*This is a teaser from the third book in my end of the world series. Hehe, it was actually were I started the series, but decided to start from the beginning, before the destruction. This is actually how I got out of my three year writer's block, with this writing below. My novel idea came to me on August 13, 2009. I've been writing like a mad man since, and enjoying every key stroke of it*
Very carefully I made my way back to the waiting room careful not to get the attention of whatever was out there. Safely making it to the waiting room, I pondered with the idea that it may have been a person outside, but I ruled that out because a human would have knocked or yelled to be let in not scratch at the door like an animal. I picked up the pace as the scratching sounds at the door became increasing more violent. The sounds escalated until they were downright unnerving that I broke into a brisk jog down the hallway flaying the flashlight to and fro. I pushed open the door at the end and burst out onto the parking lot. Noticing that snow was beginning to pile on the floor I remembered the opening in the side of the warehouse.
What would we do if whatever was scratching at the door decided to check for another way in? Surely a wolf wouldn't be able to break into the custom built Hummer. I analyzed the specs of the vehicle in my mind. It was reinforced with bullet proof glass on all sides; the windshield was replaced with missile proof glass that we found in an abandoned military base. The doors had explosion proof panels built into them. The vehicle was nearly indestructible but- the roof was exactly that, just a regular standard roof.
Not caring about the echoes, I sprinted to the Hummer. Reaching for the door handle I was shocked to find it looked. My pulse raced and my head started to spin I was on the verge of panicking. Raising my hands I prepared to pound on the door. Suddenly the door swung open slamming into my clinched fists. It was accompanied by a sickening crunch. I ignored the pain and dove inside with the speed of a cheetah slamming the door behind me. Vapor streamed out of my panting mouth as I caught my breath my heart still beating at an unnatural rhythm.
"What's wrong?" Stacey asked grabbing a hold of my wrist, not realizing that she just about broke my hands with the door.
"It's... It's nothing Stacey I just heard some sounds in there," I said. I used my twitching puffed up pointer finger toward the door that lead to the offices. My response did little to keep the tension down.
"Are you saying that Isn't reason to worry?" she asked, tightening her grip on my wrist.
"No I'm just saying that it must be just some kind of animal, so don't worry we're safe in here," I said. Andrew stirred in the front seat but remained asleep.
"Daniel, do you realize the only animals around are predators, how could you go out alone!" she barked at me, her eyes burrowing into mine.
"But' I'm okay, aren't I?" I said. Her eyes suddenly grew wide with horror.
"What is it?" I asked.
"There's... something moving out there," she said pointing to where Andrew broke into the warehouse.
Slowly I turned to the opening; the horror of the sight got my heart racing again. An enormous white beast was making its way through the blinding snow toward the opening. I could feel Stacey tremble with fear as the monstrocisity made its way out of the torrent of snow. "It's a polar bear" I said struck with awe.
"What's a polar bear doing way out here?" Stacey asked timidly.
"They must be migrating all over North America looking for..." I cut off mid sentence, not wanting to frighten Stacey any more than she already was. But it was obvious she understood what I meant.
Immediately she started to shake Andrew awake. Startled Andrew thrust out his hands and hit the horn on the steering wheel. The honk of the horn sent me and Stacey into hysterics.
"What gives, I've only been asleep for-" Andrew began.
"Shh," I hissed at him, covering his mouth to quite him. He struggled to free himself from my grasp, but froze after getting a glimpse of the bear making its way over the downed garage door. His paws scrunched it under foot. The sound of the bending metal was enough to paralyze all three of us with fear.
I loosened my hands around Andrew's mouth and focused my attention to the majestic bear gracefully making its way toward us. It was a surreal sight like something out of a dream. I was mesmerized by its determined strides and found the soft thud of it's paws on the parking lot oddly soothing. With each breath it seemed to exhale smoke.
"It's beautiful", I said as the bear continued to lumber toward us.
"Oh my God," Andrew gasped his hand was on the car key about to turn it.
"No!" I rasped pulling Andrews hand back.
"What are you doing? Are you suicidal?" he said through gritted teeth.
Stacey opened her mouth about to say something before I cut her off. "The sound of the engine may be taken as confrontation behavior by the bear!" I whispered. Andrew's grim expression showed that he understood.
"So what are we going to do?" Stacey said, sobbing.
Almost reflexively I gathered her in my arms not sure rather I was trying to comfort her or just scared witless myself. Suddenly the Hummer inclined slightly forward. Twisting my neck around to take a look behind me, I saw an enormous white head obscure most the back window. A large area of the window was covered with the vapor of the bear’s hot breath licking at the glass.
"He can smell our rations" I said, mostly to myself. As if agreeing to what I said the bear let out a deep resonating growl. Stacey buried her head in my chest and began to weep uncontrollably on me.
"Well, let’s give him some," Andrew said reaching into the glove compartment and pulling out a cereal bar. If this were a scene in a movie I would have been rolling on the floor laughing. But this was really happening and at any moment the beast stalking us could tear apart the Hummer and devour us.
Andrew swiftly opened the passenger side door leaned out and threw the cereal bar as far as he could. It landed a couple dozen yards away with a soft thud. Andrew immediately slammed the door shut.
Surprised, the bear abandoned his spot behind the Hummer and charged past in a blur of white. Reaching the spot were the cereal bar landed it lowered its head to the ground and gathered it in its jaws. Looking from the rear window it looked almost comical observing the enormous polar bear swallow the cereal bar. The absurdity of the scene quickly faded when the bear turned his attention back to us. There was nothing graceful in the way that the animal lumbered toward us. There was no question this was the most powerful creature to ever walk among man.
I eased my way to the opposite side of the Hummer along with Stacey who still clung to me like a marsupial. Within seconds it was staring in at Andrew through the front passenger side window. Andrew petrified stared at the bear as if he were engaged in an intense staring contest. But we both knew that the bear was actually sizing up his prey. Seemingly loosing interest the bear backed away and walked over to the rear windows and eyed me and Stacey.
The bear suddenly began to rise up on its hind legs until he towered over the Hummer and his head and torso were no longer visible. For a moment the bear just stayed that way as if he had become frozen solid. Suddenly the roof overhead screeched and bent violently down toward us as the bear ferociously slammed his paws onto it. We were too frightened to scream, to frightened to think, maybe even to frightened to breathe. We were mice helplessly cornered by a cat.
Closing my eye's I hugged Stacey tighter to my chest and braced myself for another imminent impact.
