“No fucking way,” Nightingale replied delightedly. “Donkey Douglas? That prick? Well then let’s vamoose and gets me some cash.”
Nick’s limbs wouldn’t cooperate. He couldn’t move. Instead, he had to be picked up by Nightingale and flung over his shoulder. “And just what do you think you’re doin’? You ain’t touchin’ my lil’ bud. He’s worth more than it would take to kill yas but don’t think it ain’t on my mind. You just get to drivin’ and we’ll be fine.” And still with Nick on his shoulder, Nightingale performed a jig as he walked to their van singing, “We’re off to see the wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz…and if he fucks with me, I’m gonna take him out…because because becauuuuussse…because he’s a pharkin’ cunt…”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Wall of Flames
“Breaking news, this just in, a plane bound for London has crashed moments after taking off from Sydney Airport. The wreckage of the craft has sprawled across Qantas Drive....”
Alex and Michelle looked at each other with shock. “Oh my God...”
“Fucking hell...”
“...there are grave fears there are no survivors. Several witnesses have rung the station from their cars as traffic is blocked for several kilometres. Emergency services have been dispatched but there are massive delays in getting there. To any drivers on the road, a reminder to please move aside and let them through as it is an offence not to do so. We will bring you any updates as they come along, but in the meantime, please keep the passengers and their loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.”
Alex pointed out the window as the radio reverted back to music. “Mish...look.”
Michelle gasped at the huge haze of orange seen just over the trees to their right. From there, the airport wasn’t all that far away, but it still looked closer than it was. The sky was so dense the dust and smoke rose only to be absorbed into the black and disappear. It was as if the smoke was feeding the darkness which seemed to be sucking it up from the wreck as if needing more and ravenous with its hunger.
Alex got out as soon as the car stopped. The street was quiet and not a soul was in sight. She looked out over the trees at the haze, staring at it, imagining what those poor people must’ve gone through. The loss of life. The tragedy of it all. People died all the time; it was true. Dying was a part of life but so many people? So horribly? Alex longed for hope in her own world. And despite the dark things that crept through it, she trusted that good would always overcome. Situations like this though, shook her to her core.
“You can’t do anything for them,” Michelle said softly, standing beside her, putting her hand on Alex’s back.
“It’s not that. Well...”
“I can tell on your face. You get a look.”
“I guess I just wish I could help,” Alex replied, shaking her head to clear it before walking back to the car. “But what can I do? It’s stupid. I’m just one person.”
“You still would try. It’s one of the things I love about you.”
“But what good is that?” Alex replied. “A lot of people have good intentions. Doesn’t mean they can or will do anything.”
“Alex don’t do this to yourself. You’re acting like this was somehow your fault.”
“It’s not that...” Alex said, placing her hand on the door. “I guess with all this...” she said, waving her hand around her at the pitch blackness. “I’m looking for hope.”
Michelle was about to respond but screamed instead, and both women jumped back as a car sped directly into their trunk, crushing it. Alex took a few seconds to process the near miss before running ahead. The car that hit them had someone clinging to its hood: someone with fangs. Alex got close to the vehicle and stopped. The driver of the car was a woman, screaming out of sheer panic. The vampire snarled and snapped its jaws together, trying desperately to break the windscreen. The sound of an infant crying reached Alex’s ears. A baby in the back seat.
“Hey!” Alex yelled, getting its attention. Luckily the headlights of both hers and the woman’s car were on or she wouldn’t have been able to see the thing. The vampire looked up and Alex stilled for a moment. The vampire had pulsing veins visible from its forehead. The eyes were glazed over with a white film. It looked sick.
“Alex!” Michelle yelled. “It’s starving! Come away. It’s feral!”
Alex backed away but with her hands outstretched. “Come on...come and get me...you don’t want anything in there. I’m right here...come on...”
The vampire crawled off the car and along the dirt towards her, sneering so a glob of bloodied bile descended from its mouth. Creeping forward on its hands and knees. Alex held up a hand to Michelle, stopping her from pulling out her gun. “Get them out of the car…”
Michelle did just that, slowly backing around the vampire as it continued closing in on Alex when suddenly it leapt up. Alex hit the deck as it sailed over her head. Within a second, Alex felt her ankle grabbed and she was dragged away towards the snarling fiend. She screamed and looked up to call to Michelle, who, on the other side of the car, was firing down the road. More of them were coming.
Alex wriggled free and made to get up but was grabbed yet again. The dust around her was picking up due to her frantic movements. She coughed and wheezed. The only reason she could see anything was due to the headlights, but she was basically blind. She twisted to her back and flung her free foot around, hoping
