Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Arainbow of light streamed through the stained glass windows, illuminating the biblical scenes depicted in vibrant colors, while the intricate stone carving of Jesus on the cross behind the pulpit felt ancient and powerful.
The scent of old wood and incense lingered in the air, while empty, smooth pews gleamed faintly under the dim light, facing the altar.
A faded red carpet, worn smooth from years of use, stretched the length of the aisle to a large, polished wooden podium at the head of the room.
Why were the Dogs outside this building?
Jude’s fingers reached for mine, and we began walking down the aisle together.
Vampires didn’t believe in weddings, and I didn’t know if the humans still did, but being here felt very strange.
It was like we were getting married. Years ago, I’d entertained the thought of it one day, surrounded by people I love, but that seems more like a fairytale than reality at this point.
I never imagined I’d find myself here, in a forgotten church, with a reminder of a world where faith had been abandoned after the apocalypse.
I shoved aside the thought of weddings and focused on the rows of aged pews, imagining past ceremonies within this hallowed space.
Directly in front of the church podium, a weathered wooden door, slightly ajar, revealed a dark, narrow spiral staircase descending into the earth.
My gaze flickered between Jude’s anxious face and the ominous wooden door, its dark varnish seeming to absorb the light. “So…do we go in?”
“Well, we didn’t almost get eaten by hundreds of Dogs to not go through a hidden door.”
I rolled my eyes, but a smile tugged at my lips despite my best efforts to suppress it.
I liked his sarcasm; it was a lot like mine.
I hung my feet over the side and pushed myself off without another thought.
My boots struck the cold metal landing at the bottom, the sound echoing upward.
Before my body could react, there was a heavy thump behind me and a hand clamped down on my shoulder.
“Let me go first,” Jude whispered and scurried ahead. “In case there’s any danger.”
I thought it best not to argue so as not to alert anyone (or anything) that may be lurking at its end.
Wrapping my fingers around Jude’s shirt tail, we scrambled down the darkened staircase.
Holding tightly to the metal rail, we carefully descended the uneven steps, our shoes echoing softly on the metal.
Eventually, at the bottom of the staircase, we found ourselves in a green and white tiled hallway, the grime on the walls thick with the scent of mildew and age.
As we neared the end, a high-pitched whirring reached my ears, punctuated by the sharp crackle of electricity, casting an eerie, flickering glow in the distance.
I patted the wall as we walked, hoping to find a light switch or something to illuminate our way.
My fingers brushed the cold metal of the lever, pushing it upward, and the room ignited with a harsh fluorescent light.
My vision was clouded by black spots from the sudden brightness, struggling to adjust. A sterile feel pervaded the room, and the walls, sheathed in pristine white tiles, met a floor of cheap, imitation marble vinyl.
The air smelled of oil and metal as I gazed upon rows upon rows of tool benches, each laden with an assortment of parts.
To my right, a colossal metal box, easily the size of three cars, hummed with a low, whirring noise vibrating through the ground.
Rusty bolts and nuts were scattered across the grimy ground, and a thin trail of black oil snaked from the back of the room to a drain in the center.
“Wh-where are we?” I whispered.
“It looks like a workshop.” Jude took a tentative step forward, his head slightly forward, scanning his surroundings.
“But who’s keeping it running?” His finger extended at the black liquid on the ground, keeping his eyes focused forward.
“The oil on the floor is pretty new, and the large box to your right is the generator keeping the electricity running for the entire town.”
One question was answered, but now we were here, the bigger question on my lips was who created this hidden room…and for what? I caught Jude taking his gun from the holster, holding it in front of him. “Let’s go forward together. This place is giving me the creeps.”
Following his nod, we traced the trail of oil leading us to the back of the workshop.
As we stepped inside, the automatic lights flickered to life, illuminating the space with a soft glow.
In the next room, rows of metal tables stood under a large triangular mechanism, each reflecting the cold, metallic light.
A network of wires, like a spider’s web, hung from each robotic arm.
In the center of each, a pyramid-shaped metal claw hung silently, cold and still.
The entrance to the workshop groaned open, the sound accompanied by a chilling draft, filling us with sudden dread.
“We need to hide,” I whispered, my voice trembling.
A wall of oil cans was stacked on top of each other on the far wall of the room.
Without another thought, I grabbed Jude’s hand, and we crouched behind them, hoping they’d provide enough cover not to be seen.
The slow, rhythmic thud of footsteps grew louder as they approached.
Was this who lived here? Peeking through a narrow gap between the barrels, we watched the door, our breaths held tight.
To me, it sounded like two pairs of footsteps were stumbling, like they were drunk.
My mind was racing, thinking about what we would do next if found.
A large shadow crawled up the wall and decreased as the footsteps drew near and the creature came into view.
It was a Dog. Great.
I closed my mouth, hardly daring to breathe, as I waited for the Dog to turn towards us, its ears twitching at the slightest sound. A long hiss escaped its leg with each step, and glossy black hydraulic fluid spurted from a metal joint.
It was damaged.
With a thump, the Dog jumped onto one of the cold metal tables, settling down on its side with a contented sigh. Like a tiny engine starting, a quiet whirring vibrated through the room, growing louder until it filled the space.
I cautiously poked my head outside our hiding place to see what was happening. The sudden flash of light filled the room, followed by Jude’s hand on my shoulder. “Vinny, what’re you doing?”
Crouching low, I slowly shifted my feet to get a better look. “I wanna see what’s happening.”
“You can’t, it’s a Dog. It’ll kill you.”
A sharp tug on my shirt from Jude threw me off balance. My body landed heavily on the stack of empty barrels, sending them crashing to the floor in a clatter of metal on tile.
Shit.
My muscles tensed, every hair on my body prickling, knowing full well the Dog heard me.
The noise was too loud for their ears and sensors not to catch the ruckus.
It was only a matter of seconds before it would descend on me.
I heard Jude make a swift movement, but no other sounds reached my ears.
The Dog didn’t come. What the hell was going on?
I scrambled off the ground, my hand reaching to my side and brandishing my gun in front of me.
Where was this Dog? It must be toying with me.
My head turned quickly to look for Jude, who was also holding his gun pointed toward the doorway to the other room.
We waited for an attack for what felt like forever, but it never came.
The Dog continued to lie on the metal bed, but what was happening to it was miraculous.
With a whirring sound, the claw above the table spun before piercing the Dog, each wire above it reacting with a frantic jump and jolt.
With a slow, deliberate motion, the pyramid-like claw unfurled its segmented parts, then snapped shut into a deadly point.
A white-hot electrical current, crackling and spitting, surged toward the Dog, creating a blinding flash of light.
Its arms extended, grasping a heavy, metallic pipe from a cluttered box filled with various metal components.
The device emitted three quick bursts of light as it rested the pipe on the Dog’s leg.
“What’s happening?” Jude asked quietly, his eyes lighting up with each flash.
“Is it being repaired?” I didn’t know exactly what I was seeing, but the new pipe replaced the broken one and was being welded and attached to the Dog’s leg. Moving slowly, I saw the Dog’s eyes—two empty, dark pits staring blankly ahead. “I think it’s turned off…at least for now.”
“Look.” Jude was pointing straight ahead to a large metal door.
It was as if a sinister energy radiated from what was inside. I almost felt the danger, but at the same time, it intrigued me so much that it drew me closer. Another flash of bright light from the claw made me wince, and I quickly looked from Jude to the door. “Together?”
He nodded, wrapping his fingers comfortably around mine. “Together.”