to have any prospect of keeping me warm anymore anyway.
Coal scooted across the middle seat to sit next to me and threw his arm around my shoulders. I sighed, relaxing back into the chair and rested my head on his chest, shamelessly taking advantage of his body heat and not minding the opportunity to enjoy the feeling of his body pressed up against mine. After a while I was able to stop shivering and I let my eyes fall closed as exhaustion tugged at me.
The bumping and jostling of the truck was strangely reassuring and I felt myself begin to drift off, listening to the steady thud of Coal's heartbeat. We were safe at last and I’d soon be back with Taylor too. Maybe he’d woken up already and would be waiting for me with a cheesy grin and a bad joke to make me laugh.
My thoughts drifted and I was running through the forest, my feet gliding rather than touching the ground as my hair blew around me softly. I was chasing something and as I turned a corner, I saw that it was a huge cat with golden fur and a long mane.
"It's a lion," a deep voice informed me as I reached a hand out towards the beautiful monster.
The cat opened its mouth and let out a deafening roar.
My eyes snapped open and I spotted a huge, yellow vehicle careening towards us between the trees to the left of the truck. It had a big scoop on the front of it, lined with ridges like teeth. I caught a glimpse of wild eyes behind the steering wheel as it shot straight for the side of the truck.
Coal's arms were wrapped around me and I clung to him as I screamed and the scoop closed the gap between us, smashing straight into the side of our truck. It flipped us over as easily
as the wind would blow a leaf.
The truck tumbled over and over and I slammed heavily into the roof and back into the seats as pain crashed through my body. Coal was wrenched away from me and flung over to the other side of the cab. Laurie was screaming and it was all I could do to try and cover my head to protect myself. The windows smashed, littering us with glass which sliced my face and arms where the skin was exposed.
I was thrown like a rag doll back and forth. Finally, the rolling ended and Coal was launched back towards me. The truck skidded to a halt on its roof as it hit a gnarled tree trunk and we were propelled around as the truck rotated.
I fought to grab hold of anything to stop myself from sliding amongst the pile of broken glass and we finally fell still.
Coal was on top of me and he hissed in pain as he rolled aside and pulled a long slither of metal from his thigh.
"Are you okay?" he asked me, ignoring the fact that blood was pissing down his leg.
"I think so," I said, doing a quick check and not feeling anything too serious. I tried to catch my breath and ignore the thin trails of blood running down my arms.
“Then move." He shoved me towards the shattered window and I pulled myself out on my stomach, wincing as more pieces of glass found purchase in my skin.
I rolled aside and Coal followed.
"Over here," Laurie beckoned from behind a tree a little further into the surrounding woodland and we scrambled over to her as we tried to catch our breath.
"Alicia?" Coal asked in a low voice but Laurie shook her head.
“She was thrown through the windscreen, I think I saw her get up though."
There was a thick thorn bush next to us and Coal shoved his way inside, holding the foliage back to let us in too. We sat still, holding our breath as the first Creeper came into sight.
