“Move your ass, Vector,” Zahara called softly and he heard the laugh in her voice. She just pushed the shit to the limit. He knew she was twisted but he’d no clue just how weird she was. She was antagonistic and seemed to want to push his buttons. He ignored her and got up in the seat. He gritted his teeth, there was dried blood in the seat and he wondered what had happened. He looked at the control panel and wasn’t sure which switches worked for what. He held his breath and put the key in the ignition and turned. The vehicle started up and he looked out the door and grinned widely at his companions. Zahara rolled her eyes and clapped with exaggerated slowness.
Flipping switches, Ethan was jolted by the loud scream of the siren and he leaned out and saw that the lights were flashing. He jumped out and landed in a crouch and ran to the truck and jumped in. He thought for a moment that Zahara might close the door and lock him out. He slid in and they watched as the moving mass of rotting humanity began to move as one in their direction. Xander pulled up and turned down the street Ethan had indicated; the sound of the siren began to fade as they moved around the buildings and businesses. The truck bumped over bodies and Xander ran over several zombies as they staggered forward to catch the truck. Ethan didn’t even notice the sound of shattering bone and squishing organs.
As they came around the side street, they could see that the bulk of the zombies were down the street, heading for the noise and lights. Xander pulled up in front of the hospital and parked. The parking lot was littered with rotting bodies, dogs, carrion birds and flies. He was struck anew at the incredible carnage that was all around him and the nightmarish picture before him. The deeper into Huntsville’s city center they ventured, the more outlandish it became, like some kind of horror fiction. To the side of the building, there were black body bags stacked. Some of those bags were moving and it reminded Ethan of black maggots. There were things trapped in there, trying to get out and would continue to struggle until they were a viscous soup of goo. As if being a zombie wasn’t bad enough, but to be trapped forever.
How long did these creatures remain animated? How long would this continue? The three got out cautiously and Zahara took off her jacket and pulled out the samurai sword and held it to the ready, a wide smile on her face, her green eyes now glowing gold. He wanted to laugh, it would seem that the werewolf, once unleashed was just under the surface, at least when it came to Zahara. Xander looked tense but his eyes were their normal brown. Ethan looked around and listened but heard nothing but the squawking of birds and the growls of the dogs yanking at the bodies. The siren continued to wail and he hoped it would last for as long as they needed to get in and out of the hospital.
Looking up he spotted movement on the second floor. There were three people looking down at them, waving frantically.
“Hey, look,” he said and pointed.
“Looks like doctors or nurses,” Xander said. They turned when they heard distant gunfire.
“Sounds like an AR. Sounds like someone is having a bad day,” Zahara said. Ethan looked at her, how in the hell could she tell if the weapon was an AR? He could barely hear the pops of sound. He watched as she froze suddenly, her eyes going wide. She dropped the sword on the ground as her body tensed and then a transformation took place. Her snout grew and her teeth elongated along with her limbs. Her body grew right before him and the t-shirt she was wearing shredded as her chest grew broader and expanded. Her bra popped off and her shorts fell to her ankles, her Sig Sauer and Ruger clattered to the ground. At the same time, she was kicking off her sandals and her muscles grew and the fur came out all over her body.
It was stunning to watch a once beautiful woman change into a horrifying animal, capable of mass murder. Her eyes were wild as she snarled, her slavering jaws open and her teeth dripped with lethal intent. She turned and ran, nearly on all fours. She jumped over several vehicles and the dogs around began to bark and snarl as she went past. They took off after her and the birds scattered.
“What in the hell just happened?” Ethan asked, stunned amazement in his voice.
“She just heard a little girl scream in terror,” Xander said with a far-off look on his face.
Ž
Zahara moved with superhuman speed, even for a werewolf; she was pushing the limits of her large body. She bounded over vehicles and shredded zombies that got in her way. That scream went to the heart of her and she knew it well. She’d screamed that very scream when she’d been so little and helpless. It called to her like no other and she
