Ophiocordyceps: Part Twelve

“Where the hell are they?” Dr. Hjalmarsson threw his satellite phone on the couch after receiving yet another dial tone from the other end. “I told them it was a trap, damnit.”

Dr. Hjalmarsson grabbed his gas mask and threw open his arsenal of guns, grabbing anything that he could fit in his bag before heading out the door. Rage fueled his steps as he stomped to his car, throwing open the door and slamming it behind him.

As he drove, he kept the radio tuned to KRL, convinced that he would hear Reyna and Liam’s screams through the broadcast. The streets and the broadcast were silent, which only fueled his rage.

---

“Well, what do you say? Are you ready to be friends?” Anastasia asked in her sweet, melodic voice as Drizella stood silently in the shadows.

Liam looked up at the sisters, his swollen eyes unable to focus. His body had been in agony for days, and he just wanted it to end.

“What’s in it for us?” Reyna interjected quickly with a raspy voice.

“Well you get to live, of course.” Drizella stepped out of the shadows, dragging a long and rusty piece of rebar behind her.

Reyna looked over at Liam, knowing that he was close to his breaking point and that no one was coming to save them this time. Knowing that she was defeated, she looked towards the floor; tears running down her face and dampening the floor beneath her.

“Liam, it’s okay, you can go ahead and join them.” Reyna’s voice cracked as she spoke, trying to hold back her tears.

Liam looked towards Reyna, seeing how broken she was after the days of torment that they endured. The look in his eye told Reyna that he was not giving up on her, that he would help them both survive, if she could only hold on a moment more.

“Okay-I’ll join you..” Liam muttered to the sisters, already regretting his words.

“Lovely! Ella, let him down please.” Anastasia’s eyes flashed a shade of orange as she turned towards Reyna. “And what about you, dear?”

Reyna spit on the ground, mustering up the strength to prepare for what she would have to endure. “Never.”

Drizella scoffed as she approached Reyna, dragging the rebar behind her. “You should have followed your friend’s lead, if you knew what was good for you.”

Reyna was an easy target, her body still hanging limply from the ceiling; she winced as Drizella stood in front of her. Drizella twirled the rebar in her hands, searching for the perfect balancing point before she swung it into Reyna’s ribcage. A wicked laugh escaped her lips as it struck.

Drizella’s wicked laughter and Reyna’s screams drowned out the dull thuds as the rebar struck her body. Anastasia wrapped Liam in a warm embrace to shield him from the abuse, his tears soaking her perfectly tailored suit.

As Drizella reared up for another swing, a deafening crash came from outside the studio and the building shook.

“What the hell? Ana, look outside!” Drizella screamed to her sister.

Down on the street, many of the people surrounding the building lay lifeless on the ground. Anastasia watched as the crowd moved to fill the gap, crushing the remains of the fallen. Smoke rose from the front door, but Anastasia couldn’t see what caused it.

“Ella, I think we need to get out of here.” Anastasia’s voice was filled with panic as she saw the crowd begin to funnel into the building.

“Just give me a minute!” Drizella huffed as she turned back to Reyna. “Sorry, but we’ve got to go, and you’ve lost your charm. This is goodbye.”

Drizella twirled the rebar in her hand once more and, using all her strength, plunged it into her stomach. Reyna’s scream pierced the air and echoed through the recording studio while her blood pooled on the ground beneath her.

“Reyna!” Liam screamed through his tears as he watched her body go limp once again.

As Drizella searched for an escape route, Anastasia turned to set the music once more. Whoever had caused the crash earlier would soon be coming for them, and they weren’t going down without a fight.

The calculated sounds of the piano caused the crowd to stir as they made their way into the building. Their hands attempted to cover their ears, but it was too loud to make any difference. A loud roar erupted from the crowd as they started running up the stairs, attempting to push one another off as they passed.

Before Drizella and Anastasia could find a way out that would accommodate Liam as well, the glass door of the recording studio shattered.

“Goddamnit, I knew you two were in trouble.” A gruff voice muttered as a figure stepped into the room.

“Dr. Hjalmarsson!” Liam broke free of Anastasia’s grasp and ran to him.

Photo - istock

Sound Bites - Pixabay