In The End Box Set | Books 1-3 Stevens, GJ (story books to read TXT) 📖

searching below, then without warning, it moved left and the door gunner let out a long blast.

When the gun silenced, I shouted as loud as I could to call for help, but it hurried away, flying higher and becoming a dot in the sky.

“It's okay, Tish, they'll be back or someone else will come,” I said.

Her giggle pushed back the tears, then her expression fell, her eyes opened wide. The loud clap of the bird scarer was common enough and we soon both relaxed.

I walked again, putting Tish down and realised I'd forgotten to follow the sun.

We ended up walking slowly. I was following Tish as she ambled through the open fields, heading towards a big clump of trees. It was the biggest wood I'd seen while we'd been walking.

Another shot broke through the air and I didn't give it a second thought, until five, six or seven went off, one after the other. I hurried a little closer to Tish. There were people hunting and I didn't want her running into their path.

Tish was still following an imaginary line, swerving left and right, with no sense in her direction. I didn't have the heart to grab her up and restrict her from playing.

We'd walked like this for ten minutes and my wound itched, but it took my mind from the two shots which seemed to have been the last for some time.

Her path straightened and she headed a direct course. Her head lifted high. After a few moments she stopped and her little arm raised, her head turning my way.

“Russ,” she said; her name for our dog.

Following her outstretched finger, I shook my head. The dog was black, not a gingery brown. It was the same breed, a Labrador, and she was running off, heading fast towards it.

The dog was standing with his head down, leaning over like it was eating dinner.

“No, Tish,” I said, running to catch her, not wanting her to see the dog covered in blood, its face buried in the side of a dead deer or something else as disgusting.

I caught her, but only after shortening the distance between us and the animal. It was still bent over, but now I could tell from the length of the body lying on the ground that it was a man, not a deer. The dog's body blocked the view of the face as its black head bobbed up and down.

“No,” came a call, a woman's voice.

My gaze startled up, pulling Tish tight as she flinched.

“Stay where you are.”

The woman was far along the edge of the forest, had blonde hair and, apart from the dark marks on her face, it was about all I could tell. She was panting as she bent over and held her palms out toward us. It was obvious she didn't want us any closer, but Tish wasn't having any of it and wriggled free, kicking out her legs.

I couldn't hold on, her coat slipping against mine and she was on her feet, running to the dog.

I chased, soon seeing something else, a mound and knew it was one of them; the same smell. I tripped, stumbling over my own feet, launching my hand out to grab her leg, but I missed.

41

LOGAN

Warmth lapped at my cheek and foul breath brushed my face as I woke. Somewhere close, a high-pitched voice of a child screamed a name I didn't recognise. Another distant call came, high and frantic.

The hellhound.

My eyes shot open to a slobbering dog, blood and sinew dripping from its jowls. I startled up, falling back as fire raged across my chest.

Pushing away the hound, I realised it must be the same creature which saved my life, but it bore no resemblance to the crazed animal which fought the abomination intent on my neck. Blinking away my disbelief, wiping my wet face against the back of my hand, I saw a toddler. Dressed in pink, she swerved around the body of the rotting creature, not even glancing as she ran towards me. Chasing after her was a boy, a few years older, scrambling to his feet, recovering from a fall.

What the hell was going on with the world?

I tried to stand again, but sank back, the pain in my ribs more than I could manage right now. As the girl arrived, she petted the dog's head and he turned her way, closing his eyes as if in a heavenly place.

“Oh, my god.”

I recognised Cassie's voice. She was walking around the pair, not hiding her surprise at my breath.

“I thought,” she said, looking between me and the dog enjoying the girl's rough strokes. “I thought it turned on you,” she said, falling to her knees as she helped me to bend at the waist.

As she wrapped her arms around my chest and squeezed, stars burst across my vision.

“So did I,” I said, my voice strained.

She pulled back and stood, her expression falling.

“It's not safe here,” she said, and offered a hand.

With her help, I stood, uneasy at first.

“No, it's not,” I replied and for the first time took in the small boy stood at the girl’s back. His hands were on her shoulder as he towered above her. “Who are these two?”

Cassie turned away, shaking her head and looked at the pair, considering them as if she'd not noticed them either.

“Where are your parents?” she said, looking back the way they'd come.

The boy stood in silence while I watched him concentrate to keep tears at bay.

“It's okay,” I said. “There's a group of us. If you've got anyone else with you, they can come too.”

He barely moved his head as it shook. He was hedging his bets.

“You should come with us,” I said, then turned to the dog still being patted