Chapter 4

Miles sat in his favourite bar and finished his favourite drink happily. The day was coming to an end and he had done twice as much as he had hoped, even now he did not feel the least bit tired. The Texan had come in and picked an especially comfy chair away from his usual place at the bar itself as he was feeling patient enough to wait for his drink to come to him.

Sure enough a young waitress walked over and placed another beverage in front of him. With a smile at the girl he took a small sip of it, tasting the strong liquid in an almost successful interpretation of a refined alcoholic. The barman saw this and laughed out at him before calling over.

"In a good mood eh?"

"Yep I certainly am, gonna be drinking for a while yet."

"Always good to hear."

As the bar patrons started talking about various things the village sheriff strolled in. He was a tall man with and very well built underneath his uniform and shiny star badge. He had a face that showed he had taken down many criminals in his time and fought many battles. Just as he stopped in the doorway another man slightly shorter than him glided past him and made a dash to sit down at Miles' table.

The people in the bar all stopped talking and as one, looked up at the lawman expecting a message, one came.

"Anyone here seen anybody new come into town or even seen anyone they didn't know nearby?" His voice was stern but carefully threatening as not to be too bad. All the people shook their heads and answered negatives

"Right then, well if yawl do then come tell me soon as"

With this short warning he about turned and walked out without a word more. The man who had sat down at Miles' table was a friend of Miles who spoke in a curious tone

"What do you reckon that was about?" He said

"Don't rightly know. Strange really, he has never done that before" Miles responded scratching his chin thoughtfully

"Ha, well anyway how is the family?"

"Fine thanks, haven't seen you in ages Geoff, yet you've been living in the same town"

"Well the wife has me going T-total for as long as possible but I've sneaked in here to have a quick drink"

A gunshot ringed in the distance as it commonly did as mongrels creped in. No one paid any attention to this at all as it was the norm, but a second then third gunshot rang out towards the village. The barkeeps ears pricked up at this and he stopped cleaning the glasses to listen out at what was happening. Some of the other patrons also did this, Miles himself noticed what was going on and ceased his convocation.

After a few second he shrugged his shoulders and went on with his drink and talk

"So what you been doing with yourself Miles?" Geoff asked

"Well I was just painting the fence around the house as the heat dries up everything. I swear I must be in the past as everyone keeps telling me of this paint that is much more heat resistant that others but I didn't listen. To be honest if Elizabeth didn't keep nagging me then I'd..." He trailed off as a two more gunshots sounded but much closer than before.

This time everyone stopped and listened in. Miles lost patience and stood up then went to the door and peered out. Outside the sun was setting in the distance cast a glow across the entire village of beautiful orange. Miles looked around as people walked here and there completely ignoring what Miles and others seemed incapable of.

Across the road two deputies rushed out of the office and into their waiting police car which rushed off out of the village towards another gunshot. Geoff stood beside Miles and looked out across the dusty area and the disappearing police car.

"Grisham's probably drunk, once again. Last time he was all the deputies were outside his with rifles"

"Yeah sounds it. Fuck it I need a strong drink"

"You and me both"

With that they both walked inside and up to the bar and placed their orders. Just as they did a scream sounded from outside followed by several more. Everyone looked up as a gunshot was heard just outside the door. Miles staggered back as this and looked at his friend who was equally stunned

A window at the far right was shattered as a body was hurled through it which landed into a nearby table. A creature leaped through the broken window and let off a howl that seemed to almost pop eardrums. It then ran the length of the room and super-human speeds knocking aside people which away as if they'd been hit with a wrecking ball.

Miles did not have a second to observe the attack as several more rushed in through the doorway and began tearing into the patrons mercilessly. The things stood about six foot tall and most were covered in blood long since dried. The red eyes shone out as the long claws attacked with huge strength. Humanoid in nature but something of their semi decaying skin told that these were not human.

Each varied in skin tone and features but all had the constant rage filled eyes that caused fear in people's souls and decaying flesh which seemed to be long dead but hardened against attacks. This sudden and horrific assault caused panic and shock as noises of further violence came from outside.

The barkeep pulled out a double barrelled shotgun and unloaded a chamber on the nearest creature. It staggered back as the shrapnel from the ball bearings tore into in but did not fall or die. Instead it shot towards the armed man howling in anger only to receive the second barrel which hit it roughly in the same place as before. This time it did fall down and die but with a gurgle of blood coloured the darkest red imaginable

This triumph was short lived as the barkeep was pounced on by two more attackers who ripped into the poor man. Miles who had ran to the background saw this clearly, he then thought of his family. The man grabbed Geoff and the two made for the back door which as of yet had been untouched.

They burst out of the fight and into the failing sunshine where the air was thick with smoke from a nearby burning building. Miles sprinted to the end of the alley covering his face from the smoke only to emerge into a scene of chaos. People were running, fighting and dying everywhere as the things came from all angles with their beast like strength and endurance.

Seeing no way to fight Miles slipped back down the alley and took a turning that led towards his house with a still stunned Geoff behind him not knowing what to do. Gunfire came from here and there along with screaming which sounded over the background noise of burning and the constant howls.

As the original shock began to leave them both, the fear of what was happening set in very fast. All around them people were being killed. The fact Miles had seen one take a shogun round point blank to the chest without caring made it even scarier. He thought back to his friend who had been ripped apart before his eyes.

Just at the end of the village the two emerged as gunfire had started to flicker away. This could've meant many things but the screaming and howling maintained their volume. Miles' vision levelled on his house a distance in front of him

It was an inferno on a hill. The wooden building was burning with a ferocity which he had never before seen anywhere. Thick black smoke covered the sky above it and seemed to be worse than the burning village. The porch collapsed unable to support itself with the weakened beams. It smashed down onto the ground along with the front door which simply crumpled down in on itself.

Miles screamed out and sprinted towards the hellish fire with his eyes filled with tears at what he saw. His pace outstripped Geoff easily and in his passion the Texan almost leaped straight into the inferno. However sense snapped into his just before and he skidded to a halt frantically looking around for any way to gain entry to the building.