Free Outage 5: The Change by T.W. Piperbrook

of them. And if the bullets didn't work…
    "I said don't fucking move!" he shouted again, hoping threats were enough. He moved up the road, heading in the direction of his companions. He kept his aim. "If you try to follow us, I'll kill you!"
    Whether they believed his threat or not, he wasn't sure, but they remained in place, hands raised. They stared at Tom as he retreated. He hurried through the snow, alternating his gaze between them and his companions. Maria, Emily, Joseph, and Lana were already a hundred yards from the bridge. When Tom was almost out of range, he heard the woman yell something that chilled him to the core.
    "We'll see you tonight!" she said.
    She dropped her hands and relaxed. The others gave up their frightened expressions.
    They smiled.

    "Those people," Joseph said, trying to catch his breath. "Were they…?"
    "Yes, they were beasts," Tom said. He explained the line of reasoning that had led him to that conclusion.
    Tom glanced over his shoulder, but the people didn't seem to be following them. The bridge was out of sight. Even still, he kept his gun prepared. Maria kept glancing over her shoulder and at the woods, as if the people might fly through the air and grab them. The blonde-haired woman's chilling words echoed in his head.
    We'll see you tonight…
    The fact that the people were so cold, so calculating, filled Tom with rage. He hadn't asked for his curse. He'd do anything to return it, to live his life with Lorena and his son. These people reveled in what they were. They gave no explanation or excuse. They basked in their atrocities.  
    Tom glanced at the sky. Evening was approaching. Prior to the storm, the sun had been setting earlier and earlier, preparing for winter.
    Preparing for this…
    It almost felt like nature had colluded with the beasts, serving up humanity to the creatures' insatiable appetites.  
    The snow was heavier as they slogged through it, lifting their legs to account for the depth. The scenic woodlands gave way to several houses. The privacy might've been a selling feature at one time, but now the woods seemed to eat the properties rather than surround them.  
    Tom eyed one such house as they passed by. The ranch was set back from the road. It seemed untouched. He studied the windows, wondering if anyone was lurking inside, though he doubted it. The cold made him consider stopping, but he knew that would be as dangerous as moving.  
    The people might still be following them.
    Lana's persistent crying reinforced that fear. Joseph's attempts to comfort her seemed to have no effect. They couldn't stop.  
    The baby's needs took a backseat to its survival.
    "Do you remember how far the bunker is?" Maria asked.
    "We're getting close. I remember passing that bridge not too long before we arrived. My guess is that we're a neighborhood away. Then we should see the fire truck."
    Maria bit her lip. "I sure as hell hope so," she said.

Chapter Seventeen

    "You lied!" Mike said, throwing his hands in the air as he appraised Kelsey. Anger seethed in his voice as he worked through the ramifications of her lie.  
    "I was out there looking for him for half an hour!" Flannery added, his face red with anger.
    "I'm sorry," was all Kelsey could think to say. She swallowed, absent of a better retort. She'd told the truth, and in telling that truth, she'd asked for this. But the men's anger was worth it if it meant their safety.
    "He'll come back here," Flannery said, already speculating. "You know that, don't you?" He turned his gun in his hands. "How will he control himself?"
    "He promised he'd try," Kelsey said hopelessly.
    "I don't know why you'd do this," Mike said, letting more of his anger out. "You should've told us before we went out there and searched for him."
    "What would you have done?" Kelsey asked. "Shot him? Is that what you would've proposed?"
    Her response quieted the room. Mike and Officer Flannery looked at each other without an answer.  
    "He knew he couldn't come