Chapter Two

The sound that issued from Greeley’s mouth was scarcely discernible as human. The maniacal squall crescendoed louder and higher, a rictus of ultimate terror inscribed on Greeley’s once-handsome face. Methodically, almost delicately, the creature stepped inside the closet with them. Greeley clambered away until he was bunched in the roof of the closet, his quaking limbs gathering as many items of clothing as he could to cover himself. The creature’s satanic face leered with delight. Then, clearly unconcerned with Greeley, it turned its attention to Jesse.

The crimson beast seized him by the chest of his T-shirt and hoisted him aloft.

Jesse rose out of the closet, borne higher and higher, mesmerized by the hideousness of the creature’s face. The scimitar teeth opened, and above them he watched the huge green eyes glaze in anticipatory delight. Jesse felt doom spread over him, his entire body going slack. He had no weapon, no hope against this beast. He rose higher, higher, the creature’s mouth opening farther than he would have thought possible.

Thunder exploded to Jesse’s left. He and the creature turned that way and saw Colleen holding the smoking shotgun. Movement from the back of the motor home drew all their attention.

Only then did Jesse realize that the monster raping the dead woman on the bed was the Big Nasty.

The creature holding Jessie growled at Colleen, but Jesse scarcely heard it. His only thought was of the Big Nasty, which had jolted at the gunshot and was now climbing off the old woman. The raping creature hadn’t detected Jesse yet, but when it did…

Panicked, Jesse grasped the crimson beast by the arms. Surprised, the creature turned to face Jesse just as he whipped forward and headbutted the creature as hard as he could. It was an insane ploy, but it worked, at least for the moment. Its nose shattered; the creature uttered a clipped scream, released him and stumbled away. Jesse landed on Greeley, who let loose with a wet-sounding fart.

Emma climbed out of the bathroom. She had a terrific bruise on her cheek that had already begun to purple. The look she gave him would have, under any other circumstance, sent him into a giddy euphoria. But her gratitude and respect for his suicidal rescue mission was extinguished in the flood of menace filling the front of the RV.

The feasting creatures had risen.

They were stalking toward Colleen.

 

 

Colleen was nodding her face upward in quick, secretive jerks as she backed away from the approaching creatures. He frowned at her, until he heard Emma whisper, “Lift me.”

The side window was open above them. If they hurried…

A guttural growl sounded from the back of the RV.

The Big Nasty was coming.

He bent, grasped Emma by the waist. Whimpering, she climbed up his body and got a shoe on his left shoulder.

The Big Nasty was ten feet away. Beside it, Jesse saw the crimson creature rising, a look of depthless rage twisting its face.

Emma had reached the aperture, had her elbows on both sides of the shattered window. She glanced down at Jesse. “How will you get out?”

“Go,” he commanded.

With a pained look, she obeyed, slipping easily through the opening and peering down at him on hands and knees.

The Big Nasty’s growl had morphed into a continuous drone that sounded half-canine, half-insect. Jesse wanted to follow Emma, but he knew he’d never make it. The long, cadaverous beast would snatch him out of the air. Jesse had a nightmare image of the Big Nasty raising its face to rip out Jesse’s genitalia in one giant chomp. Even if he were able to evade the creature, he didn’t know if he was athletic enough to jump that high or strong enough to draw himself through the window if he did make the jump.

The shotgun exploded. The Big Nasty’s eyes shifted to the front of the RV.

Colleen had lured the creatures outside.

Impulsively, Jesse bolted to the left corner of the shattered windshield, heard the Big Nasty’s livid cry of surprise. Jesse dove through the opening, and as he did his shoe clipped one of the beasts in the calf. Out of the corner of his eyes, Jesse saw the creature give a little jolt, but he didn’t wait to see if it was going to pursue him. Emma was sliding down the rain-swept roof of the RV. Jesse met her as she hit the ground. She threw a terrified glance beyond him, and he knew one or more of the creatures had followed, would pounce on them if they hesitated. Clenching Emma’s hand, he compelled her around the corner of the overturned Seabreeze and pelted toward the Buick, which had its lights on, a figure sitting in the driver’s seat. He thought at first it was Colleen, but that was impossible. She’d been just as far away from the Buick as he had been.

But who—

The Buick rolled toward them and through the rainspattered window he discerned Clevenger, his eyes huge with fright. Jesse’s first thought was that the man was abandoning them, saving his own skinny ass. Then the window lowered and he shouted, “Back seat!”

At the same moment, Jesse glimpsed Colleen scampering toward the Buick, four of the beasts right behind her. He got the back door open, practically shoved Emma inside. He made to climb in as well when he looked up again and saw that Colleen wasn’t going to make it.

“Gun!” he shouted.

Colleen threw him a frenzied glance, then lobbed the shotgun toward him in an awkward chest pass. One creature reached out, snagged the tail of Colleen’s shirt. She faltered, her face a mask of horror. Jesse caught the shotgun, shifted it, fired, and was amazed to see the creature bearing down on Colleen jerk back in pain and consternation.

He’d gotten it in the mouth.

It went down, long fingers slapping over its mangled face. The others, however, ignored their fallen comrade, and kept up the pursuit of Colleen, who still looked like she’d never make it to the Buick.

Jesse drew a bead on the creature nearest her.

Within the car beside him, Emma screamed. He whirled out of instinct to see the Big Nasty charging at him, a look of triumph on its demon’s face.

Jesse aimed at its gaping mouth and fired.

Its face snapped back and the rear of its head exploded.

It landed on Jesse and slammed him into the car. They crumpled together beside the Buick, the unearthly stink of the creature invading his nostrils like a pestilence. God, like dirty diapers and flyblown meat. Jesse gagged, a dry heave rolling through him, but Clevenger was shouting something, Emma clenching the waistband of his shorts and hauling him inside. A blur of bodies scudded past, Colleen pursued by the beasts, one of whom had barred her way to the Buick.

Jesse thumped down beside Emma. She shouted something at Clevenger, who’d begun to reverse the Buick.

“…can’t leave her,” Emma shouted.

Clevenger had his arm around the passenger’s headrest, was staring fiercely out the back window. “Not…leaving…anyone.”

They angled toward where Colleen was sprinting, the pursuing creatures toying with her now, enjoying her helplessness. Clevenger swung the car sideways, the Buick skidding to a halt. He lunged across the seat and threw open the passenger’s door.

Colleen was nearly to it, but a pale creature was almost upon her.

Clevenger brought up the gun Ron had given him, fired. The beast doubled over, wailing, but another creature surged past it. It reached for Colleen, too, but Clevenger unloaded on it, squeezing Ron’s gun until it clicked empty.

But there was one beast left, and they were out of ammo.

Jesse’s bowels froze as a horn blasted from their right.

He glanced that way in time to see a red pickup truck, the one that was still blaring classic rock, bounce over a campsite and barrel into the creature chasing Colleen. The creature’s thin body crunched against the windshield. The pickup slammed its brakes, sending the limp, skinny body tumbling into the grass. Then, as the creature raised its head in a daze, the pickup lurched forward and ran it down, one front tire crunching over its bony shoulders. Jesse had time to identify the driver of the red truck: Austin, the blond-haired beer guzzler.

Wheezing, Colleen plopped down in the passenger’s seat and rammed home the door.

To their amazement, the other creatures set off after the pickup, which circled toward the overturned motor home.

Jesse watched a figure emerge from the top of the RV, wave its arms madly at the red pickup. It was Greeley, of course. The coward.

Jesse eyed Emma to see if she’d seen the tall man on the RV, but she had a hand on Colleen’s shoulder, was asking if she was okay. Colleen nodded weakly.

Ahead of them, the red pickup slowed enough to allow Greeley to leap into the bed. But two dozen creatures were converging on the truck.

“Get us the hell out of this campground,” Colleen moaned.

Clevenger shook his head. “Have you seen the road?”

Jesse did and felt his stomach clench.

The creatures were pouring out of the forest, the way out of the RV park a squirming mass of white limbs and bared teeth.

 

 

Colleen saw the creatures coming, said, “Please get us moving.”

Knuckles pale on the wheel, Clevenger nodded to the east. “What’s beyond there?”

Jesse said, “That’s where we camped, remember? The playground—”

“I know that. What I’m asking is what’s on the other side of that? Roads, trees, what?”

“There’s nothing,” Colleen said. “Just forest and marshes. Now can we—”

“Frank Red Elk lives back there,” Emma said.

Clevenger opened his mouth, perhaps to ask who the hell Frank Red Elk was, when something hammered Jesse’s window. They all shrieked, and Jesse practically climbed into Emma’s lap. He shut his eyes, certain it was the Big Nasty somehow returned from the dead to take its vengeance on him. The snarling lips, the eyes as round as full moons, the—

“Got room for two more?” a man’s voice asked.

Jesse opened his eyes to see Ron the DNR officer grinning through Clevenger’s window.

“Get in,” Clevenger said.

Ron nodded and hastened back to the grass. Jesse rolled down his window to see what the man was doing. God, he wished they’d get moving again. Fifty or sixty yards beyond them the red truck was outpacing the pursuing creatures. Soon, they’ll get tired of chasing Austin and realize we’re still here. Fresh meat. Sitting—

Jesse visored his eyes from the deluge and discovered one of the creatures had indeed given up on the pickup and was heading their way. It looked fierce.

Have you seen one yet that looked friendly? a voice in his head demanded.

“Hurry!” Clevenger shouted out the window. Jesse turned to see what Ron had gone back for.

Linda Farmer.

Tenderly, he lifted her from the sodden grass. If he’d seen the beast approaching yet, he was being awfully nonchalant about it.

Emma screamed. Ron whirled and gasped. Panicked, the DNR officer bolted for the Buick.

“The window,” Clevenger called.

Ron nodded as he ran. The creature strode after the fleeing pair, Linda’s unconscious body flopping in Ron’s grasp.

The creature bore down on them. Ron reached the Buick, swung Linda headfirst toward the open window. Jesse had time to be grateful that the windows weren’t childproof, were the kind that rolled all the way down, when Ron’s gaze shifted behind him. The half turn was just enough to throw off his aim.

Linda’s head rammed the closed door.

“Oh shit,” Emma said, a hand to her mouth.

Ron turned with a look of comic surprise as Linda Farmer’s unmoving body thumped down on the concrete. Ron made a move as if to pick her up and try it again when his eyes shuttered wide and he was lifted into the air. He drew his pistol and fired twice at the creature, which dropped him from a height of ten feet. Ron plummeted to the grass and landed badly, one arm trapped beneath his broad frame. Jesse heard a sick crunch and winced.

Clevenger was out of the Buick at once. At first Jesse thought the professor would wade into battle with the creature, but the balding man was lifting Linda Farmer, shouting at Jesse to open the back door.

Should have done that anyway, moron. Ron might still be alive.

He is still alive, Jesse tried to argue, but at that moment, the creature clamped its bony hands over Ron’s head and lifted him high into the air.

Clevenger rushed across his vision carrying Linda Farmer, but despite the obstruction and the torrential downpour, Jesse still witnessed far too much.

Ron’s face scrunched in exertion as he strove with his unbroken arm to pry the creature’s hands off his face. His expression descended into agony as the creature’s shoulders began to tremble. Jesse realized the thing was smashing Ron’s head between its hands. Ron’s legs began to kick.

“We’ve got to…” Jesse muttered feebly, but he knew it was too late.

Ron emitted a high-pitched howl. His face seemed to elongate. Runnels of blood spilled over his bottom eyelids. More blood dribbled over the creature’s flexing knuckles. Ron’s nostrils let loose as well, and the drumming of his legs diminished. Then, as if it were sampling from a waiter’s tray, the creature drew Ron closer and bit off the man’s face.

 

 

It turned to the Buick.

Clevenger pushed Linda Farmer’s body into the front of the car, where Colleen drew her the rest of the way in. He shoved the Buick into drive just as the blood-spattered creature darted at them.

Please go, Jesse thought, but he was too numb to speak. So much death, so much horror…and they couldn’t even try for the exit. He shot a look at Emma and saw the tears rimming her eyes. She probably felt just as he did, that there was no hope for them.

“Is she alive?” Clevenger asked, glancing at Linda Farmer.

Colleen nodded. “Brain-damaged, but alive. Of course, she was slightly brain-damaged already.”

Ahead and to their left, the red pickup bounced over campsites, a legion of creatures in pursuit.

Clevenger hunched over the wheel, struggling to make out the road through the freshets of rain sweeping the windshield. Emma’s wiper blades were worn out, but Jesse doubted even brand new ones would’ve done much good today.

“Can’t you go faster?” Emma asked.

Clevenger glanced at her. “Not safely.”

From their right a creature came crashing through the forest, its face maniacal with hunger.

“Floor it,” Colleen shouted.

Clevenger stomped on the accelerator and the big car jumped. The beast lifted its arms as if to swing them down King Kong-style and flatten the roof. Jesse watched the muscles rolling under its taut skin and wondered again how a creature so emaciated could generate so much power. He thought of the one who’d murdered Light Blue Bikini, the way it had swung her body through the air and dashed it on the ground…

The creature thrashed its gnarled fists down. Colleen and Emma screamed and leaned away. Just when he thought the knobby fists would punch through the roof of the Buick, the big car gave a lurch and scuttled by.

“Good driving,” Jesse said.

Clevenger didn’t respond, kept guiding the Buick toward the approaching gap in the trees, the stand of woods that separated the two main camping areas. We’re going back by the playground, Jesse thought. I can’t believe we’re actually going back to that slaughterhouse.

As long as you’re putting distance between yourselves and the Big Nasty.

The Big Nasty is dead, he reminded himself. I don’t think it’s walking away from that hole in its head.

Don’t be too sure. How many of their corpses have you actually seen?

“Impossible,” Jesse muttered aloud. Emma glanced at him, and he opened his mouth to explain. Then he realized how stupid it would sound.

Still…he turned in his seat to peer behind them. The rainfall cast a leaden blanket over the entire RV section, but here and there he could still make out a few landmarks. The overturned Seabreeze where they’d almost died. The bathhouse beyond that. He’d shotgunned the Big Nasty to the left of those things, beside the winding road unspooling behind them. It was there he focused his gaze.

The rain was so unrelenting that the day had gone a bleak, gunmetal hue. Nevertheless, something in the general area where he’d shot the Big Nasty drew his attention. Jesse scrunched up his eyes to see better. It was crazy, but he’d sworn…

A new species of dread awoke deep inside him. Despite the staccato machine-gunning of the rain on the roof, despite the roars of the creatures and the wails of the dying…despite all of it he still heard the thump of his own heartbeat, felt a febrile pulse in the pit of his throat.

He wanted to believe the shape he discerned was his imagination. He wanted desperately to persuade himself it was a mirage, a trick of the precipitation, the white contours just the natural dance of the storm.

“What is that?” Emma asked beside him.

She’d joined him on her knees staring out the back window, her face slack with disbelief. Jesse suspected his face looked much the same way.

The figure strode on legs as tall as extension ladders, the gaunt body towering above the other creatures, towering above the few RVs still upright, towering ten feet above the bathhouse.

Jessie thought, I’m not seeing this.

So you and Emma are witnessing the same illusion?

Jesse swallowed and squinted into the rain. The figure kept coming, but rather than pursuing its current course, it stopped, lowered its great head. Then, looking like an albino salamander, it descended onto all fours to examine something. The Buick was almost to the woods now, the great creature at least a football field behind them, but Jesse could still see the freakishly long fingers reach out. Then something on the ground stirred. Before Jesse could see what it was, the woods swallowed them up.