Keller watched out the window as Dan surveyed the scene. He contained a smile. He didn’t need to see the details of what had happened, because he’d already been here. He’d been meaning to check back on the man at the water tower.
He’d wondered how he’d fared.
A few days prior, Keller had passed the man on the way to town. The man had waved frantically for help. Keller had stopped the car he’d been driving and gotten out. A handful of creatures had been groping at the base of the tower, shrieking up at the man who was several hundred feet out of reach. Every so often, they’d found footing on one of the ladders, but they were unable to find the proper coordination to climb the rungs. The man had been frantic, tear-stricken. He’d begged Keller to dispose of the creatures. He’d begged Keller to rescue him. On the horizon, another horde of creatures had been advancing toward the commotion.
Keller had only laughed.
Keller had spoken with the man, verifying he had no weapons, food, or drink. Then he’d gotten back into his car and hit the horn. He’d blared it for a full minute before whooping into the air and driving off, leaving the frenzied creatures behind, drawing more of them to the area. Over the next day, he’d checked on the man several times, verifying the creatures were still holding the man at bay, laughing at the victim’s plight. The man had pleaded for help, but Keller had only taunted him, watching from afar.
After a while, Keller had gotten bored and left.
He’d been meaning to make it back. He’d made bets on how long the man would last. Would the man die of thirst before the creatures got to him? Or would he try to get down? Keller smirked as he surveyed the results of his experiment. He’d never considered the man might jump.
Perhaps he’d fallen or been pulled down.
In any case, the outcome was the same. He’d died, just like Dan, Quinn, Meredith, and John eventually would.
The only question was how Keller would dispose of his new companions.